NHEG EDGuide December 2016

1

Just For You! 

2

HIGHLIGHTS 

Unlike Their Neighbors: 

Charter School Student 

Composition Across States 

Page 21 

Home Education: Viable 

Educational Alternative 

Page 52 

Pamela Clark 

Founder/ Executive Director of 

The New Heights Educational Group, 

Inc. 

Resource and Literacy Center 

Right to Obtain an 

Independent 

Educational Evaluation 

Page 64 

On The Cover: 

A golden Christmas 

representing family, 

tradition, beliefs and love 

for your fellow man. 

NHEG PAGES 

Chief Execuve & Project Director 

Pamela Clark 

Editor 

Bill Naugle 

Cover Designer 

Marina Klimi 

Proof Reader 

Jenni Schreiber 

3

Over the River and Through 

the Woods . . . 

4

Number of home-schooled students has doubled since 

1999, new data shows 

By Emma Brown 

Approximately 1.8 million U.S. children were home-schooled in 2012, more than double the number that 

were home-schooled in 1999, when the federal government began gathering data on national homeschooling 

trends, according to estimates released Tuesday. The estimated number of home-schooled 

children represents 3.4 percent of the U.S. student population between the ages of 5 and 17. 

The increase was fastest between 1999 and 2007, then slowed between 2007 and 2012, according to the 

estimates from the National Center for Education Statistics. 

The figures show that most home-schoolers were white and living above the poverty line in 2012. An 

estimated 4 in 10 home-schoolers had parents who graduated from college, while about 1 in 10 

had parents whose formal education ended before they graduated from high school. 

About one-third live in rural areas, while slightly more than one-third live in the suburbs and slightly less 

than one-third live in cities. 

Researchers conducted the home-schooling survey of a nationally representative sample of students via 

telephone from 1999 to 2007. In 2012, they instead asked questions via mail, introducing some 

methodological changes that make it more difficult to compare results over time. 

It’s particularly difficult to tell whether parents’ reasons for home-schooling have changed. In 2007, for 

example, 36 percent of parents said that providing “religious or moral instruction” was the most 

important reason for home-schooling. It was the top-ranked “most important” reason for home-schooling 

that year. 

In 2012, that share appeared to fall: Seventeen percent named religious instruction as most important 

and 5 percent said moral instruction was most important. But the question was asked differently, with 

religious and moral instruction as two separate reasons instead of one combined reason, and so it was not 

immediately clear whether the numbers represented a real change in parents’ motivations. 

The share of parents who said their most important reason was concern about the environment at other 

schools, such as safety, drugs and peer pressure, rose from 21 percent in 2007 to 25 percent in 2012. But 

that change was not statistically significant. 

5

December 2016 

We at NHEG wish your family a Happy and 

Safe Holiday. We hope that you find something 

to be thankful for during this time of the year. 

We are thankful for our volunteers, 

supporters, students and families. 

ON MY MIND 

Pamela Clark 

6

Second Annual Make College Happen Challenge SM Launches Today! 

The Make College Happen Challenge brought to you by Sallie Mae in partnership with By Kids For Kids 

Co. (BKFK), an educational company providing free programs and resources to schools and 

families, launches today! Students can enter for a chance to win the $15,000 grand prize! 1 

Who: 14 to 18-year-old U.S. residents [official rules] 

What: Chance to win a $15,000 scholarship 

When: Beginning November 1, 2016 and ending December 31, 2016 

How: Creatively explain how to pay for college by submitting a poem, video, 

essay, photo, presentation, or song 

Visit Make College Happen Challenge now to learn more. 

Help make college happen by sharing this flyer with 

your students and their families. 

7

Ever Dream of having your own Radio Show ? 

New Heights Educational Group is a Resource and Literacy Center based in Defiance, 

Ohio. We share a concern with families having access to information for those 

with special needs, including Autism. 

We offer live internet radio shows to discuss various educational topics and we are 

looking for a VOLUNTEER to host a half-hour radio show. We would give the 

necessary training and the volunteer can choose the time of the show 

on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday. Anyone interested in applying 

please email us at NewHeightsEducation@yahoo.com or call 419-786- 

0247 for more info. You can learn more about us by visiting our website 

www.NewHeightsEducation.org 

Please support our library and 

satellite office at: 

gofundme.com/9z4paprw 

8

Perfect for Christmas or any holiday! 

Book ad 

9

Exciting news: our new book titled, 

"Unraveling Reading" 

On Sale Now at amazon and kindle!!! 

10

GET A CHANCE TO WIN $10,000 

STUDENTS 

Create a digital short to persuade your peers to not drive distracted, and earn a chance to win $10,000! 

Watch a short video from a previous contest winner. Then, take a look at the downloadable activities and 

the interactive Tip Sheet. 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Web Site: http://drivesmartnow.com/index.php 

STEP ONE 

Sign up for an account by selecting "Contest Registration". 

STEP TWO 

Start an entry. Save it and then submit it later or submit it right away. 

STEP THREE 

Submit your entry by December 19 th ! 

About the Contest 

Teens, create a digital short to help educate 

your peers about the dangers of driving 

distracted. In addition to helping your friends 

and others to stay safe on the road, you'll earn a 

chance to 

win $10,000! 

11

2016 HSLDA Essay Contest Now Open! 

Whose History Will You Bring to Life? 

History will always have a mysterious side for us because we were not there to witness most of the 

events that have taken place. We’ll never truly know what it was like to sit among the Pilgrims at the 

first Thanksgiving, or to build bomb shelters in the backyard during the Cold War. 

This year, we want you to explore that mystery! We can’t time-travel, but we can study the past and 

learn how to rise above the challenges we face today and embrace a greater vision for our future. 

There’s a lot to choose from for your essay—depending on your age, you can select a person, day, or 

event from world history, U.S. history, your state history, or even your family history. 

To get started, put yourself in someone else’s shoes (or boots or moccasins) and let your imagination 

take you to their world! 

Category 1 (ages 7-10) – If you could go back in time, who would you most want to have a 

conversation with? Why? What would you want to talk about? 

Category 2 (ages 11-14) – If you could go back in time, what day would you most like to witness up 

close, like a fly on the wall, and why? 

Category 3 (ages 15-19) – If you could go back in time, what historical event would you like to have 

been involved in, and why? 

Enter the contest today! 

And as you ponder the people and events of the past, we invite you to consider how what you’re living 

out today will one day become your personal history. 

12

Completing and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the single most 

important action you can take to get money for college. 

The FAFSA is used by schools to put together your financial aid package, including grants, work-study, federal student 

loans, and even state and school financial aid. 

If you’re applying for financial aid for academic year 2017–18, you can now submit your FAFSA starting October 

1, 2016, using your 2015 income tax return. 

Be sure to submit the FAFSA every year you’re in college. 

Aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so know your deadlines and apply as early as you can to maximize 

your financial aid. 

For the most current information on this and other changes, be sure to visit studentaid.ed.gov. 

How to complete the FAFSA 

These three simple steps can make the process faster and easier. 

Step 1: Gather all the information you’ll need, including: 

· Your drivers’ license and Social Security number Your parents’ Social Security numbers and birthdates 

· Your family’s latest federal income tax returns W-2 forms 

· Bank statements Information on your family’s investments 

Step 2: Bookmark FAFSA.gov 

· Don’t fall for scams. The only site you should use to fill out and submit your application is FAFSA.gov. 

· There’s no charge for submitting the FAFSA. 

· This is where you get your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID; the user name and password give you access to the site. 

· The site also has the most up-to-date information on upcoming changes. 

Step 3: Submit your FAFSA 

· The easiest and fastest way is to file online with your FSA ID. Your application will be processed within 3-5 days. 

· You can mail in a paper application, but the processing time will take about 7-10 days. 

13 

13

NHEG’s Volunteer of the Month program recognizes the dedication and 

work of some of our most active volunteers. NHEG relies on volunteers to 

help with our education programs, our special events, public outreach, 

and other activities that help fulfill our mission of supporting literacy for 

children and adults by offering a range of educational support services. 

Contact us to learn more about volunteering. 

This month we recognize a special group of volunteers: those that have 

gone above and beyond what is needed in their everyday duties. NHEG is 

an all-volunteer organization. We have volunteers from all around the 

world! 

Ginnefine Jalloh 


Aditi Chopra 

Marina Klimi 

Mike Anderson 

Sam Custer 

Roberta Perkins 

Brittany Brzezinski 

Daniela Silva 

Sheila Wright 

Shannon Williamson 

Kaden Behan 

Victoria Lowery 

Briana Dincher 

Priscilena Shearon 

Vanh Vue 

Savleen Grewal 

Jon Aitken 

William Naugle 

Enjoli Baker 

Robert Hall 

Kevin Adusei 

Tanu Tiwari 

Jyoti Dave 

Katie Gerken 

Kiyoko Green 

Pamela Unruh 

Julian Beck 

Alen Omeragic 

Nisha Zachariah 

Beth Barger 

Sathiyan Sivakumaran 

14

Okay. So, like most experienced political people from all across the spectrum, I didn’t forecast the dramatic 

Trump victory. In defense of my prognostication abilities, I did tell my wife about two weeks before the 

election that I thought that Trump actually had a chance to win. That was the first time I had thought or said 

such a thing. 

So what does this mean for issues of concern to homeschooling families and related communities? 

1. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and related treaties most likely will not 

see the light of day. 

The person leading the State Department’s transition team is Steven Groves, a long-term ally from the 

Heritage Foundation. Steve and I were the only two witnesses allowed to testify against the UN Convention on 

the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

This is a strong signal that the State Department will move in a good direction on protecting American 

sovereignty. 

2. We will need to exercise special diligence on judicial appointments. 

Historically, Republican appointments for federal judges are good in many sectors of constitutional law. 

However, GOP-appointed justices have been very unreliable on issues of parental rights and religious freedom. 

HSLDA will join with other religious freedom–oriented groups to ensure that these issues are given appropriate 

consideration in the process of vetting federal judges. 

3. We cannot just assume that all will be well on education issues. 

Donald Trump has no experience or track record with education policy. There is some very early talk about an 

effort to actually close the United States Department of Education. That would be a wonderful miracle. 

