High school part-time; homeschooling part-time.Hopefully the best of both worlds.

If you have read my previous blogs you are aware of some of the issues we had this last year via the public school. For one of the bullying blogs see the entry in June labeled “(Missing blog summary #1) Bullying in Public school”. What I didn’t mention previously is that we also had issues with some teachers. 

The band teacher went off on the whole class, yelling “Who the hell do you think you all are” and using the s-word (as my kids call it). At the beginning of the year my son couldn’t wait for band because he had wanted lessons forever but we hadn’t been able to afford them. He came home after that and wanted to quit band immediately. He refused to enroll in band for the next year…and he wasn’t the only one. From what I understand 75% of the 8^th grade band refused to take band the next year. It is such a shame that one teacher can ruin a child’s love for a class in such a way. (And yes I went to the school about this but they did nothing. The teacher did apologize to the class but it was too late at that point).

The school’s policy for make-up work is the number of days you missed plus one. So if you missed 2 days of school you have 3 days to get caught up with all your assignments. We had one teacher who did not follow this at all. She expected my son to take 6 tests (voc and spelling) in 3 days! Because she had put him off for so long and it was the end of the grading period so she had to enter a grade for the tests. She also tried to dock him for 2 assignments that he “had to be present the day of to pass” (which is not what the policy says). 

We had another teacher who did not return emails and phone calls for 3 weeks! Literally. Then when she did reply her response was “I didn’t know your email required a response”!! Hello---I only asked about 4 questions in my email! Overall our experience was horrible!

So I was hoping my son would decide to go back to homeschooling. And yes I was leaving that decision up to him. He wants to play soccer and he made the JV team last year. In our area there just isn’t a lot offered for high school age kids as far as competitive sports go. I was willing to fight the school, the bad teachers, and the bullies for another year for him…if he decided he wanted to stay in public school. 

The end of July I get a call from him (he was visiting his grandparents out of state). He had given homeschooling a lot of thought and decided he really wanted to be homeschooled again, but that he wanted a different math program (we were using Saxon, which he HATED)…and then he made an off-handed remark about having more free time to do whatever he wanted to do (such as play his xbox). So I was somewhat excited but the last comment gave me pause. Was he serious about homeschooling or did he just pick it cause he thinks he can play the xbox all the time? Plus I had not looked at ANY curriculum at all! And it was close to the deadline to file with the county that we were homeschooling. So I thought about and talked to some friends. I decided we would go pick his schedule up from the high school. He did not want to do this at all, which really surprised me. I thought he would at least want to go see some friends, say hi, whatever. But he was not happy about going to get that schedule. However I wanted to see what he had been assigned. Imagine my surprise when he had ALL honors classes! Last year I made them put him in honors English. But now he was in honors science and history as well! I guess, even though he didn’t get straight A’s, the teachers must have really liked him and thought he had potential for honors classes. After I got over that shock we looked at his electives. Sure enough he had an engineering class and a technology class (like woodshop but more advanced). I asked him if he wanted to take those classes because that is not something I could easily offer him at home. Of course he did. So we visited the guidance office and then called the school board office and then went back to the guidance office again! After all that run around we finally have him enrolled part-time at the high school. He will be taking the engineering and technology classes, plus a graphic design and geometry class. He agreed to stay in the geometry class because the teacher is the husband of his old tutor. (long story for a different time!) I will be teaching him English/reading, history, and science at home. He will have half a day at the school and half a day at home. :-) I am hoping this will eliminate some of the bullying issues. And so far I like the teachers, especially the one who told me that he would be contacting me. He believes in parent involvement. That just made my day. LOL

Now all I have to do is write an “Intent to Homeschool” letter to the school board office and we will be set for the year….WAIT! I still have to buy his curriculum! Ebay here I come! :-)

The school year has begun!!...and with it some changes

A new school year!! This year brings some changes to our house.


We have decided to allow our oldest to attend public school. We made this decision for many reasons but the main three were: 1. In our school district 8th grade is in our high school. 2. Our local Parks & Rec doesn’t offer hardly any sports for kids who turn 14 yrs old. & 3. I want him to enroll in dual enrollment (the kids get college credits for high school classes thus starting their college career early).

