New Hampshire

[Chez J]

My husband has been offered a job in Burlington, MA. Looks like NH is a better place to homeschool. Am I right about that?

 

We're considering Nashua since it looks (at least on a map) close enough for him to commute to Burlington. And, it has a USA swim team.

 

Can someone recommend yahoo groups there or an email loop? Also, what co-ops are there? Is there a homeschool band? My daughter plays sax.

 

Thanks,

 

Lesley and daughter, age 10

[Matryoshka]

I wouldn't say it's better in NH. All I have to do is send a brief letter once a year to the local school - completely not a big deal. In NH I think you have to have someone come assess your kid and/or do testing. That unschooling family that just made such waves on GMA lives in MA - obviously even radical unschooling is quite easy here :-P

 

Rte. 3 down to Burlington can be a bear -partly because a lot of people do what you're suggesting because of housing prices rather than homeschooling regulations. Iit really isn't so bad here that I'd give myself a longer commute - I was just reading an article that a lot of people that moved farther away for cheaper housing are actually paying more overall because of increased transporation costs. You can also pick a town that gives you easy access to Nashua (for, say, swim team) and is still closer in for you dh's commute.

 

There are "friendly" and "unfriendly" towns in MA - if you join the state Yahoo group (masshomelearningassoc), you'll get tons of info. You could also ask there about things like swim team or band. I don't know of any homeschooling bands, but I know a friend of mine was going to ULowell for a wind ensemble, there's Indian Hill in Littleton has a lot of different ensembles to choose from, and if you do end up in NH, I've heard there's something up in Manchester.

 

I can PM you about coops - are you looking for religious or secular?

[In The Great White North]

At least part of the North Shore Swim Club swims at Hanscom AFB which is near Burlington. We've been to a few of their meets and they seem like a nice bunch.

 

http://www.northshoreswimclub.com/

[jujsky]

My husband has been offered a job in Burlington, MA. Looks like NH is a better place to homeschool. Am I right about that?

 

We're considering Nashua since it looks (at least on a map) close enough for him to commute to Burlington. And, it has a USA swim team.

 

Can someone recommend yahoo groups there or an email loop? Also, what co-ops are there? Is there a homeschool band? My daughter plays sax.

 

Thanks,

 

Lesley and daughter, age 10

 

Well hi! I live in Nashua :)

 

I think (please correct me MA people) that MA requires standardized testing. NH lets you choose. You either need to do a standardized test or a portfolio evaluation every year. Houses are definitely less expensive in NH.

 

Nashua seems fairly homeschool friendly. It is the first year we've needed to report. I have a friend in Nashua who homeschools and uses the local schools for a couple of classes for her kids (music & art, I think). She said her neighborhood school has been extremely friendly & helpful. If you move here, do your own letter of intent. The district has a "form" you can fill out, but they tell you that you have to give them curriculum information, a scope & sequence, and lots of other information you are NOT required by law to give (prior to 2006 you did need to give some of this information, but the law changed and the schools either don't realize it, or no one has changed the form). Nashua allows you to borrow books from the school or use any of their resources. When it comes time to do band, I will probably enroll my kids just for band.

 

If you are moving here, avoid the Tree Streets (any streets that are named after trees). It's the worst part of town, and pretty scary!!!! Riverwalk Cafe is a great little coffee shop. I'm in a book club that meets there monthly if you move here and are interested. Silos in Merrimack is an awesome steak house. Haywards has great ice cream.

 

There are not a ton of co-ops in the area. The few I've found are either religious-based, or they're very unschooly (unschoolerish?). Another mom & I started our own small co-op, but the kids are younger than your DD. Here is a Ning group you can join. They're a bit out of the way for someone in Nashua, but I often get ideas from them and I've been able to network with some other people. At the very least, they should probably be able to tell you if there is another co-op you can join, and they can probably tell you where to find a band for your DD:

 

http://nhrelaxedhs.ning.com/?xgi=hN4e7lD&xgkc=1

 

There is also a Manchester homeschool list on yahoo maybe. I'm not on that one, so I can't give you a site address.

 

Please feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about Nashua. We've been here for 11 years & love it! The only reason we would ever move from here would be if we decided to send our kids to PS. The school system isn't all that great.

[bookfiend]

My husband almost took a job outside of Boston last year. HSLDA was very helpful in alerting me to which school districts/towns were more difficult. I also posted to a local homeshooling group there (sorry don't recall who), and they were SPECTACULAR about sharing information re. communities, school law, and support.

Edited May 1, 2010 by bookfiend

[Matryoshka]

Well hi! I live in Nashua :)

 

I think (please correct me MA people) that MA requires standardized testing. NH lets you choose. You either need to do a standardized test or a portfolio evaluation every year.

