Getting Started

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0a0285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>H.E.A.R.T.H. Inc.</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="H.E.A.R.T.H. 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God promises to give wisdom to all who ask. <I>"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach..." James 1:5</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Law.</B> Before you begin home schooling, you need to determine which option under the Virginia law, you will be using. Details of the Virginia Law may be found at<A HREF="http://www.heav.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heav.org"><U> </U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.heav.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heav.org"><U><B><U>www.heav.org</U></B></U></A></FONT><A HREF="http://www.heav.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heav.org"><U>.</U></A> </div> <div> We recommend <B>HSLDA</B> membership.<A HREF="http://www.hslda.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hslda.org"><U> </U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.hslda.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hslda.org"><U><B><U>HSLDA</U></B></U></A></FONT><A HREF="http://www.hslda.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hslda.org"><U> </U></A>is the Home School Legal Defense Association, and provides legal assistance for free to members, as well as providing information about what is happening in home school law in the legislature and in the courts. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Notification.</B> Once you have decided which option you will be using, you will need to turn in a<A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Notice of Intent"><U> </U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Notice of Intent"><U><B><U>notice of intent</U></B></U></A></FONT><A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Notice of Intent"><U> </U></A>to provide home instruction or a<A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Letter of Intent (Sample)"><U> </U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Letter of Intent (Sample)"><U><B><U>letter of intent</U></B></U></A></FONT> (if using option IV of the home school statute of the Virginia Code) by August 15th of the school year you will be teaching, to your local school district. In Warren County the contact is:</div> <bR> <div> Dr. Louis Justis</div> <div> Supervisor of Instructional Support Services</div> <div> Warren County Public Schools</div> <div> 210 North Commerce Road</div> <div> Front Royal, VA  22630.</div> <bR> <div> If you are beginning to home school your child in <I>midyear</I> or have recently moved to the area after these deadlines, you have 30 days to comply with the Virginia code. A letter of intent to home school is not required for religious exemption.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Testing.</B> Except for those who will be home teaching for the first time this year, have just moved to the Virginia this year, or have religious exemption, standardized test scores from either the Iowa Basic, Stanford, or California Achievement test need to be turned in to the Director of Pupil Personnel to be kept on file, by August 1st of the coming school year. Those who are just beginning to teach in Virginia this school year will need to have their child tested by late spring, in order to receive your test scores in time to turn in to the office.  </div> <bR> <div> Your child may take the standardized tests with:</div> <bR> <div> <B>A)</B> Public school's (free). Call the guidance office of your local school for information.</div> <div> <B>B)</B> BJU Press<A HREF="http://www.bjup.com/services/testing" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.bjup.com/services/testing"><U> </U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.bjup.com/services/testing" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.bjup.com/services/testing"><U><U>http://www.bjup.com/services/testing</U></U></A></FONT> (to be administered by a certified tester). The cost is approx. $29.00 per student. The HEARTH home school organization organizes group testing using the BJU (Stanford or Iowa Basic) tests each spring.</div> <div> <B>C)</B> California Achievement Test from Seton Home Study School (located on Progress Ave off Shenandoah Shores Rd. in Front Royal). Seton charges about $20.00 per test which you administer at home. They grade them for you, and send you the results. Seton's phone # is: (540) 636-9990. </div> <bR> <div> If you dislike the testing option, you may turn in a portfolio of your child's best work for the school year, or have an approved evaluator visit your child at the beginning and the end of the school year to determine their progress.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>Choosing Curriculum.</B> There are as many choices of curriculum and many ways to home school. If you are using a correspondence course, you will be exclusively using the supplies provided by that school.</div> <div> If you are using option IV of the Virginia Code to home school, you need to be aware of the Standards of Learning for Virginia Schools and make sure that your areas of study are in agreement. You may look at these standards at<A HREF="http://www.pen.k12.va.us/go/Sols/home.shtml." TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.pen.k12.va.us/go/Sols/home.sh"><U> </U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.pen.k12.va.us/go/Sols/home.shtml." TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.pen.k12.va.us/go/Sols/home.sh"><U><U>http://www.pen.k12.va.us/go/Sols/home.shtml</U></U></A></FONT><A HREF="http://www.pen.k12.va.us/go/Sols/home.shtml." TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.pen.k12.va.us/go/Sols/home.sh"><U>.</U></A> For any other option, you have the freedom to choose any style or publisher.</div> <bR> <div> Some publisher phone numbers and web sites are listed on our<A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U> </U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B><U>links</U></B></U></A></FONT> page. Check your local public library or <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HEARTH Library"><U><B><U>HEARTH library</U></B></U></A></FONT> for curriculum, teachers editions, supplies, and catalogs of suppliers, before you make any purchases!</div> <bR> <div> Home School Conferences are also a good source for materials, since you may preview the books before buying them and talk to the publishers' representatives. </div> <bR> <div> Other home school parents are a source of valuable information about what works and what doesn't. Be sure to plug in to a support group (such as HEARTH : ) to meet friends and learn all you can.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Make a plan, and work the plan.</B> Keep records of your child's progress. Keeping samples of their best work is recommended, along with any tests they take. Photographs of artistic creations or inventions add to their portfolios and make it a pleasant "remembrance book" for the year.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Many wonderful books and tapes are available that address specific needs of home schooling parents. The HEARTH library is free to any HEARTH member. Books, etc., may be checked out for up to one year.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>For more helpful information, read the article on</I><A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Homeschooling K 8th Getting Started"><U><I> K- 8th, Getting Started</I></U></A><I>.</I></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>