Homeschoolers taking classes at public schools

[MaWhit]

Do any of you have experiences coordinating with your public schools?

Our local school (it's tiny--60 kids in pre-K-12) has been just amazing in working with homeschoolers! My oldest is current taking art, music, and drama, my DS is in music and drama, and all three are in the honors choir after school. DD1 and DD3 were in a play in the community talent show as a result, and they won 2nd place! All are in the school talen show next week, and they are just having a blast.

The school only required an information sheet with the kids name's, ages, allergies, and emergency contacts, and that's it. Everyone has been awesome to deal with, there has been no pushiness, and my kids have not been encouraged to attend school full-time by anyone there (and nor do they want to). It's been a great experience.

I know other schools in the area are not so accomodating, so I feel really lucky. They will be able to joib band, sports, etc as they get older. I really feel it is the best of both worlds.

Anyone else have experiences to share?

[Holiztic]

Sorry I have no experience in this, but... I had to ask about this public school with 60 kids in pre-K-12. Does that mean 5 kids per grade? Really? Do they combine ages? Sounds like a one-room schoolhouse to me. Sounds really cool--as cool as ps can get at least!

[MaWhit]

Originally Posted by Holiztic

Sorry I have no experience in this, but... I had to ask about this public school with 60 kids in pre-K-12. Does that mean 5 kids per grade? Really? Do they combine ages? Sounds like a one-room schoolhouse to me. Sounds really cool--as cool as ps can get at least!

The numbers per grade really vary. There are a whopping 13 in 3rd grade, but only 4 in fifth grade, and 2 in first grade. Isn't that cool? The grades are separated for the academics (yes, the fifth grade teacher teaches only 4 kids!) but they combine grades for extras like art and music and gym. I know 4th and 5th are combined for all of those anyway. (I odn't know the numbers for the other grades--just the ones my kids join for music, etc.)

The school is too small for it's own sports teams even, so they team up with another tiny school in a neighboring time to have a combined-district team that goes around competing against the other schools.

[Holiztic]

Really cool! At least in numbers. Is there any issue with funding, quality of teachers, etc?

[MaWhit]

In our limited experience, the teachers seem to be fine. The music/drama teacher is phenomenal, and the art teacher is good. I've not heard complaints about the grade teachers so far.

I'm not sure about funding. We're in an extremely poor part of the country, but I think they must get grants to try to combat it, because they seem to have everything they need, and are able to bus kids 75+ miles for field trips, and the like.

[moominmamma]

This is very similar to our situation. Our K-12 school has about 90 students, and they've been exceptionally welcoming of homeschoolers -- extra-curricular sports, arts festivals, choir, field trips, use of the library, use of classroom space for free after hours. This year our affiliation is more formal, so that the school is getting funding. It means a bit of homeschooling accountability from us, but it gives us even more in the way of resources.

for the open-mindedness and flexibility of small rural skills.

Miranda

[phathui5]

Our local school has been being a pain in my butt today. We take my 5yo to the school for speech and had been hanging out with my other children in the school library (quiet children, who are reading, while there are no other students in the library). The principal came in and told us that we're only allowed to wait in the cafeteria. I called a few of her supervisors when we left and am waiting to hear back.

[gabbyraja]

nak
I've been increasingly interested in trying this, but I'm not sure where top start. I live on the line btwn the city of lansing and a neighboring city. I'm not even sure what my "local" school is. Where does one start?

[tankgirl73]

That sounds like a great school!

My 12yo son has just joined a middle school band program. It was actually no problem at all. Of course, it helped that the music teachers are personal friends of mine (as we're all music colleagues in town), but that just gave me the 'in' of where to start. It still had to be approved by the committees and the principal. Which it was. Everyone at every stage said "gee, I don't see why not, so let's check with..." the next person up the chain.

At the top of the chain, the principal said "We have no policies against homeschoolers participating in school activities -- in fact, it is encouraged!"

And voila, he's in the band.

As for it being his local school... I'm actually not sure. We're in a 'bedroom community' with an elementary school, but kids go into the city for middle and high school. There are 2 middle schools about the same distance from us. I *think* kids go to one of them if they're in french immersion, and the other one if they're in english. But I'm not sure about that at all. I *think* that my son's actual school, if he were to go to school, would be the other one. But that never even came up in the conversations. This school has a good band program so we asked there.

[annettemarie]

Mine do. Our SD has an award-winning arts program. Our state has a law saying homeschoolers have equal access to extra-curricular activities, including the arts. Even before the law was passed, our SD had a reputation of working to allow homeschoolers to participate. I believe they used to say 2 classes and 1 extracurricular per semester. Anyway, my oldest is in orchestra, takes cello lessons, and even got into the "Fiddle Group" which is a special ensemble. That's at the middle school. My daughter is in the strings program at the elementary level. So far, it's been nothing but a positive experience.

[pigpokey]

The elementary school we are zoned for said absolutely no homeschoolers doing anything over there. We are about to move. I might see if there is anything in the new school interesting and if they have a different attitude. I do understand as they do not get paid anything per student for home schoolers.

[kathymuggle]

Mixed reviews here.

DS went to school part time from grade3-6. They were mostly accomodating - but he was asked repeatedly (by the school) if he wouldn't like to go to school full time. This was a public school.

I called another school (Catholic - but also publicly funded) a couple of years ago about joining a stacking club and they flat out told me no. Insurance reason.

I called the high school over summer to inquire about DS talking a class here and there - and joining in school activities. Drama, in particular. I got through to the counsellor who said no. She actually denied that children were allowed to take a class or two - something I know is incorrect. Ds has his plate full at the moment - but if this becomes something he would like to try I will fight for it. It may involve a small letter writing campaign, though!