Berrien Springs Virtual Academy Partnership
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  • Program Basics
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  • Classes
    • Berrien BookShark
    • Field Trips: In-Person Bonus Experience
    • Virtual Classes >
      • Virtual Class Guidelines
      • The Animation Course: Animation or Drawing Courses
      • Bonus Virtual Classes
      • Michigan Virtual
      • Middlebury World Languages
      • Typing Quest
      • Login Sites
    • Animal Husbandry >
      • Circle C Stables
      • Patsy Little: Horsemanship
      • Red Bud Gypsies Ranch
      • Spring Creek : Horse Knowledge
    • Art Classes >
      • Buchanan Art Center
      • Ceramics/Pottery >
        • Debi Bishop: Create with Clay
        • Brushes and Basics: Purple Giraffe Pottery Studio
        • Buchanan Art Center
        • Ceramics with Jill Dodge
        • Wheel Fun Pottery!
      • Circle C with Shelly Adkins: Collaborative Art
      • Collage: Jon Whidden
      • Creative Design with Robert Ritzenthaler
      • Prosper Arts: Cultural Multimedia
      • Design Street in Plainwell
      • Drawing and Painting Classes: see tabs >
        • Art & Creativity: Starlight Studio
        • Niki McNeil: Art Classes
        • Jill Dodge: Elementary Art
        • JLN Studios: Acrylic, Watercolor and Pastels
      • Jewelry: Chainmaille with Kim Bollman
      • FLC: Mixed Media Art
      • Glass >
        • Jill Dodge: Glass Fusing
        • Water Street Glassworks
      • GVNCP: Backyard Art Zoom
      • Jill Dodge: Leather Tooling
      • Krasl Art Center
      • Lake MIchigan STEAMWORKS: Fiber Art
      • Photography and Videography >
        • Photography or Videography
        • Adventures in Photography with Katie
    • Business: E-commerce Entrepenuers
    • Chess >
      • Chess
    • Dance: Fine Arts >
      • Benton Harbor Dance Studios
      • Coloma Dance Studios
      • Decatur Dance Studios
      • Dowagiac Dance Studios
      • Niles Dance Studios
      • Sawyer Dance Studios
      • South Haven Dance Studios
      • St. Joseph Dance Studios
      • Stevensville Dance Studios
    • CTE: Career and Technical Education
    • Drama >
      • CMW: Children's Music Workshop
    • Family Adventure Trips >
      • South Manitou Island Area
      • Washington DC
    • Foreign Languages >
      • Lotus Chinese
      • Dos Mundos Spanish
      • I Heart Spanish
    • Humanities >
      • Re-enactment Arts >
        • Ground Zero: Target Archery
    • Life Skills >
      • Angela Lee: Cooking and Restaurant Classes
      • Joel Bennett: Baking and Cooking
      • Crochet: with Niki McNeil
      • Sewing and Quilting: Robin English
      • Vesna Markovic: Kids Can Cook Too
    • Music >
      • Music: Intensive Lesson Labs >
        • Cello
        • Guitar
        • Percussion
        • Piano
        • Violin
        • Voice
        • Other Instruments
      • Music: Group Classes >
        • Jose Cruz Brass Ensemble
        • Berrien Springs Public School - Band or Choir
        • String Ensemble with Abigail Koo
        • Lake Michigan Youth Orchestra
        • The Music Academies - Niles
        • West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts
        • Shoreline Music Classes
    • Nature/Environment >
      • Birding and Beyond
      • Family Adventure Trips
      • Love Creek: Outdoor Explorers
      • Backyard Farming
      • Homesteading
    • Physical Education >
      • Physical Fitness & Sports >
        • Aquatics: ALL water-related classes
        • Archery: Fitness in Archery @ Ground Zero SJ
        • Basketball: Andrews Jr. Cardinals
        • CrossFit
        • Fitness Classes at the BH/SJ YMCA
        • Gymnastics >
          • Acro, tumbling at dance studios
          • Branch Gymnastics
          • Elite Sports Academy
          • Infinite Gymnastics at Andrews
          • Power In Motion
          • The Club for Gymnastics
        • Hockey: Youth League
        • Ice Skating: Learn to Skate: Garden Ice Arena
        • Life RX: Teen Strength/Conditioning
        • Martial Arts
        • Pickleball 101: AU
        • Rock Climbing
        • Indoor Soccer: Andrews Jr. Cardinals and Red Arrow Soccer Club
        • Softball: Dugout Dolls
        • Tennis: Group Lessons
        • Volleyball: Ground Zero
      • Swim and Gym Locations
      • Swimming or Diving Lessons: AU
      • Swim Lessons: SouthShore
      • Swim Lessons: YMCA, Bridgman
      • Swim Clubs
    • Technology >
      • FLC Tech Classes
      • HAM Radio Licensing and Communication
      • Niles STEAM Room
      • Photography or Videography with Robert Ritzenthaler
      • Jon Whidden: Recording Studio and Electronic Music
      • Robo-Tech Zone of Michiana: VEX Team
    • Vocational Education >
      • Carpentry, Remodel and Tools
      • Lifeguarding or WSI Certification and Junior Lifeguarding
      • Tom Hurst: Woodworking
  • Dual Enrollment / CTE
    • What is Dual Enrollment?
    • Andrews University
    • Glen Oaks Community College
    • KVCC - Kalamazoo Valley Community College
    • Lake Michigan College
    • Southwest Michigan College
    • CTE
  • Meet your Mentor
    • Mentor Bios
    • Mentor Evaluation Tools
  • Contacts / Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Homeschool Links of Interest
    • Social Networking & Homeschool resources
    • Standardized Testing Opportunities
  • Calendar
  • Field Trips: Virtual Options
  • Ground Zero: Target Archery
Social Networking and Homeschooling Resources:
*The following links & resources are provided solely as as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply our affiliation, endorsement, or adoption of any site or any information contained therein.

