The big crowd who came out last week really enjoyed the Homeschool Holiday Party.  Making Jacob’s Ladders, Foosball and Air Hockey were big hits, as was the yummy food.  It was great fun to hang out and play with everyone.

Winter Trimester Classes    January 4th-March 19th
Mondays 8:30-10:00 Science & Math (Joe)
Thursdays 9:00-10:00 A.J.’s Activity Club (A.J.)
Thursdays 10:30-11:30 Storytelling (Janell)
Fridays 8:30-9:30 Poetry and Prose Discussion Group (Lynda)
Fridays 3:30-4:30 Makers (Joe)
Friday (either weekly or monthly depending on interest) Late Afternoon/Evening   Game Strategy (Joe)
Everyday 1:30-3:00 Fun with Food (Gleamer)

·    Would you or someone you know like to volunteer to teach a class?  What class(es) would your youngster(s) enjoy? Email the information to Gleamer
Here are ideas that we have received, but don’t have volunteers to teach:
Trimester of Art (11 spots to fill, each with an artist willing to share and teach their talents)
Spanish
French
Sign Language
Sports/gymnastics
Board Game Club (Chess Club)
Music

Friends and Family CPR Classes at Augusta Medical Center
Please let Gleamer know if you would be interested in taking a CPR and choking procedures class. Would a Wednesday evening (6:30-8:30) or Saturday morning (9-11) be better? The cost would be $10 for the training.

Field Trips for Winter Trimester Finalized
Please let us know which field trips you and your family will be going on by emailing Gleamer .  The cost of each field trip day (even if there are multiple field trips on one day) is $5/family PLUS the fees charged by the place(s) where we’re going.  To attend the Winter Trimester field trips with Raw Learning all fees must be received no later than Monday, December 28th.  Send checks payable to Raw Learning at Raw  Learning, 2807-B Augusta St., Staunton, VA 24401.  Additional information will be emailed out before each field trip.

Tuesday, January 5th --Bowling at Staunton Lanes
o    10:00-12:00
o    No outside food or drink
o    Cost: $2/game, $2 for shoes

Tuesday, January 12th--Rightmire Children’s Museum Daytrip :Lynchburg
o    10:00-3:00
o    Imagination Studio & Tallest indoor climbing structure in the nation
o    Featuring Onstage: The Rockstar Experience
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-1 and all ACM members, $4.50 for ages 2-adult.  $25 lunch room fee would be divided among participants attending.

Tuesday, January 19th —Roller Skating at Funky’s: Harrisonburg
o    10:00-12:00
o    Bring your own lunch available (Please indicate if you would like to purchase from the snack bar instead when reserving this field trip.)
o    Cost: $3 per person who is skating, includes skate rental

Tuesday, January 26th --Blackfriar’s Playhouse: Staunton
o    8:45-10:00 Interactive tour
o    10:00 on --Watch The Alchemist (funny and family friendly) rehearsal for as long as desired
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-4, $7 for ages 5 and up, including adults

Tuesday, February 2nd --Blue Ridge Area Food Bank: Verona
o    10:00-10:40
o    Find out how food is collected, stored and distributed to local hungry people
o    Tour the facility
o    Cost: Free
AND
Eli’s Fun Center: Verona
o    11AM-1PM
o    Play on the inflatables for an hour
o    Play in the game room for an hour
o    Bring your own lunch available
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-1, $5 for ages 2-18, Free for adults

**This Trip Subject to Change** Tuesday, February 9th --Route 11 Potato Chip Factory: Mount Jackson (The field trip will be the week of February 8th.  Participation fee refund available upon date and time determination.)
o    10:00-10:30
o    Tour the factory and learn about making potato chips on a large scale.
o    Samples will be available.
o    Cost: Free
AND
Stop at a Park or Farm: Mount Jackson/New Market Area –To Be Determined
o    Around 10:45-12:30
o    Cost: Most likely Free (Pay nothing now)

Wednesday, February 17th--WHSV TV 3: Harrisonburg
o    9:45-10:15
o    Tour the station and experience the green screen
o    Cost: Free
AND
WVPT PBS: Harrisonburg
o    11:00-12:15
o    Watch a few minutes of the taping of Virginia Farming
o    Split group into older and younger
o    Tour the station and find out how PBS shows get to your television
o    Cost: Free

Tuesday, February 23rd --Fire Station and Fire Museum: Staunton
o    9:30-10:30
o    Tour with demonstrations and video
o    Cost: Free
AND
Police Department: Staunton
o    11:00-12:00
o    Tour of facilities including patrol cars and 911 call center
o    Possible gentle K-9 demonstration
o    Cost Free

**This Trip Subject to Change**Thursday, March 4th OR Friday, March 5th--The Paramount Theater STREB-RAW: Charlottesville
o    10:30-11:30 OR 12:30-1:30
o    We are on the waiting list to see the performance
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-1, $5 ages 2-18, $7 for adults (Refund available upon date and time determination)
AND/OR
**This Trip Subject to Change**Charlottesville Ice Park: Charlottesville (We will be going on this field trip on either March 4th or 5th)
o    12:30-2:30 OR 1:45-3:00
o    Ice skating
o    Cost:  $4 for skaters ages 0-5, $7.50 for skaters ages 6 and up (includes skate rental) (Refund available upon date and time determination)

Tuesday, March 9th--Persimmon Dairy: Harrisonburg
o    9:00-9:30
o    Watch cows being milked
o    Learn about the bottling process and buying directly from the farmer
o    Interact with animals
o    Cost: Free
AND
Whitewave Beverages Manufacturing: Mt. Crawford
o    10:00-11:30
o    Tour the plant
o    Find out how different drinks (Horizon Organic Milk, milk, soy milk, coffee creamer, Fruit Today Juice) are mass processed
o    Free samples
o    Cost: Free

Tuesday, March 16th --Frontier Culture Museum:  Stuanton
o    1st program 9:15-11:15, Lunch 11:15-12, 2nd program or self-guided tour 12-2
o    Choose from 1 program and a self-guided tour or 2 programs from the list on the website.  Please indicate program name(s) preference when reserving this field trip so the 2 most desired can be reserved.  We will all do the same program(s), but anyone can decide to do a self-guided tour at anytime.
o    Hands on activities.
o    Picnic on site
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-5, $5 for ages 6-18, $7 for adults