LIFE Homeschool Co-op has about 10 more spaces to fill for Kindergarten through 8th grades. This is NOT a classical education co-op and meets Tuesdays from 8:30am until about 2pm at a local West Roseburg-area church, not affiliated with the co-op itself.

    LIFE Homeschool Co-op is structured with approved and co-op-supported teachers for four subjectareas (LA, History, Science and Electives) to teach our chosen curriculum, and though parents are required to put in cooperative hours as volunteers, there is no further parent commitment.
   
     If you would like more info on us, visit www.lifeco-op.com.

    Thanks and happy homeschooling, everyone!!!

    Hayley Z.

    I'm excited to let you all know about two upcoming Audubon Society-sponsored field trips!

Dates:  Sunday, August 24th and Saturday, October 25th –both led by Matt Hunter


UMPQUA ESTUARY PADDLE--FALL MIGRATION, SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2014

    The Umpqua River Estuary is an Oregon Important Bird Area (http://audubonportland.org/local-birding/iba/iba-map/umpqua) located in coastal Douglas County. We will take an 8-mile journey in your own canoe or kayak from Salmon Harbor, riding the tide upstream, taking out at the Gardiner boat ramp in the afternoon. This trip is timed to coincide with the peak of shorebird migration.

    We don't expect many waterfowl in the river on the way up (too early); however, we expect large numbers of juvenile Western Sandpipers, and good numbers of Least Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plover, and Semipalmated Plover.  We may also see Marbled Godwits and Whimbrel. Large numbers of Double-crested Cormorants and several species of gulls are expected. Large groups of Harbor Seals, with their varied colors and patterns, are typically observed, as are a few Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets.

    You can see photos from last year's trip on a similar date here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewghunter/sets/72157635225484645/,

and a complete checklist with notes for that trip here:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15000075

Logistics:  If you need an extra person in your canoe/kayak or want to go but don't have a watercraft, let me know and we'll see if we can put some folks together!

    On the day of the trip, Sunday, August 24, we will meet at the Salmon Harbor west basin boat ramp at about 7:30 a.m. (launch fee is $5 per craft, and you need to have your invasive species permit on hand, too). Those of us coming from central Douglas County can meet near Dakota Street Pizza (west of I-5 at Sutherlin) at about 6:00 a.m. to caravan.

    We expect to take out at the Gardiner boat ramp between about 3 pm and 4 pm, but river and bird conditions and decisions of the participants will dictate timing. We will have a shuttle from Gardiner down to Salmon Harbor to retrieve our vehicles. Bring lunch and/or snacks and water.  Life jackets and a whistle are required by Oregon law and I recommend you wear your life jacket on this trip. There are no restrooms on this stretch of river, but we can access some "cover" if need be.

NOTE: If the weather looks forbidding on the scheduled day, we will announce an alternative day (one day before or after), the week prior to the trip.

If you are interested in this trip, please call or email Matt Hunter, 541-670-1984, matthewghunter@gmail.com.   There is no charge for this trip. If participants are interested, we can have dinner afterward in Reedsport.

    We're very excited to share with you that our upcoming Homeschool Used Curriculum Sale will take place on Friday, June 13th, 2014!

    Our thanks goes to Wellspring Bible Fellowship for allowing us to use their gymnasium for this sale.

    So if you've never been to a homeschool curriculum sale, here's how they work:

    For those planning to sell homeschool curriculum and educational books/games/items, please call or email me to register.  There's no fee to sell materials, but we need to have the right amount of tables set up ahead of time.  I'll need to know how many tables you would like me to set up.  These will either be 8- or 12-foot banquet tables or 8-person round tables. . . or a combination of both.  Label your books and materials with a price tag and your initials (in case a book wanders off your table and we need to locate the owner.  The "removable" labels work well for this.)  Arrive at Wellspring Bible Fellowship at 8 a.m. (not before), and begin setting up your books and materials.  You will need to have a family member or friend stay at your table throughout the morning to take money for items.  I would recommend only taking cash unless you know the person well and as a seller are comfortable accepting a check.

    Each seller is asked to bring at least 1 or a few items (or more) that will be available for free/donation to families.

    Annual Homeschool Testing (provided by Diane Dunas - 459-9311 - testing slots are still available) will be taking place that morning at Wellspring.  Families will be coming in to register for testing in the gymnasium - and they will hopefully see all of your books and materials for sale and linger and purchase!  ☺

    For those who are interested in buying curriculum and educational games and supplies, the sale will take place from 8:30 a.m. until around noon.  There are no fees to be a part of the curriculum sale, so invite your friends to join us!

    Here are some postcards you can print off and use to invite your friends to the curriculum sale.  Just click on the graphic, below, and they will be available to download and print:

If you have any questions about the sale, please contact Julieanne (440-2122; or email).  Thanks!

    The LIFE Co-op will be holding an informational meeting on May 4, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. at Covenant Life Fellowship (2837 W. Harvard Ave., Roseburg, OR 97471).

    Beginning Autumn 2014, we will meet on Tuesdays from 8:30 to 1:30 for grades K-8. We will have three age levels:  (K-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th). We will begin each co-op day with chapel time, and subjects will include Language Arts, Science, and History, taught by volunteer teachers.

    A variety of electives will also be taught during the year. All other details will be shared at the meeting, and curriculum will be available for you to peruse. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please visit www.lifeco-op.com for more information.

Thank you,

Hayley Ziebart, Danielle Costa, and Jessica Hugill

    The deadline for the early bird registration discount for the "Homeschoolers Only" 4-H Outdoor School is on August 30th, 2013 ($40 per student instead of the regular $50 per student).   Students are not required to be involved in 4-H to participate.

    The 4-H "Homeschoolers Only" Outdoor School is a program sponsored by OSU Extension Service - Polk County 4-H, Oregon 4-H Foundation and Polk Christian Home Educators, and is open to all homeschooled youth in grades 5-8.

    We will be having high school and college age youth (who are or have been homeschooled) to serve as counselors.

    The program is designed to give homeschool youth hands-on outdoor learning experiences with natural science, pond study, forestry, compass/GPS, archery, aquatic insects, digital photography, animal habitat, survival skills, and more.

    Free time activities may include canoes, swimming, swings, crafts, archery, and more. Camp participants will stay in Cottages with living room, bunk rooms, and shower room enclosed (girls) or Cabins (boys), on opposite ends of the campground. This beautifully wooded location is just 6 miles from downtown Salem.

    http://oregon4hcenter.org/

    Cost for the overnight camp is $50 per youth, and students in grades 5-8 are invited to join us for a fun, family-friendly camp.  Early bird registration:  $40 if registered by August 30th.  (Scholarships may be available; call for more information.)

    At least one of the girls' counselors will be a homeschooler from the Roseburg area.  There are usually 3-10 local Douglas County homeschooled students who attend this camp every year.  I've attended this particular camp as a counselor, and it is very organized and well-monitored.  My daughters love it, and I am picky about camps they attend!  (Julieanne)

For more information, please contact:  Judi Peters
Office: 503-623-8395 
Cell: 503-931-2578