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All rights reserved by Everest Academy
Everest Academy is sponsored by Everest Family Ministry in the Birmingham Metro Area. We offer freedom along with quality resources, information, activities and support to those homeschooling in Alabama. We believe that the parent has the best interests of their children at heart. We believe that the parent is the first and only teacher that a child needs. In keeping with this philosophy, we wish to be a very hands-off cover school and allow the parent to lead and guide their children in the direction and at the pace they feel is best suited to their children. We ask only for what the law requires while offering support along with quality resources to aid families in their efforts.

Head of the Class

HOMESCHOOLER   C O S T   S A V I N G    s o l u t i o n s    f o r… Everest Academy

Website:  ---->        http://www.theHeadoftheClass.com

Cloud Callout: FREE CONTENT
Worksheets, Activities, and Exercises…
Interactive and Printouts













Created by Kris Jamsa, Ph.D, MBA, and his THE HEAD OF THE CLASS team, who believe education should be without charge.  His team’s goal is to make quality curriculum-based education readily available through the internet…

MATH,   PHONICS,   SPELLING,   WRITING,   READING,   SCIENCE,   GEOGRAPHY,   HISTORY,   ART,   MUSIC,   SPANISH

FREE BASELINE ASSESSMENT TESTING then delivers FREE CURRICULUM BASED LEARNING…

Stuff to do!

Looking for something to do?

Make sure to check out the Everest Academy Event Calendar and the Community Events listings!  There is a ton going on!!!  Don't forget to check out the ongoing PlayDates section and the Support Group Listing.

You should really check out these activities that are
See?  I told you there was lots going on!!!
  

Story Time For Me

100's of FREE Books

Our mission is to instill a love of reading and creative thinking in children by providing an interactive alternative to TV viewing and video gaming that makes reading fun.  Our free online book library is not to designed to take away from traditional reading, rather it’s to replace the time kids are spending watching TV and playing video games.

Story Time for Me wants to give free access to 100’s of quality children’s books, but that’s only part of our mission.  All books published by Story Time For Me teach good morals 
and values with socially relevant themes.  Books with uplifting story lines can make a positive impression on the minds of new readers. Our wholesome, entertaining, animated books feature easily identifiable animal characters learning to make positive decisions in everyday life situations.  Parents can be sure Story Time For Me books will entertain their children while teaching them good moral values.


Join our Facebook and enter our monthly raffle for personalized books
http://www.facebook.com/FreeKidsBooks

Mission U.S.


Age Range: 9-14 (approximately grades 5–8) 

Mission US is a multimedia project featuring free interactive adventure games set in different eras of U.S. history. The first game, Mission 1: "For Crown or Colony?," puts the player in the shoes of Nat Wheeler, a 14-year-old printer's apprentice in 1770 Boston. As Nat navigates the city and completes tasks, he encounters a spectrum of people living and working there when tensions mount before the Boston Massacre.  Ultimately, the player determines Nat's fate by deciding where his loyalties lie. 



The first game in a planned series, Mission 1: “For Crown or Colony?” explores the reasons for Revolution through the eyes of both Loyalists and Patriots in 1770 Boston.  This website provides information and materials to support the use of Mission 1 in your classroom. Download all the teacher materials as a DOC or PDF.

Brain Nook: Virtual World for Math and English Skills

BrainNook is a virtual world for kids where they can develop math and English skills while playing in the free online playground.  There are over a hundred education games packed into the BrainNook virtual world, all of them are based on foundational math, English, and grammar concepts.  The math games cover concepts from single digit addition to 3D spatial visualization.  English games cover everything from building simple sentences to counting syllables.  The games are all woven into a fun virtual world that students can explore and unlock.  BrainNook also strengthens students reading, reasoning, decision-making skills, analysis, and computer literacy.  Students choose a character (alien) and name, when they enter BrainNook for the first time, they are dropped onto Earth where their spaceship has crashed. They are greeted by an earthling named Bella who teaches them how to navigate the world, and earn stars by playing games. The stars that are earned can be used to buy back spaceship parts.   Students can travel to several locations within the virtual world that are based on real-life regions of the Earth  Students learn about each region through trivia, question popups, and local artifacts. In each world students can play math and English games with other players in the safe online environment. As they build up their skills, new worlds will be unlocked and they can buy items from the local market or work on assembling their spaceship by assembling puzzles.  The games in BrainNook are scaffolded so it adjusts to students ability level as they progress.  Games can be played individually or in head-to-head competition. Because this site is geared toward elementary students, no personal information or personal messages are included in the virtual world.

