LIFE of Florida - Florida Homeschooling Support

Happy Holidays from LIFE of Florida!

2011-12-26T15:26:00.001-05:00

Hope you're all having wonderful holidays! We know we've gotten behind on site updates, but hope to have the entire site refreshed in the next couple of weeks, with updated links and resources.

We've been hearing from a lot of new homeschoolers lately and want to reassure you that LIFE of Florida is alive and well! Our main communications resources is our YahooGroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FloridaLIFE with nearly 400 members, and an active Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/LIFEofFlorida .

Back in October, we enjoyed our Knowledge Faire 2011 gathering, and coming up at the end of January is our LIFE of Tampa Spelling Bee, serving homeschoolers in the eighth grade or below, in the Hillsborough, Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas County areas.

Increasingly, we're moving towards broader scale community learning events organized by our parent organization, Learning is for Everyone , like TEDxYouth@TampaBay, and our upcoming Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire. We also continue to provide broad based homeschooling support, with resources like our Homeschooling in Florida FAQ , our LI4E Resource Guide and support of mentoring programs and experiential learning programs like FIRST robotics. We're happy to help local support groups coordinate similar programs in their areas, and remain happy to help homeschoolers with homeschooling needs and questions, and to work with county school districts to help resolve most problems - all with no membership costs to you!

So get involved, stay tuned and keep watching our website for updates, news and resources, and Happy Homeschooling!

Knowledge Faire 2011 in Pictures

2011-10-02T17:22:00.002-04:00

Knowledge Faire 2011 rocked!

Nutrition is in the Bag - Our Summer Project

2011-07-25T13:48:00.000-04:00

Between July 24 and August 25, redeem this Learning is for Everyone voucher at any West Florida Sweetbay Supermarket for the purchase of healthy fruit cups.

Keep some for yourself, and donate some to our Nutrition is in the Bag partner, University Area Community Development Corporation, in Tampa, to help provide snacks for the kids in their great community and afterschool programs.

The nonprofit with the most redeemed coupons can earn cash and Sweetbay gift cards, that can be put towards their own programs. It's win-win-win!

Download from Connect Your Cause, or copy and print the image below. Print out as many vouchers as needed, share them freely and use them often through August 25!

Donation Drop Off Locations

University Area Community Development Corporation, Inc.
There will be two labeled boxes placed on a table next to the Security Office in the rotunda.
Contact: Ms. Dale C. Felix, Event Planner
14013 N. 22nd Street, Tampa, FL 33613
Phone: 813-558-5212, X203 Fax: 813-558-5219
http://uacdconline.org/uacdc/complex.aspx

Spirit of Life Unitarian Universalists
Public drop off bin available after July 31, by front door
18412 Burrell Road
Odessa, FL 33556
(813) 792-1622
www.spiritoflifeuu.org

TED Talk - Dave Meslin: The antidote to apathy

2011-04-14T11:19:00.001-04:00

This recent TED Talk has relevance to ongoing discussions in FL about legislative issues and how to respond to them. If we want the most independent learning options possible, as free as they can be of others' control, then we have to be independent in the conduct of our learning choice - free of others'funding, and free of others' agendas. Being personally educated about legislation that may, or may not, affect us is hugely empowering and good for all learning choices and for maintaining the freedoms we enjoy. There are some obstacles that can discourage civic engagement, as Dave Meslin points out, but we can work together to dismantle them and retake our place in our own governance.

Staying Informed and Proactive about Legislative Issues that May Affect You

2011-04-12T18:20:00.000-04:00

Emails flew recently when the Home Education Foundation , a homeschooling and private school lobbying organization here in Florida, sent out an alert alarmingly titled “Attack on Parental Rights and Home Education”, asserting that citizens must act immediately and without hesitation against some proposed legislation “or independent education (private school and home education) as we know it now will no longer exist. The State will control education from birth on.”

While the proposed bill, part of a major Florida government reorganization effort, does indeed, call for greater scrutiny and oversight of some private schools and child care centers, a reading of the bill’s text suggests the above declaration to be something of an overstatement. The bill clearly states at line 3993, that “ Except as provided by law, the department may not impose requirements on a private prekindergarten provider or public school that does not deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program or receive state funds under this part.” (SB 2156 - http://bit.ly/dXocLy )

And Florida's statutory definition of private schools states unequivocably, "A private school may be a parochial, religious, denominational, for-profit, or nonprofit school. This definition does not include home education programs conducted in accordance with s. 1002.41."- further diluting any potential threat to home education in Florida from the proposed legislation.

No links to the text of the bill, or companion measures that were mentioned in that and subsequent updates were ever provided; nor any specific selections from the bill in question cited. There were only big unsubstantiated, or loosely connected generalizations:

Since 85% of all child care centers and VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten, a publicly funded program administered through private schools) are private, if the bill became law then “ALL private providers, including home educators, would come under the control of the Department of Education.”
“Private school freedom is essential to keeping home education free. Once the State regulates private schools and measures learning gains of private school students, they will seek to further regulate home education.”
“CONTROL IS THE HIDDEN AGENDA “ and “…private and home education is under attack!” (these in capital letters and big bold type with exclamation marks.)

These are classic examples of logical fallacies The first two, asserting “if/once X happens, Y will neccessarily follow” is often called the “slippery slope” argument , also sometimes known as “affirming the consequent.” It's used routinely used in advertising, political campaigns and other persuasivearguments and communications. The third is a classic scare tactic, or an appeal to fear , also known as an ad baculum argument.

And all three are mischaracterizations of the degree of threat to homeschooling, in this particular instance, in the service of protecting private schooling. While understandably seeking to keep private schools free of additional government oversight, the calls for action conveniently down play the fact that the private schools most at risk for increased oversight, in this case, are those that take public funds like scholarships for the disabled and school choice vouchers. It was in the lobbyist’s and private schools interests to mobilize people quickly in opposition to the legislation – even as homeschoolers who were contacted were pointedly instructed not to identify themselves as such, but only as private school supporters.

That’s not to say people shouldn’t act on behalf of private schools, if so inclined. But to speak out most effectively, as well as to avoid being manipulated by other agendas, it’s important to understand, as much as possible, the facts of the matter. Fortunately, there are some basic tools and practices that those wishing to stay abreast of legislative happenings can employ to be their own best lobbyists in this and in other similar situations.

Stay informed about pertinent legislation – In Florida, we can track the course of whatever legislation we want via a Legislative Tracking system in both the House and the Senate . Simply register your email address, do some keyword or bill number searches (search on a variety of related terms, not just one word or phrase) and you can be updated at your convenience. You can even track specific committees, and statutes, particularly handy if you want to want to see who's poking around the laws. If you live in a less transparent state, try StateNet . At the national level, there are dozens of resources, from Congress.org to Open Congress, all of which allow you to keep a close eye on issues and those behind them. We have a large collection of Civic Engagement Resources at our website .
READ ! – Read the text of a bill for yourself, rather than taking someone else’s word on what it says. Admittedly, bills can make for long and tedious reading. But you can use your computer’s Find feature to look for specific words, phrases or relevant sections.
Ask questions – Of legislators, lobbyists, and anyone proposing, discouraging or promoting action or legislation. Don’t reject things out of hand, but don’t follow blindly either.
Focus on the real issue – Politics is emotional, and it can sometimes be hard to see the heart of the matter through the smoke and mirrors of all the vested interests. But take statements like “if this bill becomes law, then this will happen” and honestly assess the possibility and see if there’s any relationship at all to the reality of the text or the situation. There are lots of great resources now for assessing the validity of claims, including PR Watch, PolitiFact, Fact Check.org, GovTrack and others.
Speak out politely, articulately and specifically – If you feel compelled to speak out on an issue after becoming informed about it, do so clearly and outline specifically what you’d like your legislator to do, and request a response back. You may not get the action or the response that you’d like, but your views will become part of the public record and you have started a dialog.

We’re all busy with families, work, school, health and the day-to-day concerns of life and living. But we are also each signatories on the social contract for our governance. Our legislators work for us, and if we abdicate our responsibility as the owners of our government, others will happily step into our place, on their own behalf. And if you only speak out or act when others "alert" you, you risk ignorance of other possibly more problematic legislation of which they may chose not to inform you.

For the record, here are some other bills Florida citizens may want to keep an eye on, which no “alerts” have been sent out about, but which could have an impact on family and individual freedoms to both live and learn:

CS/HB 1329 - John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program

HB 415 – Abortion (listed here because it shows up under the keywords "parental rights" by the way)

GENERAL BILL by Van Zant (CO-SPONSORS) Ahern; Baxley; Renuart; Weinstein

Abortion: Creates "Florida for Life Act";and includes other provisions...

Effective Date: July 1, 2011 Last Event: 1st Reading on Tuesday, March 08, 2011 10:24 PM

HM 557 Parental Rights Amendment and S 954 Parental Rights Amendment Flores 04/06/2011 S Retained on Calendar - Parental Rights Amendment: Urges the Congress of the United States to propose to the states for ratification an amendment to the United States Constitution relating to parental rights.

Effective Date: Not Specified - Last Event: 04/06/11 S Retained on Calendar on Wednesday, April 06, 2011 7:38 PM (See LIFEs evaluation of ongoing "Parental Rights" legislation efforts at our

National Homeschool Issues page.)

S 1620 K-12 Educational Instruction Flores 04/08/2011 S On Committee agenda-- Budget, 04/13/11, 1:30 pm, 412 Knott Building - GENERAL BILL by Flores -K-12 Educational Instruction: Adds statewide virtual providers to the list of public school choices. Authorizes the creation of a virtual charter school. Requires the virtual charter school to contract with an approved statewide virtual provider. Provides for funding of the virtual charter school. Provides for a blended-learning charter school. Provides that home education students may enroll in certain virtual education courses or courses offered in the school district in which they reside, etc. - Effective Date: upon becoming a law -Last Event: 04/11/11 S On Committee agenda-- Budget, 04/14/11, 1:30 pm, 412 Knott Building on Monday, April 11, 2011 5:09 PM

HB 715 – Public School Attendance (contains some minor(?) home education language changes)

Public School Attendance: Creates Student Preparedness Pilot Program to include Duval County School District as one of selected school districts; requires that students in pilot program districts who are 16-18 years of age & do not regularly attend school shall be subject to attendance & completion requirements; requires pilot program districts to identify curricula options; requires annual study & report by OPPAGA. -Effective Date: July 1, 2011 -Last Event: 1st Reading on Tuesday, March 08, 2011 10:24 PM

CS/HB 1331 - School Choice

Revises requirements for eligibility to participate in Opportunity Scholarship Program; deletes provisions that authorize opportunity scholarship for attendance at private school; revises school district obligations & deletes provisions to conform; deletes obsolete provision relating to John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program.

CS/CS/HB 1255 - Education Accountability

GENERAL BILL by Education Committee and K-20 Competitiveness Subcommittee and Adkins -

Education Accountability: Revises numerous provisions relating to K-12 public education system; revises provisions relating to virtual instruction courses, school board member acceptance of gifts, Opportunity Scholarship Program, McKay Scholarships, Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, special education services, requirements for middle grades promotion & high school graduation, digital curriculum, career & professional academies, assistive technology, statewide assessments, college readiness, school improvement, designation of school grades, education budgets, funding for exceptional student education, & teacher qualifications. -Effective Date: July 1, 2011 -Last Event: Added to Second Reading Calendar on Friday, April 08, 2011 6:04 PM

and, of course, SB 2156 Governmental Reorganization.

There's no reason to face last minute alarms and 11th hour calls to action when it's completely within our own individual power to stay informed and involved in our own governance!

LIFE of Florida
http://lifeofflorida.blogspot.com/
http://www.learningis4everyone.org/

LIFE of Florida Evaluation of SB 2516

2011-04-06T18:24:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday, April 5, some “alerts” began making the rounds regarding proposed Florida Senate Bill 7202 . One of the emails says, “There is a Legislative Bill being proposed in Tallahassee. SB7207 (sic) would create a program for monitoring and measuring a child’s learning gains from birth through 5 years old. If this bill is passed ALL child care centers and kindergartens would be under the control of the Department of Education. Private education providers – physical private schools, non-traditional private school (like TOPS) and county homeschoolers – could come under the control of the Department of Education. “ The alert urges homeschoolers to “take immediate action… before the Proposed Committee Bill (PCB) is finalized or independent education (private school and home education) as we know it now will no longer exist. The State will control education from birth on. “

The original warning hails for the Home Education Foundation and can be read in its entirety here: http://bit.ly/gUAUVQ Interestingly, none of the “alerts” provide a link to read the entire text of the bill (which can be found here: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2011/7202), and the alert quoted above actually misidentifies the bill number as 7207, rather than 7202. The bill renumber SB 2156 went to the floor today ( not giving anyone much time to do anything about it anyway) , where some amendments were adopted and some rejected and the whole thing was placed on a 3rd reading, to be debated one more time before final passage.

But a search through the 21000 line bill doesn’t seem to support the contention that “the state will control education from birth on”, nor that “ALL child care centers and kindergartens would be under the control of the Department of Education.” What it does seem to suggest, is that those running private schools, especially those that take state funds, will be under tighter scrutiny and more DOE control. The home based learners who might understandably be concerned about that are those trying to “homeschool” via a private school, or “umbrella” program, rather than independently registered with their counties. Independently registered homeschoolers are not considered “private education providers”.

As a matter of fact, SB 2156 specifically says:

14432 (g) Except as provided by law, the Department of Education
14433 Agency for Workforce Innovation may not impose requirements on a
14434 child care or early childhood education provider that does not
14435 deliver services under the school readiness programs or receive
14436 state or federal funds under this section.

Most of this section of this broad government reorganization bill deals with “early learning coalitions”, specifically those that receive state or federal funds. Florida home educators teaching their children under the state’s Home Education Program neither deliver services under school readiness programs or receive state or federal funds, and so would be exempt from the requirements of the bill.

Learning is for Everyone of Florida encourages families to be educated civic activists, and to fully inform themselves before speaking out on an issue. In this case, there’s a good chance homeschoolers are being recruited to speak out on behalf of private education – especially when the alert specifically, in bold, asterisked type instructs “Do Not Identify Yourself as a Homeschooler – Only Identify Yourself as a Parent Who Supports Private Education.” There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, if that’s what one wishes to do. But there’s no reason to mislead people with dire and unsubstantiated warnings to compel them to act in someone else's interests. And it’s especially unconscionable to urge people to act without providing them the resources they need to be fully informed before they do so.

The Home Education department of the FL DOE confirmed that they don’t deal with VPK (Voluntary Public Kindergarten) issues, and suggests concerned citizens read the text of the bill for themselves, and do one or more of the following to get a better understanding of the intent of the legislation:

Contact the bill’s sponsors, who can be found at http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2011/2156 ,
Speak with the Department of Children and Families - http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ or
Voluntary Public Kindergaten - https://vpk.fldoe.org/ or
The Early Learning Coaltion - http://www.elc-fg.org/

You can also find your legislators at http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find and talk to him or her to get help on further clarification. A related House Bill CS/HB 5101 was also on the floor today, and failed. (In a very recent update, HEF lauds House Select Committee on Government Reorganization House Bill PCB H SCRG3 for "protecting your rights" , perhaps because there's little to no mention of education in it.)

As HEF points out, control can be a hidden agenda – but it’s not just the state who might want to control citizens. Private interests often do as well. Home education is governed under a different set of laws from private education, in Florida. While it’s important to protect private school interests, like all educational options, to suggest that every affront to private education – especially private education that takes state or federal money – is an automatic threat to home education, is misleading at best.

Act if so moved, but be an informed activist, and know the facts before you speak out, so that you can speak out effectively and knowledgeably.

Learning is for Everyone
LIFE of Florida

LIFE of Tampa Spelling Bee Winner Wins Regional Event, Heads to DC in June!

2011-03-05T14:20:00.000-05:00

For the second year in a row, Tampa homeschooler Tommy Foster, has won the Tampa Bay Regional Spelling Bee, held today at Admiral Farragut Academy. Tommy heads to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington DC on June 1, to join 275 other top spellers from around the nation to complete for the title of 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion.

The Foster family reports the Regional Bee went 25 rounds, with Tommy finally taking it with kookaburra for the win!

Congratulations, Tommy!

Voter Education Resources

2010-10-27T14:01:00.001-04:00

It's election time (as if you couldn't tell from the onslaught of silly campaign ads), and time to get down to the business of separating fact from fiction (as much as possible) and trying to make some educated election decisions.

