Today is the last day for DISCOUNTED ($12) renewals/new membership to Family TOUCH.  Checks must be postmarked or paypal confirmations dated as of today.  Please help to make the job easier for the membership team by updating your profile and renewing or submitting your new membership TODAY.  The fee goes up as of 7/1, and there’s more work involved once current members are “parked” on the website after today.  Thanks to everyone who has already submitted your electronic forms and payment.  If you haven’t already, you should receive your confirmation/welcome letter w/in the next day or two as our Admin. Asst. catches up on the memberships that have come in yesterday & today.  Note:  If you are renewing or joining for the first time, our T-shirts (check out the cool new color) and some “extras” are available to order on the website through 7/8 only!  We will not order short-sleeve apparel again until next spring/summer.  Long sleeves will be ordered in the fall.

 

For those not familiar with or who have questions about Family TOUCH, go to www.familytouch.org.  You can check out our handbook to see what we’re all about, and click on “How do I join?” for membership info.  Membership is  done through simple electronic forms.  It’s “painless”! (thanks to our awesome web administrator!!!)

 

Here’s a glimpse of the coming year...

 

We are excited about our new calendar year!  Our annual family picnic/Western Round-up is scheduled for Sat. 9/26 at Living Way Community Church on Hwy 101 in Greer (about 5 miles north of US 29).  We are also nailing down details for a homeschooling high school workshop in mid-August.

 

The Special Teams Leaders and their support teams, along with the Quadrant Leadership will be meeting on Monday for a planning meeting to calendar all of the other “bigger” special events, the regular activities, and to brainstorm on other planning ideas.  The Special Teams Leaders over Field Trips, Special Events, Community Service, Parties, and Misc. Special Interest will be contacting everyone w/in the next few weeks (based on what teams you signed up to help with) and by 8/1, a year-at-a-glance calendar will be generated (w/ everything also posted online) with the dates, lead contact and location (whenever possible).  

 

We are thrilled that we will continue to have ongoing mom’s support meetings in the NE & SE Quads, with the possibility of adding one in the SW…and “maybe” even one in the NW!!!  Our NW & SW quads continue to grow, and we have committed and loyal leaders working hard to meet more needs in those areas.

 

Park Days will continue in each quad, along with Pizza Hut Book-it Parties from Nov.-April.  We’re discussing PNOs (Parents’ Night Out) and will announce a definite schedule after our planning meeting on Mon.

 

We have a committed leader for either USA Festival or International Festival, and will make decisions on Science Night, History Night, Spelling Bee, etc.

 

Anne Campbell is ALREADY beginning the plans for the 09-10 annual homeschool yearbook “The Upstate Standard”, and the date for homeschool and senior pictures will be nailed down and calendared hopefully by next week.

 

We’ll offer Scholastic book orders and continue to participate in the Weekly Reader/Six Flags Reading Program.

 

Some parties & field trips will be calendared in advance, but others will come about as the ideas surface and someone feels led to follow thru.  We will strive to have more field trips in each of the quadrant areas to help give you more opportunity & keep things closer to home.  We will also continue to offer Roper Mtn. Science Center field trips for each grade level. 

 

HIT (High schoolers In TOUCH) will have community service opps, college and career exploration and social activities as folks step up to help plan those things.  We also will offer help and support to new homeschoolers through our First Steps area of our group.

 

We will again host IOWA Testing and the annual Used Curr/Book Sale next spring and Splashin’ With Homeschoolers next summer.  As far as Talent Night, K-5 Grad., Field Day, College and Career Fair, Extra-curricular Fair, and some of the other things we’ve done in the past, it will be dependent on having leadership interested in coordinating each.

 

We look forward to having YOU as part of our team as we work hand in hand to be a blessing to one another on this homeschooling adventure!

 

Grace for the journey,

 

Tracy Elphick

Family TOUCH Administrative Coordinator