Empowerment Retreat Hawaii July 16-18, 2023

 

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This intimate retreat features workshops ranging from financial to spiritual health as experts provide participants with the practical tools for whole-body self care and progress. Workshops, speeches, and activities are aimed to empower guests mentally, financially, and physically to make self-directed changes to improve their life. From inside to outside, this retreat will present new perspectives and ideas to expand guests' mind and prepare them for their next steps towards success. The retreat's size is catered to provide guests with exclusive access to guest speakers and unique experiences to help rejuvenate spirits.

Hawaii will be your place of growth and the sea breeze will help you in the journey of discovery. You will see Hawaii's spirit of togetherness and ohana while venturing forth with your group at the Kroc Center in Kapolei. Guests will be able to join the group on a variety of add-on excursions (not included with general admission) for a chance to explore the island after a day full of self-improvement activities.

Not only will you be learning to build yourself up, but there will be talks on how to empower your community. Guests will be building up the community around them just from attending. A majority profits from the conference will be donated to Ho'ola Nau Pua, a local nonprofit which fights for the prevention of sex trafficking in Hawaii and provides care for children who have been exploited.

Sponsored by Phenomenal One Press

Building Your Empowered Steps

Opening Workshop based on best selling book

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Conference Video

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My Homeschooling Adventures in Hawaii

My homeschool journey took us from Maryland to Hawaii. I can say, Hawaii was less restrictive than Maryland and only requires the parent sends in a letter of intent to the school they would attend and send the record of their standardized testing every other year to that school. Hawaii offers opportunities for a family that many states don’t simply because of its beautiful beaches, places to explore and outdoor lifestyle. It is easy to make the location part of your child’s education. There is a limited amount of organized homeschool groups that coordinate, likely because there are so many things to do to keep a family occupied through summer and winter months, but the community is open to someone taking the reins and joining in. There are quite a few Facebook groups that were created that share meetups and field trips various people are planning.

THE RULES

The state has the overarching rules:

·       Start with the Hawaii State Department of Education Questions and Answers about Homeschooling: http://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/ParentsAndStudents/EnrollingInSchool/Choosingaschool/Pages/Homeschooling-FAQs.aspx

·       Send form or letter stating intent to homeschool to Principle at the school your child would be attending – keep a mail receipt for your records (OCISS Form 4140: www.hawaiipublicschools.org/DOE%20Forms/Enrollment/Exceptions4140.pdf ) You will need to send a letter when your child is moving from elementary to middle school and then from middle school to high school.

o   If issuing a letter make sure to have child’s Name, address, phone number, date of birth, grade, signature of both parents, and date signature (having it notarized is helpful)

·       You should receive the letter back with a ‘acknowledged’ stamp on the bottom signed by the Principle.

·       Hawaii states that the parents are qualified to teach their child.

·       Send Test scores for grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. Your student can go to the local public school for testing – but, they don’t have to, you can submit test results from any standardized testing provider.

OTHER RESOURCES

Hawaii has some great resources that can assist a parent who likes the idea of homeschooling but wants aspects of public school. There charter schools that are online two days a week and in class three days a week. There are also co-ops and Tutorials available. However, there are no Umbrella schools available.

Charter Schools with blended learning online class two days and three days in school: These schools are like public schools and do not require a letter of intent or form if your student attends.

·       Myron B. Thompson Academy

·       Hawaii Technology Academy

·       Harmony Educational Services

MY EXPERIENCES

Hawaii is very transient. There are a lot of military families that come and go in this area that homeschool their children while being stationed in Hawaii due to the beauty and experience here. However, that means that there are many programs and field trip co-ops that start up by eager parents that are not maintained by any group or organization. In this environment, if you want your child to meet and socialize with other kids, signing them up for camps, sports recreational leagues and other activities for their interest works best for building friendships.

Seems it's going to be another Year Around School Year

Just When We Want School To Be Over

Mom Decides To Do It Year Around

Yep, you heard me. My Speed Racer has got to solidify his gap areas in Math. Sure he did Algebra 1, and Basic Math, but we have a lot to catch up on since taking him out of public school where his gaps are effecting his progress.

Also, Tiger Lilly had dropped her Pre-Calc class and has to do that before she can take some others as it's a prerequisite. So if she has school, Speed Racer does too.

THE ICING to cover it up is,

I'm enrolling them both in YMCA daycamp for the entire summer. To meet new friends, get socialized and have fun before doing their work in the evenings and weekends.

We Camped By The Beach

We stayed the entire weekend. Limited cellphones, playing capture the flag with two other families and lots of fun for the kids - no rest for the parents, lol!

And it tuckered out my Speed Racer too!

And waking up to this view ... a dream come true.

SPEED RACER (age 11yrs) my Middle Schooler

Homeschooled at 4th grade on.

We are sliding into our more 'relaxed' spring/summer curriculum. He finished up Electricity and Robotics written assignments, and another project in Scratch.

Done with his last week in 5 Paragraph Writing Class.

Took another break from Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 and working on CTCMath on Fractions. Workbooks which he does a page daily in (Reading, Fractions, Writing, Reading Comprehension) and some xtramath.org drills.

Membean he has recovered some of his word recognition loss. Making good leeway with Python Programming.

TIGER LILLY (age 14 yrs) the Dual enrolled High Schooler

Homeschooled at 7th grade on.

Down to the last two weeks in Professional Writing Class and Economics she finished quizzes and two papers, also a resume and article proposal.

The Landry courses are sliding to an end C Programming and she is having motivation problems finishing with her last two programs. PC Pro is caught up with quizzes and video viewing. Well,  Japanese isn't going well since she can't meet during the class time. So I am looking at some local in person classes.

Other classes she is taking to build up her 'resume' for Game Developer (her dream career) are CoronaSDK, GameSalad, Unity 3d and Linux (Command Line) using Udemy and TechRocket.


WORKING PARENT's LOG


Meals I cook more here in my new home. Eating out is WAY expensive. I plan to learn to make my own bread, ice cream and meals that I enjoy when we go out.

Cleaning. Slow going now that some of our boxes arrived and we didn't have a place to put our stuff.

Work & Life Balance. It is leveling out more. I get to work at 5:30am and home by 3pm. My husband and I carpool together which works out well and gives us alone time to chat or just hold hands.

Lesson Planning. Very easy since they have a lighter courseload.

Rest. Yep, both hubby and I have been taking 30 min naps when we get home. The kids laugh at us, but it gives us a boost to get down to work with them afterwards.  

Marriage Check Up. Great! The carpooling together is so fun. We also, sneak out after work for a snack here and there. Also, we have resumed our weekly date nights.