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My daughter Katie was a founding student and is now on staff in Renton’s H.O.M.E Program. Her three kids are all current students in the program. This is their 2023 orientation-day photo.
For 25 years Renton School District has been a state leader in outreach to homeschooling families. Their breakthrough H.O.M.E. program (Home-school Opportunities for Merging Education) was passionately spearheaded by former assistant-superintendent Vera Risdon in 1998. The program has been a model for partnership between a school district and families opting to homeschool. The program successfully blends the advantages and flexibility of homeschooling with the resources and teaching capabilities of the school district. Fully engaged HOME program students are considered district-enrolled students by Washington State, so the Renton District receives their per-student funding. This funding is used to cover classes, one-on-one time with teachers, and other expenses of the program.
My wife and I enrolled our daughter Katie in the program in 1998 along with two of her brothers, and eventually all five of our kids. Katie is now a Staff Member at the HOME program, and she helps teach classes while also participating as a parent with three kids of her own in the program.
Our five kids enjoyed the program, and they all received an excellent education. The HOME program helped them all enroll in running-start college classes during their final two years of high-school, which gave them a strong jump-start for their college degrees.
It’s exciting to see four (and soon five) of our grandchildren growing through the HOME program, and it’s fun to see Katie’s special role as an original-student turned staff member, as the program hits its silver anniversary.
For those interested in learning more about this wonderful program, you can find more information on the Renton School District Website here.
Katie received this shirt at orientation today, which carries a special meaning for her since she was a student in the program in 1998 and is a staff member in 2023.
The back of the shirt shares the H.O.M.E. programs values (the school mascot is a panda)
What a fantastic article, Randy! Your family was such a positive influence from the start and it is so wonderful that the Corman tradition is still continuing through Katie and her family. You and Cathy helped it thrive all of these years!
The HOME program is amazing!
As a staff member and parent for 10 years there, it truly meets your kids where they are and helps them fly from there!