It is fair to expect Trump’s team to take away any federal program that will promote the Common Core. This 

does not mean that states will automatically stop this program. But the federal financial incentives to do so 

should be halted. 

We can and must insist that the prohibitions on any federal role in homeschooling (which we first won in 1994) 

will be extended and hopefully put into permanent law. 

(Continued next page) 

15

(Continued from previous page) 

4. Religious freedom will still be an extremely important issue and cause for concern. 

While we can expect the administrative branches of the federal government to be far less of a threat itself to 

religious freedom, the federal courts are not so easily changed in the short run. 

However, many of the threats to religious liberty are at the state level. State agencies are the ones that have 

prosecuted Christian pharmacists who refuse to sell abortion-causing drugs. The Supreme Court (led by GOPappointed 

justices) eviscerated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment and limited the ability of the 

Religious Freedom Restoration Act to protect citizens against state agencies which invade our free exercise 

rights. 

There is not a lot that the Trump administration can do to fix these state-based problems originally caused by 

the U.S. Supreme Court. Appointing good justices is a start, but that is a long-term issue that will require a 

real change on the Court. 

Religious freedom fights will continue to escalate and we cannot relax thinking all is well on this front. 

5. The right to life may see some important gains. 

It is very possible that Planned Parenthood will no longer receive federal funding. That will be a really big deal, 

if it comes to pass. 

We certainly should see the federal government step back from its role as a worldwide promoter of abortion 

rights. 

Donald Trump has no experience or track record with education policy. There is some very early talk about an 

effort to actually close the United States Department of Education. That would be a wonderful miracle. 

It is fair to expect Trump’s team to take away any federal program that will promote the Common Core. This 

does not mean that states will automatically stop this program. But the federal financial incentives to do so 

should be halted. 


16


6. Mike Pence may become the most influential Vice President in American history. 

While Donald Trump clearly understood the hearts of the American public in remarkable ways, his lack of 

political experience will require him to lean on others for knowledge and wisdom. There is no finer man I have 

ever worked with in politics than Mike Pence. He is a strong evangelical Christian and an unfailing friend to 

homeschooling families. 

I am committed to praying every single day for Mike Pence, that he will be relied upon in significant ways not 

only for policy but for wisdom and an example of character. 

7. Trump and the GOP majority in Congress have a real chance to deliver. 

If the Trump administration becomes known for verbal outbursts and vendettas, the GOP will suffer long-term 

damage. Worse yet, because of the strong evangelical Christian support for Trump, this community will suffer 

lasting political consequences through association with a leader for whom character does not matter. 

However, if Trump turns a page in his life and becomes the man that many good and godly people hoped he 

would become, then we have the far better story that people can change and that character still does matter. 

But as important as the character issues are, the plain fact is that Trump and the GOP must deliver meaningful 

change that results in less federal government, less debt, less intrusion into our lives, and greater protections 

for the freedoms actually listed in the Constitution. The alienation coming from the long-term failure of the 

GOP to deliver any meaningful reform is at the heart of the reason the electorate rejected every experienced 

politician, first in the GOP presidential primaries and then on November 8. 

In short, if Donald Trump exhibits consistent character and together with the GOP leadership in Congress 

delivers meaningful change, then the future looks brighter than it has in a long time. 


17


But, in the meantime, citizens must be vigilant at all times because the allure of Washington, D.C., can entice 

the best and the brightest. 

8. We need to pray for our president. 

Donald Trump will be sworn in as President on January 20. If we are Americans, he will be our president, just 

as Obama was our president. Our duty to pray for our president is unconditional and does not depend on 

whether we voted for them or not. 

I am praying that Donald Trump will become the man that many believed him to be and that he would come to 

know Christ in a mature way. (I don’t know his soul, but we can always pray that someone would grow in 

Christ.) 

In conclusion 

Pray for our leaders. Hope for the best. Watch and be ready to fight at a moment’s notice. 

18

Dial 347-934-0450 for Priscilena Shearon 

19

Evangelical Christian Credit Union 

Join ECCU and we'll pay for up to two years of 

your HSLDA membership.* 

Simply open a checking account with direct deposit, savings account with a 

$500 balance and/or credit card to get started.* 1 account = 1 year 

CHECKING 

Easy to manage checking 

accounts with online and 

mobile banking, bill pay, 

mobile deposits, and a 

naonwide branch & ATM 

network. 

SAVINGS 

Higher savings rates than 

naonal average plus free 

online banking & mobile 

app, free electronic 

transfers, and naonwide 

branch & ATM access. 

CREDIT CARD 

With the Visa Gold 

Everyday Cashback Credit 

Card earn 1.5% cash back 

on every purchase, no 

annual fee, no 

internaonal transacon 

membership. 2+ accounts 

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 

ECCU supports and celebrates the vibrant community of parents who have 

chosen to be their child’s primary educator. That’s why Home School Legal 

Defense Association (HSLDA) and ECCU are partnering and inviting you 

to join ECCU. Joining the ECCU family is easy and immediately 

rewarding because you can receive up to 2 years of HSLDA membership for 

free.* 

17 

20

Unlike Their 

Neighbors: Charter 

School Student 

Composition Across 

States 

BY NAT MALKUS 

The national debate over charter schools has been fueled by two competing narratives about the kinds 

of students charters serve. Opponents claim charters unfairly select the most advantaged students, 

draining resources from traditional public schools and avoiding accountability. Proponents paint a 

different picture, claiming many charters purposefully serve the most disadvantaged students who have 

languished in failing public schools. Both characterizations have some merit, but neither accurately 

describes charter schools writ large. As cataloged in a previous report, Differences on Balance, charter 

schools nationwide display a variety of balanced differences in student composition, compared with their 

neighboring public schools. 

However, charters are governed by the states, and some states’ charter schools display a much less 

balanced set of differences. In some states, charter schools look much more like their opponents’ 

characterizations, serving far fewer historically disadvantaged students than their neighbors. Other 

states have charter sectors that look like charter proponents often suggest, serving more disadvantaged 

students. 

Several states are on the extremes of this spectrum, but most fall somewhere in between, reflecting the 

diversity of not only charter schools but also charter sectors across states. These individual reports 

profile each state’s charter sector to promote a more nuanced national portrait of charters and a more 

informed discussion of state charter policy. 

Report 

National debate over charter schools has hit a fevered pitch this year. Teachers unions and many 

classical Democrats have opposed charters with this wing successfully stiffening anti charter language 

in the Demo-cratic National Committee’s official platform. Even more extreme, the NAACP and the 

Movement for Black Lives Matter called for a complete national moratorium on charter schools. 

However, the charter debate does not cleave along a simple left/right divide. While those on the right 

tend to support charters, groups on the left fall on both sides of the issue. Teachers unions, traditional 

Democrats, and some civil rights organizations oppose them, but Presi-dent Barack Obama and many 

civil rights organizations have been strong charter supporters. Other groups, including the Democrats 

for Education Reform (DFER), the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), and hundreds of civil 

rights leaders , have specifically dismissed calls for a moratorium, with BAEO President Jacqueline 

Cooper calling the NAACP resolution "ill-conceived and based on lies and distortions about the work of 

charter schools. 

The divide is rooted in two competing narratives about what charters are and what students they serve. 

Opponents paint charter schools as "public-private" schools run by independent groups that seek to 

profit from public funds without accountability and that use various means to select the most advantaged 

students for their schools. 


21

Unlike Their 




States 

BY NAT MALKUS 


Hillary Clinton illustrated that view last year when she said, "Most charter schools, they don’t take the 

hardest-to-teach kids, or, if they do, they don’t keep them." 5 

Supporters paint a very different picture. They tend to think of charters as hope-filled alternatives for historically 

disadvantaged students who have long been failed by traditional public schools (TPSs). As 

Shavar Jefferies of DFER argued, "In communities of color throughout our country, public charter schools 

are pro-viding pathways to college and careers that previously were not available." 6 

A national conversation begs for a simple idea of what charters are and who they serve, and these two 

narra-tives are competing to define that idea. That competition has thrived in part because of limited 

evidence on charter student selectivity. Some evidence has had a national scope but used faulty 

comparisons between all charters and all TPSs. This is problematic because it ignores the fact that most 

TPS students have no charter choices. Other studies have used more nuanced methods but in small 

areas, which means that the results do not generalize to all charters. 

I tried to bridge this divide in a recent report that compared the student composition of charter schools to 

that of the TPSs that neighbor them. 7 This approach affords a viable look at student selectivity in all brickand-mortar 

charters nationwide by removing the majority of TPSs whose students do not have viable 

access to charter options from the comparisons. By examin-ing how often, how much, and in what 

directions char-ter schools’ students differed from those in neighboring TPSs, I found that, nationally, 

charters frequently differ from neighboring TPSs on many characteristics, but not in uniform ways. 

Student poverty is a perfect example. Charters are often assumed to serve more poor students than 

TPSs. Compared to their neighboring TPSs, many charters do serve substantially more poor students; 

however, just as many serve fewer poor students, and both groups differ by comparable amounts. 

Clarifying these national differences between char-ters and TPSs is worthwhile for a national debate. How 

-ever, that clarity may be even more important at the state and local levels, where charter policies are 

articu-lated. Across the nation, charters differ from both their neighboring TPSs and other charter schools. 

Some of those differences are balanced nationally, but that is not the case in all states. Looking across 

states can also show how the charter sectors in one state can look very different from another. 

In addition, charter schools are accountable to state and local authorizers, which granted their charters 

and can take them away. Clear evidence on how charter schools differ from their neighboring TPSs in a 

given state are vitally important when high-stakes decisions are being made, such as the upcoming voter 

referendum in Massachusetts that will decide whether the state cap on charter schools will be lifted. 

This report provides that state-specific context. It compares charter and neighboring TPSs at the state 

level, using the same methods as the national report. The first section provides a brief summary of the 

methods used to identify neighboring TPSs and compare them to charter student populations and 

explains how to inter-pret the findings. The next section contains reports for each state that had at least 50 

charter schools that could be matched to five neighboring TPSs. 