This review came from iLearnTechnology

Homeschooler: Emerson Spartz


Emerson Spartz (b. February 17, 1987 in LaPorteIndiana) is the founder of the Harry Potter fansiteMugglenet.com. He currently serves as the CEO of Mugglenet.com.[1] Spartz founded the MuggleNet website in 1999 as a homeschooled eleven-year-old. As CEO, he oversees 120 volunteers and a paid staff.[2] In 2007, Spartz incorporated Spartz Inc. to serve as the legal entity representing his MuggleNet e-business.[1][3]

In 2007, Emerson co-authored a book - "MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7 - Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Falls in Love, and How the Series Finally Ends." As of July 21, 2007, 'What Will Happen' sold 335,000 copies and reached #2 on the New York Times Children's Bestseller List. It spent 6 months on the list. Spartz and his co-authors launched a marketing campaign in June 2007 to promote their work. This included a tour of the United States where they stopped at bookstores nationwide and discussed their various theories and revelations. Emerson went on this tour with Ben Schoen.

In 2009, Emerson Spartz and Ben Schoen penned another book, "MuggleNet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died: Controversial Views From The #1 Fan Site". A cross-country book tour took place in the summer of 2009.

A self-taught home-schooler through high school, in May 2009, he graduated with a degree in management concentration from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.[1]

On May 31, 2009, Emerson and his fiance launched the website GivesMeHope. The website was created in response to the popular website fmylife.com, in which users share how their day was ruined. On GivesMeHope, users share their most inspiring, uplifting stories, and allow others to draw strength from their experiences.The website receives approximately 1.2 million unique visitors per month.

On December 30, 2009, Emerson and Gaby launched the GivesMeHope spin-off site LoveGivesMeHope.com. The website's slogan is "Stories That Make You Go 'Aww!'" According to the site, LoveGivesMeHope is for those "who can't get enough of the love stories" on GivesMeHope. The website receives approximately 1 million unique visitors per month.

On June 23, 2009, the two launched another site, Givoogle.com, a website that raises money for the American Cancer Society with every search.[citation needed] The website received 1.1 million unique visitors per month and raised a total of $6,569.89. On February 11, 2010, Givoogle.com was taken down and replaced with SavesWatts.com, with a claim that lawyers from Google forced the site closure. SavesWatts.com is a search engine that saves energy due to its black background.

In January 2010 Emerson and Gaby collaborated with sixteen year old Adorian Deck to create OMG-Facts.com a site similar to GMH, in which visitors can view interesting facts, and vote on upcoming facts. As of October 7, 2010, the OMGFacts Twitter account has over 1.1 million followers. The site's YouTube account, created in March, has over 200,000 subscribers.

In early May 2010, Emerson and Gaby created another site called SixBillionSecrets.com. In the site, people share hopes, fears and dreams in an open community. The site is likePostSecret, but instead, it updates daily and not all secrets are posted. The website, like OMG-Facts.com, LoveGivesMeHope.com, SavesWatts.com and GivesMeHope.com is part of the Spartz Network.

As of August 2010, 'The GMH Network' has been renamed to 'The Spartz Network.' Also, GivesMeHope will release a book of the top 127 stories from GivesMeHope. In the book, each story will by accompanied by an illustration. The book will appear on shelves in fall 2010.

In early September 2010, Emerson launched a new site, called Kids Give Me Hope, in which people submit stories in which they have been inspired by something a child has done/said.

Another addition to the Spartz Network is Taste of Awesome - a brand new site launched in late October 2010, described as " pics + epic captions".

Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Hamilton
"Soul Surfer"

Have you heard of Bethany Hamilton? She's the young homeschooled surfer who lost her arm when she was attacked by a 14-foot shark.  Amazingly, she was back in the water a month later, and surfing competitively within a few months ... 

Bethany Hamilton is a nineteen-year-old American surfer known for surviving a shark attack in which she lost her left arm and now as a teen icon for courage.  Then just thirteen years old, Bethany was surfing a local surf spot in Kauai called Tunnels, when a 15 foot tiger shark attacked her, ripping her left arm just below the shoulder. Her friends acted quickly, and Bethany was rushed to Wilcox Memorial Hospital.  Despite the trauma of the attack, Hamilton never lost her faith in herself, surfing, or God and is now an inspiration to teens to never give up.

Her inspiring story is now a major motion picture opening April 8 and featuring an all-star cast: AnnaSophia Robb and Helen Hunt, with Carrie Underwood in her film debut, and Dennis Quaid.   

Visit the Soul Surfer website to sign up for updates and get inside information

Homeschool Parents: Kristin Maguire

Kristin Maguire
Head of the South Carolina Board of Education

How many children should a person have in public school in order to be qualified to head a state school board?

