You will find the classes are color-coded by the recommended grade level.
GREEN (younger/middle elementary)
BLUE (elementary/Jr High)
RED (Jr High/ High School)
GREEN (younger/middle elementary)
BLUE (elementary/Jr High)
RED (Jr High/ High School)
Mrs. Carolyn Byrne wanted to be a teacher and a mother from the time she was in the first grade. God has graciously granted her both. Mrs. Byrne taught Pre-K before earning her Elementary Teaching Credential at CSULB. She taught in HBUSD for 5 years until her first child was born. She has been homeschooling for over 20 years now. She has graduated 4 of her 7 children thus far. She is blessed with 9 grandchildren. Since none of them live in the state, Mrs. Byrne is excited to have the opportunity to work with young ones again at HSFM. She likes to garden and enjoys walks along the beach in her spare time.
Mrs. LaNita Lyle received her early childhood education certification from OCC seven years before the birth of her first child, which was the moment God began to grow her desire to become a home educator. She started this life-changing endeavor soon after, and served the Lord in this capacity for over 20 years. In the early days of homeschooling, she quickly discovered that one of her greatest enjoyments was cultivating a love of both reading and writing, and this passion took root and thrived strongly in both her children, the last of which graduated in 2017. Her son went on to teach as an English instructor at a reading and writing institute. Her daughter is on track to graduate this year with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Health Care Management while also continuing her work as an EMT and Ocean Rescue Lifeguard. Now after completing her homeschooling journey, Mrs. Lyle desires to support other homeschooling mothers and their children in cultivating the joy of reading through a strong phonics and language arts foundation. HSFM is blessed to have Mrs. Lyle join alongside the phonics team, teaching and encouraging young learners.
Mrs. Lesie Blankshain is a graduated home school mother and administrator with HSFM who desires to help home school families experience the best of home schooling with support, guidance, and classroom learning opportunities for all their children. Because homeschooling multiple children and trying to meet the educational needs of each child can be overwhelming, Mrs. Blankshain has been working with HSFM in developing and expanding a multi-level phonics program to help families meet their children’s need for language arts instruction and daily practice throughout the week.
Mrs. Blankshain's love for children has been life-long, always wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps as a full-time mother. As a child she aspired to be a teacher, but instead obtained a bachelor’s degree in nursing and worked as a registered nurse in newborn, neonatal, and pediatric intensive care units, which further grounded her desire to work with children and their families. She and her husband began home schooling in 1995, and together graduated each of their four children, completing their home school journey in 2016. HSFM played a significant role in providing educational, mentoring, and social experiences for their children, which helped them continue their education and graduate from college with bachelor's degrees in business, nursing, & mechanical engineering, and one associate degree in Communications. Now having completed the homeschool journey, Mrs. Blankshain (aka Lesie) continues to delight in working with families through teaching and developing courses that assist and encourage families to continue their unique homeschooling experience, all for the purpose of discipling children to love Jesus and to prepare them for future academic success as the Lord leads. In her free time, she enjoys ministering to the deaf and hard of hearing by interpreting for church services and evangelistic outreaches, trips to Big Bear, and of course spending time with their adult children and their families. 
Mrs. LaNita Lyle received her early childhood education certification from OCC seven years before the birth of her first child, which was the moment God began to grow her desire to become a home educator. She started this life-changing endeavor soon after, and served the Lord in this capacity for over 20 years. In the early days of homeschooling, she quickly discovered that one of her greatest enjoyments was cultivating a love of both reading and writing, and this passion took root and thrived strongly in both her children, the last of which graduated in 2017. Her son went on to teach as an English instructor at a reading and writing institute. Her daughter is on track to graduate this year with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Health Care Management while also continuing her work as an EMT and Ocean Rescue Lifeguard. Now after completing her homeschooling journey, Mrs. Lyle desires to support other homeschooling mothers and their children in cultivating the joy of reading through a strong phonics and language arts foundation. HSFM is blessed to have Mrs. Lyle join alongside the phonics team, teaching and encouraging young learners.
