Deciding If a Foreign Language Is Required
This post is part of a series titled, “Homeschool Q&A.” The series features questions we’ve received from parents on a variety of topics–and the answers!
Q. Can a student graduate from homeschool high school without a foreign language?
A. Yes, a homeschool high school student can graduate from high school with or without a foreign language. The reason some lists include a foreign language and others do not is because a diploma is based on the individual academic plan you create for your student.
The high school courses listed for public schools lead to one of two types of diplomas: a standard diploma or an advanced diploma. A standard diploma will not include a foreign language. An advanced diploma is one that will prepare your teen for college and usually includes two years of a foreign language. While homeschoolers are not required to include the same subjects listed for public schools, they are the standard courses college admissions officers look for when evaluating entrance applications. This is a good reason to consider teaching these or similar core courses.
There are several factors to consider when thinking about including a foreign language in a high school curriculum:
1) Will a foreign language benefit the student’s career choice?
2) Is a foreign language a requirement for college admissions at the college your student plans to attend?
3) Does the degree program your student plans to pursue (a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science) require a foreign language?
Once you’ve determined the answers to these questions, you can decide whether or not to include a foreign language in your high school plan.
You can find lots more information about planning a high school course of study by attending one of HEAV’s Homeschool Success Seminars or watching a high school webinar at your convenience. HEAV also provides an online transcript service!
Yvonne Bunn @ March 30, 2011 | Homeschool Q&A | Comments (0)
Homeschool Day at the Capitol Photos
Homeschoolers spent a day at the Capitol learning how our state government works. The day started at the Library of Virginia, where they picked up tour tickets and began the day with some special presentations. Secretary of Natural Resources and homeschool father Doug Domenech warmly greeted homeschoolers on behalf of Governor McDonnell and read the homeschool proclamation signed by the governor. He also described his job and responsibilities in the governor’s cabinet. Families met HEAV’s lobbyist Bob Shanks, learned about TeenPact, and heard a former homeschooler—now a legislative assistant for Senator Steve Martin—describe her job working for the senator.
The day included an interactive chamber presentation called Capitol Classroom and Capitol and Supreme Court tours. The afternoon included trips to the American Civil War Center at historic Tredegar and the National Park Service, where families learned about the significance of Richmond during the Civil War.
Yvonne Bunn @ March 29, 2011 | Events | Comments (0)
Facebook Privacy Settings
This post is part of a series titled, “Technology Q&A.” The series features questions related to technology–and the answers! Have a question? Send it to Tech@HEAV.org.
Q. How do I keep my Facebook information private so only certain people can see it?
A. You can adjust your account privacy in less than 10 minutes. Here’s how!
Controlling How You Share
Facebook is all about sharing, but the privacy controls give you the power to decide what and how much you share. The settings you choose control which people and applications can see your information. You can share your information with friends, friends of friends, or everyone, and there are presets to help you do that. Or, if you prefer, you can customize your settings. The information you are about to read is available on Facebook, but they don’t really make it easy to find. That’s why I’m making it available here.
For this particular post, it will be much easier if you open a new tab for your Facebook account and follow along. Log in first and we’ll start with this link to your privacy settings.
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HEAVTech @ March 24, 2011 | Technology Q&A | Comments (0)
Testing If Moving in the Spring
This post is part of a series titled, “Homeschool Q&A.” The series features questions we’ve received from parents on a variety of topics–and the answers!
Q. We’ll be moving out of state in June. Am I required to test and send a copy of the results to the superintendent?
A. No, you are not required to send test results to your superintendent if you will not be living in your current county on August 1.
As a courtesy, you may want to contact the superintendent’s office to let him know you will be moving. Although the law does not require you to contact the superintendent, this will close out your record, and he will not expect to receive your test results.
Yvonne Bunn @ March 24, 2011 | Homeschool Q&A | Comments (0)
Notice of Intent/Testing Submission for 18-Year-Olds
This post is part of a series titled, “Homeschool Q&A.” The series features questions we’ve received from parents on a variety of topics–and the answers!
Q. If my son will be 18 in June, do I need to file a Notice of Intent in August? If not, should I notify the superintendent? And will we be required by law to provide testing scores for this past school year?
A. No, the law does not require you to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the coming year because your son will be 18 years old prior to the August 15 NOI filing deadline. Neither are you required to send in testing results by August 1 of this year. When your son becomes 18, he will no longer be under the compulsory school attendance laws of Virginia.
The law does not require you to notify the superintendent that your child is no longer of compulsory school age.
