A new school year is just around the corner. Actually, it starts in less than three weeks. Many of you are already homeschool families and have started planning for the new year. Some of you are not and have been curious about this “homeschool thing”. Homeschool Roster is hosting “Have You Considered Homeschool”, a homeschool information session, for you move from curious to learning how to get started.

Did you know homeschooling is one of the leading school choice options of parents and their children in Tennessee? And yes, it is legal! If you have been considering, are currently or are just curious about homeschool, you are invited to attend a “Have You Considered Homeschool?” information session.

The free event will be at the Bolivar-Hardeman County Library in Bolivar:

Saturday, July 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.—>REGISTER HERE

Tuesday, July 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.—>REGISTER HERE

There will be a presentation at the beginning, but feel free to drop in even if you are unable to be there when the session starts. Come ready to learn about one of the options you have for educating your children and bring your questions. An R.S.V.P. is requested, but not required to attend. We look forward to meeting you!

You may e-mail Homeschool Roster for more information. Connect with Homeschool Roster on Facebook.

Bolivar-Hardeman County Library
213 North Washington Street
Bolivar, Tennessee 38008

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©2019 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Union University (UU) is hosting Homeschool Day at the U again this year and I am totally excited! My high school children and I had the opportunity to attend the event last year and Union went above and beyond for the experience. This year, Homeschool Day at the U will be held on Friday, September 13, and high school students and their families are invited to attend. Union will share why it is one of the top choices of universities by homeschool students.

Union is a homeschool-friendly university that continuously reaches out to our community. It has garnered the reputation of being a campus offering students “a top-ranked education in a safe, Christian environment“. “Next stop Union” has been the destination for many local and out-of-state homeschool students. I was surprised to learn during our tour that its engineering department is one of the top-ranked in the country.

Just a few facts about Union University, which was founded in 1823:

• The Student body is less than 3,300 students.
• There are more than 100 programs of study.
• The ratio of student to faculty is 10:1.
• One hundred percent of the incoming freshman are financial aid recipients.

Another fact to consider is more than 85 percent of the faculty has earned the highest degree that is possible in their field.

Homeschool Day at the U is a full campus, all-day experience for high school, homeschooled students and their families. Everything will be provided and is free including the meals (ex: breakfast, lunch, etc.) for all families attending with their high school aged student.

The event is specifically designed for the homeschool student, so the presentation will be different from the regular preview days offered on campus. The panel will include homeschool students and the topics covered by the faculty and staff will be ones that will cover issues important to homeschoolers.

Some of the activities for the day include students and their parents learning about the honors program, resident life and attending a chapel service, which is required by all enrolled UU students. Enrollment counselors will also be available to answer questions about the various academic programs, admissions process and financial aid opportunities.

The activities we enjoyed most were attending chapel, touring the academic departments of interest and being able to ask questions about enrollment requirements, student expectations, etc. We also toured some of the dorms and the library. And lunch, it was delicious.

Homeschool students have the same admission requirements as their public and private school peers. There are no extra steps homeschool students have to take to apply for admission. You can tell Union University loves homeschoolers. Make plans to attend Homeschool Day at the U and you will experience it yourself.

Homeschool Day at the U Schedule

9 a.m. – Check-in and welcome in Grant Events Center
10 a.m. – Chapel
11 a.m. – Parent and student panel
12 p.m. – Lunch for the family and enrollment session
1 p.m. – Department visit
2 p.m. – Campus tour
3:15 p.m. – Wrap-up

Register for Homeschool Day at the U. If you are not able to attend the event, there are other opportunities for you to visit the UU campus.

If you have any questions, call (800) 33 UNION (86766) for more information.

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©2019 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Homeschool Roster has been offering field trips and events to homeschoolers for several years. We have gone to many places, seen a variety of things and learned a lot together. I have met some wonderful families and am looking forward to meeting many more of you during the upcoming season.