Online Educational Resources
​Join the Partnership on Facebook!
Join our Facebook pages to get up to the minute updates on new classes or cancellations. 
Use this link to request to join the group: Partnership Info Page (partnership info only):  https://www.facebook.com/groups/555552544557198/
Use this link to request to join the group: Berrien Partnership Community (homeschool-related and partnership-related news and events: www.facebook.com/groups/190326294355471


New to Homeschooling?
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Wondering about how the State of Michigan views homeschooling, and what you need to do, or don't need to do in the eyes of the government?  For a  policy summary and links regarding homeschooling in MIchigan, see State of Michigan Homeschool Regulations and Graduation Requirements

Wondering about where to find out more about core standards and graduation requirements?  Click on the link above.

Need core curricula suggestions? Email Sharon at shaynes@homeoftheshamrocks.org.

Terrific website for general beginning homeschool information and resources: www.fiscaltiger.com/cost-to-homeschool-your-child/

ConsumerAffairs has many educational resources available for parents to research and read reviews.
You can check them out here: https://www.consumeraffairs.com/education/

Questions about testing for Dyslexia? 
Sharon will put you in contact with a great resource person: shaynes@shamrocks.us

Need to find out your student's proficiency level at reading or math?   
Jill Blackburn has been a homeschool mom for 13 years and a certified Barton Reading/Spelling Tutor for over 5 years. If anyone would like a reading assessment for their child, check out her website at http://blackburntutoring.weebly.com/  Tutoring is available in Cass County or via the internet.

Andrews University
Center for Reading, Learning, and Assessment
Bell Hall, Suite 200
269-471-3480


Classical Conversations provides annual standardized testing opportunities.  Please contact Julie Bunnell for more details: jbunnell@classicalconversations.com

Interested in the idea of homeschooling but cannot teach your student due to work or other commitments?  
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Berrien Springs Virtual Academy may be the right fit for you. Students are provided with all core curriculum and teacher support in an online and personal format. Open to students in all grade levels!  Virtual Academy students may also take Partnership Community Class electives.  Contact Rachel Stout for more information: 473-0500.

