Deep into the School year yet?

The first 4-week session of the Triad Catholic Co-op is over. It has been a lovely, lovely first 4 weeks. The shorter day has been a blessing for all of us. For one things, I do not get home exhausted. And that makes for a happier day for everyone.

This Friday is a "day off" and just in time for me to take my crew to a near by pumpkin patch. Nice time for a field trip.

Next week will begin our second 4 week session. Most of the classes will remain the same. I'm changing my class though to Art. Liz created some lovely home holy water fonts I'd like to make with the co-op. Followed by some garden stepping stones, corn husk dolls and (more) Shrinky Dinks ornaments. I just love Shrinky Dinks.

We are beginning to plan an Advent Activity Day for December. Then a real winter break. Good for the weather, the colds and to get in some whole weeks of school before gathering again in February.

Hope the school year is off to a good start in your home. Peace Be With You!

New Fall Schedule

Plans are in the work for next year. If you are interested providing a Catholic education for your child, at home, please leave a comment. All of us at the Triad Co-op would love to meet new friends.

As mentioned before, we are scheduling our year in 5 week blocks to allow more flexibility for our participating families and for the course offerings. Hope to hear from you!

Protecting God's Children

Good news! Triad Catholic Co-op Moms have taken an important and terrific step forward by becoming certified through the Virtus Program required in our Diocese.

It has been years since I participated in the program, but after taking the online courses to become re-certified, I am reminded how important this class is for protecting MY children (and yours too!).

Kudos to the group for stepping up to the task, and for acting on what we already know: We love our kids!

And want them to be safe.

National Poetry Month

Plans are in the making for next year's co-op. Those will be posted soon. Meanwhile, the upper elementary girls class spent some time this year studying poetry. This link arrive in my email today, so great! From Evan-Moor Publishers celebrating National Poetry Month.

Best result from the poetry class for our family is the wonderful narrative poem Anna wrote to help us all look forward to spring while appreciating the long, long winter. One her own, she spent a while writing and re-writing a "poem for Dad" because he was so ready to see Spring!

Thanks Mary for leading the class and inspiring Anna to write more!!!

Family Advent Activities

How will you keep "Jesus the reason for the season"? In particular how will you celebrate the anxious waiting for Christmas?

Visit mum2twelve for the Jesse tree readings as well as other family Advent traditions.

Happy Advent!

Catholic Homeschool Community Growing

Just 3 years ago, when I began homeschooling, I searched the web as best I could for local Catholic Homeschool groups. Few and far between. As in, there were few groups and I lived far between them each.

But today, that's a different story! What good news! Visit ARCH, (Association of Roman Catholic Homeschoolers, a ministry and support group for Roman Catholic homeschoolers in the Triad) to find various portals Catholic Home School groups available in the Triad area.

So exciting to see how much our community of homeschoolers has grown in such a short period of time!

God, continue to guide our schools to seek you, to know your Truth and Word and to find fellowship with one another!

Where has the time flown?

Already reaching the end of our first semesters activities. Tomorrow we celebrate All Saints day, much like years in the past. My favorite activity tomorrow will be the Litany of the Saints. I like that better even than singing "The Saints Go Marching In".

In other news, Bill and Michael were able to participate in a local homeschool science fair. They didn't win but learned about "how your teeth rot" and enjoyed seeing all the other projects as well.
Several families enjoyed a field trip to Apple Hill Orchard. On what turned out to be the only dry day that week!

One other activity this fall, I did not get pictures. Some of us joined in making rope rosaries in honor of the Month of The Rosary, October.

So glad to be a part of such a great community of Catholic Home School Families! Leave me a note if you stumble here. I'd love to hear from you.