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WSHE Newsletter, August 1999
Phone numbers have been removed at the
request of group leadership.
Finding Your Niche And
Making Connections
Article by Renee M
It seems that everywhere I go, someone recognizes that I am a
homeschooler
and will strike up a conversation with me about it. This is
really
surprising when you consider that I do not go around wearing my
WSHE
T-shirt, or doing anything obviously homeschoolish. What is not
surprising
is the response I get when I mention that I am part of WSHE. It's
not,
"WHO??", but "OOOH!! Tell me more."
I could list several things that have earned WSHE a good
reputation, but one
of the important elements is the spirit of cooperation and
willingness to
put forth a little extra effort for the benefit of others. This
is the
secret behind how this group is able to conduct so many field
trips,
learning groups and other activities.
Peoria Pool did not call us up begging to put on the pool party
for our
end-of-year fling. No, a Mom did that. Only Harry Blackstone can
make card
tables and Thanksgiving pot-lucks appear out of thin air, and I
know he is
not registered with this group. Moms handled that too. And I
believe that
spelling bees and science fairs follow the law of science that
says that
things naturally tend toward disorder, not order. A second force
must be
exhibited to create order. Moms, again (and Dads).
In a group as large as WSHE there are plenty of opportunities to
take part
in contributing to make this the exceptional group that it is.
Don't think
that your volunteer commitment must be a major or lengthy one.
Organizing a
field trip, or bringing a table for a pot luck or craft activity
are highly
appreciated.
The following is a partial list of examples with an approximate
time
commitment to give you some idea what is involved.
* Field Trip - Phone call to gather info.; sign-up interested
participants, collect money, and attend the field trip. (One-time
activity)
* Book Clubs - Distribute order forms, collect money, order
books,
distribute books. (All year activity)
* Thanksgiving Pot-Luck - Organizing a sign-up sheet for people
to
bring various kinds of food, tables and whatever, sign-ups for
people to
lead a craft, dance or game, a few reminder calls. (One time
activity)
* Library - Donate a book or two. (Financial investment)
Consider a time of year that you may want to volunteer. Maybe
your schedule
is too packed in the fall to help with the Thanksgiving pot-luck,
but a
Valentine party falls at a better time of year for you.
Do something you or your kids enjoy. If you especially like
theater,
consider being the liaison or organizer for theater related
events. This is
a good responsibility to share with another person. It lightens
the load,
is fun, and is a good way to meet other people in the group.
Perhaps at this point you are thinking like the little mouse,
Templeton, in
Charlotte's Web. When asked to fetch something with words on it
he replied,
"What's in it for me?"
* When you contribute to the education of others, you will learn
something yourself.
* The willingness to organize an activity ensures that your
children
get to participate
* You will be a giver, not a taker only
* You may develop lasting relationships with other homeschoolers
* Sometimes there are bonuses related directly to the activity
you are
involved in, such as your family getting in free.
* You set a selfless and generous example for your children to
follow
Finally, when you meet someone who is impressed with WSHE and
wants to know
more, you will know that you have contributed to that positive
impression.
TAMING OF THE SHREW
August 21st, 8pm, Cactus High.
Bonnie Bailey is the contact person for the "Taming of the
Shrew" field
trip. Those wishing to attend need to contact her and pay in
advance no
later than August 13th. The cost is $3.00 per student and $8.00
for adults
(18 and above). This is quite a savings from the regular rates.
Make the
checks out to West Side Home Educators and mail it to Bonnie.
Wes Martin, of the Shakespeare Theatre, will be sending her some
study guide
information via email in a day or two. Those who are fully
registered may
obtain a copy of this from her. Renee Metcalf will be
coordinating future
events with the Shakespeare Theatre.
Teen Literature Group
The Teen Literature Discussion Group will meet Thursday, August
19th. At
7:00pm at the Barnes & Noble on Bell Rd. We will be talking
about The
Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. For more information call
Linda N. at
623-xxx-xxxx.
Summer Skating
Beat the heat and roller skate with your pals this summer! North
Phoenix
Baptist Church is letting us use their skating rink every month
this summer!
The Church is located at Bethany and Central. Cost is $3 per
skater and
rollerblades are not allowed. Come join the fun! Contact Bev
Hatfield for
info at xxx-xxxx.
When: Aug. 20, 1-4pm
Planning Meeting
August 24th, Tuesday night at 7pm at Chris and Pearl Mahar's
house, 8622 W.
Purdue Ave.
Psalmist Music Academy Homeschool Band
Parents and students are invited to attend an informal meeting on
August
26th at 7pm at Calvary Community Church, 12612 N. Black canyon
Hwy., Room
40. Beginning, intermediate and advanced bands will be forming
soon. Find
out about the expectations of participation, how to select and
secure an
instrument, and meet families of other students that are joining
the band.
