Manchester Area Homeschoolers
October 21, 2010
Parent Support Newsletter
WEBSITE:  http://manchnh-homeschoolers.tripod.com/ 
Editor:  Kimberly Lacerte
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" Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
-- William Butler Yeats 
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CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
1.  Overview of our September meeting
2.  Newsletter Editor and Webmaster (Mistress) Still Needed
3.  Weare Orchestra
4.  Honk! Jr. Production
5.  Homeschooler Gymnastics Class
6.  Concord Fencing Club Class
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1.  Overview of our October meeting

This month we discussed why we started homeschooling.  The reasons ranged from issues with the ability of the local school to meet the needs of our children to not wanting to duplicate our own personal experiences in school for our children.  

We also discussed the various low cost or free activities in and around the area.  St. Anselm’s college has events at the Dana Center for performing arts.  You can contact Marcia Burns for group prices to events and for possible teacher materials for their productions.  The Derryfield School in Manchester has children’s theatre activities.  Used books at low prices can be found at Lee’s Book Spot on Elm St., Manchester.

Some activities in Boston, MA include the following:  Boston Symphony Hall has low cost performances on some Saturdays during the season.  See their website for more information.  The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has free days and admission is free after 4pm on Wednesdays.  Check their website for exact details.  
Our support group meets at Barnes and Noble’s on South Willow St., Manchester on the 3rd Sunday of each month from 6:30 - 8:30pm.  We meet in the café out back and Maureen Doyle is our facilitator.  Maureen usually sends an Email just before the meeting to give us the topic for discussion.  Our next meeting is November 21, 2010.  
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2. Newsletter Editor and Webmaster (Mistress) Still Needed

I will be retiring from homeschooling in 2011 when my youngest goes to West High School in Manchester.  It's his choice to attend West and I'm actually looking forward to the next phase of my education journey.  This also means that our group will need someone or ones to handle the things I usually handle for the group.

We have a volunteer to facilitate the monthly homeschooling meetings.  Anyone out there who would be interested in learning how to maintain the website or write the monthly newsletter, please let me know!  

Specifically, I do the following with the website and monthly newsletter:  (1) edit this newsletter, (2) maintain the MA Homeschoolers website, (3) moderate the Yahoo Group, and (4) manage the Email.  All told, I spend about 3 hours a month on all of these tasks.  

Please contact me if you are interested.  I'd like to start transitioning these tasks over sooner rather than later so I know you are comfortable with the tasks before I retire.

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3.  Weare Orchestra

Linda of the Weare School of Music is considering starting a homeschool orchestra. It would meet after band - so at 4pm at Stark Hall in Goffstown. She has not set pricing yet, but band is $25 per month, or a discounted $15 per month for her private and semi-private students. If you are interested, please Email Pam at <stonemail@comcast.net> and include which instrument your child plays. If there is enough interest, Linda will set up a meet-and-greet for an upcoming Tuesday.

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4.  Honk! Jr. Production

Sherri Locke’s daughters Shayla and Jenica (homeschoolers) are in Honk Jr., which is coming up soon.  Honk!, based on Hans Christen Andersons, the Ugly Duckling, sends a great message about diversity and will delight kids but this show also won the Olivier (the British equivalent to a Tony) for best musical, beating out the Lion King.  It only cost $8.   So save the date!  Fri, Oct. 22, 2010 @ 7 pm and Satruday, Oct. 23, 2010 @ 2 pm.  At the Concord City Auditorium (it’s on Prince St, next to the public library).  

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5.  Homeschooler Gymnastics Class

Homeschool Gymnastics Class
Tri-Star Gymnastics 66 Third Street, Dover, NH
Start Date:  Thursday November 4, 2010
End Date:  December 16,2010

Class Times, ages, and costs:
3-6 yr. old boys and girls from 1:15pm-2pm for $60.00 
7yrs. and up for boys and girls from 1pm-2:30pm for $80.00.  
10% discount for sibling registrations.

Annual registration fee of $30.  

Class Content:  The classes consist of a warm up for about 15 minutes.  Then switch to different stations every 15 minutes and the stations include floor, balance beam, tumble track, trampoline, rings, pommel horse, even and uneven bars.  Then the last 15 minutes is cool down. 

Contact:  boberry@metrocast.net 
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6.  Concord Fencing Club Class

Concord Fencing Club Class
Concord, NH
Starting the last week of October
Duration:  8 weeks

Contact:  Tracy 603-224-3560
Website:  www.concordfencingclub.org