looking for umbrella high schools where we can homeschool our way

[Kathy in MD]

Because my ds may have to enter a brick and mortar high school before he gets his diploma, I'm interested in finding an accredited umbrella high school program. I don't mind needing to meet credit requirements, but I want to select and/or design our own curriculum.

If we aren't with an accredited program and my ds does enter the local public school system after the 9th grade, we have to sit down with the principal and every single piece of paper for each course and try to get credit. Not a pleasant thought.

I'm aware of NARHS in Maine and Clonlara in Ann Arbor, MI. Are there any others? Also has anyone had experience with the two I know of and how did you like them?

[MaryM]

Mother of Divine Grace is regionally accredited by WACS and does let you select your own curriculum for "most" courses. I think they have some minimum like two of their courses but they had recent changes so I am not sure. I don't think you are required to use the theology unless you want it. It's a single fee for the family with "consultants" who help guide you in your curriculum selections.

Kolbe would be perfect but I do know that MD doesn't recognize their accrediation. I have a friend using them and she must go in to the state for those reviews but she says they are pretty straightforward, harmless and the people are really impressed with her curriculum.

Keystone is another but you must use their curriculum as you probably already know!

Mary

[dragons in the flower bed]

I'm aware of NARHS in Maine and Clonlara in Ann Arbor, MI. Are there any others? Also has anyone had experience with the two I know of and how did you like them?

I graduated from Clonlara.

Much depends upon which contact teacher you get, but I have never heard of a bad one. Mine was wonderful about helping me develop time management and record-keeping skills.

Before they will graduate a student, Clonlara requires a certain number of hours of community service, gives you a personalized exit exam, and asks that a student can articulate a plan for their life.

Their recommended (not required) reading list includes quite a few very liberal titles. I believe I discovered Tom Robbins' modern classic about Wiccan environmentalist lesbian hitchhikers, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, on the Clonlara School recommended reading list.

Their services are top notch and the sense of community is lovely, too. They publish a student newsletter with the recent interesting accomplishments of students.

If you want a guidance counselor, a cheerleader, confidante and coach as you develop and implement an extraordinary education, and accountability to a rather high standard for well-rounded, balanced excellence, Clonlara is the school for you. If you only want a filing cabinet and a stamped diploma and none of that bothersome other people caring how well you do, I'd recommend using NARHS instead.

[Carol in Cal.]

They have their own materials, though.

[Bev in B'ville]

getting accredited yourself? I went through the same struggles two years ago when I found out that our state does not allow dual enrollment for home schoolers and made them jump through extra hoops just for regular enrollment.

I spoke to several umbrella schools, all of which had their own requirements and were vastly different. I wasn't happy with any of them. I felt they took my freedom away to home school as I see fit.

I was speaking with one of these umbrella school's admissions person and telling her my thoughts on this subject and she suggested I get accredited. I had never considered it nor had anyone else ever mentioned it to me.

It was actually very easy to do. Find out how the local ps's in your area are accredited and go to the webistes of those agencies. They usually have accreditation information for non-traditional schools. I printed out the application form, contacted my consultant, had a preliminary review based on the 26 items they require (most of which I was already doing, some others were easy to implement - such as a fire drill once a month). My consultant came back for the "real" inspection and reviewed my materials once again, and told me I was accredited. Easy! The state does not try to tell me what to teach or which materials to use or how to test. Those decisions are still in my hands. I do not have to submit anything to the state in terms of paperwork other than my application to continue my accredited status once a year. I now have the same accreditation as our local high school and it's made the college application process much easier (no portfolios, etc.)

Just some food for thought.

[MaryM]

getting accredited yourself? I went through the same struggles two years ago when I found out that our state does not allow dual enrollment for home schoolers and made them jump through extra hoops just for regular enrollment.

I spoke to several umbrella schools, all of which had their own requirements and were vastly different. I wasn't happy with any of them. I felt they took my freedom away to home school as I see fit.

I was speaking with one of these umbrella school's admissions person and telling her my thoughts on this subject and she suggested I get accredited. I had never considered it nor had anyone else ever mentioned it to me.

