PHAA Evaluators Listing

 I have been teaching English, Reading and Writing for over 40 years.  I am a certified teacher in Secondary English (B.S.) and as a K-12 Reading Specialist (M. Ed.).  I teach at a private school for students with language-based learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and Executive Functions.  Over the years I have worked with several homeschooling families and we home-schooled one of our sons.

I am available as an evaluator and as a tutor.

Jason has been homeschooling for almost 15 years and has supported homeschoolers and homeschool families across the country in the areas of Writing, US History, Africana Studies, US and World Literature, and College Prep. In addition to providing tutoring, consulting, and evaluation services, he is also a co-host of the Black Men Homeschool podcast. Jason has a current PA Teacher Certification (7-12) and a current PA emergency certification (K-12). He attended Jackson State University, graduating with a degree in English and Teacher Education. He received his Ph.D in English from Temple University. He has been a community advocate for social justice and education reform in Philadelphia for well over a decade and is now an Assistant Professor of English at the Community College of Philadelphia, where he also serves as the Program Coordinator for the Diversity Fellows Program.  Before CCP, he was the Writing Across the Curriculum/Writing in the Disciplines Coordinator at the historic Lincoln University, where he helped faculty develop appropriate tools for collecting data on student writing. 

Email- jasonesters@gmail.com

Phone Number- 215-796-0224

Terry has been evaluating homeschool students close to 40 years and prior to the homeschool law of 1988.  Through the private school in which he taught, Terry assisted homeschool families in setting up their home educational programs and served as an educational consultant.  Working through the umbrella school gave him the vision to form a state recognized diploma program, Buxmont Christian Educational Institute (BCEI) which operated for 29 years.  His own teaching experience and his educational background (BA in Religious Education, BA in English, and MS in Integrative Education) provided him with the  expertise to operate this "school" along with his wife Pauline who is also an evaluator.  They homeschooled their own three children for high school.  Due to health issues BCEI was closed and the alumni records are now maintained by PHAA. Terry has written many courses throughout the years and has worked over 25 years with individuals with special needs.  Terry and Pauline are the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren and one great grandchild. 

My educational background includes a B.S. in Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture (Cornell University) and a M.S. and Teacher Certification in Special Education (Temple University). 

My employment history includes being a special education horticulture teacher, learning center tutor, summer camp director, special education substitute teacher, private tutor, and homeschool science teacher. I offer courses on Outschool.

I have served as a homeschool evaluator since 2009. I have written a course, “How to Start Homeschooling”.  On May 25, 2024, I was asked to participate as a panelist and a presenter at the Buxmont Homeschool Conference. The PHAA Board welcomed me as a new board member in May 2024.

Our children, ages 31, 29, and 24, were always homeschooled. Our son is a 2015 Cornell University graduate. He has a B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences. Our daughter is a 2017 Albright College graduate. She has a B.A. in Fashion Design. She is also a 2021 LIM college graduate with a Master of Professional Studies in the Business of Fashion. Our third child, a daughter, has a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology from New York Institute of Technology and a M.S. in Data Science from New York Institute of Technology. I am listed with Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency, Mason Dixon Homeschoolers Association, and Erie County Homeschoolers Association.

Phone number: 215-395-1667

Email: faithwalkshigh@gmail.com

Home - Experience Homeschooling (mailchimpsites.com)

JOY MCCUEN
22 Harding Ave, Hatboro PA 19040
215-285-0653

I homeschooled my three children for 17 years and have been doing evaluations since the PA law was passed. I have dual certification in elementary and special education. I also am certified in Secondary Math and have a Masters in school supervision.  I  am approved for PHAA diploma evaluations. For over 25 year I had my own private tutoring service, so saw the work that was being done in most of the area school districts. I worked in a high school for teen mothers for 8 years and then taught in an alternative program for Pennsbury High School for 6 years.  All evaluations are conducted in my home in Hatboro or via Zoom. After examining the materials and interviewing the student, I write a report that contains a paragraph of legal language and a personal paragraph about the student. I can also use a simple checklist evaluation if preferred.  Since I have seen many homeschool programs in operation, I keep in mind the personalities and goals of each family as I do evaluations.  I have evaluated everything from the very traditional to the very unschooled.  I look forward to working with you.

