Upcoming ACCHE Service Projects

SPAGHETTI LUNCHEON

The middle/high school age classes will be hosting a spaghetti lunch after co-op on November 17th at 12:45. The lunch will be by donation and all donations will go to a former ACCHE family. The dad is battling cancer and has been unable to work for almost a year. Everyone is invited to join us!

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

ACCHE will be collecting shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child on November 17th.

Through Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project, you and your children can send gifts to children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty. Simply fill a shoebox with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and/or a personal note. ACCHE will pay half of the shipping charges so you only need to include $3.50 per box to get it to the children.

A detailed brochure will be available at co-op tomorrow.

Pumpkin Festival Photos

Activities for Middle School and High School Students

Below are two new additions to the calendar. These activities are planned to give the older students a chance to hang out together. All middle school and high school homeschool students are invited!

Get lost in The Corn Maize! on Thursday, Oct. 22, 7:00pm. We’ll meet behind Milton Middle School for a wagon ride to the maze. Please bring $6 for admission. Chaperones will be on site but may not be with your child in the maze. If you feel your child needs constant supervision, please join him/her at the maze! If you’re dropping off, please make sure you leave contact information with a chaperoning parent and be back for pick-up by 8:00pm. Contact Mary Black (mommyz3boyz@yahoo.com) to sign-up and/or volunteer to help chaperone.

Join us for an overnight lock-in at the gym of Lewis Memorial Baptist Church* on Friday, November 13th, 8:oopm. We’ll play basketball and board games, watch movies, and any other activities the kids want to do (within reason!).

Please bring a drink and snack to share as well as $3 for pizza.

Parents are welcome to stay but if you’re dropping off, please make sure you leave contact information with a chaperoning parent and be back for pick-up by 8:00am (this is overnight!).

Please contact Mary Black (mommyz3boyz@yahoo.com) to sign-up and/or volunteer to help chaperone.

*Lewis Memorial is located on West Pea Ridge in Huntington. The gym is in the Family Life Center at the top of the parking lot.

Point Pleasant Pictures

Today we took a field trip to Point Pleasant WV to visit a local history museum, state park, and the flood murals that are currently being painted. Here are a few photos from the trip.

Faculty Lounge

Faculty Lounge
You’re invited to ACCHE’s Mom’s Night Out!

This will be time of fellowship and support with other home school moms,
so please bring a dish to share but leave the kids with Dad.

Mark the following dates on your calendar:
Friday, September 18th, 6pm - Tailgate Party at Sara Swann’s House
in South Point, OH
Friday, October 16th, 6pm - We’ll meet Julie Costolo’s House in
Huntington, WV - theme to be announced
Friday, November 20th, 6pm - Thanksgiving Dinner at Mary Black’s House in Milton, WV

Friday, December 18th, 6pm - Christmas Party at Michelle Workman's House in Fort Gay, WV

Who says socialization is a problem?

Today co-op begins! this time of year is always exciting!

Anyone who wonders if homeschoolers get enough socialization hasn't looked at our calendar!
The calendar has been updated with many field trips and educational events in the Tri-State area. In the next week there is a camping trip, homeschool band, a picnic, a field trip to an animal hospital, a scavenger hunt at the library.

Be sure to check on the calendar for details and upcoming events.

Homeschool Band

Fall is around the corner, and soon homeschool band will be starting again. This is a fun and educational time for students.

THEME will begin Monday Sept. 14.
The band meets at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Barboursville (beside Autozone, near Kmart)
The cost is $5 per student per band meeting. (Fees are paid for the month the first band meeting of every month.)
Beginners meet from 3:00 - 4:00
Advanced students meet from 4:00- 5:00
Director: Tim Appleton see his bio on the Tri-state page.

Beginners needing instruments and books can contact Tim at 304-542-3005, or simply stop into Kerr's Music World (5505 Rt 60.) Generally beginners are age 9 are older, but exceptions can be made for students with previous music experience. Call Tim.

The band rehearses throughout the year, and preforms a winter and spring concert in addition to playing at the Homeschool Day at the Capital in the spring.

