What first-time home schoolers should be doing

We take a look at what you need to do after you decide to home school your child.

THE IDEA OF HOME-SCHOOLING ISGAINING MORE ANDMORE SUPPORTDURING THISPANDEMIC.MANY PARENTS SAYTHEY ARECONSIDERING IT...BECAUSE THEY DON'TFEEL SAFE SENDINGTHEIR KIDS BACK TOSCHOOL RIGHT NOW.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ALITOUHEY BREAKSDOWN WHAT YOUNEED TO KNOW IF YOUDECIDE TO KEEP YOURSTUDENTS AT HOMETHIS FALL.TAKE PACKAGEKIMHENRY/HOMESCHOOLING FOR FIVE YEARSALI TOUHEYCHRISTINAMONAGHAN'S TWOBOYS HAVE BEENENROLLED IN PUBLICSCHOOL IN THE PAST.SOT :11MONAGHAN: I'VEALWAYS BELIEVED INTHE PUBLIC SCHOOLSYSTEM, AND LIKETHAT MY KIDS WOULDGO AND ENGAGE WITHOTHER KIDS, ANDTHEIR TEACHER ANDALL OF THAT.BUT THIS LOCKPORTMOTHER IS CHOOSINGTO HOMESCHOOL 7YEAR OLD LIAM AND4-YEAR-OLD FINNIGANIN THE FALL.

SHE SAYSCOVID-19RESTRICTIONS LIKEWEARING A MASK ANDSTRICT SOCIALDISTANCING WERE AMAJOR FACTOR IN HERDECISION.SOT :09MONAGHAN: WHILE IUNDERSTAND IT'S FORTHE SAFETY OF THESTUDENTS, I DON'TFEEL THAT IS ANENVIRONMENT THATWILL BENEFIT THEM.MONAGHAN'S ONE OFA GROWING NUMBEROF PARENTS ACROSSWESTERN NEW YORKMAKING THE CHOICETO HOMESCHOOL.

BUTNOW WHAT?KIMBERLY HENRY OFNORTH TONAWANDAHAS BEENHOMESCHOOLING HERCHILDREN FOR FIVEYEARS.

SHE SAYSONCE YOU MAKE THEDECISIONYOU'REREQUIRED TO SEND ALETTER OF INTENT ORLOI TO YOUR SCHOOLDISTRICT FOR ANYCHILD THAT WILL BESIX BY DECEMBERFIRST.TYPICALLYTHOSEARE DUE BY THE FIRSTDAY OF THE SCHOOLYEAR.

NEXT YOU'LLHAVE TO SUBMIT ANINDIVIDUALIZED HOMEINSTRUCTION PLAN TOTHE SCHOOLDISTRICT.SOTTHAT REALLY LAYS OUTWHAT YOU PLAN ONCOVERING FOR YOURKIDS THAT YEAR.HENRY SAYS SCHOOLDAYS CAN VARYBASED ON WHATWORKS FOR YOU.SOT :09EVENINGS ARE GREAT.WEEKENDS ARE GREAT.YOU CAN DO FORMALSCHOOL A FEW DAYS AWEEK AND DO LESSFORMAL INSTRUCTIONON THE OTHER DAYS.IF YOUR CHILDREQUIRES SPECIALSERVICES, YOU'RESTILL ENTITLED TOTHOSE AS WELL.SOT :07WE ARE ENTITLED TOSPEECH, PT, OTSERVICES YEARROUND.FINALLYYOU CANENROLL IN PUBLICSCHOOL, OR OPT TOHOMESCHOOL AT ANYPOINT.SOT :05IT'S NOT AS THOUGHYOU'RE HELD TOEITHER DECISION UNTILJUNE