Holy cow, it is time to start getting ready for the end of the year! This means we have to talk about the great “P” word in Pennsylvania homeschooling: portfolios! Pennsylvania homeschool portfolios can be overwhelming!
Have no fear, A One-Room Schoolhouse is here! (Really, even if your child’s papers are in a big pile on the floor of your office, like mine, don’t worry!)
Pennsylvania Homeschool Portfolio Helps:
- Check the number of days you are counting as a school day. You are the supervisor of your child’s education, so you say what counts. You need to have 180 counting days before you turn in your paperwork to your school district.
- Get your child’s reading log up to date. Does it have to include every book? No! There is no way your evaluator will know if you wrote down every book. On my children’s reading log, I will have the books that made it into their planner log, and I will have my friendly librarian print out all the books we have checked out this school year.
- If your child is in 3rd, 5th, or 8th grade, then it is a testing year. Head over here for detailed information about testing. It does not matter how your child does on this test. Only the parents and the evaluator see the results.
- Get your portfolio ready. Deep breath; it is not going to be that hard. There are many ways to put together an awesome portfolio. Here is what I do: Get a binder. Label the following tabs in your binder: ELA (reading, writing, spelling, grammar, etc.), Math, Science, Social Studies, PE/Health/Safety, and Art/Music. Put in papers, pictures, journal entries, tests, record sheets and/or planner pages showing progress in these subjects. Make sure you show proof of doing something with fire safety. Most people say an example from the beginning, middle and end of the year is a sufficient number of examples in each subject area.
- Put in your 180 days log. (This is how I show my 180 days. You don’t legally need this log since the affidavit you signed and submitted to your school district at the beginning of the year attests to this fact, but I like to check boxes off a list.) You should also include your child’s reading log in the portfolio. If you are in 3rd, 5th or 8th grade, put in your test results. THAT IS IT.
- Set up a meeting with an evaluator. You and your student will both need to attend this meeting. At the conference, the evaluator will give you the needed letter to turn in to your school district. For A One-Room Schoolhouse students, we will advise you on what curriculum to buy for next school year, and you will be able to choose your electives. If you are returning to a public or private school, you can request a formal report card from us.
- Final pro tip: If you are continuing on your homeschool journey take your portfolio evaluation letter and next year’s affidavit and objectives to your school district on the same trip (or in the same envelope if you mail yours to your district.) Also, I like to keep my important papers (standardized test results, affidavits, objectives and evaluation letters all in that corresponding year’s portfolio. Keep this forever. Do you need help with your affidavit and objectives? Click over here!
Portfolio Party
Would you like some help with your portfolio? Do you have some questions you would like answered in person? Do you need some time away from your kids to get your portfolio done? Join A One-Room Schoolhouse for a Portfolio Party!
I will give a short talk on how to complete your portfolio and then we will work together and get your portfolio done! Bring your pile of papers and walk away ready for your end-of-year meeting! You can even sign up that night for a portfolio evaluation with me!
When: 7 pm on Thursday, May 12, 2022
Where: A One-Room Schoolhouse Headquarters at Camp Agape
Cost: FREE! We will have binders, tabs and plastic sleeves available that night. If you use those materials or really like the information provided, please consider making a donation to A One-Room Schoolhouse.
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