Faculty Lounge
Theme: Pizza Party
When: Friday, August 21st, 6pm
Where: Jennie French’s House
Faculty Lounge is a fun time for moms to fellowship.
Make your favorite pizza or dessert and join the fun!

Please rsvp to Jennie to get directions

Announcing Fall Classes

The fall semester of co-op is right around the corner. Here are the classes that will be offered:

11 years and older
All- Gym, Cooking
Boys - Dangerous Book for Boys - The class will offer a variety of activities take from this book.
Girls - Girls Only Class - They will be learning about art, poetry, drama, needlecraft, and other activities the girls indicated interest in.

Elementary Students
Gym
Math Games
Healthy Snacks (preparing and eating)
Science
Art
Gym

Pre-School
Preschoolers will have their own class that includes stories and other activities. They will also go to Art and Healthy Snacks.

Nursery will be provided.

Following are the dates for co-op. We meet from 10 - 12:40.

August 25^th (picnic begins at 11:00)

September 8 and 22

October 6 and 20

November 3 and 17

December 1 and 15

Summer Fun

Lots of fun stuff happening over the next several weeks! Hope to see you there!


Friday, July 17th - 11:00am
Picnic at Glenna’s House
Glenna will be grilling hot dogs; bring a side, dessert, and/or drink to share.
Bring your fishing gear if you want to try the fishing pond.
Email Glenna for info or directions

Friday, July 24th - Faculty Lounge - 6pm
We'll be meeting at Sarah DeGroff's House.
Leave the kiddos at home and bring something yummy to share.
I know it's a drive but it's worth it. I'll be leaving Milton at 5:30ish if anyone wants to hitch a ride with me. :)
Email Sarah for info or directions.


Friday, July 31st - Pool Party at Pam's House 12:00pm
This is the make-up date for last month's cancellation.
Please bring a dish for our potluck lunch.
Email Pam for info or directions.

Fall Co-op Dates

Fall co-op dates have been approved.

We will kick-off the semester with a picnic at Altizer Park on August 25th. Please bring a dish and drink for our potluck lunch and a folding card table if you have one. We are outgrowing the picnic shelter but since Altizer is the perfect, central location, we'll make due by putting the food on card tables and leaving the picnic tables for us to sit down. The festivities will begin at 11:00am.

Co-op classes will begin two weeks after the picnic and continue on alternating Tuesdays. The dates will be:

• September 8 and 22
• October 6 and 20
• November 3 and 17
• December 1 and 15

Announcements are at 10:00am. Classes run from 10:15 until 12:45. Following classes, we'll have lunch and playtime in the gym.

Please put these dates on your calendar. You don't want to miss any of the fun!

A Few Pictures from the Geography Fair

Fun Things to do Coming Soon

Tubby the Tuba

The Clay Center will be hosting the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra's children's performance of Tubby the Tuba and Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.  This concert is recommended for grades K-2 but all ages are welcome.

 

We will attend the performance on April 22nd.  The concert starts at 11:45 but we must enter as a group and check-in thirty minutes prior.  Therefore, we will meet at 11:00am.

 

The cost is $4 per person.  The concert lasts one hour.  If you'd like to explore the Clay Center afterwards, there is an additional charge.

 

If you'd like to attend, please sign up at co-op on Tuesday or email me by Friday, April 17th at noon (the reservation must be made by Friday afternoon). 

mommyz3boyz@yahoo.com

Pump up the Fun

The last Pump up the Fun outing for the school year!
Friday April 24th join us at Pump up the Fun on Merritt's Creek in Barboursville. 

1:30-3:30

$5 PER KID THEY CANNOT PLAY WITHOUT SOCKS PLEASE PAY WITH CASH OR CHECK PLEASE BRING A SNACK AND DRINK TO SHARE

Hope to see you there!

Safety Town Field Trip

Safety Town is run by the Huntington Police Department. It is designed to teach 2nd grade students about emergency calls and traffic and pedestrian safety. Because it is designed for 2nd graders, we need to limit sign ups to 7-8-9 year olds. Older kids will be too big drive the cars. Younger kids may not have the attention span for the classroom portion. This is the police department's stipulation! They've also asked that we limit the number of students to 20 and the number of adults to three. Because of this, you may need to send your child with another family or plan to drop-off/pick-up.

