September - October 2024

SCHOOL’S IN SESSION, ARE YOU READY?

Neatly lined notebook paper. Sharpened number two pencils. A brand-new box of brightly-colored crayons. A sturdy lunch box ready for the first PB&J of the year. Class and activity schedules; supply lists; so many details and so much stuff! This time of year, shopping for 3-ring binders can seem almost like a 3-ring circus. Gone are the lazy days of summer. The fall school routine brings new courses, new adventures, and many extra curricular activities.

While the arrival of the school year brings a fresh start - and soon the change of seasons - it can also bring a lot of worry to a mama's heart. Our thoughts turn toward our children's interaction with others. Will they make new friends? Will they listen to other teachers? Or we stress over academic concerns. Will our struggling first grader ever make progress in her reading? Will math ever click with our fifth grader who gets hives when she sees a story problem? Will our high schooler get into his hoped-for university?

Besides relational and academic matters, we also long for kids who are spiritually and physically healthy and strong. If left unchecked, our thoughts and concerns as mothers can wreak havoc on our hearts as we allow the tentacles of worry to choke out our joy. We find an antidote to worry in the gospel of Luke and the story of Mary and Jesus. Luke 2 mentions four areas Jesus grew in as a young boy: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people." Our Lord grew wiser each year. He physically grew. His relationship with His heavenly Father continually strengthened. Jesus even gained favor with people here on earth who saw Him day to day.

And how I love the simple sentence that precedes this: "His mother kept all these things in her heart." When Mary was mothering Jesus, she tucked thoughts of her son safely in her heart. Some Bible translations say she "treasured" them. Others use the word "cherished." The original Greek word meant, "to keep safe or hold fast." In none of these descriptions do we see Mary fretting and fussing, worried and anxious, disquieted and unsettled. She pondered about her son and his growth, but she didn't allow her mama heart to become rattled.

This fall, let's turn our anxious thoughts into treasured prayers, kept safe and held fast by our loving Father - the one who knows our hearts and loves our children even more than we do. When a concern pops up in our mind, let's drop to our knees and carry that concern to God. When we start to fear for our child's future, let's petition the only one who knows exactly what the future holds. When we turn our worries into our prayers, we create space in our hearts to treasure and cherish the sweet moments with our kids. These paper-and-pencil school days won't last forever.

Let's delight in all that God is teaching our kids, whether it's how to read, how to forge friendships, or how to solidify their walk with Him. Let’s realize they aren't the only ones being taught; we moms are learning a life-long lesson in trusting and treasuring, knowing God is always in control. (Excerpt from P31 ministries.)

-Julie Blank, Academy Director

UPCOMING HCCA EVENTS

Sept 30 Early enrollment deadline (price increases)

Sept 30 End of first quarter

Oct 1 Registration for HCHE Graduation begins

Oct 10 Deadline to enter first quarter report

Oct 23 - 6:30 pm Mandatory Graduation Meeting for all students and parents participating in graduation in Room 161

ACADEMY CONTACTS

Julie Blank, Academy Director AcademyDirector@hche.org

Ratri (Teri) Maynez, Academy Manager AcademyManager@hche.org

Georgia Wolfe, Academy Database AcademyDatabase@hche.org

Phone:  (719)278-9135 x4

All HCCA families receive three hours of consultation for free! To schedule a consultation, please email Julie at AcademyDirector@hche.org

QUARTERLY REPORTS HCCA’s first quarter ends September 30th. You have until October 10th to input your student’s first quarter information, after this date a late fee will be charged to your account. The information you put in the quarterly report section is very important. Your quarterly reports are evidence that your student is progressing through the curriculum and through the school year. This is why HCCA requires a detailed report each quarter. We hold our families and ourselves to a higher level of accountability. It is important that parents input all required information each quarter. Please read our updated Quarterly Reporting Instructions.

CURRICULUM PLANS Did you know that your curriculum plan is very important? Your plan serves as a compass, giving you a steady, organized plan for the school year. By following the curriculum plan, students make progress from quarter to quarter. This is why HCCA requires a detailed curriculum plan each year. This is extremely important in high school, no matter what your child’s plans are in the future. If you have questions about your plan or curriculum in general, please contact us.

Important Reminder We are unable to process your application until all of the application steps have been completed and all of the registration records have been received. After review of your application, a confirmation letter of the student’s acceptance will be emailed. Please review the published timeline in the handbook for an expected date of confirmation HERE.

Do you have questions about your registration?

Make sure you have completed these steps:

  • Become a member of HCHE

  • Completed Student Information and signed Parental Agreement

  • Entered a source of instruction/curriculum plan for each student Please make sure you are specific on the source of instruction. Be as detailed as possible. (i.e. “online instruction” is not enough. List the website, publisher, course title, instructor, ISBN for a book source) List specific school of instruction and subject/course, if taking classes elsewhere (i.e. Charter School/college).

  • Uploaded standardized test reports (for any testing not done at HCCA) or evaluation reports. These are required in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, 11.

  • Paid the enrollment fee.

  • Clicked the “Submit Application” button in your family portal.

Do you have questions about upcoming quarterly reports?

  • Log into your parent portal.

  • Click on > by your student’s name.

  • Select Quarterly Report: General Info to enter your attendance. Click on the box next to the month in Quarter 1 and enter the number of days completed in each month.

  • Click on Quarterly Report: Class Info at the top of the page. Click on > by each subject to enter grades and information on what was completed. Grades are required on Quarters 2 and 4. Enter specific information in the “What was completed” section. Log curriculum or hours progress (i.e. Saxon Math 5/4 completed Ch. 1-3; or Literature books read: Charlotte’s Web, Little Pear, and Owls in the Family; or PE – 10 hours). Enter URL for website classes and hours completed. Any curriculum changes can be noted in the box under Q1 Curriculum changes.

  • Click the Q1 Reporting Complete at the top of the page (this lets us know you have completed the quarterly report).

Fall is just around the corner! It’s the perfect time to spice up your homeschool days!

Elementary school tips: Go on a leaf hunt, collect leaves, and make some leaf art window clings (https://kidscraftroom.com/fall-art-window-painting-for-kids/). Use this time of year to do a unit study on autumn and the autumnal equinox. Visit a pumpkin patch and use the pumpkin meat to make a pie, soup, or bread.

Middle school tips: Go on a nature hike, collect some leaves, and make a leaf bowl (https://www.madewithhappy.com/diy-leaf-bowl/). Use this time to study artists who created fall themed works, such as Albert Bierstadt or Nicolas Poussin. Visit a pumpkin patch and use the pumpkin meat to make a pie, soup, or bread.

High school tips: Go on a nature hike, collect some leaves and nuts, and write a descriptive paragraph, an allegory, or poem about what was collected. Visit a pumpkin patch and use the pumpkin meat to make a pie, soup, or bread - or even an entire meal!