I am a homeschooling mom of 4 with a Degree in Mathematics and 24+ years of classroom teaching experience. In addition to having experience in public, private, and parochial schools in the US and abroad, I have also taught in GED programs and the Upward Bound Program as a Math Instructor. I currently offer math tutoring and consulting for grades K-12. I also teach Algebra 2 and Geometry courses for homeschoolers. If you are interested in free Math Tutorials, I have over 600 math videos on my YouTube channel. Can’t wait to meet you!

Email- dionnewillis@gmail.com

Website-www.dionnewillis.com

I am a Pennsylvania certified teacher with a Reading Specialist Certification as well as a Masters in Reading. I have 10 years of teaching experience at a local Christian school (Eden Christian Academy), plus five years teaching literature and grammar at a homeschool study center, and have tutored K-8 students in all subject areas. I have been performing home school evaluations since 2000 and will meet in my home or another location (usually a local library) that is central to both of us.

My goal is to support the parents through the homeschool education process and provide an opportunity for your child(ren) to be recognized for their effort, work, and accomplishments.

I charge $50 for an elementary evaluation, which takes about an hour; and $25 for each additional child. Long form evaluations for grades 9-12 are $65 per student and $55 for each additional child. I live near Robinson Towne Center, and would love to talk with you about the evaluation process and answer any questions that you might have. Please email me at loraebell@comcast.net letting me know your evaluations needs and I’ll reach out to schedule a brief phone conversation to see if we’re a good fit for one another.

Lora Bell

I live in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, about 5 minutes from Ross Park Mall. I am a Pennsylvania certified teacher with 7 years of grading experience at the following schools: Hillcrest Christian School in Bethel Park, Eden Christian Academy in Ross Township, and Bethel Christian Academy in the North Side of Pittsburgh, from 1988 to 1994, respectively. For the past 5 years, I have been teaching students, ages 5 to 19, in English, reading and math - serving as the Title I tutor for Three Rivers Youth and Spectrum Family Network, social service agencies in Pittsburgh. I served also as a tutor in these same subjects from 1998-99 at Community College of Allegheny County, Allegheny Campus.

I have evaluated home school students in all grades for the past 5 years. I like to do evaluations in my home, but will consider traveling. Call me to talk: 412-486-8955

Hello I am certified in Secondary Citizenship and History.

I am Private school certified in English and History.

Have worked in both public and private schools. As well as parochial schools.

My undergrad was in Applied History and instructional studies. I have my Masters Level of Equivalency from the state of Pa.

I have my Graduate Certification in Genocide & Holocaust Studies from Seton Hill University.

I am a certified Constitution Coach with Patriot Academy.

For nine year I taught at Joey Travoltas Film Camp for students with Autism. We taught the ins and outs of film making. I taught a little bit of everything there. 

I have been an actor all my life. I have also been a patron of the arts. I love theater and know what a transformative thing it can be. Would love to direct someday. 

Jennifer Wheeler is an avid book reader and lover of all things literature, writing, and music.  As an English Education Major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Jen added a love of teaching to her love of literature. After receiving a B.S. in English Education from IUP, Jen taught for several years in the Fairfax County Public School System where she instructed 10th and 11th grade students in English and Language Arts.  During that time, she also served as a curriculum developer and testing coordinator for her team.

Jen and her husband John married in 2006 and were blessed a year later with a beautiful daughter. They have been homeschooling their four children since their oldest, Katie, entered Kindergarten in 2011.

Jen is very interested in various homeschooling philosophies and methods.  She is a book and curriculum junkie, and in her “spare time,” she loves to read, knit, spin, make music, and go on adventures.  She plays piano, organ and viola, and enjoys participating in Opus 2 Orchestra, a community orchestra for youth and adults.

In 2020 Jen took a position as Middle School English Teacher at an Ensign Peak Academy, which reignited her desire to teach and create solid instructional materials.  As a result, she pursued a Master's Degree in Technology for Online Education and Instructional Design at Slippery Rock University, graduating in December of 2021 with her M. Ed.  During the time she was completing her degree, Jen was promoted to Director of Elementary Education at Ensign Peak Academy.  A position which she held for two years, until family circumstances necessitated that she step back.   

Jen truly finds joy in learning and adventuring wherever the life leads her.  Her primary goals as an evaluator and mentor are to encourage students to love learning and help parents find the support and resources they need to be successful.

Jen lives just east of Pittsburgh and is happy to do evaluations in her home or online.  If another location would be preferred, please make arrangements in advance.

