The Austin Area Homeschoolers (AAH) support group began meeting in the summer of 1989. AAH was formed by people who were interested in homeschooling primarily for educational reasons. Our families represent the whole spectrum of homeschoolers. Our children vary in age from newborns to adults. We have families who started thinking about homeschooling when their children were born and others who didn't consider it until their children had been in school for several years. We use many different methods to educate and guide our children, including textbooks, purchased curricula, parent-designed curricula, and/or our children's interests. We come from many different lifestyles, religions or beliefs, educational backgrounds, economic groups, family sizes, and cultures. Suffice it to say, we are a varied group, and the threads that tie us all together are faith in our children and their abilities, and the desire to be consciously involved in their education. We enjoy our diversity, and we tolerate differences of opinion. We respect other parents' decisions, even when we disagree with them, and we acknowledge that there are many different ways to educate our children successfully.
Our group does not have nonprofit status. There is no budget. We have no officers or directors-people jump in and do what is necessary or what interests them most. (See the Home Education Magazine article reprinted on page 12, which describes how our type of non-directed group works.) Following is a list of the services and activities currently offered by our volunteers. We would like to welcome you to AAH, and we encourage you to become involved in any of our activities.
If you have any special interests, such as baby-sitting co-ops, clubs, special classes, etc., feel free to put a message in our newsletter to find others who share your interest. Sometimes you will get a great response, and other times you won't, but you won't know until you try.
Newcomer Information
First, read this Austin Area Homeschoolers' Newcomer�s Guide. If you need more information beyond that offered in the guide, contact any of the following homeschooling parents: Kirsten Murchison (218-0910); Laura Derrick (345-4895); Dawn Robinson-Forman (288-9181); or Beth James (834-1258) [email protected] . If you are in Dripping Springs contact Susan Morgan [email protected].
Newsletter
AAH Newsletter is a free monthly electronic newsletter available to homeschooling families or families who are considering homeschooling, and who live in the Austin, Texas area. It contains a calendar of local homeschooling events, announcements, book reviews, website reviews, a message board, and articles of interest to homeschoolers. The newsletter is the glue that holds out support group together. The newsletter is For Personal Use Only! The information contained in it is not to be used in any way for solicitation of business or other endeavors, or for mass mailings and contacts. Because we have had some problems with spammers trying to subscribe to the newsletter, only families who are subscribed to AAH-Announce can receive the newsletter. Contact Engela Edwards at 261-8230 or by email at [email protected] or visit homeschool soccer on Tuesday or Thursday and speak to Betsy Orf to subscribe.
Web Site
Visit the Austin Area Homeschoolers web site for information about our group. The web page is managed by one of our parent volunteers. It includes the AAH calendar, basic information about our organization, and links to the home pages of various AAH families.
AAH Email List
Many AAH parents enjoy participating in the AAH email lists. We discuss homeschooling and we post announcements about upcoming events. Join the AAH email lists by following the instructions at www.homefries.8m.com/aah.html. This is a highly recommended way to stay in touch with the group. Please take a moment to read the list rules.
Social Club for Older Homeschoolers
This is an informal group of homeschoolers ages 10 and up. Two or three varied social activities are scheduled each month. In the past, activities have included ice skating, movies, swimming, dances, etc. Each year, a student from the social club produces an AAH yearbook containing photos and information about social club members; the books are distributed at an "annual-signing" party in the fall. Social club events are extremely popular with our AAH teens. The Social Club calendar is accessed via the internet. Send an email to [email protected] to be added to the egroup.
Tweens Social Club Meets two or three times a month for field trips, social gatherings, and community projects. Contact Diana Heinig at [email protected] to join.
Park Days
Homeschool families (especially those with younger children) meet on Thursdays at various local parks. Check the newsletter to find out which days and which parks, or check out the list on our web site, http://www.main.org/aah. The park rotation as of Fall 2003 is: 1st Thursday at Dick Nichols; 2nd Thursday at Northwest; 3rd Thursday at Dottie Jordan; 4th Thursday at Springwoods. In Appendix A, you will find links to maps to some of the frequently used parks.
A group of families plays t-ball at Brentwood Park on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. There is plenty of shade and a playscape.
Park Days with Austin Unschoolers and Friends on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Brentwood Park on the north side of Brentwood Elementary on Arroyo Seco at Justin Lane.
Park Days at Dick Nichols each Friday from about 12:30 through the afternoon. Toddlers to teens are welcome.
Homeschool Soccer
Homeschoolers meet from 9:00-11:15 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Zilker Park soccer fields (on the north side of Barton Springs Rd. in Zilker Park). For information, call Beki Halpin (288-4080). Everyone is welcome, regardless of ability. All ages play together, including interested parents. (Most players are age 8 and up, but younger children are welcome to play.) Soccer days are a social event for many AAH families; the games provide an excellent place for newcomers to meet other homeschoolers. This is the place for teens who don't yet know enough other homeschoolers. When the soccer fields are wet or unavailable, soccer players meet at one of our alternate locations in Zilker Park. See the map in Appendix A for directions.
Chess Club
AAH Chess Club players meet on Wednesdays. We have two different groups, divided by age, and they meet on different weeks. All ages and ability levels are welcome. Players need to know the moves of all the chess pieces before they come to the club, since the focus is on play, not on beginning instruction. There is often a waiting list, and newcomers are required to attend an orientation meeting before joining the club. Cost is $2 per player, with a $4 maximum per family. Younger players (under 13) need to have a supervising adult on the premises during chess club. A play area is available for younger siblings. Additional meetings are scheduled for serious players who want to play on the AAH team in local and statewide tournaments. For information, contact Julieanne King, [email protected].
The San Gabriel Chess Club is available for homeschoolers in the Georgetown area. Contact Carrie Barker (695-3533) email: [email protected].
Co-ops
Co-ops are groups of families that meet together for informal classes taught by parents. One parent might teach a foreign language, while another might teach art or cooking. The subjects vary depending on the expertise of the parents who are participating, and the ages of the co-op children. These groups are organized by various AAH families.
Friday Co-op is made up of homeschooling families who come together weekly to share philosophies, talents, and expertise in a classroom environment. Meets in Central Austin on Fridays from 9:45 until 2:45 for two twelve week sessions per year. Enrollment limited to 75 students aged 0-18. Families must have a school aged child to participate. All teaching, coordinating, preparation and cleaning is provided by parents. Every family must be fully participatory. Current semester fee is $175 per family. If interested in adding your name to the waiting list, Call Carol Hagar(452-2050).
Bastrop Co-op for Bastrop/Elgin/Smithville area. Contact Dail Hershberger (360-4508).
Bastrop Independent Homeschool Ass'n, an inclusive group that meets at Bastrop's Fisherman's Park, Wednesdays 11 until 1. Contact Claudia Barker, [email protected].
Learning Without Limits is an inclusive secular homeschooling community in Williamson County & far North Travis Co. Monthly Mother's Night Out, Park Days, and other activities. For more information email: [email protected].
Red Poppy Co-op, with most members in Georgetown, but open to all. Email Carrie Barker at [email protected] for information.
San Marcos Co-op. Call Kathy (392-2512).
North Hill Country Co-op. For Georgetown/Leander and surrounding areas. Everyone welcome!! For info, please contact Susan 259-1825 ([email protected]) or Ann Maria (512) 869-0664 ([email protected])
Starcatchers Co-op. Waldorf oriented co-op that meets in Spicewood. For information contact Richard or Gracie at (512) 847-0234, or e-mail [email protected].
Austin Homeschool Sports Coop. Ages 6 up. Meets on Fridays for a variety of sports activities, appropriate for children age 6 and up. Contact Leslie Van Buren [email protected] or call at 266-9773 between 3-5PM only. You can also access information at the webgroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AustinHomeSchoolSportsCoop.
