Homeschool Hints Podcast

Upcoming events in October and beyond include:

The next graduation meeting for our Class of 2027 will be Monday, Oct. 12, at Garrett Chapel at College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe. Seniors will begin forming their own graduation committees!

The next Moms’ Morning Out will be 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Pegah’s in Shawnee. Everyone is welcome — from those just thinking about homeschooling as well as those who have been homeschool veterans for decades.

Join us for a free homeschool teaching summit from Oct. 19-23. Enjoy personable, interview-style videos while also exploring quality resources in the online exhibit hall.

We’ll host a Facebook Live with BiblioPlan, one of our 2027 conference vendors, the evening of Oct. 20.

Our next Great Wolf Lodge Homeschool Weeks are scheduled for Dec. 6-11 and 13-18. Registration is open until November or until all rooms are filled, whichever comes first.

When is the best time to send a school withdrawal letter? Anytime it's needed! This podcast episode will walk you through writing the letter, sending it, and exploring options if the school pushes back, because some of them will.

-Step #1: Make sure you do this in order [1:30] 

-Step #2: The letter itself [3:10]

-Step #3: Homeschooling and IEPs for special needs [8:00]

-Step #4: How to research your state's homeschool laws [9:00] 

-Quick recap and further resources [10:00]

Resource #1: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/2026-gala-celebration/ (40th Anniversary Celebration: Oct. 1, 2026)

Resource #2: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/womens-encouragement-day/ (Women's Encouragement Day)

Resource #3: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/school-withdrawal-letter-tips-template/ (Withdrawal letter templates)

Resource #4: https://hslda.org/ (HSLDA website)

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Upcoming events in September and beyond include:

A virtual chess field trip for homeschool families will be 1-2 p.m. Sept. 4. Registration is required to access the field trip.

The next graduation meeting for our Class of 2027 will be Monday, Sept. 14, at Garrett Chapel at College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe.

Our homeschool Mom’s Night Out will be Friday, Sept. 18, at a home in Lenexa. Registration is required!

Our PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test opportunity will be available to homeschooled students on Oct. 4. The deadline for registering is 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7.

How has home education changed over 40 years? MPE Past President Todd Kangas shares his perspective from the days when homeschooling wasn't even legal!

-How Todd's family moved to Kansas after a mom had been arrested for homeschooling [1:10] 

-Some challenges pioneers faced: desperation and a need for one another [3:30]

-How success then involved legislative advocacy and compromise as a group [4:40]

-Homeschool moms were "enrolling in a 24/7 career that didn't have benefits ... that didn't pay, that didn't seem rewarding, and that they were totally sure they were going to fail at." [9:30] 

-The quiet but powerful sacrifice of Mei Upsdell, past MPE office manager and former MD [13:50]

-How the MPE conference grew from a handful of families to thousands of attendees [20:10]

-Women's Encouragement Day, graduation, football and other amazing traditions [24:10]

-BONUS: Why the Hallelujah Chorus caused several homeschool moms to "go ballistic" before an MPE graduation ceremony! [27:00]

Resource #1: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/2026-gala-celebration/ (40th Anniversary Celebration: Oct. 1, 2026)

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Join us for one (or all!) of these summer book clubs for homeschool moms:

1) "The Bookshop of 99 Doors" by Jamie Jo Wright

July 13 @ 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (book club evening)

This is a suspenseful tale woven between history and present day, all tied back to a Christian perspective. Read the book and come ready for discussion and fellowship. This will be at a home in Lenexa, with address to follow upon confirmation.

2) "The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 1"

July 28 @ 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (morning at the park)

This is a short, easy fiction story set in the 1880’s. Read the book and come ready for discussion and fellowship. Meeting at Meadowbrook Park, Leawood, KS.

3) "Their Future is Shining Bright - A Guide to Homeschooling in High School" by Rachel Kovac

August 4 and 25 @ 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (a 2-night gathering) 

These evenings are designed to be a time to discuss the book, share personal experience with homeschooling high school, and leave encouraged to succeed in the final years of homeschooling your student(s). This will be at a home in Lenexa, with address to follow upon confirmation.

Learn more and RSVP here! https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/homeschool-mom-summer-book-club/

Upcoming events in June, July, August and beyond include:

Our June 18 Used Curriculum Sale with a free how-to-homeschool workshop just before the sale opens.

If you’re a seller, now’s the time to apply before registration closes June 11. Clean out your school room AND earn money at the same time!

If you’re a buyer, come look for next year’s curriculum and save! You can also check out MPE’s curriculum table at the sale, which will feature all of the curriculum donated over the year to our nonprofit.

Our summer Moms’ Morning Out dates are June 9, July 14 and Aug. 11 at McLain’s on Nieman Road in Shawnee. Find a welcoming community of homeschool moms in the private room in the far-right corner of the restaurant. Everyone is welcome — from newbies to longtime veterans!

The Worlds of Fun Homeschool Days / Weeks are set for Aug. 3-9, 15, 16, 22, or 23. Get discounted rates just for homeschool families, along with meal add-ons!

Finally, registration is open for our September Great Wolf Lodge Homeschool Weeks! More details on discounts and times are available on our website.

One of MPE's most enduring traditions is its high school graduation ceremony just for homeschool students! 

While the ceremony is student-led, parents get to pronounce a special blessing over their graduate. This year's ceremony for the class of 2026 will be Friday, May 8, at College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe.  

Enjoy hearing some excerpts from last year's Class of 2025, including senior addresses from Jane Vanderhorst, Lydia Wiley and Danae Sabinas!

Resource #1: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/graduation/ (MPE's Homeschool Graduation Ceremony)

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Daniel Schwabauer, creator of the One Year Adventure Novel, explores how to engage reluctant writers and use stories to explain teaching concepts.

Resource #1: https://clearwaterpress.com/curiosity-2/ (Curiosity Saved the Cat)

Resource #2: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/homeschool-conference/ (MPE conference)

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Upcoming events in March and beyond include:

We’re getting ready for our March 6-7 homeschool conference and curriculum fair at the KCI Expo Center!

Our conference silent auction is now live! You can bid on some great items while giving back to the homeschool community in Kansas City. You don’t even have to be at the conference to bid, so feel free to invite friends and family to join as well!

Make sure to plan for our open houses - something new we’re introducing this year during 9-10 a.m. on Friday.

Last-minute conference checklist: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/homeschool-conference-checklist/

Our homeschool high school prom will be 7-11 p.m. April 10 at the Camelot Ballroom in Overland Park. This is for 9th through 12th graders - typically ages 14-19. Limited space is open to parents who want to chaperone.

Finally, registration is open for our May Great Wolf Lodge Homeschool Weeks! More details on discounts and times are available on our website.

Kristi Windish of True Compass discusses the benefits of aptitude testing in this podcast episode. Learn how your homeschool high school student can make the best college, career and life decisions based on such assessments!

-Kristi's educational journey, starting from her work in speech language pathology [0:30]

-How to overcome challenges associated with making career and college choices [3:00]

-Why assessments should go beyond interest inventories to include scientific research and data [5:30]

-Some benefits of assessments across all levels of education [9:30]

-Overview of services most commonly experienced by homeschool families, including group discounts [12:00]

-Specific age requirements [17:10]

Resource #1: https://www.truecompassllc.com/ (True Compass LLC website)

Resource #2: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/homeschool-conference/ (MPE conference)

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/