Saturday, October 1, 2011

Homeschool HUB News Update--September 30

Homeschool HUB News Update--September 30


Homeschool HUB phone: 269-240-6094
email: homeschoolhub@yahoo.com   website: www.hshub.org
Editor: Andrea Bikfalvy
 
The information below is offered to you as a service.  Please research and decide for yourself the value to your family.  The Homeschool HUB does not endorse any programs or services other than those offered by the Homeschool HUB.
 
Send information to be added to the update no later than the Thursday before the week you want it to appear:  homeschoolhub@yahoo.com


ON THE CALENDAR:

Details for the following events are on the calendar at: www.calendar.yahoo.com/homeschoolhub

September 30--Bowling at Strikes and Spares, 1:00-3:00, $5/pp
October 11--HUB Board of Directors Meeting, 7 pm at the Niles Police Complex
October 21--Homeschool Skate at USA Skate 1:00-3:00, $3/pp including skate rental.


GENERAL INTEREST

G1) Newsletter move to yahoo group


G1) Newsletter move to yahoo group

This is still on-going.  You will receive an email notice from yahoo when your email is switched over.  You don't need to do anything. 


MICHIANA EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

1) Hospice at Home Open Houses
2) Spelling Bee
3) Bethel College Presents "The Hobbit"--Next Thursday!
4) Volunteer Opportunities

1) Hospice at Home Open Houses

Hospice at Home is celebrating 30 years of serving our community.  They holding open houses at their facilities and have invited homeschoolers to join them for refreshments, tours, and good conversation. Details follow:
 
October 20, 4-7 p.m. - South Haven, 30 year Anniversary Open House 05055 Blue Star Highway
 
November 9, 4-7 p.m. St. Joseph,  Lory's Place, 445 Upton Drive, 7-Year Open House/Hospice at Home 30 year Anniversary Open House


2) Spelling Bee

The Homeschool Hub will again be sponsoring the Scripps Spelling Bee this year.  The date of the school spelling be will be announced later as those who sign up discuss the range of date possibilities.  Any student interested in signing up should email Diane Day for details. The enrollment fee is up this year so the entrance fee will be $15 per speller.  Please do not delay.  Email or call with questions or committments.  Diane Day 269-445-1900 or joharding_20@yahoo.com.


3) Bethel College Presents "The Hobbit"--Next Thursday!

Bethel College will present, "The Hobbitt" October 6, 7, & 8.  They are offering a field trip performance on that Thursday, October 6 at 9:30 am.  Ticket prices are greatly reduced to Students - $5, Teachers are free.  Those interested should contact Bethel ticket office directly at 574-807-7080. You may request seating with the Homeschool Hub.

The Bethel College department of theatre will present J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," dramatized by Patricia Gray. "The Hobbit" stirs the imagination and intellect of everyone. Bilbo, one of the most conservative of Hobbits, is asked to leave his home in order to set off as chief robber in an attempt to recover an important treasure. It's the last thing that any sensitive Hobbit would want to do. The epic journey, filled with dwarfs, elves, goblins and other adventures is sure to thrill one and all. It's a show the whole family can enjoy.


4) Volunteer Opportunities

A) One day opportunity:

Day of Action for Seniors, Thursday, November 3.  Hundreds of volunteers will connect with seniors, across the area, and help them prepare for the winter by raking leaves, cleaning gutters, and weatherizing windows.  Gather a group of friends or join a group and make new friends while helping a senior to stay independent in their homes and get ready for winter.  United Way of Southwest MI is leading this effort.

B) Short term:

#1 - Consequential Minds is a drop in center for individuals with mental illness.  It is a place in Benton Harbor , near the corner of Colfax & Napier, where friends can gather, encourage each other, have food and fellowship, work on a computer, take a class, etc.  They have a pinball and arcade machine that they no longer use.  They are wondering if a volunteer could take on the task to sell it for them on eBay or another forum.

#2 - The local chapter of NAMI - National Alliance of the Mentally Ill will be holding a class - actually a 6 week series, for family members who love someone who has mental illness.  I personally took the class because a friend of mine is bipolar and I found the classes very helpful.  They would like to offer child care so there is one less barrier to having families attend.  Would you be interested in taking a night or two to assist with child care?  NAMI Basics class: Tuesday nights in Benton Harbor at the Fairplain Adventist Church for a 6 week series beginning on September 27 thru Nov. 1. The classes will run from 6 to 8:30 pm, with volunteers arriving at 5:45 and staying until 8:45 pm.

C) Long term:

#1 - Benton Harbor Street Ministries is offering a GED class for adults on Monday - Thursday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  They are looking for volunteers willing to grade papers and/or be available to tutor.  When you help an adult learner, they in turn will encourage the children in their lives and they will do better in school.  With a GED in hand they will be better prepared to succeed in finding a job and keeping a job.