To that end, here are four great, nonpartisan civic engagement resources:

Project Vote Smart - by State: http://www.votesmart.org/mystate_summary.php
Open Congress: http://www.opencongress.org/
ACLU Congressional Scorecard: http://action.aclu.org/site/VoteCenter?page=voteList
Politifact: http://www.politifact.com/

There are many more at Learning is for Everyone's Civic Resources page, too.

So good luck, and vote carefully out there!

Bach Festival Society Young Artist Competition

2010-10-16T11:16:00.000-04:00

This prestigious competition provides high school vocalists and instrumentalists throughout Florida the exceptional opportunity to prepare for performance before judges who are respected in their field. The winners of this annual all-state competition perform their winning selections at a concert that is free and open to the public, benefiting the community not only by providing an enriching musical experience, but also by offering role models to youngsters and inspiring future art patrons. For more information about the competition, or to obtain an entry form, email education@bachfestivalflorida.org
.
Visit http://www.bachfestivalflorida.org/outreach/young-artist-competition for more information.

Two Great College Resources: Florida Trend NEXT Magazine and College Live!

2010-10-15T12:27:00.000-04:00

Florida Trend’s NEXT Magazine Now Available

Florida Trend’s NEXT is a magazine designed to help Florida teens prepare for their future after high school, whether that involves college, technical school or the workforce. Copies of the 2010-2011 edition have been provided free of charge to over 900 high schools across the state. Students may contact their guidance counselor to obtain a copy, or visit http://www.floridanext.com/ to view the complete digital e-dition. While at the website, students can also sign up to receive monthly eNEXTletters, request more information from magazine sponsors and advertisers and register for a chance to win a $1,000 gift card.

For teachers and counselors, NEXT also provides an accompanying Classroom Activity Guide filled with engaging lessons to help students apply information from the magazine to their own lives. The Classroom Activity Guide is available exclusively at www.FloridaNEXT.com under the “Teachers’ Lounge” heading. Here, educators can also register to receive their own monthly eNEXTletters; those who register by Oct. 31, 2010, will be entered in a drawing to win one of five $50 Amazon.com gift cards.

For more information about NEXT, please contact Tanya Creneti at editor@FloridaNEXT.com.

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College Week Live!

CollegeWeekLive! is coming to a computer near you on Nov. 3 – 4, 2010. The free online event is designed to connect prospective students with colleges and universities in a live interactive environment. Attendees will be able to navigate through a virtual exhibition hall, visit virtual booths, and learn about scholarship resources and networking capabilities, as well as win prizes and take advantage of special discounts from event sponsors and participating organizations. More than 300 colleges and universities will be represented and students can chat with admissions officers and students on topics such as filling out their application, how to write a winning application essay and how to pay for college. Registration is free at http://www.collegeweeklive.com/ .

Upcoming Statewide Community & Academic Contests & Awards

2010-10-15T12:20:00.000-04:00

Check out upcoming contests for Florida students:

2011 Severe Weather Awareness Week Poster & Video Contests
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Seeking Nominations
Celebrate Literacy Week Public Service Announcement Contest
Careers in Energy Week Essay Contest

2011 Severe Weather Awareness Week Poster and Video Contests
The Florida Division of Emergency Management and the American Red Cross are again teaming up to sponsor the Florida Severe Weather Awareness Week campaign that includes a poster and video public service announcement contest. Students are encouraged to submit an entry about how to be prepared for the natural hazards that affect the Sunshine State. Entries for both contests must be received by Jan. 10, 2011.

Poster Contest
Florida fourth and fifth grade public, private and homeschool students are invited to submit an entry for the poster contest. The winner’s artwork will be displayed in the State Emergency Operations Center the first full week of Feb. 2011. Prizes include tickets for the winner and his or her family to Walt Disney World, weather radios and other prizes. Entries must be postmarked by Friday, Jan. 7, 2011, and must arrive at the American Red Cross office in Tallahassee by Jan. 10, 2011.

Video Public Service Announcement Contest
Florida middle and high school students in grades 6-8 and 9-12 in public, private and homeschools are invited to produce a 30-second public service announcement that incorporates a safety or preparedness message about one of the following topics: Hurricane Preparedness, Flood Safety, or Building a Disaster Supply Kit. One individual or group (limit four individuals per group) winner will be chosen for both middle and high school videos with the winning video to be professionally reproduced for broadcast by the Division of Emergency Management in their statewide public awareness campaign. Prizes include professional production of the video in the winner’s hometown with the winner serving as project director, tickets for the winner and his or her family to Walt Disney World, weather radios and other exciting prizes. Final digital videos must be mastered as a DVD, postmarked by Friday, Jan.7, 2011, and received by the Florida Division of Emergency Management by Jan. 10, 2010.
Complete contest rules and information for both contests can be found at www.FloridaDisaster.org/SWAW/2011.

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Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Seeking Nominations

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor middle and high school student volunteers in grades five though 12 for their community service and the search is on to identify young Floridians for their contributions during the past year. The awards, presented by Prudential Financial, Inc., in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, are the nation’s largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer community service. Interested students, principals and community members are encouraged to nominate individuals in recognition of their volunteer service. The deadline for applications is Nov. 1, 2010. Visit http://spirit.prudential.com or www.principals.org/spirit for more information and an application packet.
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Celebrate Literacy Week Public Service Announcement Contest

The Florida Department of Education’s Just Read, Florida! Office encourages all students in grades K-12 to create a 26-second public service announcement on the topic “Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! – Champions Read, Readers Lead.” The contest is part of 2011 Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!, a week-long salute that celebrates and promotes the importance of literacy in Florida. Entries should be created with a combination of video and audio effects, must include credits and may not include any copyrighted music, footage or images. All entries must be received by the Just Read, Florida! Office by Dec. 17, 2010. Complete contest details can be found at http://www.justreadflorida.com/literacyweek.asp . If you have any questions, send an e-mail to justread@fldoe.org or contact Kevin Smith at (850) 245-0503 .
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Careers in Energy Week Essay Contest

Careers in Energy Week, led by the Florida Energy Workforce Consortium (FEWC) with the support of Florida Governor Charlie Crist and the Center for Energy Workforce Development, is a week dedicated to celebrating and raising awareness of energy careers and their importance to our communities, state, and nation. The weeklong recognition is Oct. 18-22, 2010, and will be highlighted by an essay contest for Florida high school students (grades 9-12) around the theme, “Energy Workers Make a World of Difference.” The contest guidelines and registration form are available at http://www.fewc.org/?page_id=136 . iPods will be awarded to the top three winners in the state, and winning entries will be published on the FEWC's websites at http://www.fewc.org/ and http://www.getintoenergyflorida.com/ .

LIFE Fest 2010 Thanks!

2010-09-19T12:29:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all who came out to enjoy LIFE Fest 2010 with us in Orlando yesterday! See you next year!

LIFE Fest 2010 Program Online!

2010-09-14T11:23:00.001-04:00

Our program for LIFE Fest 2010 is online and freely available.

We've got an exciting program on tap for Saturday, September 18th, at the Orange County Extension Education Center, and we hope you'll join us for a full day of fun and learning together.

Childcare is available for the day for just $20, and we have a wealth of enriching program content, plenty of hands on opportunities for all ages, and a great collection of raffle and door prize items.

Check out the LIFE Fest 2010 Program and see how much fun you can have for $10 for the whole family!

Just 2.5 Weeks till LIFE Fest 2010!

2010-09-01T15:33:00.000-04:00

Just One More Week to PrePay Admission or Register Vendor or Bazaar Space for LIFE Fest 2010!

2010-08-19T16:21:00.000-04:00

Learning is for Everyone’s LIFE Fest 2010 Celebration of Learning, set for Saturday, September 18 in Orlando, is a family-friendly event featuring educational workshops, youth programs and exhibits, educational give-aways, door prizes and raffles. LIFE Fest 2010 will offer ample opportunities to meet other families from around the state interested in maximizing their children’s education in creative, low cost ways.

LIFE Fest 2010 will be held at the Orange County Extension Education Center, home of the Orange County 4H, which provides informal, hands-on learning to youth ages 5-18 through clubs, school outreach and experiential learning in science, engineering, & technology (SET); citizenship/leadership; and healthy lifestyles - all the types of learning LIFE will explore during LIFE Fest 2010.

Event admission is just a $10 donation per family, $8 prepaid by August 31 via Network for Good at our website (bring your receipt as your ticket). And, in the continuing spirit of a Green LIFE Fest, carpool discounts of $10 per (safe and legal) carload will be available the day of the event. Just a few of the great programs guests can enjoy at LIFE Fest 2010:
• Round table discussions on College Planning ;
• Learning Models & Learning Styles - with Dr. Chris Deason
• Addressing Attention Disorders by “Thinking Outside the Classroom” – with Jeanene Arrington of Not a Clue Adventures
• Health and Fitness with Zumba® – with certified instructor Monique Bradbury
• Homeschooling 101 – Being Informed & Trusting Yourself
• FIRST Robotics – An Ideal STEM Program
• The Creative Gift of Unschooling – by Young Adult Author, Jaclyn Dolamore
• Teaching Math and Science from Birth to College – with educators Christy Bebeau and Carolyn Lang
• Importance of Art and Art Curricula - with Jamie Moorehead of Super Awesome Cool Pottery Studios
• Nutrition and Wellness at Home - with Wellness Coach Gretchen Goal
• Ask-a-Parent Panel -- Q&A with veteran home and informal educators
• What 4H Can do for You - Orange County Extension Service
• Florida Virtual School – Q&A with Regional Liaison Larry Banks
• Student Ballroom Dance exhibition

Plus ongoing children's activities, history and science demos, vendors and exhibitors including Usborne Books, Discovery Toys, Creative Wonders Art, Nature’s Insight, Wekiwa Springs State Park, Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire, other great learning resources, authors and more, and terrific door prizes and raffle gifts from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Ringling Museum of Art, Edison & Ford Winter Estates, and more! Childcare will be available on site by Misty Forest Academy, of Orlando.

Vendors
Vendor booths are $150, and will be sold on a first-come, first-served, paid-in-full basis through August 31. A sliding scale may be considered for very small, family based businesses. A minimum 10% discount is provided to vendors supplying a door prize.

LIFE Fest Bazaar
A bazaar space for family and small community group sales tables is $25. Bazaar vendors may sell books, curricula, toys, clothes, and any other (reasonable) household goods at our LIFE Fest Bazaar. There will also be a give-away table for free items.
Community and Support Groups
LIFE will provide free exhibit space to youth groups and clubs, home school and educational support groups, community education groups like libraries, parks, nature centers, museums and associations providing free or very low cost learning opportunities. If you would like to provide outreach and information to guests about your support and education programs, please write to us with the name of your group, the services you provide, and the costs of your program(s).

Program Advertising
Guests at LIFE Fest will receive a printed program describing the day's agenda, workshops and round table discussions, and listing vendors. If you would like to advertise in the program, please contact us for a rate sheet. Costs range from $25 to $100.

Reserve by August 31
Prepaid admission, Vendor , LIFE Fest Bazaar and Community Group booths must all be reserved by August 31. Visit http://www.learningis4everyone.org/ or email us at info@learningis4everyone.org for more information, or to inquire about vending, community or support group space, or about providing a presentation or workshop.

LIFE Fest 2010 Roster Growing!

2010-07-21T18:30:00.002-04:00

LIFE Fest 2010 is shaping up to be the best LIFE Fest ever! On the roster so far:

Learning Models & Learning Styles - with Dr. Chris Deason
Round table discussions on College Planning
Addressing Attention Disorders by “Thinking Outside the Classroom” – with Jeanene Arrington of Not a Clue Adventures
Health and Fitness with Zumba® – with certified instructor Monique Bradbury
Homeschooling 101 – Being Informed & Trusting Yourself -
FIRST Robotics – An Ideal STEM Program
The Creative Gift of Unschooling – by Young Adult Author, Jaclyn Dolamore
Teaching Math and Science from Birth to College – with homeschool educators Christy Bebeau and Carolyn Lang
Importance of Art and Art Curricula - with Jamie Moorehead of Super Awesome Cool Pottery Studios
Nutrition and Wellness at Home - with Wellness Coach Gretchen Goal
Ask-a-Parent Panel -- Q&A with veteran homeschoolers
What 4H Can do for You - Orange County Extension Service
Florida Virtual School – Q&A with Regional Liaison Larry Banks

Plus ongoing children's activities, history and science demos, vendors and exhibitors including Usborne Books, Creative Wonders Art, Nature’s Insight, Panda Tushies, Discovery Toys, Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire, other great learning resources, authors and more, and terrific door prizes and raffle gifts! Childcare will be available on site by Misty Forest Academy, of Orlando.

There's still time to reserve your room at the Nickelodean Suites Resort

Prepay via Network for Good and your LIFE Fest 2010 admission - already a bargain at $10/family -- is just $8!

And don't forget our LIFE Fest Bazaar, where you can have a family sale table for just $25 to sell books, curricula, toys, clothes and more, and our free community and support group space for youth groups, clubs, homeschool and educational suport groups.

Reserve by August 31!

Vendor , LIFE Fest Bazaar and Community Group booths must be reserved by August 31. Visit Learning is for Everyone's main website for appropriate forms, or email us at info@learningis4everyone.org for more information, or to inquire about vending, community or support group space, or about providing a presentation or workshop. You can also stay up to date at our Facebook page:

See you September 18th!

___________

ZUMBA® and the Zumba Fitness logo are trademarks of Zumba Fitness, LLC, used under license.

Oil Spill and Volunteer Assistance Info

2010-05-31T12:20:00.000-04:00

From the Florida Master Naturalist program:
_______________________________________________
As the environmental catastrophe referred to as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill continues to unfold in the Gulf, there may be need for our help. I know there is also great interest in the progress on containing the spill and the efforts to clean up the mess it leaves, which may eventually include shorelines in Florida.

I have waited to send this email to ensure I provide the best and most accurate information available.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information on the spill and containment efforts, please refer to the official website for the Deepwater Horizon Response at: http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/

This website has a great deal of information, including daily updates.

To see an image of the approximate extent of the spread of the spill in the Gulf, as reported and prepared by USA Today, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/oil-spill-map.htm.

Volunteer assistance is needed and the official FLORIDA volunteer response website for the Deep Horizon Oil Spill is through the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service at: http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org//

There are many links for various volunteer activities on this website.

Note that a companion website: http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/1800Vol/volunteerflorida/viewEventDetails.do?eventId=31601

Specifies that:

“Volunteers will not be in direct contact with oil or oil-contaminated materials. Oil-contaminated materials will only be handled by trained, paid workers such as Qualified Community Responders (QCR) and not by volunteers. Oiled wildlife will only be handled by trained, contracted professionals. Even though volunteer opportunities with the oil spill are limited, volunteer opportunities in your local community are limitless. Many organizations need support and service now more than ever. The oil spill is bringing communities together, and your volunteer service strengthens local responding groups. Thank you for the time you give now, and the time you will continue to give after the oil spill.”

However, there may be a great deal of assistance needed doing other services, and I encourage you to register.

Additional ways to assist and report important information include:

Reporting oiled wildlife – the FLORIDA hotline to call to report oiled wildlife is: 1-866-557-1401

Reporting oil on the shoreline - the FLORIDA hotline to call to report oiled wildlife is: 1-877-272-8335 (1-877-2-SAVE-FL) or #DEP from your cell phone.

Two documents that provide useful information regarding oil spill reporting can be viewed (and printed) online at:

http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/Deepwater/docs/OilSpillReportingGuide.pdf

http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/Deepwater/docs/OilFactSheet.pdf

Let’s hope the latest efforts to contain the spill are successful and that Florida’s coastal environment is not severely damaged, but let’s also prepare to assist in the clean-up and associated actions to the extent we are able.

Sincerely,

Marty

Martin B. Main, PhD
Professor, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Program Leader, Florida Master Naturalist Program (http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/)
University of Florida
SW Florida Research and Education Center
2685 State Road 29 North
Immokalee, FL 34142
ph: 239.658.3400 fax: 239.658.3469

Sweet Deal for LIFE Fest 2010 Guests, from Nickelodean Suites Resort!

2010-05-26T16:52:00.000-04:00

What a deal! Come out for LIFE Fest 2010, stay two nights at Nickelodean Suites Resort in Orlando, and get the third night free! Just $200 for a family weekend in a two bedroom KidSuite!

Click here to book your room by August 17.

LIFE Fest 2010 Set for Sept. 18 in Orlando!

2010-05-13T12:27:00.000-04:00

Our annual LIFE Fest Celebration of Learning will be held Saturday, September 18 at the beautiful Orange County Extension Service Education Center in Orlando, home of the Orange County 4H, and a spectacular family-friendly facility at which to celebrate all that's wonderful about community education resources.

