THSC Association is excited to announce the latest addition to its growing list of benefits available to its members! Smoothing the Way is a support group dedicated to serving first-year home schoolers. Each month a topic of specific interest to the new home schooler is offered. Veteran home schooling moms and guest speakers are available to inform and encourage those who have decided to take on the exciting, yet sometimes daunting, task of educating their own children. The cost of the 10-month program is $35 Smoothing the Way offers a $5 discount to THSC members. (Click the graphic to read an article by Smoothing the Way co-founder, Mary James.)

Why wait? Click on the link (Why Wait? Join Now! ) in the left column to join online.

If you did not already vote, today is your last chance! By voting in your party’s primary election, you will take the first step in the process of having an impact. The second step is going back to your polling place after the polls close for your precinct caucus. What happens there and why should you go? What resolutions should you take with you? (Click on graphic to see resolutions recommended by THSC PAC). Clink on the following link to read an article written by THSC president/PAC chairman Tim Lambert, in which he offers answers to these and other questions about being involved in the political party process.

Governor Rick Perry will be joining THSC as the special guest speaker at the eleventh annual awards banquet, to be held in San Antonio on March 17th at 7 p.m. It is not too late to reserve your seat and join the fun.

Table sponsors have made free seats available to Texas home schoolers, so make your reservations while space is available! This is a wonderful time to have the opportunity to hear Governor Perry speak and to be present for the recognition of key players in the Texas home school movement, the 2006 Leader of the Year, and Good Citizenship award winners as well. On top of that, there will be a SILENT AUCTION of items you won’t want to miss.

Seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so make your reservations as soon as possible; no reservations will be accepted after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14th!

Call our office at 806.744.4441 or e-mail events@thsc.org to register for the Awards Banquet.

Join home school golfers from around the country! Registration is open through tomorrow, March 10th, for the National Home School Golf Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, Monday-Tuesday, April 10-11, 2006! This event is open to both boys and girls, with no minimum age limit. Girls may have their own bracket, and there will be a bracket with players aged 10 and under. The cost for the tournament is about $100

There will be team and individual competitions played on two courses, a banquet on Monday evening (at which a touring pro will be speaking), special lodging rates, and a souvenir “goodie bag” for each player.

Call Richard Driggers toll-free at 888-444-5420 ASAP for more information.

The New Teacher

The following excerpts are from a story covered by Leslie Olson at 8WISHTV.com. The story, posted January 11, 2006, tells about home schooling in Indiana and focuses on home schooling parents (The New Teachers) with their varying reasons and philosophies, professional educators with their concerns, and a university professor with a positive statement about what these families accomplish with their students.

“Home school advocates say there are many studies showing home education successes. Indiana University Professor of Education Dr. Robert Kunzman says most studies have been conducted by home school advocates.
“‘The studies that have been done on home schooler academic achievement have not been comprehensive. They often times been self selected participation,’ he said.
“But Dr. Kunzman and the Indiana University admissions director say home schooled students who apply to IU are usually very qualified.”

Spring is just around the corner—let the home school activities begin! Spring and summer in Texas are filled with home school activities: the annual THSC Banquet, book fairs, conventions, debate competitions, golf tournament, and the THSC State Convention & Family Conference. To think that some folks are concerned that home schoolers are lacking in socialization.

Scheduled book fairs/conventions will be held in El Paso, Arlington, San Antonio, Lubbock, Austin, and The Woodlands. Details are available on sponsoring groups’ websites. Check for dates and contact information for these and other events by clicking on the link below.

THSC Association president Tim Lambert wrote a letter in response to a member family’s difficulties with a principal who threatened truancy charges and legal action if the father did not make a personal appearance at the school to sign their papers.