In ours if you quit before December 31 you have to repay all the allotment money you have spent. After that you just have to return your non consumable books and materials you bought with the allotment or borrowed from the resource room. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mine was $74! That was a great email to wake up to! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I forgot to add that the web cam classes we do ranged from about 20 minutes a class for kindergarten to an hour this past year for my third grader. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We have used a charter from the beginning and it's been great for us. I get $1500 per kid which I can use on curriculum (I can choose basically what ever I want--I have never in 4 years asked for something and been unable to purchase it) extra curricular activities (art classes, tennis lessons, gymnastics, swimming, etc), annual passes to local museums and national parks, and online subscriptions (brain pop, IXL, ALEKS, RazKids, etc are some of the options). It has allowed me to base curriculum decisions on what will work best for us rather than budget. It's also allowed us to have an awesome stock of art supplies available to us at home. My kids get to do a ton of extracurricular activities that we wouldn't otherwise be able to afford and have made some wonderful friends at those activities. It's also allowed us to try some of the online subscriptions that I would never have been able to afford on my own. Basically it just lets me make choices for my kids education with out money really entering into the equation, which is nice. In exchange for this allotment the kids have to do two classes a month with their "teacher". We are on an island an our charter school is located on a different island so the classes are via web cam. The quality really depends on he teacher. Sometimes they get a lot out of it, sometimes not so much. Some teachers give a homework assignment at the end and some don't. My son, who completed third grade this year, also had to do the required state testing this year. I stressed over it a ton and in the end it was no big deal. It was 4 total days spread over 2 weeks, only about an hour to an hour and a half a day. He didn't love it, but he didn't dead going or anything either. To me the couple hoops we have to jump through pale in comparison to the benefits. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ds8 does soccer, tennis, and swimming in the summer Dd6 does soccer, gymnastics, and swimming in the summers The swimming I force them to do, then I tell them they can choose 2 other activities. That's all I can juggle, lol. They have also tried baseball, dance, and martial arts. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These videos (there are a few related to evolution and adaptation) are also great. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We are reading this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1590787234/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1460477118&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=billions+of+years+amazing+changes+the+story+of+evolution&dpPl=1&dpID=61zY0DqwlUL&ref=plSrch My kids are 8 and 6 and all of us are getting a ton out of it. It's been one of the better sources I have found for evolution. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am not sure either. It does seem so simple. We are having the same experience here, though. It's the only thing that has made any difference in my son's ability to spell, so we are sticking with it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I did one online math and o e online language arts practice test with ds just so he would know how to navigate the computer aspect of it. I have talked to him about the fact that he will not know everything on the test and that if he doesn't know just to make his best guess. I have also stressed to him that while it's important to do his best (as with everything we do) there is no horrible consequence that will befall him if he doesn't score well on this test. My main goal is for him to get through it with minimal stress at this point though. I have also talked to him about things like raising his hand if he needs help or to ask to go to the restroom, etc since he would probably just get up and go like he does at home or yell out his question, lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I wanted to add that I am using MP K enrichment with my kindergartener this year and loving it. That's a much better option for that type of thing I think. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree with Calming Tea. I got it one year through our charter, took one look at it and never used it. The books are nothing great and neither is the guide. There are much better options out there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you! I will add those to my list of things to check out.

This was very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to explain.

This is another one I haven't looked at. I will have to check it out thanks for the suggestion!

I am not 100% sure but I think it's upper elementary? Like 3rd-5th or 6th grade-ish? Maybe someone else can chime in with a more sure answer. I really felt it was perfect for my son in 3rd grade. He is 8.

Good to know. I considered going back to WWE but I was sort of unsure of what level to start with at this point. And we had such a bad experience the first time around I was hesitant, though I really do think he just wasn't ready for ANY writing program at the time we tried it. Definitely something to consider.

Thanks! I have never even looked at this so I will have to check it out.

Thank you! This writing program has been so wonderful for me and ds. It has totally changed the way we approach writing and his attitude toward the subject. It's the first time I have felt so sad over finishing a curriculum.

I am SO not crafty either! That would be a big turn off for me. And honestly my son isn't into that type of thing either. Especially with writing. He doesn't want anything that's going to lengthen the process. My daughter...that's a whole other story.

Yes! All the stories in TC are so great! It was so motivating for my son.

Thank you all for helping me think this through. I think I am leaning toward CAP Fable spread over a year with some TC style assignments related to our other subjects thrown in the mix. ScoutTN, I totally agree, I will have to pre plan these or they will never actually happen. So, I guess I better get planning our history and science studies, lol. I am definitely feeling less scared about doing it this way if it's pre planned though. I feel less worried that I would totally drop the ball if it's all scheduled out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for the suggestions. I had been looking at CAP fable. I was just thinking I would want to use something with it for more nonfiction writing. I somewhat feel like after TC I could just use that method to add in some non fiction writing assignments on my own related to our history and science studies but I am a little nervous about really staying on top of that. I have also considered IEW...but the price, ugh. Such an investment if it doesn't work out, and our track record with writing programs isn't great. I have looked at Brave Writer and actually have read the Writers Jungle. I love the idea of it, but I just can't see myself doing it in real life. I need more of a concrete plan. Sometimes our life gets really busy and on those days things that aren't straight forward or at least a little open go get skipped. DS gets really overwhelmed by the amount of writing and by new things that he doesn't feel he can immediately be successful at. One of the great things about TC for us was that it broke things up into really manageable chunks. Also, it built up skills so nicely and I loved the pace. He kept making gradual progress, but he never felt like he couldn't do the new task because it was really clear how he was just combining the skills from previous lessons to do this new thing. It was also great that he didn't have to just come up with a story out of the blue. When that is the case all I can get out of him is recaps if soccer matches, lol. I think those things were key to building up his confidence and stamina throughout this year. I feel like IEW is described as having a lot of the characteristics we liked with TC, but I don't feel sure about it for some reason. How does CAP look as far as the amount of writing each day and scaffolding skills into so nothing gets sprung on them out of the blue?

We tried WWE in first grade and BookShark language arts in second. I also tried some stuff on my own. Just journaling about topics we were studying, copy work from our current read aloud, etc. when I got totally discouraged by what we were using and didn't want to buy something else for the year.

My son is in third grade this year and we will likely finish Treasured Conversations by about June. I have LOVED this program and it has been so great for him. It's the first time we have consistently had writing lessons without arguments or tears, and I feel like his writing is improving. He has gained confidence in leaps and bounds and is actually enjoying writing. So...if you used TC and loved it, what did you use next? I am at a loss. I really want to continue this great forward progress and especially his positive attitude toward writing. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Punalu'u black sand beach is another great one. There have been turtles there every time we have gone as well. If you go down there stop by the Punalu'u bakery. Yummy treats there [emoji4] Also seconding the recommendation to hike the petroglyphs trail at the volcano park. It's not a very long hike and it's totally worth it. Another good hike there is the Thurston Lava tube. You actually get to hike through a lava tube...pretty unique experience. Also, if you have people into astronomy definitely check out the IMILOA astronomy center in Hilo. Lots of cool things to see and do there for all ages. Also, the food in their restaurant is great! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk