School Starts

I've been busy planning my year; changing this, doing that. I have finally finished all the decisions that needed to be made including co-ops, curriculum, extra-curricular activities and purchases. We started school on September 2nd, kind of. We are slowly, easing our way into a full schedule. Over the past 2 years of trying this and doing that, changing things and eliminating others, we've developed some bad habits. So our very first goal of this year is to focus on "habit". Developing good habits and discipline. As books arrive and new schedules are worked in we will tweak what is going to work or not. This is the first time we'll have everyone in extra-curricular activities. That alone is going to be very challenging, I don't really like it, but the children need to learn to swim.
The other very big change is that we joined a Homeschool Co-op. This co-op is through a school district. It is called Olympic Peninsula HomeConnections, the excursion group. Once a week we take a field trip with a group of other children and parents. Because it is with the school district and this school district apparently is very pro-homeschooling and are very generous, they give their families a stipend to use towards curriculum (NON-religious) and lessons of any kind. On top of that all field trips are included and we even (just started this year) get a gas stipend. We have a teacher on each field trip, she oversees the group and we are required to have this contact with her and each trimester we are required to turn in Student Learning Plan. It isn't like they tell us what to do while we school at home and she doesn't even really ask many questions but there is that accountability to someone who is going to ask you "what are going to study this year?" What kind of field trips? Here are some I know of so far.....
At least 12 trips are planned throughout the year to the Dungeness River Audubon Center.
This week we will go to the Puyallup Fair.
In February we will be going to see the Lion King at the Paramount Theatre.
I'll keep you posted throughout the year on what other adventures we go on.

In my next post I'll share the curriculum we'll use.