Share Your Sonlight Photos!

It's not too late to get your kids in the Sonlight Catalog for 2012. My kids are on page 86 of this year's catalog. Just follow this link. But hurry, all entries must be in by August 15th!

Order by the end of June!!

I got this reminder from Sonlight and I wanted to pass it along . . .

Thursday, June 30 (Mountain Time), is:

1.The last day to choose a 6-month payment plan. With Sonlight's payment plan options, you can spread your curriculum payments over 3 or 6 months at no extra charge, if you qualify. Starting July 1, the 6 month option won't be available again until next April. Read more and calculate your payments here.

2.The last day to lock in your current Sonlight prices. Changes may be minimal, but if our vendors raise their prices on individual titles, we'll have to increase our prices on those items starting July 1. Core and Multi-Subject Package prices will stay the same until April 1, 2012.

3.The last day you can expect your order to leave our warehouse within 3-5 business days. Since so many families get their Sonlight in the summer, it can take 7-10 business days for us to move your order out the warehouse doors during July, August and September.


For help putting together or finalizing your order, turn to SONIA (your online, automated curriculum advisor) or a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor (a live Sonlight mom who will happily answer your questions). They are both ready to help you make the best curriculum decisions for your family.

If a payment plan, locked-in prices and faster service are important to you, don't miss out! Place your order today.


Sincerely,
Tim Heil
Customer Relations Manager

www.sonlight.com

P.S. When you do order, breathe easy with Sonlight's Love to Learn Guarantee. When you buy a Core or Multi-Subject Package you have a year to use up to half of your curriculum. Then if you don't completely love it, just ship it back (used books and all) for a complete refund of your purchase price! Read complete details about this "Love to Learn Guarantee."




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ICHE starts tomorrow!

This year I'm looking forward to representing Sonlight at the state convention in Naperville! My van is packed and my team and I are ready to help you plan out the next school year for you and your family.

Make sure to sign up at the booth as we will again be having our convention special coupon of $15 off an order of $50 or more!

Looking forward to seeing you there. Mention my blog and I will have something special for you!

ROSETTA STONE SALE! Until June 11th

2011 Rosetta Stone is on Sale at Sonlight - check out these prices. It's for a limited time so get them while they last!


April 13-June 11
Level 1 Programs: Regular price $249, Sale price $159
Level 2, 3, 4 and 5 Programs: Regular price $299, Sale price $159
Level 1-2 sets: Regular price $449, Sale price $259
Level 1-3 sets: Regular price $579, Sale price $359
Level 1-5 sets: Regular price $749, Sale price $459

APACHE in Peoria is this weekend!

Catalogs are everywhere, and my "crew" is ready once again for the APACHE convention! I am looking forward to talking about some of our new products and changes. I will have the new spelling program - All About Spelling, as well as books from the new High School elective - What Good is Christianity?

I hope to have a little bit of everything there, but if you are looking for something specific please drop me a note and let me know here.

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Sonlight Catalog!

The convention season is soon to be upon us and that can only mean that the new Sonlight catalog is coming out soon. If you haven't already gotten a copy of your 2011 Sonlight catalog, click here to visit Sonlight's digital catalog.

Stay tuned for more information regarding Sonlight at the APACHE conference coming soon!

New Catalog Coming Soon!

It is getting to be that time of year again - Sonlight Catalog season! Want a sneak peek? Check out Luke's blog here to see the new "core wheel"!

SB136

I just got back from the capitol in Springfield concerning an informational meeting regarding SB 136 which would require homeschoolers in IL to register with the state. I think Mr. Woodruff, senior counsel for the HSLDA, had a very good summary which I wanted to share here. If you look very, very closely, I am one of the brown spots you see sitting against the wall on the right :). I will try and keep you posted of any more happenings as they come to light.

Illinois: 4,000 Homeschoolers Say "No" to Registration Bill

Dear HSLDA Friends and Members,

An awe-inspiring 4,000 homeschoolers flooded the Statehouse today as
Sen. Maloney did his best to get the Senate Education Committee to
support his plan to mandate registration for homeschoolers. But the
committee did not vote, so homeschoolers must continue to press for
the withdrawal of the bill.

ACTION REQUESTED

Please call your own senator and ask him or her to contact Sen.
Maloney and ask him to withdraw--NOT AMEND--his bill. Use our
legislative toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10343 to find
your senator.

BACKGROUND

Sen. Maloney has stated he intends to amend his bill so it impacts
homeschoolers only--not other private schools. There is no way to
amend his bill to transform it into a good bill. Its objective is to
push government control into your living room and kitchen, and that is
unacceptable no matter how he may amend it.

Prior to the hearing this morning, the entire auditorium filled up
quickly for the 9:15 a.m. Home School Freedom Summit in the Howlett
Building. After that, homeschoolers poured into the Statehouse. They
filled the committee hearing room, then completely filled that entire
floor of the Statehouse, even pushing up into the upper galleries.
Security estimated the crowd at 4,000.

While waiting for the hearing to start, the crowd beginning singing.
Strains of "America the Beautiful," "God Bless America," "Amazing
Grace," and "The Star-Spangled Banner" drifted into the committee
room. No one present will ever forget the huge, orderly, but
passionate crowd, the singing, and the sense that their presence made
a powerful statement in defense of liberty. No Illinois senator or
representative will forget that statement, either, I believe.

Recognizing the crowd, staff agreed--for the first time in the history
of the Illinois legislature--to leave the doors to the committee
hearing room open during the hearing (if the crowd would stay quiet)!
The hearing went longer than scheduled. Homeschool leaders testified
powerfully against the bill. Sen. Maloney testified that officials
"needed to know" who was homeschooling, though it was never entirely
clear why.

Some senators worried about homeschoolers "falling through the
cracks." But if "falling through the cracks" means kids ending high
school without a diploma, without being able to read, without being
able to enter college without remedial classes, and with a juvenile
justice record, then "falling through the cracks" is quite common in
public schools. The sad truth is that the public schools do not have
the solution to "falling through the cracks!" Why have the least
effective system of education supervise the most effective system?

The senators on the committee seem closely divided between "for" and
"against" on SB 136. The change of a single vote could have dramatic
consequences. The efforts of every single homeschool family in the
state are urgently needed.

Sincerely Yours,

Scott A. Woodruff
HSLDA Senior Counsel