Our trip to Safety Town is scheduled for Tuesday, April 13th. We'll be there from 9am until 1pm. The morning will be spent in the classroom. After lunch, the kids will spend about an hour in the miniature town driving and practicing pedestrian safety. The cost is $1 per student. Everyone should bring a packed lunch.

We will have a sign-up sheet at co-op on Tuesday, March 31st.

World Cultures Day

Michelle and Tammy are planning a Geography Fair for Tuesday, April 28th.

Each family will do a display on a country of their choice. We will sign up for countries to avoid duplication. If you’d like to get started, you can email Mary the country of your choice and I’ll sign you up. Or you can wait until the March 31st co-op where we’ll have a sign-up sheet. The following countries have already been chosen: Russia, Egypt, China, Italy, Japan, Israel, India, Mexico, Germany, The Czech Republic, Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Paraguay, Canada, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, Guatemala, Uganda, and Iraq.

The displays will be set up in the World Cultures classroom and possibly down the upstairs hallway. Each child will share his or her family’s project during the World Cultures Class. Middle School ages will do their presentations during their 2nd class period (there will be no Science that day).

Your project should include a display board or poster with information about your country. You can include any or all of the following ideas or add your own ideas! Have fun with it! This is NOT a competition, just a day of FUN!

Things that could be included:

• description/map location
• items like money or clothing
• FOOD
• music
• industry
• climate
• language
• native animals
• landmarks
• what the country is famous or infamous for
• crafts/artwork
• video
• photos
• souvenirs
• costumes (the kids can wear these during their presentations)
• a stamp or stickers representing the country - Each child will have a passport to be stamped as they visit each country.

The Great Sunflower Project

Be a Citizen Scientist

The Great Sunflower Project has given local homeschoolers a chance to help scientists at San Francisco State University understand and protect pollinator (BEES) populations. They need to know more about bee activity and that’s where our work is helpful.

What do you need to do?

Plant the provided sunflower seeds. They've already sent me 25 packets of seeds to be used by our co-op. I will give them out to anyone interested in counting bees.

After your sunflowers have grown, you’ll collect data twice a month. Collecting data is just sitting outside for 30 minutes counting the bees that visit your sunflowers. You’ll give your best guess at what type of bee you see and record the temperature. I have data sheets to document your findings.

When you finish your 30 minute scientist stint, you’ll simply mail in your data sheet or enter the data on-line.

You’ll be helping bees and learning a little about bees, flowers, and the scientific process!

Please email Mary if you’re interested and I’ll bring the seeds and data sheets to co-op on March 31st.

ACCHE T-Shirts

If your kids are outgrowing the tshirts we made last year, we have a great opportunity to get some new shirts. Newlifeshopper.com can print t-shirts for only $5.95 each. There will be a picture and Bible verse (2Chronicles 7:14) on the front and our group name on the back.

We need to place the order by April 9th. Therefore, we will only be taking orders at the next co-op on March 31st! You'll need to have your order ready and money in hand on March 31st! You can write a check to me (Mary Black) and I'll place the order on-line. Please plan to add a few cents to each shirt you order in order to cover postage. Shipping cost will depend on the number of shirts ordered so I can't give you an exact amount now.

The Next Faculty Lounge

Moms don't forget this coming Friday, the 20th, is The Faculty Lounge. It is a time for moms to get out of the house without the kids to spend time with other homeschool moms. All homeschool moms are welcome. This month the theme is Mexican. Our hostess is Mary. Contact her for details or to sign up for food! Hope to see you there! 

Ice Skating

This Thursday, March 12, we'll be ice skating at South Charleston Memorial Ice Arena from 11am until 1pm. The cost is $5 per skater. Please let Pam know if you're coming or if you signed up and won't be coming.

All homeschoolers are welcome!

Okay, I'm here!

I finally found a few minutes to get signed up, without interruption. Don't ask me how that happened. It must have been a fluke. As soon as I figure out how to add pictures, I will. I have a few good ones, but none of Mary, yet. . .