 

Nope, completely untrue. :) In MA neither portfolio evaluation nor standardized test is required. There are three options:

 

1. Progress report - just type something up and send it in.

2. Standardized test - as an option if you choose it, not required.

3. Portfolio - but no review, just send it in. You do not ever have to meet with someone to go over anything.

 

Only ONE of these three options is required, and you can tell the town which you plan to submit. Contact with the town needs only be in writing.

 

Houses are definitely less expensive in NH.

 

Well, this is true, but that can be offset by travel expenses if you're travelling a significantly longer distance. :)

 

There are not a ton of co-ops in the area. The few I've found are either religious-based, or they're very unschooly (unschoolerish?). Another mom & I started our own small co-op, but the kids are younger than your DD.

 

I'll agree. We never joined any of the big local coops. We also formed our own rather Waldorf-inspired coop that met for many years when the kids were young. Reading your post about your coop made me all nostalgic for those early years! My youngest is 9 now...

 

We live in MA but fairly close to Nashua - we do most of our shopping up there. :seeya:

[ccm]

I think (please correct me MA people) that MA requires standardized testing.

Standardized testing is one option but is not required.

[jujsky]

:seeya: Matryoshka! I didn't know you were so close :) Thanks for clearing up the requirements for me. The one MA mom who was in my old co-op said that she had to do standardized testing. Maybe she meant SHE had to for her own sanity or something. I wonder why HSLDA has it listed as a difficult state? And I LOVE my new little co-op! The moms have become so close over the past year. It's awesome!

 

Lesley, just to clarify on the NH portfolio evaluations, you don't HAVE to meet with someone. I don't know if all districts do it, but the Nashua school district sent me a letter saying I can have my portfolio evaluated through them. I don't know if they would have me drop it off or come in and meet with them. I am opting to do mine privately anyway (it's $35 through the person I'm using). Whether or not you meet with someone depends entirely on the evaluator. The one I am using gives you the option of mailing it, but she does say on her website that she prefers meeting with people in case she has any questions as she goes through it. If you opt for a portfolio review I STRONGLY recommend doing it privately. I think if you do it through the school, it's a done deal. If you do it privately and don't like the evaluation, you don't have to sign it or send it in. If you do it early you will have plenty of time to find a new evaluator or to take a standardized test.

 

As far as living in NH/working in MA & the potential commuting nightmare it may involve, I've lived it with DH. It's not fun, but there are worse things. At one point he had a horrible commute down to Concord, MA, and a few years ago he was commuting into Cambridge because he took a job at a start-up. Now he's in Lowell (a glorious, easy, 20 minute commute). If your DH has a job that offers some type of flexibility with hours, he may be able to work from home one day a week or shift his work hours to come in a bit later and stay a bit later to avoid the traffic. A lot of the companies that close to the border have many employees making this type of a commute, and tend to be somewhat flexible. Have him ask about this before you decide where to live. I don't know what field he's in, but if it's in the computer field they tend to be more flexible than other positions due to the ability to telecommute. DH has never had a problem with flexibility in this area with any of the companies he's worked for.

 

That being said, DH just told me if he was relocating for a job and could afford MA, he would move there to avoid the commute to Burlington. :)

[jenL]

I'm originally from Nashua! Almost my entire family still lives there as well as Dh's parents. NH is a great state. You can't beat not having an income tax and sales tax. When we lived in NH, dh worked in MA, and although we paid MA state income tax, we always got it all back. Others are right that the commute to Burlington can be difficult at times, but I would not rule out living in NH. Many who live in MA end up moving to NH to reap the benefits of living there.

[Chez J]

I'm amazed to read that my homeschool child can take classes through the local public school! So, can she join the band but still be homeschooled? What about swimming for the school team?

 

I will tell hubby to look into MA too. It looks like it's not too onerous to homeschool there. I was thinking there was a recent new law about being certified. I'm remembering the state wrong I guess.

 

If anyone has more suggestions about co-ops or band, I'd love them.

 

Thanks,

 

Lesley

[In The Great White North]

I'm amazed to read that my homeschool child can take classes through the local public school! So, can she join the band but still be homeschooled? What about swimming for the school team?

 

I think the NH law says the school district has to provide everything to homeschoolers they provide to enrolled students. It definitely includes the high school swim team. Ds (home schooled) was captain of the local high school swim team this year. He took one math course at the high school, Math Modelling, first semester senior year, no placement test involved. Dd took French III and German IV this year, and was on the swim team and the crew team. They took the PSAT and SAT there, and the school will order any AP test you want (we've signed up for US Govt, Chemistry and German.) Most of them are beyond helpful. One of my friends even got all her dd's textbooks from the school!