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Phonics, Spelling, & Grammar Levels 1-4 (PreK-G4) |
Mrs. Tanya Griffin received a B.A. in English Literature and a M.A. in Literacy from Cal State University, Long Beach. She has experience teaching upper and lower division writing courses at CSULB and Orange Coast College. Over the years of refining her writing instruction, she has educated writers in classrooms, workshops, and private sessions. Persuasive essays and expository writing are her specialty, though she has inspired students in fiction and non-fiction writing of various kinds too. Over the course of her 21-year homeschooling career, Mrs. Griffin not only taught her two sons phonics, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and writing, but also literature-based writing, SAT prep, and persuasive essay instruction during their junior high and high school years. She further refined her teaching skills, both with her sons and other students, at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. Since graduating her sons into universities, she continues to share her passion for writing by tutoring 4th-12th grade students in private sessions and by pursuing her own writing endeavors. She looks forward to joining students in hopes of encouraging, equipping, and inspiring their writing skills.
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Writing w/IEW - G3-5 |
Mrs. Liisa Sandoval graduated the last of her three children from home education in 2007; and her three children continued to successfully engage in the fields of fashion, medical, and law enforcement. Through the years, she has taught elementary and high school classes at HSFM, including American History, World History, California History, and Geography. More recently, she has delighted in teaching the younger IEW classes as well as the Greek & Latin Roots class. Besides teaching homeschool students, for many years she has also facilitated small group women’s discussions and aided in the children’s ministry at church. Mrs. Sandoval delights in encouraging young learners to develop a joy for lifelong learning in their pursuit of academic enrichment and spiritual growth.
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Language Arts with Greek & Latin Roots - G4-8"Get to the Root of It” is a curriculum with Book 1 and Book 2 options (provided with material fee) and alternate every-other-year on the schedule. Each book covers different Greek & Latin roots, so both new and repeating students start fresh each year. The two years are not sequential, and students can begin during odd or even years. Since much of the English language is derived from Greek and Latin roots, students who recognize these roots are equipped to decode unfamiliar words they encounter in science, literature, math, as well as, everyday use. Each week, students are introduced to three or more Greek or Latin roots, with the use of ten vocabulary words. Class activities reinforce the meaning and usage of the roots and words introduced. Creative multisensory “root sketch" pages are included which aid in visual memory using illustrations. Word sorts, Bingo, Go Fish, and a variety of group and hands-on activities provide fun and engaging practice. Each week, “Get to the Root of It” homework packets are provided and support the roots and vocabulary words introduced in class. In addition to teaching Greek and Latin Roots, this course includes daily practice in grammar, parts of speech, and word usage with analogies using the "Five-a-Day" language review packets that incorporate the vocabulary used in the "Get to the Root of It" curriculum used in this course. This "Five-a-Day" review was written to teach, review, and prepare students for standardized tests in ELA (English Language Arts); and options for specific grade levels will be provided (G4, G5, G6, G7, G8). Acquiring meaningful vocabulary with a foundation in Greek & Latin roots and establishing confidence in proper grammar are essential skills that prepare students for the writing process, while fostering enjoyment and success in other academic areas.
Registration Fee: $280/year (26-week schedule) Material Fee: $50/year includes:
A set of colored pencils, watercolor crayons, oil pastels, or chalk pastels to complete the weekly "sketch" pages. |
Mrs. Tanya Griffin received a B.A. in English Literature and a M.A. in Literacy from Cal State University, Long Beach. She has experience teaching upper and lower division writing courses at CSULB and Orange Coast College. Over the years of refining her writing instruction, she has educated writers in classrooms, workshops, and private sessions. Persuasive essays and expository writing are her specialty, though she has inspired students in fiction and non-fiction writing of various kinds too. Over the course of her 21-year homeschooling career, Mrs. Griffin not only taught her two sons phonics, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and writing, but also literature-based writing, SAT prep, and persuasive essay instruction during their junior high and high school years. She further refined her teaching skills, both with her sons and other students, at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. Since graduating her sons into universities, she continues to share her passion for writing by tutoring 4th-12th grade students in private sessions and by pursuing her own writing endeavors. She looks forward to joining students in hopes of encouraging, equipping, and inspiring their writing skills.