This school year, Homeschool Roster is moving to a membership-based group. We will be able to offer more field trips and tremendously improve the registration process. Members will be able to easily make reservations, track and manage them, and connect with other families in the group. Something many of you will also like is a quicker response time for reservation confirmations – that will happen too!

We already have 184 field trips on the schedule and that does not include the number that will be added during the school year. Some of the field trips are fee-based and others are free.

Homeschool Roster will revisit field trip favorites, venture to new places and embark on new adventures. All field trips and events will be available to members. There will also be a few that are open to the public.

The membership pricing is per family (and per household) and shown below. You may become a Homeschool Roster member at any time during the school year, but the membership fee will not be prorated.

Annual Membership

$18 (i.e. $1.50 per month) for 12 months access from July 2019 – June 2020 (+ $1.50 service fee)

The new field trip and event website will launch on Monday, July 1, and we are excited! We think you are going to love the improvements.

Be sure to sign up for the Homeschool Roster newsletter to keep up to date on news, field trips and events for homeschoolers!

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©2019 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Marie Lee, the First Lady of Tennessee, has a summer challenge for our elementary age children who are rising kindergarteners through rising sixth graders. They are invited to participate in the Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge. The challenge is simple, but the impact will be lasting on the people they serve this summer. Students are asked to “give back to their communities and care for their neighbors” from Monday, July 1, to Thursday, August 1.

Students who accept the challenge will complete a required number of service hours and are able to choose from a number of ways to serve in different capacities. They must do the following to meet the challenge:

Rising Kindergarten through Second Grade

1) Complete three (3) of the service categories.

2) Complete eight (8) service hours.

Third Grade through Rising Sixth Grade

1) Complete five (5) of the service categories.

2) Complete 12 service hours.

The Eight Categories of Service Activities

Category 1: First Responders		Category 5: Military
Category 2: Neighborhood		Category 6: Elderly
Category 3: Food Insecure		Category 7: Outdoors
Category 4: Get Well Soon		Category 8: Family Care

The First Lady has included examples in each category to help, but not limit, children with ideas of service activities. Students are encouraged to complete more than the minimum number of service hours. The top participants will attend the Summer Service Carnival event on September 14, 2019 at the Tennessee Residence where they will meet Governor Bill Lee and the First Lady Maria Lee.

Parents or guardians will need to help the child complete the service log and ensure it is returned to the First Lady’s office by Friday, August 9. Be sure to have a representative at the place of service sign your child’s service log to confirm the hours they volunteered. Only service hours with a signature confirmation will be accepted.

Watch the video to learn more.

Registration for the Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge  is easy. Complete the registration form after which you will receive a service log for recording the child’s  hours. Three bonus points may be earned if the student writes a paragraph about how the challenge has impacted their summer. Participants may join the challenge at any time during the challenge period. All participating students will receive a certificate.

RETURN SERVICE LOG

USPS: Office of the First Lady, 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, Nashville, TN 37243
E-mail: E-mail First Lady Maria Lee
Fax: (615) 741-7850

Join First Lady Maria Lee on social media and share your child’s efforts during the challenge

Facebook:First Lady Maria Lee
Twitter: @MariaLeeTN
Instagram: @firstladymarialee
YouTube: First Lady Maria Lee
Flickr: First Lady Maria Lee

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©2019 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

There is nothing better than the feeling of knowing you spent your time in a productive manner that is going to make a difference. That is how I felt last month as a student in the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) interactive workshop, which was presented by the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network  (TSPN). I am now ASIST certified and better equipped to make a difference in the cause of suicide awareness and prevention.

In 2018, I became a suicide survivor when my younger brother died by suicide. It is a telephone call I never thought I would receive. Suicide is an act only familiar to most from what they read or hear in the news or through social media. It happens to other people in other families; just like every other tragedy. You never think it could or will happen to someone you love.

His death gave me a new purpose to learn more about suicide and an eagerness to help those struggling with depression and suicidal tendencies, and the survivors who are left behind.

