As parents, my wife and I fully endorse HSA and this reunion. We are glad to see so many homeschool graduates finding HSA to be a valuable resource and a beneficial point of contact with those who share their values and experiences. It is exciting to think that this network is helping to support the homeschool lifestyle beyond graduation. By forging a strong community of homeschool graduates, events such as this reunion have the potential to encourage alumni to become the enthusiastic, resourceful and successful homeschoolers that most of us parents hope they will become.

The HSA reunion endeavors to be a safe place for homeschool alumni. By ‘safe’, I mean that HSA has no hidden agendas such as marketing, matchmaking, exploitation, leading of organized religious, para-church or political campaigns. The God ordained authorities in the lives of HSA members can rest assured that there is no assertion of, or competition for authority that properly rests within the church and family. The only influence intended is the encouragement of homeschool alumni consistent with HSA's clearly stated mission.

Consistent with HSA core values, a protestant Christian worldview will be represented in the form and substance of the reunion activities, speakers and fellowship. However, this event itself is not an evangelistic outreach and I’m sure you can expect a diversity of views and individual beliefs communicated through the speakers, organized events, and attendees.

Although most attendees are 20-something graduates, there will be a fair representation of graduates in the 18-20 and 30 and up age categories. A few pioneers of today’s home schooling movement, parents of homeschool alumni, have also accepted the invitation.

I am impressed with the advanced planning the committee has done. Event staff will be on hand and responsible for ensuring a safe and edifying time, however, this is not “youth camp” and each attendee is expected to be a responsible adult. Even though the majority of attendees are single, it should be noted by attendees and their parents that this event is not a “singles conference” and the focus of the atmosphere and environment is one of camaraderie and fellowship – not matchmaking. The intention of this reunion is to provide homeschool graduates the unique opportunity to “meet, share ideas, and find community with other alumni” from all across the country (one of HSA’s primary objectives).

It is very important to the Reunion Committee that the highest standards of conduct are upheld. Men’s and women’s dorms will, of course, be separate and inaccessible from each other. The event dress code is available for review here. At the request of the reunion committee, a few parents of alumni will be on hand to generally help out where we can. Married couples (parents of alumni and alumni themselves) may request a private room if desired – but the availability of those rooms is limited and most parents attending will be assigned to a bunk in one of the dorm style buildings.

For use by family members or in emergency situations, an on-site telephone contact number will be sent out to all attendees approximately 1 week before the reunion. As far as we know, most major cell phone carriers provide service at the reunion location.

I hope this note has helped answer some of the questions and settled any concerns you may have about HSA or this event. I do not represent HSA or the Reunion Committee in any official capacity beyond the scope of this letter but please feel free to contact me if I can answer any questions from a parent’s perspective. Keep in mind that as a parent of a homeschool graduate you are welcome and invited to attend – and if you do, I look forward to meeting you soon.

Sincerely,

Charles Spiller

(phone number available upon request)