This is really an awesome collection of projects. Also if you use Artistic Pursuits there are alot of great projects that go along with that. I also just go to the Library, they have books on projects that go along with the various periods in history. We also have done a variety of feasts based on food of that time/culture. Dd loves when we do that.

Math, Science, History, Reading, Language Arts, Bible: 4-5 days (depends on if we have co-op that week) Art/Music: normally 2 days each a week Latin: 4 days a week Phys Ed: depends, normally 2 days a week minimum (excluding random play) Health: ties in with Science but I also do a unit daily for about 1 month on saftey, mannars and such.

Check for continuing education classes through your town/school district or in neighboring ones. We have some local teachers or artists who regularly offer classes to the community through that. They may have one geared towards kids (ours does). Check local colleges, especially ones that offer art education. They may have a program where their students teach art classes. If they do not maybe you could talk to the head of the art dept and have something set up or find a student who might be willing to do private tutoring or if there are some other kids in the same boat a small class. In our area there is a proffessional art teacher who teaches classes at some of the local co-ops. It is a little pricey but worth it. You might want to see if there are other co-ops not too far away that might work too.

My daughter is also a Juliette this year. We actually have a semi troop with some other Juliettes. We might actually form our own troop next year...just too much paperwork this year.

Glad the site helped. It is also a great place for sciences or if yo want to make up a history test. There are some good essay questions on there.

Try this site http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/math/geometry/math-GEOMETRY.htm#m4 They have a really great review for the NYS Regents exam. I used a bunch of their examples and reviews for sd when she was in high school.

We hs sd from mid 9th -12th grade. The only outside classes she took were at a co-op and none were core classes. She only took art, Bible study, gym and first aid. None of those classes supplied a grade. She is now a freshman in college. I know a bunch of hs kids who did not take any outside courses but still got into college.

We used SOS for Consumer Math last year with sd. That was a really great program. It covered everything I could think of that sd would need to know from taxes to banking to retirement and everything in between. I would be the lifepacs are pretty much the same just not on the computer.

Our district contacted us at the end of Aug. since they were missing sd's testing results. We had sent them in at the end of June with dd's written narrative. The really funny thing was that sd was a senior and we requested a letter of completion. We got the letter of completion before July 1st and then at the end of Aug they do not have her test scores???? They also told us that they were behind this summer and that if we do not hear from them our IHIP is ok. So I will be sending in our quarterly in a few weeks and just keep on doing what I am doing until I hear otherwise.

I used HST+ (the basic does not have transcripts). For classes that I was not doing the whole lesson plan thing in I would just create 1 test each quarter and put her grade in for that. It makes a pretty nice transcript too, even with gpa on it.

I am currently using Sonlight Core 2. It really is not a supplemental but a full Histroy and Literature program. It is very much litterary based and there is alot of reading (parents mainly do the reading in elementary and middle school) The Language Arts follows a more natural approach but it really does cover everything. Dd does daily reading. The rest of the LA goes something like this : Day 1 Copywork (upper cores I believe it is dictation), Day 2 a grammar or language arts concept (descriptive words, onomonpia, capitalization......), Day 3 pre writing, Day 4 Writing Assignment, Day 5 Optional Assignment. The lower cores have a weekly spelling list then starting in core 3 they recommend using Sequential Spelling. The IG list out daily assignments and reading. You can look at samples on the Sonlight site. The basic Core list Bible, History (which includes timeline and map work), Read Alouds. The LA has spelling, phonics (optional but we use it), readers, and writing. The IGs also provide discussion questions, new vocabulary, map work, timeline info, and sometimes additional information on the books or topic. We also use Sonlight for Science. The instructors guide lays out the daily section we have to read and then what questions to answer on the activity sheet. There is also usually at least one experiment each week. The only thing we add in are Math, Handwritting, Latin, Art and Music. Everything else is covered in Sonlight. I really love the way it is laid out and the fact that dd gets so much out of it.

I was just there last night but it was a quick run in and out. When I go shopping tomorrow I will have to check it out.

I would suggest getting a couple of progeny press guides or if you want secular try Novel Units (they actually have more choices than progeny press). We did about of those a year for English with sd. They worked out very nice.

We are doing SSL with dd (2nd grade) this year. We spend about 10 min. maximum a day going over the lesson and singing the songs. It is a perfect fit for us this year and dd is loving it. She is even trying to teach freinds the words/phrases. Next year we are planning on using Latin for Children.

