OPUSD to offer home-school program

By Lori Porter Acorn Staff Writer

When your kids ask, "Why do I have to go to school?" you could answer, "You don’t. I can teach you at home." If you cringe at the idea or fear your child would like home schooling, stop reading. If on the other hand, it’s a possibility in your home, Oak Park Unified School District and other districts are offering an option.

It’s called independent study and enrollment in OPUSD’s Home Independent Study Program (HISP) has soared to 101 students.

Nancy Van Volkinburg of Oak Park has two children enrolled in the program. Her son, Kurt, is 10 and in fifth grade, and her daughter, Colby, is 9 and in third grade.

The Van Volkinburg children have been home schooled for the past two years and they love it.

HISP has a diverse teaching staff, hired specifically for the program. Teachers meet with the parent and student(s) once a week to go over the previous week’s work to verify that the student is keeping up.

OPUSD receives ADA (average daily attendance) money for each student enrolled in HISP, just like for other students. The advantage for the school district is that it gets much needed revenue while accommodating class size reduction because these kids are taught at home.

HISP provides the entire curriculum for parents and students, as well as opportunities for HISP students to take some classes at regular campuses. The program is affiliated with Oak Hills and Red Oak elementary schools and also Medea Creek Middle School and Oak Park High School. HISP students can participate in physical education, writing workshops, computer and music and art classes.

Students are also encouraged to try out and compete on sports teams at the high school.

OPUSD’s active family group is currently polling students about possible field trips. Tentative on the list are visits to the Santa Monica Pier, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Medieval Times. They’re also considering a science fair, art banquet and author’s faire.

A typical school day for the Van Volkinburg family starts at 8:30 a.m. with math, followed by a spelling and an English lesson. After that, the kids take a 30-minute recess and then return to "school" (the kitchen and family room areas) for a science project. Then they have lunch, usually hot leftovers, and candy and soda machines aren’t an option.

"I love recess because I get to play with all my toys," said Kurt Van Volkinburg.

After lunch, Nancy Van Volkinburg’s kids read silently for about 40 minutes and then she reads to them for about 40 more. For history, she usually reads something historical and creates a project around that.

Currently the Van Volkinburgs are reading Jack London’s "Call of the Wild" so they’re not only getting a history lesson, but also geography. A large sketch of the state of Alaska adorns the chalkboard in the kitchen.

The Van Volkinburgs’ school day is usually finished at 1:30 and one of the many advantages of HISP is that there’s no homework. Other advantages include one-on-one attention, lack of peer pressure and freedom to travel. Last year, the family went to the Bahamas together and incorporated that vacation into school, learning about the currency there, the climate, the country’s politics and some great firsthand lessons on dolphins and sea turtles.

The only disadvantage to home schooling her kids is that Van Volkinburg often feels isolated and needs adult stimulation. But she’s satisfied with the results and believes her children are getting an education that caters to their specific needs.

For more information on Oak Park’s Home Independent Study Program, please call Millie Andress, the program principal, at (818) 735-3217.