None, according to Kristin L. Maguire, the mother of four home-schooled children and the chair-elect of the South Carolina board of education, whose recent election to that post has raised some eyebrows in the state.

Ms. Maguire’s four daughters range in age from 8 to 14 years old and have been home-schooled all their lives.

Homeschooling Parents: Geoff Davis

Geoff Davis 
U.S. Congressman (KY)



Geoff Davis said this to members of HSLDA:


"It's always a pleasure for me to visit with homeschoolers from around the country and to meet with the Home School Legal Defense Association. My wife Pat and I have homeschooled our children for many years, and we are particularly appreciative of your efforts to teach children how to be productive citizens and about what good citizenship means. Your involvement in the political process is essential, and you have done a wonderful job advocating for the issues we all care about." 

    —Congressman Geoff Davis

Homeschool Parents: Todd Akin

Todd Akin 
U.S. Congressman (MO)

Todd and Lulli have six children: Wynn, Perry, Micah, Ezra, Hannah, and Abigail. They have homeschooled for 22 years and were founding members of the West County Christian Home Educators Association. Their second oldest son graduated from the United States Naval Academy and is currently serving in the Marines. Two other sons are currently attending the Naval Academy, and their two daughters are still at home. Today, Todd continues to write and lecture on the principles of America’s Founding and Heritage. He is active in the Boy Scouts for America, a leader in his church, a former board member of Missouri Right to Life, and sits on the board of the Mission Gate Prison Ministry. Todd commutes from St. Louis to Washington every week to be with his family and to meet with constituents, business leaders and other elected officials throughout the greater St. Louis community.
Read the whole article here...

Homeschool Parents: Jimmy Wales

Jimmy Wales – Founder of Wikipedia
From Huntsville, AL

Wales, whose wife Christine teaches their 5-year-old daughter Kira at home, says he is disappointed by the "factory nature" of American education: "There's something significantly broken about the whole concept of school." A longtime opponent of mandatory public school attendance, Wales says that part of the allure of Florida, where his Wikimedia Foundation is based, is its relatively laissez-faire attitude toward homeschoolers. This makes it easier for Wales and his wife to let Kira (a tiny genius in her father's eyes) follow her own interests and travel with her parents when Wales gives one of his many speeches abroad.

Homeschool Dad: Tom Cruise

As most people know, Tom Cruise homeschools his children from his first marriage to Nicole Kidman, Connor and Isabella.  The children are tutored by Cruise’s two sisters, one of whom lives with them and one who lives nearby.  Current reports also state that Tom and wife Katie Holmes also homeschool Suri with the aide of tutors.  

Graduation Registration Form

Odenville & Fultondale: Square Dancing Classes

Square Dancing
Age 12 and up
$5 per class

We wish you would consider an exercise program through square dance being offered at 2 locations as follows:

  • St. Clair County – Odenville Middle School – Sunday afternoon from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
  • Jefferson County – BSDA Friendship hall in Fultondale – Monday evening 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Jim Whitlock at 205-243-7213 or jew_2513@yahoo.com.

3rd Tuesdays Mobile: LEGO Club


Lego Club

3rd Tuesday  1-4pm
Kim Knowles Home
Call to RSVP and get directions251-689-2985


Lego is for all ages (the olders are doing stop motion animation with the legos and little ones are doing Duplos).

This group is not an  Everest Academy group.

Homeschooler: Miss American 2011, Teresa Scanlan

5 Things About Miss America! Teresa Scanlan – Miss Nebraska 2011 - Homeschooled Through her Junior Year


POSTED BY SUNNYCHANEL ON JANUARY 16TH, 2011 AT 12:47 AM

nebraska 5 Things About Miss America! Teresa Scanlan   Miss Nebraska 2011
On Saturday night, a new young woman was named Miss America, and this year the winner is Teresa Scanlan aka Miss Nebraska! Beating out a slew of stunning swimsuit donning young ladies, the young Teresa Scanlan was the one and only winner. So who is our new Miss America? Here are five things about the new reigning beauty queen:
Teresa Scanlan is a young one. The winner of this year’s pageant is just 17 years old! She was born February 6, 1993 and is the youngest winner ever!
She is from Gering, Nebraska and went to Gering High School in her junior year.  She had previously been home schooled. After that she took double classes to graduate early from Scottsbluff High School.
She had deferred enrollment to Patrick Henry College until the fall of 2011 so she could attend to her duties as Miss Nebraska but in winning Miss America, she’ll probably have to defer yet again.
She is an old pro at pagaents, she has been competing in them since she was just 13.
Teresa Scanlan does a lot of work for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. A friend of hers had suffered from an eating disorder and after researching it, she found out how rampant it is and wanted to do what she could to help girls.
Congratulations to the new Miss America!