There are many other co-ops that are affiliated with CHEACT. See their web site for details. www.cheact.org
If there is no co-op in your area, or if the co-ops you investigate have a waiting list, consider starting a new one! Experienced homeschoolers will be glad to share information about how to start a new co-op. You need only a handful of families and a meeting location.
Field Trips
From time to time, field trips are announced in AAH News or on our email list. When we are going on field trips, we ask that all members use courtesy and good manners and discuss these with their children. Please arrive on time, because we may not be able to wait for you. Most field trips have a limit on the number of people who can attend. Please be prompt in signing up for field trips you especially wish to attend, and realize that we cannot all go to all events. If you cannot go, please call and cancel so that someone else may go in your place.
Anyone can organize a field trip, so if you don't see one that interests you, plan one yourself! In your announcement, it's a good idea to ask interested parents to call you (rather than just publishing the time and place for the trip), so that you will be able to predict the number of adults and children who will show up.
Annual Not-Back-to-School Party
Join other homeschoolers for our annual swim party and picnic on the first day of public school. See the August edition of the newsletter for details.
Cub Scouts
Pack 1 is Austin's first and only Cub Scout Pack for homeschooled boys. Pack 1 meets at First Presbyterian Church, 8001 Mesa Drive. For more information contact Cindy Tarsi, [email protected]
Den 10 is homeschoolers' den is a mixed-age den for boys from 1st through 5th grade. Contact Shannon Black [email protected].
Campfire Club
Campfire is an excellent scouting program for homeschoolers. Campfire is for all age levels, and both boys and girls participate. Cost is $30 per family per year.
Contact Mina Loomis (454-1237), [email protected], or if you are in Burnet County or the surrounding area contact Melissa Tolliver (512-756-2982), [email protected]
Scholastic Book Club Book Sales
Scholastic offers lots of wonderful books at reasonable prices. We get the same flyers that public schools distribute to their students. There are five different age/grade levels. See the most recent newsletter for the names of contact persons for these book orders.
Drama, Fencing, Art, Music, Spanish, and Other Classes
Several times a year, AAH families arrange classes on a variety of topics. AAH parents teach some of the classes, while others are taught by community experts. Announcements about such classes will appear in AAH News.
AAH Math Club
Math Club is for kids who are strong in math and would like to compete in Junior High and High School mathematical competitions. Minimum age is usually 11, and minimum math level is pre-algebra. The club meets on Tuesdays afternoons. Those interested in the Varsity (High School) team should contact Brook Randal (467-9278). Those interested in the Junior Varsity (Junior High) team should contact Marianne Mason (288-8335).
Newcomer Information
First, read this Austin Area Homeschoolers' Newcomer�s Guide. If you need more information beyond that offered in the guide, contact any of the following homeschooling parents: ;Kirsten Murchison (218-0910); Laura Derrick (345-4895); Dawn Robinson-Forman (288-9181); or Beth James (834-1258) [email protected] . If you have questions and live in the Wimberly/Hayes County area, contact Shawn Leighton (512/847-8963).
Newsletter
AAH Newsletter is a free monthly electronic newsletter available to homeschooling families or families who are considering homeschooling, and who live in the Austin, Texas area. It contains a calendar of local homeschooling events, announcements, book reviews, website reviews, a message board, and articles of interest to homeschoolers. The newsletter is the glue that holds out support group together. The newsletter is For Personal Use Only! The information contained in it is not to be used in any way for solicitation of business or other endeavors, or for mass mailings and contacts. Because we have had some problems with spammers trying to subscribe to the newsletter, only families who are subscribed to AAH-Announce can receive the newsletter. Contact Engela Edwards at 261-8230 or by email at [email protected] or visit homeschool soccer on Tuesday or Thursday and speak to Betsy Orf to subscribe.
Web Site
Visit the Austin Area Homeschoolers web site for information about our group. The web page is managed by one of our parent volunteers. It includes the AAH calendar, basic information about our organization, and links to the home pages of various AAH families.
