Ok, here's my big problem with this...it's giving me anxiety!!!! Am I giving it too much thought/power? I'm looking for help/advice on filling out the parts in regard to the curriculum/textbooks....I feel like part 1 answers part 2....leaving me blank for what the heck needs to go there. My fear is it being sent back incomplete and having to worry about resubmitting it. I'm sure my fears are rational, being my 1st time filling it out, but I tend to dwell on my fears...lol Oh and my 2nd "question"....is about notifying him when he's only 5. I've read a million times that I shouldn't notify when he's not yet 6....but I want him 2 be in line so if he attends middle school someday (that's the soonest we will give him that option), I want him to be at the right grade level. What's the deal on this? Thanks in advance....I'm sorry if this is all over the place...it's how it is in my head right now...JUMBLED lol
I'm in Ky and I don't know Ohio laws so take what I say for what it's worth. Is Kindergarten required in your state? If it's not you could not notify them this year. Go ahead and do K this year. Then next year when he's 6 notify them that he will be in 1st grade. So that keeps him on track for going to PS if he ever does. As far as answering the Curriculum questions I have no advice. The form I have to fill out takes all of 3 seconds and only ask Names, age and grade level.
Not sure as I live in WA and we sound like KY in that we only have to put names, and ages. But we don't have to register them until they are 8.
OK. First, don't notify him until he's six on the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. If you're worried about whether he'll be "ready" according to them in case of sending him to middle school, DON'T! By that time, it won't matter. They will go by his age, rather than by how many years you've been reporting. As far as the forms go, are filling out ACTUAL FORMS sent to you by the school district? If so, DON'T. They ask for lots of BS that isn't required by law, and try to make you jump through hoops that aren't really there. For example, I don't give a grade level. (A secretary got mad at me one year over that, and threatened to not process my paperwork; I informed her that I really didn't care, as SHE would be in violation of the law, and not ME!) I have one page that lists the SUBJECTS I will be teaching. For example, this year under SCIENCE I have listed Astronomy, Oceanography, Human Anatomy, and Earth Science. Under math, I use to go through the Table of Contents and list all the topics, but now I just write "Math 3" or whatever. Really, it's quite vague! Then the next page is my curriculum list, where I mention all my texts. You can reallly "pad" this page if you want; add any reference book you might glance at once or twice, lol! OH! I also add a "disclaimer", that this is a working outline ONLY, and is subject to change. That way, if something isn't working out for me, I feel I'm "covered" if they come back and demand, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TEACH MAGNETS IN 3RD GRADE LIKE YOU SAID?" Or it also explains why I might list a book two years in a row. Last, you've got a page that basically has your name and address, plus names of the kids you are hs'ing. It staes that I will provide at least 900 hours of instruction, and that I am qualified to do so. (HSLDA's version also has a note saying that the school board cannot release "personally identifiable information" without our written consent. (This means they can't give my name/address to textbook companies or anything!) Hope this helps! If you want, I can send you an attachment of what I send in as far as the curriculum and book list goes; I just did for a friend who is starting out this year. The other form you can get from HSLDA if you're a member. If not, check out CHEO's site ( www.cheohome.org I think is the web site.) I'm in central Ohio, btw. Where are you?
Here's the link for CHEO's form: http://www.cheohome.org/images/stories/pdf/notificationform.pdf But remember that you DO NOT need to send it in this year if he's still five when school starts!!! (For anyone else reading this, this is for OHIO only!)
Thank you thank you thank you Jackie...and yes please send, I'll pm you my email addy. I, too am in Central Ohio. . Oh, in your 2nd post...you meant 6, not 5, right? Don't confuse me lol
I found it, not far from Mansfield and Bucyrus! If you were still in Marion, I have a friend who still hs's in Waldo (yeah, I actually know Waldo, lol!), but her youngest will be graduating in a few years. Warning: Sometimes the little towns can be more of a pain in the rear than the big cities. I know we had a gal here from Carey, Ohio who was told by the super that he wouldn't accept a portfolio evaluation because the evaluator was "too easy" on her kids! Believe me, we set HIM straight!!! What I said (or meant to say) was that you do not have to report a 5yo. When he's 6, you need to report him.
Hi Ladies, just thought I would jump in here and say that I am not too far from you 1Mom, we are near Willard. I also will have a K'er and a 6th grader. Jackie, I would love to see a copy of your page if you would be inclined. This is our first year going it on our own. (Last year we used a charter school) and I have to say I am also anxious about the notification sheet.
Sure, I'll get it to you. Please remember that MY way is not THE way. If it works for you, great! If it doesn't, do what's going to be best for you! Be sure to send in either CHEO's form (the link I gave) or HSLDA's form (if you're a member), as it won't have lots of stuff that aren't required. Oh, also, BE SURE TO KEEP A HARD COPY OF EVERYTHING YOU SEND IN!!! That way, if there's a problem, you'll have it. I didn't know to do that (I know, common sense, but it never occured to me, lol!), and the first year they didn't have a copy of Rachael's portfolio assessment. (I'm SURE I sent it in, and THEY lost it, but that's beside the point!!!) So I was scrambling to have another one done quickly, as the gal who had done mine had returned to HONG KONG, where she taught in a Christian school and was no longer available to sign it for me!
YEA! Someone close, lol We are not only new to homeschooling, we are new to this area...we know no one. You're pretty close...my husband works out of Mansfield!