Murphy – Jan. 22-28 was National School Choice Week. The goal is to support the success of America’s students and raise equal and positive awareness for the different options in education that are available for children.
Some of those options include traditional public, public charter and magnet as well as online, private and home education.
On Jan. 25, about 17 parents and students from the Hidden Mountain Brilliance homeschool group marched in downtown Murphy to help support the awareness. The march started at the L&N Depot moving toward and around the Square in Murphy. Children held brightly colored handmade signs and repeated a creative cadence-like chant as they marched.
Cindy Hull is the founder and operator of Hidden Mountain Brilliance, a homeschool group serving the tri-state area. She’s also a parent of two school-age children.
Home-schooled students are required to test annually just as the public school system does and they must also keep attendance records. They are subject to audits by the state as well. However, parents are able to choose their own curriculum for teaching.
Hull’s group is a field trip based home-school. They do four to six outings per month and also do community service projects. Their outings are both fun and educational as well as helping to benefit the community. They recently went to the Hurlburt Johnson Friendship House with needed items for residents at the homeless shelter.
When asked how does a parent who lacks the knowledge of certain subjects like algebra teach it to their children, Hull said, “We’re blessed now with a lot of programs that are available to us. The programs have online tutors and teachers and tutorials that are available on each and every subject.”
“That’s where they’ll learn the knowledge and skills for those subjects so they’ll be able to take the exams.”
Proms are also not an issue as Hidden Mountain Brilliance holds proms, homecoming courts including king and queens as well as other fun events for their children. Hull said their kids have the same opportunities as those who attend public schools.
Vice President of Hidden Mountain Brilliance, Michelle Brooks was heard jokingly saying, “If you see me talking to myself don’t worry about it, I’m just having a parent-teacher conference.”
Mollie Hull is in the 10th grade however, she’s at an 11th grade level. She was in public school but taken out by her parents in the 2nd grade and that’s when her home-schooling began.
Mollie stated, “There’s just so many students in a class and teachers get so caught up in everything. I was feeling like I was kind of a burden because she was always just so busy.”
Her parents decided to homeschool her after seeing other kids misbehave in the classroom and teachers unable to do much about it.
When asked if Mollie wore pajamas to her homeschool class, she stated with a smile, “yes.”
Mom was asked how she has time to teach and still clean the bathroom, vacuum and make meals, she said, “You get into a routine.”
Parents and children all seemed happy with their school choice and just want others to know they also have choices.
For details, call 828-436-0237; 202-480-2927, Ext 802; or email participation@schoolchoiceweek.com.