Pennsylvania home schoolers, I need input.

[Recovering Sociopath]

We are moving to PA September 1. I've already discovered the wonderful askPauline.com, and that has been hugely helpful in my planning.

 

Is there a particular planner or organization system that you found particularly helpful with respect to putting together your end of year portfolio?

 

For the past couple of years I've used the file crate system (combined with a Homeschooler's Journal for each child), which I think would work pretty well--just go through and cherry pick a few things from each week's folder at the end of the year--but I'm certainly open to any ideas you may have with respect to easing the administrative burden.

 

(Oh, and my graphic design geek husband wants to know if any of you have submitted your portfolio electronically. I think he's itching to get creative with it.)

 

Looking forward to your input.

 

Thanks!

[Kelly1730]

Yep, that's pretty much what I do only with notebooks. The Homeschooler's Journal could be used as their log and then just pick a few pieces of work to submit in each category. It's really not difficult, mostly paperwork.

[Rebel Yell]

No. I turn in about 2 dozen pages, photocopied on ink-saver setting. Even for my high-schooler. I rarely turn in complete works- maybe the outline and first or last page of a research paper. My reading log is a book list. I do not turn in planning pages or records of daily work. NEVER photos of my children.

 

What you keep for personal mementos and what you show an evaluator and turn into the school district do not have to be the same things.

 

There really is no "administrative burden" aside from keeping a folder (or for us, gallon-sized zippy bags) for each child to throw some pepers in every now and then.

 

What part of PA are you headed to? There is a group in SW PA that does free evaluations.

[Tarreymere]

I've turned in portfolios in the form of a powerpoint presentation on cd, but that was a bit too much work. It's easier to turn in a pdf on cd. Cds are less expensive than flash drives, but I do dream of turning at least ONE portfolio in on something like a SpongeBob flashdrive. My ten year old is really into making powerpoints right now and I am thinking of maybe letting her do that next year with her own portfolio if she wants to.

What works for me is to get a big binder, like three or four inches, for each child. At the beginning of the school year I put in each binder a copy of the notarized affidavit and the response letter from the school district, the attendance calendar for that kid (with the statement that if the child did not attend school on a given day, then that day is crossed off with an X, which saves me from marking them present each day), a copy of the objectives for that child, and various other forms I've found useful or necessary like a book list for recreational reading, the 'log of instructional materials' (which is for us just a list of books that we have used over the year). All this stuff is in the front section. In the next section I put in a pocket folder that I three hole punched. I print out daily assignment lists for each kid, and they get all marked up and check marked, and crossed out in the process of being used. I put these into the pocket folder and eventually three hole punch them in chronological order and put them in that section grouped by month. I like to see what we have done over time to get an idea of progress made, bumps in the road, that kind of thing. These will never get anywhere near the school district as they are strictly for my own use. I can however, use them to compile a summary for each subject and I do throw that into the portfolio.

The next sections are for each subject area and I have pocket folders and page protectors there to stick completed work in, if we complete work that is written on paper. I take pictures of projects, art stuff, drawings, and that kind of thing and at some point I will print out the pictures onto a page and stick that page in the section for that subject. Lately I have had to have a page to list the file names of powerpoint projects, longer papers, and other things in the appropriate subject section because they are just too big or not in a form that easily lends itself to being stuck in a binder, I've found that not only is this a nice 'yearbook' for the child, it gives me more than enough material to pick from for the 'samples' in the portfolio.

It also gives me a place to stick all those various papers that I used to throw in a box. At the end of the year I have a nice record for each kid. I can pull out from the binder what I want to put in the portfolio. I can put the portfolio stuff in another, smaller three ring binder or, my preference is to scan in what I want to send to the school district and make a neat pdf file and then put that on a cd. They only need 'samples' so I just pick like three or four examples for each subject and call it good. My school district has never complained or wanted more. I keep the big binder as my own record or give it to the child, but I do admit that a couple times I have tossed everything at the end of the year and re-used the same darn binders......

I take the bigger binder with me to the evaluator usually, but I have taken the smaller, school district version with me also. I had a great distance evaluator last year and I uploaded the pdf file to Skydrive and she looked at it online. When I got her evaluation letter I scanned it in and added it to the pdf and THEN put the pdf on cd and dropped it off over at the school district.