22

Unlike Their 




States 

BY NAT MALKUS 


Data and Methods 

The primary data for this report came from the 2011–12 Common Core of Data (CCD) from the National 

Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which includes infor-mation on school type, location, and the 

percentage of students by race and eligibility for reduced-price meals for every school in the nation. 8 Data 

from the 2011–12 Civil Rights Data Collection from the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights 

supplied percent-ages of students with disabilities and students who were English language learners, as 

well as data on out-of-school suspensions. EDFacts data from the NCES pro-vided school student 

proficiency data. 

Identifying Neighboring TPSs. I developed a straight-forward means of identifying neighboring TPSs, 

which are non charter public schools whose students could have enrolled in a charter school, using three 

criteria: distance, jurisdiction, and grade range. 

The first matching criterion was distance. Based on the assumption that students in the closest TPSs are 

the most likely to attend a given charter school, I included the closest five TPSs as the comparison for 

each char-ter. TPSs located more than 30 miles from a charter school were considered too far away to be 

reasonably close neighbors and were excluded. 

The second criterion was the charter school’s rela-tionship to the school district in which it is located. 

Charter schools authorized by a school district were matched only to TPSs in the same district. Those 

autho-rized by an entity other than the school district were allowed to match with any TPS in the state. 

The third criterion was grade range. Neighboring TPSs were considered comparable only to a charter 

serving overlapping grade ranges. Matching grade ranges avoided inappropriate matches, such as 

between a high school and a nearby charter elementary school. 

Not all charter schools could be matched to five neighboring TPSs. Of about 5,700 charter schools in the 

CCD in 2011–12 890 were excluded because they were special-purpose schools, too small, or virtual char 

-ter schools. About 4,800 charter schools (84 percent) were matched to at least one neighboring TPS, and 

4,280 (89 percent) were matched to five . In addition, Louisiana charters were not included in this analysis 

because all the states charter schools were identified as alternative schools on the CCD. 

Comparing Charters to Their Neighboring TPSs. Even with an ideal comparison group of TPSs, comparing 

schools’ average characteristics can be misleading. Comparing averages assumes charters are 

reasonably uniform, which national comparisons in the report Dif-ferences on Balance demonstrated to be 

false. 

Comparing TPSs 

The comparisons in these state reports look at the distribution of differences between each charter school 

and its neighboring TPSs. They show how much each charter school’s student composition differs from 

the average for its five neighboring TPSs and in what direc-tion. The distributions of differences reveal how 

often, how much, and in what direction charter schools differ from TPSs in terms of the school’s 

suspension rates and students’ race, poverty, special education and limited English proficiency (LEP) 

status, and proficiency. 


23

Unlike Their 




States 

BY NAT MALKUS 


Differences Among State’s Charter Schools 

Individually, each report gives a clear and concise description of how the students served by that state’s 

charter sector differ from the students served by neigh-boring public schools. The differences among 

states are substantial. In some states, such as Ohio, the char-ter sector as a whole serves far more black 

and poor students and far fewer white students than the public schools located nearest to charters. The 

fact that Ohio charters serve a relatively higher proportion of histori-cally disadvantaged students is 

reflected in their relative proficiency rates, which, although mixed, are predom-inantly lower than 

neighboring TPSs. In other states, such as North Carolina, the charter sector serves much smaller 

proportions of black, Hispanic, poor, and LEP students, and far more white students, than the schools 

located near them. Unsurprisingly, given these differ-ences in student composition, far more North 

Carolina charters have markedly higher proficiency rates than their neighboring TPSs. Most states fall 

somewhere in between these extremes, and in most, charters defy a simple description, as more charters 

than TPSs serve both higher and lower percentages of multiple student types. A few, notably New York, 

both serve more histor-ically disadvantaged students and have higher relative proficiency rates. 

Collectively, these reports are more than the sum of their parts, and readers are encouraged to look at all 

the state profiles because they provide context for individual states. The entire report gives readers a 

compara-tive view of charter sectors across states, which shows that charter sectors, like charter schools 

themselves, are quite diverse. In total, they reflect variety in char-ter laws and regulations, diversity in 

charter authorizers and operators, and differences in the families that are attracted to charter schools 

across the states. 

24

To be a volunteer, it takes... 

Generosity, a willingness to give 

your time to others 

Understanding, because their lives should 

be very different from your own 

Empathy, an ability to put yourself in 

someone else's shoes and feel what they 

must feel 

Compassion, to truly care about making 

someone else's life better 

Patience, because the process doesn't 

always go as smoothly as it might 

Dedication, to stick with the project and 

see it through 

You've shown these qualities and so 

much more, so thank you for all that you 

do. 

Public Service Bulletin Board 

Up Coming Holidays 

December 24 Christmas Eve 

December 25 Christmas Day 

December 31 New Years Eve 

January 1 New Years Day 

25 25

UNITED STATES HOME SCHOOL FAMILY-TO-FAMILY 

PROGRAM 

From NHEG Director Pamela Clark: 

“As a homeschool parent myself, I know the frustraons that come from wanng to provide your children a rich and versale 

educaon on a single income. Therefore, I’m pleased to announce New Heights Home School Family-to-Family Program, an 

effort that allows budget-conscious homeschool families the opportunity to travel for hands-on learning and work programs.” 

For many of us, a hotel is simply too expensive. read “This collaboraon between homeschool families gives you and your 

children a place to stay as they expand their horizons and allows you to host other wonderful families, providing unique 

experiences and stories to share. 

We currently have 10 host families located in: 

Defiance, Ohio 

Modesto, California 

Northern California 

Bozeman, Montana 

Fairplay, Maryland 

Copper Canyon, Texas 

Conneccut 

Pembroke, Virginia 

Peterstown, West Virginia 

More to come… 

Interested? Please read our rules to see if the program fits your family. If so, please contact us to sign up. 

Basic Procedures & Requirements 

Vising families that parcipate in the program are also asked to be a host family; however, we realize this is not feasible for 

everyone. Rest assured, no one will be excluded! 

Host family: 

In order to ensure a good fit, you can choose to talk to the families/meet in a public place before taking them to your home. 

Provide safe, clean, cost-free place for family to stay. 

Provide references (so that all families feel secure). 

Please state whether you will offer meals during a student/family visit. 

Please state if you would like to be a guide to a vising family. 

Vising family: 

NO LIMITS, 

JUST GOALS! 

You must abide by and be respecul of the host family’s home and rules. 

Please indicate if your children have special needs. This will allow your host family to provide you with needed special 

accommodaons. 

It is essenal that children respect other people, their homes and belongings. Please do not parcipate if your children have not 

yet learned this valuable skill. 

26

Do you have an empty building? 

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization seeking usable space or funding to operate a curricula library and 

administrative office. 

The New Heights Educational Group, Inc. promotes literacy for children and adults by offering a range of 

educational support services. Such services include: assisting families in the selection of schools; organization 

of educational activities; and acquisition of materials. 

We promote a healthy learning environment and enrichment programs for families of preschool and schoolage 

children, including children with special needs. 

It’s so important that we find a space for our library. Some of you may think that since we have a local public 

library that is enough. I do love public libraries and have spent hours utilizing their resources. 

So how is our library different? Our library contains curriculum for all ages of students. Anyone can come in 

and for a small fee take out curriculum for a week, month, or a year and its interchangeable. If you don’t like 

the curriculum you use simply bring it back and exchange for something else. We have books for every grade 

including college and resources for teachers/tutors. Our library serves all families but with special 

consideration for home and charter school families that need help on a small budget. We also have a private 

library that serves those being tutored. This is of great urgency; we have already turned away families this 

year that need these books. 

If you have a space in a commercial/industrial/business area or a residential property in Defiance County 

that you can donate to our organization, in return for a tax deductible certificate stating the value of the 

space, please contact us via our website www.NewHeightsEducation.org or email us 

at NewHeightsEducation@yahoo.com. We would love to discuss how you or your business will benefit from 

the donation program. 

Pamela Clark 

Executive Director 

419-786-0247 

Please contact us at 419-786-0247 or email us NewHeightsEducaon@yahoo.com 

or visit our website at www.NewHeightsEducaon.org 

This is a great way you can serve the 

community and this would be tax 

deducble. 

27

We’re Looking 

(Are you the perfect candidate?) 

We are considering bringing an assessor(s) to work 

within our organization to provide online 

assessments through our website. Each year families 

could visit our site and set up an assessment time to 

have these completed virtually or meet in person, 

depending on the assessor. We would create an 

online profile for each assessor and share posters and 

flyers with the public. NHEG would receive 20% of 

each referral. 

If you are interested in partnering with the New 

Heights Educational Group, please share a resume, 

three references, an email addresses, and proof that 

you are a licensed/ certified teacher holding a valid 

Ohio teaching certificate (excluding the non-tax 

certificate issued under Ohio Revised Code 

3301.071). A brief biography with a picture would 

also be appreciated. 

We will choose from the list of responses. 

28

The school visit: what to look for, what to ask 

There's no substitute for visiting the schools on your list, so you can get a sense of the school 

environment and get your questions 

answered. 

By GreatSchools Staff 

Be sure to visit all the schools on your list, if you can. A visit is the best way to determine whether a school is 

right for your child. Even a short visit will help you identify a school’s strengths and challenges. It’s also the 

only way to get a feel for a school’s climate — intangible but important factors like the dynamism of the 

teaching, engagement of the students, quality of communication and respect between students, teachers, 

administrators, and parents, and the overall sense that the school offers a safe and inspiring learning 

environment. 

School visit checklists 

Get a printable guide to help you plan your elementary, middle, or high school visit. 

Before your visit 

Do your homework. Read about the schools you’ll be visiting. Examine their school profiles on 

GreatSchools.org. Talk to other parents and check your local newspaper for articles about the schools. 

Contact the school. Most schools conduct regular school tours and open houses during the enrollment season 

— typically in the fall. Call the school or go online to schedule a visit. 

Ask and observe. Jot down your questions before your visit (the sample questions below will help you create 

your list). 

Key questions to ask 

Does this school have a particular educational philosophy or mission? 

Is the school implementing the Common Core State Standards, and if so, what is the procedure and timeline for 

teacher training and implementation? 

