Home School Option at Sierra Foothill Charter School

Do you home school or have you been thinking about home schooling your child(ren)? Consider Sierra Foothill Charter School’s Home School Program, available for students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grades.

Nestled in the Catheys Valley foothills between Merced and Mariposa, SFCS provides a rigorous, well-rounded education emphasizing science and sustainability, that helps students acquire the academic and personal skills they need to think creatively and critically, engage in a diverse society, excel in higher education and pursue their dreams.

While primarily an in-seat program, SFCS can have up to 20% of its students participate in long term independent study, or home schooling as it is more commonly called.

SFCS Home School student Wyatt Evans (second from right) participates in a Pi Day Festival on campus with Malachi Shelton, Irie Jones, Ava Grey, and Chase Dubberke.

“Families who have been in our program like all the options,” said Home School Coordinator Stephanie Evans. “Parents who home school their children through SFCS are welcome to bring their children to campus to participate in classroom, school wide, and/or special interest offerings.”

Regular classroom participation options include service learning projects, yoga, art activities, a class play in grades 3 and 4, attending field trips and a multitude of enrichment opportunities.

SFCS Home School student Clover Jackson participates in a Service Learning project with other students on campus.

School wide activities include special assemblies, Pi Day, an Earth Day Festival, Track and Field Day, and other such events planned throughout the year.

Special interest offerings include participation in band (grades 4-8) and also in Minecraft – a computer game where students build worlds – one afternoon per week through the After School Program.

“One of the big pluses of home schooling through SFCS,” said Evans, “is the strong community into which the students and families are able to connect.”

As Home School Coordinator, Evans provides support to help parents create the best home school experience for their child(ren). Parents meet with Evans at least once per month or more as necessary to track progress and receive guidance. SFCS also provides personal curriculum resources for home schooling families.

Evans holds a Multiple Subject teaching credential with CLAD certification from CSU Monterey Bay and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Comparative Literature from UC Santa Cruz. She has been an educator for 20 years, teaching in a variety of environments including teaching English in Japan and Mongolia and teaching high school and elementary grade levels in Mariposa, Merced and Madera. She has been active at SFCS since the planning stages. 

“One of the many reasons we are lucky to have Evans as our Home School Coordinator,” said Principal Alfonso Garagarza, “is that for the last several years, she has opted to home school her own three children which means she has personal experience and knowledge in this. She is always happy to share her experience and skill in helping parents provide the best possible educational opportunities for their child(ren).”

“For those already home schooling or considering it,” said Evans, “SFCS is a great option.”

Please contact Stephanie Evans to see how SFCS can help your family with your home schooling educational goals. Call the office at 742-6222 or email steph@sierrafoothillcharterschool.org for more information or to set up an appointment. Space is limited.

Sierra Foothill Charter School is a free, non-profit, K-8 public school located at 4952 School House Road in Catheys Valley.

2014-2015 school year begins Wednesday, September 3, 2014.

For more information, visit SFCS’s website: sierrafoothillcharterschool.org.