New SC Law Allows Homeschoolers to Participate in Public School Interscholastic Activities

As you may have heard, a law just recently passed in South Carolina that allows home school students equal access to public school interscholastic activities. It is often referred to as the "Tim Tebow" law because it grants access to interscholastic sports, but it is not limited to sporting activities. Access is available for all interscholastic activities, and begins with the 2012-2013 school year.

Because some interscholastic activities have practices and camps
during the summer, it is important that home school students begin
the process soon if they plan to participate in the fall.

Information about the new law can be found at the following website a:  http://www.palmettofamily.org/homeschool.asp. There you will find a link to the text of the new law, and a link to a form a student may use to inform their local School District Superintendent of their intent to participate (required by law).

Year - End Paperwork Due June 15th

REMINDER:  All members need to submit  the  Parent-Teacher Completion Statement 2011-2012 by  June 15th in order to close out the school year in good standing.  Without that document we cannot verify your schooling.
A copy  was sent in your packet  when your membership was approved.  If you can't find it, there is one in your handbook on page 65; or in the handbook posted on our website under MY Member Benefits.  Please  make sure you use the 2011-2012 form, and the original is sent to us.  Keep a copy for your files.

Grades 9th - 11th must also submit the Final Grade Report Form (page 51 in your handbook).  Please include the texts and descriptions for the courses listed, along with the percentage grade earned  (ie.97, 82)
If you have any questions, please contact us.   Knowing that paperwork isn't much fun, we thank you for your time and compliance in submitting these forms. 

Enroll for the 2012-2013 school year by July 31st for the "early bird discount" of $40 for one child,  $65 for two or more.                                                                     
May you have a blessed and relaxing summer!

3-Day Art Classes to be Offered in Jefferson, SC

    "How Great Thou Art" with Barry Stebbing
Art Classes will be held May 17, 18, and 19th at
Jefferson Baptist Church in Jefferson, SC.   Classes
are designed to educate homeschool students in the
fine arts and will be 2 1/2 hours per session. Topics
covered include: art appreciation, beginning drawing
and painting, and an intro. to techniques and methods
with colored markers and pencils. Cost: $25 per student.
Contact Kasey Burnett (843)658-3021 or (704)516-8010.

SAT/ACT Summer Institutes at USC Campuses Summer 2012

University of South Carolina will be offering SAT/ACT Test Prep Institutes at USC Campuses this summer in Columbia, Beaufort/Hilton Head, Sumter, Aiken , and Lancaster. They will include 20 hours of in-classroom instruction, SAT and ACT textbooks and workbooks, and 4 interactive online sessions held in the fall. For the exact dates, time, and cost in your chosen location contact:
www.saeu.scedu/testing
testprep@mailbox.sc.edu
(803)777-9444

Homeschool Conventions Coming to South Carolina
Information-packed workshops, motivating speakers, curriculum booths

March 15-17, 2012 "Teach Them Diligently"
Spartanburg Expo Center
Spartanburg, SC 29303
Email: office@teachthemdiligently.net

March 22-24, 2012 "Great Homeschool Convention"
TD Convention Center
Greenville, SC 29607
www. SouthEastHomeschoolConvention.com

Homeschool Day at the Capitol
March 1, 2012
Come join fellow homeschoolers in Columbia on Thursday,
March 1, 2012, for tours of the State Capitol Building and
the Governor's Mansion. Register for the tours with Leslie at
schea2@sc.rr.com. The event is free--even parking!

Mid-Year Checklist 2011-2012

Just A Friendly Reminder to our PHA Members

Your Mid-Year Checklist 2011-2012 is due January 15th.

An extra copy is on page 63 of your handbook or can be accessed through the My PHA section of the website: Palmetto Homeschool Association web site.

Thank you for your timely compliance.

Reminder for PHA Parents of High Schoolers

I trust your school year is off to a good start.

If you choose to have a transcript kept through PHA, your registration, forms, and fee need to be submitted by September 30th. This must be renewed each year if you want to stay in the program. The information can be found in your handbook on pages 38-40, and the forms are on pages 41-45.