Orange County 4-H is the youth development program of Orange County University of Florida/IFAS Extension. 4-H provides informal, hands-on learning to youth ages 5-18 through clubs, school outreach and experiential learning. Programming exists in three main areas: science, engineering, & technology (SET); citizenship/leadership; and healthy lifestyles - all the types of learning we'll be looking at during LIFE Fest 2010.

Cost
As before – still bucking economic trends! - admission is just a $10 donation per family, $8 prepaid via Network for Good (bring your receipt as your ticket). And, in the continuing spirit of a Green LIFE Fest, carpool discounts of $10 per (safe and legal) carload will be available the day of the event.

Lodging
There are numerous hotels in the area and LIFE is working to block off reasonably priced rooms for LIFE Fest guests and vendors. Details will be announced soon.

Content
As before, we’ll have a variety of great vendors – we’re aiming for more this year - lots of free materials, great workshops, door prizes and raffles, and a fun and educational children’s area with art and animals, all adding up to a full and exciting day that will offer ample opportunities to meet other home educators from around the state and to learn how to make the most of your homeschooling adventure.

Vendors
Vendor booths will cost $100 if reserved by June 30; $150 after that, through August 31, and will be sold on a first-come, first-served, paid-in-full basis. A sliding scale may be considered for very small, family based businesses. A minimum 10% discount is provided to vendors supplying a door prize.

LIFE Fest Bazaar
A bazaar space for family and small community group sales tables is $25. You can sell books, curricula, toys, clothes, and any other (reasonable) household goods at our LIFE Fest Bazaar. We’ll also have a give-away table for anything you just want to, well – give away!

Community and Support Groups
We’re happy to provide free exhibit space to youth groups and clubs, home school and educational support groups, community education groups like libraries, parks, nature centers, museums and associations providing free or very low cost learning opportunities. If you feel your group or service qualifies, and you’d like to join us to provide outreach and information to guests about your support and education programs, please write to us with the name of your group, the services you provide, and the costs of your program(s).

Program Advertising
Guests at LIFE Fest will receive a printed program describing the day's agenda, workshops and round table discussions, and listing vendors. If you would like to advertise in the program, please contact us for a rate sheet. Costs range from $25 to $100.

Reserve by August 31
Vendor , LIFE Fest Bazaar and Community Group booths must be reserved by August 31. More information will be available at Learning is for Everyone’s website shortly, but feel free to write and let us know if you’d like vending, community group, or support group space.

Also contact us if you’re interested in hosting a presentation or workshop.

Planners Drawing
As before, we’re inviting our guests to help plan the party by holding a Planners Drawing in which those who send us LIFE Fest ideas by May 31 are automatically entered to win a great prize.

So send your ideas now to info@learningis4everyone.org with “LIFE Fest Ideas” in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name, address and contact info and you'll be automatically entered in a special LIFE Fest Planner award drawing at LIFE Fest 2010. You have to be present to win -- but you're helping plan so why wouldn't you be?!

Visit http://www.learningis4everyone.org/ for applications or email us at info@learningis4everyone.org for more information.

See you at LIFE Fest 2010!

Florida Financial Aid Deadlines Approach

2010-04-05T11:53:00.000-04:00

Several deadlines are fast approaching for scholarship applications. See below for more details:

April 15, 2010 – Application deadline for the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program.

The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship was established by the United States Congress to reward outstanding high school seniors who show promise of continued academic achievement. The maximum award amount is $1,500 per year for this program offered through the U.S. Department of Education.

May 15, 2010 – Processing deadline to file the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid for the Rosewood Family Scholarship and the José Martí Scholarship Challenge Grant.

Visit http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ to access the application.

The Rosewood Family Scholarship provides financial assistance for a maximum of twenty-five eligible students who attend a state university, public community college, or public postsecondary vocational-technical school. Eligible students must be direct descendants of Rosewood families affected by the incidents of January 1923.

The José Martí Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund is a need-based merit scholarship that provides financial assistance to eligible students of Hispanic origin who will attend Florida public or eligible private institutions. Applicants for undergraduate study must apply during their senior year of high school.

May 30, 2010 – Deadline for Bright Futures reinstatement/restoration applications.

Eligible students who did not receive Bright Futures scholarship funds during the last academic year can apply for a one-time restoration or reinstatement of their scholarship. The circumstances of each individual will dictate the action to be taken. If you have questions about whether you qualify for a restoration or reinstatement, visit http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ , call (888) 827-2004 or send an e-mail to osfa@fldoe.org.

Information about Florida’s financial aid programs can be found at http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/

New Civics Education Program Launched

2010-03-22T14:47:00.000-04:00

The Museum of Florida History, the Florida Historic Capitol and the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee have joined together to create a new civics education program for seventh grade classes focused on voting rights and responsibilities. The “Making My Vote Count” program introduces the history and process of elections in Florida and the United States and the importance of becoming involved, engaged citizens. Groups of up to 30 students will participate in activities at all three locations in Tallahassee and become familiar with the election process. Groups larger than 30 will be divided into smaller groups.

“Establishing Your Voting Rights” – At the historic Florida Capitol, students debate and vote on a legislative issue that once was considered by the Florida House of Representatives.

“Protecting Your Voting Rights” – At the Florida Supreme Court, students role play an oral argument and vote to determine the Court’s decision.

“Exercising Your Voting Rights” – At the Museum of Florida History, students learn about events and laws related to voting rights and conduct mock elections.

More information about the “Making My Vote Count” civics program, including available dates, can be found at www.floridasupremecourt.org/education/civics.shtml. Contact Tricia Knox with the Florida Supreme Court Public Information Office, at knoxt@flcourts.org or (850) 921-9446 for program availability.

College Week, Live Connects Students With Colleges and Universities

2010-03-22T14:39:00.000-04:00

CollegeWeek, Live is a free online college admissions event that provides an opportunity for high school students to connect with college and university admissions representatives throughout Florida and the nation to learn about their postsecondary education options. Attendees can watch keynote presentations from leading experts on admission topics such as application essays and financial aid, and participate in webcam sessions with current students on their perspective of college life. Register for free at http://www.collegeweeklive.com//. For a list of participating postsecondary institutions, visit www.collegeweeklive.com/en_CA/guest/app-colleges.

CollegeWeekLive Spring – March 24 – 25, 2010, 10:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. Meet with hundreds of schools online and participate in presentations that cover the entire range of college admissions topics.

CollegeWeekLive Florida Day – May 6, 2010, 12:00 p.m. through 10:00 p.m. Meet with over 20 Florida colleges and universities online and participate in presentations covering Florida-related topics.

Cards of Care for Haiti Project Launched

2010-02-05T13:51:00.002-05:00

Volunteer USA Foundation, in partnership with the National Disaster Recovery Fund, invites students throughout Florida to send pictures and cards of love and inspiration to children and families affected by the recent earthquakes in Haiti. Anyone wishing to participate can send cards to Volunteer USA Foundation – Cards of Care for Haiti, 5970 SW 1st Lane, Ocala, FL 34474, and should include their name and contact information.

Free lesson plans are also available to help teachers use the earthquake and other real-life disasters as examples of how Americans assist with humanitarian and recovery efforts and to provide a platform to discuss the need for all families to develop and practice personal disaster plans. For more information about the project or to learn about disaster preparedness for families and schools, visit http://www.nationaldisasterrecoveryfund.org or http://www.volunteerusafoundation.org.

New Interactive Book Club Launched: Literacy League

2010-02-05T13:49:00.000-05:00

Literacy League, a new interactive reading initiative for middle school students, was recently launched by the Florida Department of Education to give young readers a platform to discuss books with their favorite authors. Students in grades six through eight will have the chance to read selected books and submit questions in a variety of formats directly to participating authors through a podcast series housed on Florida’s iTunesU site. The new statewide book club starts off with author Julianna Baggott, writing under the pen name N.E. Bode, and her award-winning book, The Anybodies.

Each quarter the Department will connect prominent authors through a podcast question-and-answer session about the featured book. For the first session, students have until March 1, 2010, to send their questions in text or video format to LiteracyLeague@fldoe.org or mail their questions to the Department of Education’s Communications Office at 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1524, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400. The next book selection will be announced in April.

For more information about the Department of Education’s Literacy League, visit http://www.fldoe.org/literacyleague. Florida’s iTunesU site provides free multimedia content to schools, parents, administrators and teachers both in Florida and around the world. To visit Florida on iTunesU, visit http://www.floridaitunesu.com.

Go Higher, Get Accepted FACTS.org Campaign

2010-02-05T13:45:00.000-05:00

Twenty-seven Florida colleges and more than 270 high schools will participate in the 2010 Go Higher-Get Accepted statewide campaign this year. Go Higher-Get Accepted is designed to increase the number of high school seniors enrolling in college by offering guidance and support to students throughout the application process.

As part of the campaign, colleges around the state will sponsor events in the coming months to help students examine specific college majors and programs. A key focus will be providing parents and students with hands-on assistance with admission applications, finding and paying for financial aid and workshops to assist students and families with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Colleges sponsoring Go Higher-Get Accepted events will also offer a $500 scholarship, supplied by the Foundation for Florida Colleges, to an eligible high school senior who attends an event and enrolls at the participating college.

For more information about Go Higher-Get Accepted and a list of events and participating schools, visit http://www.FACTS.org.

Sunshine Week Essay Contest Announced

2010-02-05T13:40:00.000-05:00

Governor Charlie Crist invites all Florida students in grades nine through 12 to participate in the 2010 Sunshine Week essay contest. Sunshine Week is observed March 14-20, 2010, and celebrates Florida’s laws dedicated to making state and local government more accessible to the public. Essays should be no longer than 500 words and must explain the importance of one or more of the civil liberties found in the First Amendment and how Florida’s open government laws protect those liberties. For complete information about the Sunshine Week essay contest, visit http://www.FLGov.com/og_home. The deadline to submit an essay by either e-mail or mail is 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010.

Home Education and ESE Services FAQ

2010-01-14T19:28:00.000-05:00

This notice was just issued by the FLDOE today. The information will be archived at Learning is for Everyone's Homeschooling in Florida pages for future reference:

Dear Home Educators

The Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice has issued a new “Frequently Asked Questions” document relating to Home Education and ESE Services in Florida. I have attached the document for your convenience. This helpful FAQ will also be posted on the School Choice Web site at http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/FAQs.asp and http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/information/home_education/.

If you have any questions, let me know! Thank you all for your hard work out there!

Christopher Fenton

Christopher.Fenton@fldoe.org

Educational Policy Analyst

Office of Independent Education & Parental Choice

Florida Department of Education

School Choice Hotline: (800)447-1636

Fax: (850)245-9134

Web site: www.floridaschoolchoice.org

____________________

Home Education and Exceptional Student Education Services

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What should parents do if they suspect their child has a disability?

The parent should contact the exceptional student education office in the district in which they reside and request that the child be evaluated.

2. What is required of the parent as related to the evaluation process?

The requirements related to evaluation are described in State Board of Education (SBE) Rule 6A-6.0331, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C). Before an evaluation can be conducted, the school district must obtain informed consent in writing from the parent. The parent may be asked to provide information from the child’s portfolio or student records and may also be asked to complete checklists and/or informal observations. Parental consent must be obtained before any information regarding a home education student is shared with the school district.

Once the parent has provided written consent, the formal evaluation will begin. Specific evaluation procedures and eligibility criterion for each disability category are described in the respective SBE rules for that disability. For some disability categories (e.g., emotional/behavioral disabilities; specific learning disabilities), a key component of the evaluation and eligibility determination is analysis of the student’s response to well-delivered, scientific, research-based instruction and interventions. This requires that the parent work with the school district to ensure that this information is available.

3. How long does the school district have to complete the initial evaluation?

The school district must complete the initial evaluation within 60 school days that the student is in attendance after the school district’s receipt of parental consent. For PreK children, initial evaluations must be completed within sixty school days after the school district’s receipt of parental consent for evaluation. (6A-6.0331(3)(d), F.A.C.).

4. After the evaluation is conducted, what happens next?

The parents will be invited to attend a meeting in which the school district staff will review the outcome of their child’s evaluation. Following that review, a determination will be made regarding whether or not the child is considered an eligible child with a disability as defined by Florida State Board of Education Rules.

5. What is the school district’s obligation if the child is eligible for services?

The school district is not obligated to provide services to children in home education programs. If the parent of a child currently enrolled in a home education program chooses to enroll the child full time in a public school, the school district must ensure that a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) is made available to the child.

6. Can a district enroll and report a student part-time only for the ESE services that they provide?

Yes. The district may choose to enroll the child on a part-time basis for services provided through the public school and report the student for state funding through the Florida Education Funding Program (FEFP).

7. Whom should a parent contact if they have questions or need additional assistance?

For home education questions, contact your local district home education office which can be found at the following link:

http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/District/District_List.asp.

Information pertaining to exceptional education and student services in your local district may be found at the following link:

http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/ESEDirectors.pdf

Information related to parentally placed students in private schools can be found at the following link:

http://www.fldoe.org/ese/tap-home.asp

If further information is required, contact the Department of Education:

Laura Harrison – Director of Scholarship Programs, Private Schools and Home Education

Phone: (850) 245-0502

Laura.Harrison@fldoe.org

The Effectiveness of Nonviolent Civic Action Essay Contest

2010-01-05T13:58:00.002-05:00

High school students in grades nine through 12 are encouraged to submit an entry for the Effectiveness of Nonviolent Civic Action essay contest sponsored by the National Institute of Peace. Essays must be no longer than 1,500 words and consist of three sections which lay out and develop a position in response to the essay contest question. Each student must have a contest coordinator who can review their essay and act as the key contact between the participant and the Institute. One national award totaling $10,000 will be conferred as well as two other national awards worth $2,500 and $5,000 respectively, in addition to 53 state awards each worth $1,000. The deadline for submitting an essay is Feb. 2, 2010.

For more information, including the essay question, comprehensive guidelines and submission requirements visit www.usip.org/npec. A study guide can also be found at www.usip.org/npec/sg10.pdf (PDF).

Arts for Life! Scholarship

2010-01-05T13:54:00.000-05:00

The Foundation for Excellence in Education is accepting applications for the Arts for Life! scholarship from graduating high school seniors for their outstanding achievement in the arts. To be considered for the scholarship, public, private or home education program students must submit a completed application, a brief essay explaining “How the arts have positively influenced my life,” and a sample of their work in creative writing, dance, drama, music or visual arts. Each of the 25 winners will receive a $1,000 cash scholarship toward their pursuit of the arts in higher education, and have an opportunity to showcase their arts discipline through performance and exhibition at a luncheon in their honor. The deadline to submit an application is Feb. 1, 2010.

Contact the Foundation for Excellence in Education at (850) 391-4090 or visit www.ExcelinEd.org for more information.

WeatherFest 2010, Tallahassee, Jan 30

2010-01-05T13:53:00.000-05:00

WeatherFest is an outreach event developed by the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee and organized in partnership with the Florida State University Meteorology Department and state and university emergency management officials. This annual event is intended for weather enthusiasts of all ages and brings together meteorology professionals from the federal and state government, acedemia, the media, and various partner organizations, to increase awareness about how forecasts and warnings are produced and disseminated, how meteorologists are trained, and the science of meteorology in general.

WeatherFest 2010 will be part of Florida's Severe Weather Awareness Week, and will feature many of the events from the inaugural WeatherFest last January, with some new and exciting exhibits in store as well. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from an AMS bakesale and also Campus Vending If you didn't visit us last year, or missed the severe weather simulation, or weather balloon launches, stop by and visit us this year! If you are curious about our 2009 event, check out the photo gallary provided by our photographer, Bob Duggan. We hope that you will plan to make WeatherFest 2010 part of your winter plans.

When: Saturday, Jan. 30th, 2010
Time : 10 AM to 5 PM EST
Where: Florida State University Main Campus at the Love Building Tallahassee, FL 32306
Who: Anyone who has an interest in science and meteorology

Visit http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tae/?n=wxfestabout for more information.

Donation of gift copies of children's geography ebooks

2010-01-05T13:34:00.000-05:00

To educators everywhere:

... I have been able to donate several thousand printed copies of my and my husband’s recently launched children’s geography books (“Friends and Mates in Fifty States” (Galde Press, 2008), “All Across Canada” (Chipmunkapublishing, 2008), and “All Across China” (Chipmunkapublishing, 2009) to public libraries and schools across the U.S. and Canada. At the present time, I can afford to donate ebook versions of “All Across Canada” and “All Across China” to public elementary school teachers and homeschoolers. Below is a description of these books and their availability.

