I have outlined below the Education Plan I used with my own children so that you may adapt it to your needs with your own children. The organization of school boards is remarkably similar — dare I say standardized — across North America, so I hope that you will be able to use these suggestions as a starting point and field guide when creating a plan that works for your family, where you live.

WINTERHILL OPTION

"One parent can achieve more than a hundred teachers."
                                                                         Ancient proverb
                                                                      
INTRODUCTION
WHO IT IS FOR
HOW IT WORKS
RESOURCES & BACKGROUND INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION

Since the groundbreaking Coleman report (James Coleman, University of Chicago) was released in 1966, it has been known that a student's home and family background play a far greater role in determining educational success than do the 'quality' of the schools they attend or the amount of money spent on that schooling. If the report's powerful implications were truly appreciated, parents would be empowered to take far more responsibility - and given far more rights - regarding the learning life of their child.

Academically and socially, homeschooled children do extremely well and it is an option that an increasing number of parents are choosing. However, for many families pure homeschooling is not a viable choice.

The Winterhill Option bridges the gap - it is 'homeschooling at school'. As with homeschooling, it empowers parents to give leadership and guidance to their children and puts the responsibility and control for their child's education back into parental hands while still giving students the benefit of countless experiences and resources in a school setting.      

Children 'attend' school, but parents assume responsibility for their education. It is the best of both worlds.

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WHO IT IS FOR

The 'Winterhill Option' is for parents who want to take responsibilty for their child's education and for administrators who know that this is what parents need to do. It is something I have put together using currently permissible practices in our school system. You of course are free to call it what you would like!

This information is intended for parents so they can understand how to exercise these options and so they can make the relevant information available to their child's principal. Forward-thinking school officials could also use this information to proactively set up such a program for parents in their jurisdiction.

This option is intended for elementary students. There is already more flexibility for high school students but please contact me if you would like more information in this regard. I will focus, for now, on the Ontario education system but these ideas and practices can be used as a template for most, if not all, other jurisdictions.

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HOW IT WORKS

1. ATTENDANCE: part-time or full time
2. Creating an EDUCATIONAL PLAN for your child
3. APPROACHING the school
4. Meeting with the TEACHER & making the plan WORK

1. ATTENDANCE: Five levels students are currently permitted:

Level 1:	Homeschooling
Level 2:	Homeschooling while attending school for field trips, special events, sports and special activities
Level 3:	Registered part time attendance.
Level 4:	Registered full time attendance with some occasional withdrawal by parent for other activities.
Level 5:	Registered full time attendance

Level 1 & 2 are either homeschooling or 'homeschooling plus'. For more information about these options, please see the website of the Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents, Ontario's homeschooling umbrella group.

The Winterhill Option refers to developing an Educational Plan for your child for attendance levels 3, 4 and 5 above.

2. Creating an EDUCATIONAL PLAN for your child - five variables to consider:

1. the level of attendance: part time or full time
2. control over homework and assignments
3. assessment and feedback on school work
4. tests
5. report cards (see note in 'Educational Plan' template below)

The best way to think of these factors is as a continuum. You should identify your desired level of participation and what you want to get out of the experience. What level of control do you want? Is your main aim to balance time spent at school with real world experiences? Is it to eliminate the harmful effects of a graded education? Is it to take back control of your child's homework? What is the long term goal you have for your child's education?

After considering these things you will start to have a clearer idea of what you would like your child's plan to look like. Please see the 'Educational Plan Template' listed below for further guidance.

3. APPROACHING the school:

1. Your first contact should be with the principal as these types of arrangements need to be made at this level. I would strongly recommend that your child attends school as a regular student before approaching the principal. As is understandable, principals are much keener to work with families they already have a sense of than those they do not know.
   
   
2. When you arrange the meeting you can indicate specifically what it is for - directing them to this website before the meeting - or, you may prefer to just say there is an idea that you would like to discuss but that it is nothing urgent or negative. Keep the tone positive from the beginning to get the relationship off to a good start.
   
   
3. You may want to have two adults from your child's life at the meeting (i.e. both parents, parent & grandparent, etc.) Not only will you have support for what undoubtedly is a new experience for you, but having another adult who agrees with your approach adds legitimacy to your position. Let the principal know ahead of time who will be attending with you.
   
   
4. At the meeting, I can not emphasize enough that goodwill and a strong working relationship with both your child's teacher and principal are the basis for making this arrangement a success. By letting the school know that you believe your child is benefiting greatly from their school experience and that you see your relationship as one of true partnership, you will be setting a positive tone. Emphasize that it is not because you see deficiencies at the school but rather that you want to build on the strengths of your child's schooling experience.
   
   
5. Discuss your plan, indicating (if you wish) that there is more information on the Winterhill website. Please feel free to bring print copies of any of the material from this site.
   
   
6. Depending on the amount of experience the principal has with 'alternatively educated' children, they may immediately be interested or may indicate that they will get back to you. What you are asking for is completely within your rights as a parent and you are indeed 'allowed to do it', but you may want to put yourself in the shoes of the principal who has to 'work within the system'. Therefore, it is best that your tone strikes a balance between 'asking for' and 'expecting' this request.
   
   
7. My experience has been that the implementation of policies varies greatly from school to school and that more importantly, that if entered into in good faith and with good will, most requests can be accommodated.

4. Meeting with the TEACHER & making the plan WORK:

After the go-ahead from your principal, your next step is to book a one-on-one meeting with your child's teacher. Use the same information that you brought in for the principal. Here are some additional points for you to consider and / or to go over with the teacher:

1. Relationship: Again, emphasize the positive aspects your child receives from being in the teacher's class and that this is a partnership. You should also indicate that this plan will not produce any additional 'tasks' for the teacher.
   
   
2. Communication: This will be the basis for making your child's educational plan work. You should decide upon the best way to communicate with each other throughout the year.
   
   
3. You will need to stick with the plan you are pursuing but with the understanding that modifications will undoubtedly need to be made as the year progresses. If there are too many alterations and changes, the plan will get bogged down and confusing.
   
   
4. If your child is attending full time, the logistics are not difficult. Nor should they be if you are choosing the permanent part time option but you will need to devise a schedule with the teacher that works for your child and you will need to come to an understanding of how the missed activities and exercises will be handled. You will also need to build some flexibility into the plan for special events and changes in the teacher's own plans.
   
   
5. You should anticipate that there will be questions from other kids as to why your child is not there all the time or why they don't have to 'finish' their homework so you may want to discuss this with the teacher.

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RESOURCES & BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Ontario Ministry of Education website.

2. Policy / Program Memorandum 131. PPM 131 refers mainly to homeschooling, but it provides useful information on part time attendance and its funding.

3. Register of Daily Attendance for Elementary Schools. This document lists the procedures for schools to follow when registering part time and homeschooled students, pages 3 & 4.

4. 'Making the Grade without report cards'. Article by Kate Tennier in the Globe and Mail, Saturday, March 3, 2007.

5. Educational Plan Template.

6. Entering university as a non-traditionally educated learner:

	Information booklet authored and generously provided by Sarah Rainsberger: "University Admissions for Alternatively Schooled Students."
	'Homeschoolers College Admissions Handbook'. Considered to be a definitive guide. Although American, it is full of information that one can adapt to their unique situation.

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©copyright Kate Tennier, 2009