t is a new year and I have decided to finally start doing monthly community hangouts online! It will be a time to come, ask questions, get to know each other, support each other, and just generally hang out! It will be totally laid back and fun. You don’t need to be a homeschooler or in California to participate. You only need to be on my email list to join in. Right now, I am doing it on a Friday afternoon (the date and link will be emailed out) but I am open to doing it at other times.
But the communication and links for the meetings will be communicated through my email list! Now, through a comedy of errors, my list has disappeared. If you were on it before, I need you to re-subscribe.
I know you may be hesitant to give me your email. But I want to assure you that this list is just for communication with Homeschool Hangout and will never be sold! I am also not going to be spamming you. You will just be receiving Homeschool Hangout’s newsletter with announcements, updates, resources, and links to my content.
If you want to keep up with me and my crazy life, that is a different newsletter over on Substack😉. I hope this is something that interests you all! I want Homeschool Hangout to be a community that serves us all. Oh, in these online hangouts we might also be discussing some real in-person activities but more about that later😉.
Is this your first time filling out the California PSA for independent homeschoolers? Have you filed before but wished you could have someone to ask the random questions you think of? Would you like to have me right beside you as you fill out your PSA for this year? For $10 you can! I will be doing more livestreams this year but this is the only one scheduled right now. So don’t delay because this one is coming up soon!
$10 must be paid before your registration is complete. Payment can be made by PayPal or Venmo.
Now that the school year is over in many places there is a common question that I get asked. People want to know how to pull your child out of public school over the summer. Especially since the California Department of Education started pulling down the private school affidavit July 1st through September 30th. Well have no fear, it isn’t hard at all. Just take a deep breath and let’s get started. Just a note, the first step is not filing your California Private School Affidavit. If it is still up it is for the 2022-2023 school year.
This is something that intimidates people but there really isn’t a lot to it. There are basically 3 things to include:
Your student is transferring to “New School Name”
Effective date (will not be returning for Fall 2023)
Request a copy of all records to be sent to “address of school” and that it should be all records including health and disciplinary records.
That is all there is to it. Sign it and either take it in, email it to the proper person, or mail it in. Then between October 1st and October 15th just file your California Private School Affidavit. If you would like a sample to modify and submit, you should join my Patreon! It is included in the files I provide to members!
What to do if asked for a completed PSA?
Tell them no. Yes, I AM being serious. I don’t care when in the year they ask for a copy of the PSA, tell them no. The California Department of Education has provided public schools with a look up tool. All they need is to input the school’s name and it will verify that the school is registered. Also, you can’t file for the 2023-2024 school year until October 1st. And the California Department of Education Private Schools Department has personally emailed me that public schools should know better than to ask.
From the California Department of Education page:
” Affidavit Filing Period
The statutory filing period is October 1 through 15; however, the filing system remains open throughout the school year to accommodate new schools. Schools established between July 1 and September 30, shall wait to file an affidavit until the PSA filing period begins in October.”
What if they won’t provide the records?
First off, if your kids are elementary school ages the records don’t do all that much. You can just blow it off. But if you want them for any reason, they legally must give them to you. California law says that public schools must give the records to the new school. According to California Education Code section 33190, you are a private school even before you file the affidavit. Also, public schools accept Federal money. That then means under FERPA you are entitled to the records just as a parent.
Don’t let anyone push you around! You can totally do this, and the law says you can. This is really all it takes to pull your child out of public school over the summer. Seriously, you are starting on a fabulous journey for you, your children, and your family as a whole! Make sure you check out our Patreon and join our community!
I am so excited to talk about growing this community and making it more of a community! I have been making videos and homeschooling for a long time. But as my children are getting older I can change my focus to being here consistently! Part of my vision is to build out more of a community and I will use Patreon to do it.
There are a variety of benefits and incentives to join in! Depending on the level, you will get quarterly webinars, online hangouts, a moderated Discord server for you and your families, and even private coaching! If you don’t need a community but want to support us, there is even a $2 level!