For those of you who have a senior this year and do want to be part of a graduation, PHA will again be providing this opportunity. Our date is the first Saturday in June—June 2, 2012, at USC in Lancaster. We will be providing more information to come.

May you have a rewarding school year!

Dee Hollinger
Director, PHA

Calls Needed--Senate Subcommittee to Hold Hearing on U.N CEDAW Treaty

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Congress failed to hear the message the American people sent on Election Day. On Thursday, November 18, during Congress’ lame-duck session, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law will hold a hearing on the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Urgent calls are needed to oppose this treaty. Additional Resources United Nation’s webpage on CEDAW >> Concerned Women for America Article on CEDAW >> Background CEDAW is an international treaty drafted by the United Nations in 1979. Although it was signed by the Carter administration, it has never been ratified by the U.S. Senate. While it was intended for a good purpose—stopping discrimination against women and girls—ratification by the U.S. Senate would not provide any greater protections to women and would actually cause irreparable harm to American sovereignty and to homeschool families. We urge you to read a detailed analysis of CEDAW and how it threatens homeschool freedom. If CEDAW is ratified, it will embolden internationalists to attempt ratification of additional treaties. HSLDA fears that approving CEDAW would be the first step toward ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which would cause even greater harm to homeschool freedom and parental rights. You can read Mike Farris’ detailed analysis of the U.N. children’s rights treaty online. Action Requested If your senator is listed below, please call him immediately and urge him to oppose CEDAW. If you choose, you can identify yourself as a homeschooler and explain how ratification of CEDAW would harm you specifically. You can use some or all of the following message: “Please oppose the United Nation’s CEDAW treaty during the hearing on Thursday, November 18. CEDAW would cause great harm to American sovereignty. Additionally, it will hurt the freedom of parents to choose how to educate their children and would allow the federal government to regulate how schools and parents teach their children under the guise of eliminating gender bias. Finally, it will not provide any greater protection to women and girls because U.S. laws and foreign policy already protect women from discrimination.” The following senators are on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law. If your senator is not on the committee, call the chairman and urge him to oppose CEDAW: Richard Durbin (IL), chairman (202) 224-2152 Russell Feingold (WI) (202) 224-5323 Benjamin Cardin (MD) (202) 224-4524 Edward Kaufman (DE) (202) 224-5042 Arlen Specter (PA) (202) 224-4254 Al Franken (MN) (202) 224-5641 Lindsey Graham (SC) (202) 224-5972 Tom Coburn (OK)—calls not needed—Senator Coburn opposes CEDAW John Cornyn (TX)—calls not needed—Senator Cornyn opposes CEDAW You can visit HSLDA’s Legislative Toolbox to find more contact information for your U.S. senators. We encourage you to send emails using the link above to thank senators Coburn and Cornyn for their opposition to CEDAW. Thank you for standing with us for freedom. Sincerely, Mike Smith President, HSLDA

Huge Curriculum Sale

Trinity Christian School in Rock Hill, SC will be having a yard sale to liquidate its curriculum grades K-12.

• Date: July 10th
• Time: 8 - 12
• Contact: Carissa James
• Phone: (803) 487-8848

SCHEA Legislative Alert

SCHEA Legislative Alert

* H3645 * raises the compulsory attendance age to 18 and ties the driver's license to school attendance. This bill, which has a fiscal impact of $100,000 for the DMV, would require school attendance as a condition for the issuance of a driver's license for anyone less than eighteen years of age.

It also requires that at the time of application for a license, documentation of enrollment status be presented to the DMV on a form approved by the Department.

But the real issue is this: "The board of trustees of the school district, the governing body of a private school, and _*an official of a home school association *_shall notify the Department of Motor Vehicles when an enrolled student who is at least fifteen but less than eighteen years of age has accumulated seven or more total unexcused absences, been expelled, or dropped out of school within fourteen days of occurrence."

This is not only beyond the scope of the home school law, but it would also require parents to report to their associations any unexcused absences, a definite infringement on the rights of home school parents and an unnecessary burden on association directors.

