As evaluators, we believe that our role is to support a young person’s learning and a family’s choices. We aim to celebrate their hard work through encouragement and engaging questions. 

Our goal is to empower families, to serve as a consultant for and supporter of a wide variety of approaches to homeschooling.

We are offering evaluations in April, May, and June, primarily on Zoom.  In some circumstances, evaluations can be held in-person, outdoors in Germantown, Philadelphia. 

To sign up for an evaluation, fill out this survey.

About the Evaluators

Linnea and Melissa are both qualified homeschool evaluators as Pennsylvania-certified teachers at the elementary and secondary levels. They have been conducting homeschool evaluations for six years.  They are seasoned teachers in homeschool settings as well as traditional classrooms. As a team, they direct children’s theater, facilitate workshops, tutor, and lead worldschooling trips abroad.

Melissa Church Melissa has a M. Ed., certifications in Elementary (K-6), Special Ed. (K-12), and as a Reading Specialist (K-12), and over 20 years of teaching experience. Melissa has homeschooled her 3 children since 2014, which has included extensive travel, eclectic homeschooling, teaching for homeschool organizations, and supporting her teens through the process of re-entering school in 9th grades. More about Melissa…

Linnea deRoche Linnea has a M. Ed. with an ESL certification (K-12) and Elementary certification (K-6). They have been working in education since 2004 and have 16 years experience teaching in classrooms, providing individual tutoring, facilitating workshops, and directing youth theater. They have homeschooled their own children with eclectic methods (including Montessori and Unschooling) since 2011. More about Linnea…

Portfolio Preparations  

The portfolio can look many different ways.  It can be in paper form, photos, videos, or any combination of media.  A portfolio can include any expressions of learning or samples of work that your family chooses to represent your child’s homeschooling year.  There are more examples here.

The portfolio must include: 

1. Samples of your child’s work

2. Reading log/list of resources/books used.

3. Standardized test completion for students in grades 3, 5 and 8 only   

What to Expect From the Evaluation

We will engage your child in a relaxed conversation about their year of learning by looking through the portfolio with curiosity (not judgment).  We will focus on the areas of learning and samples of work that your child seems most invested in discussing.  We will ask your child about their strengths, their challenges, and their goals.  Parents are welcome to sit through the evaluation, but the conversation is meant to be between the child and the evaluator.  

At the end, you will receive the paper to submit to your PA school district (the evaluator form), as well as a certificate for your child to keep.  

Fees

Evaluation $40/child: 30 minute meeting at which you’ll be provided with the paperwork that you will submit to your PA school district, as well as a certificate for your child to keep. *Ask us about discounts for large families.

Evaluation Summary $50/child: Written summary of the evaluation based on the discussion and observations by the evaluator (Optional for your files/portfolio, not to be submitted to the state). 

Workshop Report $25/child: Individual summary and feedback about your child’s experience and content covered in a Staging Journeys workshop for your files/portfolio.  Separate summaries can be provided for each workshop title.

Family Consultation $50/family: 45 minute consultation with your evaluator that can be used for portfolio-building advice, debriefing this school year, or planning the upcoming homeschooling year.  

Fees are paid at the time of the evaluation/consultation (cash, check, Paypal, or Venmo).

To sign up for an evaluation, fill out this survey.