The daily schedules are below, followed by session descriptions that are in order based on their place in the schedule. To see the sessions in topical order, please click here. Sessions in bold will be recorded to view as part of the Expo Sampler (free for participants; $30 for non-conference-attendees). For more information on the Sampler, click here.
Please check this often as the schedules may change. The most accurate schedule will be in the printed program at the Expo.
Please check this often as the schedules may change. The most accurate schedule will be in the printed program at the Expo.
Thursday, June 269 a.m. Start of Conference (Exhibit Hall will be open all throughout the Expo)9:30 a.m. Session 1Homeschooling Kids With ADHD
If you suspect your child may have some form of attention deficit, this is a must see session. In this session we will dispel the myths about ADHD, understand how having ADHD affects numerous areas of learning and behavior, learn how to increase focus as well as strategies for teaching your brilliant kids with ADHD how they learn best. Speaker: Marianne Sunderland, Homeschooling With Dyslexia Ballrooms 4&5 Help! How Do I Choose Curriculum for My Special Needs Homeschool!? Choosing curriculum is hard for any homeschooling parent. Add in special needs, and it can feel downright impossible. Join Christine from Rabbit Trails Homeschool as she shares her journey of how she choose curriculum, adapted curriculum to fit her unique family, and how to easily modify curriculum so that it will work for your children. Speaker: Christine Zell, Rabbit Trails Homeschool Ballroom 6 Homeschooling with Dyslexia Discover how to confidently navigate homeschooling for children with dyslexia in this empowering session led by Mindy VanZuiden, a certified dyslexia specialist. With personal experience as a homeschooling parent and a professional background in dyslexia intervention, Mindy provides practical insights and actionable strategies to create a supportive and effective learning environment. This session covers curriculum choices designed for the dyslexic learners and essential accommodations to foster academic success. Learn about the importance of grace and encouragement in your homeschooling journey while maintaining realistic goals and celebrating your child’s unique strengths. Whether you’re new to homeschooling or seeking to refine your approach, this session equips you with tools and confidence to help your child thrive. Speaker: Mindy VanZuiden, Tutorburg Breakout 1 Preparing for the Future (Heading Toward Adulthood) We will discuss diploma choices, guardianship, trust funds and resources for parents to connect with as they prepare for the adult special needs journey. Speaker: Susan Blackwell, Homeschooling the Child with Special Needs Breakout 2 Help for New Homeschoolers Are you new to homeschooling or considering homeschooling? This workshop is for you! We will break down the NC homeschool law (and address other state homeschool laws as needed!), discuss pulling children out of brick and mortar school and go over first steps in your homeschooling journey, including the daunting topic of choosing curriculum! Bring your questions and concerns, and we will figure all this out together! Speaker: Amanda Wares, North Carolinians for Home Education Breakout 3 |
10:15 a.m. Session 2Loving Your Differently-Wired Child for Who He Is
Do you feel like all you ever do is yell at and correct your children? And, that every time you praise them, you’ve already berated them 15 times? And, you’re completely exhausted before you’ve even finished your first cup of coffee? Me too! So, what do we do? Our job as parents is to harness all their quirks and intensities for good, without breaking their spirit. It’s not always easy, but you can do it, and the effort is worth it! Speaker: Colleen Kessler, Raising Lifelong Learners Ballrooms 4&5 Soaring with the Strengths! Empowering Your Strong-Willed Child Rediscover your love for your child and learn strategies for reducing tension and building connection! We often see our strong-willed child as intense, pushing boundaries, breaking limits, and questioning everything. What if we flip the script and start seeing them as high energy, tenacious, creative, and curious? Rather than constantly fighting against your child, learn how to shift from control to connection, and how to cultivate a home atmosphere where you can stay calm while your child feels empowered! Speaker: Michelle Brownell, Homeschool Essentials Ballroom 6 I'm Losing Myself: Help For The Burned Out Mom Being a mom is full of challenges on a good day. Mix in learning challenges, unique family situations and being a homeschool parent and burnout almost seems inevitable. As we take care of our families and their needs, our needs as moms can get pushed further and further down the priority list. We move through our days but don't enjoy our lives because there is so much that is overwhelming, hard or out of our control. It's time to take your life back. It's not selfish to take care of you. And in the process you will find that as you do, you will take better care of everyone around you. Let's talk about the mindset and strategies you can use as a mom to thrive in whatever season you are in as we cast a vision for what it looks like to be moms and wives who also embrace our unique interests and callings. Speaker: Sarah McCubbin, Ten Minute Momentum Breakout 1 Tricks of the Trade: Teaching Children with Disability This session is focused on methods of effectively teaching children living with disability. Attendees will leave with a handful of tools necessary to help them effectively educate their child! Speaker: Russ Duncan, Joni & Friends NC Breakout 2 How do I Stop Worrying About my Kids so I Can Have Peace? Parents, there literally is a process and a plan to help us stop worrying so much about our children. We can live with more peace and hope despite our current circumstances and even despite our children’s current choices. I promise there is. Come and listen, as Monica discusses what she learned years ago that helped her so much. No, it’s not going to stop all the worrying, but it will reduce your worry and give you tools that will allow you to take action steps so that you can feel peace. Don’t miss this. It truly will help. Speaker: Monica Irvine, The Etiquette Factory Breakout 3 |