“Meet The Teacher” Night was 5-7pm and let me tell you…they lock the doors at exactly 7pm!! I was told we could come anytime with the 2 hrs. I had planned to be there at 5 – 5:30 at the latest. Hubby got home from work late (he wanted to go too) so we didn’t get there till 6pm. Between teachers not being in their class, where they are suppose to be so we can meet them, and the school telling teachers to lock their doors and leave at exactly 7pm (yes they said this over the loudspeaker) we didn’t get to meet every one of his teachers. It was very frustrating. When my kids were in elementary school they had the same times but the school was open till you got done, not on lock-down right at 7. Literally at 7pm the teachers locked their doors, the lights were being turned out, and teachers and administrators were leaving.

Anyways I liked one of his teachers and told people about her. As soon as I did I started receiving very bad reviews about her last 5 yrs with the high school. It was everything from “she doesn’t teach instead she befriends them and has the girls doing her hair during class time” to “she loses homework and blames it on the child” to “if she finds out that your child ‘got her in trouble’ then she bullies them by punishing the whole class and naming your child as the reason”. I tried to get his scheduled changed but they wouldn’t do anything…So needless to say I am keeping my eye on her. I didn’t put him back into public school for him to have a teacher who doesn’t teach and worse bullies the kids!! I will be on first name basis with that school. They will know my car when I pull up outside and will run and hide! LOL I am somewhat serious though. I will not have my child bullied by a teacher and not be taught anything. He had enough of that (the not learning anything) in elementary school.

The high school has an unusual schedule, at least to me. They have an A/B schedule but it isn’t just A/B every other day…there is also A/B every nine weeks or half year. My biggest complaint is that they do not have math all year. It is a half year class, meaning they have it every day for half the year. The other half year is a foreign language. Why couldn’t they have foreign language and math every other day all year? It would help with their retention. They have English every day all year. They have Science & History every other day all year. Then they have one class that is all year every other day and for the other day it changes every nine weeks. They don’t have a study hall…instead they have a half hour advisory period after lunch. In advisory period they can do their homework, go see teachers about make-up work if they missed days, or see teachers for work they didn’t understand.

So school started last week. He was very excited but nervous. His first ½ week (they start on Wed) went well. He hasn’t had any homework at all, which he is loving. I have been reviewing his work every day but it isn’t like he brings books home. I am not even sure if they have a book for every child. He does bring home copied papers so I can see what they are talking about in class though.

I am hopeful for the year but at the same time I am apprehensive. I have a vision in my head of me crashing through the doors and yelling at people. LOL Hopefully it won’t come true. If it does I will be writing about it! After all I am under no illusion that public school is the best system…and I would not hesitate to pull him out and homeschool him again if I feel that is the only way he will get a good education.

Virginia Homeschooling regulations

There are 4 options to homeschool in Virginia.

Option I: Home School Statute. Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-254.1. “Home Instruction”
1. Parental instruction of children is an acceptable form of education. Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-254.1(A).

2. Parents must annually notify their local superintendent of their intention to home school by August 15. If moving into the school district or if starting home instruction after the school year has begun, parents must notify “as soon as practicable” and thereafter comply with other requirements within thirty days of notice. There is no requirement to use the local school district’s form.

3. Approval is not required. "Approval is automatic so long as a proper notice is filed." State Supts. Memo No. 105, June 6, 1984. The same is true for families starting after the school year has begun: "...subsequent to providing the school division with a notice of intent, such parents can begin home schooling and they will have 30 days to submit the other information required." Supts. Memo No. 124, June 9, 2006, referring to the legislature's 2006 addition of the word "thereafter" to the notice requirement.

4. Parents must satisfy one of four options: (i) have a high school diploma, or (ii) be a “teacher of qualifications prescribed by the Board of Education,” or (iii) provide a curriculum or program of study, or (iv) provide evidence that the “parent is able to provide an adequate education.” State Supt. Memo 105, June 6, 1984, stated that in determining whether a parent can provide an adequate education, a local superintendent should determine “whether the document itself exhibits a mastery of language by the writer; whether it includes plans for instructional activities; and whether it presents a reasonable scope and sequence of content. The [local] superintendent does not have to approve or disapprove the activities or the content and should not pass judgment on whether the curriculum is a satisfactory substitute for that of the public schools. That should be left to the parent.”

5. Parents must submit a "description of curriculum” which is a list of subjects they intend to teach. Families are not required to describe the content of individual courses.

