Homeschool STEAM Central PA

Welcome to Homeschool STEAM of Central PA.

(State College and surrounding areas)

 

This year is being sponsored by Ellen McHenry’s Basement Workshop, which is why the STEAM web address redirects to this page on her site.

Each STEAM day is a like a one-day conference for kids and teens. The whole family is welcome to attend and there will be everything from babysitting and preschool activities all the way up through high school.  Adults may even enjoy attending some of the high school seminars.   (Moms are also welcome to gather in the main room for informal support and chitchat.)  Adults who can’t attend are welcome to arrange to have a friend chaperone their kids for the day.  More info on this below.  

COMING EVENTS

Click on an event to get details about it.

May TBA, 2020:  “Codes and Coding” (postponed due to coronavirus protocol)

 

PAST EVENTS:

October 17, 2019:  STEAM field trip to READING, PA

October 18, 2018:  Forensic Science (NOW ARCHIVED, PHOTOS POSTED)

December 13, 2018:  Geography Day (NOW ARCHIVED– PHOTOS POSTED)

March 14, 2019:  Pi Day (NOW ARCHIVED–PHOTOS POSTED)

May 2, 2019:  Invention Day (NOW ARCHIVED-PHOTOS POSTED)

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GENERAL INFORMATION:

LOCATION:  The location unless announced otherwise will be Park Forest Baptist Church on Valley Vista Road.

COST:  Usually $10 per student, with a cap of $25 per family, unless otherwise noted, such as field trip days.  (No charge for adults, toddlers and babies.)  Bring cash or check on the day of the event.  Checks can be made out to the current sponsor, Ellen McHenry’s Basement Workshop.  (NOTE: If you have just preschoolers in your family and are only coming for half the day, the fee is $7 per student and cap of $12 per family, not $25.

CHAPERONE POLICY:  Students attending the high school track may attend without a chaperone.  All others need to have a supervising adult on the premises, but it need not be the parent.  Parents may cooperate and supervise extra students in addition to their own. (Extremely responsible high school seniors might also be able to chaperone.)  This is a large building and there will be over 100 students on the premises, making it hard to keep track of everyone at all times.  We need to have someone looking out for each child, making sure they are where they need to be, that they clean up their lunch stuff, remember their coat at the end of the day, etc.  Each student’s name tag will have a space for their chaperone’s name so there’s no confusion about the chain of command.  If your child(ren) would like to attend but you are unable to be there and you don’t know any other moms that can chaperone them for the day, let us know and we will try to help.  (Contact registrar: cssliebert@hotmail.com)  The goal of this policy isn’t to keep attendance down, only to make sure that we have the students adequately supervised.

BUILDING POLICY:  Students, including high schoolers, may not leave the building during the event even if they think they are old enough to do so. No walking to Sheetz for lunch. We also strongly discourage parents from taking (their own) kids off site during the lunch break, though you have the legal right to do so.  The lunch hour is a great time for them to socialize and meet new peers.  Also, students who need a recess break at this point will be permitted to go outside in the church’s yard as long as there is a supervising adult out with them.

AGE GROUPINGS:  PS (preschool), E1 (K-1), E2 (2-3), E3 (4-5), MS (6-8), HS (9-12).  8th graders who are functioning at high school level and/or are especially interested in this topic may attend the HS track.  Being that this is a homeschool function, we will have many kids who are functioning above grade level and we take this into account.  Grade level choice should be according to the grade they would be in if they were in public school.  However, if your child will truly feel uncomfortable in the group they technically should be in, you may place them in the group above or below.  Individual session topics for each age group are listed on the info page for that day.

 

HOW TO REGISTER:

1) Just click on the event (above) and it will take you to the description page where there is a clickable link to registration.

2) If you can’t use the online form, you can send an email to cssliebert@hotmail.com.  (We’ll need your name, your address, the names and ages of your children, and your choices of seminars if there are choices to be made.)