Dear Members,

As part of a nonprofit venture, my husband and I are donating ebook versions of two of three of our children's geography books (“Friends and Mates in Fifty States,” (Galde Press, 2008) “All Across Canada” (Chipmunkapublishing, 2008), and “All Across China” (Chipmunkapublishing, 2009). These books offer a novel approach to learning geography, and can be obtained as free pdf downloads through our authors' website, www.weisberg-yoffe.org.

"All Across Canada" was submitted to Kirkus Discoveries as a representative of our geography series, and it received a favorable review (details about our children's geography books are below my signature). We have donated a number of printed copies of these books to libraries and schools throughout the U.S. and Canada. At the present time (and with the kind support of our publisher), we are able to offer complimentary ebooks to homeschoolers.

"All Across China" and "All Across Canada" can each be downloaded on their respective website display pages for review using the following link to our authors' website:

www.weisberg-yoffe.org

(Please note: any image outlines seen in the ebooks are intrinsic to the pdf files and do not appear in the printed books themselves. Also, to change orientation of the pdf from sideways to right side up, just go under “view” and “rotate clockwise.”)

Our third book in this series, "Friends and Mates in Fifty States,” features original cartoons and poems about the United States, with each state capital represented by a cartoon character named for the city (such as Denver, a boy who lives in Colorado). The book is designed to help familiarize children from ages 6-11 with U.S. geography in a fun and self-motivating way. It can also serve as a picture book for younger children, and has been known to hold the interest of children as young as three.

"Friends and Mates in Fifty States" has received positive feedback from the U.S. Scholastic Book Clubs. The book has also thus far received considerable interest from libraries, NH-based schools, and Montessori schools. Kenneth J. Relihan (Social Studies & World Languages, New Hampshire Department of Education) has favorably reviewed Friends and Mates in Fifty States, describing it as “unique and original.” We are hoping to eventually have a link for a complimentary pdf version of this book, as well.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about these books at ellenweis1966@yahoo.com.

Take care,
Ellen

All Across Canada (Kirkus Discoveries review)-
This husband-and- wife collaboration provides a tour of the Canadian provinces and territories.
Wandering Wally, Hiking Holly and Ambling Andy trek across the various regions of Canada, meeting with friends and getting to know their country a little better. Readers will make some discoveries of their own, including that the highest population of elderly Canadians is in Saskatchewan, the world’s largest rodeo is held in Alberta and that New Brunswick is the home of the world’s longest covered bridge. For very brief introductions to the major natural formations and economic industries of Canada’s provinces and territories, this is a good choice for younger readers. The mnemonic device of naming characters after the provincial capitals will help kids memorize them effortlessly. Combine this with the rhyming verses summarizing the important information, and Weisberg and Yoffe (Friends and Mates in Fifty States, 2008) have created quite the learning tool: “On Vancouver Island there’s a lovely coastal breeze. / Victoria dances round and round
the old Red Cedar trees.” The artwork mirrors the text, with maps showing the geography of each province and territory in Canada and their highlighted regions. Unfortunately, the illustrations are rather simplistic—rudimentary cartoons and clip art—with a limited color palette that adds to their lack of spark. The straightforward design and large illustrations, though, will be helpful for visual learners.
Helpful mnemonic devices and a simple presentation make learning about Canada a breeze.
____________ _________ _________ _________ _
SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS | REPRINTS
Copyright 2005 Kirkus Reviews
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Friends and Mates in Fifty States (Amazon review)-
Fun and Informative, September 1, 2008
By Keiko Wu (New Hampshire) -
This is a great book that gives kids a fun way to learn more about the states. The rhymes are inventive and cute. This book fills a real niche. There are so few books on geography for kids, especially ones that actually appeal to kids.
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All Across China (Amazon review)-
“All Across China' fills a large void in publishing: namely, geography books for children. The author has wisely chosen a region of growing interest to many. The book gives a thumbnail sketch of all of China's provinces. It strikes a good balance: a map of the location of each province is shown in relation to the rest of the country, but the book is not saturated with highly detailed maps. This is in keeping with the targeted audience. It provides exposure of maps to children without giving in to the temptation to throw too much information at the audience at once. Equally helpful is the accompanying narrative of each province. Animals, topographic features and famous sights are mentioned, in hopes of connecting with various interests of children. The book is almost entirely in English (appropriate for its intended audience). However, I found the inclusion of the province names written in Chinese (in a relatively smaller font size, beneath the much
larger English name) to be a nice addition to the text. Hopefully it will spur the curiosity of some to pursue study of Chinese language as well.”
-Tom Finocchiaro

Florida Wildflower Foundation Seeking Volunteers for Wildflower Surveys

2009-11-20T12:30:00.001-05:00

This year the Florida Wildflower Foundation completed spring, summer and fall surveys of naturally occurring wildflowers along the five-county St. Johns to the Sea Loop trail (Putnam, Volusia, Brevard, Flagler and St. Johns counties), which will soon become the state’s first Wildflower Trail.

In 2010, the Foundation plans to survey other wildflower-profuse areas in the Panhandle and in North, Central and South Florida. The surveys will identify showy areas of native wildflowers in order to document species and suggest management practices. This research also will help us promote Florida’s native wildflowers as economic and intrinsic community assets.

First, though, we need the assistance of residents and visitors to find wildflower sites throughout the state. They can help by sending the following information by Dec. 1 to the Foundation at wildflower.research@gmail.com:

1.Approximate locations of any showy roadside or trailside (paved bike or foot path) native wildflowers seen in Florida during spring, summer and/or fall.

Include:

a.The scientific or common name of the plant species. If the name is unknown, describe the flowering plants’ characteristics (i.e., color, height, growth habit, etc.).

b.The road’s name, as well as a nearby intersection or another landmark that will help us locate the site.

c.The geographic region (defined below) and the city and/or county in which the site occurs.

d.The approximate date of the sighting. If the date is unknown, please include the season.

e.A description of the habitat (i.e., wet ditch, sand dune, pine forest, etc.).

f.Digital photos, if possible.

2. The names and locations of public lands (state, national, city and county parks; water management district holdings, etc.) that have great native wildflower displays, along with species names and approximate bloom dates,

Garden or civic clubs that have planted roadside or trailside native wildflowers can help by sending the planting’s location and a species list.

Geographic regions are defined as:

Panhandle: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Wakulla, Leon, Jefferson.

North Florida: Madison, Hamilton, Columbia, Baker, Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam, Clay, Marion, Alachua, Levy, Bradford, Union, Gilchrist, Dixie, Lafayette, Suwannee, Taylor.

Central Florida: Citrus, Sumter, Lake, Volusia, Seminole, Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Hernando, Sumter, Citrus, Manatee, Hardee, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Indian River, De Soto, Sarasota.

South Florida: Charlotte, Glades, Martin, Lee, Hendry, Palm Beach, Collier, Broward, Dade, Monroe.

Florida Wildflower Foundation
PO Box 941066
Maitland, FL 32794-1066
407-353-6164
www.floridawildflowerfoundation.org

Virtual View on Virtual Schools

2009-11-19T12:46:00.003-05:00

There are emails going around, on both sides of the fence, about virtual school program legislation currently under consideration in FL (SB 534 and HB 7067). Some of the emails encourage signing a petition to allow home educators to participate in School District Virtual School Programs (SDVIP) without previous enrollment in public school, and others protest the legislation.

All home educators are urged to become informed about virtual school choices in Florida, whatever your opinion or preference regarding the schools, and to make sure you have all the facts (or as many as you can find) rather than acting on fear based or uninformed arguments on either side.

Support for SDVIP Enrollment Expansion
With respect to the petition, found at http://www.flvirtualfamilies.org/petition/ and this particular phraseology: "In looking at this law, it is a great tool for those parents that would choose to homeschool." …

It's important to remember that SDVIP is great tool for those interested in having a *public school education option that they can administer from home*. Participants need to understand that the laws under which those enrolled in this program would provide that education are different from homeschooling laws.

The petition calls on Florida representatives "to change the portion of House Bill 7067 that states a child must attend public school for one year to qualify for this program. We feel that this discriminates against children that previously home schooled or that would have to come out of private school that would want to use this program. Parents of all children should have the option to use this if they so chose. Treat all children fair"

Grammar issues aside, the bill doesn't actually discriminate against homeschooled children or anyone else. This is a procedural issue, not a home education issue . Transferring to SDVIP should be handled as any public, private or homeschool program transfer is handled, using existing Florida State Board of Education transfer rules.

Opposition to SDVIP
Long time home and private school lobbyist Brenda Dickinson, of the Home Education Foundation, is concerned about the Senate version of SDVIP legislation, SB 534, for other reasons, principally her contention that SDVIP "will lead to the demise of home education as we know it."

In a recent email, referencing a Christian Broadcasting Network article titled "Online Charter Schools Proving Popular" she contends:

"Parents are going to be more confused about virtual education than they were last year if Charter Virtual Schools are created in Florida. This year some parents who have enrolled their children in the School District Virtual School Programs (SDVIP) are forming their own support groups and asking for membership in the Florida Parent Educators Association. They think they are home educators. However, students enrolled in a SDVIP, using K-12, Inc and Connections Academy are not home educated students; they are public school students. I believe in a short time this confusion will lead to the demise of home education as we know it.

"The type of school listed (in the article) is NOT a virtual school; it is a distant learning program. A box of books and materials are delivered to the child's home and the parent is the primary instructor. With the cost of curriculum and private education in these uncertain and difficult economic times, the charter virtual school described below will appeal to many parents. These programs contain highly structured curriculum with 180 days of lessons sent to the parent with a distant teacher provided who checks on the student periodically. Notice that the teacher only has to contact the student once a month. Since the State requires schools to provide 4 to 5 hours of instruction a day for 180 days per school year, these private programs are requiring parents to provide 4 to 5 hours a day per child for 180 days per school year. The State will now bear the cost (about $5500 per child) of these children who will be enrolled in a public school run by an at-home private school with the parent as the primary instructor. Though it sounds a lot like home education, it has the structure and standardization of a private school.

"SB 534 is filed for the 2010 Session and will create the same virtual charter school in Florida described in the article below. My question is: How long will home education parents be able to direct their children's education if these schools are established in Florida? Many parents are afraid to step out on their own to take over the education of their children under the home education law, so this highly structured program will appeal to those parents. Within a few years, there will be almost no one in the elementary grades who develops their own curriculum and tailors it to their own child's interest, pace and learning style. Most parents, new to home education, will be persuaded that this is the only way to teach your child at home."

The virtual school induced death knell has been rung for homeschooling for almost ten years now. (For the record, almost identical complaints were leveled at FLVS at the time, even though now, FLVS is lauded by many of the same homeschoolers as a model virtual program for home educators.)

Home education is,in fact, changing and has been since its inception. But that's different from suffering a "demise." More people than ever are aware that they can in some great measure influence and direct their children's education, perhaps not as completely as some of us have chosen, but more than many more people ever would have considered doing.

A future now suggests itself where everyone tailors his or her education to best suit individual needs, interests and abilities. This has the potential to bring a far higher quality of family life and education to more people than does circling the wagons to protect "home education as we know it." Life as people knew it a hundred, two hundred, three hundred years ago no longer exists. While some good things are lost to time and history, many more good things have been gained: civil rights, greater longevity, multiculturalism, fascinating and useful technology, and more access to knowledge than ever before.

Get the Facts
With any of the virtual school arguments or supplications, important points of clarification should be:

Sources and evidence for "slippery slope" arguments of doom;Specific studies regarding virtual school program effects on home education;
Specific instances of school district strong-arming (some emails claim school districts are performing portfolio reviews with the intention of intimidating parents into choosing SDVIP programs);
Focus on real issues: equitable application of uniform transfer rules, or truth in advertising for SDVIP programs – issues that apply across the board to all families trying to make informed decisions.

Advocating and empowering all families to make informed educational decisions for themselves and their children is, in the long run, the best way to protect homeschooling.

You can read more about HB 7067 at

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=39535

www.fldoe.org/GR/Bill_Summary/2008/HB7067.pdf

www.fldoe.org/gr/li/Q&A-DistrictVIP.pdf (Q&A)

And about SB 537 at http://bit.ly/2ZPaKm

Thoughts and insights are welcome, as is additional information that others may find helpful in weighing their options.

And for the record, any virtual school families seeking support and resources are very welcome to join Learning is for Everyone of Florida. We don’t care how you learn at home, and we’re happy to help you make the most of your time together with your children.

Terri Willingham
http://LIFEofFlorida.blogspot.com

Enjoy a Symphony of Science

2009-11-08T19:55:00.002-05:00

Visit http://www.symphonyofscience.com/ for more information and more joyous science!

Florida Students Invited to Participate in US Dept. of Energy's Real World Design Challenge

2009-09-08T12:12:00.000-04:00

Chancellor of Public Schools, Dr. Frances Haithcock joined Lt. Gov. Jeff
Kottkamp Aug. 25 to announce that Florida is one of 25 states nationwide
participating in the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Real World Design Challenge (RWDC).
The annual event provides high school students in grades nine through 12 the
opportunity to work on real-world engineering challenges in a team format. The
RWDC presents student teams with a challenge that confronts one of the nation's
leading industries; this year the focus is on aeronautics and energy usage.

Participating students will have a chance to apply the lessons of the classroom
to the technical problems that are being faced in the workplace, and utilize
professional quality computer-aided design software to develop their solutions.
Teachers participating in the challenge are also able to obtain professional
development opportunities as well as software engineering tools valued at nearly
$1 million.

To learn more about the Real World Design Challenge, visit
http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/RWDC/index.html. Districts and schools
interested in participating may contact Sally Sanders with the Florida
Department of Education at sally.sanders@fldoe.org.

They've confirmed that homeschool and private school students can register teams.

"I Am What I Learn" Video Contest

2009-09-08T10:11:00.002-04:00

To further encourage student engagement, the U.S. Department of Education is launching the "I Am What I Learn" video contest. On September 8, we will invite students to respond to the president's challenge by creating videos, up to two minutes in length, describing the steps they will take to improve their education and the role education will play in fulfilling their dreams.

We invite all students age 13 and older to create and upload their videos to YouTube by October 8. Submissions can be in the form of video blogs, public service announcements (PSAs), music videos, or documentaries. Students are encouraged to have fun and be creative with this project! The general public will then vote on their favorites to determine the top 20 finalists. These 20 videos will be reviewed by a panel of judges including U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The panel will choose three winners, each of whom will receive a $1,000 cash prize.

Starting this Friday, you can visit www.ed.gov/iamwhatilearn to find out more.

Read the full text of his speech at http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

Watch webcast: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/aug20forumlive/

President Barack Obama's Education Address: "...Set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them."

2009-09-08T09:31:00.002-04:00

Text of President Barack Obama's planned public schools address:

Arlington, Virginia
September 8, 2009

Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

______________________

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

Family Admission for Four donated by Delaware North Companies to LIFE Fest!

2009-09-02T12:18:00.003-04:00

Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts , operators of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, has generously donated a Family Pass for four (valued at $152) for our LIFE Fest 2009 raffle!

Thanks, Delaware North Companies!

LIFE Fest 2009 is Just Three Weeks Away!!

2009-09-01T11:05:00.015-04:00

Our annual LIFE Fest Celebration of Learning will be held Saturday, September 26th at the Eckerd College Conference Center and Lodge at 4200 54th Avenue South in St. Petersburg, FL from 10 a.m. – 5p.m.

Admission is just a $10 donation per family. And, in the spirit of our Green LIFE Fest, carpool discounts of $10 a (safe and legal)carload will be available the day of the event.

Lodging is available right on the premises for just $65/night, and puts you just down the road from beautiful beach of Ft. Desoto Park, and near all the great museums, parks and shops of St. Petersburg. Call the Eckerd College Conference Center and Lodge at 800-456-9009 to reserve your room.

Our LIFE Fest 2009 line up ...

Great Explorations Children's Museum
Florida Virtual School
WMNF Community Radio
Lakeshore Learning
ALC - Advanced Learning Centers, Inc
Dance and Circus Arts of Tampa Bay.
USF - HIPPY - Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters
Author Kenneth Albert - The Right Fit Program
Steve Nies, of The Robot Portal

Demos and Exhibits on

FIRST Robotics
Homeschool Ballroom Dance Team
The Robot Portal - a web-based eLearning environment for STEM education

Education and Community Support Groups

Workshops on:

Home-based Learning Options in Florida
Up Close and Personal with the Charlotte Mason Method
College Planning
Picturing America : Teaching History, Science and More through Art
Distance Learning
FIRST robotics for STEM education

and more!