Directory
A directory of our families is available only to those willing to be listed in it. This list is for personal use only! Please do not give out names, numbers, or other information to reporters, businesses, etc. If someone from outside our group would like to contact a homeschooler in the group, take down the name and number and contact the homeschooler yourself. The exception to this rule is that you may refer newcomers interested in homeschooling to the contact persons listed under "Newcomer Information." When you subscribe to AAH News, ask about being included on this directory list.
AAH Email List
Many AAH parents enjoy participating in the AAH email lists. We discuss homeschooling and we post announcements about upcoming events. Join the AAH email lists by following the instructions at www.homefries.8m.com/aah.html. This is a highly recommended way to stay in touch with the group. Please take a moment to read the list rules.
Library
One of our members serves as our group librarian. She has a variety of children's books and curriculum materials that families can borrow. See the list of books at http://aahlibrary.1colony.com/ Email Pam Kruvand for more information [email protected].
Social Club for Older Homeschoolers
This is an informal group of homeschoolers ages 10 and up. Two or three varied social activities are scheduled each month. In the past, activities have included ice skating, movies, swimming, dances, etc. Each year, a student from the social club produces an AAH yearbook containing photos and information about social club members; the books are distributed at an "annual-signing" party in the fall. Social club events are extremely popular with our AAH teens. The Social Club calendar is accessed via the internet. Send an email to [email protected] to be added to the egroup.
Tweens Social Club Meets two or three times a month for field trips, social gatherings, and community projects. Contact Diana Heinig at [email protected] to join.
Park Days
Homeschool families (especially those with younger children) meet on Thursdays at various local parks. Check the newsletter to find out which days and which parks, or check out the list on our web site, http://www.main.org/aah. The park rotation as of Fall 2003 is: 1st Thursday at Dick Nichols; 2nd Thursday at Northwest; 3rd Thursday at Dottie Jordan; 4th Thursday at Springwoods. In Appendix A, you will find links to maps to some of the frequently used parks.
A group of families plays t-ball at Brentwood Park on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. There is plenty of shade and a playscape.
Park Days with Austin Unschoolers and Friends on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Brentwood Park on the north side of Brentwood Elementary on Arroyo Seco at Justin Lane.
Park Days at Dick Nichols each Friday from about 12:30 through the afternoon. Toddlers to teens are welcome.
Homeschool Soccer
Homeschoolers meet from 9:00-11:15 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Zilker Park soccer fields (on the north side of Barton Springs Rd. in Zilker Park). For information, call Beki Halpin (288-4080). Everyone is welcome, regardless of ability. All ages play together, including interested parents. (Most players are age 8 and up, but younger children are welcome to play.) Soccer days are a social event for many AAH families; the games provide an excellent place for newcomers to meet other homeschoolers. This is the place for teens who don't yet know enough other homeschoolers. When the soccer fields are wet or unavailable, soccer players meet at one of our alternate locations in Zilker Park. See the map in Appendix A for directions.
Chess Club
AAH Chess Club players meet on Wednesdays. We have two different groups, divided by age, and they meet on different weeks. All ages and ability levels are welcome. Players need to know the moves of all the chess pieces before they come to the club, since the focus is on play, not on beginning instruction. There is often a waiting list, and newcomers are required to attend an orientation meeting before joining the club. Cost is $2 per player, with a $4 maximum per family. Younger players (under 13) need to have a supervising adult on the premises during chess club. A play area is available for younger siblings. Additional meetings are scheduled for serious players who want to play on the AAH team in local and statewide tournaments. For information, contact Julieanne King, [email protected].
The San Gabriel Chess Club is available for homeschoolers in the Georgetown area. Contact Carrie Barker (695-3533) email: [email protected].
Co-ops
Co-ops are groups of families that meet together for informal classes taught by parents. One parent might teach a foreign language, while another might teach art or cooking. The subjects vary depending on the expertise of the parents who are participating, and the ages of the co-op children. These groups are organized by various AAH families.
Friday Co-op meets Fridays from 9:45 until 2:45 p.m. Call Carol Hagar(452-2050).
