Home Schooling

So rewind about 18 months. The school district wants to build a new elementary school in Moro and North and South elementary's will be closed. About 14 months ago, there were grumblings of closing North, but thank heavens nothing came of it. North is in Wasco where the boys go to school. About this same time preschool was fortunate enough to rent a classroom at North. So this last school year 2008/2009 was a really great year for both boys- they were at the same school.
Jon was able to take them to school each morning and spend a little time with Patrick as he did his morning work. He was close enough if issues arose.
Plans were still being made for a bond to go to the voters this last May. The County Court had promised to fund the new school at $15 million with SIP dollars (windmill monies), but they wanted the voters to decide and co-sign the debt in case the windmills did not exist in the next 10 years. The bond did not make it on the ballot. The cost now is up to $20 million.
During the school board budget committee meetings for the school year 2009/2010, there were many scenarios put on the table for budget cuts. At the final budget meeting the committee proposed to the school board NOT to close North. That it financially did not make sense to close it this coming school year. Infact, a school board member, Alan Von borstel has been quoted as saying "this is a no brainer, it doesn't make sense to close North". I was at this meeting and heard him say it.
I walked away from this meeting pretty confident that we would have another year at North, which included the preschool.
In the mean time I had researched Oregon Connections Academy. It is a virtual Oregon public school under the Scio school district. It turned out to be a great alternative if things did not go well for North.
The last week of school was great. I was able to do the last day with Patrick. I had also had some good conversations with the principal Nancy Kieling that week. About the fate of preschool and in general school politics. Sadly, Nancy passed away the night of the last day of school. It was a complete shock to the communities of Sherman County.
That following Monday at the school board meeting the school board voted to close North and bus all the North kids to Grass Valley. This was absolutely the worst news. I felt I had the wind knocked out of me. The preschool had no home and had two and half months to find a place, before school is scheduled to start in September. For me this was devastating to the preschool and the kids.
This then put Jon and I in a horrible situation. Do we let our boys take the bus to Grass Valley, send them to another school or just up and move. Jon has been adamant that the boys will not take the bus. He is also very disappointed that he would not have the time with Joseph like he had with Patrick. Especially since Joseph could probably use it more so than Patrick.
So I started the enrollment process for the boys into Oregon Connections Academy (ORCA) and also talked to a realtor. The real estate market is viable for what we have, that hobby farm size.
So now there is a group of home schoolers who are trying to get a group thing organized so that the kids come together three days a week for four hours. There is an overwhelming support for volunteers to help from parents, grandparents and the community. We just need to find a place.
The lastest glitch- Oregon Senate Bill 767- which has severely limited the number of enrolled kids in virtual and charter schools. Thank the Teachers Union for this one. So now on July 9, the boys are in a lottery to see if they will be able to enroll to ORCA. If they aren't then on to plan B.
I want to give the school district one year to get their shit together on putting an elementary in place for Fall of 2010. Jon and I really don't want to sell our home, but if there is no foreseeble progress by the school district this next year we will look at moving.
I feel we can only home school for one year.
I also feel that the school district panicked when Nancy passed away. They had no idea what to do and it was suggested making the Superintendant also the Pricipal . And if any of you know Ivan Ritchie- I rest my case.
So please have good thoughts on July 9 for the lottery.