And with our gratitude for support from

Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts , operators of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, for the their generous donation of a Family Pass for four (valued at $152) for our raffle, and

Nature's Insight for Herb Cohen's kind donation of artwork for a door prize,

and many others!

Be part of the fun and knowledge and join us at LIFE Fest 2009!

LIFE Fest 2009 Roster Growing!

2009-07-15T12:07:00.004-04:00

Learning is for Everyone 's roster of vendors and community groups joining in on our 8th annual LIFE Fest Celebration of Learning is exciting and growing. LIFE Fest 2009 will be held on Saturday, September 26th at the Eckerd Conference Center and Lodge at 4200 54th Avenue South in St. Petersburg, FL from 10 a.m. – 5p.m.

Joining us so far this year:

Great Explorations Children's Museum

WMNF Community Radio

Lakeshore Learning

USF - HIPPY - Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters

FIRST Robotics

Homeschool Ballroom Dance Team

THINK Day Homeschool Cooperative

Homeschoolers in Pasco

And workshops and round table discussions on:

Home-based Learning Options in Florida
Up Close and Personal with the Charlotte Mason Method
College Planning
Picturing America : Teaching History, Science and More through Art
FIRST robotics for STEM education
and much more!

The event brings together home and alternative learners from across Florida, educators, museum and library program organizers, community education groups, youth groups and clubs, parent support and networking groups, and anyone interested interested in exploring a wide variety of learning and teaching ideas, opportunities and resources.

General admission is just a $10 donation per family, $8 prepaid via Network for Good (click and pay at http://LIFEofFlorida.blogspot.com by August 21 - bring your receipt as your ticket). And, in the spirit of our Green LIFE Fest, carpool discounts of $10 a (safe and legal) carload will be available the day of the event. Lodging is available right on the premises for $65/night. Call the Eckerd College Conference Center and Lodge at (800) 456-9009 to reserve your room before August 1.

We'll have a variety of great vendors, lots of free materials, great workshops,door prizes and raffles, and a fun and educational children's area with art and animals, all adding up to a full and exciting day that will offer ample opportunities to meet other home and alternatives educators from around the state and to learn how to make the most of your home based learning adventure.

Vendor space is still available, and we’re happy to provide free exhibit space to youth groups and clubs, home school and educational support groups, community education groups like libraries, parks, nature centers, museums and associations providing free or very low cost learning opportunities. If you feel your group or service qualifies, and you’d like to join us to provide outreach and information to guests about your support and education programs, please write to us with the name of your group, the services you provide, and the costs of your program(s).

For more information on any LIFE Fest 2009 opportunities, please email info@learningis4everyone.org for full details. Also contact us if you're interested in hosting a presentation, program or workshop, or providing raffle or door prizes.

All proceeds from LIFE Fest 2009 fully support Learning is for Everyone’s community education programs, including FIRST robotics, Picturing America Endowment for the Humanities program, Tampa Bay Mentor Match, homeschool support and more.

_____________________________

Learning is for Everyone is a 501c(3) not-for-profit organization supporting family choice in learning and empowering families and students with information and networking resources, on the web and off. Visit www.Learningis4everyone.org to learn more.

LIFE Fest 2009 Planners Drawing Entries & Vendor Discount Deadline Nears

2009-05-25T10:26:00.002-04:00

May 31 is the deadline for both our Planners Drawing Entries and a $50 Vendor Discount. Read on for more details:

_____________________

The annual LIFE Fest Celebration of Learning will be held Saturday, September 26th at the EckerdConference Center and Lodge at 4200 54th Avenue South in St. Petersburg, FL from 10 a.m. – 5p.m.

This is a great location that lends itself well to a family friendly event, with Ft. Desoto camping and beaches just down the road,and St. Pete museums and other attractions nearby. After last year’s event drew over 300 guests, LIFE has reserved both Conference center buildings to better accommodate attendees, vendors, community groups, speakers and workshops.

Cost
As before admission is just a $10 donation per family, $8 prepaid via Network for Good (click and pay at
http://LIFEofFlorida.blogspot.com by August 21 - bring your receipt as your ticket). And, in the spirit of a Green LIFE Fest, carpool discounts of $10 a (safe and legal) carload will be available the day of the event.

Lodging
Lodging is available right on the premises for $65/night. Call the Eckerd College Conference Center and Lodge at (800) 456-9009 to reserve your room before August 1.

Content
There will be a variety of vendors, lots of free materials, great workshops,door prizes and raffles, and a fun and educational childrens area with art and animals, all adding up to a full day that will offer ample opportunities to meet other home and alternative educators from around the state and to learn how to make the most of a home based learning adventure.

Vendors
Vendor booths are $100 if reserved by May 31; $150 after that, through August 21, and will be sold on a first-come, first-served, paid-in-full basis. A sliding scale may be considered for very small, family based businesses. An additional 10% discount is provided to vendors supplying a door prize.

Planners Drawing

As before, we’re inviting our guests to help plan the party by holding a Planners Drawing in which those who send us LIFE Fest ideas by May 31 are automatically entered to win a great prize (last year it was tickets to the Edison-Ford Estates).

So send your ideas now to info@learningis4everyone.org with “LIFE Fest Ideas” in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name, address and contact info and you'll be automatically entered in a special LIFE Fest Planner award drawing at LIFE Fest 2009. You have to be present to win -- but you're helping plan so why wouldn't you be?!

LIFE Fest Bazaar
This year, the LIFE Fest Bazaar will be held in its own room. Cost is still just $20 for Bazaar space. Vendors can sell books, curricula, toys, clothes, and any other (reasonable) household goods at our LIFE Fest Bazaar. There will also have a give-away table available.

Reserve by August 21
Vendor and LIFE Fest Bazaar booths must be reserved by August 21. More information will be available at Learning is for Everyone throughout the summer.

Program Advertising

Guests at LIFE Fest will receive a printed program describing the day's agenda, workshops and round table discussions, and listing vendors. Costs to advertise in the program range from $25 to $100. Contact Learning is for Everyone for a rate sheet.

Community and Support Groups

As always, free exhibit space will be provided to youth groups and clubs, home school and educational support groups, community education groups like libraries, parks, nature centers, and museums and associations providing free or very low cost learning opportunities.

If you feel your group or service qualifies, and you’d like to be part of LIFE Fest 2009 to provide outreach and information to guests about support and education programs, please send LIFE the name of your group, the services you provide, and the costs of your program(s).

For more information on any LIFE Fest 2009 opportunities, please email info@learningis4everyone.org for full details. Also contact LIFE if you're interested in hosting a presentation, program or workshop, or providing raffle or door prizes.

Florida Virtual School Programs Safe

2009-05-11T13:53:00.001-04:00

Just a short update -- Florida Virtual School reports that while the school suffered some cut backs like all schools in the state, no programs have been cut, nor will be in the foreseeable future.

Evidently, vigorous outspokenness by supporters helped legislators see what Florida Tax Watch Center (PDF) concluded in 2007 about FLVS (www.floridataxwatch.org/resources/pdf/110507FinalReportFLVS.pdf ):

"FLVS students outperformed their statewide counterparts on two independent assessments, both the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and Advanced Placement examinations. They earned higher grades in parallel courses. And this was accomplished with less money than was typically spent for instruction in traditional schools." (Up to $1000 per student less!)

At any rate, we can continue enjoying FLVS as we have before -- at least until the next budget go-rounds next year!

House Bill 363 - Liability Waivers and Parental Authority

2009-04-30T15:21:00.003-04:00

Some of you may have seen this making the rounds. But it didn't seem clear to me, just what the actual issue was when the consulting and lobby group, Home Education Foundation, sent out an “Immediate Alert Info” email about House Bill 363, so I sought some clarification.

The bill, endorsed by Walt Disney World but applicable to all family activity providers, expands the waivers and personal injury release forms that parents sign before doing things like renting theme park boats, going on certain rides, or field trips or participating in certain activities, to cover negligence on behalf of the activity provider. That means if you sign a waiver before going on a ride, for instance, and the ride breaks and your child gets hurt or worse, even though it's the provider's fault (and not yours or your child's for horsing around or using the equipment improperly), the provider is not at fault.

A competing version of the bill in the Senate (SB 886) does not cover provider negligence. The Legislature has only two weeks to resolve the issue before its 2009 session ends May 1. HEFs position is that this bill affect home educators directly because we participate in a variety of activities that require waivers. HEF believes, reasonably enough if seems, that those providing such activities shouldn’t be immune from responsibility or liabilty if a parent signs a waiver.

From the Home Education Foundation:
http://www.flhef.org

Homeschoolers have a well-rounded curricular experience which often includes field trips and extracurricular learning opportunities. In recent months, the Florida Supreme Court and the Florida Legislature have moved to better define which activities may not only put students at risk but also whether or not those providing such activities should be immune from responsibility or liability should a parent sign a waiver.

Some see this as an assault on parents' rights to make decisions regarding whether they believe an activity puts their student at "risk". Others feel this is a necessary step in order to better define, for activity providers, what guidelines should be in place to ensure a safe experience for all involved. Without this important legislation, providers may not carry insurance should negligence occur, and all costs of injury or death would be borne by the parents.

…The amendment being put forward by Rep. Llorente better defines what is currently proposed in the Florida House and will conform the House bill to the Senate bill. This issue will not be easily settled, but homeschoolers have an opportunity to weigh on this issue by asking House members to include Rep. Llorente’s amendment (# 344949) in HB 363

The bill - without the amendment - will allow the commercial activity providers cover for any negligence on their part. A parent would have to sign a waiver, which under the current version of HB 363, would waive the inherent danger as well as any negligence on the part of the activity provider.

The Llorente amendment would not allow the vendor to be immune for negligence.

The language of the Llorente amendment is:

(b) In addition to the authority granted in paragraph (a), natural guardians are authorized, on behalf of any of their minor children, to waive and release, in advance, any claim or cause of action against an activity provider and its employees for the inherent risks involved in any activity; however, any waiver or release by a natural guardian on behalf of any of his or her minor children does not grant civil immunity to any person or entity whose negligence, gross negligence, or intentional conduct causes injury to a minor child sustained in the course of an activity. As used in this section, the term “negligence” means doing something that a reasonably careful person would not do under like circumstances or failing to do something that a reasonably careful person would do under like circumstances. Waivers and releases under this subsection are disfavored and must be strictly construed against a party claiming to be relieved of liability due to such a waiver and release. Such waivers and releases are enforceable only where and to the extent that the intention to be relieved of liability was made clear and unequivocal in the waiver and release and the wording of the waiver and release was so clear and understandable that an ordinary and knowledgeable person would know what he or she would be contracting away. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to relieve an activity provider or its employees or agents from liability for any claim based on a violation of state or federal law.

(c) Notwithstanding the authority granted in paragraph (b), natural guardians are authorized, on behalf of any of their minor children, to sign waivers or releases in accordance with chapter 773, regarding equine, activities and s. 549.09, 33 regarding motor sport activities.

You can comment to the committee members listed at http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=40275&SessionId=61 or to your congressional representatives.

You can learn more this bill and see other views at these links:

Bill info : Last Event: Added to Unfinished Business Calendar on Friday, April 24, 2009
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/SEctions/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=40275

Panel Approves Florida Child Liability Law
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090324/BREAKINGNEWS/90324053/1086

Florida Attractions Association
http://capwiz.com/floridaattractions/issues/alert/?alertid=13181296

Florida Arbitration Law:
http://floridaarbitrationlaw.com/blogs/index.php?blog=5&title=pre_injury_waiver_bill_hb_363_sb_886_sup&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Parental Authority Bill Threatened by Trial Lawyers
http://www.racerxonline.com/article/parental-authority-bill-threatened-by-trial-lawyers.aspx

Dilemma: How to let kids take risks, be safe from negligence
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-bizwaivers17041709apr17,0,7999089.story

Liability Waivers: Trial Lawyers v. Theme Parks, Florida Supreme Court vs. Legislature
http://www.floridalawcommentary.com/2009/04/22/liability-waivers-trial-lawyers-v-theme-parks-florida-supreme-court-vs-legislature/

St. Petersburg Times: Don't cut back on online courses, Florida Virtual School supporters say

2009-04-29T08:10:00.002-04:00

Read the complete story, by Jeffrey Solochek, at the St. Petersburg Times:

__________________________

A proposal to scale back Florida's successful virtual school has incurred the wrath of the powerful homeschooling community and drawn national scorn from education reform advocates.

"Virtual schooling is one of the really promising innovations that has happened in K-12 in the past 10 years, and Florida is the leading state," said Bill Tucker, managing director of the Washington D.C., nonpartisan think tank Education Sector. "That's why some of these proposals in the Legislature are really puzzling and troublesome."

The Senate wants to cut as much as 15 percent from Florida Virtual School's $116 million annual budget. Lawmakers also want to reduce the types of courses the school offers, and limit the number of alternate providers that could step in to fill the void.

Visit http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/article996232.ece to read the rest and comment.

Huffington Post: Don't Stifle Florida's Education Innovation

2009-04-22T09:43:00.003-04:00

In Don't Stifle Florida's Education Innovation, the Huffington Post adds its voice to the chorus of Florida residents trying to preserve the integrity and value of Florida Virtual School:

Florida has been a leader in education innovation over the last decade, but one bill currently under review by the state senate's Policy & Steering Committee on Ways and Means--Senate Bill 1676--threatens to wipe much of that out with one misguided and foolhardy swipe.

In its present form, the bill restricts the Florida Virtual School (FLVS)--one of the bigger policy and public education innovation success stories--in such ways that, as its president, Julie Young, said, "[it] would drastically impact our long-standing commitment to support the educational needs of all students of this state."

This would be tragic, as FLVS possesses many of the hallmarks of an innovation that has the opportunity to help transform public education from its present monolithic, one-size-fits-all form into a far more student-centric experience. ...

Complete story at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/clayton-m-christensen-and-michael-b-horn/dont-stifle-floridas-educ_b_187325.html

LIFE of Florida Pleased to Offer Member Access to Microsoft DreamSpark tools for High School students

2009-04-18T09:42:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft Corp. announced the expansion of its successful Microsoft DreamSpark student program to include high school students worldwide. DreamSpark, originally available only to university students, makes professional-level developer and designer tools as
well as training available to students at no charge to support and advance their learning and skills through technical design, technology, math, science and engineering activities.

Learning is for Everyone has been approved to participate in this program, and we're happy to offer 200 access keys for LIFE families' high school students. The access key enables students to download professional Microsoft developer, designer, and gaming software through DreamSpark at no charge, to help students" unlock your creative potential and set you on the path to academic and career success by advancing your learning in the areas of technical design, technology, math, science, and engineering! It doesn't matter what classes you're taking right now, just as long as you're a current student in a verified, accredited School and use the tools in pursuit of
advancing your education in one of these areas."

Now LIFE of Florida homeschooled high school students can download the following Microsoft tools from DreamSpark:

* Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Developer Edition
* Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition
* Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition
* Microsoft Expression Studio 1.0
* Microsoft Expression Studio 2 Trial Edition (includes Web, Blend, Media,
and Design)
* Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition
* Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition
* IT Academy Student Pass
* MS CCR & DSS Toolkit

In addition, in the spirit of cool things to download and "one-stop shopping", you can also download software (currently available on www.microsoft.com at no charge) like:

* SQL Server 2008 Express Edition
* Visual Studio 2008 Express Edition
* XNA Game Studio 2.0 (with 12-month Creators Club Student trial membership)
* Virtual PC 2007
* Visual Basic 2005 Express
* Visual C++ 2005 Express
* Visual C# 2005 Express
* Visual Web Developer 2008 Express
* Visual Basic 2008 Express
* Visual C++2008 Express
* Visual C# 2008 Express
* MS Robotics Developer Studio

LIFE is pleased to offer this great resource to homeschooled high school students in FL.

(You must be a member of LIFE of Florida to enjoy this opportunity, or a member of a Microsoft verified public or private high school.)

Florida Virtual School Update and Call for Comment

2009-04-16T13:04:00.004-04:00

Dear FLVS Supporters,

As you know from recent news reports and from internal updates, the budget passed out of the House removes the support we receive from the class-size reduction amendments. Some state leaders are making the case that we do not need this support because we don’t have four walls; others are claiming that by providing this support to us is akin to double dipping. If we cannot communicate to our state leaders the importance of this funding, the proposed House budget will have a dramatic impact on FLVS operations.

Can you help us by reaching out to state leaders to help them better understand how class-size supports both virtual and traditional classrooms?

The budget passed out of the Senate would limit FLVS to the core courses, removing electives like AP Computer Science, Personal Fitness, and many more. The Senate proposed budget also limits funding for students removing the after school and summer choices for students who want to accelerate or make up credit. If we cannot communicate to our state leaders the importance of these choices for Florida students and parents, the proposed Senate budget will have a dramatic impact on FLVS operations.