It was actually very easy to do. Find out how the local ps's in your area are accredited and go to the webistes of those agencies. They usually have accreditation information for non-traditional schools. I printed out the application form, contacted my consultant, had a preliminary review based on the 26 items they require (most of which I was already doing, some others were easy to implement - such as a fire drill once a month). My consultant came back for the "real" inspection and reviewed my materials once again, and told me I was accredited. Easy! The state does not try to tell me what to teach or which materials to use or how to test. Those decisions are still in my hands. I do not have to submit anything to the state in terms of paperwork other than my application to continue my accredited status once a year. I now have the same accreditation as our local high school and it's made the college application process much easier (no portfolios, etc.)

Just some food for thought.

Bev- was this regional accreditation? You've got me thinking about this but I do know that for our state and many colleges it is that drat regional accreditation that is sought. Thanks and sorry for getting off subject from the OP!

Mary

[Bev in B'ville]

Bev- was this regional accreditation? You've got me thinking about this but I do know that for our state and many colleges it is that drat regional accreditation that is sought. Thanks and sorry for getting off subject from the OP!

Mary

of Georgia. However, I haven't run across any colleges yet that have refused us.

[MaryM]

of Georgia. However, I haven't run across any colleges yet that have refused us.

Thanks Bev!

My ulterior motive was this: in our state a student can get free tuition if they graduate from a regionally accredited high school...

I might just peek around on a regional site and see what I discover though. \

Thanks again!

Mary

[Kathy in MD]

getting accredited yourself? I went through the same struggles two years ago when I found out that our state does not allow dual enrollment for home schoolers and made them jump through extra hoops just for regular enrollment. .........

Just some food for thought.

That's an idea I hadn't thought of. I did know that GA would accredit some homeschools (from your earlier posts?), but I never thought of seeing if MD would do that.

[Kathy in MD]

I graduated from Clonlara.

Much depends upon which contact teacher you get, but I have never heard of a bad one. Mine was wonderful about helping me develop time management and record-keeping skills.

Before they will graduate a student, Clonlara requires a certain number of hours of community service, gives you a personalized exit exam, and asks that a student can articulate a plan for their life.

Their recommended (not required) reading list includes quite a few very liberal titles. I believe I discovered Tom Robbins' modern classic about Wiccan environmentalist lesbian hitchhikers, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, on the Clonlara School recommended reading list.

Their services are top notch and the sense of community is lovely, too. They publish a student newsletter with the recent interesting accomplishments of students.

If you want a guidance counselor, a cheerleader, confidante and coach as you develop and implement an extraordinary education, and accountability to a rather high standard for well-rounded, balanced excellence, Clonlara is the school for you. If you only want a filing cabinet and a stamped diploma and none of that bothersome other people caring how well you do, I'd recommend using NARHS instead.

This could be very interesting. However one thing that really concerns me is the exit test. My ds is not the best student in the world, and I worry that obtaining his diploma would rest on one single high-stakes test instead of the average of projects, class participation, papers and the average of a multitude of tests. Is the exit test modified for poorer students or can it be re-taken? This very likely is a question for Clonlara.

You also mention that there is a sense of community. Is it strictly through the newsletter that this community feeling is developed, or are there other opportunities for students to meet and talk with each other?


Thank you.

[Kathy in MD]

Mother of Divine Grace is regionally accredited by WACS and does let you select your own curriculum for "most" courses. I think they have some minimum like two of their courses but they had recent changes so I am not sure. I don't think you are required to use the theology unless you want it. It's a single fee for the family with "consultants" who help guide you in your curriculum selections.

Kolbe would be perfect but I do know that MD doesn't recognize their accrediation. I have a friend using them and she must go in to the state for those reviews but she says they are pretty straightforward, harmless and the people are really impressed with her curriculum.

Keystone is another but you must use their curriculum as you probably already know!

Mary

Thanks for the info, Mary. I'll check into MoDG requirements.

I, like your friend, have found the MD reviews easy because I've been prepared and could show that I was teaching my ds in all the required areas. However from what my consultant has said, some parents either keep lousy records, don't prepare or aren't really teaching their kids. I guess those meetings get rough.

But my understanding is that getting high school credits transferred in is very different. So Kolbe is probably out. :(

[dragons in the flower bed]

Is the exit test modified for poorer students or can it be re-taken?

The test is completely custom designed for each student based on the records they turned in during their high school experience under Clonlara. I'm certain they'll take any special needs into account when they write the test.

Is it strictly through the newsletter that this community feeling is developed, or are there other opportunities for students to meet and talk with each other?

