FLEX FLASH

FLEX FLASH MAY 2008

Hello FLEX Fans!

We have completed our transition! FLEX and FLEX FLASH will continue to provide the services that we have been providing for you for the last 1 1/2 years.

New is our service to you as the Vancouver Community Home Schooler group as part of the Vancouver Youth Theatre! This will give us the opportunity to serve those of you better, who are looking for more educational services like seminars, classes, special educational events, etc. This group is open to everyone!!! If you would like to become a member, you can sign up for:

VCHS ~ Supporter

VCHS ~ Member

For more information or to register, please contact vchs-group@msn.com

(Information about membership in Aprils newsletter has been revised!)

Thank you for all your patience and your support!

REVIEW:

Seminar	Thank you very much Carrie Patterson for being our guest speaker in April! We were able to cover a lot of information and help parents figure out what type of logs they could use, how to structure their learning path and they received an inside look at qualification classes and a great place that offers them right here in Clark County (Salmon Creek Learning Center).
Meetings	FLEX has continued their networking with local business and institutions in order to create programs or events that will help the homeschooling community in Vancouver.
VCHS / FLEX	In order to better serve our FLEX fans, we have to grow. By doing so, we had to branch off. Vancouver Community Home Schooler will be a standing committee with the Vancouver Youth Theatre, not FLEX. FLEX will stay the website and homeschool network that you all are familiar with! VCHS will be a membership based program, that will provide more educational services like classes, online courses, seminars, and special events. VCHS will be working closely in cooperation with FLEX, the Vancouver Youth Theatre and the Vancouver Community Concert Band, as well as the Vancouver Junior Community Concert Band.
Deutsche Gruppe	Treffen verschoben auf den 1. Mai.

OUTLOOK:
Seminar	Learning and Teaching Methods Date: May 28th, 2008 Time: 6:00 p.m. Place: will be announced later This month we will introduce you to a few different learning and teaching methods.
Groups	Deutsche Gruppe Treffen ab jetzt immer am 1. Donnerstag im Monat! 1. Mai / 5. Juni / 3. Juli VCHS is looking for people who would like to start other language or activity groups. Please contact vchs-group@msn.com
Events	Kite building May 15th, 1 p.m. Camas Community Center $12 for anyone wanting to build a kite. This will be a 2-3 hour class. Space is limited so please RSVP soon. The Kite-Lady will be using fun materials. Instead of paper and simple designs, you will build a kite made out of Tyvek, which is more durable and will last for longer and is waterproof. Please bring some permanent markers! The Kite-Lady will also talk about how and why kites fly. She will bring a number of kites for examples and samples of materials that could be used from around the house. For more information and to register please contact kimflexed@yahoo.com
	Picnic Our 2nd Annual Family Picnic is coming up May 31st Please sign up with Kim if you have not done so already. Thank you!
	Play Days in the Park Kim will be collecting some ideas and putting them together for our summer Play days in the Park. For more information please e-mail Kim at kim_railey@yahoo.com
	Summer Seminars These seminars will cover homeschooling from the preschool all the way through high school years.
	Craft Fair Having so many talented homeschoolers among us, we had the idea of doing a craft fair. If you would like to take part, help organize it, or just have an idea,contact vchs-group@msn.com. Thank you!
Conference	If you would like to be part of this years fall conference, please contact vchs-group@msn.com or go through FLEX www.ccwa-flex.org
Committee Members	We are looking for committee members to help us with upcoming events, fairs, family gatherings and fund-raising activities! If you would like to help or have ideas please write to vchs-group@msn.com Thank you!

Notes:

* Sorry if you could not reach Misty Murphy under the e-mail we gave you last month. Please try her new one stamping@castlemurphy.com if you would like more information about ACE! Thank you!

* Thanks to all of you who have send us information to post on the site!

* Still looking for young musicians for the Vancouver Junior Community Band! Write to vchs-group@msn.com for more information.

* Looking for fall classes, a lot of places are posting their information now and at some of them you can already sign up or be put on a name list. We hope you find what you are looking for. If not, contact us through FLEX www.ccwa-flex.org

SPOTLIGHT

This month we would like to point out Riverside Performing Arts and Musicfirst Studios to you! These two downtown Vancouver businesses located next to each other have been putting together many unique programs and have been a big support to the homeschooling community by offering special classes and discounts. Riverside Performing Arts for example has Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Ballroom, Theatre, Ballet, Pre-School, Specials Needs and Home School Classes. For more information please go to www.riversidepa.com Music First Education Studios is a private music studio. They teach music lessons to individuals

and groups 6 months old through adult. They offer the Orff Schulwerk Approach and summer classes. You can find more information at www.musicfirststudios.com Together they will host their second "Experience The Arts" Summer Camp this year.

If you have any other question please contact Riverside Performing Arts (360)694-8662

or MusicFirst Studios (360)859-2133

Hope we were able to support you with new information and updates on what is going on in and around Vancouver. Now we need your help! Please let us know, if there is anything FLEX or VCHS can do for you, your group, or co-op! If you would like to keep supporting us and help us to find new resources and fill the gaps between the existing programs, become a member, donate time, talent, or money to help our

homeschooling community. Hope to hear from you or see you soon at one of our upcoming events!

Kim Railey and Inga Galbraith

Your FLEX and VCHS team!