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King Alfred Academy

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Posts posted by King Alfred Academy

    Samaritan Ministires? Anyone have experience with them?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    We've been with them for at least a decade now - though three claims and into our fourth - and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I'd never purposely go back to for-profit insurance.

     

     

    No, but if it is something you can pay up front, then get reimbursed yourself, almost all will give you a significant discount. We've done a mix of both.

     

     

    We had one payment not come in on time. We notified Samaritans, who then notified the person paying. They sent a check. My guess is the first one got lost in the mail. We got notified once that one of our payments wasn't received as well. I had put it into a Christmas card, so it may have been overlooked or it might have gotten lost in the mail. I just sent another check as soon as we were notified. The first check was never cashed. If someone did not pay their share, they would be dropped from the program...

     

     

    I would call them and ask for specifics like this... I'm honestly not sure how it would work.

     

    I love the group and highly recommend them, but it's not a group for everyone.  People need to look at their own situation and make up their minds.  Samaritans only "works" because it's all volunteer from people who choose to be there and make a commitment.  If it's not for "you" (generic), it's perfectly ok.

     

     

    Thank you so much for taking the time to type out your experience.  So glad to hear it works for you. 

     

     

    Samaritan Ministires? Anyone have experience with them?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Hi there! 

    I'm looking into different healthcare options for our family. 

    Does anyone have experience with Samaritan Ministries? 

    Have you had difficulties with finding providers who will wait for payment? 
    Have you ever had people NOT send you their share?  How was it handled?

    How do medications work?  I have a son who gets an allergy shot a month.  Am I correct in understanding we would pay for the shot (approx. $60) but the members of SM would cover the remix (once a year $1800)

    Has it been a good experience for you? 

    Thanks!

    Moving to Los Angeles Area...Homeschool Communities and Other Questions.

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    We used to live in El Segundo and it is a WONDERFUL community!!!! It has it's own school district with GREAT schools and it is the sweetest, walkable town. It's an rare gem in L.A. and even people who have lived in L.A. their whole lives are sometimes unaware of El Segundo. ***Live west of Sepulveda.*** 

     

    Seriously. It is the greatest! I can connect you with our old landlord if you are interested in renting a house. Otherwise, there are a few apartment buildings. Initially, we rented an apartment and found it by driving around and looking for signs. 

     

    The South Bay area is fantastic. You'll have everything you need. 

     

    I can't comment on the commute to Santa Monica, but we did frequent the area. I think living south is definitely going to be better on the commute than living north.

     

    Oh! There is a big new area near Marina Del Rey. I think it's called Playa Vista. They were building it when we lived there 10 years ago. My friend lives there and they love it. I think it's mainly apartments. That would be a lot closer to Santa Monica. There are also some neat areas in Westchester and Venice. Get on City Data and ask about neighborhoods. 

     

    But El Segundo is my #1 recommendation. ;)

     

    Thank you for this info!  It's fantastic to see many of you mentioning great areas to live.  It eases my anxiety a bit. 

    Moving to Los Angeles Area...Homeschool Communities and Other Questions.

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

     

    http://www.homeschoolla.us/resources/

     

    See part 37 

    1. Support Groups

     

     

    Thanks so much for the links!  I know what my day is going to consist of.  :)

     

    Moving to Los Angeles Area...Homeschool Communities and Other Questions.

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Join this group when you have time; it's the main mommy mailing list in West LA and the archives are very useful.

     

    http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/peachhead2/info

     

    I'm pretty sure El Segundo (takeoff) and Inglewood (landing) have the most plane noise, although certain parts of Westchester very close to the airport will have a little as well. El Segundo also has the oil refinery (Torrance has one too) and the water treatment plant, so sometimes it...smells. I honestly wouldn't worry about crime too much. Most of the city is mostly safe most of the time. Just find a little neighborhood where you feel good and then enjoy outings to new places!

     

    If you're renting, take a look at Playa Vista. It's right near the water, great amenities including parks, elementary school, library, and it'd just be a straight shot up Lincoln Blvd. to your husband's job.

     

    Thanks for the yahoo info.!  My membership is pending.  :)

     

    I have found a few places on craigslist in Playa Vista that are reasonable.

     

    We've been told that the best way to find a place to rent is to just drive around, look for signs, and call.  We're looking in to staying in temp. type housing when we first get there so we can be more sure of a place and not be locked into a lease.

    Moving to Los Angeles Area...Homeschool Communities and Other Questions.

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Wow!  So much information!  Thank you! 

    We will be renting an apartment as buying a house isn't an option yet.  Really appreciate your insight as far as neighborhoods go.  We have been told that a particular street could be a safe place to live but a few blocks down it's not.   Checking them out during all times of the day is a great idea. 