I am starting dd out at age 7. We are using Song School Latin this year and she loves it. I highly recommend that for k-2/3rd grades. Next year we plan on using Latin for Children. I have that and it looks like a great program.

Dd did this course in 1 year. You really need to do 1 lesson per day to cover it. We did one lesson a day and then friday was test day. If she has already had some of the material it should make it a little easier. You should not however skip any of the problems. The course does spiral so it is necessary to do all the problems so that the reinforcement is there. If you skip some of the problems you may skip something important.

We used Apples: Daily Spelling Drills for Secondary Students It worked pretty well for sd. You could also look at doing Squential Spelling.

I plan on not doing the new Geometry. Doing Algebra I, Algebra II, Advanced Math, and then Calculus worked fine for our older daughter so that is what we plan on doing with dd when she is in high school.

We are doing Horizons 3 this year. Next year we plan on switching to Saxon 5/4 and then just continue on with that.

I love British TV Doctor Who (especially David Tennant) Top Gear How clean is your house? Bargin Hunt Cash in the attic Are you being served? As Time Goes By Keeping up Apperances F Word Kitchen Nightmares Monty Python Fawlty Towers Ab Fab Graham Norton -although he is a little out there sometime Johnathan Ross Loved the show about finding the next Joseph I am sure I am missing some

We did Saxon Calculus last year. I really liked the book. It is very well laid out imo.

I live in NY too and I think alot of districts are coming down on hsers this year. We have had a couple of districts around here push their limits. Thankfully there is HSLDA, no NY hser should be without them! If my Superintendent asked for more info I think I would just print off the discription of the book from the publishers or distributors site and send that in. They never said the info needs to be pretty. Our district is slow too. Dh called to make sure they got our letter of intent (since we never heard anything). Well a week or so later they called saying they never received our annual assement so we resent that. Well when we originally sent in the annual assement (June) we asked for a letter of completion for our one daughter. We got the letter of completion about a week after we sent in the assement, so who knows what they did with our original paperwork. These districts can drive you crazy sometimes.

According to the Saxon rep I spoke to at convention this year they added to the geometry program for those who needed it to fullfill state requirements or just wanted a little more geometry than is provided in Algebra 2 and Advanced Math. Alegbra 2 and Advanced Math does cover the basics of high school geometry so the course is not needed but can be used.

Our district has a homeschool liason. There main job is to handle all the paper work (IHIP, Quarterly Reports, Annual Assement) and make sure we are in compliance. They are helpful in directing us when we need something from the district. When we had questions about PSAT they directed us to the person we needed to contact within the high school. For the most part we do not really have much contact with them and I guess I like it that way. Any info I need on homeschooling programs and such I can get through my local homeschool group. I just saw a job posting today for another district in our area that is looking to hire a homeschool liason. They are looking for someone who is a certified school counslor or a social worker.

One thing that might ease your mind is that even though he is far behind kids at this age are known to make tremendous jumps when you are not expecting it. His comprehension and handwriting will improve maybe not as quick as you want but if you keep working at his level it will...even if you are not working on it everyday. I have heard so many stories of homeschool kids with special needs that eventually thrive with the one on one attention you get with homeschooling. Scheduling and fitting more in also gets easier as the year goes on. I know that our school day ended much earlier in May than it did in Sept and we were doing more work in May. I add things in as the year went on when we had time or dd just wanted to work on something. Another idea in the area of grammar/phonics...I know Shurly can be pretty intense an is a good program. Maybe something like Horizons Phonics might work well for you. I used it with dd and it has the Phonics in it but also grammar and writing. The program might not be as intense for your son and might free up a little time. I know it is hard trying to make everyone happy and keeping the schedule when it can be so crazy. I know you said that your dh is not as involved because of work and such but maybe just siting with him and going over your concerns about state standards and explaining how you are scheduling your day might help. Also if he has a vacation day or two (or do it on a Sat) that he can use maybe he can shadow you and "J" for a day to get the feel of what is happening at home and why not doing anything in the afternoon those days is not always going to happen. After him shadowing your school day ask him for his opinion on how you have it set up. Maybe, just maybe he might have an idea that would work for your family or be alittle more understanding of why your day stretches. It sounds like you are working with your sons needs and he is just concerned because he does not really see the way the day goes.