September 2011 Newsletter

Welcome Back to Homeschool!  

This website will be updated periodically and a newsletter will be posted monthly, so check back often.  

• Our Stunning Students Section:  Would your child like to submit their stories, drawings, poems, articles etc... to the monthly newsletter?  Just email it to me and I will add them each month.

• Recipes: Do you have any you would like to share? We can start a recipe section just for us busy Moms.

• Tips or Tricks: Let us know what tips or shortcuts you may have to complete tasks.  We need all the help we can get!

• Field trips: If you have a field trip idea, either submit it to me or plan it and let us know the details!

• For Sale:  If you have any curriculum for sale, let me know & I will post it here.

Some ways to make back to school a little more fun!

• Click HERE to print out a "Back to School'  PDF Booklet for your child to complete.  So cute!

• Here are some great websites, with fun back to school activities for various ages:

DLTK: Back to school crafts, games, coloring sheets & more

Family Fun: Back to school crafts, recipes & printables

Is your child interested in learning an instrument?  

Here is a list of instructors that are used by our homeschoolers:

Voice Lessons - Allison Molli Mattis

 https://ammbellamusicastudio.musicteachershelper.com/home

Piano Lessons - Amber Shay Nicholson 730-6411 

     http://ambershaynicholson.musicteachershelper.com/

                          or  Jane Balling 563-4029

                          or   Vera Finger 723-6326

Kids at Keyboard I, II and III - 6-10 year olds held at Lutheran Social Services/Jamestown  call Kelly Cofer at 489-7969

Drum Lessons - Jim Torrey 716-569-2058

Violin, Cello, Viola, Piano Lessons - Khlare Bracken 726-3914

Folk Guitar - Virginia Loizeaux 489-3348
Guitar - Dan Imig 723-2027
               or David Bush 563-7447
Flute Lessons - Denise Pearson 757-9451
                           or Ann Mead 723-7303
                           or Betty Fitzgerald 563-7409

 if you have anyone for me to add to the list, let me know!

 

Date: Wednesday, August 31st

Time: 1:00 pm

Location: Beaty Park (corner of 5th St. and Conewango Ave)

What to Bring:  Your chair and calendar

Reason:  To kick off a great year of Homeschooling, to plan fieldtrips, to hear what the veteran homeschoolers have to say and meet some new homeschoolers, to learn about some new opportunities and to be involved!

Meeting arranged by Robyn Samuelson.  We will set up near playground and child supervision is provided. 

 

Sept 2-4 Cornfield 500 http://www.cornfield500.com/

Sept 3-4 Wild Woods Seneca Native American Festival          http://www.wildwoodsanimalpark.com/

Sept 10 Warren County Great Race http://www.warrencountygreatrace.com/

Sept 10 Little Explorers @ Jamestown Audubon http://jasprograms.wordpress.com/about/little-explorers/

Sept 10-11 Wild Wind Folk Art & Craft Festival http://www.wildwindfestival.com/intro.html 

Sept 10-25 Williamsburg, VA Homeschoolers Experience http://history.org/History/teaching/groupTours/SchoolandYouth/homeschools.cfm
Sept 17 Lander Fire Dept Community Safety Fair 1-5 pm - you can fulfill your fire safety requirement by visiting  

Sept 17 through Oct 31 Port Farms Harvest Festival (see website for the various dates/activities) http://www.portfarms.com/harvestfest.htm

Sept 22-25 Pennsylvania State Championship Fishing Tournament

90 Main Street, Tidioute PA.
Phone: 814-484-3585
Fax: 814-484-2273
Fishing tournament for ages 3 and up, carnival rides, fireworks, concessions, craft show, parade, food vendors, and games.

Sept 23 & 24 Blue & Gray Civil War Encampment @ Fenton History Center/Jamestown http://www.fentonhistorycenter.org/about/visitorinfo.php
Sept 24 Whispering Woods Craft Festival - Tionesta
http://www.wolfscornersfair.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=17
 Sept 24 Reptimania @ Jamestown Audubon http://jasprograms.wordpress.com/about/24-reptimania/ 

Sept 25 Busti Apple Festival http://www.townofbusti.com/apple.html

Sept 30 Explore the Night @ Jamestown Audubon http://jasprograms.wordpress.com/about/30-explore-the-night/

 

 

Our Stunning Students!

Homeschoolers Sighting!

Jessica, Ethan, Natalie, Katie, Alex & Emmie and their Dads were spotted recently at the

'Brent McKown Learn to Fish Day' !

Kool-Aid PlayDough

1 Cup flour

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 pkg unsweetened kool-aid

1/4 cup salt

2 Tbsp. cream of tartar

1 cup water

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and kool-aid in a medium pot.  Add water and oil.  Stir over meduim heat 3-5 minutes.  When mixture forms a ball in pot, remove.  Knead until smooth.  Put in a plastic bag and refrigerate.

 The YMCA in Warren will be offering Friday Homeschoolers swimming lessons once again.  Grades 5-8 meet from 10:00-10:30 am, grades 1-4 meet from 10:30-11:00.  Cost is $13/five week session for members and $41 for non members.  Registration is going on now. 
The first session begins Sept. 6, which means the first class would be Sept. 9th. 