Mrs. Melissa Sweeney earned her BA in Secondary English Teaching from Sonoma State University and her MA in English Literature with a Certificate in Teaching Composition from California State University Sacramento and taught a semester of Freshman Composition in 2007 before homeschooling her own four children for the past 13 years. For the last seven years, Mrs. Sweeney’s enjoyed teaching Literature and IEW Writing in many homeschool co-ops, both in-person and online. She enjoys traveling with her family all over the California coast as well as hosting events, sewing and costume design.
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Writing w/IEW Modern World |
Mrs. Stephanie Olin holds a Ryan Single Subject K-12 teaching credential. She majored in Physical Education and minored in Biology at CSULB, then became the assistant director of the employee health and fitness center for the school district. She also taught elementary PE and Jr. High Science & Health for seven years. Mrs. Olin has taught High School Anatomy for HSFM, along with AIG's God's Design for Life and AIG's Heaven & Earth Science. She is also teaching the HSFM High School Biology Lab. She has been home schooling since 2006 and is an avid gardener and outdoor athlete who enjoys biking, hiking, kayaking, photography, jewelry design, and metalsmithing.
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Write Shop 1 - G7-10WriteShop's incremental writing program contains step-by-step assignments that give students the opportunity to practice descriptive, informative, and narrative writing assignments. No prior writing course is required and students who have taken other writing courses will benefit from additional instruction on the writing process with concrete “skill building” exercises and straightforward writing assignments that help students master the types of writing covered in WriteShop 1. Students will practice grammar skills, apply them to their current writing project, and edit and revise their compositions. Evaluation checklists for each assignment are completed by both the student and teacher and provide the means for weekly improvement. The publisher recommends that students begin with Write Shop 1, unless they have previously established a solid foundation in writing paragraphs with descriptive, informative, and narrative writing. Write Shop 2 progresses much more quickly than Write Shop 1, with an emphasis on persuasion and essays, and it is more appropriately suited for students who have already taken WriteShop 1 or other comprehensive writing program. Students G11-12 with academic discipline and the aptitude to quickly grasp the WriteShop editing process, and who are committed to completing weekly assignments on time, may consider taking WriteShop 2 in order to receive instruction in persuasion and the 5-paragraph essay needed before graduation. Please note that most students will need parental oversight and management in turning in various rough drafts and final copies each week. The workload is realistic and doable each week as long as students keep with the schedule and do not fall behind. Mrs. Olin will help each student succeed, and requires that students are committed to completing and submitting assignments on time. This is a very rewarding class and enables faithful students to excel in their writing abilities. Additional information about the curriculum can be viewed on the Write Shop website: www.writeshop.com
Shop website: www.writeshop.com . Registration Fee: $310/year (29-week schedule) Material Fee: $60/year includes:
Included with material fees. |
Mrs. Stephanie Olin holds a Ryan Single Subject K-12 teaching credential. She majored in Physical Education and minored in Biology at CSULB, then became the assistant director of the employee health and fitness center for the school district. She also taught elementary PE and Jr. High Science & Health for seven years. Mrs. Olin has taught High School Anatomy for HSFM, along with AIG's God's Design for Life and AIG's Heaven & Earth Science. She is also teaching the HSFM High School Biology Lab. She has been home schooling since 2006 and is an avid gardener and outdoor athlete who enjoys biking, hiking, kayaking, photography, jewelry design, and metalsmithing.