According to the American Association of Suicidology, the suicide rate in Tennessee has dropped since 2005, but remains twenty-second in the country. You may see the statistics for Tennessee, which includes children and teenagers. It is alarming and sad that the numbers continue to grow. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people, ages 15 through 24, and the tenth leading cause of death in the state.

Now that I am ASIST certified, I can apply my suicide first aid education to help me identify a person who may be at risk. The goal is to “create a plan that will support their immediate safety”. My training does not guarantee I will always be successful in saving a life. What it has done is given me tools, so my response will be more educated than it was before I completed the workshop. I pray I am able to help someone who is suffering and possibly prevent another family from experiencing the loss of a loved one to suicide. Although people who may be considering suicide or die by suicide do not always exhibit these warning signs or have these risk factors, it is good to be familiar with all of them.

The ASIST workshop is open to any people who are 16 or older. The training is usually taken by healthcare, law enforcement and emergency professionals, but the information can benefit anyone. If you are a teacher, in ministry, a counselor, a parent or someone who comes in contact with other people (everyone), there is something you can gain from becoming certified. No previous training is required.

Another way you can support the cause of suicide awareness and prevention is by purchasing a specialty license plate for only $35. One thousand signatures/purchases are required for production of the license plate to begin.  Tennessee would be the first state to have such a license plate. If the required number of signatures is not collected by Friday, June 28, all funds will be returned. Hopefully, one thousand purchases will be made and production will begin. I believe the visibility of the license plates will result in people feeling freer to discuss suicide more openly and give those struggling with depression and other mental illnesses the courage to seek help.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you may text anonymously to TN to 741741 to the Crisis Text Line for Tennessee or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-TALK (8255) and reach out for help. Also, feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how you can help promote suicide awareness and prevention, are a survivor and want to talk, and/or just want to talk.

More Resources
Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network
Team Mica Fund
Youth Suicide Warnings

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©2019 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Homeschooling in Tennessee is awesome! There are so many opportunities for homeschoolers in the state. We have athletics, educational and fun field trip opportunities, and fun social events. Just because they are out there, does not mean homeschoolers know they exist or how to find them.

When my family moved to West Tennessee, I looked forward to the new experiences, adventures and events we would enjoy together. Unfortunately, I usually found out about many things too late. Because of that, Homeschool Roster was created. Over the years, Homeschool Roster has grown to become a realiable and useful, online information resource for West Tennessee homeschoolers, as well as families in the surrounding states of Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia and Kentucky.

Homeschool Roster is creating a directory of groups that include co-ops, support and tutorials that cater specifically to homeschool students and their families. If you direct or manage any one or more of these types of programs, I would love to include your group in the directory. The listing will be another free resource from Homeschool Roster, so there will be no charge for your group to be included. The focus of the directory will be West Tennessee, but I will consider including other groups that are within a reasonable distance to that area.

I know many groups are already thinking about (have completed planning – where is this school year going?) the 2019/2020 school year. The directory will be a great resource for those currently homeschooling, are new to homeschooling or are considering making the move to homeschooling. Help those families to quickly and easily find your group, and learn about the offerings of your co-op, support or tutorial group.

If you are a director (ex: administrator, teacher, etc.) or are affiliated with an extracurricular organization or program that caters specifically to homeschoolers (ex: athletic, theatre, music, etc.), there will be a directory for your group too.

To be included in one of the group directories, complete the form:

Register – – – >Co-op, Support or Tutorial Directory

Register – – – >Extracurricular

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©2019 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

{This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.}

Having a child with a birthday in the same month as Christmas means you have to be a bit creative when it comes to gift giving. Teens know what they want (I have to ask) and that makes it difficult to surprise them with that special gift. Lily did receive some “stuff” for Christmas and her birthday, but I also wanted to treat her to an experience. So, we headed to the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis this past weekend, so she could experience a different type of jewelry making. Her gift was to take the “Make Your Own: Multiple Link Jewelry” class.