Elizabeth Bock - Poconos

I taught elementary school for 8 years in East Stroudsburg School District. I then spent 6 years at Agora Cyber Charter School teaching high school Special Ed.  I am currently employed back at East Stroudsburg working with their cyber program.  I and have a master's degree in Special Education. I can complete evaluations for elementary, secondary, and handicapped. I enjoy conducting home school evaluations to see the variety and creativity of programs that various families have used. I have competitive rates with sibling discounts. I am available to schedule thorough evaluations as they best fit with both of our schedules. I have been conducting home school evaluations for 12 years. I am located 5 minutes off Rt 80, Tannersville exit - easily accessible from all of Monroe county. Contact Beth at 484-274-1495 or webock22@hotmail.com

 Julie Engler...610-746-0409 

email:  twinjulie1@yahoo.com

Educational Consultant and Homeschool Evaluator

570-676-5559
College Cash Consulting and Educational Services
PA Homeschool Consulting and Tutoring

With over 30 years in the education field involving levels from secondary, university in both the public and private school systems.  Maria created various educational programs in the fields of regular and gifted education.

Maria has the hands-on experiences of gathering data and creating educational curriculum on the academic needs of both gifted and regular ed. students and AP students that included but not limited to college planning, scholarship searching, career planning, administrating personality inventories, learning style inventories, expression inventories and interest inventories, cognitive assessments, reading and math assessments, coordinating job shadow experiences, college entrance applications, test preparation and resume writing.

As a recognized and published leader in education whose background includes graduate work at University of Pennsylvania and William and Mary College, Maria was awarded several grants that included two National Educational Association (NEA) grants, the Appalachian Regional Award grant, Pennsylvania Governor School for Educational Leadership, and MAGPI/Internet 2 grant that connected local students with international students.  She has presented at National, State, and Local educational conferences on a broad array of topics that included gifted education, preparing for college, and Gifted Women in Careers and Education. She is a member of PA Association of College Admissions Counselor , Associate Member of Independent Educational Consultant Association. Member of the Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce.

 Dr. Carolyn McKeon holds a Bachelor's of Science as a Teacher of the Speech and Hearing Handicapped, a Master’s of Science in Reading and Language Arts, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education with an emphasis in K-12 Teaching and Learning. Dr. McKeon also holds a second M.S. Ed in Instructional Technology for Adult Learning-Higher Education as well as a second B.S. in Business Administration. She also holds an AS in Criminology and 2 post graduate certificates (Human Resources and Applied Behavior Analysis). 

She homeschooled 4 young men for 28 years. She has successfully graduated all 4 from high school and all 4 have attended college and graduated. She supports all types of homeschooling styles, but is most fond of self-directed learning (delight driven, unschooling). She has been an evaluator for the last 10 years.

As an evaluator, I do both in person and long distance evaluations. I offer the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (Revised). I will travel up to 1 hour for an evaluation or somewhere in between. I will come to you at your convenience, meet in a public place, or you can come to my home (whatever works for you and your family). I do not have a set fee. The fee is determined by the individual family based on their own personal budget. I will even barter for services. While I have a large base of students (300+ evals a year), I am always willing to work with a new family. I have worked with several college entrance, military entrance, and athlete families. Most recently I have gone through the rigors of NCAA requirements for homeschooling athletes. I was an NCAA DIII coach.

On a professional level, she has more than 25 years of teaching and administrative experience in primary and secondary education, including 17 years of experience in higher education as an online instructor for 3 different colleges. Prior to working in higher education, she worked as a community based classroom instructor in various learning cooperatives and ran a successful private speech and reading tutor business. In 2009, she founded and ran Maranatha Mission Learning Community, a private, religious school in the Commonwealth of PA. The school remained open for six years. At its closing there were over 180 students enrolled. She also volunteers as a homeschool volleyball coach in her local community for co-ed athletes 9-18 years of age. She is entering her 12th year.

Dr. McKeon has successfully published her dissertation as well as “The 6 R’s of a positive facilitator” in the Journal of eLearning and Online Teaching. Other publications include articles in Growing Together, an alternative learning publication. She presented at the KU Village in 2009 and at a professional development conference in 2014 for Rasmussen College regarding Fostering Presence through Effective and Timely Feedback. 