Fun for Moms, Fun for Kids

There are so many activities available for us here in the Tri-state area! I added even more activities to the calendar today. Some of the newest to be added included the softball schedule for the spring and summer months, an Easter potluck following ACCHE co-op on April 14th, and a Mother's Day Luncheon on May 8th. 

Activities that are coming soon include Science Club March 10th, Project Day March 13, and the Faculty Lounge on March 20th. We had a great time at last month's Faculty Lounge, and hope to see even more moms join us this month for an evening away from the kids. Please email Mary for details, as she is the hostess for March! 

Please be sure to check the calendar for all the upcoming activities. It is filling up fast. Who says homeschoolers do not get enough socialization?!

So much fun, we are doing it again!

Just a reminder that this Friday we are headed to Pump Up the Fun again. All homeschoolers are welcome from 1:30-3:30. Bring a snack and drink to share. The cost is $5 per child. 

ACCHE Mom's Night Out

We'd like to try something new, our own Mom's Night Out! We'll be meeting at people's houses to minimize cost and encourage mingling. These will be held the 3rd Friday night of each month. Sara Swann will be hosting the first one on Feb. 20th. Mary Black will be hosting the second one on March 20th. We are looking for Moms and homes for April 17th and May 15th.

We understand that you might not be able to come to every one but feel free to come as you're able. This will be a time of fellowship and support for one another as homeschool moms. You don't have to be a member of ACCHE to come; all homeschool moms are welcome!

ACCHE's 1st Mom's Night Out

Friday, February 20th at 6:00pm
"A Soup and Salad Dinner at Sara's"
Sign up to bring your favorite soup, salad or dessert by emailing Sara (theswanns@netzero.net) or at Co-op on the 17th.
You won't want to miss the FUN, FOOD and Fellowship!
Directions will be available at Co-op or via email. Sara lives in South Point, OH approx. 25-30 mins. from the Huntington Mall. Don't let the distance deter you, travel together!

New on the Calendar

Added to the calendar today:

New Dates for Pump Up the Fun

Field Trip to the Post Office

Homeschool Day at the Capital

Check the calendar for times, dates, and contact information. 

Canned Foods and Box Tops

Just a reminder:

Glenna is collecting non-perishable food items for a local ministry. 

Don't forget about Box Tops. The deadline for sending those in is quickly approaching. Please bring them to co-op on Tuesday. 

Hope you all are doing well with all the snow, ice, and power outages we've been having! Snow is also predicted for Tuesday. If Cabell county closes school co-op will be cancelled. Hoping that doesn't happen, and we will see everyone on Tuesday!

The Calendar is Filling Up

The calendar was updated today. Be sure to check for upcoming activities. A couple of highlights:

PUMP UP THE FUN!

This Friday let the kids burn off some energy. Perfect time considering this cold snap we are in! $5 per child. Bring a snack and drink to share.

Testing

Group testing through WVHEA will be April 2nd at Westmoreland Baptist Church. The early bird deadline has already passed. February 10th is the next deadline to register with out a late fee. February 26th is the final day to register. 

Find information and forms at the WVHEA page. Contact Crystal (cnewmans at yahoo.com) for Cabell county testing information. 

Spring Semester Underway

It seems odd to be saying spring semester when there's snow on the ground. But we can't call it winter semester lest we confuse it with last semester, though I imagine we'll see more snow this semester than last. We'll also see May showers and April flowers, so spring semester it is.

We got off to a great start yesterday. We had three new families and a few exciting, new classes. I know my baby loved the new music class, though the big boys are still claiming gym as their favorite.

Registration will be open until our second session, so it's not too late to give co-op a try or let your friends know. Spring semester will meet on the following dates:

• January 6th and 20th
• February 3rd and 17th
• March 3rd, 17th, and 31st
• April 14th and 28th
• May 12th (year end picnic)

Pump Up the Fun

January 16th we will have a field trip to Pump Up the Fun. This is an indoor inflatable playground. It is a wonderful place to burn off cabin fever! Email us for more details!