Your Homeschool Navigators

I am a second-generation homeschooler married to a traditional Ivy League focused private school teacher. We never planned on homeschooling, but our minds reversed upon realizing    the options available all lacked critical character and/or academic development components. No one seemed able to educate the whole child – mind, body, and soul. We hit the brakes hard and have never turned back. While my better half and I have not agreed 100% on 100%, it has been an amazing and balancing adventure – lumps, bumps, and all. Not perfect. Not always ideal. But always better than the alternative. We are convinced that by having our focus on building behavior and relationships alongside building GPAs, our children thrived in their preparations for their future lives.

For me, being at home full-time allowed me to help start the first co-op in our area, shift over to fill the first CC in our area. From there it became natural to take on leadership roles as needs arose and our family led our local support group, created/directed co ops to meet our large family needs, and launched a SC based supportive homeschool association which is in its 17th year. With families moving to other states but wanting to remain connected for support and guidance, Umbrella Skye was envisioned.

Hopefully we will run into one another along the journey. I would love to know what books are inspiring you and what adventures you recommend.

My loves are my family who broke my heart in all the rights places, water sports of any kind as long as the water in which we are sporting is Caribbean blue, and life long learning. If one man can do it. I want to see if I can do it.

I came to homeschooling as a complete newbie, only planning to homeschool until my precocious oldest had made it through the early years of foundational education. Fast forward several years, and I have two homeschool graduates and two who transferred to traditional school in grades 10 and 9, respectively. Somewhere along the way, I became friends with this amazing lady we all call “Katie,” and a few years and several jokes about how fun (dangerous?) it would be if we ever teamed up, she welcomed me aboard her FS staff. After so many years of Katie encouraging me in my homeschool endeavors, it is a privilege and joy to encourage and guide homeschool parents a few steps behind me on this road.

Hopefully we will run into one another along the journey. I would love to know what you have written lately just for yourself. A poem, a love letter, a memory?

My loves are family, I mean who would not put that first as a homeschooler?!, writing (Grit of Berth and Stone series, look it up), and camping.

Mary & her husband, Michael, are raising four children to love the Lord and see His hand in all parts of creation. While helping to lead a Classical Conversations class, Mary befriended Katie and her children at their shared community, and the rest is history! After starting a CC community to help others join, Mary now helps lead, equip, and encourage many local CC communities in the Upper Midlands of South Carolina. With a passion for seeing mothers turn their hearts toward their children, Mary is excited to share classical Christian education with families and help them discover that they can homeschool through high school.

Hopefully we will run into one another along the journey. I would love to know what joy your children have brought you this year.

My loves are my husband and children, classic books that make you think and lead to great conversation, and meeting with homeschool parents to share experiences and encourage one another.