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Moving from Chicago to southern California, help


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We're moving from Chicago to California (San Clemente or somewhere near there), about July 1.  I'm looking for referrals to homeschool groups (Christian, classical, or general) or co-schools (partial school programs for homeschoolers), or any general advice on moving to a new city/state with school age kids.  Just as I was posting this I saw Well Trained Mind online classes which I had not noticed because I've not visited in a while...that might be a consideration for us to consider along with some "in real life" homeschool groups, co-school,etc.

 

For background: We've been doing classical Christian homeschooling for 7 years; we did Classical Conversations Foundations and Essentials and also attended The Greenhouse Co-School in Wheaton IL which we loved and are really sad to leave.

 

My oldest daughter is almost 13, adores reading, classical music, ballet, acting, Shakespeare, veterinary medicine and is doing an internship with our vet in Chicago (it will be very hard to leave that). My 9-year old daughter loves math, arts and crafts, and Minecraft; she is gifted mathematically and has ADHD. Both of my girls are socially quiet.  My 9-year old son is more social than the girls, likes sports, yo-yo, and Minecraft; he has ADHD and dyslexia, dyscalculia and has done amazingly well working with tutors but is still rough around the edges in terms of working in a classroom setting...organizing papers and assignments and taking notes is all kind of beyond him at this point though he does fine in our co=school because I help him figure out what he needs to do, etc..

 

I mention the ADHD because as I was investigating possible schools, I discovered one school I was considering specifies that they will administer kid's medicines except under no circumstances will they administer ritalin " a performance-enhancing drug."  I was shocked at this attitude so I thought I'd mention it because I don't want my kids in an environment that sees ADHD meds in that light.   

 

I also am seeking a Christian environment in which a literal 6-day creation is not required.  I believe God is the creator of all, but I don't see new earth / old earth / literal 6-day creation, etc, as core to faith in Jesus Christ.  I mention that because some environments are open on this point and others aren't.

 

My husband is open to secular schools, and is asking me to be open so I'm trying.

 

While we have homeschooled up to this point, as the kids get older I am more open to the idea of them going to a school, a good school, because I now know enough to have strong opinions!

 

Just based on internet research, I like what I have read and seen in videos of Capistrano Valley Christian Schools because the way they describe their culture sounds great (they sound real and authentic to me, but that's just based on their website) and they offer a 2-day per week co-school as well as 5-day per week school through grade 12.  And it is somewhat reasonably priced, or at least within consideration range for us.

 

I ruled out some schools which might be good schools but I ruled them out if they seemed too stuck in a certain kind of curriculum, for example if it was mostly Abeka and not much else, that wouldn't be a fit for us.  Or if all the science was Apologia (I might have to just accept that because that was the norm). If all the math is Saxon, it would probably not be a fit for us.  We've used all Singapore Math and then Margaret Lial for later math plus The Great Courses.  

 

I'm open to any thoughts, suggestions, referrals.  

 

Denise

 

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I don't know about schools local to where you will be, but if you decide to homeschool as an individual then there is a form you will need to fill out in October. It is the Private School Affidavit and then, in the eyes of the Department of Education, you would be your own very small private school. No testing, unless you want to. No portfolios, unless you want to. No anything. You would set your own rules.

 

Welcome to California!

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