This bill has now come out of committee and passed second vote on the floor of the House.

We strongly urge all home schoolers to call their representatives and ask them to--at the very least--drop home schoolers from this bill.

The bill is due for debate and/or vote on Tuesday, May 4.

If you do not know who your representative is, go to www.votesmart.org and type in your zip code. You can find all the contact information there for your representative and senator.

Homeschool Day at the Capitol

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

All Homeschoolers are encouraged to meet in Columbia on WEDNESDAY, April 28, 2010 to Meet Your Senators and Representatives! Great Civic Experience!!
Plenty of tour opportunities at both the State Capitol Building, and the Governor's Mansion/Green. Plus, special discounts at SC Confederate Relic Room and Museum, Art Museum and Riverbanks Zoo. Cost (except for Art Museum and Riverbanks Zoo) is free, but pre-registration for tours is mandatory. Pre-register at schea2@sc.rr.com.


Come meet your legislators, enjoy the home school bands, sit in on workshops, have a try at the scavenger hunt, enter an original business card.

Plan to arrive early to make it through security before registration. Please leave as much as you can in your car. Everything else will need to fit in a zip lock bag. Be prepared to empty your pockets of keys, change or other items. Avoid bulky strollers and diaper bags.

See the web site for lots more details www.SCHomeEducatorsAssociation.org

HOME SCHOOL EXPO

You are invited to attend South Carolinas Home Educators Association's
HOME SCHOOL EXPO at ROCH HILL.

Saturday, MARCH 27,2010,
8:15am-2:00pm
at RAWLINSON ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH

Pre registration forms at:
http://www.schomeeducatorsassociation.org/expo.php
postmarked by March 19, 2010.

Cost at the door will be $10.00 per family.

Home School Bookstore

930 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce,
SC 29033 ~ (803) 227-2665

Curricula, Supplemental Resources, and Educational Toys

Huge Used Book Sale!
March 15-18, 2010

Hundreds of hardcover textbooks—most in great condition—will be available during a Huge Used Book Sale at Home School Bookstore, Monday, March 15th, through Thursday, March 18th. The vast majority of items will be priced between 50 cents and three dollars. Several books have accompanying teacher keys and student workbooks. Subjects include literature, English, handwriting, spelling, health, science, math (some Saxon), social studies, foreign language, and music. Materials are available for elementary, middle school, and high school students. Some textbooks are available in quantities adequate for group classes.

Please spread the word about the sale! The public is welcome. Doors open at 9:30am and close at 5:00pm each day except Thursday when the doors will be open until 9:00pm.

As always, everyday is tax-free day at the Home School Bookstore!

Regular hours of 9:30am – 5:00pm will be extended to 9:00pm on Thursday, March 18

For directions, go to www.SCAIHS.org.

Homeschool Days

Homeschool Days

September 16 & 18, 2009

Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Winston-Salem, NC

"Faith, Fellowship and Friends"

Please join us for our fall Homeschool Days. This event will focus on the faith and fellowship of the Moravians in Salem and how they worked together to establish a thriving community in the Backcountry of North Carolina.

Daily Activities:

Fire Drills - join in on the fun and learn how to fight fires the 19^th century way!

Vierling House and Apothecary - hear how the doctor took care of the many visitors that came to Salem. Make a hand-sewn autograph book on the back porch.

Vierling Barn - learn to write a Bible verse with a quill pen.

Enjoy popular 19^th c. children's games on the square.

Learn about the preparations for a Moravian Lovefeast for special Choir festivals, even sample a Lovefeast bun!

Sing with the Singing Sisters in the Saal and hear the beautiful pipe organ.

Paint a German Fraktur bookplate.

Learn to play a Cherokee Bean Game.

See quilting in progress at the Vogler House.

Puppet Shows for our younger visitors.

Learn about Salem while viewing "Salem Day" in the Gray Auditorium.

More activities and demonstrations throughout the day

Please call Sales Reservations at 1-800-441-5305 to make reservations.

