MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
The Pinellas Parent Educators Association is one of the oldest and largest support groups in the entire state of Florida. We have been around since 1985! Our founding members were instrumental in getting our Florida laws in place to support our right to homeschool. We have both "heritage" and "history" so you can feel confident knowing we're here to STAY!
We have a stable yearly membership of over 300 families and we look forward to having you join us! After all, our purpose and pleasure is to serve you and to make your homeschool journey the best it can be! We do all the work so you can focus on your family and homeschool. Everything is a just click away. All you have to do is sign up and show up!
Your PPEA membership is your
to field trips, support group meetings, encouraging newsletters and so much MORE!
$40.00 (less than $4 per month) for a full year of exciting PERKS and opportunities!
You're just one click away from a year full of homeschool family fun, encouragement and helpful information!
Click Here to Become a Member
As you gaze upon our new and exciting membership perks (see below) for the very first time know that your voice was very much a part of our decision making. One of the best things we’ve ever done was to offer a year-end survey! You all had such amazing and incredible idea’s. Your suggestions for change came with great insight. Thank YOU so much for helping us set our goals for this brand new school year!
PPEA 2009/2010 Membership Perks
PPEA Senior Activities
For years we had a phenomenal team of moms who sponsored a program called Supporting Our Seniors. (SOS) It is because of the incredible job they did, that we’ve been inspired to create our very own senior activity program. Veteran retired home educator Susan Bates is heading up this brand new area this year! Make sure you come to the “Welcome Wagon” meeting and stop by her table to get a listing of all the events! Just to give you a peek behind the curtain..., We have Improv night, Grad Bash and an old fashioned Hoe-Down in our line-up! This is going to be one incredible year! Hang on for the ride of your life Seniors!
Homeschooling Children With Special Needs
Patty McLaughlin, is a veteran homeschool mom of five with more than 18 years experience under her belt! She is also a retired pyschoeducational consultant that has worked with children of varying degrees of special needs. If you have a child with a learning difference you will NOT want to miss out on this class. This workshop is for parents who are teaching students with various learning challenges. These challenges include processing issues, delays, giftedness, language acquisitions issues, and other challenges that interfere with a child's ability to process the information we desire to teach them. This workshop will assist parents in finding ways to help our children learn, knowing what to look for in curriculum choices, how to choose an evaluator, and more. Stay tuned for more info!
PPEA Prom
Our theme is yet to be announced, but stay tuned, we should be announcing our date and theme shortly!
HIGHSCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Last year our senior activities were a hit, but according to our survey you want more for highschoolers. We've heard you loud and clear and are so excited to launch a brand new perk to our memberbership benefit line up. Highschool Activities! Linda Wooldridge has put together some amazing and FUN events where our kids can come together for fellowship and FUN! Be prepared for a Photo Safari and other cool events. For full details come to our August Welcome Wagon!!! August 10th.
MIDDLESCHOOL ACTIVITIES!
Do you have a child or children in 5th through 9th grade? Be prepared as we've added a brand new perk this year to our line up. Dawn Geers and Korey Provard are overseeing our middle school activities. (Do you have the list they handed out so we can give one or two ticklers to build the excitement?)
PPEA Family Fun Night
On our survey you asked for more social time and we heard your cry! We have an EXTRA special event planned for March! Stay tuned to the website for details!
PPEA Field Trips
Once again we have some FUN and EXCITING field trips scheduled for this year! We've added more age specific ones to our line up. Korey will be overseeing our two new field trip facilitators, Lori Meadows and Rachelle Pennington who will be planning age appropriate trips for your younger elementary/preschool and older elementary kids.
PPEA Cafe’
According to our member survey’s last year our members want more time to interact and fellowship. We AGREE! In addition to adding our Family Fun Nights we have also added a special new treat called The PPEA Cafe. We are setting up a special little area where families can purchase goodies and gather together after our monthly support group meetings!
Website!
(One Of Our Top "3" Perks!)
Last year we launched our brand new website with homeschool life and according to our member survey this was one of your top three perks! EASY is its middle name. Even the most technically challenged will find it a breeze to sign-in and use.
* Secure On-Line Banking! (no more stamps!)
* Field Trip Sign-Up and payment all at your fingertips
* Message boards
* Classifieds
* Information
PPEA Graduation
The PPEA has hosted a beautiful graduation ceremony for seniors for well over a decade. We are so honored to announce that Dr. Neoka Apple, veteran homeschooler who has graduated all three of her children, is coming out of retirement this year to coordinate our graduation ceremony. If you have a senior it's time to GET EXCITED..., sentimental is her middle name. This will be an event you and your loved ones will cherish forever. It will give you memories that will last a lifetime. Graduation is a formal cap and gown ceremony that brings tears and draws crowds of HUNDREDS! It is one of our largest event with over crowds of 800-1000 people in attendance.
The "Perspective" Newsletter!
(One of our Top "3" Perks!)
We have a monthly newsletter that comes right to your front door each month. According to our member survey this is one of our top three perks. It is filled with inspiring and encouraging articles written by local veteran homeschooling Mom's and Dad's! We will be adding more information to go with the inspiration based on your survey feedback. We are now moving the newsletter to 12 months! So this year you will get a June edition.
Monthly Support Group Meetings
(One of our Top "3" Perks!)
According to our Annual Member Survey this was one of your top three perks! Your monthly support group meeting is your personal time each month to get away and get inspired. It is time well spent helping you invest in becoming the best parent and teacher you can be. This is your opportunity to participate in teacher training! Set aside one night a month to fill up "your" gas tank! You do not have to be a member to participate. Come on out to our August Welcome Wagon to find out what we have in store for YOU this year! Stay tuned in this edition of the Perspective for more information!
PPEA Annual Talent Show
One of the highlights of our year is our annual Talent Show program. It is a very special evening put together for the purpose of bringing families and friends together for a fun-filled, family-friendly evening of talent! There is no charge to attend this event, but the memories you make will be priceless. It's an evening of camera's and camcorders, tissue's and tears!
Homeschool Lending Library
We are so excited and honored to have Michele Ervin take the reigns of our Lending Library. As a veteran homeschool mom Michelle does far more than check out books. She will be available to talk with homeschoolers and help point them in the right direction when searching for books that line up with their worldview and philosophy of education. Michele brings years of experience to the table. Don't buy books or CD's you'll read once and then sit on your shelf. Let us save you time and money.
Annual PPEA Used Curriculum Sale!
Brandy Strouse is a hero to many as she does such an incredible and outstanding job as director of our annual used curriculum sale each year. This is a HUGE event with literally thousands of pieces of curriculum exchanging hands, and she organizes it with a smile on her face and a spring in her step. Our Annual PPEA Used Curriculum Sale is the largest one of it's kind in the area! We have many who join our organization in April, simply to participate! Don't wait till then because you will miss out on all the other advantages that come with PPEA membership.
County Wide Orientations
Orientations are given by our very own Linda Wooldridge, who has graduated one son successfully and is currently homeschooling her teenage daughter. She is your expert on Florida Law, county requirements, portfolio's, transcripts and so much more! As an added bonus, her delivery of what could be very dry subject matter, sparkles with engaging wit and humor.
Orientation Webinars
Linda Wooldridge our orientation facilitator came up with this BRILLIANT idea! It has been a huge hit and we are excited to announce that we plan to schedule more webinars for this upcoming school year. You do not have to be a member to participate.
Discounts!
Your Membership card is a passport to discounts. Take it with you wherever they offer educational discounts. Save Money when you sign up for the FPEA...You get $10 off your FPEA membership when you sign up for both PPEA and FPEA at the same time!