What is the average class size? 

What is this school’s approach to student discipline and safety? 

How much homework do students have? What is the school’s philosophy/approach to homework? 

What kind of library resources are available to students? 

How is technology used to support teaching and learning at this school? 

How do the arts fit into the curriculum? Is there a school choir, band or orchestra? A drama program? Art 

classes? 

What extracurricular opportunities (sports, clubs, community service, competitions) are available for students? 

How do students get to school? Is free school busing available? 

Is bullying a problem at the school? Does the school have an anti-bullying policy? 

Does the school have a program for gifted students? 

How does this school support students who have academic, social or emotional difficulties? 

What strategies are used to teach students who are not fluent in English? 

What professional development opportunities do teachers have? In what ways do teachers collaborate? 

Does the school offer Physical Education (PE) classes? 

What are some of the school’s greatest accomplishments? What are some of the biggest challenges this school 

faces? 


29




answered. 



Features to look for 

Do classrooms look cheerful? Is student work displayed, and does it seem appropriate for the grade level? 

Do teachers seem enthusiastic and knowledgeable, asking questions that stimulate students and keep them 

engaged? 

Does the principal seem confident and interested in interacting with students, teachers and parents? 

How do students behave as they move from class to class or play outside? 

Is there an active Parent Teacher Association (PTA)? What other types of parent involvement take place at this 

school? 

How well are the facilities maintained? Are bathrooms clean and well supplied, and do the grounds look safe 

and inviting? 

Especially for elementary schools 

What are some highlights of this school’s curriculum in reading, math, science and social studies? 

What criteria are used to determine student placement in classes? 

How does this school keep parents informed of school information and activities? 

Is quality child care available before and after school? 

How much outdoor time do kids get each day? 

Especially for middle schools 

How does the school guide and prepare students for major academic decisions that will define their options in 

high school and beyond? 

Does the school offer tutoring or other support if students need extra help? 

Are world language classes (French, Spanish, etc.) offered to students? 

If the school is large, does it make an effort to provide activities that create a sense of community? 

Especially for high schools 

Does this school have a particular curriculum focus, such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and 

Math) or the arts? 

What kind of emphasis does the school place on college preparation? 

Does the school have a good selection of Advanced Placement (AP) and honors classes? 

What percentage of students take the SAT or/and ACT? 

Where do students go after they graduate? How many attend four-year college? Are graduates prepared for 

college? 

Are counselors available to help students make important decisions about classes? 

Is college counseling and support available? 

Does the school offer a variety of career planning options for students who are not college bound? 

Does the school staff set high expectations for all students? 

Does the school have tutoring programs so students can get extra help if they need it? 

How do students get to school? Is there a parking lot, and are buses (public or district-provided) available? 

Does this school have any school-to-work programs or specialized academies? 

What is the school drop-out rate? 


30




answered. 



Especially for charter schools 

When and why was this school created? 

Does the school have a specific focus? 

Who is the charter holder, or the group that created the school? 

How does the school select teachers? Are the teachers certificated? 

Is this the permanent location or facility for the school? If not, will the school be moving to another location in 

the near future? 

31

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE 

This simple yet sophisticated, 

airy yet intense concoction 

has been a hit with home 

cooks in America at least 

since the New York Times 

published its first recipe for 

the dessert in 1955. 

· 1 2 ⁄ 3 cups heavy cream 

· 2 tsp. vanilla extract 

· 

1 

⁄ 2 tsp. kosher salt 

· 4 egg whites 

· 

1 

⁄ 2 cup sugar 

· 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled 

· Chocolate shavings, to garnish 

In a large bowl, beat cream, vanilla, and salt with a whisk until stiff peaks form; chill. In 

another large bowl, beat egg whites with a whisk until soft peaks form. While whisking, 

slowly add sugar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add melted chocolate to egg 

whites, and fold until almost incorporated; add whipped cream and fold until completely 

incorporated. Divide among serving cups; chill. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings before 

serving. 

32

No-Bake Holiday Cookie Ornaments 

20 vanilla wafer cookies 

1 box Bey Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups® Blasn' Berry Hot 

Colors® chewy fruit flavored snacks 

20 (3-inch) pieces string licorice 

Coarse sugar, if desired 

1. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper. 

Unroll and remove paper from Bey Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups. Cut each 

in fourths. 

2. Making a loop using string licorice, and aach to back side of 

cookie, securing under fruit snack as you wrap fruit snack around 

33

Kids Christmas recipes: Holiday Snowmen Cookies 

1) 18 ounce roll refrigerated sugar 

or chocolate chip cookie dough 

2) Cup Royal Icing 

3) Miniature semisweet 

chocolate pieces, miniature 

candy-coated milk 

chocolate pieces, and/or 

gumdrops 

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Cut cookie dough into 15 equal 

pieces. Divide each dough piece 

into three balls: one about 1 inch 

in diameter, one 3/4 inch in 

diameter, and one 1/2 inch in 

diameter. On an ungreased 

large cookie sheet, arrange each 

set of balls into a snowman 

shape, placing balls 1/4 inch 

apart and snowmen at least 3 

inches apart. 

2) Bake in the preheated oven for 

10 to 12 minutes or until edges 

are light brown. Cool on cookie 

sheet for 3 minutes. Transfer to a 

wire rack; cool completely. 

3) Spread Royal Icing on cooled 

cookies. Decorate as desired with 

chocolate pieces and/or candies. 

34

We have a huge collection of data regarding various disabilities and how to manage the 

education of your kids with various disabilities ranging from Autism and ADHD to 

Prader-Willi Syndrome. We have hands-on experience in dealing with kids from 

various backgrounds. If you have any questions or information to contribute, 

please contact us. 

Autism spectrum disorder 

ADHD 

ALS 

Bipolar disease 

Cancer 

Celiac disease 

Cerebral palsy 

COPD 

Cystic fibrosis 

Down syndrome 

Driver education 

Dyslexia 

Disabled persons 

Edward's syndrome 

Fragile X syndrome 

Hearing loss 

Irlen syndrome 

Neural tube defect 

Paralysis 

Phenylketonuria 

Prader-Willi syndrome 

Rett syndrome 

Sickle cell disease 

Spina bifida 

Spinal deformity 

Stroke 

Tay-Sachs disease 

Traumatic brain injury 

35

36

Help us Reach Our Fund-raising Goals 

Please collect the following items and share with NHEG to help us reach 

our fundraising goals. 

TerraCycle 

Outsmart Waste 

Cell Phone Brigade® E-Waste Brigade® Inkjet Brigade® Laptop Brigade® 

DONATE YOUR OLD CAR, BOAT OR RV Make a Car Donation | Make a Difference 

Call 1-800-240-0160 and a friendly car donation specialist will schedule your 

pick-up appointment. 

A public charity 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization 

37

Charlotte McGuire 

CHARLOTTE McGuire 

38

ART RESOURCES 

SPECIAL NEEDS 

MATH RESOURCES 

READING RESOURCES 

MUSIC RESOURCES 

HISTORY RESOURCES 

NHEG website membership is only $25 per year. That comes to $2.09 per month. $2.09 a 

month will open the doors to many resources for the parent and student, either home 

schooled, charter schooled, or public schooled. We have built up a wonderful library of 

resources and have the ability to help students and families get the materials they need to 

succeed in their endeavors. One of our goals is to help remove as many roadblocks as 

possible to allow our students to show their capabilities. 

39

40

As a parent you work hard to provide a beer life for your child(ren). We work hard to 

make sure that you have the knowledge and resources you need to educate your 

child. This organizaon is the first of its kind. We are building gateways and resources 

to empower you and your child(ren) to achieve your goals and dreams. We believe that 

parents should be the caretakers of their children not a school or educaonal system. 

We work with the enre family unit and provide fill-in-the-gap type learning when 

reaching students. We have seen incredible advancements with students that 

parcipate in our program. Students being tutored normally jump 2 years in a 9-month 

period. The most we have seen is 3- and 4-year advancements with a science and math 

student that suffered from seizures when younger. This was accomplished in a lile 

over a year’s me. We have worked with students from all backgrounds and 

disabilies/special needs. If you really want to make a change and stop the cycle of bad 

grades, depression and students that are about to give up, we can help. We have 

helped many families and have seen amazing changes. 

NO LIMITS, JUST GOALS! 

WE BELIEVE, DO YOU? 

41

5 Important Special Education 

Laws 

By Education Law, Jacobson & John LLP 

Students with disabilities and special needs may need individually planned and systematically delivered teaching 

techniques. 

Special education programs work to help individuals develop not only their academic skills, but also the personal 

skills that help them become self-sufficient members of the community. 

Resource: Top 10 Online PhD in Special Education Programs 

Special education programs became obligatory in 1975 to prevent discrimination by public educational institutions 

against individuals with disabilities. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that, as of 2013, 

approximately 13 percent of all students in public schools were receiving special education services. 

1. Education for All Handicapped Children Act 

Passed by Congress in 1975, this was the first special education law directed at students with physical and mental 

disabilities. The law stated that public schools must provide children with special needs with the same opportunities 

for education as other children. It also required any public school that received federal funds to provide one free 

meal a day for these children. 

The mission of this act was to: 

make special education services accessible to children who require them; 

maintain fair and appropriate services for disabled students; 

institute systematic evaluation requirements for special education; and 

endow federal resources to public schools for the education of disabled students. 

2. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, was created in 1990 and is a modification of the Education 

for All Handicapped Children Act. This law ensures that special needs students receive appropriate free public 

education in the least restrictive environment necessary to meet those students’ needs. It helps students receive 

the extra assistance they need but allows them to participate in the same activities as children without special 

needs whenever possible. 

3. No Child Left Behind 

In 2001, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as the No Child Left Behind Act, called 

for schools to be accountable for academic performance of all students, whether or not they had disabilities. The 

act requires schools in every state to develop routine assessments of students’ academic skills. While it does not 

stipulate that these assessments meet a national standard, the law does oblige each state to come up with its own 

criteria for evaluation. 