Can you help us by reaching out to state leaders to help them better understand the importance of the choice options for elective courses and taking courses in addition to the regular school day?

Please FAX your letters to your local representatives and senators and to as many others as possible. Fax numbers are listed below.

Florida Virtual School- FLVS

http://www.flvs.net

Office: 386.478.4201

Cell: 386-569-1675

FLVS 407-513-3587

fax: 1-888-771-5641

________________________________

To find your local legislators:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Members=By+Last+Name

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/representatives.aspx

Click on Image for clearer, enlarged view

Sample Letters:

Below you can find the sample letter for the House and for the Senate:

Sample letter to members of the House of Representatives:

Dear XXXXX,

I’m writing out of concern about the recent budget passed by the House that would cut a substantial portion of Florida Virtual School’s financial support. From what I understand the House, and possibly the Senate, are considering deep cuts for FLVS, including taking away the support the program receives for class-size reduction.

As you may well know, class size support was designed to bring equity to all school districts across the state. When the provision was passed, it was seen as an equalizer and designed to provide equitable funding to all districts. It was also a way for districts to hire enough teachers to keep class sizes at an appropriate level. FLVS is considered a district and has successfully served hundreds of thousands of students over the past decade. The program receives funding from the state using a weighted FTE (full time equivalent) model — just like all districts do. However, there are a couple of distinct differences in FLVS funding formula: 1) it is performance-based: meaning the program is funded only for students who successfully complete the course; and, 2) removes funding for programs not offered at the online program, including Supplemental Academic Instruction, ESE Guarantee, Safe Schools, Transportation, and School Recognition programs.

Today’s funding formula was built using sound, school-finance principles and to bring equity among the school districts. FLVS should not be singled out in today’s budget crisis. The state and subject certified teachers at FLVS work tirelessly to deliver individualized instruction to students and while their classrooms may not have four walls, their students are real and the classrooms exist.

Class-size support is a key element used to determine FLVS’ funding allocation. If the state legislature takes this support away, I’m afraid students will lose.

I implore you to reconsider such drastic actions and consider alternative ways that our state can continue to lead the country in delivering high-quality, online instruction.

Regards,

***************************************************************

Sample letter to Senate:

I’m writing out of concern about the recent budget passed by the Senate that would cut a substantial portion of Florida Virtual School’s financial support. From what I understand the Senate, and possibly the House, are considering deep cuts for FLVS, including taking away the support the program receives for elective courses, courses for acceleration and credit recovery, and for class-size reduction.

Florida Virtual School was started to serve students in rural districts, high minority schools, and low-performing schools. Many of these students would not have access to AP, advanced, honors, and elective courses without FLVS. FLVS has been funded for students who need to take courses after the regular school day and during the summer. Without FLVS many students will not be able to accelerate or make up credits for courses during the summer.

A case for FLVS elective courses from one of the FLVS AP Computer Science instructors:

• 90.1% of FLVS APCS students made a qualifying score (3, 4, or 5) on the 2008 exam compared to the Florida average of only 40.4% (or 36.3% if you remove FLVS students).
• FLVS APCS students averaged 4.20 on the 2008 exam compared to the Florida average of 2.38 (or 2.23 if you remove FLVS students).
• The median score on the 2008 APCS exam for FLVS students was a 5, but only a 1 for Florida as a whole.
• FLVS provided instruction for approximately 8% of the Florida students taking the APCS exam in the state in 2008. We are growing and project to exceed 10% in 2009.

When 60% of the state’s AP Computer Science students fail to make a qualifying score on the APCS exam, it is difficult to understand why the legislature would eliminate the FLVS elective that year after year has a pass rate in excess of 90% with average scores that far exceed the state and national averages. Given our results using a less expensive delivery model, isn’t a 90% return on investment vs. a 36% return what Florida’s taxpayers should expect to be maintained rather than discarded for a significantly lower performance?

The choices FLVS has been able to give to Florida students and parents in courses and the choice of when they take courses, has provided an economical way to ensure that all students have access to quality education with highly qualified instructors.
I implore you to reconsider such drastic actions and consider alternative ways that our state can continue to lead the country in delivering high-quality, online instruction.

Regards,

LIFE Fest 2009 Plans are Underway!

2009-04-16T10:22:00.003-04:00

This is a great location that lends itself well to a family friendly event, with Ft. Desoto camping and beaches just down the road,and St. Pete museums and other attractions nearby. This year, we’ve reserved both Conference center buildings to better accommodate vendors, community groups, speakers and workshops.

Cost

As before (we’re recession/depression proof!) admission is just a $10 donation per family, $8 prepaid via Network for Good (click and pay by August 21 - bring your receipt as your ticket). And, in the spirit of our Green LIFE Fest, carpool discounts of $10 a (safe and legal)carload will be available the day of the event.

Lodging

Lodging is available right on the premises for a (still!) very reasonable $65/night. Call the Eckerd College Conference Center and Lodge at (800) 456-9009 to reserve your room by August 1.

Content

As before, we’ll have a variety of great vendors – we’re aiming for more this year - lots of free materials, great workshops,door prizes and raffles, and a fun and educational children’s area with art and animals, all adding up to a full and exciting day that will offer ample opportunities to meet other home educators from around the state and to learn how to make the most of your homeschooling adventure.

Vendors

Vendor booths will cost $100 if reserved by May 31; $150 after that, through August 21, and will be sold on a first-come, first-served, paid-in-full basis. A sliding scale may be considered for very small, family based businesses. A 10% discount is provided to vendors supplying a door prize.

LIFE Fest Bazaar

This year, we’ll hold the LIFE Fest Bazaar in its own room. Cost is still just $20 for Bazaar space. You can sell books, curricula, toys, clothes, and any other (reasonable) household goods at our LIFE Fest Bazaar. We’ll also have a give-away table for anything you just want to, well – give away!

Reserve by August 21

Vendor and LIFE Fest Bazaar booths must be reserved by August 21. More information will be available at Learning is for Everyone at http://www.learningis4everyone.org/content/view/2961/41/1/4/ shortly, but feel free to write and let us know if you’d like vending, community group, or support group space.

Also contact us if you’re interested in hosting a presentation or workshop.

Planners Drawing

See you at LIFE Fest 2009!

Terri Willingham

LIFE of Florida

Learning is for Everyone

Parental Rights Amendment returns as HJ Resolution 42

2009-04-03T15:08:00.005-04:00

Right on the heels of news that Sen. Arlen Specter, of PA, is introducing his flat tax bill for a second time (Specter Swings to the Right to Save Senate Seat), while also being lobbied to get behind a parental rights amendment to the Constitution, comes a Home School Legal Defense (HSLDA) note "introducing HJ Resolution 42: the aforementioned Parental Rights Amendment, and urging homechoolers to support it.

Of course supporting or not supporting this amendment is a personal decision, but it’s advised that those who *don't* support it speak out to their congressfolk as well.

Learning is for Everyone is of the view that the amendment is superfluous, since parental rights are already protected by the Constitution, and potentially rights limiting because it opens the door to more narrowly defining "parents" and "families".Additionally, the threat of international law at this level superseding federal law is an empty, and fear mongering one.

LIFE believes, like many other individuals and groups, that the best way to protect our freedoms is to use them, by speaking out on our own behalf and that of our children, for ourselves, and for others whenever we can, and we don't want anyone else deciding who "parents" are and what a family should look like.

You can learn more about the Parental Rights Amendment and related issues at http://www.learningis4everyone.org/content/view/24/42/1/2/

Follow actions and commentary at Open Congress: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-hj42/show

See also: NHELDs Warning to Parents :http://www.nheld.com/BTN67.htm

Florida Virtual School Needs Support

2009-03-30T10:37:00.003-04:00

From Florida Virtual School:

Dear FLVS Parent and Florida Families,

We have just had some alarming news from Tallahassee. The Florida Senate PreK-12 Appropriations Committee has adopted a series of budget and policy changes (SB 1676 - PDF) that will have a substantial negative impact on FLVS and the level of services it currently provides to students, parents, and school districts. The list below describes how such actions will impact you.

The cuts are more drastic than other proposed cuts to other Florida school districts. These cuts would eliminate 7th period course offerings and online elective courses, and they would limit student choice of online courses to the core academic courses.

What does this mean for you and your child if this bill passes?

If you are a student, …
• you will no longer be able to take the elective course that FLVS offers like AP Art History, AP Computer Science, web design, Life Management Skills, personal fitness, and maybe even foreign languages;
• you will no longer be able to accelerate by taking additional courses with FLVS after school;
• who has failed a required course in either middle or high school, and your public school offers no summer school option, you will not have access to FLVS and will likely to be retained and repeat an entire year of instruction;
• you will no longer be able to accelerate via FLVS courses and enter college or the workforce early;
• you will have limited access to FLVS courses that are not offered in your traditional public school;
• your class size in the brick and mortar school may increase dramatically;

If you are a parent, …
• your child will no longer have access to elective courses at FLVS, only core courses will be offered ;
• whose child is enrolled full-time in a public school, your child will no longer be able to take an additional course at FLVS, eliminating acceleration and grade forgiveness options;
• with a child who has failed a required course in either middle or high school, and your public school offers no summer school option, your child will not have access to FLVS and will likely to be retained and repeat an entire year of instruction;
• your child will have limited access to FLVS courses that are not offered in your traditional public school;
• whose child is taking an FLVS course, his/her class size will increase dramatically;

What does it mean for the state of Florida?
• It means that Florida will have to pay more per student. The Tax Watch study in 2007 estimated that FLVS saved taxpayers about $1000 per student each year.
• It means that Florida students will not be able to accelerate or take extra courses to prepare for college or careers.
• It means that Florida may lose its place as the thought leader in online education, and maybe even destroy the nationally #1 ranked on-line program in the country.
• It means that rural districts will be deprived of access to enhanced curricular choices.

FLVS cannot fight this battle by itself! Each of you needs to get involved. Please take the time to call and email your local legislators and tell them NOT to allow this proposed budget to remove the opportunities and choices that FLVS provides to you and your children, not to mention the cost savings to the state of Florida.

Tell your legislators your FLVS story. Has FLVS helped your child in certain ways? What did you think about the relationship your child, your child’s FLVS instructor, and you developed? Have you ever spoken to your child’s teachers that much?

It is not too late! Florida legislature will listen to you! Pick up the phone right now, and call your local legislators and the members of the four education committees. Tell Florida legislators to not single-out FLVS when making budget reductions.

Find your local legislators (Senator and Representatives) here:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/representatives.aspx

http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Tab=legislators&CFID=37274819&CFTOKEN=79073907

_____________________

Contact FLVS at info @flvs.net if you'd like more information. FLVS has been a great friend to homeschoolers in Florida and thousands of homeschoolers have benefited from AP, foreign language and other advanced, extracurricular and accelerated course material. It's been a win-win situation for students and the state of Florida for more than a decade.

If you've valued your FLVS experience, please let legislators know. If you've been waiting your turn to enjoy this great resource and don't want to loose it, please let legislators know. It's a community education program that works for tens of thousands of students in Florida like few other things have.

Terri Willingham
http://LIFEofFlorida.blogspot.com
www.learningis4everyone.org

Tampa Area Homeschooler, Anthony Hengst named Florida Geographic Bee Semi-Finalist

2009-03-28T14:03:00.003-04:00

Anthony won in the LIFE co-sponsored Tampa Bay area Homeschool Geographic Bee and is going on to the state Geographic Bee next week in Jacksonville.

Congratulations, Anthony!

_______________

2009 Florida Geographic Bee

Sponsored by National Geographic Society, Google and Plum Creek

Semifinalist Press Release

_______________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Student Named Florida Geographic Bee Semifinalist

By National Geographic Society

Student’s Name: Anthony Hengst

Parents’ Names: Bethany Hengst

School Name and Address: Homeschool, Palm Harbor

Grade Level: 5th

The above-named student has been notified by the National Geographic Society that he is one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2009 Florida Geographic Bee, sponsored by Google and Plum Creek. Bees were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school’s Geographic Bee winner. School-level winners then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society. In each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Dependents Schools, and the U.S. territories, the National Geographic Society invited the students with the top 100 scores to compete at the state level.

The 2009 Florida Geographic Bee will be held at Jacksonville University on Friday, April 3, 2009.

The state winner will receive $100, the “National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World,” and a trip to Washington, D.C., where he/she will represent Florida in the national finals at the National Geographic Society headquarters, May 19-20, 2009. The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship and a lifetime membership in the Society. The national winner will also travel (along with one parent or guardian), all expenses paid, to the Galápagos Islands with “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek and the “Jeopardy!” Clue Crew. The winner will experience geography firsthand through up-close encounters with the wildlife and landscape of Galápagos. Travel for the “Galápagos Adventure with Alex Trebek” is provided by Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society.

How would you fare as a Bee contestant? At the school-level Bee this year, students had to answer such questions as:

Which state does not rely on corn and soybeans for much of its agricultural output – Pennsylvania, Illinois, or Iowa? Pennsylvania

The Laramie Mountains, a livestock and timbering region, extend north from Colorado into which state? Wyoming

You can visit an aqueduct built by the Romans in Segovia, a city located approximately 40 miles northwest of Madrid, in which country? Spain

Approximately 40 percent of the population still lives below the poverty line despite an oil and gas boom in which country where Baku is the capital? Azerbaijan

Mexico City is located on the site of Tenochtitlan, the island capital of what empire that was conquered by Spanish explorers in the 16th century? Aztec Empire

Contact Ann Barrett (202-857-7662)/ abarrett@ngs.org or John McFeely (202-857-7659)/jmcfeely@ngs.org at National Geographic’s Communications Office for more information, or check out the National Geographic Bee web site at www.nationalgeographic.com/geographicbee/.

###

Participate in Earth Hour 2009! Saturday, March 28, 8:30pm

2009-03-28T12:08:00.000-04:00

Here's your chance to Go Green by Going Dark! Or, at least, a little dim.

From Earth Hour US: http://www.earthhourus.org

Earth Hour is World Wildlife Fund's global initiative where individuals, businesses and governments turn off their lights for one hour to show their support for action on climate change. Earth Hour is a symbolic event designed to engage people from all walks of life in the climate change discussion to send a strong message to our political leaders that we want them to take meaningful action on climate change. It's the largest climate event in history where millions of people around the world will unite by turning off their lights for one hour, Earth Hour, to demand action on the climate crisis.

When is Earth Hour?

*Earth Hour 2009 takes place on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm–local time.
* Just like New Years Eve, Earth Hour will travel from time zone to time zone starting at 8:30pm in New Zealand.

What do we hope to accomplish through Earth Hour 2009?

* Through Earth Hour, WWF hopes to create political momentum for enacting national climate legislation and a global climate treaty.
* Through Earth Hour, WWF will continue to educate and raise awareness about the climate crisis and offer ideas and solutions that people can merge into their daily lives.
* Through Earth Hour, WWF aims to unify people's voices from around the world who are demanding action form our elected officials to solve the climate crisis.

What does a pledge to turn out your lights involve and commit me to?

Participating in Earth Hour is easy. All you have to do is sign up at www.EarthHourUS.org, tell your friends / co-workers about it and then turn off all of your non-essential lighting on March 28th at 8:30pm. Through signing up you are not committing to anything specific. Rather you are agreeing that strong action needs to be taken to find a solution to the climate crisis.

Who can participate in Earth Hour?

Anyone. Earth Hour is an inclusive event and everyone is invited to participate. WWF will provide tools online to enable any town, community, school, individual or organization to be part of the event.

Why is Earth Hour at 8:30pm this year instead of 8pm?

As the campaign has grown from one city in one country to a truly global campaign, the time has been moved to allow the maximum number of cities around the world to be suitably dark for the lights out campaign to have a greater visual impact. Earth Hour is held around the spring equinox, which ensures nearly equal sunset times in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Do I have to turn off all of my electricity for Earth Hour?

Not at all. Through Earth Hour we are asking people to turn off all non-essential lighting. Emergency lighting, televisions and computers can stay on for the hour. The main point of Earth Hour is to unite people, companies and governments around the world through the symbolic flip of a switch. Earth Hour in itself will not lower our carbon footprint, rather it sends a signal to those in a place of power that we as individuals and communities demand action.

The decision on which lights to turn off can be made individually, but usually consists of overhead lights in rooms (whether it is your house or a business), outdoor lighting that does not impact safety, computers, decorative lights, neon signs for advertising, televisions, desk lamps, etc.

Visit www.EarthHourUS.org for more information.

