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

Raising Boys that Read

Have you been frustrated that all your son wants to read is the latest Captain Underpants book? Have you been hoodwinked into thinking that all he needs to develop his reading skills is to read any book no matter what the content?

Here is a great article from the Wall Street Journal on How To Raise Boys that Read. The author of the article, Thomas Spence, talks about the effects of video games and dispells the thought that boys should read and it doesn't matter what they are reading. He talks about the value of reading classic books that can still capture a young mans attention.

Of course that is another benefit of using Sonlight for your homeschooling. Not only is it literature based, but they have put together the best of the best - the classics, the ones you loved when you were a child. No fluff, no potty humor, just good literature which will, in my opinion, create a love for reading and learning.

After beginning his article explaining how great the difference in reading levels is between boys and girls, I love how he ends his article: "I offer a final piece of evidence that is perhaps unanswerable: There is no literacy gap between home-schooled boys and girls."

Time is almost out to Submit Your Photos!

The Time is almost running out for you and your family to be in the Sonlight Catalog for 2011! Here is the scoop in an e-mail I just received:

What would you do if you discovered something you and your kids loved? Would you tell other moms about it?

Here's your chance.

You still have four days to join the Sonlight Photo Contest. Whether or not you've submitted in years past, this invitation is for you.

Here are 7 reasons to join the fun:

1.You have great children. Celebrate by taking their picture!
2.You love homeschooling and want others to know it.
3.You love Sonlight and want others to know it.
4.You'd really love a big Sonlight gift certificate. (If you win first place, you'll get a $500 gift certificate. Second place gets a $250 certificate and third gets $100.)
5.It'd be fun to get your 2011 catalog and see your family's picture inside (or even on the cover)!
6.You probably already have pictures somewhere. Why not share them with other homeschoolers?
7.Your photos and stories could help other families know if or why Sonlight might be right for them.
If you're one of the many who has already submitted, thank you!

If not, grab your camera for a photo shoot or submit what you've already got. When you upload, we'll prompt you to share why Sonlight fits your family. Just write as if you're telling a friend why you like your curriculum.

And remember: Sunday is your last day to submit photos for the 2011 catalog. (We'll include any submissions after that in next year's contest.)

Click here to submit.

Thanks for joining in,
Tim Heil



It's free and it's fun, one of my photos even made it in a few years ago! You may even make the cover and a win something so give it a go!

Three Reasons why to order by June 30

This just in from Tim Heil, Customer Relations Manager at Sonlight, and I thought you would want to be reminded!

Lock in current prices, get faster shipping & more: order by June 30!

1.You have two more weeks to lock in your current Sonlight prices. Some prices may increase on individual titles starting July 1. These changes may be minimal, but I want to give you a heads up so you can save money. We won't change Core or Newcomer Package prices until April 1 next year. But as vendors raise their prices, we may have to pass along those increases on some individual items.

2.Order in June to secure a "no fee, no interest" 6-month payment plan. As you consider your budget, remember Sonlight's incredible Time Payment options. If you qualify, you can spread out your curriculum payments over 3 or 6 months at no extra charge. But the 6 month option is only available in April, May and June. We've updated this policy and removed the fee since we released the 2010 catalog. Read more about this improved service here.

3.Get faster shipping if you order in June. Orders in June usually ship within 3-5 business days. But from July through September, we have to stretch that to 7-10 business days because so many families order Sonlight then. So beat the rush and order now.

If I can be of any service in helping to place your order, please don't hesitate to let me know!
kthroop5@sonlight.com

New Time Payments Option

Sonlight has now made time payments easier than ever! Check out this link to see how you can make payments for your Sonlight order with NO interest. Like I've said before, Sonlight is a great company!

The Updated Website is Now up and Running!

The website is now up and running for the new catalog season! Be sure to check out the all the new items as well as the new Sonlight apparel in the Sonlight Store. Not only are there some really cute shirts, but the winning T-shirt was designed by my friend's daughter! Trust me, I had nothing to do with her winning, it was all her own talent. Way to go Amanda!