Geauga County Info
READ IMPORTANT CHANGES EFFECTIVE 10/2/23 HERE.
"A parent who elects to provide home education shall supply [notification] to the superintendent no later than the first week of the start of the public school building the child would attend in the school district of residence or within one week of the date on which the child begins to reside in the district or within one week from the child’s withdrawal from a school." 3301-34-03 Notification
Start dates for Geauga County can be found here. All Lake County info can be found here.
Chardon School District
Superintendent Michael P. Hanlon, Jr., Ph.D.
428 North Street
Chardon, OH 44024
Berkshire School District
Superintendent John Stoddard
14155 Claridon Troy Rd.
Burton, OH 44021
NOTE: West Geauga, Cardinal, and Kenston superintendents delegate all homeschool notifications to the Lake Geauga Educational Services Center. This has been approved by the State Board of Education's legal department. In order for homeschoolers to be in compliance with the regulations, we must supply our information to the superintendent of our local school district. If you choose to send your notification directly to the ESC it is important that you address it as shown to Amy Dawson. Otherwise, address and mail it directly to your superintendent at the address given below your district.
Superintendent (name) of (your local school district)
c/0 Amy Dawson
Geauga County Home School Coordinator
Administrative Assistant
8221 Auburn Rd
Painesville, Ohio 44077
440-350-2563 Ex 734
Cardinal School District
Superintendent Jack Cunningham
15982 E. High Street
P.O. Box 188
Middlefield, Ohio 44062
Kenston School District
Superintendent Steve Sayers
17419 Snyder Road
Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44023
West Geauga School District
Superintendent Dr. Rich Markwardt
8615 Cedar Road
Chesterland, OH 44026
Does a signature matter?
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The correct signature matters! Ohio's homeschool regulations state that the superintendent shall supply an excusal or any request for more information in writing. (3301-34-03 (C) ) If the superintendent is doing the excusing or the requesting it follows that their signature will be affixed.
All excusals in Geauga county are filtered through the Educational Services Center and will have your local superintendents signature on your excusal. The state board of education's legal department determined that there is no issue with the schools contracting with the ESC to offer this service as long as the correct signature is included.
Another reason the proper signature matters has to do with Ohio's diploma fairness law. You can read more about that here: https://www.cheohome.org/.../diploma-fairness-information/
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What about socialization?
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"Some people really struggle with interacting with others. This is a personality issue, not a schooling issue...I know hundreds of socially awkward people who graduated from government schools. Being in a school is not a cure for awkwardness. If you have a child who struggles with social interaction, you need to work with that child and help [them] overcome his or her fears, bad habits, and/or inhibitions."
Israel Wayne, Answers for Homeschooling: Top 25 Questions Critics Ask
What about school boards?
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Should homeschoolers care about state and local school board elections? A big YES! These elections are important to you - the taxpaying homeschooler of Geauga County!
The state board of education oversees our homeschool regulations and it is helpful to have someone who understands homeschooling on the board. LOCALLY it is important because the district school board hires the superintendent that handles homeschooling notifications and also helps make decisions regarding sports and non graded school activities in which homeschooled kids are legally permitted to participate.
Find out who is running in your district this year and what they stand for. Don't be silenced because you are not IN the system. You are PAYING for that system and the decisions made do impact the homeschooling community.
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