Saturday, September 13, 2008

North Central Baptist Church

8001 NW 23rd Ave

Gainesville, FL

Click Here for Directions....

New-to-Homeschooling Orientation Kathy Sellers, M.Ed.  Your rights and responsibilities, how to get started, finding curriculum and support, keeping a log and portfolio, etc.

• Kathy Sellers lives in Plant City with her husband Larry and daughter Susie.  Susie was home educated from kindergarten through high school and recently received a Bachelors of Arts degree in biology with minors in chemistry and Bible.  As a certified teacher in the state of Florida, Kathy spent 15+ years teaching in public and private schools including Cornerstone Academy in Gainesville. As part of her duties she served as a curriculum specialist and testing coordinator.  For the past 20+ years Kathy has completed individual home school evaluations and headed large group standardized testing. During “free time” she is still active in the public school domain as a substitute teacher or interim long term teacher for teachers with extended illnesses. 

Ideas for Teaching when Toddlers and Babies are in the Mix!  Dee Privette  An interactive workshop for parents with young children.  Practical "how-to" ideas to keep your little ones safely engaged as you manage the rest of your world.  Bring your success stories to share!

• Dee and her husband, Malcolm, have eight children and have homeschooled since 1984.  A new generation of Privette homeschoolers has begun as Dee and Malcolm now have four grandchildren, the oldest starting kindergarten at home this fall.  Dee has been a preschool Sunday School teacher for 30 years and enjoys interacting with little ones.

Help for Parents with Children who Learn Differently   Mike and Juli Stewart  Mike and Juli share their experience as a Christian homeschooling family and having a child with learning disabilities.   

• Mike and Juli Stewart have been homeschooling for 12 years. When their daughter was 8 years old, she was not reading and schoolwork was difficult for her.  Sitting still to concentrate on learning was not easy.  Through homeschooling, Mike and Juli have had the luxury of one-on-one instruction and time to work with their daughter.  Over the years, the Lord showed them how to teach her and also brought to them other services like: Vision Therapy, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy. 

Becoming Your Wife’s Leader  Guy Solis   Gus’ main goal is to encourage husbands and fathers to be involved with their families by leading and ministering to their needs. With a heartfelt message, no man will be the same after hearing him share his testimony and vision. 

• Gus Solis is married to Shirley Solis since 1993. They have five children and are based in Homestead, Florida. Each year, they travel the country for six months, catering to the needs of homeschooling families as they share their hearts on life and educational issues. 

How to Do Your Best without Burning Out  Mardy Freeman  Homeschooling mothers wear many hats, and sometimes it feels like "the faster we run, the 'behinder' we get!"  Mardy shares very practical ideas she has used to identify life goals, plan each day with those goals in mind, and then make room for them each day.  

• Mardy is married to Bill Freeman, and they have homeschooled their 7 children, ages 27 to 13, since 1986. Mardy leads a monthly character-focused Moms’ Group and writes an e-mail newsletter entitled A “Mary” Heart.   

Teaching Writing  Stephanie Johns, B.Ed.  This session is designed for parents of elementary and middle school age students. As a former college writing instructor, Stephanie believes children need to write well, and she encourages parents to get their children comfortable with writing during these years. To that end, she shares the importance of excellent literature in the home, as well as real life techniques of using literature and character issues as writing opportunities.  She also reviews the basic writing process that helps students and parents better understand that writing is a process with many steps. There will be a display of examples of writing activities you can implement in your family. 

• Stephanie has been married to Scott Johns for 20 years. They have been blessed with four daughters that they homeschool, ages are 14, 10, 7, and 4.  Stephanie is a certified teacher evaluator in North Florida and hosts a monthly mom’s meeting in Lake City where she shares on the common character and heart issues that come with being a homeschool mom.

Building Character and Strong Work Ethics in your Childre  Shirley Solis Have you ever wondered how homeschooling exhibitors get their kids to work so hard? What are they doing that could give you similar results? Be encouraged with biblical principles and practical tips to give you a successful outcome with winning attitudes for the Lord’s sake. It will be no surprise to find out why Shirley and her husband are often complimented on their children, who have “the hardest work ethics they have ever seen.” 