42

5 Important Special Education 

Laws 

By Education Law, Jacobson & John LLP 

No Child Left Behind provides incentives for schools to demonstrate progress in students with special needs. It 

also allows for students to seek alternative options if schools are not meeting their academic, social or emotional 

needs. 

4. Individualized Education Programs 


The IDEA maintains that parents and teachers of children who qualify for special education must develop an 

Individualized Education Program, or IEP, that helps establish specific education for a child’s explicit needs. This 

requires caregivers to meet initially to determine a child’s eligibility for an IEP and to come together annually to 

develop and assess the educational plan. 

The student’s educational strategy must be designated in writing and should include an evaluation and description 

of the current academic status, measurable goals and objectives, designation of an instructional setting and 

placement within that setting and transition services for children aged 16 or older. An IEP gives parents the right to 

dispute any issues with the school district through a neutral third party. 

5. Students with Disabilities and Postsecondary School 

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 forbid discrimination in schools 

based on disability. This applies to colleges and universities as well as elementary, middle and high schools. Many 

students with special needs go on to study at the postsecondary level, but the laws are slightly different for 

postsecondary schools. The law does not require postsecondary schools to provide a free appropriate public 

education to students, but it does oblige schools to offer suitable academic adjustments and accessible housing to 

students with disabilities. 

Whether you’re a student with disabilities or you’re looking to teach children with disabilities, it’s important to know 

special education laws. These laws preserve the rights of students and their families and help integrate students 

with special needs into society without segregating them. Although the laws differ slightly from state to state, the 

acts passed by Congress help to standardize the treatment of students with special needs across the country. 

43

Colleges of Distinction's Diana Biffl just published a great new article on the CLT! Read it 

here: http://collegesofdistinction.com/resource/new-kind-college-entrance-exam/. 

44

NHEG has the opportunity to win some classroom supplies. 

Please vote for us! 

https://www.educents.com/wishlist/index/index/wishlist_id/26794/ 

This is our referral link. http://www.educents.com/signup-bonus.html?r=270976 

We will receive $10.00 in Edubucks credit once someone uses this URL to create an account and 

make a purchase of $25 or more on our site. 

Help us save even more on educational products! 

45

NHEG Organizational Chart 

46

Please Check It Out: 

The website link below has a drop down list. Customer can choose our name from the list for a 

portion of their purchase being donated to us. 

http://www.123contactform.com/form-1237983/Bonus-Bucks-Registration-Form 

You will find your organization listed under the drop down box. 

Missed a show? Check out past shows here: 

http://www.newheightseducation.org/education-talk-radio-nheg 

http://www.newheightseducation.org/kathy-woodring.html 

As they explore a new topic on education every week. . . 

47

1 World Aids Awareness Day 

2 National Fritters Day 

3 Advent begins 

4 Santas' List Day 

5 Repeal Day 

6 St. Nicholas Day 

7 Pearl Harbor Day 

8 National Brownie Day 

9 Christmas Card Day 

10 Human Rights Day 

11 International Children's Day 

12 Poinsettia Day 

13 Ice Cream Day 

14 Roast Chestnuts Day 

15 Bill of Rights Day 

16 National Chocolate Covered 

Anything Day 

17 National Maple Syrup Day 

18 Bake Cookies Day 

19 Look for an Evergreen Day 

20 Go Caroling Day 

21 Winter Solstice 

22 National Date Nut Bread Day 

23 Festivus - for the rest of us 

24 Channukah - date varies 

25 Christmas Day 

26 Boxing Day 

27 National Fruitcake Day 

28 Card Playing Day 

29 Pepper Pot Day 

30 Bacon Day 

31 New Year's Eve 

· Bingo Month 

· Write a Friend 

Month 

None 

: 

48

Reviews for 

‘Unraveling Reading’ 

I learned a lot, and I was so glad that 

I read it. We often forget that the 

student’s whole body contributes to 

their learning, and the brain exercises 

are such simple things that can make a 

huge difference! I think it provides a 

lot of easy to follow strategies for a 

variety of readers and learners to 

follow without shying away from 

technical terms. Also, I like that it 

provides insight into the way students 

learn and think, and that it reminds the 

reader to encourage and be positive 

when teaching. It’s important to not 

only know strategies but the rationale 

behind them. I think the opportunity 

to link to videos demonstrating the 

strategies would enhance and take 

advantage of its e-book format. As a 

writing instructor, there are things that 

I could share with my adult students 

who may have struggled with reading 

in high school or have re-entered 

college after some time away and are 

struggling with college-level texts. 

I’m also much more aware of learning 

disabilities that students in my class 

are struggling with or may not even 

realize that they have. I’ve read a bit 

about the cognitive science approach 

to literature (why we read fiction, how 

fiction affects our brain) so many 

parts of this book were right up my 

alley. 

Sheila Wright 

Unraveling Reading: 

I grew up attending public school, where my classmates 

and I would sit through the same lessons, use the same 

books, and be educated in the same, cookie-cutter way. 

However, there was a select group of students who 

would be removed from our classroom each day after the 

pledge and morning announcements. These were the 

students who weren't built to be taught in a traditional 

classroom, and special contract teachers were brought in to 

work with them each day, one-on-one and in small groups, 

in a different location. They came to be known as the 

"Speech kids," and even though we saw them each 

morning, played with them on the playground, and even 

hung out with them playing sports after school in our small 

town, they were segregated from their peers throughout the 

school day when learning was taking place. It made me sad 

for them; I felt like they stood out, that other kids our age 

labeled them unfairly. 

Unraveling Reading made me realize that these "Speech 

kids" were more than likely just as smart as we were. They 

were being taught the same material we were, only in a way 

that suited them. I grew up believing that there was just one 

style of learning, and if you couldn't grasp that style, you 

were isolated from your friends and classmates as 

punishment. My hopes are that, by publishing Unraveling 

Reading, there will be less of that segregation, and more 

celebration of student uniqueness and individuality! Having 

a chance to read this book really made me aware that there 

are several types of learning styles, and even though I am 

not an educator by profession, I was still able to take away 

some tips for working with people regarding the different 

styles. I believe this could be useful when teaching a coworker 

a task, a friend, or even maybe when working with 

my own children with their life skills. 

Great job Daniela! You've definitely spread the word on the 

endless possibilities of education. 


49

2016-2017 IN-THEATRE EDUCATION SERVICE 

AGREEMENT 

The Nutcracker – Tues, Dec 6 – 10am 

The Nutcracker – Thurs, Dec 8 – 10am 

The Nutcracker – Thurs, Dec 8 – 12:30pm 

The Nutcracker – Fri, Dec 9 – 10am 

Swan Lake – Fri, March 17 – 10am 

Reservation Form 

Click to print. 

50

Are you sharing our newest monthly Magazine and would like to be 

added to our Magazine mailing list………. 

Drop us an Email to: Newsletter@NewHeightsEducation.org 

51

Home Education: A Viable Educational Alternative 

by Sunny Weigand and E. Wade Gladin 

Education is a prime concern for most Americans. A steady flow of reports and studies being released 

indicate that despite various educational reforms initiated and instituted, the condition of public education 

continues to decline. Issues ranging from budget restraints, school violence, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, 

and government control over curriculum produce passionate reactions from parents. Christian schools are 

an alternative for Christian families. Due to present economic conditions, however, many parents have 

been forced to turn to home education as another means of providing the same godly instruction while 

maintaining high academic standards. Still other parents choose to educate their children at home 

because of their personal conviction that it is the Lord's will for their family. There are many distinct 

advantages to home education as well as some possible disadvantages. 

So what are the advantages of home schooling? The most fundamental advantage of home education is 

to provide an environment where spiritual development can thrive. With a large portion of home school 

families professing to be born-again Christians, parents believe that the Word of God clearly sets forth 

their responsibility, not the government's, to teach their children. They take very seriously the command of 

Deuteronomy 6:5-6: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and 

with all thine might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou 

shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and 

when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Parents feel they can 

best teach their children these biblical principles throughout the day by educating their children in the 

home. 

As a result, families experience the unifying benefits of home schooling because of the amount of time 

and energy parents can invest in their children. Both parents take an active part in the education of their 

children with the mother being the primary teacher. The one-on-one teacher-student relationship enables 

more to be learned in less time. In addition, learning schedules can be flexible and highly individualized 

based on specific family needs. Parents are able to spend much more time in training, nurturing, and 

interacting with their children. In today's society, harmonious relationships between siblings are often 

lacking. Home schooling provides a unique interaction among brothers and sisters which allows them to 

learn and grow together. 

Parents can teach a biblical worldview to their children. Much of today's secular curriculum promotes 

humanistic philosophies, such as evolution, attacks on the character of our founding fathers, sex 

education, New Age philosophy, and outcome-based goals which involve behavior modification and 

values clarification. Therefore, choosing Christian curriculum is of utmost importance. Parents teach 

biblical principles in every subject and train their children to apply the Word of God to everyday situations. 

Research is documenting the tremendous academic advantages to home education. Families are able to 

accomplish more academically by one-on-one training. In 1991 the Home School Legal Defense 

Association, working in cooperation with the Psychological Corporation, publishers of the Stanford 

Achievement Test, compiled one of the largest-known studies on standardized test scores for home 

schoolers. The achievement test was administered to 5124 home schooled students from every state, 

ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade. According to the results, the composite scores on the basic 

battery of tests indicated that home schoolers scored 18 to 20 percentile higher than the public school 

students in the areas of reading, language arts, and math. 


52

Home Education: A Viable Educational Alternative 

by Sunny Weigand and E. Wade Gladin 


Home education offers opportunities for a variety of educational experiences not only for children, but for 

parents as well. Support groups provide the means whereby children can get together for specific 

educational workshops, such as music, art, etc., as well as enrichment activities that afford special 

interaction with other children. Parents attend home school conventions, seminars, and workshops in 

order to equip themselves to do an effective job and also to receive encouragement. 

Many parents feel that academic excellence can be achieved because they are able to control the 

curriculum, allowing them to make wise curriculum choices. The curriculum can be tailor-designed to 

meet the individual grade levels as well as individual needs of each child. To provide truly "Christian" 

education, instruction should be Christ-centered and tested by the Word of God. 

