Frequently Asked Questions
What is CARH? CARH stands for Central AR Homeschoolers
When was this group created? Our group was officially created on Feb. 22, 2008.
Is there a fee to join? At this time, we have no membership fees and we would like to keep it that way. Homeschooling can be a major expense in itself, and we don't want to add to that cost.
Who runs the group? CARH is run by a board of homeschool moms. We volunteer our time to keep the group running, and encourage everyone to bring in fresh ideas to make this the best group for our families. We use a vote and approval system on everything we do as a board. However, we can't do it alone. This group greatly depends upon it's members to volunteer their time as well and help to plan activities and share with the group too.
If you don't operate from this website, then how do you get information out to your members? The main means of communication is from a private yahoo group. All members have access to our calendar of events, a place to share favorite links, helpful files, a database for group directory or park locations, and photo area which store family and activity albums. The yahoo group also acts as message board. If you have a question about anything, need encouragement, special news you'd like to share, etc; you can post a message and all members will receive it in their email boxes. It's a really easy and fun way to stay in contact with your friends even when we can't always attend all the great activities to visit in person.
What if I don't have email? To be a yahoo group member, it requires you to set up your very own ID and password. Your ID along with @yahoo.com will be automatically provided for you to use, if you so choose, as a free email box. You do not have to use this one if you have an existing email address that works well for you.
What types of activities do you have? Our group was created so that all members can host any type of event they choose. So far on our calendar we've had activities such as farm field trips & park days to an end-of-the-year party. Other ideas that have been discussed are zoo field trip, IMAX movie, science clubs, & art class. Any ideas are welcome!
Do you offer anything for the kids besides activities? Yes, a private, members-only, message board has been created just for our kids. There will be one adult moderating that group on a daily basis. It is strictly for the kids of the Central Arkansas Homeschoolers members. It's a place where the kids can visit and share with each other just like we do. There is also a 4H Club that the children run
Do I have to coordinate activities? No member is required to plan activities, but we highly recommend that everyone help plan something at least one time a year. If we all pitch in and volunteer our time, then there will be fun activities for all. Sadly, nobody would form friendships, if we didn't have our great volunteers to help schedule activities. We hope that this group will become a great group of friends and offer a great place of support for all homeschool families.
Do you have any rules or policies for the members to follow? We have one simple rule: Play nice! That's it. We expect everyone to treat each other with love and kindness at all times.
What happens if someone isn't playing nice? We first ask that each member involved in the situation to please work out their differences amongst themselves. If that cannot happen and a middle man is needed, they can contact the board for help. The board will handle each situation on a case-by-case basis. In the event that the board feels as though they need to step in without being asked, we will take the following steps: Notify the member of the problem, and place them on moderated status until we feel things are under control and then all will go back to normal. If the problem continues, then that member will be banned from the group and not be allowed access back in. Keep in mind that we understand everyone has a bad day, and we are very patient moms. We hope to have a happy, supportive community.
What about families who choose to register with the Arkansas Virtual Academy? We feel that this is also a form of home education, and we welcome virtual homeschoolers as well!
I'm considering homeschooling my children. Can I visit activities or join your group before turning in my intent to homeschool form or registering with the virtual academy? Our group is for families that are homeschooling. However, we would love to support you too. It can be a daunting task to know if it's the right move. You may contact the board and ask anything you like about homeschooling from scheduling, curriculum choices, teaching multi-levels, what to do with toddlers while teaching school age, teens, public school to homeschool, just starting out with kindergarten, etc. We are a diverse board and feel we can help you without pressuring you to homeschool. We want you to truly make the right educational choice for your family. You may also visit our forum here on this website that is open to the public.
Can I visit the group before joining to see if it's the right fit for my family? Of course, you may attend activities on our calendar. We understand that you may need to visit more than once or twice to really know if our group is the one for your family. A board member will email you the schedule for the month of your choice after you fill out our membership form, which you will find by clicking on the Yahoo Groups promotion button on our home page. If you don't want to join, we'll simply delete the your information.
Where do I sign up? Please click on the Yahoo groups join now button on the home page and it will take you to our yahoo group home page. From there you will see another button to "join this group". Yahoo will automatically send out their form which takes you through the steps to create an ID and password if you do not already have one. Then you should receive a message from us; fill out the membership form, and send it to CARHBoard@yahoo.com . It's that easy.