Roll Call: What are your starting/stopping/taking a break plans?

[my3sons]

Hey ladies! Let's share what guide(s) we are doing and when we are starting/stopping/taking a break!

I am in the last week of U.S. History 1 with Riley, who is finishing out his 11th grade year. Then, he'll be taking the CAT standardized test (per state regulations). I'm thankful he can take this test at home, and I can send his scoring sheet to Seton Testing for them to score it.

I am in the last week of RevtoRev with Emmett, who is finishing out his 7th grade year. This is not a test year for him, and he is thrilled about that! However, next year, it will be his turn, as 8th grade is a year students must be tested here.

My oldest, Wyatt, is finishing out his sophomore year of college. He is finishing out his Business Law college course this month. He'll also be studying for several DSST tests this summer and taking the tests when the college testing centers reopen (they've closed due to COVID-19).

We are taking at least a few weeks off after finishing our guides/testing. We'll do something to celebrate, though I'm not sure what yet, as our usual ways of celebrating are closed (i.e. go-cart racing, Skyzone trampoline jumping, eating out somewhere, etc.). We'll probably get carryout food and go to a park to picnic and hike! Or, I'm open to ideas if y'all have some!

Then, we are thinking about starting our next guides, just a few subjects that don't impact the rest of the guide's daily plans. Riley thought he'd start his grammar and/or his College Algebra in his U.S. II guide. Emmett thought he'd do the same, starting grammar and math, but we shall see how motivated we are!

What about all of you? What are your plans? Has COVID-19 changed your plans? Hope you are all doing well!!!

In Christ,
Julie

[Rice]

My oldest graduates (hopefully) this month. He still has work to do on his WG, and especially math, but doesn't seem to be trying too hard. He can apply for assistance/Covid relief as soon as he can prove he's done school, so in his case, time is money! But it's out of my hands; I just have to do the transcript when he's done; I'm marking as he completes each subject.

My second finished WG last month and started WH for 12th *TODAY*! (Mostly organizing today: books, binder, etc. She'll get into the work tomorrow.) She has everything planned out for when she'll be done (Feb?) in order to graduate at our provincial conference next April!

My 3rd is finishing up WH (he's off-guide, doing subjects as modules now, lol). Unfortunately he won't continue into US1, as we don't need any more American History (we're Canadian). I know I'm going to miss the guides so much! But he's chosen to read US1's Living Library along side all next year's plans - he's my voracious reader and loves Carrie's picks!

#4 is plugging his way through RTR, which he started in November. He should be able to switch to Rev2Rev in October. The plan is for him to finish in time to graduate in spring of 12th, so he's on track, shaving a month off his guide-end each year. I think we'll stop around unit 27/28 this spring.

#5 is in Preparing and will do Unit 34 Day 4 tomorrow! He'll take a couple of weeks of just math and R&S (since we're behind a bit ) and start CTC! He's loving the independence of this guide and can't wait till fall to move on.

#6 and 7 are in the ERs. 8yo DS is awaiting Sound Bytes Reading to arrive in the mail; reading is challenging for him. 6yo DD is flying through the ERs and loving it. I'm starting to consider whether I can combine them into Preparing when they are ready skill-wise, maybe in 1 - 1 1/2 years. (By then 2 more will have graduated, so I'll have the time to start what will then be only guide #3! )

#8 is just 3 and did his first part-day of the 12yo following him around trying to do some LHTH with him, lol! I'm hoping it will be a good chance for them to bond (12yo is definitely "middle child" in this family), and some incentive to get up on time so he's not working all afternoon, since he recently discovered he IS capable of finishing a day before lunch! We have 3 years till I start phonics with him, anyway.

As for spring end-date, yes, Covid probably has changed my plans, some. PS usually goes till end of June here, so my goal was to be done by late May and enjoy the freedom of being out before everyone else, but with no spring sports and most things closed, I'm seriously considering going as long as we can, in the hopes of having some more freedom next year. We won't even have Family Camp the first weekend of July as my own "That's it! I'm putting the books away!" deadline. (Edited to add: but we won't be doing any school work in July/August. Only my own prep for fall.)

