Homeschoolers, what is your tradition?

Question

Do you do something to 'celebrate' when the local public schools start their new school year?

The schools in the district we reside in began their new year today. Another close district (where all of the children's school age cousins live) began yesterday, and the other districts we are near begin on Thursday.

Each year, we have a "NOT" back to school day, and this year we will have that on Friday. I am trying to decide what we will do-usually it involves a local attraction that is much nicer without a massive crowd, so I am thinking we might visit the water park.

What, if anything, do you do?

Answer 1

We wait for about a week after the schools start and then we head out for field trips - the zoo, science centre, etc.  

We usually go out for a meal and have a blast.

Answer 2

We officially start the first day (here it's the Tuesday following Labour Day), like everybody else, but we cut it a bit short and head out to a park for a yearly Not Back to School Picnic with other homeschoolers. It's at the same park every year, people bring food to share, the kids play in the playground, the new-to-homeschooling get a chance to sit and chat with homeschooling parents... It's a nice, relaxing way to start off the year.

Answer 3

Water park sounds like A BLAST! Another idea is the zoo but I would have so much MORE FUN at a water park!

Answer 4

We just had a BTS party, but we teach our children at home, also.

We had a "kick-off" meeting to invite parents w/ the kids out to plan our year coming up.  Field trips we want to organize together & such.

I am the moderator for a support group in our area.

We had a 'chest' full of goodies for the kids to pick out of.

We shared a meal & had a water-squirter battle!!

Fun for all!

Answer 5

Generally, we don't do anything special, since the public school, schedule has nothing to to with us.  This year, however, we are going to a party with about 1000 other homeschoolers - at Disneyland.  

All the best.

Answer 6

We usually started school whenever we felt like it, whether that was before or after the local schools.  

Once the public schools started back up though we usually headed to St. Louis for a few days because there is always something free to do there and who doesn't like a good zoo?

Answer 7

Every year on the first day of public school in my area, the local homeschool group of about four hundred students has a big "Not Back To School" party, usually at the beach, water park, or theme parks, or sometimes they will have two seperate parties so that those who can't make it to one, say one at a theme park that is a good drive away, can still go to the other. When we do this we have one on the first day of public school and one on the day most of the private schools start up.