Our panelist had a great time sharing homeschool info and answering your questions. We hope you enjoyed getting to know us and learning more about your children’s school options.
We are here to help support you in navigating all of the information on homeschooling in California.
Do you want to learn more about homeschooling and have your questions answered by long time homeschool parents and homeschool community experts? Then please keep reading.
For anyone who missed it or wants to rewatch it, below you will find the details about our live discussion, a recording of the event, and links to resources that you may find helpful.
RECORDED PRESENTATION
RESOURCES
Session two topics:
Our Homeschool Panelist Expert participants will introduce themselves
Give an overview of their homeschool organization's history and mission
Talk about the support they provide homeschool families
Enlighten us on how they protect homeschooling in California
Advise us on filing the California Private School Affidavit (PSA)
Instruct us on PSA record keeping
Share personal advice they have on choosing curriculum and finding a homeschool community
Open Discussion (Q and A) with attendees and panelist
Panelists:
Cristine Rainer - Host
Pam Dowling - CHN
Darren Jones - HSLDA
Rebecca Kocsis - CHEA
Linda Maepa - HSC
Windi Eklund - Host
I am a long-time homeschool mom with a passion for child-centered education and family support. We have been homeschooling for over 11 years through the public charter school system. My two youngest are currently enrolled in an independent study public charter school. This school year we moved my oldest out of the charter school and we now homeschool him independently through a PSA.
Since starting our homeschool journey as a family I have dedicated myself to being an integral part of our unique and diverse community. I have worked to broaden educational choices and knowledge of the programs available to our families through:
Volunteering at Celebration Education, where I was able to help families from all over the world find alternative education options for their children
Organize and lead field trips for homeschool families
Set up new education programs and learning centers for homeschoolers
Organize National School Choice Events and Charter School Choice Open Houses
Speak on the homeschool options available to families at homeschool and alternative education conventions
Run numerous homeschool and charter school social media groups, covering all of California with 1000s of members in each
Organize our community to oppose anti-charter school legislation
Founded a non-profit to serve the diverse needs of homeschool families
Helped pave the way for family choice at charters by founding multiple family-focused programs serving our community
I am here to help support families in finding their homeschool path. I am representing myself as a homeschooling mom, offering information from my experience.
Always happy to help, please feel free to email, call, or text anytime.
Windi Eklund
714-310-2213
Cristine Rainer
Cristine Rainer is a single, homeschool mom of 7 years with an 11 year old daughter on an IEP through a charter school. Her teaching style is creative, eclectic and dynamic utilizing real world and field trip opportunities as often as possible. She works as a Child & Family Therapist at Discover Counseling Center in Orange County CA. She is a vendor offering Learning Success Coaching thru Imagine Achievement, where she blends her experience in Educational Therapy, Behavioral Therapy and Marriage & Family Therapy to support learners and their families with specific obstacles; for example, ADHD, Giftedness, Sensory Integration disorder, Reading Problems, Speech Disorders, Anxiety, ASD, behavioral challenges, setting up a successful homeschool program, and assessment & IEP support.
Cristine also offers fieldtrips, parent workshops, and classes thru the vendor Homeschool Concierge. She runs multiple FaceBook groups and is active in the community sharing resources, information and supporting legislative advocacy. Cristine was nominated as the Committee Chair for the California Homeschool Parents Association (CHPA) in 2019 and strives to help the community to collaborate and advocate for their local needs.
She was raised in a child-led home daycare, has attended 25 schools in her life for a broad understanding of culture & education, and has worked in 7 public and 2 private schools in various capacities with all age ranges. She has also received many years of training in Speech & Occupational therapy working in a clinic for children 5 and under with developmental delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder and problem behaviors.
Certifications & Contact:
Cristine Rainer
B.A. in Human Development, M.A. in Counseling Psychology,
CA Registered AMFT & Integrative Life Coach
949-357-8912 Please text for questions regarding classes or services!
*Subscribe to YouTube channel “Momming at Midnight” for Parenting, Homeschooling, and Therapy tips!
Pam Dowling - CHN
Pam Dowling is the President of California Homeschool Network, a veteran homeschooler, and a homeschool advocate.
Darren Jones - HSLDA
Darren Jones has worked at HSLDA since 1996, first as a legal assistant and then as an attorney in various capacities. He spends his time at the office:
40% talking to members in legal difficulties, persuading them that it’s not as bad as it could be and HSLDA has got their back
40% advising homeschool group leaders about everything from crafting statements of faith (he prefers the Nicene Creed) to designing policies to protect children at co-op
10% writing legal briefs (and wondering how in the world documents of 30 pages can possibly be called “brief”)
10% keeping HSLDA and its sister organizations in compliance with the charitable solicitation laws of way too many competing jurisdictions
100% advocating for the fundamental right of parents to direct the education of their children Darren and his wife Sara homeschool as a team, and have graduated the oldest of their four children. He enjoys board games, teaching Sunday School, and speaking at homeschool conferences around the country.
Rebecca Kocsis - CHEA
Rebecca Kocsis and her beloved, Ed, homeschooled all five of their children, graduating their youngest in 2006 from their homeschool.
They are now the proud grandparents of an ever-growing tribe of energetic boys and girls (11 to date) who are their greatest delight.
Rebecca served for 15 years as a Private School Satellite Program administrator and for several years on CHEA’s Regional Advisory Board.
In addition to serving on CHEA’s board of directors she has also served as General Manager. She is the author of the devotional booklet Let Not Your Feathers Be Ruffled.
Linda Maepa
Linda Maepa is a scientist, inventor, serial entrepreneur, and small-scale farmer. Professionally, she focuses on renewable energy and electric transportation, cyber-physical security, and pre-K through PhD education, especially in the sciences.
Linda is the gifted/2e homeschool mom of three gifted/2e children, aged 23, 19, and 7 years old. She began her homeschool journey as a Navy wife stationed in Hawaii before relocating to San Diego and eventually the Bay Area where she and her children started a new family.
Over her 10+ years of homeschooling, she's mostly been an unschooler; used a daily schedule and none at all; schooled under a PSA and under a homeschool charter. She holds a BS degree from Caltech and is a published contributor to The Language of Cybersecurity.
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