Here is the testing schedule for PA Homeschoolers with the Richmans. 

Our date will be in Corry on Oct. 17 at Faith Evangelical Church, 13444 W. Washington St. Corry, PA.
You can go to their site, click on Corry and it will give directions. 

Testing is required for all 3, 5 & 8th graders. Richmans welcome all other grades also. You can test with the Richmans or contact the Christian schools in the area (which usually test in the spring) or order tests from Seton and find someone to administer them.

Go to this link for registration info and form.

http://www.pahomeschoolers.com/events/testing/testform.pdf

 

From Deb Penley:

I'm changing up the pottery classes a little this year, to keep things fresh, adding some more stuff, etc. Hopefully this will work for most people!

Dates: October 11, 18 & 25 

First Tuesday, October 11 - Beginner's & Handbuilding Class

This class will focus on introduing the group to clay, familiarize them with pottery terms various handbuilding techniques. This is open to anyone who has never touched clay, as well as to those who are familiar but may want to make something new or try a diffferent technique. I would like to limit the class to around 20 people, for space and ease of helping each individual, so please RSVP by October 1st if you are coming. If the class fills up, I will have a waiting list in case anyone cancels. Otherwise, I hope to offer the classes again soon after the new year.

Cost: $8 which includes take-home sheets and finished glazed product

Time: 10 AM - around 1-2PM, depending on when your family is satisfied with their project :)

Second Tuesday, October 18 - Mold-Making & Printing Technique

This is a new class I'm hoping to offer. We will begin by making a molded image out of a soft carving material, which we will then use to either impress in the soft clay, or print an image onto leather hard clay. This will offer a more diverse look into the different processes that are used to produce ceramic pieces, and will give the group a little more of a direct challenge in the design process.

Cost: $10 which includes take-home carved mold, black & white copy of lesson, and finished glazed product

Time: 10 AM - around 1-2PM or until everyone is done with their project

Third Tuesday, October 25 - Wheel Throwing

Finally! I have acquired a couple of wheels, one for little hands (pre-school age), and a brand new one for the older folks! These classes will focus on how to center clay, and beginning techniques of thowing a cylander, bowl, or mug. Due to the fact that only one person can use the wheel at a time (or one little person on the slow wheel, and one on the faster one), I am thinking that doing a group of no more than five in a 1.5 hour period would be best. This would allow each person around 15-20 minutes to practice throwing and make their piece. I will try to get your family into the time-frame chosen by you, but if we have a couple smaller families (2 or 3) than I might try combining to get more families a chance in this one day. RSVP by October 18.

Times to choose from: 10 AM, 12 noon, 2 PM, and 4 PM

Cost: $10 which includes throwing time and finished glazed piece  - $8 for pre-school age children who will be using the slower wheel - free if they do not "finish" a piece and just want to "play" on the wheel :)

You can contact me by phone (814)489-7832 or e-mail penley75@verizon.net

I am located in downtown Sugar Grove, next door to the elementary school (on the left). My address is 15 School St. Sugar Grove, PA 1350

If you have in interest in a certain type of class you'd like to see offered, please let me know. I could always offer a more specific class on coil-building, or slab-rolling, pinch pots, etc. instead of doing it all in one day. Any ideas would be helpful :)

When: Every Tuesday 1-3 pm

Where: Faith Fellowship Church of God (across from the  

                 Warren Library on Market St.)

What to Bring:  a donation of any size for the use of the building and a water bottle (no water fountain for our use)

  

Here are some links to some PE activities if anyone is interested in running a few of these on Gym days.

http://www.flaghouse.com/activityGuides.asp

http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/schoolroom/physed.php

Note from Tara Casey:

First, I think if anyone is bringing things to be used at the gym stock should be taken on the safety of the item given the space we are utilizing and the age range of kids there.ie. Footballs should only be for outdoors!
Next, if anyone has a great idea of a group game/ activity to play, please bring it and speak up!  We had a game of 4Square going, and I felt the kids enjoyed having an organized game every bit as much as just running around.
Now down to the nitty gritty.  The pastor approached me concerned about insurance.  We need to draft some sort of "I will not hold anyone responsible" paper and have anyone who attends sign it so she can have it on record. (One was emailed to you all.  Please print, sign and bring next week)
She would also appreciate it if an adult went with any kids who need to use the restroom.  Apparently they are renovating/ painting and are concerned with all that entails. 
There is NOT a public water fountain available. so be sure to bring your own water bottle.
Also, I will have a can for donations next week and the following weeks.  I apologize for not having it yesterday.
Thanks to everyone who came out and played yesterday!  We had fun and look forward to seeing more in the future.  Have a wonderful rest of the week.
Tara Casey

FIELD TRIP

http://www.trecpi.org/ 
 

We will be having a field trip to the Tom Ridge Enviromental Center/Presque Isle on Wed. Oct. 5th. at 10:00 - cost $2/student.
Pack a lunch. I will let you know whether to meet at the center or at Presque Isle when you call or email to register. 
I need to have a minimum of 10 before the Sept. 20th which is next Tues. - a week from today.
We have the option of seeing a movie on their IMax theater for an extra $5/student.
If I get enough interested in that - I will secure a spot for that also. Call Nan Chapman at 723-7367 or email at thebigpfamily@verizon.net