Schoolhouse Design Week Six

I believe this will be the second to last Schoolhouse Design update I write. (That is pretty exciting!!!!) Week six of schoolhouse design has been a pretty calm week, with some really fun highlights. Designing a functional schoolhouse on a budget has been an interesting challenge. I am so glad you have been here for the journey.

Fun Mail

Calendar

Some pretty fun things have come in the mail this last week. I was most excited to receive my calendar from Treasures From Jennifer. Although I wish this was a sponsored post (yes, she can send me free products any time!), it is NOT! This is my honest review of her amazing work.

I have now purchased the classroom calendar, weather chart, picture coins, and large storage box from Jennifer for the Schoolhouse. For personal presents for my children, I have also purchased three bow and arrow sets. All of these products are top-notch. The quality and craftsmanship of each of these pieces are beyond comparison.

I also feel great about supporting a small, homeschool business. Her products are all-natural and handcrafted when you order them. Starting in 2014, Jennifer bought an old saw from Craiglist and made her children a few wooden animals. Today, I believe, Jennifer is setting the standard in quality educational tools for homes and schools.

The thing I like most about her products is the rich educational value. Pretty products are great, but educational products are better. What other classroom calendars have you seen have the phases of the moon? Seriously! She has thought of everything: weather, seasons, months, years, days of the week, holiday’s from around the world, and deep rooting in nature.

I look forward to my future purchases from Jennifer. I am sure the human body systems will be another purchase this year as we start The Good and the Beautiful Human Body unit. I am also thinking seriously about the clock, gird pegboard, and continents.

Laptop

I almost forgot! Like I wrote about a pencil sharpener (see below) before I realized, I forgot to mention my other fun mail this week. For Mother’s Day, my husband and kids got me a laptop!

Sharing a computer was getting pretty tough with me working on schoolhouse stuff and my husband working from home due to quarantine. When we realized this might be a pretty permanent arrangement, a computer for me seemed like a great idea.

I know, it is almost laughable, I was trying to manage a schoolhouse, write a blog, and post daily on social media from my phone! (eye roll!) So this week, my long-anticipated computer came! Hallelujah!

Still Fun, But Not As Fun

I also got a few other things in the mail this week. I was excited when the gorgeous braided rug for our group learning area came this week. I bought the same rug, just bigger, for our morning time area, but it has not arrived yet.

We also got our pencil sharper and cubbies in the mail this week. ( I know, not all that fun, but some things have to be functional!) So, not only will we have a really cool calendar, but we will also have sharp pencils and a place to put our lunch boxes!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Desk Update

Thank goodness, the end is in sight. I think the desks will be completely done by Friday! I think I have said that before. Yep, just checked, I said that last week.

Sigh. Last week just got busy and little work was done. We did get the poly disaster fixed last week and an entire first coat of poly is currently drying in my garage. Another couple of days and we will have three coats on and they will be ready to move into the schoolroom.

Looking Forward

I am sure the schoolhouse will never really be done. Do any of you teachers and homeschool moms feel me on that one? Really! But after this week, I think I can move into finishing touches mode.

We can purchase the electronics needed for the schoolhouse. Things like a couple of tablets for audiobooks, a couple of computers for math, typing, and history or science projects, and a television for the main schoolroom. We may be a one-room schoolhouse, but that does not mean we are low -tech!

I will also make one more run to IKEA for a few more shelves, rugs, and what-nots to finish off the general organization.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Enrollment

After Homeschool 101, our enrollment has really kicked up. We have SIXTEEN students enrolled for a variety of clusters/days. We are aiming for roughly fifteen students in the classroom on any given day for our opening school year and we are getting close to that number.

I have two more parent meetings scheduled this week to tour the schoolhouse, so we will see if we fill up before our next Homeschool 101 this weekend.

Regardless of the enrollment of A One-Room Schoolhouse, Homeschool 101 will go forward. This is a community event for all Homeschool families. We offer this FREE to the homeschool community to be a support, especially for those that are new to homeschooling this year!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Homeschool 101

If you need to RSVP to Homeschool 101 on July 11th at 7 pm, you can click here to get to the Facebook event. OR, you can level comment below, for your RSVP.

At this event, you will receive all the guidance and information on how to become a homeschool student in Pennsylvania.

What you will get:
* New to homeschool checklist
* Guidelines on how and when to start homeschooling
* Example affidavit forms to submit to your local school district
* Example objectives to submit to your local school district
* Guidance on how to submit your paperwork to your local school district
* Pre-organized portfolio binder with all the necessary tabs and logs included
* Curriculum consultation
* Information on scheduling your end-of-year portfolio evaluation and any needed testing
* Online resources and support

A One-Room Schoolhouse is offering this event as a service to the community. In no way are we giving legal advice but merely offering mentorship and resources during a confusing and overwhelming time. This is a no-cost event, but we do ask that you consider making a donation to A One-Room Schoolhouse to cover the cost of binder, tabs, and printing.

Thanks!

Thanks for following our journey. I can’t wait until our schoolhouse is filled with children, our desks are stuffed with books, and our floors are worn with muddy footprints. What are you looking forward to most this school year?