They did look at me funny the first time I gave them a cd, but I smiled and told the (true) story of how the cat had peed in the box I was using to collect my kid's work samples...........so I scanned in what I could to spare them the stink. They haven't complained at all. :laugh:
I do not trust them, however, to simply email the pdf to them but I suppose that if I could trust the receipt function on my email program it should, theoretically at least, work just as well.

 

 

 

Edited to add:

I do NOT give the school district any medical information on my kids. I do not give them any physical forms or immunization records. Nada. I include a paragraph in my affidavit that states that because of HIPPA and privacy concerns my kid's medical information is maintained at their doctor's office. In my opinion, a doctor trumps a school nurse when it comes to reviewing what my kids might need medically. The school district has chosen not to argue the point with me. 

[creekland]

We just kept a binder with the calendar up front along with a reading list, then each subject divided by tabs.  As the kids completed something we felt worthy, we added it.

 

We never had any problems whatsoever.  Our school district is nice enough to provide the basic forms for us that we just filled in and had notarized.  It really was no work whatsoever aside just a little bit filling out goals.

 

 

We are moving to PA September 1. I've already discovered the wonderful askPauline.com, and that has been hugely helpful in my planning.

Is there a particular planner or organization system that you found particularly helpful with respect to putting together your end of year portfolio?

For the past couple of years I've used the file crate system (combined with a Homeschooler's Journal for each child), which I think would work pretty well--just go through and cherry pick a few things from each week's folder at the end of the year--but I'm certainly open to any ideas you may have with respect to easing the administrative burden.

(Oh, and my graphic design geek husband wants to know if any of you have submitted your portfolio electronically. I think he's itching to get creative with it.)

Looking forward to your input.

Thanks!

 

[happypamama]

I separate my subjects in my portfolio (for which I use Staples' white 3-ring binders that have the clear plastic, so I can put a sheet with the child's name, grade, and year in it), and I include a little paragraph that highlights each subject. This lets me include things that don't fit neatly onto a piece of paper (like music we've listened to, or activities that don't have photographs, or language that we've done orally, etc.). I put the letter from the evaluator first, then the calendar and book list, then test scores if required, and then each subject's samples, roughly 3-5 for each subject, but sometimes more if there's some really cool stuff. I put brochures and photographs on heavy paper and slip them into page protectors.

 

When I turn in the portfolio, I include a receipt that I make my school district sign, as proof that they did receive the portfolio, in case they lose something. On the receipt, there is a space to check off for the following:

-samples of work

-log (which is a booklist and a calendar with days checked on it)

-letter from evaluator (and I make a copy of this to keep at home, just in case)

-affidavit for upcoming year

-objectives for upcoming year

-medical paperwork or exemption for upcoming year

 

Our district does send us a letter each spring as a reminder that we need to turn in the portfolios by June 30, and they include a form that we can take to our evaluator if we want. I choose not to use that form, because it's a little different from what's exactly specified in the law.

 

Btw, if you didn't know this yet, your paperwork for the upcoming year is required to be filed with the school district by August 1, but if you have it in there before July 1, you can start counting school days as of July 1. We school pretty much year-round, and this year, a large portion of August will be off because of our new baby, so getting the days in in July is really helpful to us; we'll still be able to start back in September after the new-baby routine settles down, and we'll have done several weeks' worth of work already. We should still be able to finish before Memorial Day. Our district will send us a letter to say that our portfolio was approved (and that it's ready for pickup), and they'll send us another letter saying that our paperwork for the next year was approved, but we do not have to wait for that letter to start counting days, as long as we filed the papers.

[Recovering Sociopath]

 

 

 

 

Edited to add:

I do NOT give the school district any medical information on my kids. I do not give them any physical forms or immunization records. Nada. I include a paragraph in my affidavit that states that because of HIPPA and privacy concerns my kid's medical information is maintained at their doctor's office. In my opinion, a doctor trumps a school nurse when it comes to reviewing what my kids might need medically. The school district has chosen not to argue the point with me. 

 

Thank you! I was wondering about this.

[Momof3littles]

Thank you! I was wondering about this.

Just be careful with the medical info, as some districts will push back on it. The homeschool liaison at the PA Dept of Ed has provided people with the portion of the law that makes it clear HIPAA does not apply to public school records. There are a few ways to approach the medical info situation, but just make sure you know what the law is in case they push back, as the HIPAA argument (which I totally get and think it is an issue overall) doesn't necessarily have any legal backing. You can file exemptions as well, which is supported by the law in case the district pushes back and wants the info.

