Maine Home Education Week
2024 Maine Home Education Week Resolution from the Maine State Legislature!
About Maine Home Education Week
In recognition of the value and importance of home education, Maine Governors and the Maine Legislature have traditionally designated one week each spring as Maine Home Education Week. Since 1987, Maine homeschoolers have gathered during this special week in a variety of ways to celebrate and thank God for the freedoms we enjoy.
During the week of May 5th - 11th, 2024, homeschoolers will celebrate the 37th Annual Maine Home Education Week! To mark the occasion, homeschoolers will gather at Pineland Farms on May 7 for one of two programs, "Dairy Discovery" and/or "Farmyard Exploration." Then, we will gather at Cole Land Transportation Museum on May 9 for one of two programs, "Junior Curator" or "Veteran Interview."
Whether you are from the southern part of the state or nearer to the north, we have some great activities for your family during Maine Home Education Week. Find out more below!
2024 Event Sponsors and Partners
Activities are made possible by Maine Home Education Week Sponsors and Partners!
Maine Home Education Week Sponsors (Become Sponsor!)
Maine Home Education Week Partners (Become a Partner!)
You can help sponsor this and other HOME Events! For more information, contact Katie Beaudoin at katie4homeadv@gmail.com.
Celebrate with Us at Pineland Farms & Cole Land Transportation Museum
Pineland Farms
EVENT DETAILS
Dates: May 7, 2024
Time: 10:00am Farmyard Exploration, 12:30 Dairy Discovery
Location: Pineland Farms, 15 Farmview Dr., New Gloucester, ME
Ages: Recommended grade range is K - 8
Cost: $7.00 per person (including adults). Please use the mail-in or online registration form below.
Registration Deadline: April 30, 2024
Accompanying Unit Study: Maine Agriculture Collection or Farming Then and Now
PROGRAMS
Dairy Discovery
Join us for a hands-on journey through Pineland's working dairy barns. While exploring the barns you will interact with the Holstein cows and enjoy a behind the scenes look at dairy farming.
Farmyard Exploration
During the guided tour of the farmyard, you will discover the important role that farms play in our lives. You will learn how to safely interact with the farmyard animals and observe what the animal's jobs are on the farm. You will learn how the animals are cared for and a bit about their individual personalities.
Cole Land Transportation Museum
EVENT DETAILS
Dates: May 9, 2024
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Location: Cole Land Transportation Museum, 405 Perry Rd., Bangor
Ages: Junior Curator (K-4) Veteran Interview (5-12)
Cost: Please use the mail-in or online registration form below.
Registration Deadline: April 30, 2024
PROGRAMS
Junior Curator
The Junior Curator Program is an exciting new option available for students' grade 1 through 4. This program allows students to work in small groups and use the clues provided to determine the use of the artifact at their table. After 10 minutes the groups rotate and analyze another artifact. At the end of the 1-hour session the groups explain how they came up with their answer as to what the artifact is, and what it was used for.
Veteran Interview
The Veteran Interview Program at the Cole Land Transportation Museum is an incredible opportunity for young adults to interface with prime sources of history. These Ambassadors of Patriotism define the term, “living history”. This powerful program has attracted many veterans willing to give their life experiences to the youth of Maine. The low student to veteran ratio (generally 3:1) allows the student's prepared questions to be answered in an intimate and non-threatening manner, and for great spontaneous exchanges!
* Event Refund Policy - Registration fees may be refunded up to the registration deadline for this event. No refunds will be made after the registration deadline. In the event that you must cancel, please consider making your fee a donation to HOME rather than requesting a refund! If an event must be canceled or rescheduled for any reason, HOME will notify participants. Refunds will then be considered on a case by case basis, depending on whether or not the event is rescheduled.
MORE HOME EDUCATION WEEK ACTIVITIES
Raise awareness in your own community! Celebrate Maine Home Education Week each year wherever you live! Find ways to celebrate and be visible throughout the designated week. The following is just a sampling of activities that could be planned especially for Home Education Week within individual support groups, friends and families:
- Wear a homeschool t-shirt, sticker or button wherever you go during Home Education Week.
- Have a potluck meal of thanksgiving with other homeschooling families.
- Bake a celebration cake!
- Plan a local field trip with a few families or your support group.
- Arrange for a homeschooling display at your local library.
- Visit a nursing home.
- Bring a new homeschooler to visit the HOME Office and The Heart of Home Bookstore.
- Find ways to volunteer in your community.
- Plan a fundraiser to raise money for your support group or for HOME.
- Buy a copy of Homeschool Heroes and read it to your family! Copies are available at the HOME Office.
No matter how you choose to celebrate during Maine Home Education Week, please take time to give thanks to God for the very precious freedoms we have to teach our children at home. Without continued prayer, vigilance and a strong homeschool presence within each Maine community, our blessings of freedom could be easily taken away. Take pride in what you do and enjoy your well-deserved week of recognition!