HomeSchooling

This is our fourth year homeschooling, and although I feel brave enough to "go it alone" and make my own curriculum for my son, he and my husband both prefer that he be responsible to someone else who grades his papers, especiallyhis Creative Writing assignments.

Curriculums

Seton Home Study School, Front Royal, VA. Catholic education at its best. Classic curriculum using as many Catholic textbooks as possible and will substitute an appropriate Protestant or secular text when needed. They're in the process of publishing their own Catholic texts. Grades k - 12, fully accredited, diploma program. Teachers available almost around the clock via phone, e-mail or snail mail. Counsellors available to help the student choose courses to meet their needs or college admission requirements. Yearly testing with CAT's available. Soon to come - college level classes and eventually a degree program.

Enrolled in Seton Home Study School? Join the list!

Click to subscribe to SetonFamily

Link to the Web Board formerly run by Seton, now run independantly but members are mostly Seton families

Kolbe is another Catholic program similar to Seton

Catholic Heritage Curriculum, and their email is: CHC@sonnet.com address:
CHC P.O. Box 125
Twain Harte, CA 95383
Phone order number 1-800-490-7713

Calvert School of Baltimore, Maryland. Good all around program, daily lesson plans, classical education, Advisory Teaching Service will grade papers and issue certificates when each grade is completed. Offers grades k-8 with eighth grade subjects available separately. Algebra I (Saxon) can be substituted for regular math but must be asked for. Changes for the 1998 - 1999 school year included some Advisory Teaching Service tests on cd-rom and grades available via email. Some supplementary programs available, ranging from early reading to King Arthur. Secular, not Catholic, but all texts treat Christianity with respect.

Keystone High School. Another secular program offering an accredited high school diploma. Starting with the 1998-1999 school year, Keystone offers Spanish I and II and has added about 5 more electives.

Our Lady of the Rosary another Catholic K-12 school

Catholic Homeschool Curriculum Providers

Covenant Home Curriculum

If you're more into Unschooling, try Clonlara's program. Teachers will assist in planning the curriculum and assisting the student in getting a high school diploma. Booklist available but books must be bought elsewhere. Each student is *required* to do 75 hours of volunteer work a year (mandatory volunteerism??). This is where Unschoolers go to get a diploma.

Abeka's Books
One of the biggest school-book providers in the homeschool market; very Christian in viewpoint, but some texts are anti-Catholic, so much so that when Seton uses one of thier books for sciences they include a reprint of Catholic works to conter it.
Learn OnLine
One of the many new programs offered on the Internet.

HS's Curriculum Swap
Many more schools and curriculum suppliers are out there but not listed here. You can try a web search at a site like Dogpile and look for them.

High School Years

Sounds scary, doesn't it? Well, aside from the courses being a bit harder to remember for us parent-teachers, it's not much different than homeschooling elementary school children. Sometimes, it's even easier, especially when the older child takes the initiative and works ahead in his books, does extra reading on a subject because he wants to, and can sometimes explain to *you* why a certain geometry proof is as it is! (grin)

A great starting point for any home school parent is Karl Bunday's School is Dead, Learn in Freedom

Another "must see" site belongs to Cafi Cohen, author of But What About College?, a book explaining the ins & outs of homeschoolers and college admissions. Check out all the links on these ywo sites and you should have no further questions or doubts about your ability to homeschool through the high school years.

Of Special Interest to Catholic Families

Marianna Bartold's Keeping It Catholic for Catholic Home Schooler. Mailing list info at the web site.
Catholic Information Network's Information Page (CIN)
Catholic Homeschoolers of Texas
Catholic Scholars Message Board
Baltimore Catechism Number Two
Homeschool Catholic Education
Catholic Home Education Resources
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Resource Center
The Shroud of Turin
Catholic Heritage Curricula Center
Popes' Page (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Catholic Homeschooling Resources
The unofficial Pope John Paul II Page
Two Thousand Years of Catholic Writings
Saints Page
Catholicity
Apostleship of Prayer
Thomas Aquinas College
Eternal World Television Network (EWTN)
Holy Mary

For The Spiritual Side of Your School Day

CROSSCAPE Virtual Stations of the Cross
How to Pray the Rosary
Catholic Online Prayers Menu Page
Catholic Prayers Page Coming soon

Magazines

Homeschool World
Articles from Practical Homeschooling Magazine
Home Education Magazine
Growing Without Schooling

Personal Home Pages and Support Sites

Heather's Homeschooling Page will give you a great deal of information on the "nuts & bolts" of homeschooling, as well as information on how to sign up for the Home-Ed Mailing List.
Cafi Cohen - author of "What About Highschool" , she's one pf Prodigy's resident homeschool guru's in homeschooling.
A List of IRC Chat Channels on Homeschooling Home Schooling Daily
LilyDawn's Homeschool Pages (mostly NJ)
Quail Haven Academy's Homeschool Links Page
Home Education on Prodigy mailing list
Home School Legal Defense Association
Gwyn's Site
Peek-A-Boo
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Jon's Home School Resource Page
HS Highschooler
Home Schooling Daily

New Jersey Homeschooling Links

T.O.R.C.H. - Traditions of Roman Catholic Homes

Enoch NJ Education Network of Christian Homeschoolers

Homeschoolers Support Network

Northwestern NJ Homeschool Group - HSFE

The Tutor - a former homeschool mom who is very familiar with what the state wants

New Jersey Homeschool Association

Heather Madrone's Page

NJHomeschool Organizations (support groups)

Homeschool Central

Study Web Teaching Resources

The "infamous" homeschool guidelines booklet sent by the state

LilyDawn's Warnings About the Booklet

LilyDawn's Homeschool Pages (mostly NJ)

The NJ State Statute That Allows Homeschooling

(info taken from the following site) http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Agora/3009/legal.html#law1
© 1999 New Jersey Homeschool Association

18A:38-25. Attendance required of children between six and 16; exceptions

Every parent, guardian or other person having custody and control of a child
between the ages of six and 16 years shall cause such child regularly to
attend the public schools of the district or a day school in which there is
given instruction equivalent to that provided in the public schools for
children of similar grades and attainments or to receive equivalent
instruction elsewhere than at school.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

To summarize:
Compulsory school age :  "between 6 and 16"

legal option: to establish and operate a home school
attendance: None specified. Public schools require 180 days

subjects required: U.S. and New Jersey history, citizenship, civics,
geography, sexual assault prevention*, health*, safety, and physical
education
*may opt out

teacher qualifications
notification
bookkeeping
testing--------------none