Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers
Tucson, Arizona
January 2002 Newsletter
Mission Statement
Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers is an open, not-for-profit home education network, providing social and creative outlets for homeschooling families. We are not devoted to any one homeschooling approach, political platform, religious outlook, or philosophical ideal. Our homeschooling community supports all families, regardless of their personal lifestyle or
educational choices in the area of home education. Our motto is "hozho," a
Navajo word meaning "harmony" or "walking in beauty or friendship."
Quote of the Month
(in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this month)
"we must either learn to live together as brothers or we are all going
to perish together as fools."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Calendar
(check below for related articles)
Tuesday, January 8 Welcome Back Potluck
Tuesday, January 8 Homeschool Information Night
Wednesday, January 9 Homeschooling Spelling Bee
Monday, January 14 Eastside Coffee Night
Tuesday, January 15 Teen Discussion Group
Tuesday, January 15 Middle Reader's Group
Friday, January 18 Citywide Roller Skating
Friday, January 25 February Newsletter Deadline
Friday, January 25 Roster Update Deadline
Tuesday, January 29 Last Day to Order T-Shirts
Wednesday, January 30 Crafty Ladies
Thursday, January 31 Marine Discovery
Articles
Welcome Back Potluck
Tuesday, January 8th is our first official park day of the new year. At
the parent's meeting we decided to have a "welcome back potluck" for
this first day back, but because of all the rain-outs in December an
announcement was never made. So, bring your favorite dish and some
good cheer to the park on Tuesday the 8th and we will have a good time!
Contact Kim B. for more information.
Homeschooling Information Night
Tuesday, January 8, 7-8:45 PM at Nanini Library
Learn the basics required to homeschool your child, plus a brief
overview of methods to use, and lots of time for questions. Families
welcome. Free. Sponsored by Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers . For
information, call Karen M.
Homeschoolers' Spelling Bee
Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers is hosting this year's area-wide
homeschooling spelling bee:
January 9, 2002
Tucson-Pima Main Library
(101 N. Stone Ave. in downtown Tucson)
Lower-level Meeting Room
Sign-up at 12:30 PM
Spelling Bee begins at 1:00 PM
All ages through 8th grade are welcome to participate.
If you are interested in helping with the bee, please contact me. We
need people to help with sign up, writing out names on certificates, setting
Eastside Coffee Night
Just a reminder that the Eastside coffee nights are now the second Monday of each month. That makes the January coffee on the 14th. We are meeting at 7:30 p.m. until..Contact Mary Beth or Joleen for more information.
Early Teen Discussion Group
We will meet on January 15th at 11:15 at the park. The topic will be
"Dreams" - not the things we consciously hope to achieve but the those
things that that spring to life while we sleep. They have been viewed as
messages from the gods, as omens of things to come, as gateways into
other realities, and as reactions to the conflict and stress in our lives.
What do you think? Let's talk about why we dream, whether dreams are
important, and what dreams you most remember. As always, anyone is welcome to come. There's no special preparation needed and the point is simply to have an interesting and mutually respectful discussion.
Call Brian M if you have questions.
Middle Readers' Group
Middle readers, ages 8-11, meet the second Tuesday of the month at
11 AM. The next meeting is Tuesday, January 15. The book we are reading is Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon, by Paula Danziger. There are plenty of copies in the library. We will discuss The Walk in Wolf Wood first as December's reading group was rained out.
Any questions call Paige or Christine G.
Citywide Roller Skating
Join homeschoolers around Tucson for a rollerskating party at Skate
Country North, 2700 N. Stone Ave, Tucson on Friday, January 18, from
1:00 to 3:00 PM. The cost is $3.00 per skater, which includes skate rental. This city-wide event is arranged by CHET NW.
Updated Roster Release Deadline
I will be sending out the next update roster at the end of January. Please get any changes to Sharon A. by January 25th if you want those changes
to be included in the next release.
Science Olympiad
This program consists of individual and team events that encourage
learning in the sciences and technology. The southern Arizona regional
tournament for middle school will be held at the University on Saturday, January 26, 2002. If you are interested in observing this event or if you wish more information to eventually sponsor this event for our group, contact Mary Lou Van Liere at 298-1315 or patsy@azstarnet.com.
SDH T-Shirts Deadline
I will be taking orders for SDH T-Shirts until January 29th. The color and
design of the shirts will be the same as last year. Sizes and prices are:
White colored shirts:
youth (XS - L) $4.00
adult (S - XL) $4.00
adult 2XL $5.00
adult 3XL $6.00
Ash colored shirts: add $1.00 to the price above.
To order, get the shirt size/color and cash (no checks, please) to Sharon
A. at the park by January 29th. Feel free to contact Sharon by phone or
email if you have any questions.
Crafty Ladies
Wednesday, January 30
Every last Wednesday of the month we continue to meet at Borders on
Oracle for coffee or tea. We get together from 7:30 PM on, but some of us get there quite a bit later, after husbands come home or the kids are in
bed. We chat, laugh, and a few of us bring a project to work on (knitting,
crochet, sorting pictures, etc.). This is open to any parent, but so far
only moms have shown up. It is a great way to get to know others better
and there is always a mix of parents with younger and older children, so
you can ask lots of questions too and discuss things.
For more info contact Sybelle V.
Marine Discovery
Just want to remind everyone that Marine Discovery is this month.
