It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Winter brings a plethora of holidays, and for many families a long break for resting. Here are activities, books, and resources for incorporating the holidays into your homeschool and time off. Pick and choose what works best for your family. Stay warm!
All of these resources are appropriate for middle and high school.
For some parents, having a special needs child is the impetus to homeschool. Many families are choosing to homeschool because their special needs children’s needs are not being met in the traditional classroom. For others, it’s just one more challenge they aren’t sure how to face. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, homeschooling a special needs child is an adventure!
Homeschooling allows the flexibility for students to go at their own pace. You get the set the schedule. You can change the curriculum if it isn’t working. You can have one long work period, or several shorter work periods spaced out with transitional times. With family-style schooling, older special needs students can school alongside younger siblings, at the same level, without them feeling as though they’re “behind.”
It can daunting to think about what post-graduation brings for the special needs student, but s/he is in a great position as a homeschooler! In the upper grades years, homeschooling allows students the time to explore passions and career interests. Take some time to examine your special needs student’s strengths, combining those and their interests to find a career exploration starting point.
Background Information & Resources
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) covers thirteen specific disabilities, but its implementation varies widely from state to state when it comes to assisting homeschool families. Learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, health disabilities, impairments (speech, visual, hearing, orthopedic, and emotional), intellectual disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries are all addressed by the act. Check with your state department of education, and HSLDA, to see what your state will and won’t do for homeschooling students.
A federal agency, the Rehabilitation Services Administration provides vocational rehabilitation and other services to individuals with disabilities to maximize their employment and independence after the high school years. Each state has their own local agency to help work one-on-one with families.
SPED Homeschool and HSLDA are good general resources for any homeschooling family with special needs students. These resources are primarily for the younger student, but are a good place to start.
It’s time for pumpkin spice and everything nice! By autumn, we’re starting to settle into our homeschooling routine, thinking about upcoming holidays, and wondering how we’ll fit it all in… Here are activities, books, and resources for incorporating the holidays into your homeschool. Pick and choose what works best for your family. Happy fall, y’all!
All of these resources are appropriate for middle and high school.
After eighteen years of caring for your child, it can be alarming to realize that on that magical birthday, they suddenly take on ALL the responsibilities of adulthood, whether they are equipped or not. Young adults who are eager for independence may push back against a request to sign a college power of attorney, believing they don’t really need it or you’re trying to control them. However, at some point or another, most young adults find themselves in over their heads, may end up in credit card debt, wind up in a car accident, or get into trouble at school. All of these are scenarios you, the parent, could assist with at age 17, but cannot once they turn 18…unless you have some legal protections in place ahead of time.
Medical Emergencies
HIPPA / Healthcare
HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is a federal law that creation national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. This act also contains standards for individuals’ rights to understand and control how their health information is used.
The act was created to make protect individuals’ healthcare information, but comes into play with your adult children when, at age 18, you can no longer legally go with them to appointments, inquire about test results, or even find out why they are in the hospital unless the child has given express, written consent.
A few of the things you need HIPAA consent for include:
Appointments
Test Results
Insurance claims
Billing
Benefit eligibility inquiries
Referral authorization requests
Protect your child by having him/her complete a HIPPA authorization form. Send one to the college and keep one on file at home.
Medical Power of Attorney
A medical power of attorney form is strictly for health care choices should your son or daughter become incapacitated. There is also the option of a general durable power of attorney, which covers financial decisions as well as medical. Find your state’s medical power of attorney information here.
Financial / Durable Power of Attorney
Durable POA enables a designated agent (such as the parents) to make financial and medical decisions on the student’s behalf. When signing it, your child can choose whether that power transfers immediately or only if s/he becomes incapacitated. You can also write in start and end dates to reassure that this is a limited power of attorney for college.
Powers may include:
Managing bank accounts
Paying bills
Filing taxes
Applying for government benefits
Breaking a lease
A durable power of attorney document applies only in the state in which it was formed—so if your child is attending school in another state, you should secure power of attorney for the other state as well. Some states also require the signature of a witness or a notary public.
College-Specific
FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Generally, schools must have written permission from the student to release any information from a student’s education record. This includes class schedules, transcripts, and grade point averages, but also extends to financial records within the school, such as scholarship information and money due, and living circumstances, such as dorm room assignment or any personal issues the student experiences.
Protect your child by having them provide written permission allowing the school to discuss all FERPA-related topics with you, as needed.
Protect Your Child in 10 Minutes
You can get all of these young adult power of attorney documents at Mama Bear Legal Forms. It’s considerably cheaper than going through a standard lawyer because this is what she does, and she has templates for each state, rather than re-creating the wheel each time (it’s the time that costs you more money).
You’ll want to have these in place before your child goes off to school, but don’t fret if you’re running behind — there’s no time like the present! The package includes: HIPPA, FERPA, power of attorney for health and finances, plus a free App for scanning, storing and sharing. If you visit through this link, you’ll also save 20% off your order.
A big part of our school year is the field trips. Generally, we will study a topic ahead of time and then take the field trip – this helps them to fully understand the hands-on experiences. The kids have been to nearly every state, and experienced a wide range of of historical, scientific, and cultural activities that they wouldn’t have been able to do solely in our home state. Not every family is able to road school, but that doesn’t mean that field trips shouldn’t be a part of your school.
Field Trips in Town
Attend a library program
Local historic architecture
Air Shows
Historic Re-enactments
Climb rocks
Historic Museums (some are free)
Pick-Your-Own Farm Visit
Zoo (only free on certain days, or with a pass)
Local newspaper
Factory tours (some are free)
Visit the beach, lake, or riverbank
State Fairs have homeschool days
Visit the local airport
Work in a community garden
Shadow a business (teens)
Animal workshop at the pet shop
Field Trip Starters
Zoo Studies — unit study bundle with sixteen zoo features
Check out the Roadschooling Page to find unit studies and field trips built around your location. There’s something for just about every state in the United States up there!
Finally, though these aren’t free, educational subscription boxes are a great way to bring the field trip into your home. Here are some of our favorites!
Use the world diversity book studies from Literary Adventures to travel the world from the comfort of your own home. You can go anywhere!
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Pearl Harbor Day
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