Marion Home School Assistance Program Newsletter January 2021 A NOTE FROM OUR DIRECTOR: January NEW Dropoff/Pickup Begins ..... Jan. 4 Those were some of the final words of my wife’s uncle to his family before he passed away. He was apparently wanting to impress on his children to not get APEX Deadline ........................... Jan. 4 so burdened down with life’s responsibilities that they miss out on fun opportu- Session 3 Classes Begin ............ Jan. 4 nities. He didn’t want them to come to the end of their lives with regrets. Life Moving into New Year ........... Jan. 4-7 does carry certain responsibilities, and they are never ending. The harder we try Barton Parent Info Meeting ...... Jan. 7 and the more disciplined we attempt to be, we can’t seem to find time to in- clude lots of fun. Math Tutoring Resumes ............ Jan. 7 Taking breaks to do something enjoyable is like a reset button that is important Moving into New Year ....... Jan. 11-14 for our mental health. It can be an oasis to help gain perspective. It brings re- Bingo Mania ............................ Jan. 13 freshment. Too often though the breaks are forced as an afterthought rather Freshman Night ....................... Jan. 14 than a proactive plan for our well being. We are coming up upon a new year. Learning Ally Deadline ............ Jan. 15 What if this coming year we planned the less desirable responsibilities of our lives around the most desirable? Kind of like thinking of eating dessert before Postcard Deadline ................... Jan. 15 the meal. MHS Pre-Reg. Meeting ...... Jan. 20, 27 After a year of COVID restrictions, the impact of the derecho, and national politi- Drop-in Advising ..................... Jan. 26 cal turmoil, we need some refreshment. We need hope of something better; Photo Contest Deadline .......... Jan. 29 and not just hope, but actually begin to make plans. What things do you really Job Shadow Deadline .............. Jan. 29 want to do before December 31, 2021? Is it starting a hobby, taking a class to help you be better at something, traveling to a place you’ve not been before, Virtual Kids Go STEM............... Jan. 30 reading books that you’ve been looking forward to, spending more quality time Valentine Bags Deadline .......... Feb. 1 with your family and friends? It’s time to take anything you’ve longed to do and Gym & Swim Resumes ............. Feb. 2 move these things from the luxury column to the necessity column. Set your priorities for enjoyment this year and put them on your calendar as non- negotiables. Demonstrate for your children that adulthood is something to as- pire to, because there is joy and excitement to be had when they get there. Is your child’s learning planned around enjoyable activities, or are those activi- OFFICE Hours ties sandwiched in occasionally as an afterthought to the “curriculum”? Have M - F: 9:00am - 3:30pm you brought their learning to life, and the wonder that can be found there, or is The Marion district buildings learning kept separate from life on the pages of a boring workbook and text- (includes MHSAP) are currently book? Interestingly, in the years before high school, we only used curriculum closed to visitors, including parents. with our children on a regular basis for one subject- math. That was the subject If you have a question or we can that they consistently scored the lowest on when they took standardized tests. help in any way, call 319 373-9209. We hurt their potential love of the subject, by boring them. We could have taught many of the basic principles with enjoyable activities from games and life LIBRARY Curbside Hours skills (woodworking, sewing, cooking, etc.) M - F: 10:00am - Noon 1:00 - 3:00pm In 2021, look forward to more enjoyment and fulfillment in your life. In the midst of your responsibilities, including homeschooling, ask yourself, “Are we having lots of fun yet?” If not, make a change. TE Marion Home School Assistance Program phone: 319-373-9209 Emerson Learning Center fax: 319-373-4492 1400 Tenth Avenue • Marion, IA 52302 https://mhsap.marion-isd.org Important Information ................ 2 Session 3 Classes Begin the Week of January 4 Session 3 Classes Begin If your plans have changed since you registered your student, or if you 2021 Iowa Assessment Update know they will not be able to attend at least three classes, please unregis- Learning Ally Deadline ter them. This gives those on the waiting list the ability to participate. NEW Dropoff/Pickup Guidelines .. 3 HOW TO UNREGISTER at http://mhsap.marion-isd.org/: Student Spotlight ........................ 4 1. Click Student Info button in the upper left. Middle School Mock Trial Results 2. Click View (under classes and the student's name). Seven Wonders Online Class ......... 4 3. Click Registered List or Waiting List. 4. Click Unregister by the specific class. APEX Deadline Jan. 4 ..................... 