So what are the possible disadvantages of home schooling? Juggling a home school schedule while 

maintaining a household proves to be the greatest challenge. Organizing and implementing daily 

schedules and chores can be quite demanding and cause stress. As a result, physical and emotional 

fatigue are factors that home schooling mothers must constantly deal with, especially first-time home 

schooling mothers. Frustration can be kindled when a woman's personal activities and/or church-related 

ministries get set aside because of lack of time or energy. 

Additional responsibilities as home teacher create potential problems for a wife and mother. Children 

must adapt and adjust to mother's new authority role. Many times a mother must make educational 

decisions she has never had to make before, such as curriculum choices, lesson plans, and how to teach 

more than one child. She faces increased pressures to get the job done effectively and efficiently while 

still meeting the individual needs of her children as mother as well as the needs of her husband as wife. 

In addition, academic limitations are a concern for many mothers. Teaching reading in those beginning 

years is often regarded as a tremendous responsibility, because mothers are afraid that they won't do an 

adequate job. Mothers also become intimidated on the secondary level because higher math and science 

courses become more technical. Home schooling parents recognize the importance of the high school 

years and want to ensure that their children are adequately prepared to enter the job market or college. It 

is usually at the secondary level that they begin to re-evaluate not only the academic needs of their high 

schoolers, but enrichment activities as well. 

The question of obtaining a high school diploma is of constant concern for parents. As graduation comes 

into view, teens and their parents turn their attention to the necessary requirements to enroll in a 

university or college. This can be an apprehensive time for both parent and teen because of the 

uncertainty of what is expected from home schooled graduates seeking admission. 

The critics of home education consider the lack of opportunities for socialization as the greatest 

disadvantage of being schooled at home. The fact is, socialization, which often translates into peer 

pressure, is the very reason why many parents choose to educate their children in the home in the first 

place. 

In conclusion, it is important to note that parents are ultimately directed by God to be responsible for the 

education of their children. Whether they choose public, private, or home education, parents realize that 

there are advantages and disadvantages to each educational alternative. These must be considered as a 

decision is prayerfully and carefully made in accordance with the will of God for each family. 

53

Dear Fellow Homeschooler, 

Greetings! My name is Sheri Lang, and I homeschooled my three children 

from kindergarten through twelfth grade. During that time we were 

fortunate to have access to a local artist who gave art lessons to children and 

adults. One daughter recently graduated from college with double majors in 

art and theology. Another daughter is currently studying biology with an art 

minor. Although not studying art at this time, my son also benefited from 

the art lessons. 

Unfortunately many families do not have access to such art lessons nearby, 

or they may find the lessons to be too expensive to provide for all of their 

children. With these needs in mind, my daughters have created an online art 

education program which teaches children and adults at a beginner or 

intermediate level. 

This program consists of wholesome, step by step instructional videos. The 

content is sequential, each lesson building upon previous lessons. It teaches 

all the necessary foundations of drawing to help bring your budding artists to 

a more advanced level. Advanced classes will specialize in drawing people 

and horses. Once they have completed the drawing course, they will have 

access to watercolor painting, stained glass, and other more specialized 

courses. The cost is $19 per month for the whole family, which is often less 

expensive than a single class for one person. 

Check NHEG http://w ww.NewHeightsEducation.org/courses-and-classes 

page frequently for updates about this great new class. 

54

It is time for another season of the IN THE WINGS Arts-In-Education Program. This year there are three 

productions on the schedule: 

Ø A Christmas Carol The Musical – Thursday, November 3, 2016 @ 7:30pm 

Ø Memphis – Thursday, February 16, 2017 @ 7:30pm 

Ø Disney’s The Little Mermaid – Thursday, April 20, 2017 @ 7:30pm 

As you can see, coming up first is A Christmas Carol The Musical. The deadline for ticket orders will 

be by end of business day Friday, October 21, 2016. This deadline ensures that everyone will have a 

fair chance at the lottery if I should receive more tickets requests than seats in the auditorium. You will 

then receive a status update email from me on Monday, October 24, 2016, telling you if you’ll receive 

the tickets you requested. Be sure to inform me of any special seating requests you may have such as no 

stairs, few stairs, or wheelchair spaces. Keep in mind we have only a total of four wheelchair spaces 

available. 

There is a study guide of A Christmas Carol for your convenience at the Civic Theatre website:http:// 

www.fwcivic.org/StudyGuide-AChristmasCarol.pdf 

Rated G 

Music by Alan Menken 

Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens 

Book by 

Mike Ockrent & 

Lynn Ahrens 

Ebenezer Scrooge is a prosperous curmudgeon who believes personal wealth is far more valuable than 

the happiness and comfort of others. With an infuriated "Bah! Humbug!" Scrooge expresses his feelings 

on Christmas tidings and charity, but he's soon forced to face his selfish ways. On Christmas Eve three 

ghosts lead him through his Past, Present and Future. Thanks to their guidance, Scrooge recognizes his 

faults and greets Christmas morning with a cheerful "Happy Christmas!" before spending the day 

reconnecting and sharing love with those that mean the most to him. 

Scrooge and his ghostly encounters come to life in this lavish and thrilling Broadway 

adaptation. Broadway composer Alan Menken (Disney's Beauty And The Beast, Disney's The Little Mermaid, 

Little Shop Of Horrors) and lyricist Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Seussical, Once On This Island) breathe fantastic 

new life into this classic tale. 

55

7th Annual 2017 PR World Awards 

Welcome and Introduction 

The annual PR World Awards® is a premier recognition program that culminates with a Red-Carpet Awards Gala each year. This award 

program consists of the following sections: 

· Public Relations Awards 

· PR Agency of the Year Awards 

· Marketing Awards 

· Corporate Communications Awards 

· Investor Relations Awards 

Business Development Awards 

Organizations of any size and industry and PR agencies from all over the world can participate. Read the How To Submit tips first. This 

will help you plan your submissions. 

We have been entered into the contest! Keep your fingers crossed! 

56

DECember 2016 Crossword 

57

We have some new reviews on greatnonprofits, but still need more. 

This was a 5 star review October 17, 2016 

The New Heights Educational Group is an exceptional organization that provides many services to all 

students: private schools, public schools, charter schools, and to homeschooled students. Pamela 

Clark is a wonderful director who deserves more than 5 stars! :) 

This was a 4 star 

October 17, 2016 

I volunteered with NHEG as a Proofreader. Unfortunately, due to my work schedule, I had to part 

ways with NHEG after 8 months. I enjoyed my time volunteering for the program. NHEG really 

appreciates all of its volunteers. I felt as though I was part of a community. I am grateful to have had 

the opportunity to work with such wonderful people and contribute to such an excellent cause. 

New Heights Educational Group nonprofit in Defiance, OH | Volunteer, Read Reviews, Donate | GreatNonprofits 

58

The Wood County Historical Society presents to you... 

NAME THAT GIFT SHOP!!! 

We are having a contest to name our Wood County Historical Society Gift Shop. Think of a fun, clever, unique, name 

to brand our wonderful gift shop! We are undergoing some changes and a new name is needed – some suggestions 

are: 

Museum House 

The 13660 Shop 

The 179 Shop 

Museum Finds 

Black Swamp Shop 

– feel free to add your own!! 

The winner will receive a $50 Gift Card to the museum. 

Contest is open until December 17th 2016! 

Email stepup@woodcountyhistory.org with your suggestions! 

59

MISSING 

MISSING 

60

We received permission from Hillsdale College in Michigan 

to share their courses on our website. Each link offers a 

group of classes. 

Some of the non-credit courses being offered: 

Course Catalog 

· An Introducon to C.S. Lewis: Wrings and Significance 

· Winston Churchill and Statesmanship 

· The Federalist Papers 

· A Proper Understanding of K-12 Educaon: Theory and Pracce 

· The Presidency and the Constuon 

· Great Books 102: Renaissance to Modern 

· Constuon 101: The Meaning & History of the Constuon 

· Great Books 101: Ancient to Medieval 

· Economics 101: The Principles of Free Market Economics 

· History 102: American Heritage, From Colonial Selement to the Reagan Revoluon 

· History 101: Western Heritage, From the Book of Genesis to John Locke 

· Other Lectures and Programs 

· Hillsdale Dialogues: A Survey of Great Books, Great Men, and Great Ideas 

Kirby Center Lectures Archive 

Hillsdale College on YouTube 

61

The Only Radio Station you will ever NEED! 

NHEG RADIO 

NHEG Radio….Quality Radio….Informative Radio 

Hi Victoria, 

Great job this week! Your voice was loud enough and again I did not hear any 

back-ground noise. In my opinion, teen dating abuse needs to be 

discussed more often because dating generally starts during the 

teen years and they need to be more aware of what is 

acceptable and not acceptable. 

Sincerely, 

Shannon 

62

63

Right to Obtain an Independent Educaonal 

Evaluaon 

by Wayne Steedman, Esq. 

If you, as a parent of a child with a disability, do 

not agree with the results of the individualized 

evaluaon of your child, as conducted by the 

school system, you have the right to obtain what 

is known as an Independent Educaonal 

Evaluaon, or an IEE(§300.502). This means that 

you may ask that a professional, competent 

evaluator who is not employed by the school 

system conduct another evaluaon of your child. 

If you request an IEE of your child, the school must provide you with informaon about where you can obtain such 

an evaluaon. 

Who pays for the IEE? 

What else should a parent know about IEEs? 

Where are IEEs in IDEA’s regulaons? 

Who pays for the independent evaluation? 

The answer to this queson is that some IEEs are conducted at public expense (meaning, the school system pays 

for the evaluaon), and others are paid for by the parents. 

Let’s see how that works out! Let us say that you are the parent of a child with a disability and you don’t agree with 

the school’s evaluaon of your child. You have the right to request an IEE at public expense. This means that the 

school system would pay for an enrely new and independent evaluaon of your child. 

The school may grant your request and pay for the IEE, or it may file a due process complaint and request a due 

process hearing to demonstrate that its own evaluaon was appropriate. The school may ask you why you object 

to its evaluaon, but it may not require that you explain, or cause unreasonable delays in providing the IEE at 

public expense or in iniang due process to defend its evaluaon. 