Thanks, Julie, I'm looking forward to reading others' responses!
Blessings

[StephanieU]

My girls will finish there guides next Tuesday most likely. We will take the rest of the week and at least the next week off. We might take 2.5 weeks off, depending on how things go. I am already planning on doing a popsicle stick bridge challenge with the kids during the break. And there will be baking and free time as well.

Then for June it depends on how much is open around here. If we are still limited on what we can do outside of the house, we will likely start back up at a minimum of half speed. But we might end up schooling basically full speed this summer. If there is no place to go, we might as well! We would likely start school later in the day than normal to enjoy the cooler mornings, as it gets hot here! If we do school through the summer, we will likely take more days off in the fall. Hopefully things will be open some then, and the cooler weather means we could simply enjoy the outdoors as well.

[EmilytheStrange]

I've got a son finishing Beyond. We have about a month left depending on how relaxed I am. I've been very relaxed with daddy home more often. I had planned on being relaxed in the spring to go hiking/field tripping and then work through the hot summer.. but....

I've got a daughter in CtC and my goal was unit 10. but we'll finish Jashub's Journal (unit 11) and I'm trying to decide on finishing the science text which goes to 14, I think? That will make the "jump back in" a little lighter for a few units. My kiddos thrive on routine, so doing something is good.

Our break will include math review workbooks and reading. I accidentally bought both the history and girl history set, so we'll just keep reading the girl set a chapter a day. My son did like 3 of the adventure(?) genre books, but not Charlotte's web.. so I'll probably read that to him over the break.

Our break usually just means less work for awhile. More morning playing outside before it's 110 degrees, etc etc.

[mylittlewomen]

We love a good, old-fashioned summer around here! We'll be spending our summer out of doors as much as possible! We'll be stopping all lessons and look forward to buying fresh school supplies in the fall, hooray! We'll probably do typing lessons (only because my girls beg for them!), read aloud always, write letters to out-of-state friends, and listen to all kinds of music (including Musical Multiplication and Wee Sing America) We'll finish by June 3rd, the day my mom is flying out to visit, hooray!! Can't wait.

I think it's interesting how though we are so ready to be done with school by May, I simultaneously am planning for next year already! Anyway, it'll be nice to be done with planning too so we can just enjoy summer.

[kidsforHim]

Goodness! I was beginning to feel..guilty? and definitely dismayed reading these responses. I just can't wait to be done for the summer although, we have been way to relaxed these last few weeks, but I really, really don't want to continue schooling even a little bit through the summer. Here in north eastern SD our summers are short enough to be spoiled with doing school'work'. DD 13 is a little better than halfway through CtC, BUT I think this will be our plan as well.... "We love a good, old-fashioned summer around here! We'll be spending our summer out of doors as much as possible! We'll be stopping all lessons and look forward to buying fresh school supplies in the fall" I loved this reply

[jrhinrichs]

Lol...I will add to the "no school in the summer" list. We finished last Friday and it feels amazing!! I am going to take 2 full months off. Then I *may* start back up in July having my 2nd grader do school on M & W (BHFHG), my Kindergartener on T & TH (LHFHG), and my preschooler on Fridays (LHTH). That would help us get back into the swing of things without being too difficult on anyone. Plus, it would give my 2 olders 8 completed school days to use as sick days or a day off if mama has a lot of other work to do.

[my3sons]

This has been fun reading everyone's responses! I cannot believe how much everyone's kiddos have grown! We too enjoy taking our summers off, but since it was looking like many things the boys do will be cancelled due to the pandemic (church group things, swimming, basketball, etc.), we were thinking to do some math and/or a little grammar this summer. However, it is looking like some of these things will be opening up again! So, we shall see if we do indeed just have an old fashioned summer too, or do a little math and grammar still. For now, we are enjoying the time off. I love that we can read how different everyone's plans are and support one another here! That is the beauty of homeschooling, we can do the plan we like best! Hope to hear from more of you, but this has just been such fun catching up with those of you who already posted!

In Christ,
Julie