Work Permits: One of the advantages of Partnership membership is being able to obtain a work permit.  Once the student has secured a job, the parent must come to Berrien Springs High School's main office, ask for a work permit, fill out student section, have the employer fill out their part and then return it to the school.  The parent then needs to fill out the parent section.

Driver's Ed: Driver's Education is not a part of public school education, it is a service that parents seek and find in their community on a self-pay basis.  There are a number of driving schools in the area, just search the internet for local driving schools. 

GED:  note: students who are taking GED prep courses through a public school and/or who have taken the GED, do not qualify for the partnership.

There are two testing centers - Andrews University and Lake Michigan College. All you need to do is make an account for your student at myged.com. If the student is under 18, you will be prompted to fill out an age waiver when you try to schedule a test. 
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There are four individual tests - Reasoning through Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Tests are scheduled and taken individually. They are $37.50 each. Students can retake a test if they don't pass that subject the first time. The retake fee is $10. Once a subject is passed, it's passed, even if the other subjects aren't passed yet.

Official practice tests are available and highly recommended. They are $6. One note on those - the computer does not score the essay on the practice test. You can print out the rubric and get an idea of how the essay would have been scored.   

Special Needs Support Group 
If you parent or have custody of a child with (dis)abilities, come connect with other families going through a similar journey.  Together we'll build a community, explore challenges, and gain understanding.  Intended to be ongoing, this support group will be facilitated by child-focused professionals.  Childcare is a future option we hope to offer.  Starting 2/21/17 we will meet from 6-7:30 p.m. at PMC (Pioneer Memorial Church), Berrien Springs.  Follow the signs for room location.  Email RSpecialKids@gmail.com for more information or questions.

Cerebral Palsy Support

link: https://www.cerebralpalsyguidance.com/cerebral-palsy/
Cerebral Palsy Guidance is the web's most detailed site on cerebral palsy, providing information on vocational counseling, education, carers and more.

Another resource for CP guidance and information can be found at https://cerebralpalsygroup.com/   Cerebral Palsy Group is an online resource for anyone who has been affected by cerebral palsy, brain injuries, or birth injuries.

Social Networking and additional homeschooling resources
Social networking is very important to homeschoolers, especially when just beginning the journey.  There are several types of homeschool social groups beyond the Partnership.  The Berrien Springs Parent Partnership is not a co-op or a network, but a unique educational partnership to enhance homeschool education by bringing together parents and educators in their local communities from all over the tri-county area.

Homeschool co-ops are educational in nature and usually require parent volunteers to teach and otherwise help run the co-op.  Homeschool networks traditionally fill the role of connecting homeschoolers to each other for playdates, moms' coffee breaks, curriculum sales, information sharing, etc.  

There are local networks that serve our area:
A network exists to bring homeschool moms and students together for social events and to hold events of interest to homeschool families.  Membership is either free or costs very little and attendance at any events is entirely voluntary.


Lakeshore Lifelong Learners (Bridgman/Stev/SJ/Coloma and more): contact:  MaryAnn Annis at mihomeschooler@comcast.net
SMCS (Southwest Mich Christian Home Scholars): contact: Rachel Rentas at 
adamandrachel@hotmail.com

Local Co-ops:
A Co-op exists to teach academics, core and non-core, to groups of students of similar ages.  Classes are usually taught and supervised by moms.  There is usually an application process and commitment is for the school year.

Classical Conversations (several locations across the region): Please contact Julie Bunnell for more details: 
jbunnell@classicalconversations.com
Covenant Learning Co-op: contact Jeannie Bryant: clccommunications2627@gmail.com  or Website: homeschool-life.com/mi/clc

ACT/SAT - prep course/tutoring:

Dr. Scott Carlin, 517-803-5037 
  • SAT Prep class held at LMC in winter/spring

Dave Foster 269-313-1780 
  • ACT/SAT tutoring located in St. Joe​
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