If the school iniates due process, and the final decision of the hearing officer is that the evaluaon of the school 

was appropriate, you sll have the right to an IEE but not at public expense. If you have an IEE conducted of your 

child, you will have to pay for it yourself. 

Somemes, as part of a due process hearing, the hearing officer will ask that an IEE be conducted of the child. If 

this happens, the evaluaon must always be conducted at public expense. 

When an IEE is paid for with public funds, it must comply with the same criteria that the school system uses when 

conducng an inial evaluaon of a child. The school must tell parents what those criteria are—such as the 

locaon of the evaluaon and the qualificaons of the examiner. These criteria must be the same as those used by 

the school system for its own evaluaon to the extent that these are consistent with the parents’ right to an IEE. 

Nonetheless, the school system may not impose other condions or deadlines with respect to conducng the IEE 

at public expense. 


64


Evaluaon (Continued from previous page) 


What else should a parent know about IEEs? 

As a parent of a child with a disability, you should know that you have a right to only one IEE at public expense 

each me the school conducts an evaluaon of your child and you disagree with the findings of that evaluaon. Of 

course, you always have the right to have your child evaluated independently at your own expense. (Note: When 

the same tests are repeated in a short period of me, the validity of the results decreases.) 

The results of any evaluaon must be considered by the school system (if that evaluaon complies with the criteria 

used by the school system) in making any decision with respect to providing your child with a free appropriate 

public educaon (FAPE). The results may also be presented as evidence in a due process hearing. 

Back to top 

Where are IEEs discussed in IDEA’s regulations? 

You’ll find IDEA’s provisions regarding IEEs at §300.502 of its final regulaons. We’ve put these below for parents 

who would like to read IDEA’s exact words. 

§ 300.502 Independent educaonal evaluaon. 

(a) General. (1) The parents of a child with a disability have the right under this part to obtain an independent 

educaonal evaluaon of the child, subject to paragraphs (b) through (e) of this secon. 

(2) Each public agency must provide to parents, upon request for an independent educaonal evaluaon, 

informaon about where an independent educaonal evaluaon may be obtained, and the agency criteria 

applicable for independent educaonal evaluaons as set forth in paragraph (e) of this secon. 

(3) For the purposes of this subpart— 

(i) Independent educaonal evaluaon means an evaluaon conducted by a qualified examiner who is not 

employed by the public agency responsible for the educaon of the child in queson; and 

(ii) Public expense means that the public agency either pays for the full cost of the evaluaon or ensures that the 

evaluaon is otherwise provided at no cost to the parent, consistent with §300.103. 

(b) Parent right to evaluaon at public expense. 

(1) A parent has the right to an independent educaonal evaluaon at public expense if the parent disagrees with 

an evaluaon obtained by the public agency, subject to the condions in paragraphs (b)(2) through (4) of this 

secon. 

(2) If a parent requests an independent educaonal evaluaon at public expense, the public agency must, without 

unnecessary delay, either— 

(i) File a due process complaint to request a hearing to show that its evaluaon is appropriate; or 

(ii) Ensure that an independent educaonal evaluaon is provided at public expense, unless the agency 

demonstrates in a hearing pursuant to §§300.507 through 300.513 that the evaluaon obtained by the parent did 

not meet agency criteria. 

(3) If the public agency files a due process complaint noce to request a hearing and the final decision is that the 

agency’s evaluaon is appropriate, the parent sll has the right to an independent educaonal evaluaon, but not 

at public expense. 


65


Evaluaon (Continued from previous page) 


(4) If a parent requests an independent educaonal evaluaon, the public agency may ask for the parent’s reason 

why he or she objects to the public evaluaon. However, the public agency may not require the parent to provide 

an explanaon and may not unreasonably delay either providing the independent educaonal evaluaon at public 

expense or filing a due process complaint to request a due process hearing to defend the public evaluaon. 

(5) A parent is entled to only one independent educaonal evaluaon at public expense each me the public 

agency conducts an evaluaon with which the parent disagrees. 

(c) Parent-iniated evaluaons. If the parent obtains an independent educaonal evaluaon at public expense or 

shares with the public agency an evaluaon obtained at private expense, the results of the evaluaon— 

(1) Must be considered by the public agency, if it meets agency criteria, in any decision made with respect to the 

provision of FAPE to the child; and 

(2) May be presented by any party as evidence at a hearing on a due process complaint under subpart E of this part 

regarding that child. 

(d) Requests for evaluaons by hearing officers. If a hearing officer requests an independent educaonal 

evaluaon as part of a hearing on a due process complaint, the cost of the evaluaon must be at public expense. 

(e) Agency criteria. (1) If an independent educaonal evaluaon is at public expense, the criteria under which the 

evaluaon is obtained, including the locaon of the evaluaon and the qualificaons of the examiner, must be the 

same as the criteria that the public agency uses when it iniates an evaluaon, to the extent those criteria are 

consistent with the parent’s right to an independent educaonal evaluaon. 

(2) Except for the criteria described in paragraph (e)(1) of this secon, a public agency may not impose condions 

or melines related to obtaining an independent educaonal evaluaon at public expense. 

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1415(b)(1) and (d)(2)(A)) 

Back to top 

Would you like to read about Other Procedural Safeguards? 

Sure you do. Use the links below to go there quick! 

Rights of parents: 

to receive a complete explanaon of all the procedural safeguards available under IDEA and the procedures in the 

state for presenng complaints; 

to inspect and review the educaonal records of their child; 

to parcipate in meengs related to the idenficaon, evaluaon, and placement of their child, and the provision 

of FAPE (a free appropriate public educaon) to their child; 

to obtain an independent educaonal evaluaon (IEE) of their child; (you’re here right now) 

to receive “prior wrien noce” on maers relang to the idenficaon, evaluaon, or placement of their child, 

and the provision of FAPE to their child; 

to give or deny their consent before the school may take certain acon with respect to their child; 

to disagree with decisions made by the school system on those issues; 

to use IDEA’s mechanisms for resolving disputes, including the right to appeal determinaons. 

66

67

Founded on December 29, 2012 

Products 

Handmade cards 

Company Overview 

Send us addresses of any child that may need a card. 

General Information 

Kindcards22@gmail.com for cards and to send a message or write us 

on here. 

Mission 

To promote hope! 

CONTACT INFO 

@KindCardsForSickKidsAndSoldiers 

kindcards22@gmail.com 

STORY 

68

The truth 

about charter 

schools 

Charter school is a loaded term. Prejudices 

abound and misconceptions reign. Here’s 

what you need to know when considering a 

charter school for your child. 

by: Psyche Pascual 

Charter schools. Aren’t they private? 

No, no! Charter schools are really small experimental schools with crazy classes in things like underwater 

basket weaving. 

Nah — charter schools are totally cutting-edge — they’re all about implementing the very highest academic 

standards. 

That sounds like a euphemism for teaching to the test! 

I heard charter schools are corrupt — they’re just a way for corporations to make money off the government. 

ADVERTISEMENT 

That’s not true! The charter schools I’ve heard about are amazing, but they’re impossible to get into. 

Overhearing a conversation about charters schools can be like the story of the blind men and the elephant — 

opinions can vary so widely that they seem to be describing different realities. 

The truth about charter schools 

So, what’s the truth? Charter schools aren’t one thing: they range from the smallest classroom — your child 

alone at your home computer — to multi-campus, nationwide organizations with dozens of schools. They 

include very strict schooling models with young scholars in uniforms sitting in rows to progressive places 

where barefoot kids learn academic subjects primarily through art projects, and everything in between. 

What do charter schools all have in common? They are independent entities that have received a charter, 

which is a set of self-written rules (and promises) about how the school will be structured and run. Essentially, 

they are able to organize a school that’s outside the control of the local school district but still funded by 

local, state, and federal tax money. This allows charter schools to create free public schools that don’t have to 

follow the same regulations as district schools. Sometimes this results in a very high-performing school, 

sometimes not. This approach to education tends to produce a more diverse range of schools than might 

traditionally be found within school districts. 


69

The truth 

about charter 

schools 







One thing’s for certain: the charter movement is spreading like wildfire across America. New Orleans became 

the first major American city to transform most of its public schools into charter-run operations in 2005. 

Today, more than two million students attend about 5,700 charter schools nationwide, each with its own rules 

and education model. In the 2011-2012 school year alone, 518 new charter schools opened, boosting charter 

school enrollment by 10 percent in a single school year, according to the Center for Education Reform’s June 

2012 policy update. 

Charter schools are like traditional public schools in important 

ways: 

They take the same state-mandated standardized tests. 

They don’t charge tuition. 

They can’t discriminate by race, sex, or disability in their enrollment. 

They’re accountable to the city, state, county, or district that granted their charter. 

Charter schools differ from traditional public schools in many 

ways: 

How a staff is organized may be unfamiliar. For instance, there may be an executive director in charge of 

leadership, fundraising, and bureaucratic compliance above the principal, who deals with the day-to-day 

functioning of the school. 

They can be run and operated by a nonprofit Charter Management Organization (CMO), such as Knowledge is 

Power Project (KIPP), which operates more than 120 elementary, middle, and high schools across the nation. 

They can be run by private, for-profit entities that also provide the school’s curriculum. For instance, the 

company K12 operates virtual charter schools across the nation for more than 65,000 kids. 

They can have a founding educational philosophy — such as Waldorf or Montessori — which determines the 

curriculum and teacher training. 

They can hire teachers who are not part of a union or even credentialed, which is something to ask your local 

charter school about. Some charter schools hire teachers with credentials; in the state of California, all charter 

schools must hire credentialed teachers by law. And some CMOs hire unionized teachers — Green Dot Public 

Schools hires only unionized teachers for its four middle schools and 14 high schools. 

Charter school groups often describe their efforts as a movement, a reaction to poorly run public schools. 

Many were founded by groups of committed parents or community leaders who wanted a larger role in 

shaping the quality of their schools. Parental involvement is often more than encouraged, it’s expected. Many 

charter schools begin each year by asking parents to sign an agreement to support the school and their child’s 

learning, including a pledge to contribute a certain number of volunteer hours. 

