Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Do You Have Midlife Wandermust? If, like me, you’ve never thought a two-week holiday was long enough and the concept of travel means even more to you now you’re in…
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Whenever I tell people about the homeschool program my son participates in, I always get a confused look in response. So here it is- an entire blog post dedicated to this wonderful and sometimes frustrating program. Heading Off to Class William attends Edmonds Heights K-12 . It's a public school funded program for homeschoolers. It is NOT a Charter School, it is NOT traditional public school and it is NOT a private school. It's something all its own. The easiest way for me to describe the way William's program works is to say that it's very much like Community College. There's a nice campus (school) with kids and people of all ages. There are classes taught by certified teachers like math, science, foreign languages, social studies. There's also some great workshop classes taught by experts in the field- pottery, musical theater, martial arts, Lego engineering etc. The classes are offered on specific days & times- there is NOT a Monday through Friday 9-3pm traditional schedule. You sign up for the classes each semester that you want to participate in, just like you would for Community College. Last year William's schedule looked like this: Tuesday 10-10:55am Martial Arts 11-11:30 Musical Theater (Spring Semester was Jewelry Making) 12pm Lunch and he participated in a Pokemon Club during lunch hour 1-2pm 1st & 2nd Grade Math Thursday 10-10:55am Martial Arts 11-12 Lego Engineering & Lab 12pm Lunch w/participation in Pokemon Club 1-2pm 2nd & 3rd Grade Science William is also signed up for an online only program called Compass Odyssey which is available as a class that you register for through the school program. The discounted cost to us is just $15 per year. For those of you who are familiar with Time4Learning- it's very similar. There are classes offered Monday through Thursday. So if I wanted- William could participate 4 days per week. However, because we also do homeschool at home, I don't feel it's necessary to be here everyday. Plus it's a 40 minute drive to and from school- so 2 days per week is enough driving for me! Because this program is run through our local school district, it's a publicly funded program. As a result, each child gets an annual budget. Last year it was $500- to be used for workshop classes, curriculum and school supplies. Before you get all excited- WOW $500!!! You should know- we blew through that by the end of Fall Semester. Bummer... Now, there are some of you who are totally opposed to anything with the public school districts. I understand you, really I do. But I think you're missing out on a great opportunity here. The Good: William has access to a school environment- there's a cafeteria, a library, a principal, computer lab, playground and more. Oh and something totally awesome called the SNUG Room! Watch the video- it's pretty cool! It helps me keep track of state requirements through a yearly Written Student Learning Plan (WSLP) and a monthly review. The WSLP is seriously the bane of my existence but hey- at least I won't have the law showing up on my door! The classes are totally integrated. Technically William will be entering 3rd grade in the Fall. His classes will include 1st graders, 2nd graders, 3rd graders and 4th graders. There's a few workshop classes that are K-6th or K-12th. There is also no real separation for those with special needs. Everyone participates together and helps each other learn when needed. The ability to use some of that public school money for things like martial arts, pottery, musical theater and other workshop classes. A few years ago he took swimming lessons at the YMCA- the school budget paid for it! Now that's awesome! Parents are required to be on campus for the younger grades. So most times, not only do I personally know my son's friends- I know their Mom's, sometimes Grandparents, Aunts and even their siblings. I know exactly the quality & values of the people my son is socializing with. Can you say the same about your public schooler? There's lots of great co-ops to participate in- all parent led. Sweet! Parents are simply more invested in their child's education. It is truly a family affair and the support and sense of community is amazing. The Bad: It's a 40 minute drive to school. On a cold, wet Seattle morning this can certainly be a major pain in the butt. I'm also not fond of the WSLP and frankly feel that my son's school advisor is a joke. But now that I know she's more about chatting & offering cookies to the kids- I can maneuver around it. She's really a very nice lady but not "advisor" material. There are also some silly rules and hoops to jump through and many times the school staff doesn't even know about them. This can be frustrating. It's missing some organized sports teams. While the program is very heavy on the arts (which I love) it is severely lacking in the sports arena. Keeping my fingers crossed that they add this in the future! As with any educational decision, I encourage you to do your research. This program works well for us and after a rough first year- we are enjoying all it's benefits and like being a part of this community. Here's to year 4 and counting! It's just one of many learning tools we personally use in our homeschooling. So- I hope that answers some of your questions. Best of luck to you all in making the right educational choice for your family! *For some fun additional reading on William's program, click the links below. Not your normal Graduation Ceremony 5th Ave Seattle Benaroya Hall Nomiation- Best Musical
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Delicious breakfast recipe ideas to suit the whole family. From savoury to sweet.
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Janice Horton writes romantic travel and adventure fiction and The Backpacking Housewife series published by HarperCollins.
I adore social media. I've always got a story to share. I'm active on Web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest.
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Janice Horton writes romantic travel and adventure fiction and The Backpacking Housewife series published by HarperCollins.
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Do You Have Midlife Wandermust? If, like me, you’ve never thought a two-week holiday was long enough and the concept of travel means even more to you now you’re in…
I’m often asked about travel and favourite places but what about mishaps and misadventures while travelling when things haven't gone to plan.
A bespoke handpicked winery, vineyard, and wine tasting tour of my own top 5 favourite wine tasting chateaux in Bergerac France
The Backpacking Husband and I renewed our wedding vows in a chapel in Las Vegas with Elvis as our minister. It was a fun and romantic day!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
Janice Horton is an ex-housewife, empty-nester, and nomadic world-traveller who decided to sell everything to travel in midlife and beyond.
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
Don't let biting sandflies spoil your tropical holiday. Tips and advice on what you can do to avoid being attacked by No-See-‘Ums!
TRAVEL PLANNING: Travel Insurance for Over 50’s Buying Travel Insurance to cover you for any unforeseen medical expenses or financial losses while travelling is an essential part of the planning…
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
After spending a summer living on a small rock in the the Caribbean Sea, it was a bit of a culture shock for us to have to leave...
Cycling over the Golden Gate Bridge was always a bucket list thing for me to do once we got to San Francisco.
Travel in your 50’s and 60’s can be even more rewarding and beneficial than in your younger years. Let me show you how and why!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
Travel in your 50’s and 60’s can be even more rewarding and beneficial than in your younger years. Let me show you how and why!
Gamcheon Culture Village at the southernmost tip of South Korea is built on a steep mountainside overlooking the port city of Busan
Princess Charlotte started school today at Willcocks Nursery. See the adorable photos from her first day that Duchess Kate took of her daughter with her backpack on, ready to go!
An ex-housewife, empty-nester, and midlife nomadic world traveller who loves to share her travels to dreamy destinations around the world!
