Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do we meet at Couch Park?
A: Stillwater has lots of nice parks, but Couch Park seems to fit our
group best. Reasons include being able to see through the play
equipment from both sides to make sure small children aren't wandering
too far away, lots of shade and room to run around.
Q: My family and I
should be moving there soon. Is there anyway that you might be able to
let us know what type of environment we are moving into? Right
now we live in another state and homeschooling is not as easy
as I have seen in other places. Not so family friendly and getting
classes, like piano and such, is really expensive. Could you let me
know what is offered for homeschoolers in Stillwater?
A:
First of all, Oklahoma is one of the most lenient states concerning
rules for homeschooling! It is so great. Secondly, Stillwater is such a
nice town for families. It is a college town, but that doesn't take
away from the friendliness of the people and town as a whole. We are
about an hour away from Oklahoma City and the same from Tulsa. Those are
the two biggest cities in the state.
As far as stuff to do for homeschoolers, there is another group here
called SCHEF which stands for Stillwater Christian Home Educators
Fellowship. They are a good group to join because they list all kinds of
stuff to do throughout the year, so you know what's going on at one
glance from one newsletter. Some examples are: 4H, band, plays, dance
classes, art classes, girl scouts, writing classes, gym class, etc. Our
group, Stillwater Homeschooling group, is more of a support group which
accepts all homeschoolers. It doesn't matter if you are Christian or
not, use curriculum or not, are new to homeschooling or are a veteran.
We have a playgroup every week, do field trips, have two potlucks a
year, and many other things. Now, about the cost of things. Oklahoma's
cost of living is considerably lower than most other states, so that
helps. But many of the classes offered to homeschoolers are free or
very low cost. Other things that aren't just for homeschoolers are
fairly reasonable as well. And depending on who is offering it, may be
discounted to homeschoolers. They have been working on it for several
years now, but supposedly in 2010, we will finally have a children's
museum here. I think that is their goal. Oh, and I don't know how it is
where you are, but in Stillwater, elementary aged sports are done
through the parks and Rec Dept and the YMCA. They are not together;
they each offer the same sports, but compete within their teams. So,
it's easy to join sports teams as a homeschooler. There is also a
special homeschool basketball team.
Every Sept, there is a family appreciation day at one of the parks.
There are horse rides, lots of the big inflated bouncy type toys, hot
dogs, drinks, and other games for kids. It's free. It's fun. Oh yeah,
and since it's a college town, many times you can get lessons/classes
for things cheaper by hiring a college student. Also the library has a
great summer program for kids all ages, adults too. There's plenty to
do here, I think. Be sure to check out the calendar page on our
website for event dates.
Q: Why aren't there more FAQ questions and
answers?
A: Because as of May 2008, this website is brand new! Please
submit your questions and we'll be sure to answer them right away.