Dr. McKeon’s professional memberships include the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  She spent 2 years as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in PA. She is also a member of HSLDA. She is a peer reviewer for both the Journal of eLearning and Online Teaching and Journal of Mixed Methods Research (JMMR). She is currently a full-time adjunct with Purdue University Global, and part-time adjunct at Rasmussen College and Northampton Community College.

Dr. Carolyn McKeon

570-916-1376

cmckeon3@yahoo.com 

 I love evaluating and encouraging all grades!  From full curriculum to unschooling, it is great to share in your kiddos' discoveries and learning experiences.  I homeschooled my three from birth through the first year of college credits.  All graduated PHAA.  You can meet me for an evaluation or I can visit you, as you wish.  I also teach speech and presentation classes to homeschool co-ops.  

I have been a homeschool evaluator for both elementary and secondary since 1996. My husband and I homeschooled our own children for 20 years, graduating all 3. For standardized testing, I administer the Woodcock-Johnson IV, which is given individually to children, not in groups, and is on the list of approved tests with the state. I am able to "approve" objectives for children with special needs. I wrote my doctoral dissertation on homeschooling children with special needs, and have experience with my own children. Be sure to visit my website at www.his-homeschool-center.com where you will see I also offer a service for helping students with their high school research papers.

Timothy Anger, M.S.

High school / Credits

Timothy has been a high school math and science teacher since graduating from Maranatha Baptist Bible College in 1984. He earned his Masters Degree at Bob Jones University and is currently the principal at Emmaus Baptist Academy. He has been a member of the PHAA board since 2016.

Timothy has been doing homeschool evaluations for PHAA since 1990 in the Lehigh Valley/Quakertown area. He can be reached by phone at 484-519-0109 or by email at tanger@lveval.org He does the evaluations at his office in Emmaus in May and June.

For more information visit his website: www.lveval.org

Hello! I will travel or meet in person Northeast PA.  I am PA teacher certified with Med education/administration and provide Home School Evaluations since mid 1980s through PHAA, ECHSDA and others.  I tutor preK to college in Reading, Writing and Math.  In addition, I can give testing CAT, IOWA, WRAT and more.  I look forward to working with your children and families.  Please contact me via email rofuji6@gmail.com or phone 6102484486

Dawn is a certified teacher in both Pennsylvania and Delaware. She has over 16 years of teaching experience in the public, private, and homeschooling fields. Currently she is homeschooling her own 2 children. She is qualified to evaluate both Elementary and Secondary. Working with families of all ages, she has helped form individualized plans and given assessments. Having helped families stay in compliance with the law and work with them on district requirements, she has saved many families from extra hassle. She enjoys working with children, praising their areas of strengths and encouraging in areas of weakness. If you are looking for an evaluator for your family, Dawn would love to work along side you toward the success of your children.

Age 6, Elementary through Grade 8.  Individually administered PIAT-R

Stacey has been an elementary teacher since graduating from Atlantic Baptist Bible college in 1992. For the last 32 years, she has been involved with teaching elementary and high school with ABeka and the ACE Curriculum at Emmaus Baptist Academy. Stacey homeschooled her one child with Asperger Syndrome for two years, working intently with retraining behavior and changing his diet. He was then successfully placed back in school.

Stacey has been doing home school evaluations in the Lehigh Valley/Quakertown/Bethlehem/Easton area since 1995. She can be reached by text at 484-226-9735 or by email (hammett.evals@gmail.com). She does the evaluations and testing at her home in April, May and June.

Please, contact her for more information.

Roland, or Jake, is a PA Certified teacher of social studies (7-12) and ESL (K-12). He has been writing evaluations for over 20 years.  He and his wife, Stacie, have home-schooled their 7 children for over 30 years (all done now!). Jake enjoys meeting with parents and their children and would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and yours. In addition to a rewarding and encouraging interview for both you and your successful child, you will receive a professional and well-written narrative regarding your child's educational progress and any of their other accomplishments from throughout the school year.  Jake conducts evaluations at either your home or his.  His flat rate fee is $50 for secondary, $35 for elementary. 

Contact: Roland (Jake) Jacobus, 610-264-4955 or email savannaroland@gmail.com

I have over 30 years of home school experience, mentoring, and teaching. I also have over a decade of evaluating 200+ students and helping with homeschool consultations. I offer evaluations for students K-12th grade along with home school consultations to meet any need of the families that I serve.  I also specialize in college planning & helping high school students to earn college credit in their high school years. Instead of just giving a standard evaluation form, I also offer personalized summaries for each student evaluated. This summary details highlights of the school year and celebrates the accomplishments of the student. Students and parents appreciate these two-page summaries, or I can simply provide the standard evaluation form, if desired.