For more information, contact Tim or Kathie Ansley at xxx-xxxx
WSHE Student Council Kick-Off
Where: AMF Bowling, 8475 Olive Ave. Peoria
When: Wednesday, August 25th
Time: 12:30 - 3:00 pm
Cost: $3.00 per person (includes 2 games, shoes, and tax)
WSHE Student Council will host a general information meeting to
welcome back
all returning student council members, and encourage new
membership
participation for Jr. high and High school homeschool students (
12years old
and up only). Our purpose is to present an introduction to
student council
organization, and activities. The remaining time will be used for
getting
acquainted and bowling fun. Families of returning and perspective
student
council members are welcome to bowl. All parents are required to
stay for
this event. Please RSVP no later than Friday, August 20th, so we
can have
enough lanes reserved. For further information call: Brenda Arce
xxx-xxxx or
Beverly Hatfield xxx-xxxx
Kids' Kouncil Kickoff
Where: AMF Bowling, 8475 Olive Ave. Peoria
When: Wednesday, August 25th
Time: 12:00 - 2:30
Cost: $3.00 per person (includes 2 games, shoes, and tax)
This year WSHE will have a new Kids' Kouncil for homeschool
students in the
5th and 6th grades. We will be having a general information
meeting for
kids interested in joining. After the short meeting, students and
their
families are invited to stay and bowl. Please RSVP by August 20th
by calling
Dee Pleuard xxx-xxxx.
Cold Stone Creamery Tour
(corner of Litchfield & McDowell)
Learn how their wonderful ice cream and yogurt is made. Cake and
pie
decorating, your own creations and contests are just a sign up
away. Join
us on September 17th at 10:00am for this tasty tour. Cost is
$2.00 per
person this includes ice cream and one add on. There will be
additional
charges for more add-ons. Payment is due at the time of sign-up.
We are
limited to the first 50 and that includes parents wishing to
participate.
Contact Linda Powell @ (623)xxx-xxxx
WSHE Astronomy Club
Beginning on September 20th, 1999, West Side Home Educators will
have its
own Astronomy Club. It will meet monthly from September through
May at
Jolene Kesler's house from 7 pm to 9 pm
In the past, Tony and Carole La Conte have been doing astronomy
nights for
parks and recreation and local elementary schools. They have
planned a
wonderful curriculum for us.
Each program night will include a slide program, question and
answer time,
and weather permitting, constellation identification plus
telescope and
binocular viewing. If you have your own telescope and/or
binoculars, you
are encouraged to bring them and learn how to better use them.
The program
telescopes and binoculars will be available for everyone to view
through.
The first night will be an introduction to the night sky, the
moon, stars,
planets, deep space objects, and telescope and binocular basics.
General
viewing through binoculars and telescopes will be available after
the slide
presentation.
A handout with the full schedule and future topics will be
provided to those
who attend in September.
The cost will be $5.00 per family per month. The
"target" audience will be
upper elementary and junior high, however there will be material
of interest
of all age groups.
Any questions, please contact Bonnie Bailey at xxx-xxxx or Jolene
Kesler at
xxx-xxxx.
Jolene's address is:
12688 N. 77th Drive, Peoria, AZ
Teen Day at Laser Quest
Looks like I've become the official Laser Quest planner, so here
we go
again. In case you don't know, Laser Quest is an indoor laser tag
game
played in a maze. Players wear a pack and 'shoot' each other with
a laser
gun. We are allowed a maximum of 30 players. The first 30 PAID
players will
be going, so sign up and pay as soon as possible.
When: Tuesday, September 28, 2:00pm
Where: Laser Quest, 3335 W. Peoria (s/e corner of 35th Ave. &
Peoria)
Ages: 12 & Up
Cost: $5.50 per player
Information: Lois Earley 623-xxx-xxxx or DVHE@AOL.COM
Arizona Homeschool Junior/Senior Dinner and
Dance
They are not calling this a prom, but it sure looks like one to
me. Some
homeschoolers on the East side are putting together a very formal
and
elegant sounding chaperoned dinner/dance on May 25th, 2000. They
have
contacted us and invited our Junior/Senior level homeschoolers.
You can
pick up more info at the park. They would like you to express
interest by
Oct. 15th.
A.I.T.
Our P.E. Class continues again with Athletes In Training (AIT).
We will
start on September 8th, 1999. Coach Tom Kuyper will be there
again with his
staff and with all the fun.
September - Water Fun
October through May - A wide variety of sports
We are still in need of a Head Mom for the 12:00 and 1:00
classes.
If you are interested in helping and having P.E. for FREE please
call AIT
now at xxx-xxxx.
AIT Update
AIT classed for WSHE will be held at Noon and 1pm on Wednesdays
at
Sweetwater Park starting on September 8. You must be registered
with WSHE
for the 1999/2000 year to attend. This decision was made to
better serve
your children and to control congestion at Sweetwater Park.
WSHE Lending Library
The Library will be at Sweetwater Park on the first and third
Wednesdays of
most months. The check-out period for all items will be 2 weeks.
Items may
be requested or returned to Annamae Miller. Her phone number is
xxx-xxxx.