Are you concerned about your homeschool high school graduate will be missing out on the experience of a high school graduation? Have no fear your homeschool high school graduation can have all the trimmings of a “normal” graduation! When children graduate from a public school it seems they always have a ton of things they need to order from a specialty store like Jostens to have a graduation ceremony so where is a homeschooler to start to just buy enough for 1 or 2 students? Have no fear, it is easy to get all the things you need for your homeschooled graduating high school students to have a pretty traditional graduation and they are all available on Amazon Prime.
A graduation gown with a hat and a tassel are a non-negotiable for homeschool high school graduation to feel like a traditional graduation ceremony😉. I know that I still have my tassel from my high school graduation back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Our homeschool group gets gowns from a traditional graduation event company but that isn’t the only way. You can pick up the entire gown, hat, and tassel set from Amazon for only like $25! And you can choose from all the sizes and quite a few colors. I found one specific one but there are a variety to choose from.
Graduation Sashes or Cords
When I was graduating from high school (and when I got my Associates) there were a variety of sashes and cords for different achievements. I personally had a sash in college for Cum Laude (grades) and for actually graduating during Covid😉. But in high school there were different things for honors societies and accomplishments. You can choose a variety of colors and styles on Amazon. Sashes https://amzn.to/3KUgXcMCords https://amzn.to/43uJjBA
Diploma Holder
Having a degree is kind of the whole point of doing a graduation ceremony. But that can look like a couple things. Remember, you typically never show the actual certificate😉. One option is a tube. Yes, a tube. When I graduated recently from the Junior College they handed out a tube. But it wasn’t empty, it had instructions on how to get our actual diploma😉. They do have an elegant look and are easy to set on a shelf and can store any cords you use.
We do a diploma cover, and we get it in a boring black. We just got one from Amazon for $10 right and they do have it in other colors. Then if you can to be able to display it, you will need a frame too!
I don’t know when yard signs became a thing, but they are. There are companies around in my area that create custom hard board graduation signs that are about 2 feet by 1 foot starting at $75. If they make it through living in the front yard, then you have to figure out how to store it as a keepsake. And I don’t want my kid’s full name and school in the front yard. Ok, mini rant over.
But I am not a total joy kill. There are a lot of yard sign and display options. You can get a 9 foot sign with a bunch of balloons for only $16! And have 3 different color choices. If you do want a spot to write a message or even put your student’s name, then there is a great set for only $20 that is actually 4 different signs.
Class Jewelry
Amazon has a ton of senior jewelry options! You don’t have to be part of a school to get something. They have pretty rings for women, necklaces, and guys rings. Frankly they are so much cheaper than any class ring that was sold in my high school. At our school it was hundreds of dollars but you can pick up a necklace for like $16 and rings for $50. The rings are totally customizable too. You can pick stones, put your school on it, and even your name.
As you see, it isn’t hard to have a great homeschool high school graduation! Everything can be picked up easily on Amazon with speedy Amazon Prime shipping. Frankly, I think it is much more affordable then sending your children to a public school graduation! And everything is bespoke and personal to your student (or students if you are in a group). Don’t worry that your high school homeschooled student will be missing out at all.
How do I do homeschool transcripts for my high school (or junior high)student? Will colleges accept my transcripts? What needs to be on a transcript?
These are some of the most common questions we receive! But have no fear, homeschool transcripts don’t need to be hard in order to be accepted by colleges, scholarships, and even the military. On Monday, April 24, 2023, at 6pm Homeschool Hangout is hosting a Livestream on making quick and effective transcripts.
So what does all that mean?
We are going to gather online for one hour. I will lay out how I make my transcripts in a super homeschool friendly manner. It accounts for the fluidity of time and semesters that we as homeschoolers like to have. I will talk about key information that needs to be included. I will also address how we handle honors and college classes in the GPA.
There will also be plenty of time to ask any questions you may have. How do you write up that odd life experience type class? What about volunteer work? Jobs? All that will be addressed.
You will also receive a simple template that you will just need to customize for your students to create awesome homeschool transcripts! All that is included in this $15 session! Please register as soon as possible to secure your spot! (Registration is completed when payment is received)
Everything in this world has pros and cons, homeschooling in California is no different. Today we are talking about 10 pros and cons of homeschooling. First, the 5 cons and then the related 5 pros!