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Write Shop 2 - G8-12WriteShop's incremental writing program contains step-by-step assignments that give students the opportunity to develop a solid foundation in the writing process that will prepare students for high school level writing as well as standardized and SAT testing. According to the authors, “Writeshop 2 offers more challenging assignments than WriteShop 1 such as descriptive narration, point of view, narrative voice, persuasion, and introduction to 5-paragraph essays (including timed essays). The publisher recommends that students begin with Write Shop 1, unless they have a previous foundation in descriptive, informative, and narrative writing. Write Shop 2 progresses more quickly than Write Shop 1 and can be challenging for students who are not adequately prepared. This course is more appropriately suited for students who have previously taken WriteShop 1 or other comprehensive writing program, or who are G11-12 with academic discipline and aptitude to quickly grasp the WriteShop editing methods. Both WriteShop 1 & 2 focus on the writing process with concrete “skill building” exercises and straight forward writing assignments. Students will practice grammar skills and apply them to their current writing project, and will edit and revise their compositions. Evaluation check lists for each assignment are completed by both the student and teacher and provide the means for weekly improvement. Please note that most students will need parental oversight and management in turning in various rough drafts and final copies each week. The workload is realistic and feasible each week as long as students keep with the schedule and do not fall behind. Mrs. Olin will help each student succeed, and requires that students are committed to completing and submitting assignments on time. This is a very rewarding class and enables faithful students to excel in their writing abilities. Students who have not taken WriteShop1 previously will need to be approved by the instructor to ensure the student is prepared to succeed in WriteShop 2. Additional information about the curriculum can be viewed on the Write Shop website: www.writeshop.com
Registration Fee: $310/year (29-week schedule) Material Fee: $60/year includes:
Included with material fee. |
Mrs. Tanya Griffin received a B.A. in English Literature and a M.A. in Literacy from Cal State University, Long Beach. She has experience teaching upper and lower division writing courses at CSULB and Orange Coast College. Over the years of refining her writing instruction, she has educated writers in classrooms, workshops, and private sessions. Persuasive essays and expository writing are her specialty, though she has inspired students in fiction and non-fiction writing of various kinds too. Over the course of her 21-year homeschooling career, Mrs. Griffin not only taught her two sons phonics, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and writing, but also literature-based writing, SAT prep, and persuasive essay instruction during their junior high and high school years. She further refined her teaching skills, both with her sons and other students, at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. Since graduating her sons into universities, she continues to share her passion for writing by tutoring 4th-12th grade students in private sessions and by pursuing her own writing endeavors. She looks forward to joining students in hopes of encouraging, equipping, and inspiring their writing skills.
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World Literature - HSThe World Literature class consists of four major components: reading, class discussion, response essays, and various other assignments. Of necessity, this course places great emphasis on independent reading and work, and class-time must be very focused and productive. Students are provided with questions and topics to keep in mind while completing the reading assignments and preparing for class discussions. Instructional materials and study guides help students to analyze literature and identify literary devices used in each story. Students are expected to complete the assigned reading and work prior to class and be prepared to contribute to class discussions. Participation in class prepares students to write essays in response to the literature they read. Students are then given constructive criticism and are expected to revise their essays accordingly. Instruction in the writing process related to the literature may include descriptive, informative, narrative, character analysis, compare and contrast, and persuasive essays. Students wishing to cover corresponding world history lessons and assignments will benefit from enrolling in the World History class (see World History high school course description). While students are not required to take both courses simultaneously, concurrent enrollment will ensure that both history and literature are adequately covered for transcript purposes. The reading for World Literature illustrates pivotal moments in Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman history, and more modern Russian and German history. It also provides insight into African, Indian, English, and Canadian cultures. Book selections will most likely include (but are not limited to): The Cat of Bubastes by G.A. Henty; Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare; The Children's Homer by Padraic Colum; A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens; Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling; Animal Farm by George Orwell; Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan; The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom; The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba; or other assigned selections. Instructions or links for purchasing the books will be provided so families can place orders through Amazon or other distributors; and in some cases, options to be included on group orders may become available.