11:15 a.m. Session 3 |
1:30 p.m. Session 4 |
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Homeschooling Held Hostage
In the past twenty years, we’ve seen a lot of changes in the homeschool community. There is much more pressure being put on homeschoolers to excel academically. We’ve gone from a few brave moms who, without access to mainstream “curriculum”, managed to give their children an excellent education—but we’ve forgotten what made it excellent. It was excellent because these moms had a vision for homeschooling—they weren’t trying to re-create school at home. They were simply being obedient to the One who had called them to be different. They knew that if He had called them, He would equip them. And they were right. If you’re struggling to find joy in your calling as a homeschooling parent, if you’re looking for more LIFE in your homeschool, this is one workshop you won’t want to miss. join Heidi as she talks about her journey away from curriculum-driven, workbook based homeschooling and into delight-directed learning. What she learned will bless and inspire you. Speaker: Heidi St. John, Heidi St. John Ballrooms 4&5 Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism & More: Simple Strategies to Teach Our Exceptional Learners Anything! Discover the tried-and-true strategies that can transform how your exceptional learner engages with their education. Say goodbye to frustration and hello to progress! Backed by the latest neuroscience, it’s actually much easier than you think! Taught by a second-generation homeschool mom who struggled with Dyslexia, an Auditory Processing Delay, and ADHD, these are lessons learned from the trenches! Speaker: Aimee Eucce, Play 'n Talk Phonics, Spelling & Typing Ballroom 6 Successfully Advocating and Integrating Your Unique Learner into Homeschool Groups When you have a child with a unique ability, it is sometimes hard to integrate them into a homeschool co-op or support group. However, you do want them to be around other kids. Many groups are run by parents and adults who do not understand your child’s ability. How do you navigate all of this without having your child become a target? How do you help adults understand your child’s needs with patience? In this talk, Leilani will share how you can be an advocate for your child in a world that doesn’t always understand. (This presentation addresses homeschooling and all disabilities) Speaker: Leilani Melendez, Living with Eve Breakout 1 Creating a Homeschool Sensory Program Is your child a sensory seeker, sensory avoider, have low sensory registration, or other sensory processing concerns? Learn strategies from a homeschooling mama/ pediatric occupational therapist for creating a homeschool sensory program to help your child focus and succeed with their homeschool journey. Speaker: Rebecca Thompson, OTR/L, Winston Salem State University - Occupational Therapy Dept Adjunct Faculty Breakout 2 Special Planning: An Overview Define Special Needs Planning Learn how to create your family's "two lifetime" story Understand the needed framework Develop Clarity and the variety of pieces involved. Speaker: Ryan Platt, A Special Needs Plan Breakout 3 |
Online Safety for Your Special Needs Child: Protecting Them in the Digital World
Learn essential strategies for keeping your special needs child safe while navigating the online world. This workshop will cover practical tips for setting boundaries, recognizing potential online risks, and fostering digital literacy in a way that’s tailored to your child's unique needs. You’ll leave with the tools and knowledge to create a safer, more supportive online environment for your child. Speaker: Candice Dugger, Bullied Broken Redeemed & Kids Business Academy Ballrooms 4&5 Autism- Finding Freedom in the Journey The Davis Autism Approach® provides freedom for autistic individuals of all ages to nurture and unlock their unique gifts, while retaining and developing the essence of who they are as an autistic individual so they may participate fully in life, their way. Helping neurodiverse individuals, families, and educators foster a new foundation for learning and developing the executive function and social-emotional skillsets in a gentle and non-invasive approach. The Davis Autism Approach® has three targeted areas, Individuation, Identity Development, and Social Integration. Come discover the freedom to grow on your life journey. Speaker: Mary Martin, Building Bridges for the Mind Ballroom 6 “Mama Just Needs a Minute:” 3 Steps When You’re Over It What do you do in those moments when you’ve just had enough? Homeschooling stretches us in ways we never would have expected, and sometimes it shows a side of us we never knew we had (and not the “good one”). Whether it’s math, reading, or sibling fights… Let’s learn some simple nervous system based strategies for those good days that turn on a dime. Together, let’s relax those shoulders, unclench our jaws, and open our fists and come up with a plan. Speaker: Whitney Whitten, Sensational Moms Breakout 1 Why Teaching Boys to Read and Spell is Different Than Teaching