I have six sons and have been home educating for over 28 years. I have graduated all six of our sons with PHAA (Pennsylvania Home School Accreditation Agency). I have many years of experience with home schooling and have been very active and involved in the home school community. My many years of teaching, along with my passion for helping other home schooling parents, allows me to serve home schooling parents in a variety of ways.

I am a graduate of West Chester University with a B.A. in Social Work and Psychology. Before starting a family, I worked with many school districts and various other social agencies including Children and Youth Services. In addition to home educating my own children, I have continued my own schooling. I have attended numerous conferences and workshops on teaching and education, and attended many curriculum fairs to remain current on the many different teaching tools available to the home school community.

Over the years, I have been involved in different home school groups and taught in these groups. I have taught numerous group classes with many home schoolers over the years. I continue to mentor many home schooling mothers and help to establish new parents in home schooling through personalized consultations. I am well acquainted with the home school law, so I have been able to guide parents so that they are fully compliant with the requirements of the law and understand how to work well with their own school districts.

I have always made up my own curriculum for our children, using a variety of resources that were adapted for their particular learning styles. As such, I am very familiar with many different types of curricula that home educators may use. One unique aspect of my own home education program with my children was incorporating distance learning in the high school years. This added a lot of challenges and additional responsibilities for my children, but it paid off tremendously. Our hard work in the high school years with distance learning, CLEP courses, Dante's courses, and taking classes at a local college allowed ALL of our sons to accelerate their college graduation up to a full year! That saved them thousands of dollars in tuition! Our sons have gone on to be very successful in their career pursuits. Our home education program laid a strong foundation for our sons to be successful in higher education. Based on my own work and success in this area, I also serve as an advisor to help families with career counseling for their high school students.

I have a passion for teaching and helping others to be successful in their educational pursuits and equipping students with a solid education. As an evaluator and consultant, my years of experience are a valuable asset to other home schooling parents. Feel free to check out my Facebook page: Diana Jensen – Home School Consultant and Evaluator.

Diana Jensen

520 Jared Way, New Holland, PA 17557

Reach me via texting or calling my cell: 484-459-2670

Email: ericndiana6boys@msn.com

I am a PA certified high school English teacher, and have taught in both public and Christian schools around Delaware and Chester counties. I have home schooled my own children for many years (now ages 20-34) and they have been accepted to Penn State, Kaplan, Bob Jones, Regent, VA Tech, and Rosemont where they have received both undergraduate and graduate degrees. 

I have also been tutoring children of all ages (2nd - college), and have seen the growing need for personal, one-on-one communication with children in order to meet the variety of learning styles.

I am a Bible believing, born again Christian, who loves the Lord and is seeking to serve Him in all that I do.

I began doing evaluations under the tutelage of Mrs. Iris Dowling. She was kind enough to "show me the ropes," and I have gained incredible insight and knowledge from her.

I received my Master’s of Education degree from Northcentral University in 2014, and my B.S. in English from West Chester University in 1988 (with minor in Journalism).

Wendy Radle
Media (Delaware County) also serving the Chester and Bucks Counties.

 email address:  therenzis@comcast.net

Linda D. Blocker, M. Ed.
5714 Potteiger Ave.
Harrisburg, PA 17112
(717) 545-6039

I am a homeschool mother of five children. I have been evaluating students since 1991. Currently I assist over 200 families. I am certified to evaluate all levels and types of students included special needs. I have two types of evaluations available, including a detailed type. I do most of the evaluations in my home. I am available April through June. I will travel for an additional fee and only in April or early May.

I have evaluated all types of programs and educational philosophies. Over the years, I have seen many types of homeschool programs and can give helpful suggestions, if needed. I have learned that every home and homeschool student are not the same, thus, every homeschool program will be different.

I offer the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement Form C/Brief Battery in my home or in a group setting.

My website: www.lbhomeschoolhelps.com has information on all the services I offer as well as many helpful resources. You can also contact me directly through the website or through the information at the top.

