A Note from Kay,
THSC Leader Liaison
Twenty years ago, I dreamed of working on the mountainsides of the Colorado Rockies with a search and rescue team out of Boulder County. I obtained my emergency medical technician certification and began to learn everything I could from the flats of Texas about emergency medicine and remote rescue techniques. Why am I still in Texas, you might ask? Simple. Things change.
One of the issues that frustrated my fellow EMTs was maintaining their certification. Continuing education hours can be a challenge to keep up with and, at times, seem pointless. After all, you spent so much time perfecting your education, passing all the required exams, and searching for the perfect place to utilize your skills. Why should you continue to learn something you already know? The answer is simple. Things change.
Part of leadership, especially volunteer leadership, is staying on top of change. We all have heard the saying that leading home school families is much like herding cats. With changes in technology, communication, and an ever-changing set of government standards and requirements, we are constantly surrounded by a swirling sea of families needing to be led through waters that are unfamiliar. They look to us to lead them safely to the other side. One of the ways we stay on top of the navigation is through our own sort of continuing education. This month's featured article by Marlene Wilson, "What Do We Mean by Leadership?" focuses on what it means to lead and the importance of having a dream.
Please continue to watch for more information in the coming weeks about the State Leadership Conference, a statewide conference designed specifically for home school support group leaders. There is importance in learning, continuing to learn, and applying that knowledge where it is needed most.
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 Other Sites of
Interest
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 Mark Your Calendars and Join THSC at These Upcoming Events! |
Get Connected
in Your Area Christian Home Education Association of Central Texas (CHEACT) Austin, Central Texas Region
Family Educators Alliance of South Texas (FEAST)
San Antonio, South Central Texas Region
Home Educators Alliance for Resources and Training (HEART)
Greater Dallas/Fort Worth Region
Southeast Texas Home School Association (SETHSA)
Houston Region
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Get Your Leader Ribbon
at the Convention!
Convention is coming! Convention is coming!
August is fast approaching, and with the end of summer comes the THSC Southwest Convention & Family Conference in The Woodlands. I would like to extend an invitation to all leaders attending the Convention to find the THSC booth and get your Leader Ribbon. With your ribbon come wonderful benefits, discounts with Convention exhibitors, and an opportunity to update your support group information.
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All Home School Leaders Are Cordially Invited
Join leaders from across the state October 12 - 14 at beautiful Camp Copass in Denton for a time of inspiration and purpose! Your support group will benefit from the valuable information you receive and the fabulous ideas you bring home!
Keynote Speaker - Allen Tappe
- Author of The Power of Purposed Performance
- President and Owner of The Tappe Group
- Member of the National Speaker's Association
State Leadership Conference attendees will . . .
- Hear practical, inspiring workshops
- Join fellow leaders in roundtable discussions
- Gain valuable leadership skills
- Learn to lead with purpose!
Registration begins August 15th.
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Social Waters
August's Question: I would like to offer some kind of sports program for our kids this fall. How do I go about putting something like that together?
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July's Question:
I have recently started a new support group, and we are still very small. How can we get the word out about our plans for the fall?
Many groups are utilizing social media as an advertising tool. Facebook accounts are easy to establish. Yahoo! groups are another good method for bringing communication closer. Homeschool-Life.com also has great information on setting up a website.
Reaching out to your local media can be the most beneficial way to communicate to the general public. News stations and your local newspaper often have an established system for promoting non-profit groups at a reduced fee or sometimes for no fee at all. Finally, many churches and public businesses will allow you to place a flyer on message boards or in the Sunday bulletin.
Email your reply to the question for July to leaders@thsc.org. If you have a question you would like to see featured in an upcoming Leader Letter, submit it to leaders@thsc.org. Together we will navigate the "social waters"!
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 Ready to Vote in the Runoff Elections? The primary runoff election is less than two weeks away, on July 31, and Texas voter turnout is expected to be lower than five percent. That means every vote cast will count for the other 19 people not voting. There are several high-profile races in Texas that will directly affect home schoolers. Please make the time to vote in this important election. |
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Wise Words
"Ethics must begin at the top of an organization. It is a leadership issue, and the chief executive must set the example."
Edward Hennessy
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What Do We Mean by Leadership?
Marlene Wilson
For the past 30 years, I've been reading, writing, and pondering about the topic of leadership. The definition that captures the essence of what I want to suggest for leaders of volunteer programs comes from one of our own colleagues in this program, Mike Murray: "A leader is someone who dreams dreams and has visions and can communicate those to others in such a way that they, of their own free will, say yes!"
Read more.
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staff@thsc.org | www.thsc.org | 806-744-4441
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