 

That's one of the challenges of HSing in PA-different districts handle things differently and interpret the law differently as well. Even within a district, one personnel change can mean the demands made change quite a bit. This happened in my SD, which was historically "easy" to work with. Then they brought in someone new and there was a lot of confusion and demanding of things beyond the scope of the law.

 

We also use a binder and give a few samples of work for each subject. In PA you have to teach fire safety each year, so be sure to document that ;) We check off 180 days, do a reading log, hand in the evaluator letter and test scores (in testing years). My SD started demanding a certain format for the portfolio, a certain size binder labeled a certain way, etc. 2 years ago, thanks to changes put up on the PDE site. THe PDE liaison put in a lot of vague wording when she changed the website around in an attempt to be "helpful." A lot of what went in there was not necessarily consistent with the law , and she mentioned something about a "suggested portfolio format" (3 or 4 inch binder, etc. etc.). As a result, some districts like mine started demanding the port be in that format. However, a friend in the SD who was reporting at that time pushed back and did it her own way, and they didn't say much about it other than "next year you should...". The following year she actually put her port on a thumb drive, and they accepted it without issue at that point.

[Lakeside]

 

When I turn in the portfolio, I include a receipt that I make my school district sign, as proof that they did receive the portfolio, in case they lose something. On the receipt, there is a space to check off for the following:

-samples of work

-log (which is a booklist and a calendar with days checked on it)

-letter from evaluator (and I make a copy of this to keep at home, just in case)

-affidavit for upcoming year

-objectives for upcoming year

-medical paperwork or exemption for upcoming year

 

I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if you would mind sharing the wording of your receipt.  Last year I read some advice about requesting a receipt, but I didn't think to create my own.  When my husband dropped off the portfolio, he asked for a receipt and the person accepting it looked at him strangely.  So he came home with a hastily written receipt scrawled on a post-it note.  I thought I'd include a receipt this year, but my wording sounds a bit stiff and untrusting. ;) Thanks!

[arcara]

I print up a receipt that says, "I have received the following items for (child's name):". The I list the items I'm turning in such as, 2013-2014 portfolio, Grade 8 standardized test scores, evaluator's letter, 2014-2015 Affadavit, medical exemption letter. Then I put a line for the signature.

 

HTH!

[Lakeside]

I print up a receipt that says, "I have received the following items for (child's name):". The I list the items I'm turning in such as, 2013-2014 portfolio, Grade 8 standardized test scores, evaluator's letter, 2014-2015 Affadavit, medical exemption letter. Then I put a line for the signature.

 

HTH!

Yes, that is very helpful and much more amiable than anything I was coming up with.

 

Thank you!

[Renaissance Mom]

I realize that the op is now an old pro at homeschooling in PA, but wanted to reinforce the suggestion that you double check with the school district on what they specifically want (within the scope of the law). Our sd does not want to see portfolios at all but wants the evaluator's report stating that the portfolio was reviewed by the evaluator. So anything I put together for our portfolios is for our own use and for our evaluator--so it ends up more a scrapbook/yearbook with some work samples. When I turn in our paperwork, they notarize my affidavit for me, make copies if I need them, and check off what I give them in their files right in front of me. We appreciate being in such a sd.

[happypamama]

Yes, that is very helpful and much more amiable than anything I was coming up with.

 

Thank you!

I am so sorry I didn't see this sooner, in time to help you.  But the one I turned in this  year looked like this.  I split the two sets of documents because last year, when I turned in a receipt for my rising third grader's paperwork, but no portfolio for him, because it wasn't required, the lady at the office was a little confused, so I made it clearer this year.

 

Acknowledgment of Receipt of Required Documents

 

Name of Student:

 

Name of Home Education Program Supervisor:

 

Address:

 

 

 

CONTENTS OF PORTFOLIO:

 

__________ Evaluation of Student

 

__________ Log and Samples of Student Work

 

__________ Test Results as Required in Grades 3, 5, and 8

 

 

DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO HOME EDUCATION FOR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR:

 

__________ Affidavit for Upcoming School Year

 

__________ Objectives for Upcoming School Year

 

__________ Medical Exemption Form

 

 

Received by: ________________________________ Date: ___________________

[Lakeside]

I am so sorry I didn't see this sooner, in time to help you.  But the one I turned in this  year looked like this.  I split the two sets of documents because last year, when I turned in a receipt for my rising third grader's paperwork, but no portfolio for him, because it wasn't required, the lady at the office was a little confused, so I made it clearer this year.