    The largest city I have lived in is Nashville and that isn't too big.  This is definitely going to be a change.  SO excited about being near the beach! 

    Oh...thought of another question...What areas do we want to avoid as far as hearing LAX traffic? 

    Thanks! :)

    Moving to Los Angeles Area...Homeschool Communities and Other Questions.

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Hey there! 

    There is a VERY good chance we will be moving from N. CA to LA (Westside...Santa Monica, Culver City).  Currently we are signed up with a charter school in our area and are looking to sign up with Sky Mountain Charter School once we are there.  However, are there others I should consider?  Co-ops?  I'd love for the boys to be able to attend classes...not just enrichment type classes like gymnastics and theater because we'll have that covered.  What about active homeschool groups that offer park day, field trips, etc.? 

    Also, any other information you could give about the area would be lovely.  The job is in Santa Monica, but unfortunately we won't be able to afford to live there.  :(  I've been looking at Culver City/Palms area.  Would the commute be awful from Manhattan/Redondo Beach area?  I've read that Hawthorne and Inglewood should be avoided...is that true?

    Thanks so much for your insight!

    Top Choices for US History Read Alouds from Westward Expansion

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    My boys and I really enjoyed A Pioneer Sampler by Barbara Greenwood. There is a narrated story as you follow a pioneer family from 1840 throughout their daily life and then it goes into detail about specifics such as milking, dying wool, threshing, storing corn, etc. There are directions for activities and projects as well. The illustrations are lovely.

     

    ETA: We also enjoyed Sign of the Beaver and Once Upon this Island.

    California Question

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I am not sure about being able to take classes at the ps, but you can sign up with a charter school and receive $$ for classes, supplies, and curricula as long as it is non-sectarian. You'll have to meet with a certified teacher periodically and take standardized tests, but if you aren't opposed to that sort of thing, I would encourage you to look into it.

    states that give you money

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We are enrolled in this and LOVE it - it has made the difference between night and day in our homeschooling experiences. I've been able to purchase awesome, expensive curriculum with the school funds that I never would have otherwise - like RSO science plus all the science kits, the complete Hands-On Equations math system, all the levels of All About Spelling, top notch art supplies. etc... Beats trying to homeschool on a shoestring budget like before! I make all the curriculum choices, and the school purchases them for me. It's been amazing for our family. Our Education Specialist is a pastor's wife who homeschooled her own kids. I honestly don't know what all the controversy is about, there is no trojan horse here as far as I can see.

     

    :iagree:We are enrolled in the same program and it could not have been a better choice for us. My boys have been able to take classes they never would have been able to if it had not been for the funding. I feel blessed to have the options.

    My adviser is a believer, homeschools her own child, and does not push the PS agenda on me. She knows better and does not believe in it. Granted, not all advisers are like that.

    There are ways around standardized testing if you don't want to do it. The school frowns upon it and will try guilting you into it, but there are ways around it. For me, we do it, but we don't prepare for it in any way. I'm not concerned with their scores.

    California Field Trips

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    If you decide to go to Sutter's Fort, be sure to read Patty Reed's Doll before you go. It's a true story of her family's journey West and her doll is preserved in the Fort! My boys thought it was cool to see it.

     

    Old Sacramento is pretty cool, but FULL of kitchy shops. Try to schedule a docent to talk with you at the Wells Fargo bank. It was the final stop of the Pony Express. There is also an underground tour you could look in to. The Railroad Museum is great and they offer rides on a steam train weekends during the summer.

    :001_smile:

    What are you doing for 6th grade

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    My plan so far:

     

    History/Lit/Geography/Projects: TOG Y2 Dialectic; but we're going to start the year off reading Augustus Caesar's World by Foster since we won't get to Rome this year.

     

    Science: Apologia...Swimming Creatures

     

    Math: TT6-7 (partly), Math Mammoth for reinforcement, LoF for fun

     

    Language Arts: MCT Town (we're behind a bit), throwing in some R&S grammar, IEW Theme Based Writing, Phonetic Zoo (spelling), Wordly Wise Vocabulary, Editor in Chief

     

    Bible: The Picture Smart Bible (NT)...I think.

     

    Art: a hodge-podge of stuff

     

    Outside Activities and Classes: Drama/Acting classes and hopefully cast in a play, Carpentry, Lego Engineering, Tennis, Public Speaking, AWANA, and some others I can't think of now.

    School at the kitchen table people.... please come here

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We school at the kitchen table, which is actually in the Living Room since our apartment is soooooooo small (594 sq. ft.). It was important for us to not feel like we were living in a school so we have all of our books and supplies in stackable cabinets with doors. I needed it out of sight in order to not be in "homeschool mode" all day long. We also have two large-ish bookshelves in the boys' small room and another bookshelf on one side of their large closet.

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