Donations of quality books related to homeschooling are always
appreciated.
Look For The Yellow WSHE Shirt
At park day, the people in the yellow WSHE T-shirt are
our welcome
committee. If you are a new homeschooler, or bring a new
homeschooler to
the park and want information on our group, or general
homeschooling
questions, look for the answer person in the bright yellow shirt
with our
logo.
Organizer for School Pictures
We're looking for an organizer for school pictures. The job
involves
setting up the date with the photographer, finding a suitable
location, and
some picture-day organizing. We have a megaphone to help with
that part of
the job.
Please contact Bonnie Bailey for mentoring on this important job.
In the
past we have done school photos in October so they will be
available to mail
with your Christmas cards.
ChildsPlay and the Cookie Company Theater
We're looking for a volunteer to coordinate trips to plays done
by Cookie
Company Theater and Childsplay. Cookie Company Theater plays are
for
younger children, Childsplay productions are for older kids. Both
are
professional theater companies that do excellent productions. We
get a
substantial discount by attending as a group. This is not a
difficult
coordination job. It would be best to separate the job between
two people.
Contact Renee Metcalf for mentoring.
Boswell Junior volunteer Program Postponed
The volunteer program for age 13 and up that was to begin this
fall is being
postponed. If you are interested in participating in this program
in the
future, or would like more information, please contact Leslie
Landauer at
xxx-xxxx
Teen Musicians Wanted
Drummer looking for other musicians to form a group. Practices
would be
held at 43rd Ave. & Union Hills. For further information call
Lois Earley @
623-xxx-xxxx or e-mail DVHE@AOL.COM
SPANISH CLUB
Hola, I am facilitating a Spanish Club that will concentrate on
conversation
and usage. All members who study Spanish are welcome to join. We
will meet
at 11:30 on Wed at el Parque del Agua Dulce. (Sweetwater Park.)
The cost is $1 per family per session. I will be using dittos,
oral
repetition, skits and memorization to reinforce what you are
learning at
home. Questions? Call Glenda Lovera at 602 xxx-xxxx or email me
at
loveras@earthlink.net
Chau-
New Hams
Congratulations to Jeremiah But, Ryan Pleuard, David Evans and
Charles
Grove, who studied this summer for their ham radio licenses.
Jeremiah
passed his no-code technician exam and received his ham radio
license and
call sign, KD7GFJ. Ryan and Charles passed their tech test in
August.
Parents Of Toddlers-Preschoolers
Are you interested in participating in and helping to coordinate
organized
activities on park day? Here are a few examples: scooter races
around the
playground area, waterplay, bubbles, sandplay, playdough day,
playing ball,
fingerplays, or simply monitoring swings or slides. With enough
parents to
participate we will be able to alternate weeks. If this sounds
like
something that interests you phone Linda Powell @(623)xxx-xxxx.
If You're A New Homeschooler
Here are some things you need to know.
Arizona Statute says that if you are homeschooling and your child
is age 6
or over, you have to file an affidavit with your county school
superintendent. The form is available from the superintendent's
office, or
online at http://www.afhe.org
You only have to file the affidavit once, not each year you
homeschool. It
must be notarized.
Once you've filed, relax. Arizona has one of the best homeschool
laws in
the country. There is no required testing, no home inspections,
no counting
hours or taking attendance, no teacher certification
requirements, and
almost no curriculum requirements. The Arizona Revised Statute on
homeschooling, A.R.S 15.802, is available online at
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/15/802.htm
For a packet on homeschooling, including a copy of the affidavit,
contact
the County Superintendent at:
Dr. Sandra Dowling
301 West Jefferson, Suite 660
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-xxx-xxxx
WSHE Calendar
Aug. 13th Deadline to sign up for "Taming of the Shrew"
Aug. 19th 7pm Teen Literature Group - The Yearling
Aug. 20th Deadline to RSVP for Student Council Bowling
Aug. 20th 1-4pm Skating
Aug. 21st 8pm Play- "Taming of the Shrew"
Aug. 24th 7pm Planning Meeting
Aug. 25th noon Student Council and Kids K ouncil Kickoff and
Bowling
Aug. 26th 7pm Psalmist Music Academy Homeschool Band Meeting
Sept. 1st noon First Park Day
Sept. 8th noon AIT P.E. Class starts
Sept. 16th Teen Literature Group - Selection to be announced -
watch the board.
Sept. 17th 10am Cold Stone Creamery Tour
Sept. 20th 7-9pm Astronomy Club
Sept. 28th 2pm Laser Quest
The deadline for submissions to the newsletter is the 2nd
Wednesday of the
month. (on a month with 5 Wednesdays it's the 3rd Wednesday). If
you want
to plan an activity, but didn't make the newsletter deadline
there is still
hope!
The Bulletin Board
Check the bulletin board at the park each Wednesday for
activities that
don't make the deadline for the newsletter. Watch the board for
info on a
Mom's Night Out in the near future. Also watch for the selection,
time and
location for the next teen literature group meeting.
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