The Metal Museum has been on our list of places to visit for a while. Being a writer, I consider myself a creative. I also enjoy sewing and taking pictures. I will admit those skills are a far cry from creating fine metalwork, but you never know what you can do or what you will enjoy until you try.

The “Make Your Own: Multiple Link Jewelry” taught us how to make wire links to create our own jewelry. No previous metalwork skills were required.

The class is one for anyone with no or some or much metalwork experience.

Instructor Lori Gipson (Metal Museum Education and Community Engagement Manager) shared a bit of history about the Metal Museum, which was quite interesting. After that, the linking and jewelry making began.

The class was extremely relaxed. Although we had a project to complete, there were no expectations (no pressure) to finish something.

We had the option of working with brass and/or copper. The use of either is more of a personal preference. Lily chose brass and I chose copper. Wire gauge options were 20, 18 and 16. The lower the gauge, the thicker the wire. Lily chose 20 gauge and I chose 18 gauge to use for making our own links.

Lori made the class fun and easy to understand, walking us through the steps of link making. All the supplies we needed, wire (raw/bare) and pliers, were provided.

Before starting any project, you must have a vision. Putting it on paper enables you to see where you are going and also works as a template for the links you make.

Depending on your skill level, you may end up where you planned to go. Other times, you end up where the link you actually make takes you.

Although there is room for creativity in metalwork (especially during the actual design – shaping the metal), being committed to your original design enables you to finish what you envisioned.

WIth 16 gauge wire, Lily meticulously shaped a clasp using a round nose plier.

It was the perfect finish to her beautiful bracelet.

Lily and I both enjoyed an afternoon making links and jewelry at the Metal Museum. The museum offers classes every month as well as the weekend hands-on classes. Check out “Make Your Own: Recycled Assemblages”, which will be offered on Saturday, January 26, at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

We are looking forward to returning to the museum in the spring for two Homeschool Roster field trips. Along with a tour of the museum, grounds and a forging demonstration, we will have another opportunity to be creative with a hands-on bracelet making class. We would love for you to join us.

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©2019 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

When listening to music, several pictures may come to mind depending upon the tune, the instruments used in the music and the personal experiences of the listener. The interpretation of a piece of music is not the same from one person to another. Through the annual The Color of Music art contest, students are able to express themselves using artwork as their voice to share their interpretation of a piece of music.

The Color of Music is presented by the Jackson Symphony League for students in kindergarten through the eighth grade. It is in its twenty-second year with the goals of:

• Providing an opportunity for listening to and visually interpreting classical music.
• Increasing awareness of The Jackson Symphony and familiarize students with repertoires presented by The Jackson Symphony.
• Encouraging a lifelong appreciation of symphonic music by young people.

See 2017-2018 homeschool winners.

See 2016-2017 homeschool winners.

Each year, students across West Tennessee have shared their artistic talent and creativity producing beautiful artwork that has brought to life the number of music selections chosen over the years for the contest. The music selections for this year are “Carmen-Habanera”, by George Bizet and “La Traviata – Brindisi” by Giuseppe Verdi. Students are to listen to the music and choose one piece to interpret through art.

One of the nice things about this competition is you do not have to be an artist to participate. The student is challenged to share his interpretation, which alone is art.

There are a number of categories for which students will be recognized with prizes including cash, T-shirts, art supplies and symphony tickets. Student winners will be presented at an awards ceremony that will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. Finalist entries will be on display at the center in the lobby. The winning pieces of The Jackson Symphony League Bravo Award; the Conductor Awards; Blue Ribbon and Honorable Mention Awards will be displayed at another TBD location in Jackson. All prize-winning artwork will also be available online for viewing.

If your homeschool student would like to participate, please contact Jennifer Smeltser to receive the contest packet. All art submissions must be submitted to Jennifer Smeltser by Friday, January 25, 2019. Read the rules, so you may learn how your student may participate. The contest is open to students in Madison County and its surrounding counties (i.e.: Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Madison, McNairy and Weakley) only.

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©2018 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.