5 Cons of Homeschooling in California
Now, before we get into all these cons, I must remind you to hang in until the second half of this article. Don’t become overwhelmed or downtrodden. There is a light in the grey (I can’t even call it darkness).
1)You must make all the education decisions.
Yup, you are in charge of pretty much every area of your student’s education. One of the wonderful things about homeschooling in California is that you just have to cover a few specific subjects but to what depth and how is totally up to you. That means you are in charge of the researching, the evaluating, and the paying for anything you might want to use. That can seem like a huge weight on the shoulders of homeschooling parents. It is even on you to figure out how much time is spent on what subject. What time should you start in the morning? When do you play? Do you do a set start time in the morning? How much playing should happen before everything is done for the day? How much needs to be done every day? Do you take holiday breaks? Summer breaks? Federal Holidays? Homeschool all year?
2)They are there all the time.
Yup, you don’t just get to drop them off for hours and do your own thing. They can have classes outside the home, but it just isn’t the same. You have to figure out where they are going to be when you have doctor’s appointments and when you want to shampoo the carpets. If you want to work, you must figure out how to handle your children. Do you work in home? Do you get a sitter? It can be a challenge. Did you want to do a women’s Bible study at church? Many of them have childcare up to school age but after that, it is hit an miss.
Not to mention you may just want to go on a walk or read a book in peace, imagine that.
3)It can be hard to make neighborhood or closely located friends.
The reality is that most of those kids go to public school and know each other from that. I remember my next-door neighbor went to a private school and struggled to get to know the kids in our neighborhood. That was even though she and I decided to be best friends and I would introduce her to them all (yes, I went to public school). You may find that all your children’s friends may live quite a bit away so you can’t just send your kids over to play catch or take a swim. In our situation, most of my children’s friends are about 25 minutes away. Which may mean they just don’t hang out with friends quite as frequently as if they all went to school together.
4)They don’t have an opportunity to win as many awards and honors that look great on college and job applications.
It is true, they may not win Reader of the Year or Principal’s Honor Roll. They won’t necessarily get on the varsity team or be the best in the district for anything. I know people who got scholarships for winning the school’s science fair. Saying you have the best anything in a home school just doesn’t have the same gravitas.
5)Kids can feel like they are missing out.
This isn’t a quantifiable thing, but every homeschooled kid has moments of feeling they are missing out. My own kids would say when they were little that they wanted a school bus when they outgrew the minivan. Sounds crazy right, but it was something they had seen in the neighborhood and were sure they needed to experience it. They loved the idea of going to the cafeteria for lunch every day, even when they understood that they would still have to bring their own lunch… There are things like recess, yearbooks, and Valentine’s Day parties that they may get in homeschooling, but it isn’t the same. How? If they haven’t been to public school, they will never know but they might wonder.
5 Pros of Homeschooling in California
Many of these are basically the cons but with some slightly different framing. As parents have told generations, your views may change based on how you look at things.
1)Your children receive a personalized education.
Since you make all the educational choices you make the ones that work for your children. Is that math book not teaching your kid in a manner they understand? Then change it. Is that English book boring as dirt? Don’t finish it. Are they (or you) just not morning people? Then why start school at 8am? Yes, it is your job to figure out options, but you don’t have to research everything up front. Find the first thing that might work and try it. It will work or not work but you won’t know if you don’t try, you would just be guessing. Try schedules and find their most productive times. Warning, sometimes you may not all be the same and so some compromise may need to happen.
2)They are there all the time, so you have time to make the schedule you want!
I know, it sounds daunting but it is really an opportunity. An opportunity to help create well-rounded children that work in your life. I am an introvert, no really. Which means I hit a wall and I need a break. So starting really young (well, birth) nap time then reading time then play time happened in the afternoons in order to give me a break. I think it helped them in a variety of ways but it started so I didn’t lose my bloody mind.
Then there are the chores! I know of many families that say with school, sports, and homework there just isn’t time to teach chore skills much less chores getting done. Since they are home, you have time for training and chores! We had family chore times. So, I would dump the laundry on the couch. The 3-year-old would get washcloths to fold, the 5-year-old would practice matching with socks, the 7-year-old would fold pj’s, and the 9-year-old would fold towels while I hung shirts and folded sheets. Then they would put their own clothes away while I hung up things and put linens away. They would each bring their dirty clothes to sort and I would walk them through it until they were usually right. Then came how to put stuff from the washer to the dryer. Then starting loads. With my teenagers now I almost never do laundry. This model can be taken into every area of chores! (If you want me to walk through teaching children chores please just comment and let me know)
3)Your time off schedule is your own.