The myths about charter schools 

But because every charter school is different, there are a lot of misconceptions about how they’re run and 

what they offer students. 


70

The truth 

about charter 

schools 







MYTH #1: Charter schools are private. 

Charter schools are not private schools — all charter schools are public. It’s confusing because some charter 

schools are operated by for-profit companies or groups called education management organizations (EMOs). 

Because these for-profits make money, some people think they’re private but they’re not; charter schools 

don’t charge tuition. 

MYTH #2: Charter schools are experimental schools with crazy classes. 

True, some are, but this is the exception, hardly the rule. All charter schools are guided by their own charter, 

which means they have the flexibility to develop nontraditional academic programs or curricula that’s 

innovative or fits special needs. Some charters offer education with an emphasis on the arts, STEM, foreign 

languages, or music. Others have an old-fashioned back-to-basics approach, while others have highly 

experimental approaches. There’s no way to know until you visit. 

MYTH #3: Charter schools have the highest academic standards. 

Reports are mixed when it comes to student performance. On average, studies have found that student 

performance at charter schools is quite similar to performance at comparable public schools — if not a little 

worse. A 2003 national study showed charter school students were no better than public schools at educating 

kids. Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2010-2011 show that overall, fourth 

and eighth grade students in charter schools did not do as well in math and reading as their counterparts in 

traditional public schools. 

But this “on average” comparison can be deceptive. A 2012 study by the California Charter Schools 

Association found that charter schools are more likely to be both higher performing and lower performing 

than traditional public schools. How can this be? Part of it is that charter schools tend to fall on two ends of 

the spectrum — high-performing or low-performing — rather than somewhere in the middle. The study shows 

positive effects are strongest at charter schools serving primarily low-income students: there are more 

excellent charter schools serving low-income students than there are high-performing traditional public 

schools serving low-income students. 

A 2009 Stanford University study found that charter school performance varies from state to state. Students in 

Arkansas, Colorado (Denver), Illinois (Chicago), Louisiana, and Missouri, for example, made larger gains on 

standardized tests than would have occurred at traditional public schools. Meanwhile, charter school 

performance in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, and Texas lagged behind the average student 

growth at traditional public schools. 

The moral for parents? Generalizations about charter schools — negative or positive — won’t help you figure 

out which school is right for your child. 


71

The truth 

about charter 

schools 







MYTH #4: Charter schools are a hotbed of corruption — it’s just a way for 

corporations to make money off the government. 

Aside from some headline-grabbing charges alleging fraud in Philly, a big embezzlement bust in Ohio, and 

other similar scandals across the country, charter schools by definition aren’t doing anything illegal. 

Charter schools run on public funds — and it’s money that would otherwise be used in traditional public 

schools, which is a key argument against charter schools. The oft-heard argument that “charters are stealing 

from public schools” is political, not evidence of corruption. As these schools mature, many face the process 

of renewing their charters. Some schools have closed when it’s time for review because of financial problems, 

poor test scores, or low enrollment. About 15 percent of charters have closed since 1992. One common 

problem is that charter schools, on average, receive less money to operate their facilities than public schools. 

The result? Facilities become rundown faster, and the schools have to close. 

MYTH #5: Charter schools are impossible to get into. 

Although by law they can’t discriminate by disability, gender, race, or religion, popular charter schools can be 

difficult to get into — but it’s certainly not impossible. To enroll your child in a charter school, you may need 

to submit a separate application for each charter school in addition to the district application — and 

sometimes they have different due dates. If there are more applicants than open spots, charter schools may use 

a lottery system to fill the vacancies: some of the lotteries are public events where winning numbers or names 

are drawn and called out, while others are computer-run with notifications sent by mail. 

The good news is that many charter schools don’t limit enrollment by where you live, so parents can look 

outside their neighborhood to find the best charter school. The bad news? Charters can be so popular that you 

may find yet another lottery and waiting list when you get there. Across the country, there are about 610,000 

students waiting on lists to get in. 

The bottom line: look into the charter schools in your area as yet another school option. It’s impossible to 

know if there’s a charter school that’s right for your child until you go inside and see the school for yourself. 

72

September 17, 2016 

New Heights is an amazing place to 

volunteer and work. I've been volunteering 

for about 3-5 years now and I think that 

Pamela Clark does an amazing job at 

providing volunteers with meaningful and 

impactful work with room for personal growth. I love working here and I 

love working with all the individuals who share New Height's vision. I would 

definitely recommend it as a place for volunteers to find their own passions 

and enhance their skills. 

Ginnefine Jalloh 

10/24/16 

Graphic Design and Artist 

Julia Doyle 

11/8/16 

Editor/Proofreader 

Aditi Chopra 

Author of NRI fiction and non-fiction books. 

http://www.aditichopra.com/ 

73

A Teachers 

Teaching Time Management 

BY jocelyn sutherland 

We all want our children to be responsible learners. We want to be able to give them a multi-step assignment and 

somehow magically they know just how to organize their time, not procrastinate and get everything completed up to our 

expectations. However, is this really realistic? 

Some children seem to be born with a natural instinct to plan and organize. Most of our children, however, need to be 

taught how to manage their time and it is never too early to teach. 

First, assign a multi-step assignmen (One that requires several steps to complete the entire thing) depending upon the 

age of your child and level of ability to organize and stay on task. Make the assignment fit the child’s ability. Include the 

following: 

· Compete description of the assignment and what is expected as a finished product 

· List of priorities/steps for the assignment 

· Due dates for each section of the assignment 

· Assignment rubric (Giving the child a clear understanding what is expected at 

each phase of the project as well as the overall end product. ) 

If this is the child’s first attempt at learning how to manage his or her time, create a 

daily schedule detailing what should be completed each day and go over it at the 

beginning of the project. Then, each day, review what should be completed. Follow up 

at the end of the day to ensure the task(s) have been completed. As your child 

advances in time management skills, you can begin working with him/her to create 

each day’s schedule (at the beginning of the assignment) until ultimately you can give 

the entire responsibility of daily planning for future assignments over to the child. This will take time and several 

assignments but eventually, your child will learn the importance of a schedule and sticking to it. 

Examples of multi-step assignment: 

· Essays or research reports (includes choosing a topic, researching, writing a draft, review/editing, final draft) 

· Lapbooking projects 

· Science Fair projects 

Things to keep in mind while assigning and teaching time management skills: 

· Create clear guidelines both for daily schedules as well as for the final project 

· Make the assignment realistic for the individual child 

· Make the assignment interesting 

· Give assignments that matter 

· ENFORCE deadlines 

· Reward students for their work. 

Remember, every child is different and will adapt to learning time-management skills at his or her own pace. It is worth 

teaching these skills early but it's never too late. Be patient. Be consistent. The end results will be worth it! 

74

Interested in Volunteering? 

hp://www.volunteermatch.org/ 

search/org100190.jsp 

or 

hp://www.chrisanvolunteering.org/ 

org/new-heights-educaonal-groupinc.jsp#fq=content_type:opportunity&f 

q=org_nid:433070 

Contact our HR Department 

at HR@NewHeightsEducaon.org 

75

76

A great organization and 

one of our newest partners 

77

Volunteer positions that need filled: 

New Teachers and Tutors 

Teaching Assistant/Substitute 

Class and Radio Monitors 

Radio Host Assistant 

Magazine Editor Assistant 

Photographer/ Artist 

Graphic Designers 

Communications Director/ 

Secretarial 

Fundraising Campaign Manager 

Partnership Builder/Assistant 

Book Agent 

HR Coordinators 

Virtual Development Directors 

Internet Radio Hosts 

Logo Design and Branding 

LMS Assistant/Classroom Building 

More opportunities can be found 

here: 

www.volunteermatch.org/ 

look for us. 

78

We are excited to announce that the National Human Trafficking Resource Center is changing its name. Starting today, 

we will become the National Human Trafficking Hotline. We are updating our website, email address, and outreach 

materials to reflect this new change. The phone number - 1-888-373-7888 - will stay the same. 

If you are currently working on materials for Human Trafficking Awareness Month or have any current print or digital 

materials that promote the hotline or link to our website, please update your website links and the email address with 

the information below. You may also request a logo for your materials, by sending an email 

to help@humantraffickinghotline.org. 

National Human Trafficking Hotline 

1-888-373-7888 

help@humantraffickinghotline.org 

www.humantraffickinghotline.org 

While our name is changing, the National Human Trafficking Hotline will still serve as the same confidential, 

multilingual hotline that provides survivors of human trafficking with vital support and a variety of options to get help 

and stay safe. We will also continue to be a source of actionable tips for law enforcement and expertise for the antitrafficking 

community. 

We welcome our newest partner, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center 

(NHTTAC), who will serve as the primary source of training and technical assistance from a public health perspective 

for the anti-trafficking field. Over the coming months, we will collaborate with NHTTAC to transition the hotline’s 

training and technical assistance programing to NHTTAC. In the interim, please 

visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org and stay tuned for more details in January about the expanded training and 

technical assistance offerings provided through NHTTAC. 

For almost ten years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has made it possible for the National Human 

Trafficking Hotline to become a nerve center that unites local efforts into a national movement that helps survivors 

restore their freedom and works towards eradicating human trafficking. With your help, Hotline staff have answered 

more than 100,000 calls, identified more than 30,000 cases of human trafficking across the United States, and provided 

more than 8,000 tips to federal, state and local law enforcement. 

Thank you for being a key partner in this movement. We look forward to continuing our work together. 

Sincerely, 

If you wish to disseminate or republish any portion of this newsletter, please include the following statement: 

The following content was drawn from the National Human Trafficking Hotline monthly newsletter. For more 

information, please call the hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or visit the hotline at humantraffickinghotline.org. 

This publication was made possible in part through Grant Number 90ZV0102 from the Office on Trafficking in Persons, Administration for Children and Families, 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views 

of the Office on Trafficking in Persons, Administration for Children and Families, or HHS. 

79

80

S-T-O-P 

What a great 

Christmas gift! 

81

Happy 2017 

From Pamela Clark, Founder/ Executive 

Director, The Board of Directors and all 

of our volunteers 

82

NHEG EDGuide December 2016

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?