Yvonne Bunn @ March 17, 2011 | Homeschool Q&A | Comments (1)
Testing Under Religious Exemption
This post is part of a series titled, “Homeschool Q&A.” The series features questions we’ve received from parents on a variety of topics–and the answers!
Q. If I’m homechooling under religious exemption, do I send in test results?
A. If you are homeschooling because you have sincere religious convictions against sending your child to school, and you are under the religious exemption statute § 22.1-254 (B)(1), you are NOT required to submit test results or an evaluation to your division superintendent.
§ 22.1-254 (B)(1) states:
A school board shall excuse from attendance at school: any pupil who, together with his parents, by reason of bona fide religious training or belief is conscientiously opposed to attendance at school. For purposes of this subdivision, “bona fide religious training or belief” does not include essentially political, sociological or philosophical views or a merely personal moral code.
If you filed a Notice of Intent with your superintendent, you are required to send a copy of the test results or an evaluation by August 1 each year.
You can find an explanation of religious exemption–and the answers to other religious exemption questions–on the “Religious Exemption Demystified” page of the HEAV website.
Yvonne Bunn @ March 9, 2011 | Homeschool Q&A | Comments (0)
It’s Cool to Be Square
This post is part of a series titled, “Technology Q&A.” The series features questions related to technology–and the answers! Have a question? Send it to Tech@HEAV.org.
Q. Is there a cost-effective way to accept credit cards for my home business?
A. If you have an Android or iOS device (such as an iPod or iPhone), the answer is Square!
Exploring Square
There’s a saying that goes, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Well, that’s what Square is.
Square is a free Android and iOS application that lets anyone take credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover) for a straight fee of 2.75%. That’s it! There are no activation, gateway, monthly, early termination, or hidden fees or any additional costs to use Square. Every credit or debit card has the same flat rate. These fees are static and are the same percentage of the total, regardless of how small or how large the transaction.
Some Applications
I learned about Square almost a year ago and started thinking of the relevance. We had just finished our yearly garage sale and had missed getting rid of some junk parting with a couple of larger items because there was no way for us to take credit cards. How nice it would have been to accept credit and debit cards! But there was no way I was going to “rent” a credit-card machine, set up a merchant account, and run a telephone cable out to the garage. All told, that would have set me back $150-$300. (more…)
HEAVTech @ March 9, 2011 | Technology Q&A | Comments (2)
Test Results When Moving
This post is part of a series titled, “Homeschool Q&A.” The series features questions we’ve received from parents on a variety of topics–and the answers!
Q. I filed a Notice of Intent at the beginning of the school year, but will be moving to another county in a few weeks. To whom do I send my test results?
A. When you have relocated to your new address, you have a reasonable time in which to file a new Notice of Intent in your new county. After you file your new NOI, you should submit your test results to the new county no later then August 1.
22.1-254.1(B) Any parent who moves into a school division or begins home instruction after the school year has begun shall notify the division superintendent of his intention to provide home instruction as soon as practicable and shall thereafter comply with the requirements of this section within 30 days of such notice.
As a courtesy, you may want to contact the superintendent’s office in the county where you previously resided and let him know you have moved from his county. Although the law does not require you to contact the superintendent, this will close out your record with your previous superintendent, and he will not expect your test results.
Yvonne Bunn @ March 2, 2011 | Homeschool Q&A | Comments (0)
HPV Vaccine
This post is part of a series titled, “Homeschool Q&A.” The series features questions we’ve received from parents on a variety of topics–and the answers!
Q. Is my child required to get the HPV vaccine since the immunization law* failed?
A. No, a parent can still “opt-out” their daughter from receiving the HPV vaccine, known as Gardasil. The 2011 bill, which would have removed the vaccination requirement from the Virginia Code, failed to pass; however, the 2007 law still includes an “opt-out” provision for parents.
In 2007, with many objections and great debate, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring girls entering 6th grade to receive a vaccine to protect against some strains of HPV, a sexually transmitted disease. Virginia is the only state that requires the HPV vaccine for girls. Because of many concerns regarding this powerful drug, an opt-out provision for parents was included in the law and still remains.
Virginia Code 32.1-46.3 states:
Because the human papillomavirus is not communicable in a school setting, a parent or guardian, at the parent’s or guardian’s sole discretion, may elect for the parent’s or guardian’s child not to receive the human papillomavirus vaccine, after having reviewed materials describing the link between the human papillomavirus and cervical cancer approved for such use by the Board.
With the “opt-out” provision, no child can be forced to take the vaccine. Parents can simply say no.
* Refers to HB 1419.
Yvonne Bunn @ March 2, 2011 | Homeschool Q&A | Comments (0)