Minutes of the Overberg Homeschool Mom’s Meeting
on 21 June 2013 at Col’Cacchio’s restaurant
Present: Estelle, Shirley, Annelise, Tracey le R, Barbara and Liesl
1. WELCOME
We welcomed two new homeschoolers in the area, Barbara Olivier from Kleinmond and Liesl from Betty’s Bay. They would love to meet other homeschoolers in their home towns.
2. GANSBAAI FOSTER FAMILY
We discussed Tracy Day’s idea of each homeschooling family making up a shoe box of useful items to bless the family in Gansbaai whom we have undertaken to help when we can. Most of us feel that we have not given to them as much as we would have liked to due to difficulties with the drop off point. Any groceries or goodies can be dropped at the offices of Van Den Berg Taylor Incorporated at 9 Patterson Street, Hermanus and if no one is there goods can be dropped off at the lady at the office next door. Ideas of goods to buy are the following and anything else you would like to give: “staples are great such as oats, juice, flour, oil, sugar, salt, tea, coffee, peanut butter, honey, spreads for breads, tinned goods, can tuna, beans etc.”
3. SUPPORT LOCAL EVENTS
3.1 The Friends of the Library in Hermanus are holding an ongoing book review competition for which there are book vouchers to the value of R150 to be won each month. Leah Sabbe won one and Annelise was asked to promote the competition among the homeschoolers. Children are encouraged to submit a review of any library book they have read. Younger children may dictate the review if they are not able to write themselves. Reviews may be emailed. Annelise will get the details and post them on the egroup. Let’s support this competition and continue to make a good name for homeschoolers in Hermanus! Annelise will also arrange a tour of the library for us. Details TBA.
3.2 SANSA’s SPACE SCIENCE HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
- Ages 6-8 can attend either on 9 or 10 July (identical programme both days)
- Ages 9-11 can attend on 11 or 12 July
There are no costs involved and snacks and refreshments will be provided. Booking is essential please RSVP to Catherine cwebster@sansa.org.za or 028 312 1196
3.3 We discussed the possibility of arranging another Science morning at SANSA but it was decided to do so again next year.
4. ECO SCHOOLS ACTIVITIES
Estelle told us about the Eco-schools activities and events that are planned for the term ahead – talks about frog research in Hermanus, a talk on Bio-diversity for national science week, arbour day, coastal cleanup week. Dates follow on the calendar of activities below. Most of the details are still to be confirmed and will be announced on the egroup in due course.
5. SHARK EGG CASING COLLECTION PROJECT
We allocated moms to supervise our shark egg casing collection project every second Friday for the next term. Dates and names follow. Hermanus moms, check when you have been enlisted and if you haven’t been, please come and help anyway!
We collect shark egg casings every two weeks in our demarcated zone in front of the caravan park in Onrus, where the sign says ‘Davies pool’. Two moms at a time have been appointed to be in charge of the project each fortnight, but all other families are invited to come and join in the search for shark egg casings that have washed up. We usually go at 12h00-13h00 unless its high tide at that time.
6. PROMOTING HOMESCHOOLING
We discussed making homeschoolers more visible in our community. Annelise will put up a notice about our support group at the library so that prospective homeschoolers can find us more easily. All events and activities that are newsworthy will be submitted to the Hermanus Times.
7. TIN SHARK COMPETITION
We discussed asking one of Belinda McGregor’s boys (Shannon) to help design and build our tin can shark to enter the competition which closes in September. Naomi will contact him and get back to us. We have tentatively planned to build the shark on Thursday 4 July at Shirley’s house.
8. FAMILY EVENTS
We discussed the various ideas for family events, which would include the dads, as proposed by Tertia and Tracey le R, as well as the offer of Sonja to hold a family outing to their farm. We debated holding a picnic, a speech/ performance evening and a Heritage Day event. Liesl came up with a good name for one of them – Homeschoolers Have Talent – the idea being to create a safe environment where our children can get experience in front of an audience, whether in a family group or solo. We decided on a picnic and a talent evening. Dates and details are on the list which follows.
9. TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM IN CAPE TOWN
The visit to the aquarium planned for last term didn’t happen for many reasons, so Estelle will arrange it for this term. She has used her contacts to negotiate good rates for us to visit the Two Oceans Aquarium at the Waterfront in Cape Town. She has also made contact with an Italian lady who does cooking demos for kids at the Food Zone at the Waterfront so that we can combine these two activities into one trip to Cape Town. The Food Zone activity will probably be about R10 pp and we get to eat the food that is cooked.
10. NEXT MEETING TUESDAY 17 SEPTEMBER at COL’CACCHIOS at 7pm
Sandra du Plessis ‘n Netbalafrigter sal vir die Tuisskolers vanaf Maandag 22 Julie 2013 netbalafrigting gee op Hermanus by die Curro Privaatskool.
Overberg Homeschoolers 