Kolbecast

62 Due Diligence

AMDG.  Senior counsel with the Home School Legal Defense Association, Darren Jones, joins Bonnie today.  A litigation attorney and homeschool graduate himself, Mr. Jones helps HSLDA member families resolve legal difficulties related to homeschooling.  During the conversation, he describes four areas of HSLDA’s work: legal defense, consulting, legislative tracking, and charitable outreach. He also sheds light on how diverse state laws in the United States are regarding homeschooling, as well as how states’ written requirements and general temperature toward homeschooling may vary from each other.  Along the way, Mr. Jones shares insight into participating in local homeschool groups and dads’ involvement in the homeschooling process.  Ultimately, the conversation illustrates how HSLDA is there to help with the legal side of homeschooling so that parents can focus on the fun part: teaching the kids. For more information about HSLDA, visit http://hslda.org/. 
For guidance getting your group organized and off to a great start or to receive the handout of ways dads can be active participants in homeschooling, drop a line to Mr. Jones at groupservices@hslda.org. 
From the Kolbe Welcome Packet: Kolbe Academy recommends joining the Home School Legal Defense Association.  HSLDA’s primary goal is to bring together a large number of homeschooling families so that each can have a low-cost method of obtaining quality legal defense. 
Home School Legal Defense Association Application 
For U.S. membership, Kolbe’s discount number, which must be provided on the application, is #295160. 
For effortless episode delivery, subscribe to the Kolbecast in your favorite podcast player.   
Have a suggestion or question for the Kolbecast team? Write to us at podcast@kolbe.org. 
Interested in Kolbe Academy’s offerings? Visit kolbe.org.     
 

61 Middle Ground

AMDG. There’s a lot going on in a person’s middle school years, and it takes a special teacher (or several) to inspire and guide this formative period. Kolbe middle school teachers Amanda Hayes and Alexandra Pischke are two of those experts, and they join Bonnie today to share their insights. Together, they discuss the developmental stages of middle school, the combination of childhood silliness and maturing purpose they see in their students, and how they try to model good study and organizational habits for sixth through eighth graders to use at home and online.  
Episodes and other links that might be helpful  
Kolbecast Ep 33: Show Your Work with Math Department Chair Mrs. Kelly Powers
Ep 58: Mystery Machines (technology & tech support)
Kuta math software and worksheets 
Ep 21: To Live Fully Alive with Mrs. Elizabeth Hoxie
For effortless episode delivery, subscribe to the Kolbecast in your favorite podcast player.   
Have a suggestion or question for the Kolbecast team? Write to us at podcast@kolbe.org. 
Interested in Kolbe Academy’s offerings? Visit kolbe.org.     

60 Mission: Possible

AMDG. High school is an epic transition, especially for Kolbe ninth graders. Current student Xavier joins Bonnie and Jordan today to share his insight on the trials and triumphs of freshman year. The group discusses the biggest changes between eighth and ninth grades, some of the time management and workload strategies Xavier has found success in, and how to tell when a teacher thinks a topic is important. The conversation also encompasses overcoming shyness in giving class presentations, participating in class, and the hijinks of the Kolbe Latin club. 
Episodes that might be helpful: 
Ep 36 Embrace the Fifth Day and Ep 37 Take a Moment with Therese Prudlo 
Ep 59 Mystery Machines with Lauren Hoang (tech support) 
Ep 22 Imagine Being Homeschooled with three Kolbe tenth graders 
Ep 33 Show Your Work with Mrs. Kelly Powers 
Ep 54 Pro Omnibus Contendit with Mrs. Deana Muth 
For effortless episode delivery, subscribe to the Kolbecast in your favorite podcast player.   
Have a suggestion or question for the Kolbecast team? Write to us at podcast@kolbe.org. 
Interested in Kolbe Academy’s offerings? Visit kolbe.org.     

