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 due to my earlier years in school being one of excellence for grades but wondering why I had to waste my time in the classroom for it to count. Fast forward several years, and I am so glad to have been called to provide a more cohesive, engaging, purposeful education for my children. 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 local Faithful Scholars team and later her Umbrella Skye team. 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. I am a firm believer in meeting each child where they are and helping them get to where God calls them to do, even if it’s by a roundabout route. As it happens, those roundabout ways are often the prettiest paths.

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.

My husband and I have 3 beautiful energetic kids, and, like most, we did not think I would be a homeschooling parent. I went to public schools all my life and it just seemed like the way. But now we’re in our third year of homeschooling and I feel so blessed to be able to stay home with our kids and mold their minds and spirits. Before I started this journey, I was nervous about being responsible for my children’s education and growth entirely. I wanted them to not only meet expectations but surpass them. Each time I taught them something new or saw their confidence grow in a particular area it gave me the confidence to know I can do this.  It is so rewarding to see the fruits of your labor, and my children are where I have decided to dedicate my work. This whole experience so far is also teaching me to bloom where I’m planted by trusting the Lord’s plan for my life.

My love are new experiences together as a family, being creative, and encouraging people to live their life to the fullest. I believe that when we discover and walk in our God given purpose, we will truly live a blessed life. I hope that my work here with Umbrella Skye will help other homeschooling families find community and encouragement in their everyday lives.

My husband and I have been married for 22 years, and we have four amazing children. I was first introduced to homeschooling when my oldest was five years old. My daughter was excited about the idea, but I felt intimidated. It wasn’t about not wanting to teach her—it was about my fears and doubts about teaching! So, I held off on fully diving into homeschooling until she started high school.

As time went by, I began to notice how much stress she was facing, and I realized I had the chance to offer her a more supportive environment. Was it easy? Definitely not! But it’s been worth every challenge.

We’ve been on this homeschooling journey for six years now, filled with plenty of ups and downs, learning and growing alongside our kids every step of the way. I’m very excited to be part of your homeschooling journey and hope to help you and your child grow in both knowledge and confidence!

“Homeschooling is not about bringing school home; it’s about creating a nurturing environment where children can learn at their own pace and follow their interests.” – Unknown

My background was fully entrenched in public school as a student and then a teacher of public school for 18 years. I came into the homeschool world when we moved to Tennessee and my youngest son was immediately singled out as way below grade level by their standards. We struggled through the third grade with him, offering full support and outside tutoring only to be told at the end of a full year that he would be mandatorily retained. The one thing I knew after all my years in teaching was that retention does not work and the only thing that does is intervention! Intervene I would and my homeschool journey began.

Moving to South Carolina introduced me to Katie, Faithful Scholars and Writer’s Circle. Through her we were able to help my oldest son graduate from high school with a diploma and a solid start at life. I joined the team teaching for Writer’s Circle for the 2020-2021 school year and shortly thereafter became her assistant as well working for Faithful Scholars. I have been a team member ever since.