Inspire Insider
Bringing families together, one newsletter at a time!
Monday, January 13, 2020
Quote of the Week
School News and Important Dates
Celebrate 100 Days of School
February 2020 Vendor Fair
Thank you!
Inspiring Parents
Parents learned a bit during last Wednesday’s Inspiring Parents webcast which asked the questions: Am I Doing Enough? Am I Doing This Right?. The session was recorded. It helps a lot if you click on the link below which automatically collects your email into a spreadsheet which makes it easier to respond to the hundreds of requests for the link to the webcast recording and resources. http://bit.ly/InspiringParents_010820
Inspiring Parents meets the first Wednesday of each month from 1-2 where homeschooling parents can learn tips to grow their teaching toolkit. On February 5, we focus on writing.
Field Trip Tip
1. Log in to www.icsinspirationstation.net and you will see “Hi (your name)” on the top right, with a little drop down arrow next to it. *Tip: if you're on your phone, just turn it horizontally and this will show.
2. Press the arrow and it will offer the option of viewing “My Account.”
3. Click on "My Account" and it will list all of the field trips you have signed up for. This includes all the links to the pages where you signed up, so you can find the lead teacher's name, email address and phone number!
An Important Message About Field Trips
Inspire Planners Feedback
It may feel too soon, but Inspire is already planning their 2020-2021 school planners and we'd love to hear your thoughts on what you thought of this year's planners!
If you missed the Bravewriter webcast
Julie Bogart, creator of BraveWriter shared techniques for how to incorporate writing across the curriculum and ways to make it fun.
If you missed the live webcast, click on this link http://bit.ly/BraveLearnerFreeResources to add your email address and receive Writing Across the Curriculum, Writer's Jungle and High School Writing Help, as well as the Brave Learner Companion Guide.
Parent Testing Resources Website
Academic Video Library
Instructions to access Academic Video Library can be found here.
Orange County History Day - Natural History Day
To learn more about this unique opportunity, please visit https://ocde.us/EducationalServices/STEMandHumanities/History/Pages/History-Day.aspx
If your child is interested in participating in this year's contest, please contact Chuck Glowacz: chuck@inspireschools.org
California Homeschool Parent Association
Click here to view the Statewide Executive Board New Officers!
Field Trips and Events
Click on the flyer to view the event!
All new field trips open on Wednesdays at 8am for ticket bookings.
Kindness Day Events
Community Connections: park days, high school hangouts and more!
Below is the newsletter for January and the new one for February. We’re looking forward to seeing you as we continue to build relationships within our community. Please RSVP in the Field Trip and Events website.
January OC Community Connections Newsletter
February OC Community Connections Newsletter
We would like to ask that if you are unable to attend an event that you have RSVP’d for, please cancel your ticket and let the coordinator for that location know. It helps with supplies and planning. Thank you!
If you need any assistance, please reach out to the CC in that area or to our Regional Community Coordinator, Gina Garland: ggarland@inspireschools.org
Educational Tools
Epic App
Epic! is the world's leading online children's subscription book service offering immediate, on-demand access to over 35,000 high-quality illustrated books and chapter books for children ages 12 and under. Epic!'s ever-expanding library also includes thousands of Read-to-Me books, Audiobooks, educational videos, and fun educational quizzes. Partnerships with leading publishers, including HarperCollins and National Geographic, bring age-appropriate, award-winning fiction and non-fiction books to your child's fingertips.
A subscription is purchasable with funding. Please select "Product Order" and "Other Vendor."
Homeschooling Advice
Are You Practicing Sustainable Homeschooling?
"If you’ve walked into a grocery store lately, you’ve seen items marked “sustainable.” They’re everywhere, it seems.
Even our Facebook feed is full of the concept of sustainability. We hear about “sustainable crops,” “sustainable housing,” “sustainable teas” and even “sustainable budgets and economies.”
All this has led me to think: What about sustainable homeschooling?
Now wait a minute, you say. Sustainable homeschooling? I’ve never heard of that before. But think about it.
The definition of sustainable is either:
- able to be maintained at a certain rate or level, or
- able to be upheld or defended.
And isn’t that what we all want for our homeschool?
We want to be able to work consistently, to accomplish tasks without burning out ourselves or our children. To do our job in the best way possible so that we can uphold and defend our values.
We all want sustainable homeschooling.
So whether you’re sitting around the fire this Christmas reminiscing about the year gone by, or planning for the year to come, here are four practical ideas for making your homeschooling sustainable."
Read the rest of the article here.
Local Events
Seaweed and Sea Creatures Walk
Find more information here.
When: Saturday, January 18, 2020
Where: Crystal Cover (Pelican Point Parking Lot #2), 8471 E Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, 92625
Cost: FREE, $15 Day Use Parking
Junior Ranger Day at the Bay
Come earn your Junior Ranger Badge and Certificate at Upper Newport Bay. Participants will go on a guided hike, complete a short service project, and take the junior ranger oath. Activities will be designed for learners in the 9-12 age range, but everyone is welcome.
Minors aged 16 and younger must have legal guardian present at all times. Rain will cancel the event.
Registration required here. For more information call (949) 923-2250 or email unbic@ocparks.com
Festival of Human Abilities
Celebrate the Creative Spirit of People with Disabilities
Join the Aquarium of the Pacific for its seventeenth annual Festival of Human Abilities, a celebration highlighting the creative talents and abilities of people with disabilities.
This event will feature wheelchair dance, live music, sign language choirs, art demonstrations, and accessible SCUBA diving demonstrations. Participate in free classes led by people who have disabilities. Sign language interpreters will be present at all major shows, and an audio tour and a visitor guide in Braille are available for those who are blind.
When: January 25, 2020 – January 26, 2020
Where: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
Cost: Included with general admission to guests. Free to Aquarium members; 20% off for their guests.
Your Orange County Team
Community and Connection
Facebook Page
Instagram Page
Orange County Parent Resource Site
Ladan Rashidi - OC Family Liaison
Shaemanique King - OC Family Liaison
Feedback
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