Yes, it can be a challenge to make friends with the school kids in your neighborhoods but… One of the big benefits of homeschooling in California is there are no time curfews or mandatory “school” days. You can meet up with your homeschool friends at the park in the afternoon. You can also do zoo trips and other local fun while everyone else is in school! You can even vacation while everyone else is in school. We used to go to Legoland every late September/early October and we would meet up with other homeschooling friends. So, you may not be growing neighborhood relationships, but family and homeschooling friends are growing! At the same time, you are getting better hotel rates, fewer crowds, and sometimes better weather.
4)Your students can be involved in the community!
Do you know what looks better than an honor roll certificate? A volunteer appreciation certificate! I am serious. As a homeschooler, your students have the time availability to volunteer in organizations that mean something to them or your family. Do they love animals? Then they could volunteer in an animal shelter. Is it an election year and you want a real lesson in civics? Volunteer for a campaign. Some of our local libraries have teen councils where your kids can come plan activities for themselves and other kids in the community. That shows leadership in a way a class couldn’t. It doesn’t have to be onerous or hard. My kids and I volunteer putting the mailings together for a non-profit group once a month. These are all great skills to also go on a resume. Trust me a recommendation that comes from one of these organizations can hold a lot of weight in scholarships, college applications, and jobs. Who knows, maybe it will directly lead to a job?
5)Kids can follow their passions.
Yes, all students should have some basic survey knowledge of most subjects. But one of the great things about homeschooling in California is that you can tailor their school journey to follow their passions. These can be the passions of the moment or the passions of a lifetime. So, when they were little my kids all loved the cartoon called Liberty’s Kids so we stopped the history we were doing (Ancient history at the time) and totally changed directions to study the US Revolution. Do your kids love chow mein? Well, let’s learn the history of it which leads us to learn about the Chinese immigrants to San Francisco. Why did they leave China? Let’s find out.
As your children get older you can help them to find out if today’s passion might be a lifelong passion. Do they think they might want to be a CPA? Well, time to look into economics and do statistics for a math class. Do they think they want to be a mechanic? Let’s learn about cars. Let’s also learn about the cost of parts and what they would need to charge to make a living. Oh wait, did they account for their insurance? What kind of liability insurance does a mechanic need? Where do they get automotive certifications? What if they spend a year learning about being a mechanic and they find they hate it? Well, better to waste a year when you don’t have to pay rent.
But seriously, they have learned systems and plenty of science in the logistics of fixing a car. They also have learned a lot about business that they can take into any field. They also have learned the most important thing, how to learn about something they are interested in. That is a freedom they don’t always get in public school.
So, what do you think of my pros and cons of homeschooling? This is just a few and by no means exhaustive. There are differences in everything, and challenges are always unique but I think that homeschooling does, on the whole, win. What pros and cons do you see in homeschooling and how can I help you?
How do I do homeschool transcripts for my high school (or junior high)student? Will colleges accept my transcripts? What needs to be on a transcript?
These are some of the most common questions we receive! But have no fear, homeschool transcripts don’t need to be hard in order to be accepted by colleges, scholarships, and even the military. On Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 7pm Homeschool Hangout is hosting a Livestream on making quick and effective transcripts.
So what does all that mean?
We are going to gather online for one hour. I will lay out how I make my transcripts in a super homeschool-friendly manner. It accounts for the fluidity of time and semesters that we as homeschoolers like to have. I will talk about key information that needs to be included. I will also address how we handle honors and college classes in the GPA.
There will also be plenty of time to ask any questions you may have. How do you write up that odd life experience type class? What about volunteer work? Jobs? All that will be addressed.
You will also receive a simple template that you will just need to customize for your students to create awesome homeschool transcripts! All that is included in this $25 session! Please register as soon as possible to secure your spot! (Registration is completed when payment is received)
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