59 The Secret Whiteboard

AMDG. When the Kolbe years come to an end, students have big decisions to make. With that in mind, Kolbe’s academic services director, Everett Buyarski, and Erica Treat, who works as an academic advisor at Kolbe, return to the Kolbecast to consider the big picture, the discernment process of a student’s post-Kolbe options, the complexities that accompany that process, and the particulars for crafting noteworthy college applications. 
Resources: 
Links on Kolbe.org: 
transcript request
letter of recommendation request 
advising appointment scheduling
Additional Resources:
Ep 38 Substance Matters 
Ep 40 Windshield Time 
NCAA core course worksheet 
Newman Guide 
secular colleges with great Catholic presence
Newman Connection 
For effortless episode delivery, subscribe to the Kolbecast in your favorite podcast player.   
Have a suggestion or question for the Kolbecast team? Write to us at podcast@kolbe.org. 
Interested in Kolbe Academy’s offerings? Visit kolbe.org.     
 

58 Mystery Machines

AMDG. Kolbe Academy Technical Assistant Lauren Hoang shares five takeaways about the technology that makes it possible for families all over the world to utilize Kolbe Academy’s materials and services. Beyond the specs and hardware, Lauren highlights how the technological dimension offers ample opportunity for growth in virtue and holiness. She has practical suggestions to help families and students set up their workspaces and get the most out of their tech tools, and she pulls back the curtain on some exciting developments and improvements to the school’s support services. 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Episode 41 Backstage: Social Media with Lauren Hoang and Brigid Tebaldi 
Episode 35 An Atmosphere of Opportunity with Carola, a Kolbe mom who works in the tech industry 
Lauren’s vocation story
Episode 4 Homeschool Workspaces
Kolbe career opportunities 
Subscribe to the Kolbecast in your favorite podcast player for effortless episode delivery.   
Have a suggestion or question for the Kolbecast team? Write to us at podcast@kolbe.org. 
Interested in Kolbe Academy’s offerings? Visit kolbe.org.     
 

57 Seeking the Kingdom

AMDG. The Faias are longtime members of the Kolbe Academy family. Their youngest child is a 2021 alumna. In this episode, Mrs. Margaret Faia shares both the long view and the detailed approach she took to educating her 14 children at home. Consider her a mentor to anyone seeking to keep God at the center of family life while tending to the temporal needs of everyone involved.  
Mrs. Faia references The Story of a Soul and The Story of a Family: The Home of St. Therese of Lisieux. 
Subscribe to the Kolbecast in your favorite podcast player for effortless episode delivery.   
Have a suggestion or question for the Kolbecast team? Write to us at podcast@kolbe.org.  
Interested in Kolbe Academy’s offerings? Visit kolbe.org.     

56 Home but Not Alone

AMDG. Maria and her family were among many who turned on a dime in response to the pandemic-related impact on their schooling choices. This episode details the path that led Maria and her family to Kolbe and how her daughter’s experience in the inaugural year of the online elementary program went. With candor and grace, Maria shares how she and her husband worked through sticking points, how they as a family adapted to the new school structure, and what their plans for the coming school year.  
Maria is featured in this video, among others, on the Kolbe Academy YouTube channel. For more information about the online K-5 program, check out this Facebook Friday webinar.  
Subscribe to the Kolbecast in your favorite podcast player for effortless episode delivery.  
 
Have a question or suggestion for the Kolbecast team? Write to us at podcast@kolbe.org. Interested in Kolbe Academy’s offerings? Visit kolbe.org.    

55 Humor & Humility

AMDG. Heather, a longtime Kolbe Academy homeschooling mom, takes Bonnie back in time to the start of Heather’s family’s homeschooling experience. Along the way, Heather shares some of the struggles and sorrows they encountered. With much humor and compassion, Heather offers her pragmatic suggestions on how to deal with the opinions of others about family educational choices, when spouses aren’t on the same page, and criticism. She underscores the importance of prayer and of asking for help, and she cautions against falling into the comparison trap. Listen in for an engaging dose of inspiration and a generous helping of laughter. 
Have a question or suggestion for the Kolbecast team? Write to us at podcast@kolbe.org. Subscribe in your favorite podcast player for effortless episode delivery. Interested in Kolbe Academy’s offerings? Visit kolbe.org.