• Shirley Solis is married to Gus Solis since 1993. They have five children and are based in Homestead, Florida. Each year, they travel the country for six months, catering to the needs of homeschooling families as they share their hearts on life and educational issues.  Shirley, a dynamic and encouraging speaker, has touched the hearts of many around the country. With her delightful, upbeat personality and her convicting message, she shares her life experiences while inspiring and encouraging the Body of Christ to fulfill their God-given purpose.

Staying in Shape While Staying at Home: Practical Ways Busy Moms Can Win the Battle of the Bulge   Suzanne Farina, M.Ed.    How can anyone get into shape and stay that way when life is already so demanding? That is one of the questions that I am going to be trying to answer during this workshop. I will be sharing on how to make exercise a part of you and your family’s lifestyle.  I will be sharing some basic how to's, some tips on getting and staying motivated to workout and some of the benefits of several types of aerobic and anaerobic exercise.   

• Suzanne is married to Andy Farina.  They have five children, ages 5 to 17, who are all homeschooled.  Suzanne has studied heath, nutrition and fitness for the past 22 years.  She received her BS in Nursing from UF, and has been a Group Fitness Instructor for the past 18 years.  She currently teaches strength training, step interval and core conditioning at the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center.

Make an Impact!\  Joy & Joshua Minchin “And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”  Fear of public speaking is the highest rated of top ten fears listed in The Book of Lists, even ahead of the fear of death! In this highly interactive workshop, Joy and Joshua will discuss how to conquer this fear and explain why it is so important that Christian teens embrace their role as communicators for Christ in today’s culture. Come learn about the many opportunities available for Christian teens who want to sharpen their communication skills and make an eternal impact on the world!  

• Joy Minchin is a 17-year-old high school senior who likes to live with gusto and make the most of every opportunity! Most recently, that opportunity has been competitive speech and debate. She has received multiple awards through competition and especially enjoys one-on-one conversations or speaking whenever and wherever she has a chance. She zealously pursues truth and wants to help others find it, too. You will find her enthusiasm contagious! 

• Joshua Minchin is a 16 year-old high school sophomore. He has spoken in both competition and community platforms for the past several years. He been awarded at the national level and has a passion for encouraging others to develop this vital skill, and to equip them to be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in them. 

The Heart of Homeschooling  Kathy Sellers, M.Ed Come be inspired by Kathy’s encouragement and stories as she shares the heart of what homeschooling is all about, and why character is best reason to homeschool. 

• Kathy Sellers lives in Plant City with her husband Larry and daughter Susie.  Susie was home educated from kindergarten through high school and recently received a Bachelors of Arts degree in biology with minors in chemistry and Bible.  As a certified teacher in the state of Florida, Kathy spent 15+ years teaching in public and private schools including Cornerstone Academy in Gainesville. As part of her duties she served as a curriculum specialist and testing coordinator.  For the past 20+ years Kathy has completed individual home school evaluations and headed large group standardized testing. During “free time” she is still active in the public school domain as a substitute teacher or interim long term teacher for teachers with extended illnesses. 

High School Q&A with Veteran Panel  Susan Minchin, Dee Privette, Susan Stanley...  Each of the parents on this panel have a wide variety of experience with high school options.  Come with your questions!

• Susan Minchin: participating in high school sports

• Dee Privette: getting students admitted directly into UF from homeschool

• Susan Stanley: homeschooling all the way through high school

Making the Most of Your Mist   Kelcee and Kember Griffis  You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14  Evangelism has been called one of the best ways to grow in your faith. But it can also look terrifying and intimidating. Through the workshop “Making the most of your Mist”, Kelcee and Kember hope to share practical ways to share our faith, lots of encouragement, personal testimonies, and tips on effectively relating the gospel to our culture. Make the most of your mist by impacting eternity!  

• Kelcee Griffis is a 17 year-old high school senior. A mission trip to Ecuador, working at a Christian summer camp, and participating in speech and debate are opportunities that have helped her grow in communicating for Christ. She recently enjoyed running track at the local high school and sharing the gospel with her teammates, and looks forward to chatting with people anywhere about the thing that matters most: eternity. 

• Kember Griffis is a 14 year-old homeschool student. This past year she has enjoyed participating in speech and debate and working at a Christian day camp. The testimonies of persecuted Christians, and evangelists such as Mark Cahill and Ray Comfort have spurred her on to reach out to the lost.