Bastrop Co-op for Bastrop/Elgin/Smithville area. Contact Dail Hershberger (360-4508).
Bastrop Independent Homeschool Ass'n, an inclusive group that meets at Bastrop's Fisherman's Park, Wednesdays 11 until 1. Contact Claudia Barker, [email protected].
Learning Without Limits is an inclusive secular homeschooling community in Williamson County & far North Travis Co. Monthly Mother's Night Out, Park Days, and other activities. For more information email: [email protected].
Dripping Springs meets Mon., Wed., and Fri. Call Kim Flannery (264-1657).
Dripping Springs Area Homeschoolers, a secular, inclusive group for Dripping Springs and surrounding areas has park days, egroup list, and activities. For more information contact Tammy Mierow [email protected].
Red Poppy Co-op, with most members in Georgetown, but open to all. Email Carrie Barker at [email protected] for information.
San Marcos Co-op. Call Kathy (392-2512).
North Hill Country Co-op. For Georgetown/Leander and surrounding areas. Everyone welcome!! For info, please contact Susan 259-1825 ([email protected]) or Ann Maria (512) 869-0664 ([email protected])
Starcatchers Co-op. Waldorf oriented co-op that meets in Spicewood. For information contact Richard or Gracie at (512) 847-0234, or e-mail [email protected].
Austin Homeschool Sports Coop. Ages 6 up. Meets on Fridays for a variety of sports activities, appropriate for children age 6 and up. Contact Leslie Van Buren [email protected] or call at 266-9773 between 3-5PM only. You can also access information at the webgroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AustinHomeSchoolSportsCoop.
There are many other co-ops that are affiliated with CHEACT. See their web site for details. www.cheact.org
If there is no co-op in your area, or if the co-ops you investigate have a waiting list, consider starting a new one! Experienced homeschoolers will be glad to share information about how to start a new co-op. You need only a handful of families and a meeting location.
Field Trips
From time to time, field trips are announced in AAH News or on our email list. When we are going on field trips, we ask that all members use courtesy and good manners and discuss these with their children. Please arrive on time, because we may not be able to wait for you. Most field trips have a limit on the number of people who can attend. Please be prompt in signing up for field trips you especially wish to attend, and realize that we cannot all go to all events. If you cannot go, please call and cancel so that someone else may go in your place.
Anyone can organize a field trip, so if you don't see one that interests you, plan one yourself! In your announcement, it's a good idea to ask interested parents to call you (rather than just publishing the time and place for the trip), so that you will be able to predict the number of adults and children who will show up.
Annual Not-Back-to-School Party
Join other homeschoolers for our annual swim party and picnic on the first day of public school. See the August edition of the newsletter for details.
Cub Scouts
Pack 1 is Austin's first and only Cub Scout Pack for homeschooled boys. Pack 1 meets at First Presbyterian Church, 8001 Mesa Drive. For more information contact Cindy Tarsi, [email protected]
Den 10 is homeschoolers' den is a mixed-age den for boys from 1st through 5th grade. Contact Shannon Fannin [email protected].or Shannon Black [email protected].
Scholastic Book Club Book Sales
Scholastic offers lots of wonderful books at reasonable prices. We get the same flyers that public schools distribute to their students. There are five different age/grade levels. See the most recent newsletter for the names of contact persons for these book orders.
Drama, Fencing, Art, Music, Spanish, and Other Classes
Several times a year, AAH families arrange classes on a variety of topics. AAH parents teach some of the classes, while others are taught by community experts. Announcements about such classes will appear in AAH News.
AAH Math Club
Math Club is for kids who are strong in math and would like to compete in Junior High and High School mathematical competitions. Minimum age is usually 11, and minimum math level is pre-algebra. The club meets on Tuesdays afternoons. Those interested in the Varsity (High School) team should contact Brook Randal (467-9278). Those interested in the Junior Varsity (Junior High) team should contact Marianne Mason (288-8335).
Culture Club
An introduction to world cultures. Students meet once a month to share information and food from different countries. For more information contact Cyndi Ferris [email protected]