4 CLASS ATTENDANCE NOTES: If students do not attend the first week with- Barton Reading & Spelling ............. 5 out a call or email from the parents, we will make one attempt to contact Photography Contest ..................... 5 you via email. If there is no communication, we will assume the student will not participating. Teachers will contact students on the waiting list if Valentine Party-in-a-Bag................ 5 space in a class becomes available. Do not stop by the day of class to see Financial Literacy Fair .................... 6 if there is space as others may be on the waiting list before your student. MHS Math Placement ................... 6 Contact: Becky Peiffer, [email protected] Mathematics ............................... 6 Tutoring Resumes 2021 Iowa Assessment Update Building Math Minds The deadline to sign up for the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) has passed. Families of registered students received a From the Library ....................... 7-8 Curbside Hours confirmation email in December. The link to the ISASP PRACTICE TESTS is: New Materials Reviews http://iowa.pearsonaccessnext.com/test-prep/ New Materials If you have any time changes, they have to be made by April 1. An email Donation Drive .............................. 8 with room assignments and other testing details will be sent in April. Testing tips and other information are on the MHSAP website: Oh, the Places We Could Go! ........ 8 https://mhsap.marion-isd.org under Registration > Assessments. Career Exploration ...................... 9 Contact: Amy Forret, [email protected] Kirkwood’s Career Academies Virtual Kids Go STEM! How to Find Career that Fits Interests Learning Ally Audio Books DEADLINE: January 15 Take Virtual Tours of Engineering Careers L.A. has already helped hundreds of thousands of children, ages 6 - 18, High School News ................. 10-11 become more confident, independent learners. They have also helped Advising Options parents and teachers via support and advice. Books are read by human Job Shadows voices. Accounts will be active through May 2021. Titles include textbooks Summer Internships Scholarship Opportunities (e.g. Apologia science or Bob Jones curriculum) and fiction (e.g. Little House on the Prairie, Charlotte’s Web, or The Hobbit). Ask your supervis- Fit Bits ...................................... 11 ing teacher for more info about this program and the enrollment criteria. Gym & Swim Update Moving into the New Year To RENEW for January - May 2021: Families that signed up last May or Family Sledding Events September, don’t need to sign up again. If you didn’t sign up, but have Bingo Mania had Learning Ally at MHSAP before, simply remit a $15 check or cash in an Field Trips ................................. 12 envelope to Katie Toomer by Jan. 15. Include your name, your student’s Great Backyard Bird Count name, and “Learning Ally” on the outside of the envelope. Mail your Iowa Farm Tours Teach History without a Textbook check to Katie Toomer at MHSAP, 1400 10th Ave, Marion , Iowa 52302. AgArts Or, you can pay online—just check with Katie ([email protected]). Fortepan Iowa Katie will renew your membership. Make sure that you renew again for Google Lit Trips the year in May. Crash Course Try a Historic Driving Trail To Enroll January - May 2021: Parents, please fill out the L.A. request Driftless Center form at https://tinyurl.com/LArequest2021 by Friday, January 15. If your PBS Learning Community Ida Grove Castles child qualifies, Katie will email you after January 15 to pay the $15 semes- Geological Exploration in Coon Rapids ter fee. After payment is received, you will receive an email welcoming you to L.A. downloads with username and password for audio books. MHSAP’s site-license allows your child a substantial discount for L.A. View instructions for access on 3 electronic devices at www.learningally.org Contacts: Kathy Allen, [email protected] or Katie Toomer, [email protected] January 2021 Pursuit page 2 January 2021 Pursuit page 3 Seven Wonders of the World Online Class FOR GRADES 2 - 5 MHSAP Middle School Mock Trial Competition Results To empower our homeschoolers, This year our mock trial students had the opportunity to compete using we ’re excited to offer this online a virtual format. MHSAP had two teams competing at the regional level, class. The self-guided unit study will with one team, Team B25’s, advancing to the Iowa Middle School Mock provide activities, printable Trial State Tournament, December 1-5. handouts, games, video recommen- Team Flaming Hot Cheetos consisted of At Table: Aaron Quaas, Sam dations, and a live online gathering Proctor, Drew Kennedy In back: Zavier Riedell, Isabella Meyer, Emily at the end of the class. Families Hawkins, Michael Tice Not Pictured: Rosella Light, Cassian Smith may use as much of this resource as Student coaches: Lydia Bitterman, Acacia Coates, Katy Hawkins, and they desire.