Registration Fee: $305/year (29-week schedule) Material Fee: $50/year Includes:
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Dana McGlothlin & TEAM
Mrs. Dana McGlothlin, having successfully home schooled her four children, has shared her passion and talents for helping students gain confidence in the writing process in various HSFM literature and writing classes since 2009. Although her classes are now offered remotely since her move out of state, she continues to provide exceptional lectures, discussions, and individual attention to her students via online platforms, and HSFM staff continues to support and facilitate class needs for providing printed study guides and resources. Maintaining a 4.0 through college, she has always valued academic excellence. After college, she worked as a behavioral specialist for elementary and teenage children. As the Director of Public Relations for a community mental health agency, she also managed the volunteer department and community programs offered by this agency. While raising her children, she served as the administrator of a parent participation preschool, president and vice president of a Christian preschool and Elementary School, taught Sunday school, and co-founded Alethia Christian Theater. Active in ministry, she has co-lead Bible studies and facilitated discipleship programs. Her heart is to help students establish a Biblical worldview through reading carefully selected literature that is thought provoking, wholesome, and helps students critically analyze Christian and worldly values. She loves teaching and delights in meeting students at their academic level in order to help them digest material in ways that are meaningful which serves to foster academic excellence. 
Mrs. Melanie Guzman will be the on campus assistant.
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American Literature - HSThe American Literature class will include the reading of selected books included in the Exploring American History curriculum by Notgrass and/or other historically relevant titles with literary value. The publisher describes the curriculum as “an American history high school curriculum combining American history, American literature, and Bible”. It will give your high school student a rich understanding of our nation's past while reading the history narrative and classic American literature, completing writing assignments, and studying what the Bible says about issues and ideas in American history”. Students wishing to also cover the history lessons and assignments will need to enroll in the American History class (see American History high school course description). While students are not required to take both courses simultaneously, concurrent enrollment will ensure that both history and literature are adequately covered for transcript purposes. As the students read various selections from American literature, they will not only learn how to analyze the material, but will develop their critical thinking skills as well. Through literary analysis worksheets, they will become increasingly familiar with genre, setting, major and minor themes, tone, point of view, and the elements of the plot such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The students will learn to identify literary devices such as motifs, symbols, metaphor, simile, foreshadowing, suspense, imagery, irony, humor, and more. The construction of a five-paragraph literary analysis will be taught in which the students will learn to express their understanding and opinions of the books. In order to foster confidence in writing, each student will be met at their writing level and receive positive reinforcement of their work while being shown step-by-step how to improve. The students will learn how to recognize the world view of the author, and how it serves to evidence itself within the literary work. Students will read approximately 5-8 literary classics such as (but not limited to): Up from Slavery, Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, The Giver, Fahrenheit 451, and selected classic American poems and short stories. Of course, there will be thought provoking class discussions, and we will always use the literature to point toward our glorious God. Instructions or links for purchasing the books will be provided so families can place their own orders through Amazon or other distributors; and in some cases, options to be included on group orders may become available.
Registration Fee: $305/year (29-week schedule) Material Fee: $50/year Includes:
Recommended Text or Supplies:
OPTIONAL
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Mrs. Dana McGlothlin, having successfully home schooled her four children, has shared her passion and talents for helping students gain confidence in the writing process in various HSFM literature and writing classes since 2009. Although her classes are now offered remotely since her move out of state, she continues to provide exceptional lectures, discussions, and individual attention to her students via online platforms, and HSFM staff continues to support and facilitate class needs for providing printed study guides and resources.
Maintaining a 4.0 through college, she has always valued academic excellence. After college, she worked as a behavioral specialist for elementary and teenage children. As the Director of Public Relations for a community mental health agency, she also managed the volunteer department and community programs offered by this agency. While raising her children, she served as the administrator of a parent participation preschool, president and vice president of a Christian preschool and Elementary School, taught Sunday school, and co-founded Alethia Christian Theater. Active in ministry, she has co-lead Bible studies and facilitated discipleship programs. Her heart is to help students establish a Biblical worldview through reading carefully selected literature that is thought provoking, wholesome, and helps students critically analyze Christian and worldly values. She loves teaching and delights in meeting students at their academic level in order to help them digest material in ways that are meaningful which serves to foster academic excellence. |
British Literature - HS |