Discounted Homeschool Ticket prices are $8.00 per child/adult with advance reservations and prepayment. Registration and payment must be made in advance for the discounted rate.

Reservations and payment can be made from July 6 until September 4, 2009.

Sorry, no refunds.

If space is available tickets may be purchased the day of the event at full admission price. Tickets sold on event day only at the Old Salem Visitor Center.

Reservations will be on a first come basis. Please phone in early as our spaces for this event fill quickly.

Graduates Video

The video is available HERE.

2009 State Convention at USC Sumter

2009 State Convention at USC Sumter

"Weathering the Storm: Staying the Course Through the Tough Times"

Key Note Speaker: Jeff Meyers
Featured Speaker: Carol Barnier
June 19-20, 2009

~Children's Program~
~Teen Conference~
~College Fair~
~Vendors, Workshops, Food~
~Something for the entire Family~

Registration is open now!
For more details visit www.schomeeducatorsassociation.org

A Message from our Executive Director

Greetings PHA member!

Palmetto Homeschool Association is making some exciting changes! I have retired as executive director as of March 1 and the executive director position will be handled by Mrs. Dee Hollinger.

Dee has homeschooled under Palmetto Homeschool Association for many years. She and her husband, Sam, live in Fort Mill.

Dee has been training with me since the beginning of January and will do an excellent job. Lindsey Catha, our assistant director will still continue to work beside Dee as she has with me the past several years.

PHA had also added a transcript director This position will be directed by Julie Brashear. She will handle both the transcript and diploma programs for PHA. She and her husband, Richard, have homeschooled for many years as well. The Brashear family lives in Rock Hill. Julie has already begun working on the transcripts for PHA and is doing a great job.

The PHA offices have relocated to a beautiful office complex directly across from York Technical College in Rock Hill. The new address and phone number for Palmetto Homeschool Association are:

Palmetto Homeschool Association, Inc.
Business Technology Center
BTC 568, Suite 209
454 S. Anderson Road
Rock Hill, SC 29730
Phone #: 803-327-2344

For your convenience, PHA is maintaining its Lancaster PO box address until July 1. But both addresses receive mail. Please take note of our new phone number. In a few days, our Lancaster phone number will give a recording of the new phone number. PHA's email addresses and website will remain the same.

Each year, PHA continues to grow, remain strong and well respected. I have very much enjoyed my position at PHA and will miss talking and working with its many wonderful families.

I wish you all the very best as you continue your homeschooling journey as members of PHA!

Very sincerely,

Merritt Morris

SCHEA Action Update

SCHEA Action Update:

Are your parental rights really in danger now?

FoxNews.com just released a new article "Child Rights or Blow to Parents?" on its home page. The article titled "Boxer Seeks to Ratify UN Treaty That May Erode US Rights" covers the issue of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its inherent danger to parents' rights to make every-day decisions in raising their children and the danger to national sovereignty when we hand over to foreign committees the power to tell Americans how to raise their children.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is being pushed for ratification soon. The solution to this threat is a parental rights constitutional amendment, making parental rights a fundamental right on par with freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom to assemble. Fundamental rights can not be overridden by the UN Convention.

If you are concerned about this issue, go to www.parentalrights.org, sign the petition, and become a 10-and-2 rep. This is the most important action you can take now - numbers count and our representatives are watching the number who are signing petitions. You can also help get word out about this issue by emailing Glenn Beck, me@glennbeck.com and stu@glennbeck.com, to encourage him to feature Mike Farris and this issue on an upcoming show. This will help get word to hundreds of thousands of people who might not even know that their parental rights are in danger. If you want more information, contact schea1@schomeeducatorsassociation.org.

Passing Information Along

The South Carolina Writers' Workshop is now accepting submissions for the 2009 High School Junior and Senior Writing Competition.

Any Junior or Senior currently attending any South Carolina public, private or homeschool is eligible. There is no entry fee but cash prizes will be awarded in three categories. The deadline is March 1, 2009.

For further details and to download appropriate forms, go the South Carolina Writers' Workshop website at www.myscww.org