April is homeschool month at Dinosaur World

2009-03-12T10:38:00.000-04:00

April is homeschool month at Dinosaur World. All homeschool students and their families will an $8 discounted admission rate the entire month of April. Please bring some kind of homeschool ID . We have educational materials available as well that I’ll be happy to share. Please call if you have a group of 12 or more to make reservations (for rate of $5/person). We hope to see you in April!

Nicole Randall
Marketing Director, Dinosaur World
Marketing Contact Location:
711 Mammoth Cave Road
Cave City, KY 42127
270-773-4345
www.dinoworld.net

Sunshine Week Essay Contest - deadline February 23

2009-02-12T15:13:00.000-05:00

Governor Charlie Crist invites Florida students to participate in the Florida Sunshine Week essay contest. The essay contest is open to all Florida school students in grades 9-12, and winners will be notified the week of March 9, 2009.

The first place winner will receive a $3,500 scholarship, the second place winner will receive a $2,000 scholarship, and third place will receive a $1,500 scholarship. All winners will be invited to attend an event at the Governor's Mansion.

The essay topic is: "Describe the various public records available under Florida's open government laws and how access to these records strengthens citizens' civil rights and liberties." For more information, visit http://www.flgov.com/og_sunshine

Florida Blood Services in Need of O+ and O & A - Blood

2009-02-05T09:36:00.002-05:00

Please consider helping out. It's also a great science lesson for the kids, if you take them along with you!
___________________________________

FBS IMPORTS CRITICALLY NEEDED TYPE O & A NEGATIVE & O POSITIVE BLOOD

Local Patient Blood Usage Outpacing Community Blood Donations

(St. Petersburg, FL: 2/4/09) Florida Blood Services imported 180 units of blood types O negative (30), O positive (125) and A negative (25) today from other US Blood Centers to meet local patient needs, as usage continues to outpace blood donations in the Tampa Bay region. This was all of the type O negative blood that other Blood Centers could share, leaving pending hospital orders for an additional 75 units of this universal blood type.

Donors with type O or A negative blood are urgently requested to give blood at a FBS Donor Center or bloodmobile as soon as possible. For donation locations, call 1-800-68-BLOOD (25663) or visit www.fbsblood.org

"Last week, we delivered 4,744 units of blood to our area hospitals, with only 4,174 units being donated during the same period," said JB Gaskins, FBS Vice President. "The flu and cold season coupled with layoffs at blood drive sponsors has made less donors available to give blood, while at the same time, the increase in our seasonal population as well as the crowds here for the Super Bowl have multiplied demand," said Gaskins.

Generally, healthy people age 16 (with parental permission) or older, who weigh at least 110 pounds can be blood donors.

FBS currently provides for the blood needs of patients at 37 hospitals in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk Counties, through the generosity of volunteer blood donors. Over 800 donations are required daily, due to the high quality of medical care in Tampa Bay that serves the most critically ill patients throughout west central Florida.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES CONT
Dan Eberts

Corporate Communications Manager
deberts@fbsblood.org
Cell) 727-656-5239

Additional Blood Supply Information is Available at www.fbsblood.org

‘Discrimination Through the Eyes of Our Youth’ FL High School PSA Contest

2008-12-17T10:36:00.000-05:00

Visit:

http://fchr.state.fl.us/outreach/40th_anniversary_psa_contest

for full details and entry form

Next year as part of our 40th anniversary celebration, the Florida Commission on Human Relations will be hosting a PSA contest for high school students (grades 9-12) in Florida. We are asking students to create and record a video PSA regarding human and civil rights and what that means to them. Topics that can be covered include color, race, age, sex, disability, national origin, religion, and familial or marital status. All of the contest information is available at http://fchr.state.fl.us/outreach/40th_anniversary_psa_contest.

‘Discrimination Through the Eyes of Our Youth’

Florida High School Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest

Official Contest Rules

1. All entries must be original works created by students. Adults and media professionals may only provide encouragement, advice and guidance.

2. PSAs must cover one of the following areas: color, race, age, sex, disability, national origin, religion, familial status, marital status, hate crimes, human trafficking, bullying and sexual orientation. Students can incorporate personal experiences to show how these issues affect young people.

3. PSAs shall not be political in any way, and shall not include endorsements for a candidate, political party or issues. PSAs cannot lobby for or against, endorse or propose federal, state and/or local legislation or constitutional amendments.

4. The sponsoring teacher must submit the Entry Form, which will contain the proposed summary of the PSA and required signatures, to the Florida Commission on Human Relations on or before January 31, 2009. Commission staff will send approval messages within 3 weeks of receiving the entry form. To expedite the process, entry forms can be scanned and emailed to contest@fchr.state.fl.us. All original copies must be received by the Commission via postal mail.

5. Any copyrighted materials, materials containing a trademark or service mark or non-student work must include a release that gives the Florida Commission on Human Relations permission to use the information contained in the PSA without charge or liability of any nature or type.

6. Music, artwork, lyrics and other materials used in the PSA must be original or include authorization for its use form the holder of any trademark, service mark or copyright.

7. Students may work in groups of no more than five individuals, excluding actors, artists, or musicians.

8. All individuals participating in the contest (including actors, artists, and musicians) must sign and complete a release form that must be submitted with the final PSA.

9. Students may submit up to three PSA entries.

10. PSAs must be 25 seconds in duration from first visual/sound to finish and must include a copy of the script.

11. Entries should be submitted in DVD in .avi, .mov, or .DV format (.DV format is preferred). Each DVD must have a label that includes student names, school name, district, grade, and date(s) of production. Each DVD must include only one entry. If there is any problem with this required format, please let the Commission know.

12. Completed entries must be approved and submitted by school officials. All entries and required forms must be received by the Florida Commission on Human Relations by May 1, 2009.

13. Awards will be given to district winners in the 9th/10th and 11th/12th grade categories (a total of eight winners). A list of winners will be posted to the Florida Commission on Human Relations’ website.

14. Entries will not be returned and may be used by the Florida Commission on Human Relations for public education and promotion.

15. The Commission will include the FCHR logo and website information on the winning PSAs after the winners have been announced.

LIFE Tapestry of Homeschool Survey Report Online

2008-12-13T10:18:00.000-05:00

Nearly 1000 homeschoolers completed the Tapestry of Homeschool Survey conducted by Learning is for Everyone over the summer. Results are online at www.learningis4everyone.org

No surprises, but a nice look at homeschooler experiences and concerns, in their own words.

Welcome Homeschoolers in Pasco

2008-12-13T10:04:00.000-05:00

LIFE welcomes HIP Homeschoolers to our directory of inclusive homeschool support groups in FL:

________________

HIP Homeschoolers is intended for active homeschool families who seek to proactively develop friendships and learning opportunities for their children and themselves. http://www.hiphomeschoolers.com/

________________

We're glad you're here!

Anthony H. 4th Annual Homeschool National Geographic Bee

2008-12-12T09:16:00.001-05:00

On December 10, the 4th Annual Homeschool National Geographic Bee was held at Starkey Park Educational in New Port Richey. Six homeschooled students competed, from Pasco, Pinellas, and Citrus Counties.

Questions were particularly tough this year. Answers to some of the stumpers were Manitoba, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.

Anthony H. , age 10, of East Lake was the winner, with Neatia D., age 13, of Holiday was the first runner-up (above, with event organizer Loni Kaplan). Anthony will take a 70-question written exam to see if he qualifies for the state competition in April.

The Bee was sponsored, in part, by Learning is for Everyone. For more information, or to be put on a list to receive information about next year's bee, please contact Loni Kaplan at adamfolk@hotmail.com

Young American Creative Patriotic Art Award

2008-12-03T11:13:00.000-05:00

This Tampa Tribune release comes from Riverview, but it's a statewide/nationwide contest and you can find a local Ladies AVFW sponsor if your child wants to participate by visiting the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW website:

<http://www.ladiesauxvfw.com/eWeb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=LAVFW&WebKey=4b47ee7e-8d6b-4cfb-82db-6eea763c15c2>
------------------------

RIVERVIEW - Artistic students eager to earn college scholarship money have several months to create patriotic art that could land them thousands.

The Ladies Auxiliary to VFW Post 8108 is looking for students to participate in the Young Patriotic Art Contest, offered to grades nine through 12.

The Young American Creative Patriotic Art Award is one of the many programs available through the auxiliary. "This is a wonderful way to encourage our young people to use their artistic talents to express patriotism, love of country and respect for the American flag," said national chairwoman Patricia Sistrand on the auxiliary's Web site.

"There are now seven scholarships to be awarded on the national level, from $500 to $10,000 for the first-place winner," she said.

"If it gets past the district level and to the national level, that is when they can win the college scholarship money," said local chairwoman Norrine Forrest. "Scholarships are available at varying levels."

Sad as it is, Forrest said, she rarely receives more than a handful of entries. Students are missing out on a huge opportunity for scholarship money, she said. The only requirement for residency is that a student live in Hillsborough County.

Here's how it works:

The art must be on paper or canvas. Water color, pencil, pastels, charcoal, tempera, crayon, acrylic, pen-and-ink or oil can be used. Digital art can be submitted but must be on paper or canvas.

Submit canvas entries on stretched frames. Other entries must be matted in white only.

Anyone choosing to include the American flag in their work must abide by the federal flag code as far as the color and number of stars and stripes and other rules.

All entries must have been completed in the current school year, and a teacher must sign them. Students can submit only one entry.

HOW TO ENTER

For deadlines and to obtain an entry form, contact Norrine Forrest at (813) 677-9559.

Last Chance to Register for 4th Annual Homeschool National Geographic Bee

2008-12-03T08:21:00.000-05:00

The 4th Annual Homeschool National Geographic Bee in Pasco/Pinellas and surrounding counties, sponsored in part by Learning is for Everyone, will be held Wednesday, December 10 at 2:00 p.m. at Starkey Park Education Center in New Port Richey, FL

For those who wish to compete, please visit the National Geographic Geography Bee website which offers further information and links to study questions:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/

All are welcome and invited! The following rules apply only to those who go on to the next level (state competition). The competition is for those in grades 4-8. The student may not reach their 16th birthday before May 1, 2009. A student may not be enrolled in more than three academic courses at the high school and/or college level during each school year of the competition.

If you have a question about whether or not your child is age-eligible, please contact Loni Kaplan at
adamfolk@hotmail.com

The winner of this bee will take a written test; the top 100 scorers in Florida will be eligible to compete in the state bee in March. The winner of the state bee will be sent to Washington D.C. for the National Geographic Bee in May, 2009, all expenses paid by the National Geographic Society.

The winner and runner-up of our bee will also receive trophies. Every participant will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Please feel free to forward this message on to any other lists you belong to, and any individual you feel may be interested. This bee is open to any homeschooler, regardless of where you may live.

The cost to participate in this bee is just $5/child, to defray the cost of registration with National Geographic.

Please contact me by email, and include your name, your child's name and age. I will contact you closer to the date with further details.

Thank you for your interest!

Loni Kaplan
adamfolk@hotmail.com

Welcome Palm Beach County Homeschoolers

2008-12-02T14:55:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Palm Beach County Homeschoolers! They've just joined LIFEs Statewide Directory of Inclusive Homeschool Support Groups .

________________

Palm Beach County Homeschoolers

Our goal is to help and support all homeschoolers without discrimination of any kind. We meet twice monthly at parks as well as offering field trips and a variety of social and educational activities.

Contact:

Jean Cavanaugh

cavanaughjean@yahoo.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PBCHomeschoolers/

________________

If you have a group you'd like listed, drop us a line.

Art Builds Florida! Statewide Student Arts Contest - deadline Jan 20

2008-12-01T10:54:00.000-05:00

Art Builds Florida! Statewide Student Arts Contest sponsored by Citizens for Florida Arts, Inc. in collaboration with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs, is open to all Florida high school students in grades nine through 12.

Florida’s 67 counties have been grouped into four regions; each region representing one of the focus areas of the plan.Students can submit original, two-dimensional artwork to assist the Division in promoting the four key areas of Florida’s strategic plan, Culture Builds Florida’s Future.

Finalists will be announced on the Division’s Web site by early February 2009. The four winners and their parent/guardian will be invited to Tallahassee in April 2009 for events recognizing their achievements in the contest.

Simultaneously, an exhibition in the Division of Cultural Affairs Gallery for Innovation and the Arts will feature the work of the finalists next spring. The top winner in each of the four categories, Learning and Wellness, Strengthening the Economy, Design and Development, and Leadership will be awarded a $1,500 cash prize.

For further information including the deadline postmark date and all contest rules and submission guidelines, visit the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs Web site at http://www.florida-arts.org/artcontest or contact Laura Stone, Arts In Education Manager, at (850) 245-6475.

Statewide Tuition Hikes Planned

2008-11-22T09:53:00.000-05:00

Tuition hikes are in the offing, reducing coverage by Bright Futures

Crist to announce plan to raise tuition statewide

Gov. Charlie Crist backs universities' bid to raise tuition

You can contact your representatives via Online Sunshine or the Governor's office at
http://www.flgov.com/contact_governor or (850) 488-7146 to make your feelings known.

For what it's worth, here's Gov. Crist's reasoning/clarification of his effort, that I received in some mass email he's sending around:
________________________________
Dear Friends,

This week I unveiled a comprehensive proposal to reform our state
university system in a way that provides access for you and your
families while giving Florida's 11 institutions the resources and
governance they need to prepare a strong workforce for our many
businesses and industries.

Every Floridian should have access to a high-quality and affordable
higher education. As Governor, and as a graduate of Florida State
University, I am committed to supporting Florida's public colleges as
they prepare graduates for the increasingly competitive global
marketplace.

For decades, we have looked to Florida's universities to make our
great state better by educating future doctors, lawyers, nurses,
teachers, scientists and entrepreneurs. Many of you are graduates of
this system. Your success in life is proof of how important these
universities are to our quality of life here in the Sunshine State. As
Governor, I am committed to giving our universities the resources and
support they need to excel.

That is why I am proposing a set of reforms that will strengthen
Florida's universities now and for decades to come. By establishing
clear lines of governance at the individual institution and the state
level -- and by balancing universities' financial needs with
affordability for families -- our universities and our students can
flourish.

I remain as committed as ever to keeping our universities affordable.
But I also understand that our institutions must be able to set
tuition at levels that enable them to maintain the strength and
competitiveness of their faculty and degree programs by recruiting the
best professors. My proposal balances these two ideals.

Under this proposal, the boards of trustees at each of our 11 state
universities would have the option to establish, with final approval
from the Board of Governors, a tuition plan that is higher than the
base rate charged to in-state undergraduates. This could not exceed 15
percent each year.

Base tuition would continue to be covered by the Bright Futures
Scholarship Program. Also, the tuition changes would not affect
families that have purchased contracts through the Florida Prepaid
College Plan. To help families with financial needs, 30 percent of the
differential tuition would go toward need-based aid. The remainder of
revenues would be used to retain and recruit professors and
researchers, programs that improve graduation and retention rates, and
other areas identified by the individual schools. The result will be
stronger Florida universities that prepare graduates for the
increasingly global marketplace.

My proposal also would clarify governance of the universities, by
giving individual boards of trustees the authority to oversee daily
operations and university-level matters including the selection of
presidents, budgets, and growth planning. The Board of Governors would
have authority to approve trustees' tuition requests, as well as their
requests for curriculum changes, program expansions, and long-term
strategic plans.

A well-educated workforce opens the door to endless opportunities for
every Floridian, and for the Sunshine State. I look forward to working
with the Legislature and the higher education community to make our
universities stronger than ever.

God bless you and God bless Florida.

Receive Regular Updates from Governor Crist

I would like to keep you informed about actions my administration is
taking on education issues, as well as many other topics, if you are
interested. I invite you to click the link below and select the issues
you want to learn more about. Feel free to select as many topics as
you like.

Thank you and God bless. It is a privilege and honor to serve you as
Governor.

http://www.flgov.com/issuesignupform

Florida KidCare "Act-Out for Health" Contest - Deadline 12/5

2008-11-10T11:38:00.001-05:00

Only One Month to Submit Your Entry

Florida KidCare "Act-Out for Health" Contest Deadline Approaching

Tallahassee – The deadline to submit PSA and print advertisement
entries to the Florida KidCare Act-Out for Health Contest is quickly
approaching on December 5th. Middle and high school students from
across the state can produce a 30 second television commercial PSA or
create a print advertisement promoting Florida KidCare, a state and
federally funded program for uninsured children.

A recent study by the University of Florida Institute for Child Health
Policy identified children 12 through 18 years old as the largest
population of uninsured children in Florida. The contest encourages
students to use creative messages and images to demonstrate the
importance of having quality healthcare.