[Matryoshka]

I'm amazed to read that my homeschool child can take classes through the local public school! So, can she join the band but still be homeschooled? What about swimming for the school team?

 

In MA you can do this in many towns, but not all. It's very much town by town. Some are very welcoming, and others won't hear of it.

 

I will tell hubby to look into MA too. It looks like it's not too onerous to homeschool there. I was thinking there was a recent new law about being certified. I'm remembering the state wrong I guess.

 

Actually, it was probably NH. There was a very nasty law that almost went through there lately - but I believe it got voted down. There is actually no homeschool law at all in MA - it's all case law.

 

If anyone has more suggestions about co-ops or band, I'd love them.

 

 

I'll PM you. :)

[mom2denj]

YES, Haywards ROCKS!!!! So does Nashua House of Pizza (the spinach pizza is out of this world)!!! Sorry, no help at all to the thread. Nashua is a great place to live. I was born and raised there and I just wanted to give a shout out!! Merrimack would also be a great choice.

Well hi! I live in Nashua :)

 

I think (please correct me MA people) that MA requires standardized testing. NH lets you choose. You either need to do a standardized test or a portfolio evaluation every year. Houses are definitely less expensive in NH.

 

Nashua seems fairly homeschool friendly. It is the first year we've needed to report. I have a friend in Nashua who homeschools and uses the local schools for a couple of classes for her kids (music & art, I think). She said her neighborhood school has been extremely friendly & helpful. If you move here, do your own letter of intent. The district has a "form" you can fill out, but they tell you that you have to give them curriculum information, a scope & sequence, and lots of other information you are NOT required by law to give (prior to 2006 you did need to give some of this information, but the law changed and the schools either don't realize it, or no one has changed the form). Nashua allows you to borrow books from the school or use any of their resources. When it comes time to do band, I will probably enroll my kids just for band.

 

If you are moving here, avoid the Tree Streets (any streets that are named after trees). It's the worst part of town, and pretty scary!!!! Riverwalk Cafe is a great little coffee shop. I'm in a book club that meets there monthly if you move here and are interested. Silos in Merrimack is an awesome steak house. Haywards has great ice cream.

 

There are not a ton of co-ops in the area. The few I've found are either religious-based, or they're very unschooly (unschoolerish?). Another mom & I started our own small co-op, but the kids are younger than your DD. Here is a Ning group you can join. They're a bit out of the way for someone in Nashua, but I often get ideas from them and I've been able to network with some other people. At the very least, they should probably be able to tell you if there is another co-op you can join, and they can probably tell you where to find a band for your DD:

 

http://nhrelaxedhs.ning.com/?xgi=hN4e7lD&xgkc=1

 

There is also a Manchester homeschool list on yahoo maybe. I'm not on that one, so I can't give you a site address.

 

Please feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about Nashua. We've been here for 11 years & love it! The only reason we would ever move from here would be if we decided to send our kids to PS. The school system isn't all that great.

[Pam in MA]

The only thing I can add: we homeschool in MA and are new to swim team this year. It seems to me that many of the swim teams around are associated with a Y or swim club; I don't know of too many that are connected to a school. Which is great for us since there are kids from all the neighboring towns. And here in Newburyport, reporting is very easy. We do a yearly standardized test because it seems like by far the easiest way and they need to practice testing for SATs, etc. anyway. The traffic can be brutal around here, though, so I'd check carefully into that if commuting into Burlington.

[Denisemomof4]

YES, Haywards ROCKS!!!! So does Nashua House of Pizza (the spinach pizza is out of this world)!!! Sorry, no help at all to the thread. Nashua is a great place to live. I was born and raised there and I just wanted to give a shout out!! Merrimack would also be a great choice.

 

Their spinach pizza IS the best, and Haywards DOES rock!!!

 

I want to echo what Julie said about housing. You get a LOT more for your money in NH. It's not REALLY tax free here, because you do pay more in taxes for homes. We couldn't touch our home with our land in MA. It would be far out of our price range. Of course it's a buyers market now.......

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

Jennifer,

I live in NH -- we have spent the past two years defending our current homeschool law against changes in the legislature as well as in the rules and regulations writing process. There is a contingent of legislators that think "most of you do a fine job homeschooling your children...but we're concerned about those that fall through the cracks...." It has been beyond frustrating, but we did manage to thward their attempts this year (praise God!).

 

HSLDA's reading of our law is pretty accurate at their website. We have multiple ways to "prove" progress each year and there are many private schools under which you can umbrella to keep your children out of the system if you choose.

 

PM me if you want more information. Welcome to New England. It is a fantastic place to live with LOTS of opportunities.