Elizabeth Ferry

38 Mt Rock Rd.

Newville, PA 17241

717.776.3783

Expertise

Elizabeth Ferry has a BS in French Education K-12 from Millersville University and is a Pennsylvania certified teacher.  She has taught at private school and public schools for 5 years.  She has been home educating her children for the past 19 years.  Since the mid 90s, she has had experience teaching, tutoring, and testing elementary through university levels.  Elizabeth is extremely knowledgeable about different learning styles, home education methods, and is understanding of how each family utilizes what works best for their children.

Evaluations

Passionately interested in the field of education, she will enable your child to feel comfortable during the interview and will help the parent/supervisor meet the child's educational needs under the home education law.  The evaluation form will vary according to the needs of the family, the program or curriculum followed, and the requirements of the PA Home Education Law.  Clients usually call or email her from March to early May to schedule appointments.  She does evaluations at home before June 20th, as the deadline is the 30th for the evaluations to be filed in PA school districts.  Travel is possible if a group of families will be evaluated in one day, as well as discounts available for the group.  Please contact her with any questions, or for more information.

My journey in education began when as a teenager I served on a mission team in the Philippines, and taught English to some Bible school students there! Returning to the States, I obtained my Bachelor's degree and then, while teaching middle school Language Arts at a Christian school in Lancaster, obtained my master's degree in Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (focusing on English as a Second Language).

A detour led me into the world of home education when a teacher friend suggested I evaluate students after my first child was born and I quit full-time teaching. That was in 2000, and since then I've found a lot of joy and fulfillment in meeting with students and their parents, and encouraging them in their journey, offering advice and direction when needed. Since 2001, I have also taught writing, literature, and speech classes to middle and high school students once a week in my home and/or a co-op setting. Most importantly, I am thrilled to be able to teach my own three children (my oldest graduated in 2018, and in the 2020-21 school year, I have a high school senior and sophomore).

I am certified to teach and evaluate grades 7-12 and would like to assist homeschool parents in providing the best possible education for their children by offering a thorough yet relaxed evaluation in my home. The evaluation consists of an interview, about one hour in length, during which I look through the portfolio with the student, discuss it, and type a detailed report with the student's biographical data, my own credentials, a general overview of the student's activities, and a specific outline of the material covered in each class during that year, highlighting the student's strengths. The parent is welcome to sit with the student and me during the interview. Please contact me with any questions you have!

Renita Gerlach

Beverly Graybill holds a B.S. in Special Education, a M.S. in Elementary Education, and a Reading Certificate from Millersville University. She has been serving the homeschool community as an evaluator since 1989 and is certified to evaluate both elementary and secondary, including working with PHAA. In addition, she has taught in public/private schools for 8 years, has 10+ years of experience teaching middle school English at a weekly homeschool co-op, and 20+ years of experience home schooling her own four children, all of which have graduated. She currently teaches middle school English classes on-line for Aim Academy.

*Updated 1/2023*

ABOUT ME:

Native to Berks County, I moved to Lancaster in 2022 upon getting married and have 10 years of teaching and evaluating experience. 

I graduated from Albright College (2012 B.A., 3.97 GPA) and Kutztown University (2016 M. Ed., 4.0 GPA) and have a variety of personal and teaching experience that helps me to relate to all kinds of families:

• Homeschooled from K-6 (Abeka, Bob Jones, Sonlight, etc.)
• Graduated high school from Berks Christian
• Student taught in city and rural schools
• Taught at a charter school (Gillingham--Charlotte Mason philosophy)
• Worked as a Reading Specialist (Reading Recovery trained) at Wilson School District (Berks County) 

EVALUATIONS:

*Plus additional $10 per student enrolled in PHAA 

I'm willing to give discounts for additional children. 

I prefer to do evaluations out of my home in Lancaster, but I may be able to meet you at another location or do video evaluations via Zoom or Google Meet.  

Your checklist to bring to the evaluation:

• List of books read by you and your child
• Log of 180 days/hours
• Sample work from all subject areas (beginning, middle, and end of the year), compiled in folders or binders

I provide a copy of my education certificate to give to your local school district, as well as the form to fill out and sign to show a satisfactory year. 

During the evaluation, I'll look through your documents while asking you and your child questions like:

• What was your favorite thing about this year? 
• What is something your find hard about school? 
• What does a typical day look like? 
• Did you go on any field trips or outings? 
• What kinds of activities do you enjoy doing? 

It is my goal for this to be a celebration of the school year and to make you as comfortable as possible.

Please email me with any questions at:

girlgonewise1@gmail.com

Blessings to you! 

