Faithful Scholars
MISSIONS STATEMENT:
To love, praise and serve God in this life through encouraging and equipping homeschooling families as well as honoring each individual family's approach to education, knowing that each of us home-educate for a variety of reasons, but always above reproach and in order to send our children forth with a stronger foundation.
WHO WE ARE:
Faithful Scholars is a S. C. Third Option Accountability Association operating under legal section 59-65-47 and offering services primarily, but not exclusively, to Lancaster, York and Chester counties. Each year we receive requests from around the state about accepting members outside of these counties and we gladly do. We encourage local support simply because we feel that we can better minister to your needs in person with our workshops, retreats and one on one meetings. That does not exclude being able and pleased to represent any and all South Carolina homeschoolers as well as serving you via our website and e-mail. We will help you navigate legally while home schooling confidently in South Carolina by offering you great supportive components in the forms of workshops, retreats, information on local programs, links, e-mail alerts and reminders and assistance for all academic levels including college bound students. For college bound students we offer ranking, high school diploma's and college accepted transcripts. Our workshops and retreats are open to all homeschooling families regardless of membership with Faithful Scholars. Our philosophy is that we are nurturing souls and introducing on-going, life long relationships with academic materials rather than creating products to be measured.
WE OFFER:
- Faithful Scholars will notify your local school district, per your request, and will annually notify S.C. Board of Education of your home schooling status. We assure you that no personal information is ever shared with another individual nor the school board.
- A beautiful time saving service that our members receive is an on-line compliance and application renewalprocess.
- A Local page to assist in the locating of homeschool programs, tutors, support groups, homeschooling family businesses and other treasures in our area. If you know of a business or program operated by or directed by a homeschooling family please bring it to our attention and we will add it when we update our site.
- Simple high school forms to assist in your daily and transcript record keeping.
- Explanations of the various testing options, costs and links according to grade level.
- Stories of real life situations to encourage you.
- Workshops throughout the year addressing issues that face every homeschooling family: beginning homeschooling; pre-schoolers and homeschooling; record keeping; uncertainty; high school issues.
- Discounted membership rates to Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).
- Discounted membership rates to Enchanted Learning- an excellent educational web site full of ideas, downloads and printoffs on every subject under the sun. Highly recommended for elementary and early middle school years.
- Discounted membership rates to SC Home Educators Association (SCHEA) who keep us abreast of local and national legislation issues through quarterly newsletters, e-mails, an annual, manageable state convention, semi-annual Day-at-the-Capitol and occasional local discussion groups. SCHEA is a volunteer organization that keeps our home school rights, needs and presence visible in the state and national political arena. If you are able to support them we highly recommend doing so as membership donations support their total cost of operation and you will receive a greater discount than cost of membership if you attend their June convention.
- Discounted membership rates to Monday's Artists fine arts program offering affordable professional group instruction in art, public speaking, Drama and Chorus as well as several six week courses. High school credit is available.
- Free membership to Carolina Homeschooler, a wonderful group that organizes affordable trips- local and abroad, local events as well as discussion boards on issues of interest and concern. Visit their website to sign up.
- Free membership to South Carolina ETV Streamline. SCETV manages learning resources for SC schools, offering thousands of video clips, education programs, and photographs. Visit their website to sign up.
WHY FAITHFUL SCHOLARS?
Faithful Scholars is dedicated to being a present and responsive accountability group that actively and continuallyhelps our members grow in knowledge, confidence and enjoyment of their home school. Being locally based in Fort Mill, S.C., we are close by and accessible to our local members. Long distance members also have continual access to us through e-mail and travelling to our relaxing overnight retreats and workshops.
- Faithful Scholars will enhance your home centered education through our inexpensive workshops pertaining to the difficult and sometimes daunting hurdles of beginning home schooling, and all of the other issues that come with the kindergarden, elementary, middle and high school years.
- Our High School Specialist has over twenty years experience of teaching, grading, transcripts, tutoring, SAT and test taking preperation. He is equally expert in assisting students create unique, appealing college applications that stand out and leading mock interview sessions in order to gain scholarships.
- Our Elementary Specialist has over twenty years of teaching experience from tutoring and facilitating in traditional school settings, being in those honorable homeschool trenches, as well as in programs such as Fun Friday, Classical Conversations, Monday's Artists and Faith Formation.
- Someone at Faithful Scholars will be accessible by e-mail or phone to answer your questions and meet any needs that we are able. In an effort to be most effective with your time and ours, please look through the Frequently Asked Questions and other website sections to see if your questions may have already been addressed.