There was a summer get together when I was enrolled, as well as a graduation ceremony at Clonlara. That was in the late nineties. Now they have the Commons. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it looks a virtual community. If the culture of Clonlara has survived the transition, the Commons will be an amazing space. Just remembering the feeling of being part of that school makes me want to enroll my (still little) kids right now. :D

As a matter of fact, all of my information is ten years out of date because of when I graduated. You should be careful to confirm with Clonlara anything that's particularly important in your decision-making.

[MaryM]

Thanks for the info, Mary. I'll check into MoDG requirements.

I, like your friend, have found the MD reviews easy because I've been prepared and could show that I was teaching my ds in all the required areas. However from what my consultant has said, some parents either keep lousy records, don't prepare or aren't really teaching their kids. I guess those meetings get rough.

But my understanding is that getting high school credits transferred in is very different. So Kolbe is probably out. :(

Just fyi, my friend in MD used Kolbe for high school. Her daughter even got into the Naval Academy from the Kolbe transcript....

Mary

[JennaB]

Hewitt is very friendly toward adjusting your curriculum to fit your needs.
They do require things like Keyboarding and Health..which have only helped our homeschool.
If you google Hewitt homeschooling it comes up.
They charge a fee that covers correcting the kids' writing and their math and a few other things. They keep track of grades and credits.
They are the makers of Lightning Lit.
I am amazed their name hasn't come up on this thread yet.
HTH

[Kareni]

Hewitt is very friendly toward adjusting your curriculum to fit your needs. ... I am amazed their name hasn't come up on this thread yet.

Hewitt does offer some great services; however, they are not accredited. See this page (http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/serv/hsfaq.asp#Anchor-Are-7431) where in answer to the question, "Are you accredited?" They state,

"No. We chose not to pursue accreditation, because we did not want our classes and materials to be controlled by an outside governing body."

Regards,
Kareni

[Kathy in MD]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I now have some schools to check into.

[ChrisN in NY]

Because my ds may have to enter a brick and mortar high school before he gets his diploma, I'm interested in finding an accredited umbrella high school program. I don't mind needing to meet credit requirements, but I want to select and/or design our own curriculum.

If we aren't with an accredited program and my ds does enter the local public school system after the 9th grade, we have to sit down with the principal and every single piece of paper for each course and try to get credit. Not a pleasant thought.

I'm aware of NARHS in Maine and Clonlara in Ann Arbor, MI. Are there any others? Also has anyone had experience with the two I know of and how did you like them?


I didn't see any mention of American School (http://www.americanschoolofcorr.com/) (but I only skimmed the posts, so I apologize if I missed it). One of my friend here used it for her dd.

HTH

[rwalizer]

I didn't see any mention of American School (http://www.americanschoolofcorr.com/) (but I only skimmed the posts, so I apologize if I missed it). One of my friend here used it for her dd.

HTH
I've heard good things about American School, but it is a correspondence school and does not let you pick your own curriculum.

[ChrisN in NY]

I've heard good things about American School, but it is a correspondence school and does not let you pick your own curriculum.

Thanks for straightening that out.

[Kate in Arabia]

Now they have the Commons. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it looks a virtual community.

My kids are enrolled with Clonlara. The Commons is a virtual community, it has areas for different ages, different topics, as well as "official" areas for school business. Aside from the social aspect, it has been nice to have school paperwork/correspondance collected together. My sil graduated from the American School, and while I think she was fine with it, the lack of internet usage was sometimes frustrating (although I understand why they do it that way).

My kids aren't in highschool yet; requirements for gradeschool are quite open. I have heard that with highschool there are more. We have been with Clonlara for several years now, and my general feeling is that they are kind of "unschooly" (is that a word) in how they approach some things, which while it isn't really how we are it works really well with how we want to interact with an "accrediting body", kwim?

I originally chose Clonlara for precisely the reasons the OP mentioned -- we moved overseas and the school system here is extremely strict about paperwork. I wanted some kind of insurance in the event anything happened that would force us to put the kids in school, they would be able to do so with relative ease from the paperwork side. We were already doing our own thing, so I didn't really want to change anything, just get a "stamp of approval".

hth!

[Catherine]

it 's a private school without walls, not an umbrella-based in MD but you don't need to be in-state. TLCI-you can find it on the net. It's more expensive than most umbrellas around here-about 300-400 per year per student (less for additional kids) but really offers a lot and you totally choose and design your own program. HTH.