 

Acknowledgment of Receipt of Required Documents

 

Name of Student:

 

Name of Home Education Program Supervisor:

 

Address:

 

 

 

CONTENTS OF PORTFOLIO:

 

__________ Evaluation of Student

 

__________ Log and Samples of Student Work

 

__________ Test Results as Required in Grades 3, 5, and 8

 

 

DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO HOME EDUCATION FOR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR:

 

__________ Affidavit for Upcoming School Year

 

__________ Objectives for Upcoming School Year

 

__________ Medical Exemption Form

 

 

Received by: ________________________________ Date: ___________________

No worries!  I ended up wording it like arcara did.  I like the way you did the acknowledgement.  I'll keep it on file for next year!  

 

Thank you.  :)

[Rebel Yell]

I am so sorry I didn't see this sooner, in time to help you.  But the one I turned in this  year looked like this.  I split the two sets of documents because last year, when I turned in a receipt for my rising third grader's paperwork, but no portfolio for him, because it wasn't required, the lady at the office was a little confused, so I made it clearer this year.

 

Acknowledgment of Receipt of Required Documents

 

Name of Student:

 

Name of Home Education Program Supervisor:

 

Address:

 

 

 

CONTENTS OF PORTFOLIO:

 

__________ Evaluation of Student

 

__________ Log and Samples of Student Work

 

__________ Test Results as Required in Grades 3, 5, and 8

 

 

DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO HOME EDUCATION FOR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR:

 

__________ Affidavit for Upcoming School Year

 

__________ Objectives for Upcoming School Year

 

__________ Medical Exemption Form

 

 

Received by: ________________________________ Date: ___________________

 

That is almost exactly what i made, too!

 

I always say in the nicest way, something like, "No one has ever lost our materials yet, but if it happens, i don;t want to have to re-do everything. Thanks so much!"

[happypamama]

That is almost exactly what i made, too!

 

I always say in the nicest way, something like, "No one has ever lost our materials yet, but if it happens, i don;t want to have to re-do everything. Thanks so much!"

 

They did lose part of my paperwork the first year -- the middle of three pages.  They sent me a note in November telling me that they didn't have my medical paperwork or exemption.  That was unnerving, and I wondered if it would set a bad precedent, but thankfully, it did not.  I just sent them a new copy and went on, but I'm glad for the receipt for the bigger stuff, like the portfolio itself (and I did make a copy of the letter from my evaluator and the notarized affidavit, just in case).

 

They almost lost my portfolio last year.  All went well with turning it in, and they sent me the letter to tell me that it was okay, and I could pick it up anytime.  I had a baby in mid-August, so I didn't get around to getting to the school for a while to pick it up, and when I did, they had moved it to a different storage area, and it took the woman a while to find it.  At least there were no legal issues, but I would have hated to have lost it because I spend a fair amount of time on them, and it ends up being a nice scrapbook of the year.

[Rebel Yell]

They did lose part of my paperwork the first year -- the middle of three pages.  They sent me a note in November telling me that they didn't have my medical paperwork or exemption.  That was unnerving, and I wondered if it would set a bad precedent, but thankfully, it did not.  I just sent them a new copy and went on, but I'm glad for the receipt for the bigger stuff, like the portfolio itself (and I did make a copy of the letter from my evaluator and the notarized affidavit, just in case).

 

They almost lost my portfolio last year.  All went well with turning it in, and they sent me the letter to tell me that it was okay, and I could pick it up anytime.  I had a baby in mid-August, so I didn't get around to getting to the school for a while to pick it up, and when I did, they had moved it to a different storage area, and it took the woman a while to find it.  At least there were no legal issues, but I would have hated to have lost it because I spend a fair amount of time on them, and it ends up being a nice scrapbook of the year.

 

Awwww, that stinks!  Last year, they mailed my portfolio back- TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FAMILY!  O.o  we don't know each other, but we have a mutual friend who got it back to me.

[happypamama]

Awwww, that stinks!  Last year, they mailed my portfolio back- TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FAMILY!  O.o  we don't know each other, but we have a mutual friend who got it back to me.

Ack!  I'm glad you got it back!