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How do I "RaiseRight"?

9/27/2023

What is the easiest fundraiser at CHA?
RaiseRight! Last year I raised over $125 towards my family fundraising goal just by purchasing gift cards for places I already shopped at through the RaiseRight app. One year a CHA family met their ENTIRE family goal just through Scrip/RaiseRight fundraising!

It really is easy! Buy a gift card. Spend (or give) your gift card. Earn money for CHA. The earnings come from the brand so there is no extra money that comes out of your pocket. And with 750+ brands you are sure to find some of the regular places you frequent on RaiseRight.

So how do I get started?
Complete the quick sign-up form on the website or mobile app.

Go to: https://www.raiseright.com/enroll or download the RaiseRight app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store
Select “Join a Program” and enter our unique code: CED8F668251LL
Complete the fields to finish setting up your account. (If it prompts you to enter a teacher’s name just use your family’s last name. Grandparents and cousins in California can sign up too! Give them our code and have them enter your family name to help you raise funds too!)
Enter and verify your phone number for 2-step verification.
Congratulations! You’ve created your account.

What do I do once I have an account?
Get your gift cards and go shopping! 90% of your earnings count towards your family fundraising goal. This is the “a little bit at a time adds up to a lot” strategy. Unless you are taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean. At 13% earnings you could meet your entire goal just by paying for a cruise with Royal Caribbean gift cards from RaiseRight.

I use the app on my mobile device. Every pay period I refill a few regular gift cards that we use. I add money to my husband’s Sheetz card so he can buy gas and coffeez. I refill my Walmart card and I take a look at any birthdays or special events coming up. If I have a Kohl’s bill to pay I buy a Kohl’s gift card. (These are the “Kohl’s Cares” gift cards and YES! you can actually pay your credit card bill with them!) My mom orders her Weis grocery gift card. If I need a physical gift card I will order it by the Monday 9am deadline and get my card at dismissal on Wednesday. If an e-card will do the job I pay through the app using my linked bank account and get the card delivered instantly. (This works great for Amazon because you just copy and paste the claim code.) Otherwise, I give my cash or check to Stacy Baxter in the office.

The app linked to my bank account is very handy when I am at a restaurant and the bill comes. I can instantly buy an e-gift card for the total of my check and pay using my phone. At Marshall’s or Bath & Body Works I simply chit-chat with the salesperson for 2 minutes while I order an e-gift card for whatever amount I just spent on foaming hand soap. Or that one time my husband and I got away for a weekend in February, I booked a room through Hotels.com using a RaiseRight gift card. (Best.Decision.Ever.)

Seriously, the hardest part about RaiseRight is remembering to do it. But thankfully Jessica Dietrich (mom of CJ, 8th grade) will be sending you monthly reminders so that you don’t forget! And if you have any questions you can direct them to her anytime throughout the year. Her email address is: [email protected].

This is part of the Board Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series.

Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered?

Submit inquiries toTracey at [email protected]

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What is an R & R Day?

9/20/2023

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CHA’s “R & R” stands for Reading and Rejuvenation! The family policies state, “There are six months of the year where one day is designated as an ‘R & R day.’ Families are encouraged to use these days as outreach project and field trip days. You may use these ‘free’ days, frequently Tuesdays, in the manner you wish. Literature reading will be assigned on R & R days in Middle and High School. When an R&R day is scheduled for a Thursday to free students to participate in March for Life, light writing assignments may also be assigned. Elementary students should read whatever is assigned by mom [or dad] on R & R days.”

There are families at CHA that truly enjoy authentic leisure on these days. They engage in quality reading and take time out to appreciate nature, music, art, or good food together. They seek out things that will inspire deep wonder, not superficial distraction. A well-spent R & R day is a Sabbath rest to enjoy God and His work in our family. Often, the Community Coordinators will plan an optional (and delightful!) field trip for CHA families and many families will attend.

Often the reality of the R & R day looks like tutors catching up on grading, students catching up on late work or making corrections to returned work, some may be getting ahead (or caught up) with their Literature reading, Monday’s math homework gets pushed off until Tuesday, and parents of K-2 are still making their child do Phonics or Math facts, or something- because you never quite feel as though you had gotten as far as you would have liked in your lessons with the younger ones. Oh and we are cramming in those doctor appointments that can only be scheduled on Tuesdays (of course) and the fifty-five loads of laundry that still need to get done, and the huge pile of dishes, and maybe dinner will actually get planned for a change- you know, never mind. None of that sounds very rejuvenating. See you on the field trip!

This is part of the Board Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series.
Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered? Submit inquiries to Tracey at [email protected]

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Taming the Toddlers

9/6/2023

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Homeschooling with younger ones “underfoot”? Here are ideas from some of our experienced parents on how to keep those younger ones occupied while you work with your student!

Call Grandma! Ask her to take the little ones to a library story time, a park, or even just another room of your house until naptime.
Call Grandpa! Ask him to help you with the homeschool work for the older ones until you catch a break at naptime.

***Note: These ideas can work interchangeably. Grandpa is also capable of taking children to the park and Grandma can help you homeschool. The point is, if grandparents or other trusted adults are around and available, use them! (Especially on Tuesdays.)***

Take advantage of naptime and plan your homeschool work accordingly.
Breastfeeding time may be a convenient time to read a History story to your older child!
Plan some type of new activity. (Especially on Tuesdays).

Preschool tutor and Mom of 8, Rosalie Seeley advises: “Having a plan with the activities prepped is best when trying to keep the little one busy so you can work with the older one(s). You can grab the next activity out when their attention span is ready to move on. Don’t be surprised if the older one wants to play too; try to provide breaks and recess so that they are able to focus.”
Ideas for activities you can plan for include:

Play-Doh / Kinetic Sand
Painting / Fingerpainting
Placemats that have activities on them
Small chalkboard and chalk (or whiteboard and markers)
Activity workbooks that are age-appropriate, so the little one feels like they’re a big kid
Puzzles
Cheerios
Sensory Bins
Lacing cards (make your own with cardboard and a hole punch)
Make “jewelry” with beads (or pasta)- also doubles for fine motor development
Building blocks and cars with a task to “build a town”

Collages- little ones can learn how to cut and paste as they cut pictures out of old magazines or even old books you can get from the thrift store. You can guide them with themes (flowers, cars) for their pictures or just whatever they think is pretty.
Bathtub play keeps a little one contained and you can give them lots of things to do in the water while you sit close by; foam letters to stick on the walls of the bathtub, bath crayons or paints, cups for pouring & stacking, squirt bottle for misting, a few drops of food coloring in the water teaches colors and color mixing.
Try a “dry” bath. Yes, your child can actually play in the bathtub without water. An indoor plastic pool works too. S/he will be contained and any big mess can be easily cleaned up!
Search for Baby Activities and Toddler Activities on Pinterest… but search BEFORE Tuesday. Don’t wait until the homeschool day to come up with the activity. Trust us… having a plan helps!

This is part of the Board Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series. Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered? Submit inquiries to Tracey at [email protected]

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How do I "RaiseRight"?

What is an R & R Day?

Taming the Toddlers

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