News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Home-schoolers who want a little extra help with aspects of their children's education can get it through a new Sisters School District program.
Bob Macauley has taken a half-time position as the district's home-school coordinator. He will arrange for small-group and individual tutoring for home-schoolers in specific subjects where home-school parents have indicated a need.
For example, Macauley told The Nugget, if a parent decides they need a little extra help in math, Macauley will coordinate with other families with a similar need and provide tutoring.
"We can send a tutor to a house, we can, in the mornings, provide a building, a neutral site. So we're really flexible," Macauley said.
Home-schoolers will not pay for the services, but the district can claim the home-school students as part of their "average daily membership" and receive state funds. The program needs five "ADM" to break even.
According to schools superintendent Steve Swisher, the program must at least be revenue-neutral to keep going, and it could actually make the district some money if enough home-schoolers participate.
There are currently 15 primary and intermediate-level students planning to use the outreach services, Macauley reported. According to Macauley, there are approximately 50 home-school students in the district. Macauley said he plans to contact the rest of those families to see if they have any needs the program can address.
"We want to come along the home-schoolers' line of thinking and what they want to do with their kids," Macauley said. He emphasized that the district doesn't "want to tell them what to do."
Home-schoolers already have some connections to the district; they are eligible for sports programs and they can - space permitting - take classes such as science where the school has lab equipment not readily available in the home.
"We can offer more when a student is in the high school, but we want to accommodate how a parent chooses to raise a child," Macauley said. "And if we can help out in the academic arena, that's what we want to do."
In addition to his half-time duties as home-school coordinator, Macauley will also serve as dean of students, handling discipline issues. He is also the Outlaws head football coach.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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