Berrien Springs Virtual Academy Partnership
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  • Program Basics
  • Registration
  • Classes
    • Virtual Classes >
      • Virtual Class Guidelines
      • The Animation Course:Animation I or II or Drawing I or II
      • Bonus Virtual Classes
      • Michigan Virtual
      • Middlebury World Languages
      • Login Sites
    • Animal Husbandry >
      • Bit By Bit Stables: For the Love of Horses
      • Ground Zero: Exploring Equine Education
      • Ground Zero: Mounted Archery
      • Spring Creek Equestrian Center
    • Art Classes >
      • Architecture
      • Birchbank Farm: Art Classes
      • Buchanan Art Center
      • Ceramics/Pottery >
        • Ceramics with Jill Dodge
        • Niles STEAM Room: Ceramics
        • Wheel Fun Pottery!
      • Creative Design with Robert Ritzenthaler
      • Design Street in Plainwell
      • Drawing and Painting Classes: see tabs >
        • Niki McNeil: Art Journaling and Zentangle
        • Calligraphy: Lettering By Hand
        • Jill Dodge: Elementary Art
        • Kim Bollman: Elements of Design
        • JLN Studios: Acrylic, Watercolor and Pastels
        • Starlight Studio
      • Jewelry /Beadwork >
        • Beadwork: with Kim Bollman
        • Jewelry and Chain Maille with Kim Bollman
      • FLC: Art and Culture Around the World
      • GVNCP: Backyard Art Zoom
      • Krasl Art Center
      • Photography and Videography >
        • Adventures in Photography with Katie
        • Photography or Videography with Robert Ritzenthaler
      • Glass >
        • Jill Dodge: Glass Fusing
      • Water Street Glassworks >
        • Water Street Glassworks
    • Chess >
      • Chess: Niles
    • Dance: Fine Arts >
      • Bangor and Coloma Dance Studios
      • Benton Harbor 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
    • Foreign Languages >
      • Lotus Chinese Classes
      • I Heart Chinese
      • I Heart Spanish
      • Conversational Italian
    • Humanities >
      • Historical Arts & Technology >
        • Birchbank Farm - Textiles
        • Jill Dodge: Ancient Secrets of Quillling
      • Re-enactment Arts >
        • Ground Zero: Archery
    • Life Skills >
      • Cooking >
        • Joel Bennett: Beginning and Advanced Baking
      • Crochet: with Niki McNeil
      • Jill Dodge: Leather Tooling
      • Sewing and Textiles >
        • Robin English: Sewing and Quilting
        • Birchbank Farm: Sewing
    • Music >
      • Music: Intensive Project-Based Study >
        • Cello
        • Guitar
        • Percussion
        • Piano
        • Violin
        • Voice
        • Other Instruments
      • Music: Group Project-Based Study >
        • Berrien Springs Public School - Band or Choir
        • Dave Carlock's FRS Program
        • Kalamazoo Music School/Jazz & Creative Institute
        • Citadel : Kindermusik and Ukulele Classes
        • The Music Academies - Niles
        • West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts
        • Shoreline Music Classes
    • Nature/Environment >
      • Birding and Beyond
      • Love Creek: Outdoor Explorers
      • Homesteading 101
      • GVNCP: Habitats and Wildlife
    • Physical Education >
      • Gymnastics >
        • Elite Sports Academy
        • Infinite Gymnastics at Andrews
        • Power In Motion
        • The Club for Gymnastics
        • YMCA gymnastics
      • Martial Arts
      • Physical Fitness & Sports >
        • Basketball >
          • Basketball: Niles with Dan Oates
        • CrossFit
        • Functional Fitness
        • Hockey: Youth League
        • Ice Skating: Learn to Skate: Garden Ice Arena
        • Midwest Performance Academy
        • Physical Fitness Classes at the BH/SJ YMCA
        • Physical Fitness Classes at the Niles-Buchanan YMCA
        • Softball: Dugout Dolls
      • Swim and Gym Locations
      • Swim Lessons/Swim Clubs >
        • Group Swim Lessons: various locations
        • Swim Clubs
    • Technology >
      • FLC Tech Classes
      • Niles STEAM Room
      • Photography or Videography with Robert Ritzenthaler
    • Vocational Education >
      • Birchbank Farm: Landscaping and Art Education
      • Tom Hurst: Woodworking
      • Bicycle Repair
      • Lifeguarding Certification and Junior Lifeguarding
  • 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
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: :http://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

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


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, they can contact her at blackburntutoring@aol.com or check out her website at http://blackburntutoring.weebly.com/  Tutoring is available in Cass County or via the internet.

The Virtual Academy provides free NWEA testing any time, just make an appointment for the 2 hour test held at the Academy, open to any homeschool student in grade 3-12.  Contact Becky Halcombe: 473-0500.


Classical Conversations provides annual standardized testing opportunities.  Please contact Kati Howard for more details: krhowardemail@gmail.com

Interested in the idea of homeschooling but cannot teach your student due to work or other commitments?  
​
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: 

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): contact Kati Howard at krhowardemail@gmail.com
Covenant Learning Co-op: contact Susan Florian at florian5@comcast.net


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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