 #2 - 100 Women Strong of Berrien County is looking for new Board Members who join them in supporting women in Berrien County who are striving towards self - sufficiency by offering one time grants to be used for auto repair, outstanding bills, tuition and other situations that could be barriers.   Board members play an active role in fundraising and marketing events.

For more information regarding any of these options contact the Volunteer Center .
 
If you would like to consider additional options, stop by one of the volunteer fairs at the Lake MI College sites - we will also be there in the evening to provide info to students who attend evening classes or if you would like to stop by after work.
 
Tues. October 4th       11 a.m. – 2 p.m. & 5 – 6:30 p.m.        Niles (Bertrand Campus)
Weds. October 5th     11 a.m. – 2 p.m. & 5 - 6:30 p.m.         Benton Harbor (at Napier Campus)
Weds. October 12th   11 a.m. – 2 p.m. & 5 – 6:30 p.m.        South Haven

 
Debra Panozzo
Adult and family volunteer coordinator
Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan
269-983-0912 ext 13 St. Joseph
269-683-5464  Niles
www.volunteerswmi.org


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LINKS TO SHARE:

Know of an interesting site?  Share the link!
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CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE

9th Abeka Books  $50.  Please call Paula 269-591-0147


FREE ONLINE MATH LESSONS AND ONLINE MATH TUTORING SALE

www.MasterMath.info offers a free Middle School Math curriculum, with over 100 sequential lessons on the concepts needed to prepare a student for high school math. Each lesson includes a fun, 10 – 15 minute video lesson covering that lesson's concepts, and allowing the student to "You Try It". The video lessons are accompanied by a Worksheet to print and practice the concepts taught in the lesson, plus a self-grading on-line quiz, which show how to correctly do any problem the student misses on the quiz. All this material is free!

MasterMath also offers you a way to take your student to the next level. Adding some private tutoring to the free lessons will allow me to either remediate, if the student hasn't mastered the concepts, or push the student further, if she "gets it". I personally conduct all of the tutoring sessions.

These one hour lessons are conducted over GoToMeeting, a safe, secure virtual meeting website. The student sees me and my computer screen, hears me, and can solve problems I put on my screen. I can hear the student, and see his computer screen. All you need is an internet connection, and a microphone on your computer (or a telephone). It's a Virtual Classroom experience!

The normal price for tutoring is $35 for one session, $105 for 4 sessions, or $175 for 8 sessions. BUT, for any sessions purchased before October 12, 2011, I'll double your credits! Purchase a lesson for $35, I'll give you two lessons. Purchase 8 lessons for $175, I'll give you 16 lessons! That's less than $11 per hour!

You can use these lessons whenever you need them. There is no need to schedule them all at once. Just schedule a lesson whenever you think it would be helpful.


FREE CURRICULUM

The Homeschool Hub has some used curriculum that is available for free.  They also accept anything, school related for donation and will keep it for use by other homeschoolers.  If you have and want to donate or need call Diane Day 269-445-1900.


Looking for a group?  Join the HUB!  We need you.

There are several benefits of membership including a travel club and a resource library that includes things like books, games, laptops, video cameras and other items to borrow (free, members only). Members receive first chance at events and classes when availability is limited.  The cost of membership is only $24/year.  Information about becoming a member is on the website at www.hshub.org


Have something for sale, free or trade?  Advertise here!

Homeschool groups are welcome to advertise their group, too.  It's free!

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LETTING IT RIDE:

Amazon.com--Please come to www.hshub.org before you shop at Amazon.  You can either shop the Associate Store listed in the Menu bar or click on the "Help the Homeschool HUB - Purchase at Amazon" link just below the Menu bar. By using this link to Amazon The Homeschool HUB will earn money through Amazon's Associates program on everything you purchase. So whenever you think "Amazon" please remember your purchase can help The Homeschool HUB.

The Homeschool HUB is collecting used textbooks.  Contact Diane Day:  joharding_20@yahoo.com or 269-445-1900.

The Homeschool HUB is continuing to collect Campbell Soup labels, Campbell's Chunky Soup labels, Campbell's Healthy Request labels, Campbell's Select harvest, Franco-American, Pepperidge Farm, Spaghettios, Swanson, V-8 Beverages, V-8 Fusion, Prego Italian Sauces and Campbell's Food Service.   Give your labels to any board member or bring them to our homeschool functions.

--AND--

We are still accepting Boxtops for education labels.  You can find these on many products.

Go to Boxtops for Education.org for more info, and then SAVE SAVE SAVE  those labels.  Each one nets 10 cents and every 10 cents adds up. You can give them to any HUB board director or bring them to any functions that we have.  Thank-you!


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DISCLAIMERS:

While the Homeschool HUB believes that these events or opportunities may be of value to home educators, announcements do not constitute an endorsement by the Homeschool HUB, or its Board of Directors. It is the responsibility of individual parents to determine the appropriateness of any event or opportunity for their children.

Participation in any event is voluntary and the participant assumes complete responsibility and liability for themselves, their family, anyone accompanying them, and their personal property.