Buckeye...that will be a hike! We moved from Surprise to an area near Anthem about 2 years ago. It sounds like your daughter will be more than prepared for the rigors of a Great Hearts school. With her solid math background, she'll be able to devote more of her energies to other subjects. Except for a two year stint in the public school arena two years ago, all three of our daughters have only been homeschooled. I had initially intended for only our 9th grader to attend SPA, but after touring the school and speaking with school administrators, I came to realize how much the junior high years aid in laying the foundation for what is covered in high school. As a result, we decided to enroll our 6th and 8th grade daughters as well. All three girls are actually counting the days until school begins. I haven't decided if I should have hurt feelings or not! Sabrina

We applied at the Glendale and Scottsdale locations, but were able to secure spots at Scottsdale first. While GPA is actually closer to where we live, SPA is a block or two from where my husband works as well as our church. It seemed the better choice since they knew of several other kids going to SPA. I'm sure you won't have any trouble getting in at Glendale as there is always a lot of shuffling at maneuvering of students from one school to another at the beginning of the year. Many will drop out once they experience the rigors of the curriculum. Did you tour any of the other schools? We were blown away (and it takes a lot to impress me, having worked in the school system as a speech therapist) by what we witnessed in Chandler. Sabrina

After nine years of homeschooling, our kids (grades 6, 8 and 9) will be attending a classically centered, socratically led, college-prep charter school this fall geared for grades 6-12. Their focus is on providing a core liberal arts education with a strong emphasis in the humanities. Sabrina in AZ

Hi 5wolfcubs, It's taken awhile, but we have finally made a decision! At first we were only considering the school for our 9th grader, but now that we more fully understand how instrumental grades 6-8 are in laying the foundation for the high school years, we have decided to enroll all three of our daughters. Since it's a charter/public school (though it has a private, college-prep feel), they cannot exclude anyone. We didn't have AIMS scores to present either, but that hasn't been an issue in the slightest. They do have a waiting list, but many on it have been offered spots throughout the summer and will continue throughout the year. It's common for people to "hold spots" at multiple schools while they make their decision and don't release those spots back to the school until close to the beginning of the new school year. There will also be many families who drop out and switch schools when they more fully realize the rigor of the curriculum. Anyone not offered a spot will automatically be rolled over to next year's list. I'm not sure where in AZ you are located, but there are currently 5 or 6 campuses throughout the Phoenix Valley (Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale) with plans to continue expansion until there are about a dozen sites or so. You can track development plans by visiting http://www.greatheartsaz.org/ . While we have mixed feelings about coming to the end of our homeschooling journey (9 years), we are hopeful and expectant that this new learning opportunity will open doors of opportunity that we couldn't recreate in our home. Sabrina in AZ

If anyone is so inclined, I'd appreciate feedback on the following charter school in Arizona. http://greatheartsaz.org/ It's a college-prep, classical school with an emphasis on providing a liberal arts education bathed in the humanities and utilizing the socratic method in all of its classroom discussions. The curriculum plan is on the site. We toured one campus a few weeks ago and were amazed. If we decide to send our girls there (6th, 8th, and 9th grades), I'm wondering what sorts of things we might should consider in moving away from homeschooling to afterschooling. Thanks! Sabrina in AZ

Thanks for the recommendation, but I should probably clarify my needs. I'm looking for something to use over the summer break. It's highly possible my kids will attend a classical/socratic method school this fall, but this will be the one time period my youngest won't get much exposure to so I'm looking to prevent that gap. Thanks again! Sabrina in AZ

I'm looking for book/spine recommendations for covering US History from about pre-discovery (including some of the early explorers) up until pre-revolutionary war. I'm looking for something similar in style to Mystery of History, but am open to all recommendations. My student is a strong reader in 5th/6th grade. Thanks! Sabrina in AZ