Building the Path Forward: Homeschooling the Middle & High School Years
100 Technology Park
Lake Mary, FL 32746 NearHim Home Educators (NHE) jill.johnson10k@gmail.com false mm/dd/yyyy aUinrLWZczwYavqgBmQP30959
Date – Time
Saturday, January 24th
– 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location
Summit Church Lake Mary Campus
100 Technology Park
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Additional Information
Building the Path Forward: Homeschooling the Middle & High School Years
Feeling uncertain about the road ahead as your child enters middle or high school? You’re not alone — and you don’t have to navigate by yourself. Join us for an information-packed mini conference designed specifically for homeschooling parents of middle and high school students. Whether your teen has a clear direction or no idea what’s next, this event will equip you with practical tools, fresh perspective, and renewed confidence.
Hear from experienced homeschool leaders and professionals:
Cheryl Bastian, Homeschool speaker and author of Celebrate High School
Michelle Brownell, Founder of Homeschool Essentials
Lucee Price, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Jessica Kent, Founder and Executive Director of Watermark Homeschool Enrichment
Throughout the morning, the workshops offered will encourage you to:
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Create a flexible high school plan — even when your teen lacks direction.
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Navigate testing, dual enrollment, transcripts, and earning credit.
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Support unique learners and learning differences.
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Foster internal motivation and healthier parent-teen partnerships.
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Understand middle and high school sports and how they fit into homeschooling.
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Keep your priorities rooted in relationship, not just academics.
The morning concludes with a live panel Q&A, giving you the chance to ask real questions and gain insight from multiple perspectives.
If you’re homeschooling middle or high school and want encouragement and practical next steps, NHE is inviting you, and we'd love to see you there! This event is open to the public.
The cost is $10.
See below for registration and payment instructions, schedule, workshop descriptions, and speaker bios.
1. Click the SIGN UP NOW button below and follow the prompts. You will receive a message and email confirming your registration.
2. Make your payment through Zelle or Venmo. The cost is $10.
Zelle: send payment to NearHim Home Educators, INC using the email address, nearhim123@gmail.com. Comment "high school workshop."
Venmo: send payment to @Daniela-Preradovic.
You may also pay at the event using the methods above along with cash or check.
3. Read the information below to plan your day of encouragement!
Schedule
Keynote 8:30-9:15
Making a Plan, Looking Ahead, Even When They Don't Have a Direction - Cheryl Bastian
Workshop 9:30-10:15
Option 1 - All Things Testing and Dual Enrollment - Jessica Kent
Option 2 - Embracing Learning Differences: Designing an Education for Your Unique Learner - Michelle Brownell
Option 3 - What You Need to Know about Middle and High School Sports - Cheryl Bastian
Workshop 10:30-11:15
Option 1 - Home-Generated Transcripts Don't Need to Weight You Down - Cheryl Bastian
Option 2 - Igniting Internal Motivation: From Power Struggles to Partnership - Michelle Brownell
Option 3 - Turning Passions into Credit - Jessica Kent
Workshop 11:30-12:15
Loving Your Teen More Than the Transcript - Lucee Price
Panel Q&A 12:30-1:00
Cheryl Bastian, Michelle Brownell, Jessica Kent, and Lucee Price will answer your questions.
Workshop Descriptions
Making a Plan, Looking Ahead, Even When They Don't Have a Direction, Cheryl Bastian
Whether your learner has clear sights and a pathway for the future or not, there's a simple framework that sets your graduate up for success. Come be encouraged and ready, even if a steady plan takes a detour.
All Things Testing and Dual Enrollment, Jessica Kent
This workshop will briefly discuss the Who, What, When, and Why of Standardized Testing and Dual Enrollment for students. Jessica will be presenting a simple game plan to optimize these options during the high school years!
Embracing Learning Differences: Designing an Education for Your Unique Learner, Michelle Brownell
Traditional methods not working for your dyslexic, ADHD, or neurodivergent learner? Discover how to customize education by leading with strengths, differentiating through high school, and creating multiple pathways to learning goals. Walk away with practical strategies to build an unconventional path where your child thrives.
What You Need to Know about Middle and High School Sports, Cheryl Bastian
Educating a student athlete doesn't need to equate to overwhelm (though you may be tired!). Mom of a collegiate athlete unpacks essential information for parents navigating statutory requirements, paperwork, practices, tournaments, and academics.
Home-Generated Transcripts Don't Need to Weight You Down, Cheryl Bastian
Cheryl Bastian takes away the weight of creating home-generated transcripts by explaining the essentials and providing explanations for titles, credits, grading, and GPA. Walk away feeling empowered to design a transcript that highlights your high school learner.
Igniting Internal Motivation: From Power Struggles to Partnership, Michelle Brownell
Tired of constant battles over schoolwork with a child who struggles with motivation? Discover why rewards and punishments backfire and learn the CALM communication framework and practical strategies that transform resistance into ownership. Walk away with tools that work across all ages to spark authentic engagement and create partnership instead of power struggles.
Turning Passions into Credit, Jessica Kent
Ever wonder if you can turn hobbies or passions that your child has interest in and stack them into well designed credits? With a few thought out steps, these can confidently be placed on your students' transcripts!
Loving Your Teen More Than the Transcript, Lucee Price
Yes, academics are important. However, they are not the priority! If you struggle to negotiate the seemingly impossible balance of academics and loving your child well, let me encourage you in this workshop. You will walk away with some easy to execute tools as well as a mindset change that can help you take a deep breath as you enter this next semester of homeschool.
Get to Know our Speakers
Cheryl Bastian
Cheryl Bastian has been immersed in education modalities for forty years, her most exhilarating being the home education of her children which began in 1993. Cheryl and her husband Mike, a public-school educator of thirty-six years, have graduated six children and continue to nurture life-long learning in their youngest learners and four grandchildren. Cheryl’s experience and passion for education provides guidance and encouragement to journey alongside families at many stages of parenting and learning. As a magazine columnist, educational consultant, author, and speaker, Cheryl shares from the trials and triumphs of her experiences, encouraging parents to be intentional, real, and relational in their endeavors to raise life-long learners.
Michelle Brownell
Michelle is a certified parenting coach and learning consultant who helps homeschool families with out-of-the-box learners thrive. Her signature approach bridges child development science with practical strategies across three pillars—confident parenting skills, personalized education support, and mental health awareness—equipping parents with actionable tools to create calmer homes and stronger family connections.
She is the founder of Homeschool Essentials.
Jessica Kent
Jessica Kent is the Founder and Executive Director of Watermark Homeschool Enrichment & Academics. She is the proud momma of nine children and has homeschooled since 2010. She holds a Bachelors in ASL- Educational Interpreting from USF. Jessica is an author, speaker, and homeschooling consultant who loves to encourage other families they can homeschool and thrive! Born and raised in Orlando, she and her husband Joel are grateful to raise their family in the sunshine state. Fun Facts: she loves Jesus, Disney, scrapbooking and Chick-fil-A sweet tea.
Lucee Price
As a 20 year homeschooling veteran, Lucee is honored to continue to come alongside other parents seeking to love their children well in this way. She and her husband, Rick, have two University of Florida honors graduate daughters, a testimony to how homeschooling can prepare students for college and life beyond school. As a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Lucee specializes in working with people ages 13-25, as they navigate the challenges of becoming the independent thinkers that they want to be.
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