Kara M. Grijincu, M. Ed.

 I have a Bachelor's Degree in Special Education and a Master's Degree in Elementary Education. I taught 35 years in the public school system, teaching students with Intellectual Disabilities, mostly at the middle school level. My students were significantly delayed, with a variety of diagnosis including Down Syndrome and Autism. I evaluated my sister-in-law's 3 children throughout all their years of homeschooling, graduating each one with the PHAA diploma. 

My particular classroom was so similar to homeschooling in that I had up to 12 students, all working at different academic and emotional levels, and all with different strengths and needs for learning. Not all children learn in the same way, at the same speed, with the same modes to share that knowledge. I get it! And I get you! 

Now that I am retired from public school teaching, I have time to spend encouraging homeschool families, especially those with children with special educational needs. I love seeing how each family embraces homeschooling and watch the children grow and flourish. It is a joy not to be under the constraints of the state and district with their unrealistic mandates. 

I can provide Special Educational Needs Objectives pre-approval, testing (using the Woodcock-Johnson test), evaluations at all grade levels, and PHAA high school diploma evaluations. I live in western Lancaster County, and am willing to travel for testing and evaluations, especially to the Allentown area and between Lancaster and Wellsboro. 

I am a champion for homeschool families, and evaluations are a celebration of the hard work you and your children have put into your year. 

You can contact me for pricing, what to bring to an evaluation, and what to expect at an evaluation.

 I am a certified PA school psychologist who has been homeschooling her own children (and others) for over a decade.  One of my favorite parts of the year is when I get to celebrate with other homeschooling families as they complete their year-end evaluations.  I have been doing evaluations for about ten years, and I am qualified to evaluate students in elementary through high school levels, as well as provide special education approvals.  

Since I often evaluate multiple children in the same family, I always provide sibling discounts.  I take $5 off every consecutive evaluation, so the second student would have $5 dollars off their evaluation, but the third would have $10 off, and so on.  I charge $55 for PHAA high school evaluations, $40 for middle school, and $30 for elementary.  Special educational approvals are $10.  

My home is located between Lebanon and Schaefferstown, directly on 897 and close to 501.  

I recently moved out to beautiful Lancaster County from the city of Philadelphia, when my husband retired the end of December 2018 after 40 years in the pastorate. I hold a PA Teaching Certificate in French and Spanish for grades K-12. I have earned two Master of Arts degrees from Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT: one for French in 1983 and one for Spanish in 1991. My undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree in French is from Eastern University, St. Davids, PA, earned in 1979.

I have been conducting elementary and secondary evaluations since 1995. I am also approved to do evaluations and accept credits for the Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency (PHAA) Diploma Program. I write detailed, personalized evaluations, giving an in-depth summary of each student's individual homeschool program.

I understand what it is like to be a homeschooler. I was a homeschooling parent for 24 years, having homeschooled my three children from kindergarten through high school. All three of my children graduated through the PA Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency and subsequently went on to graduate from college. I have also taught French and Spanish classes to homeschooled students since 1998.

I love doing evaluations because it gives me an opportunity to see some of the many different approaches to homeschooling. I am also able to offer encouragement and suggestions from my years of personal experience. I am always excited to find new homeschool families to work with, and would welcome the chance to talk to you about your homeschooling needs.

Pam Powles
2 Todd Road
Ronks, PA 17572
717-288-2927

I am a homeschool mother of two children who have gone on to college and medical school after homeschooling K-12. I have a masters degree in musicology and have taught independent music lessons for 30 years to students, aged 4-84, learning music theory, appreciation, and history as they perfected their playing of their instrument. I founded a non-profit organization that presented concerts and kid's history-through-the-arts workshops for 15 years. While homeschooling, I've gotten involved with many support organizations and different styles of homeschooling so I can guide your family in meeting state requirements while tailoring your child's education to work with their particular talents and challenges. Homeschooling is such a joy. I look forward to hearing about your journey.

Hello!  My B.S. is in Zoology from the University of Texas, and I have a Masters in Library Science from Clarion University.  I am certified K-12 in Library Science, and 7-12 in General Science and Biology.  I worked as a public librarian for 5 years, and I have 7 years classroom teaching experience as a school librarian.  I'm also a veteran, having served in the PA National Guard for 6 years.  Our family is in our 3rd year of homeschooling, and 2024 is my first year as an evaluator.