6. Anyone aggrieved by a superintendent’s decision may appeal within 30 days to an independent hearing officer.


Alternative Statutes Allowing for Home Schools:

Option II: Religious Exemption Statute. “A school board shall excuse from attendance at school any pupil who, together with his parents, by reason of bona fide religious training or belief is conscientiously opposed to attendance at school.” § 22.1-254(B)(1). Homeschoolers may receive an exemption under this statute according to § 22.1-254.1(D). This exempts them from all requirements under the home school law. § 22.1-254 (H)(5).

In Johnson v. Prince William County School Board, 404 S.E.2d 209 (1991), the Virginia Supreme Court agreed with HSLDA’s arguments and ruled that the “sole test is the bona fides of their (a home school family’s) religious beliefs.” The state’s interest in education cannot be considered. The court also held that a family only has to demonstrate religious opposition to attendance at public school, not opposition to the home school statute or private school attendance. In HSLDA’s case, Dusan v. Cumberland Co. School Board (Chancery No. 2102, Cumberland Co. Circuit Court, Judge Snoddy, Sept. 15, 1993), the Court agreed with HSLDA and favorably applied the Johnson case and reversed the board’s denial of the parents’ religious exemption.

Homeschoolers choosing this option, therefore, need to prove: (1) they have sincere beliefs that are (2) religious, not merely philosophical, which (3) demonstrate their objection to attendance in the public schools. Homeschoolers should prepare a letter describing their religious beliefs opposing public school attendance and submit to the school board. Also, homeschoolers should include an affidavit from their pastor (or other religious expert or authority) stating that their beliefs concerning education are religious in nature, and two or three letters from friends who can vouch for their sincerity.

Option III. Certified Tutor Statute:
If a parent is certified in Virginia, he need only provide a one-time notice to the local superintendent that he will be tutoring children (the name of the children who will be tutored should not be included) and verify that he is certified. § 22.1-254(A). Two courts have ruled that homeschool parents can use this option. One was HSLDA’s case, Prince William Co. School Board v. Charles Berlin, No. CH-34982, Prince William Co. Circuit Court, Judge Richard Potter, Nov. 24, 1993. Subsequently, a State Superintendent memo advised all school districts to follow the Berlin ruling.


Option IV. Private or Denominational School:

Groups of homeschoolers can create private schools with each home a part of the campus and each parent a teacher. Private schools are not regulated. § 22.1-254. An individual home school cannot be a private school. § 22.1-254.A. A private school can establish a distance program (or virtual program, or satellite program) where a student is enrolled in and under the authority of the private school, but the student is taught primarily by his parents at home.

 
Standardized Tests:
Only for parents choosing Option I, and only if the child was 6 or older by Sept. 30. By August 1, submit one of the following. Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-254.1(C) 1. Results of any nationally normed standardized achievement test showing the child attained “a composite score in or above the fourth stanine” (i.e., 23rd percentile); or 2. An evaluation letter from a person licensed to teach in any state, or a person with a master’s degree or higher in an academic discipline, having knowledge of the child’s academic progress, stating that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress; or 3. A report card or transcript from a community college or college, college distance learning program, or home-education correspondence school; or 4. Another type of “evaluation or assessment which the division superintendent determines to indicate that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress.” If you plan to submit an assessment under test option 4, it is strongly recommended that you discuss this with the school system early in the school year.
 
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Homeschooling

I homeschool my oldest son. He had attended a public school until this year. I "pulled" him for many reasons but mostly because I think the public school was not giving him the education that he needed. He is a smart child, advanced in science & math. The public school didn't want to accelerate him- in other words give him the education he needed. I tried to work with the school before I withdrew him. I gave them another year- I had a meeting with the principal. She said certain educational things would happen that year, which didn't happen. So I felt I had no choose but to withdraw him.

Since withdrawing him from public school I have heard from many families who felt the same way (that their child wasn't getting the education he/she needed) and have also withdrawn their children. I would LOVE to do a survey on families who withdrew their children from public elementary school and are now either homeschooling them or sending them to private school. I would ask if they did so because they felt that their child wasn't being challenged acedemically. I would think that as a school board, especially with the financial crisis right now, you would want to know why families are withdrawing their children. This would be an interesting survey.