Christian Home Educators of Hattiesburg

Wonderful friends, wish you could be here with me on my three weeks of adventure. The highlight of my trip has been getting to cultivate new friends, listen to their hearts and their needs, and dreams, and enjoying a community , and having them listen to my heart as well. I realized in the midst of our week that I need more downtime with friends. It is a sort of healing to our hearts to be listened to and understood.

One of the most fun times I had was taking a French cooking class and creating the delicacies with my friends. Here I am taking my turn at whipping egg whites until they were so hard they stood up at attention.

Creating new recipes like this and asparagus risotto gave each of us a new scope for how the pros do it. I would love to know what some of your best recipes are as I need a little bit of creativity added to my cooking these days.

I will be gone for one more week, but I will keep trying to make at least short podcast to tell you where I’ve been. Have a great week! And be sure to make something new and creative to delight yourself and your family.

New (mini) podcast: https://tinyurl.com/43723act

Homeschool Graduation Recognition Act Advances to US Senate Floor On Thursday, the Senate Education Committee unanimously advanced S.B. 3747 to the full Senate in a strong bipartisan vote. It now awaits a floor vote.

So awesome to see homeschool grads representing on the world stage at the recent Winter Games 🙌

🥇 Chloe Kim — homeschooled while training at an elite level — continues to dominate in snowboard halfpipe.

🥇 Alysa Liu — homeschooled & competing at the highest level in figure skating.

🥇 Jordan Stolz — homeschooled to allow for intense speed skating training and travel — now a breakout Olympic star.

And let’s not forget past homeschool Olympians like Simone Biles and Shaun White who paved the way.

This isn’t about “homeschool makes Olympians.” It’s about flexibility. It’s about giving kids space to pursue big dreams.

Whether that dream is athletics, business, missions, music, or something completely different — there isn’t only ONE path to excellence.

Homeschoolers are showing up. 👏

We are very blessed to have an MSU extension office with learning resources right here in Hattiesburg!

You may have heard us talk about the R&R Mobile Units - so let’s answer how they help you!

To address the critical need for access to educational resources and materials for children, the R&R Mobile Units help foster learning experiences and enhance school readiness. These mobile units are deployed in rural communities across the state to help families, community members, and early care and education providers have access to a diverse range of materials, including equipment for creating homemade classroom resources. Materials include developmentally appropriate resources at no cost.

These mobile units travel statewide, attending community events and offering scheduled visits to help provide equitable access to resources and support for all.

To learn more or see if it’s available for your next event, visit: https://extension.msstate.edu/family/children-and-parenting/mississippi-lift-resource-and-referral-network

Calling 📣 all homeschoolers, let’s take learning outside!

Grab your homeschool herd and join us at Global Wildlife Center every second Tuesday of the month at 1:00 PM for fun, learning, AND adventure!

Enjoy guided safari wagon tours where you can touch, feed, and meet animals from around the world...plus interactive education tables set up to enhance your learning experience.

🤫 And great news: the Walkabout is now open on meet-up days as well as weekends!

Let’s make learning ✏️ WILD all year long!

🌎 https://globalwildlife.com

🎟️ To receive the discounted educational rate with NO minimum required, simply book online using the promo codes SAFARISCHOOL for adults and WILDCHILD for kids! 🎟️

⚠️ ACTION NEEDED to STOP Annual Homeschool Evaluation Bill (info from Darren Jones at HSLDA)
WHAT IT DOES: H.B. 1512 would require homeschoolers to do annual assessments and submit them to the Mississippi Department of Education.

STATUS: The bill has been assigned to the House Education Committee.

WHY IT MATTERS: Homeschool parents in Mississippi currently have freedom to homeschool their children without the government peering over their shoulder every year. This bill would for the first time in state history require annual evaluations.

Dear Friend of Liberty,

We need your help to stop a bill in the Mississippi House Education Committee that would drastically change your homeschool law for the worse.

H.B. 1512 does not have a hearing yet, and we want to keep it that way. Your calls and emails to the members of the committee will send a powerful message to the House that Mississippi homeschoolers oppose this infringement of their fundamental right to direct the education of their children.

WHAT WOULD THE BILL DO? H.B. 1512 would require every homeschool family to send the following paperwork to the state Department of Education every year:
1 A copy of the annual Certificate of Enrollment
2 A portfolio of work samples
3 A written progress report “aligned with the Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards”
4 Results from online assessments
a The parents must choose assessments that are approved by the Department of Education
b The assessments must be proctored by a certified individual
5 Attendance records showing the equivalent of at least 180 days
6 Standardized test results (grades 3, 5, 8, and 11) administered by a certified teacher.

ACTION REQUESTED
Please call, email, or send a letter expressing your opposition to the bill. If one of the members of the Education Committee is your representative, click here (https://hslda.org/post/mississippi-house-bill-1512 ) to send your message to him or her personally.

Not sure?
• Find your representative (https://www.legislature.ms.gov/legislators/house-district-map/ ) by entering your address
• See list of representatives on the Education Committee (https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.mpe.org/resource/resmgr/pdf/2026/houseedcmtee.contact.pdf)

If your representative is not on the Education Committee, then contact Representative Christopher Bell, the sponsor of the bill, to politely ask him to withdraw the bill. Phone:(601) 359-2461. Email: [email protected].

We’re asking for your help now so that the Education Committee does not move forward with any action on this bill. Please forward this email to other homeschool families.

And don’t forget to show up in Jackson on February 18 for Mississippi Home Educator’s Association Capitol Day (https://www.mhea.net/capitol-day )! I will be there in the Capitol Rotunda; please stop by and say hi.

How we stay Thankful during the season - - - Lacy shares a family tradition of writing things you are thankful for on a pumpkin she keeps on the kitchen counter. It is always accessible throughout November, so everyone can write at any time something for which they are thankful.

I love the holiday season, but sometimes with all the cooking and work and family and ideals flying about, we can find ourselves in the midst of a lot of extra stress. The best way to prepare ourselves is to walk by the Holy Spirit so we can give our family the gift of a Spirit-filled and peaceful mom. Peace starts in the heart of a mama and is contagious to those who live around her. A happy, peaceful woman is a gift to all who come into her home.

Arm yourselves with the purpose of practicing living with a peace-filled life this week so that you may more easily breeze through the extra stress of the holiday season with the grace God is so willing to give.

As the holidays are approaching, I am asking myself what I need to do to prepare my heart to be present to my people, ready to serve, and to determine not to give into the weariness or demands. Every year at the holiday season, I mean to be more at ease, more prepared. Yet, when life is flying by at light speed, it is difficult to catch a breath in between the demands.

Friends, I created a journal for us to do just that! Download 9 Ways to Walk By The Spirit This Holiday Season to help you spend intentional time with God to prepare your heart, mind, and soul for the season ahead.

I am praying for all of you — but even more, God is praying for you and loves you. Don't give into discouragement or inadequate feelings. With God all things are possible. He is so glad you are trying and that you care. You are precious to Him and He is training your character to grow strong as you are training your children.

Download the journal for free: https://tinyurl.com/53cm9yvv

College Isn’t the Only Option: Exploring Post-High School Alternatives (Nov. 13) Help your teen thrive after high school. Learn how to prepare them for trade school, the military, entrepreneurship, or launching straight into...

Education Plan! Translate LEARNING into CREDIT