Students can win scholarships Best Buy gift cards and money for their
school. Winning entries may be featured on television or newspapers
and magazines across the state during the 2009 Florida KidCare media
campaign.

Florida KidCare "Act-Out for Health" PSA Contest

www.actout4health.org

Contest Deadline: Friday, December 5, 2008 at 4 p.m.

Homeschooling and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

2008-11-04T17:08:00.001-05:00

With respect to the currently (re)circulating UN Convention on the Rights of the Child contention that, if the Democratic Senator -- who is rumored to be unsupportive of homeschooling in the first place -- is elected, the first thing he will do is sign it and we’ll loose our right to homeschool, please consider the following:

Like John McCain, Barack Obama does support home education:

http://progressivehomeschoolersofflorida.blogspot.com/2008/10/homeschooling-and-\
2008-election.html

and

BOTH Barack Obama and John McCain support the UNCRC:

http://debate.waldenu.edu/video/question-12/

Facts to consider about the effects of UNCRC on homeschooling:

Homeschooling has been illegal in Germany since before they signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and not as a result of the treaty: http://www.homeedmag.com/blogs/newscomm/?p=590

Reflections on the UNCRC from a homeschooler in Canada, a country which signed the treaty years ago:

http://freethinkinghomeschool.blogspot.com/2008/02/un-convention-on-rights-of-child-threat.html

and from Australia…

Myths and facts concerning the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Australia

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AJHR/1999/28.html

Homeschooling and the 2008 Election

2008-10-31T17:13:00.000-04:00

I want to address some contentions that I think are erroneous and misleading that are currently making the rounds of homeschool communities; and that’s namely that whoever wins the presidential election will determine whether we get to continue homeschooling.

To put it mildly, I think that’s stuff and nonsense. Our nation is confronted with an economic crisis the likes of which we haven’t seen in nearly 80 years, health care issues, foreign policy issues, wars on at least two fronts, and climate change issues. I can pretty much guarantee you that the first thing any incoming president does will NOT have anything to do with homeschooling or the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

There’s a lot more at stake in this election than homeschooling, which isn’t an issue on anyone’s platform. I think we should all be more concerned with national issues of economy, health care and foreign policy than the states issues of homeschooling right now.

Whoever you vote for, whatever you vote for, please make your vote an intelligent and informed one, based on facts and not fear mongering conjecture. Homeschooling is alive and well and thriving in America, influencing educational choices nationwide, inspiring innovation in pubic and private education that will not be reversed, and neither John McCain nor Barack Obama will significantly affect it one way or another.

And if at any point, there is any threat coming from the national level with respect to how you homeschool, I can guarantee you it won’t come from the White House, but from wolves in sheep's clothing like HSLDA and other special interests with private agendas masquerading as homeschool saviors.

Protect your right to homeschool by supporting everyone’s rights to live, worship and learn in ways best for their families. Vote with common sense and intelligence, not fear.

Terri Willingham
LIFE of Florida
http://LIFEofFlorida.blogspot.com

Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs

2008-10-14T16:19:00.000-04:00

The Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) College Fairs are designed for students interested in pursuing undergraduate and graduate study in the areas of music, dance, theater, visual arts, graphic design, and other related disciplines. Students have an opportunity to attend a PVA and meet with representatives from colleges, universities, conservatories, festivals and other educational institutions with specialized programs in the visual and performing arts. The next fair held in Florida will be on October 19, from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. at the University of South Florida Sun Dome. For more details, visit http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/Events/CollegeFairs/PVA/pvaschedule.htm.

2008-2009 Arts for Life! Scholarship Program

2008-10-14T16:13:00.000-04:00

The Arts for Life! program recognizes 25 graduating high school seniors from across Florida for outstanding achievement in the arts. Each recipient receives a $1,000 cash scholarship toward their pursuit of the arts in higher education. To be considered for an Arts for Life! Scholarship, students must:

Be a high school senior graduating from a public, private or home education program in Florida.
Submit a completed application, brief essay explaining "How the arts have positively influenced my life," and "What role the arts will play in my future," and a sample of work in dance, music theatre or visual arts.

To apply for a 2008-2009 Arts for Life! Scholarship, interested students should visit www.ExcelinEd.org for an official application, and more information on additional requirements. Applications must be postmarked no later than Feb. 2, 2009.

Kennedy Space Center Salute to Homeschool Students - October 25

2008-10-12T17:01:00.000-04:00

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Presents:

Salute to Homeschool Weekend 2008!
http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/educatorsParents/homeSchool.asp

Homeschool students, families and teachers: be our honored guests for full-day access to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex shows and exhibits. You'll get the chance to take a bus tour of KSC, participate in special hands-on activities, learn about the latest NASA accomplishments, strap in to the NEW Shuttle Launch Experience and even come face-to-face with an actual astronaut. Homeschool teachers, pick up a packet of NASA education materials and help your students reach for the stars.

Homeschool Field Trip 2008 Dates:

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Times: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

2008 Tuition: $31.50 per person (plus tax)

Homeschool Students from around the country are invited to
participate in the annual "Salute to Homeschool Students" on October
25, 2008 at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, a day filled with
adventure and activities designed to inspire the next generation of
space explorers. This year's activities focus on the International
Space Station truss system. Teams of 5 pick a name, a strategy, and
a design which will hopefully wind up being the strongest and longest
truss span.

Participants will have full access to Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex shows and exhibits, take a tour of Kennedy Space Center,
enjoy a 3D IMAX space film, tour the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame,
attend a private, interactive briefing about NASA's latest mission
and meet an astronaut with a special message to scouts.

Admission to "Salute to Homeschool Weekend" is $31.50 per person plus
tax and includes activities from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and lunch
plus a second day of admission to explore Kennedy Space Center
Visitor Complex. For more information or to register please visit
www.KennedySpaceCenter.com or call (321) 449-4400.

Tara Reaves
Group Sales Manager
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Phone: 321-449-4832
Fax: 321-455-6944
E-mail:

treaves@dncinc.com

4th Annual Homeschool National Geographic Bee - Greater Tampa Bay area

2008-10-03T19:35:00.001-04:00

I am pleased to announce the 4th Annual Homeschool National Geographic Bee in Pasco/Pinellas and surrounding counties! This year's bee is sponsored in part by LIFE of Tampa. The bee will be held Wednesday, December 10 at 2:00 p.m. at Starkey Park Education Center in New Port Richey.

I want to begin early to gather the names for the e-mailing list for the bee.

For those who wish to compete, please visit the website which offers further information and links to study questions:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/

I encourage all competitors...the following rules apply only to those who go on to the next level (state competition). The competition is for those in grades 4-8. The student may not reach their 16th birthday before May 1, 2009. A student may not be enrolled in more than three academic courses at the high school and/or college level during each school year of the competition.

If you have a question about whether or not your child is age-eligible, please contact me.

The winner of this bee will take a written test; the top 100 scorers in Florida will be eligible to compete in the state bee in March. The winner of the state bee will be sent to Washington D.C. for the National Geographic Bee in May, 2009, all expenses paid by the National Geographic Society.

The winner and runner-up of our bee will also receive trophies. Every participant will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Please feel free to forward this message on to any other lists you belong to, and any individual you feel may be interested.

This bee is open to any homeschooler, regardless of where you may live.

The cost to participate in this bee is $5/child, to defray the cost of registration with National Geographic.

Please contact me by email, and include your name, your child's name and age. I will contact you closer to the date with further details. Thank you for your interest!

Loni Kaplan
adamfolk @hotmail.com

FYI: New State High School Diploma Requirements

2008-09-29T09:07:00.001-04:00

There’s a lot of interesting reading in this Senate bill text, pertaining to changes in the Sunshine State Standards (ie “ Next Generation Sunshine State Standards) .While, in and of itself, this legislation has no specific bearing on home education in Florida, it's useful for several reasons, not the least of which is simply being informed about curriculum standards in FL.

Some homeschoolers follow along with the standards, many do not. But if there’s a chance that you plan to enroll your child in public ed, you may want to stay informed about upcoming changes. Even if you don’t, it’s a good idea to stay informed about changes to standards, especially if you’ve got kids making their way through high school at home and you plan to create diplomas for them, or want to align their transcripts with public ed requirements for college or career needs.

You can see (and save a copy of) the new diploma form here:

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5142/k12-2008-159.pdf

You can see the new "Next Generation Sunshine State Standards" (in progress) here: http://www.floridastandards.org

From the FL DOE (excerpt below - visit link for full memo)

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5142/k12-2008-159.pdf

DATE: September 25, 2008

SUBJECT: HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA DESIGNATIONS

Recently enacted Senate Bill 1908 created a new section of statute that requires the following four new designations are included on the standard high school diploma beginning with the 2008-09 school year, as applicable:

• Major Area of Interest, pursuant to completion of credits as provided in section 1003.428, Florida Statutes

• Completion of four or more accelerated college credit courses in AP, IB, AICE, or dual enrollment if the student is eligible for college credit pursuant to sections 1007.27 or 1007.271, Florida Statutes

• Career education certification in accordance with section 1003.431, Florida Statutes

• Florida Ready to Work Credential in accordance with section 1004.99, Florida Statutes

Senate Bill 1908 can be viewed at: http://www.flsenate.gov/data/session/2008/Senate/bills/billtext/pdf/s1908er.pdf (see page 18).

LIFE Fest 2008 Great Success!

2008-09-21T11:51:00.000-04:00

LIFE Fest 2008 was our best event yet! Nearly 300 people attended, enjoying everything from robotics demonstrations to Irish Step Dancing. Children enjoyed a full day of art activities, courtesy of Great Explor ations Children's Museum, of St. Pete, and Super Awesome Cool Pottery Studio of Winter Park. Teck 4 Tykes provided children's computer classes.

Brenda Dickinson, of the Home Education Foundation, gave a great overview of homeschooling in Florida. Mary McCool, eLearning Manager with Florida Virtual School helped guests find their way around Florida's number one distance learning school. There were work shops and round tables about unschooling, getting the most out of your library, college preparation, and more.

More photos of the event will be available at the Learning is for Everyone website soon.

We can't wait for LIFE Fest 2009!

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped make it so much fun!

LIFE Fest 2008 is just one week away!

2008-09-11T11:24:00.000-04:00

And we've got a phenomenal Home and Alternative Learners Conference program ready for you on September 20 at Eckerd College Conference Center in St. Petersburg, FL!

At just $10 per family, LIFE Fest is a cost effective, information rich, family-fun and learning day with something for everyone.

There are workshops on unschooling, civic education, teaching higher level science and math, running homeschool co-operatives and learning the basics of homeschooling in Florida. There will be ongoing music and art activities for all ages, vendors, a LIFE Fest Bazaar and lots of information and resources from a variety of community groups, not to mention plenty of free materials at our Information Buffet and door prizes.

So come and learn about all the many wonderful ways there are to learn!

For more information, visit our LIFE Fest page or email info@learningis4everyone.org

Pasco County Homeschoolers Seeks Re-Evaluation of Pasco County Library Borrowing Policy

2008-09-09T09:25:00.000-04:00

Pasco County homeschooler Loni Kaplan is trying to persuade the Pasco County Library system to re-evaluate their new short check-out policy (PDF), and is trying to reach others to inform and mobilize. Read her views and about the policy change:

Budget cuts quicken due date on Pasco library books

Reading library books should be a pleasure, not a pressure

"If you can help me get the word out to other homeschoolers in Pasco, perhaps more people will express their opinions to the library. As of now, they library system has only had about 30 complaints. They are re-evaluating their policy in November, and if they have enough complaints, they will re-instate the 28-day policy. People with comments/complaints should contact Stephen Kershner, Assistant Libraries Director at stephenl@pascolibraries.org " - Loni Kaplan

Welcome New Group: Middle School GT, Pinellas County

2008-09-08T09:47:00.000-04:00

Welcome Middle School GT to our directory of inclusive homeschool support groups in FL:

Middle School GT meets monthly on the 2nd or 3rd Sat of the month for
different exciting adventures like Rock Climbing, Kayaking, Haunted
Trails, Scavenger Hunts and so much more. We are primarily based out
of the St. Pete/Clearwater area. But we welcome anyone from anywhere,
and although this is primarily homeschoolers, we welcome anyone in the
10-14 age range regardless of schooling.
http://middleschool-gt.tripod.com and
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middleschool_gt/

Florida KidCare launches "Act-Out for Health" PSA contest

2008-09-04T17:03:00.000-04:00

Florida KidCare launches “Act-Out for Health” PSA contest
Florida KidCare is seeking middle and high school students from across the state to enter the Act-Out for Health contest to help promote affordable health insurance available through Florida KidCare. Students ages 12 through 18 can produce a 30-second television commercial or create a print advertisement promoting Florida KidCare, a state and federally funded program for uninsured children.

This contest makes a great class project. Students can win scholarships, money for your school and gift cards. Winning entries may be featured on television or newspapers and magazines across the state. Contest entry deadline is Friday, Dec. 5, 2008, at 4 p.m.

For more information and to download contest entry packets, please visit www.actout4health.org. Visit the Florida Healthy Kids Web site to view last year’s winning PSA entry at www.healthykids.org/marketing/aofh.php?lang=ENG.

LIFE Fest 2008 Home and Alternative Learners Conference - September update

2008-09-02T16:39:00.003-04:00

Our annual LIFE Fest Celebration of Learning will be held Saturday, September 20th at the Eckerd College Conference Center and Lodge at 4200 54th Avenue South in St. Petersburg, FL from 10 a.m. – 4p.m. Admission is just $10 per family, with carpool discounts available the day of the event!

It's a great location that lends itself well to a family friendly event, with Ft. Desoto Park camping and world-class beaches just down the road,and St. Pete museums and other attractions nearby.

_________________

Vendor registration and prepaid admission discounts are officially closed, but we've extended the deadline for registering to have a table at the LIFE Fest Bazaar, and advertising is still available in our program guide. You can visit the LIFE website at www.learningis4everyone.org for info on both of those. Additionally, if you have a support group and would like a table, you can let us know through September 5th.

The current conference line-up includes:

MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) programs for youth;
Florida Virtual School;
Home Education Foundation’s Brenda Dickinson;
Transitions and You speaker, Annette Reiter, co-author of Blast Off, Launching Your Child to College and Beyond
Great Explorations Children’s Art Activity Area;
Hands On Planet Earth critters and insights with Doug Scull;
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center ;
Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management Water Atlas Website
Tek 4 Tykes computer learning activities for kids;
Academy of Science for Kids ;
Language Playhouse
Super Awesome Cool Pottery Studios , Orlando
Demonstrations and information about FIRST robotics;
Camp Fire USA
Kids Voting
Brooker Creek Preserve & Weedon Island;
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve;
Homeschool Ballroom Dance team performances;
Stephen Scariff School of Irish Dance performances;
Giving World Percussion drumming circle experience;
Secular Home Educators of Florida
Tampa Homeschoolers Instructing & Nurturing Kids(THINK)
St. Pete Cooperative Homeschoolers
Round table discussions on running support groups, organizing cooperatives, getting ready for college, boosting homeschool self-esteem, and more;
State college representatives;
A burgeoning Information Buffet of free take home resources and materials;
Door prizes from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Barnes & Noble, Ringling Museum of Art, Lowry Park Zoo and vendors

And much, much more!

Round tables and workshops scheduled include:

*Homeschool 101 - Getting Started and Keeping On

*Learning Cooperatively Round Table - Organizing,managing and participating in learning co-operatives

*Homeschool Support Group Round Table - Managing a group, playing nice within one

*College Prep - Tips, tricks and tools

*Homeschooled and Proud - Creating a sense of Alma mater with mater and pater

*Out of Your Element - Teaching higher level high school subjects like chemistry, physics, and algebra

Transitions and You - Adapting to grown up homeschoolers

Civic Education - Use it or Loose it!

Speakers will include:

Brenda Dickinson, home and private school lobbyist, of the Home Education Foundation;

Mary McCool, of the Florida Virtual School;

Jamie Moorehead of Super Awesome Cool Pottery Studios;

Annette Reiter, co-author of Blast Off, Launching Your Child to College and Beyond

Erica Petramala, of Kids Voting Tampa Bay

Programs:

Great Explorations Children's Art will be ongoing throughout the day, providing secure, supervised child care;
Doug Scull with Hands on Planet Earth will provide a session or two of up close and personal animal encounters;
FIRST Robotics teams will be demonstrating and providing information about all levels of FIRST robotics programs for children, from Jr. LEGO League through high school robotics;
Tek4Tykes will be providing computer learning activities for children;
Homeschool Ballroom Dance team and Irish Step Dance performances