August 2001 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."
CALENDAR
(check below for related articles)
Tuesday, July 31 SDH Homeschooling Information Night
Tuesday, August 21 Resume Park Meetings
Friday, August 24 City-Wide Roller Skating
Friday, August 24 Deadline for September Newsletter Articles
ARTICLES
HOMESCHOOLING INFORMATION NIGHT
There will be another homeschooling information night at the River Library (northeast corner of Craycroft and River) at 7:00 p.m.. Please contact Karen M., Danetta M., or Debbie G. for more information. Kids,of course, are welcome at these meetings.
PARK MEETINGS
Weekly park meetings will resume on Tuesday, August 21, at 9:30 AM with announcements at 10. We will use the first couple of meetings to renew old friendships after the summer, meet new homeschooling families, establish the Who's Who list, and plan our September calendar activities.
CITY-WIDE ROLLER SKATING
City-Wide Roller Skating Dates for 2001 - 2002:
CHET NW has organized Friday afternoon roller skating for Tucson homeschoolers on the following dates:
August 24, October 19, January 18, March 8, and May 24.
The charge is $3.00 per person, which includes the skate rental, and the time is 1 PM - 3 PM, at Skate Country North, 2700 N. Stone Ave., in Tucson.
ALSO...ICE SKATING
City-Wide Ice Skating Dates for 2001 - 2002:
CHET SW has arranged for three homeschooler ice skating dates:
September 28, December 14, and April 19.
The time for each date is 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM, and the cost is $5.50 per skater, which includes the skates (only if 10 people show up for the discounted rate). Money for each of the three days must be collected beforehand, and each support group will pay as an individual group.
Where do you find ice in Tucson? At the Gateway Ice Center, 7333 E. Rosewood, just east of Kolb and Speedway.
AIKIDO FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Where: Grant Plaza, 3518 E Grant Road between Dodge and
Country Club
Who: Children's class: ages 6-12; Teen class: ages 11+
Times: as of August 1: Children's class: 4 PM Monday and Friday
Teen class: 4 PM Wednesday, 5 PM Friday (subject to change)
Cost: $50 per month. Family discount available. Parents can train in the children's classes at no charge.
Required equipment: Gi, bokken and jo, available through the dojo. Sweats are fine until the end of summer.
Registration info: Year-round class, no registration deadline, no contract. Join anytime.
Description: Aikido is a non-violent, non-competitive but highly effective martial art that uses graceful pins, locks and throws to control an attacker without causing permanent injury. We emphasize respect,discipline and peaceful conflict resolution.
Website: www.aikido.pair.com
For more information, contact Carolyn.
SAFE KIDS SUMMER CAMP
AUGUST 13-17 10:00-4:00 FIT CENTER@ 5555 E. Fifth Street.
Curriculum includes Martial Arts, Swimming, Hiking, First Aid, and Gun Safety. For information and registration call: 889-6165.
5 day camp for Only $150. Visit our web site at: www.warriorschool.com
TED WALKER DAY AT OLD TUCSON
Each September, Pima County presents Ted Walker Day at Old Tucson, in cooperation with Old Tucson Studios. The day is geared for 4th, 5th and 6th graders, with free admission and lunch provided to the students and their chaperones.
SDH has been represented at Ted Walker Day for the past two years, and if people want to participate in the 2001 day (I do not know the date yet), we need to contact the county parks and rec. department. My sons are now too old to attend, so I am looking for someone to take over the arrangements - it requires one or two phone calls (I will give you the name and number to contact), signing up the participants, and arranging to arrive and depart on time. That is pretty much it.
If you are interested in taking over the job, or if you have any questions, please contact me at debbiegubernick@yahoo.com, or speak with me at the park.
Thanks!
REACH FOR THE STARS
This is a youth leadership development program using astronomy. It is sponsored by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.
Reach For The Stars is a program through which young people are engaged in learning about astronomy in order to teach other young people. Its purpose is to make it possible for any young person interested in learning about astronomy to do so at the highest level possible.
It has three possible components:
1.Knowledge about astronomy and observational skills, will include learning about the sky and the various kinds of observable objects in the sky using binoculars and telescopes.
2. Telescope making, will be for those who demonstrate a clear and
dedicated interest in astronomy through the first component.
3.Sidewalk astronomy, is an outreach program that takes the opportunity to see the stars into the community and to others.
Each "Reach" club will determine its own rules, schedule its meeting times and plan its activities. This club is still in the making. For more information please contact Bill Lofquist, 297-6653, or e-mail at wlofquist@aol.com. Also, Becky L.has the full explanation.
SDH YEARBOOK
I have gladly taken the job of conceptualizing the SDH Yearbook and
like all good executives - I need input!
As pictures and info have been rather sketchy - I propose the following:
1. I will compile all the monthly newsletters into a double-sided
document called "SDH Newsletters - 2000" or something, hopefully to be sold to those who want it for under $10. If the price is too high to include each complete newsletter - they could be edited to include the dates, names, activities, numbers, websites, etc. for that month.
VOTE YES OR NO.