BigIQkids Programs

BigIQkids Programs

Spelling: With a over 30,000 word dictionary, SpellingTime comes pre-loaded with 40 lessons for K-8th grade appropriate word lists. Or, as a parent or teacher, you can easily enter your own word lists and SpellingTime will automatically create a week’s worth of lessons, quizzes and tests around your own list with the goal of achieving 100% on the Friday spelling test.

Math: You can set up a child's lesson to mirror what they are doing in their current curriculum. For example, if the child is on double digit addition and single digit multiplication, the program can focus on just these two areas providing invaluable practice and reinforcement that is certain to provide them with the tools to ace their next test. Or, BigMathTime can automatically generate grade specific and subject specific lessons as per your requirements.


Vocabulary: With an extensive library of elementary through SAT prep words, BigVocabTime comes pre-loaded with word lists OR, as a parent or teacher, you can easily enter your own word lists and the program will automatically create a week’s worth of lessons, quizzes and tests around your own list with the goal of achieving 100% on the week’s vocabulary test.


U.S. States: Every elementary student will be confronted with the need to know their US State facts to mastery. BigStatesTime is the ultimate tool in learning the state's location, capital, spelling, abbreviations and general state facts. The program allows parents/teachers to add additional facts which will be included in the child's lessons and the program culminates in a “State Mastery Exam” that, if passed with 100% mastery, awards the child a State Master Certificate. 

Unschool Bus Goes Through Alabama

Post "Unschool Bus Mom" made about Alabama

Math Girl Number Garden

Math Girl Number Garden

What it is: Math Girl Number Garden is a much talked about app.  It has been nominated for an iEAR award and won a Creative Child Magazine 2010 Award of Excellence.  Play for a few minute with this app and you soon learn what all of the buzz is about.  Number Garden is a math app designed specifically with girls in mind.  The fun graphics will draw girls in and the game atmosphere will keep them interacting with, and enjoying, math.  Number Garden is a great place for girls to practice counting, addition, and multiplication in kindergarten through fourth grade.
In the Number Garden students can:
  • Count flowers and hands/fingers in patterns.
  • Practice faster recall by recognizing patterns.
  • Earn stars for correct answers and replay levels to earn more stars by getting faster.
  • Use stars to “buy” items for the garden to fill the garden with flowers, bunnies, snails, butterflies, dragonflies, a soccer ball, a tire swing, a magic pond, a tree house, and more.
  • “Sell” items to upgrade to bigger items.
  • Students can play in, and save their own personal gardens.  Up to 4 players gardens can be saved within the app.
How Math Girl Number Garden can enrich learning: Math Girl Number garden is a fun application for helping your female students fall in love with math.  The graphics are darling, students will love growing their own garden while learning and practicing their math.  The ability to go back and improve scores for each lesson keeps the app engaging enough for ongoing practice.  The application allows girls to learn and practice at their own pace, encouraging them to keep trying to earn more items for their gardens to grow.  Number Garden is a welcome change from flash cards!
 
Devices: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1.2 or later
Price: $1.99 (iTunes Link)

Math Girl Addition House


Math Girl Addition House


What it is: Another great math app for girls! Math Girl Addition House is a great alternative to flash cards for math practice, this math practice app will have girls enjoying math and working on addition fact recall in no time.  Girls can build their own customized playhouse by adding flowers. Students will add numbers from 1+1 to 99+9 by exploring groupings of flowers.  Even better? If you have the Math Girl Number Garden app the garden and house can be synced together!
In Addition House students will:
  • Count flowers in patterns, add flowers.
  • Improve recall by recognizing patterns.
  • Earn hearts for correct answers.
  • Replay levels to earn more hearts. (12 levels in all!)
  • Use the hearts earned to “buy” items for the playhouse.
  • “Sell” items to upgrade to bigger items.
  • Play in and save the playhouse.
  • Save houses for up to 4 players within the app.
  • Sync to the Number Garden app to view your house and garden.
How Math Girl Addition House can enrich learning: Math Girl Addition House is a fact practice app that will keep girls practicing.  The cute graphics and ability to “buy” things for their playhouse will keep them working to get faster at their math recall so they build out their playhouse.  The game is made up of twelve levels that get progressively harder.  Students begin in single digits, progressing to speed rounds, double digits, and adding doubles.  The app is brilliant in the way that it helps girls think about numbers in patterns, no more adding with fingers!
 
Devices: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1.2 or later
Price: $1.99 (iTunes Link)