Girls! Boys and girls learn differently—it’s a fact supported by science! Join us for a deep dive into the unique challenges and opportunities of teaching boys to read and spell. You’ll discover why some common strategies fall flat with boys and learn new approaches that will keep them engaged and excited about learning. From what to do and what not to do, this session offers fresh insights and practical tips for keeping your active boys on track. Plus, you’ll take home a list of game-based activities that turn learning into a fun adventure, no matter their age. Speaker: Aimee Eucce, Play 'n Talk Phonics, Spelling & Typing Breakout 2 Self-Care for the Whole Family Far more significant than any developmental or academic needs, inner peace is our most profound, and often overlooked, need. Join Amy Bodkin, Autistic School Psychologist, as she explains just how important self-care is for everyone and shares some practical ideas on how to make self-care a priority in your home! Speaker: Amy Bodkin, Amy Bodkin Consulting Breakout 3 |
2:30 p.m. Session 5How to Teach Your Kids Self-Regulation
Hint: You already are. Your children are watching and learning how you ride the waves of life, some of which are waves that they make! Adding more curriculum to your day might just be an unnecessary, expensive complication that your child will outright reject. That was the case for Whitney's family! Join Whitney as she shares her story of turning the mirror around and gives simple, seamless ways that you can incorporate self-regulation growth into your daily life with your child. Speaker: Whitney Whitten, Sensational Moms Ballrooms 4&5 Testing for the Child with Special Needs We will discuss how testing can help you as a parent decide how to prepare for your homeschool journey. Types of tests and accommodation possibilities will be covered as well as what to do with the results. Speaker: Susan Blackwell, Homeschooling the Child with Special Needs Ballroom 6 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: How Learning Styles Multiple Intelligences Reveal Your Child’s Calling If you’ve been homeschooling for more than 5 minutes, you’ve likely observed that no two of your kids learn the same! Of our 8 children, only 1 learns even remotely like me! Homeschooling is the perfect opportunity to observe the learning styles and unique gifts and talents of each of your children. This session will explain the 8 Intelligences and how to observe them in your children. God has created us all uniquely for a purpose. Understand your children better so that you can teach them more effectively! Speaker: Marianne Sunderland, Homeschooling With Dyslexia Breakout 1 Going Down the Rabbit Trail: Using Quality Literature in Your Homeschool There’s nothing quite like curling up with a good book. You can teach your children through beautiful literature and all of the wonderful exploration that comes with it! See how literature based learning can transform your homeschool, how to create a love of learning, and what it means to go down the Rabbit Trail in your home. Speaker: Christine Zell, Rabbit Trails Homeschool Breakout 2 Embracing Risky Play in Homeschooling: Fostering Growth and Confidence As homeschool parents, providing a well-rounded education for our children often means stepping outside the box. This workshop will delve into the concept of risky play—a crucial, yet often misunderstood, aspect of childhood development. Research divides risky play into 8 different forms, all involving activities that allow children to experience a healthy amount of risk and challenge. These activities help children build confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills, all of which are essential for their overall growth. Led by an occupational therapist, former recreational therapist, and fellow homeschool mom, this session will define risky play, provide tips and tricks to ease our parental struggle, and ways to adapt risky play with respect to each child’s unique abilities and limitations. Speaker: Sarah Collins, HomeschoolOT Breakout 3 |
3:30 p.m. Session 6Learning to Listen Day by Day
This session dives into the practical ways we can really learn to discover our child through their natural dispositions and learning styles and then use that information to build a learning experience that will transform their lives for the purposes they were created for. Speaker: Dawn Jackson, Solimar Academy Breakout 1 Homeschooling in the Midst of Mental Health Struggles (Yours AND Theirs) Our kids are more likely to have depression, anxiety, and other mental health struggles. How do we homeschool when day to day survival is hard enough? What if you as the parent also are dealing with mental health issues? From a mom that has been there done that, both personally and with my kids - I will share what has worked for us (and what has NOT worked), and how we made it through homeschool in the midst of mental health struggles. Speaker: Amanda Wares, North Carolinians for Home Education Breakout 3 4:15 p.m. Session 7: KEYNOTEEmpowering Every Learner: Unlocking Potential Through Tailored Education
In this powerful yet moving keynote address, Terrie McKee, a mom of four special needs children, will encourage special needs parents to not give up, to seek out and teach to their childrens' gifts, talents, and interests, and to keep their eyes planted firmly on the future, whatever that may be. She will detail the valleys and victories of her son Sam's autism journey from being nonverbal to now being 30 years old, living on his own, and holding down a job. She will encourage parents to be the best advocates for their children. Speaker: Terrie McKee, Homeschooling One Child Ballrooms 4, 5, 6 5 p.m. End of Conference Day 1 |