2. I will purchase materials and sponsor the creation of scrapbook
type pages for each SDH liaison, to be reprinted in B/W bound with a color cover photo of the SDH gang, again, hopefully to be sold for under $10 to those who want one. Example - I am the Science Fair liaison - I would get the attendees to sign their names and perhaps some notes on the experience, include dates, times, leadership numbers and my photos of the event. I envision one decorative page to introduce the "Activity" and then, if needed, plain hand-decorated sheets for the remainder to keep costs down.
VOTE YES OR NO.
I will be gone for the remainder of the summer and will consider lack
of interest a "yes vote" and proceed blindly ahead. When I am back in town, I will bring an example of what I have done and then see how many copies need to be ordered. I will not order without your money in hand! Thanks and I look forward to seeing you in the fall.
Susan E.
PS If any children did NOT make the group photo - contact me as I have a 'fix' and we can include all the kids in the picture.
EASTSIDE COFFEE NIGHT
The Eastside Parents Coffee group has not been meeting over the summer. In the fall we can determine if there is a good date, time and place for resuming our evening chats. Please let Mary Beth know if you have any suggestions or ideas.
SITTERS/HOUSECLEANERS
If anyone needs a housesitter, mother's helper, babysitter, or housecleaner, please contact Danetta M. for a recommendation.
PIMA COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Representatives of all of the Tucson area homeschool support groups met with Linda Arzoumanian, the new Pima County Superintendent of Public Instruction, on July 11. It is through her office that we register as homeschoolers when we start, in compliance with Arizona law. Ms. Arzoumanian is attempting to improve channels of communication between her office and her constituencies. Registering new homeschoolers is just a tiny portion of her day.
In addition to introducing herself to us and telling us more about her office, Ms. Arzoumanian did make one request of us at that meeting. Many of us have been homeschooling for many years, but have not contacted her office since the initial Intent to Homeschool form was filed. When she mailed out an informational letter to homeschoolers last spring, many came back because families had moved to a new home. If you have been homeschooling a number of years, please consider updating your address with her office.
Cool information: If your child is picked up on a truancy sweep and tells the officer (respectfully) that he or she is a homeschooler, the officer will call the County Superintendent's office on the spot and ask for verification that an intent to homeschool form has been filed. These calls get priority. Your child will be released immediately, and you will not have to go downtown to liberate your child from custody.
Here are excerpts from the three crack reporters from SDH who covered the event:
"The only statistics of interest- 131,000 in public schools, 5,000 in private schools, 3,000 homeschooling."
"Arzoumanian seems to be a really nice lady who was trying to let homeschoolers know that she wants all children in Pima County to get a good education. She is in favor of assessments (testing) but hey, that's her opinion. She just wants good relations with all of her constituents--private schools, jail schools, homeschools, and public schools."
"She talked about what her office does and what questions she might be able to answer. Homeschoolers are a tiny fraction of what her office deals with and not a major part of her day."
"I read a straightforward educator and good manager trying to do the impossible in PC - "provide a quality education for all children."
CITY-WIDE HOMESCHOOLING INFORMATION NIGHT
Homeschooling support groups from around Tucson and Green Valley are presenting an information night for people new to homeschooling or just plain curious about it. The event is scheduled for Friday, September 7, at 6:30 PM, at El Rio Neighborhood Center, 1390 W. Speedway (between I-10 and Silverbell). Check for more information at http://www.tucsoncitywidehomeschool.homestead.com.
SDH is participating by providing a panel speaker, hosting an information table, and helping with set-up and clean-up. If you are interested in helping to man the information table, contact me at debbiegubernick@yahoo.com, or speak with me at the park.
Thanks!
WEB SITE
Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers has changed its name on the web yet again. We can now be found at http://www.tucsonhomeschoolers.org. This will be our permanent address, so no matter how many changes occur in terms of our web hosting service, our address will remain the same. The web site has a calendar, message board, links page, and both current and archived newsletters.
But wait, there's more!
SDH also has an account with YahooGroups. If you want to join, please go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sonorandeserthomeschoolers,
and sign up.
If you have any questions or comments, see me at the park, or email me at debbiegubernick@yahoo.com.
NEW ROSTER AND NEWSLETTER PERSONNEL
Sharon A. will be taking care of the database and e-mail distribution this year. Please give her any roster updates and forms for new members. Thanks to Eileen D. for all her hard work on the roster and e-mail distribution this last year.
Kim B. is taking all articles and calendar dates for the newsletters. E-mail address is xxx@xxx.com. Thanks to Michelle Y. for all her hard work on the newsletter last year.
EDITOR'S NOTE
I'm sure you all realize that this month's newsletter is coming out a bit...tardy. Sorry about that. I had every intention of getting it out by the 23rd. But, alas, my husband was told to be on call for jury duty for the entire month of August, so we had to hurry off and take our summer vacation. We were gone from the 21st until today, the 29th. As soon as we were unpacked I hit the computer and put the newsletter together. I look forward to working with everyone this coming year. I'll see you at the park!
Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers Tucson Arizona
