Saturday is Veterans Day. If you have not already done so, contact a military veteran to express thanks for his/her service, which helped to preserve our safety and freedoms. Find tangible ways to show your support of the military.

Learn about the history and significance of Veterans Day. Click on the graphic to read about this holiday and to access teaching materials.

Missed early voting? Today you have your last chance to cast that important vote!

Go to the website of the Texas Secretary of State for help in finding your polling location. If you’re still unsure about which candidates support the right of parents to direct the education of their children, you might be interested to see the endorsements made by THSC PAC.

Have you wondered how you can make a real difference politically? Today is Election Day, so be sure to VOTE! However, we also need to educate and hold elected officials accountable once they get to Austin!

In the last several legislative sessions Texas home schoolers have made their presence and their opinions known to the legislature through our Capitol Days. THSC Association is now planning Capitol Days in Austin for the year 2007.

During each morning session, THSC representatives, legislators, and legislative staff members educate attendees about the legislative process and train them to lobby. Each month there will be different speakers and topics, depending on the current issues of concern for Texas home educators. In the afternoons, students, parents, and chaperones will head to the Capitol to meet and lobby legislators and then reconvene for debriefing (sharing and feedback) sessions.

Don’t miss these opportunities for great political science field trips as you also work toward meeting the Good Citizenship requirement. Click on the graphic to get more information about next year’s Capitol Days.

THSC’s Lyndsay Lambert will speak at a Christian Homeschool Alliance of Texas (CHAT) support group meeting on November 17, 2006.

She will address Learning to Love Learning: If you teach a child to read, write and work with numbers, train him in character, and give him a love of learning, he could then educate himself. Reading, writing, and working with numbers are the tools of learning. Character is important because a lazy child will not put out the effort to educate himself; a proud child will not see the need to seek further learning. The love of learning is necessary for the young person to be motivated. But how does a home school mom communicate that love of learning?

Event Location:
High Pointe Baptist Church
101 High Pointe Lane
Cedar Hill, Texas
See map.

Childcare: $1

For more information, contact Monica Holman - (972) 274-1986 or enrichment@c-h-a-t.org

Many C.S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia enthusiasts in the home school community were excited about seeing a quality portrayal of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in American theaters. Movie makers have taken note and are now seeking input from the home school community. Excerpts from a WorldNetDaily article on this subject, posted October 28, 2006, follow:

“Movie maker targets nation's 2.5 million homeschoolers
Company that created 'Chronicles' now wants input from 'savvy' market leaders.

“One can just about hear a collective ‘at last’ from the parents of the estimated 2.5 million homeschool students in the United States.

Now, on the heels of its wildly successful 'The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,' and just a few weeks after announcing an outreach in support of family-friendly films, Walden Media is confirming plans for a national education outreach initiative with the homeschool community.”

The Sons of the Confederacy (Sul Ross Camp) is sponsoring an essay contest that home schoolers may enter. Details follow:

Topic:
Next year marks the bicentennial of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's birth (January 19, 1807). In celebration of such a momentous occasion, the topic for the 2007 essay contest is:
'What I admire about Robert E. Lee'

Who is eligible?
All students enrolled in grades 6-12 in public, private, and home schools. Students must submit original work and have a sponsoring teacher sign the contest entry form.

Format
The essay should be 300-500 words and must be accompanied by an entry form. Entries may be typed or handwritten but must be double-spaced. Request entry form or more information from Matthew Lee at 936.394.3123 or send an e-mail to sulrosscamp@yahoo.com.

Send all entries to:
SCV Essay Contest
c/o R. Matthew Lee
9726 Panther Creek Road
Iola, Texas 77861

Awards
1st Place: $200
2nd Place: $100
3rd Place: $50

Entry Deadline
All entries must be postmarked by December 15, 2006.

Come Thursday, November 16, 2006, to a FREE, informational meeting for new or prospective home schooling families. Or tell a friend who is new or thinking about home schooling. Anyone who is looking into home schooling, wondering what it's about, or interested in learning about home schooling is welcome!

The meeting will be held:
7 - 9 p.m. at the Barbara Bush branch of the Harris County Public Library, 6817 Cypresswood Drive, between Stuebner Airline and Kuykendahl Road, in the Women's Council of Realtors room. (Click on the picture to see map.) No childcare will be provided.

For more information, call 832-249-6765, or contact THSC at 806-744-4441.

**Sponsored by the state home school organization of Texas, the Texas Home School Coalition**

THSC Association is pleased to feature $8 off the $19.95 annual subscription price of Creation Illustrated, the beautiful, Christian answer to National Geographic. The mission of Creation Illustrated, the leading Bible-based nature journal, is “to share the wonders of God's creation. By revealing fresh insights of His infinite wisdom, gentle touch, undeniable justice, redeeming love, and flawless design, pure truth shall bring renewed peace. Each part of this publication is offered as a reprieve from the daily rigors of life so that all can look to the future with unbridled gratitude and hope.”

This great opportunity is part of the Association’s ever-growing list of benefits. Association members may take $8 off the base subscription price! Click on the graphic to see more about this great magazine for your family. Join THSC Association and begin immediately to enjoy the many benefits and discounts. A payment plan is now available, so you can work this valuable asset into your home school budget!

Get the updated 20th Anniversary edition of the Handbook for Texas Home Schoolers! For many years, Texas home schoolers have benefited from this informative publication written specifically for Texas home educators. It features articles about the history of home schooling in Texas, as well as how to deal with school districts and Child Protective Services. It contains contact information for support groups across the state and curriculum suppliers, along with many other helpful articles.

This beneficial tool is edited annually, with new and updated articles appearing in this version. The 2006- 2007 Handbook for Texas Home Schoolers includes new letters and memos of interest to home school parents. See a listing of important information in the current Table of Contents.

The price, $18, is the same as the past several years, even though more information is added each year! THSC Association members get a 10% discount on this important publication as well as on all other resources sold by THSC. See information about membership and all its benefits.

Special bulk rates:
$12 each/5-9 copies
$10 each/10+ copies.

THSC Association President Tim Lambert wrote a letter on behalf of a member family, in response to problems with the school district. After the family followed the process recommended by the TEA for withdrawal of a student, the school insisted that the family had to do more.