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Resources Improved
High School Graduation Requirements
Additional Graduation Requirements: On-line Learning Experience – Students
must take an on-line course or learning experience; OR have the on-line learning
experience incorporated into each of the required credits of the Michigan
Merit Curriculum. World Languages – Beginning with the
Class of 2016 (Third graders in Fall 2006), students will need to complete 2
Credits of a World Language in grades 9-12; OR have an equivalent learning
experience in grades K-12. FAFSA If
you have a high school senior who plans to attend college and is
interested in obtaining financial aid, you will need to file the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid. The information submitted will be used
to generate a Student Aid Report, which colleges then use to determine
financial aid packages. It is helpful, but not necessary, to have completed
2005 Federal Income Tax returns before filing the FAFSA. Both student and
parents will need to apply for PIN numbers. In order to qualify for the best
financial aid awards, it is imperative to file the FAFSA early (preferably in
January or February). Some institutions require FAFSA results from the
Department of Education (called the Student Aid Report) to be on file by
March 1st. A renewal FAFSA must be filed prior to each year the student
wishes to receive financial aid. See the website www.fafsa.ed.gov for more information. Testing
Tenth grade is not too
early to take achievement tests. It is good for students to take the PSAT
(preliminary SAT) and the PLAN (preliminary ACT) for practice in tenth grade.
However, remember that if you have an 11th grade high school student,
September is the time to register for tests that will qualify your student
for scholarships. The PSAT is the National Merit Award qualifying test, and
is given in October. You will need to register for this test at your local
high school (not as scary as it sounds) in mid-September. Call your high
school counseling office in early September for information. You should
also register your student for the ACT if he/she plans to attend college.
This test is best taken early in the junior year because the student can
re-take the test as often as he wants, and the highest score will be used, so
retaking the test is highly advisable, as the student’s score will usually be
higher by several points with each retake. Registration can be done easily
online - but plan on one hour or more to do so - or you can request a packet
and register by mail. All information can be obtained on the website at www.act.org The ACT seems
to be the college admission test of choice these days, but some colleges
prefer the SAT over the ACT. Students should always check with colleges they
are interested in to see what that particular school requires for admission.
A student must take the SAT to obtain
the National Merit Award, but is eligible for this scholarship only if his
score on the PSAT has qualified him. Check with your local high school if you
are interested in your student taking the SAT, or see www.collegeboard.com to register online. The website
of The College Board, a national nonprofit association, has much helpful
information for preparing for college. Check it out at www.collegeboard.com *If there is any possibility that your student will be
dually enrolling in his senior year (taking college classes for high school
credit) through a local high school, he will need to take the MEAP tests in
the spring of 10th grade or fall of 11th grade. WriteGuide.com provides an Individualized Writing Program for homeschooled students in grades
four through twelve. Students enrolled in the program work with their
own private writing teacher on projects of their own choosing, at their own
pace, every day, Monday through Friday. Our teachers all have Master's degrees, years upon
years of teaching experience, and are published writers. The program is conducted entirely through e-mail; no fancy software or
downloads are necessary. Enrollment is ongoing throughout the
entire calendar year, so you can schedule a program to begin on any day you
wish. Check out
WriteGuide.com at http://www.writeguide.com The WriteGuide.com individualized
writing program produces results that are well beyond what most people can
imagine. How do they do it? By emphasizing two concepts that
are often ignored in education: individualized instruction on a daily basis,
and motivation. So please, take a look at our course description, view some samples, sign up to receive our free TEACHLetter, and read through
some comments from families who have enrolled in the course. In short,
have a look around. See what we're all about! All Koinonia members will soon be eligible for the group
discount. To find out about discounted prices for groups go to: http://www.writeguide.com/grouprates.htm The Home School Legal
Defense Association is a
non-profit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the
constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and
to protect family freedoms. Through annual memberships, HSLDA is tens of
thousands of families united in service together, providing a strong voice
when and where needed. HSLDA advocates on the legal front in defense of
member families, on Capitol Hill, in state legislature, in the media, and
through research. Koinonia encourages all home educating families to join
HSLDA. Members of Koinonia are eligible for a 15% discount upon application
to HSLDA. For more information, visit the HSLDA website at www.hslda.org. To obtain Koinonia’s
group number for application to HSLDA, email Karen at karenbeth@charter.net.
After you have joined HSLDA,
notify Karen at karenbeth@charter.net to be added to Koinonia’s Group Discount List that is maintained with
HSLDA. The |
Individualized Writing
Program Home School Legal Defense Association |
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