Colette T. will be collecting money from those who have signed up. We already have 34 students so there is room for one more. Also I need about 4 parents to come along; if anyone is interested let me know.
Date and time once again is Thursday, January 31st from 9:00 a.m. untill noon. I will give you a map and parking directions when you pay me. See you at the park!! Colette T
Chess Club
The chess club will be meeting the first and third Tuesdays of the month.
That way the children can get the other ones to play at the park. Thank
you very much. For more information contact Bob B.
SDH on the Web
Have you checked the SDH web site lately? There is a new addition -
Homeschooling in the News. Here are a few of the articles listed on that
page:
The Education of a Home-Schooler, by Tom Lauricella
SmartMoney Magazine
"When Leslie Buchanan decided to teach her sons herself, she had no
idea what she was getting into. It's been rewarding, demanding and
incredibly difficult. Talk about a steep learning curve..."
School @ Home by Christopher W. Hammons
Education Next
"Stereotyping is no longer possible in a movement that is just as likely to include Creationists as it is avid fans of Howard Gardner's theories of multiple intelligences."
School's Out - Get Ready for the New Age of Individualized Education
By Daniel H. Pink
Reason Magazine
"'School is like starting life with a 12-year jail sentence in which bad habits are the only curriculum truly learned.' Those are the words of John Taylor Gatto, who was named New York State's Teacher of the Year in 1991. Today he is one of the most forceful voices for one of the most powerful movements in American education -- home schooling. In home schooling, kids opt out of traditional school to take control of their own education and to learn with the help of parents, tutors, and peers. Home schooling is free agency for the under-18 set. And it's about to break through the surface of our national life."
Study: 850,000 Kids Schooled at Home Parents Better Educated, But Not
Richer Than Most Americans. By Greg Toppo
The Associated Press
"About 850,000 of the nation's 50 million schoolchildren are being taught
at home rather than in schools, according to a study released this week by
the Education Department. It calculates that 1.7 percent of American
children were homeschooled in 1999, resulting in a total estimate higher
than in the past."
New SDH Message Board Co-administrator
Please welcome Lia H. as the new co-administrator of the SDH message
board. She will be responsible for maintaining a warm and welcoming
atmosphere on the board, and will ensure that all queries receive prompt
responses. Want to visit the message board? Go to
Thank you for volunteering, Lia!
Science and Mathematics Through Native Eyes
This conference will be held February 1- 3 at Desert View High School. The
conference fee, including continental breakfasts is $60 in advance or $75
on site. Donna Treloar at the university (621-2234) has the program
information.
Wildcat Engineering Fest
For interested high school students, the engineering department student
ambassadors will share their UA engineering experience and talk about
the different engineering majors. Students can ask questions and view table
displays. Takes place March 23, 2002. Students can also shadow an
engineering student for a day on campus, attending classes and labs and
meeting professors.
For information, contact Susie Bowers at 626-6218. There is also a summer Engineering Academy for high school students. Contact Ray Umashankar at 621-8103.
Wright Flight
Due to the cancellation of two park meetings in a row, I was unable to get
the Wright Flight binders to some of those who signed up. If you signed
your child up please contact me so I can get your binder(s) to you as soon
as possible. I will plan the video day for mid to late January. Thanks!
Felicia L.
Site Information Needed
I have a couple of "projects" I would like to organize for our group (have
done these before, and they worked really well). However, I need a site in
which to set them up.
The requirements: A one mile straight, flat, run -must be able to see from
start to finish, at close to ground level. Relatively quiet - have to be
able to hear each other talk (so we don't want to be right beside the
freeway). Parking available at one end of the run.
If anyone knows of such an area, would you please give Frances A. a call,
or email. Many thanks.
Vega Bray Observatory
Benson Area Homeschoolers will be hosting a field trip to Vega Bray
Observatory. The field trip is appropriate for school aged children. It will be about 2 hours and starts about 1 hr. before sunset. Viewing the night sky through their telescopes is included. Vega Bray observatory is east of Benson, so travel from Tucson is about 1 hour. The program is free, but because space is very limited we are requesting a $5/person deposit. We will hold the deposit and it will be refunded to you when you arrive the night of the program.
Park Day at Himmel Park
Park Day at Himmel Park is going well. Join us on Thursdays at about
11:00 AM. Himmel Park is located on Tucson Blvd. near Speedway. We meet at the Westside play equipment. There is a shaded play area, a place to rollerblade or roller skate, and a library. This is mainly a play park day. No official announcements will be made.
If you have any questions, contact Tara O.
Announcement
Danetta and Mark Mecikalski are proud to announce that Aron was accepted as a full-time student into the University of Arizona starting next
fall. He will be a pre-business major in the Eller College of Business.
Lost and Found
I found a pair of children's glasses in the baseball field at the park several weeks ago. Ingo left his baseball glove and bat, and a mesh bag with all his Jr. Ranger badges in the park several weeks ago. He is very sad. If you know anything about these, please contact Sybelle V.
Ad
I have a 4' x 6' dry erase board. It is framed in light colored wood, in pretty good condition. New, it sells for about $100. I would like to get $40 for it. Contact Karen at the park, or look me up on the list...
Ice Skating Coupons
If your kids love to skate but you just can't take them very often because
of the cost, Gateway Ice Center has provided a solution. Compliments of
the management, I now have DOZENS of 2-for-1 admission coupons for any
public session that Gateway offers. See Michelle Y. at the park for more
details or to pick up coupons.
