Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Assembly Bill 375: Raising Upper Age Limit of Compulsory School Attendance

Please be aware of this bill...the salient point being that this bill raises the requirement for compulsory school attendance from 16 to 18 years of age, except for students who graduate from high school prior to their 17th birthday.

Status:
1/8/2008
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
5/12/2008
This bill was voted out of the Education Committee and referred to the Appropriations committee.

For a more complete background and action being requested go to:

http://www.hslda.org/Legislation/State/nj/2008/NJAB375/default.asp

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Calls Needed Immediately to Block Restrictive Homeschool Bill

10/8/2008 4:49:18 PM
Home School Legal Defense Association New Jersey--
Follow Up--Call Immediately to Block Restrictive Homeschool Bill

======================================================================From From the HSLDA E-Alert Service..
======================================================================New New Jersey--Follow Up--Calls Needed Immediately to Block Restrictive Homeschool Bill

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,We have received reports that some lawmakers have received hundreds of calls from you! Thank you! If you have not gotten through yet, please keep calling.However, please stop calls to Assemblyman Deignan. He has publicly stated that he opposes the bill. We deeply appreciate his willingness to stand up for what is right.Unity is of utmost importance in blocking this oppressive bill. The New Jersey homeschool task force is the most visible expression of homeschool unity in the state during this hour of need. The organizations and people of the task force have served homeschoolers for many years--decades in some cases. During a crisis like this, many well-intentioned people will offer advice, thinking they know what is best. Following task force recommendations, rather than those of others, however, will help us remain unified and powerful.You may hear rumors of awful things about to happen. Please take these lightly unless they come from the task force. For example, one unsubstantiated rumor that has made its rounds is that there is about to be a committee hearing on this bill. Not true. The members of the task force are staying highly alert, and we will let you know as promptly as possible if some new threat or urgency arises. At the same time, we do not know everything. If you obtain reliable information you think we need to know, please pass it on immediately.

The organizations of the New Jersey homeschool task force are: HSLDA, Catholic Homeschoolers of New Jersey (Kevin Kiernan), Eagle Forum of New Jersey (Carolee Adams), Education Network Of Christian Homeschoolers of New Jersey (Mark August), New Jersey Homeschool Association (Nan McVicker), and Unschoolers Network (Nancy Plent).Thank you for standing with us for freedom.Sincerely yours,Scott WoodruffHSLDA Staff Attorney

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

From HSLDA...

From the HSLDA site: http://www.hslda.org/elert/archive/2008/10/20081002140358.asp

This is only to prepare to take action. Please familiarize yourselves with this bill.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Assembly , No. A3123

FYI:

Please go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A3500/3123_I1.HTM for information.

To find your district for letters and calls of opposition: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#32

And don't panic, be aware, take action - this kind of thing happens from time to time, we just need to remain vigilant and united. All will be well. Keep track of this at the Unschoolers Network site

An Invaluable Resource!

Are you taking advantage of the online resources that the Ocean County Library offers? Did you know that your library card allows you to access hundreds of reference books, educational worksheets and academic articles from your home computer?

You can find these resources on the “Find It” page by going to OCL’s Web site: www.theoceancountylibrary.org and double clicking on “Research and Info”. Once you are on the “Find It” page, you will find a list of topics on the left side—click on the topic of interest to find a description of the resources available in that area. For example, by clicking on “Education and Careers”, you can access thousands of scholarly articles in “Academic Search Premier”, hundreds of printable educational worksheets in the “Curriculum Resource Center” and hundreds of encyclopedias, almanacs and reference books on a wide variety of topics in the “Gale Virtual Reference Library”. Once you click on the title of the database, you will be asked to input your library card.

But why should you use these databases when it is so easy to find information on the Internet? The databases available through Ocean County Library will give you much better, more reliable information than any commercial search engine, without advertisements cluttering the page. To subscribe to these databases on your own would cost you thousands and thousands of dollars, but your tax dollars are already paying for the county subscription through the library. Take advantage of these resources today!

If anyone would like to attend a workshop on using these databases, there will be a special training session at the Toms River Branch on Thursday, October 23rd at 2 pm: The Library 24/7 At Your Home! Come and learn how to use the library databases; it’s like having a complete reference library at your fingertips at home, and it’s free! This particular workshop will be aimed at parents who are home schooling their children.
For ages 12 and up. Limit 20. Registration is required. Click on the live link above to register online or call 732-349-6200 to register by phone.