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.

Revised Fall Schedule

Final planning meeting last night. Made the adjustments needed and got details for the book lists. Things I am particularly excited about are:

• the science lab, that was so great last year
  
• Fr. Draper being kind enough to teach our Catechism class
• Art through Faith (of course I love anything Art and Faith)
• Trail Guide to US Geography, I know the boys will enjoy this
• Merchant of Venice (glad that this will support Lee's high school studies)
• PE stays! Thank you Yvonne!
  

Again, I hope you can click on the picture to see the schedule in a larger view. If you are interested in joining this coop, we are always glad to welcome newcomers. Leave a comment so I can reply with more information. Or you can just come to visit for a day and see for yourself.

First day is September 9th, we meet for 11 weeks in the fall and then start again January.

Fall 2009

Summer has flown by and we will have our final planning meeting this week. Some of the highlights of the upcoming year include:

• the return of Latin for elementary through middle school
  
• a Christmas program about the Saints
• the middle school book club was a hit, so we are continuing this for the MS
• Sewing!
  

Can you click on this picture to see it larger? I hope so.

A few changes need to be made, Melissa, fearless PE leader has moved. We will definitely miss you! Who else will be brave enough to referee kick ball with the 3-MS group? And if you look closely at the schedule, there are still a few question marks remaining.

It will all come together later this week. I know I am looking forward to our next co-op year!