I reside in the Mechanicsburg area, and can evaluate in York, Dauphin, Cumberland, or Perry Counties.    Please email me or visit my website where you can read about my evaluation philosophy and process.

 I am located in Hanover, Pa.  I have a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from McDaniels and am currently teaching at Freedom Christian Schools in Gettysburg.  You can contact me at karentrout79@gmail.com.

Kathryn has a B.A. in English and Classics from Hillsdale College, an M.Ed from Eastern University, and PA teaching certification in English 7-12. She has been an English Teacher at Valley Forge Military Academy and Veritas Academy, and currently homeschools her own children and teaches AP English Language and Composition through PA Homeschooolers. 

Mary Liz Youtz, M.Ed
140 Froelich Ave.
Mountville, PA 17554
717-285-7954

Mary Liz Youtz, M. Ed. is a Pennsylvania certified teacher and Principal. I also hold a Reading Specialist degree. I have over 15 years of classroom experience and 10 years as Elementary Principal. I teach for Harrisburg Area Community College as an adjunct. I hold certification from the Association of Christian Schools International as well, and have taught in a private Christian School. I have been an evaluator since the PA homeschool law was put into effect. My college level teaching has given me experience with older students and I am able to offer the PA Credits for Graduation fulfilling the requirements for the PA Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency diploma as well as several other organizations for diplomas. I am also certified to conduct achievement testing (Stanford and Iowa) for your child.

I rejoice when I consider the education that you, the first teachers of your children, will make in your child's life. I believe that you are the first and best teacher for your child. You know your child's learning style and interests. I conduct the evaluation time, about an hour in length, usually at my home. I try to make this a relaxed and enjoyable time for your child and you. After reviewing the log and portfolio with your child through asking questions about what he/she has learned, offering curriculum and experiential suggestions and information, I will write a report which is then submitted to the school superintendent. You will be able to take this report with you at the end of our session. I invite the parent(s) to sit with the child during the interview/evaluation process. I am happy to answer your questions throughout the year. Feel free to contact me with your concerns or questions or more information.

I  homeschooled 5 children preschool through high school. The older 4 all attended college with scholarships, received advanced degrees, and achieved well in areas of academics and leadership. Our 5th chose a service-related route with firefighting, emergency vehicle transport, and EMT training. I have been evaluating for over 30 years in elementary and high school, and can accept credits for PHAA. The evaluations are conducted in my home in Washington. Each child receives a personalized letter with details of his/her program, emphasizing the strengths and uniqueness of the child and program.I  offer curriculum suggestions and help planning homeschool programs. I have evaluated for families in Washington, Greene, Allegheny, and Beaver Counties.

Robin McCloskey 724-986-8206 (C)  724-222-4996 (H)

Barbara McMillan, M.S., Ed S, NCSP
Stillwaters Farm
208 Thompson RD
Acme PA 15610>br> 724-309-5953

I was among the pioneering homeschoolers in Pennsylvania in the early 1980s, and contributed to the writing of the PA homeschool law. I have served as a homeschool evaluator since 1993, and currently evaluate students each year at my home office in Western PA, near Donegal. As a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, I am qualified to evaluate elementary, high school and special needs students.  However, at this time (2021) I am looking forward to retirement in the next few years, and am only accepting a few new homeschool families with special needs students.

I challenge students to take ownership of their learning, whether their goals are accelerated academics or basic life skills. I view my role as evaluator as three-fold:

• a nurturing audience to encourage students (and parents!) in their learning
• a mentor to help students set higher goals and access resources to achieve those goals
• an authority figure to hold students accountable to the high standards of both the PA Homeschool Diploma and their parents.

My evaluation reports are concise and detailed, with a subject-by-subject description of key academic skills and concepts covered, extra-curricular experiences, practical life skill development and community service outreach. While I encourage families to be diligent in documentation of learning objectives, log and portfolio, I am comfortable with a wide variety of formats. If there are problems with course content or documentation of learning activities, I discuss these openly with parents and students. If my families have difficulties with their school district, I am happy to intervene on their behalf with District officials to resolve the problem.

I have published Pennsylvania's only comprehensive guide to homeschooling special needs students in PA, called the WHATZ-UP MANUAL, available for purchase directly from me at the address above.

 Genevieve Peterson is currently serving as President and Education Director for A One-Room Schoolhouse a hybrid homeschool group in southwest Pennsylvania. She leads the board of directors in program development, goal setting, evaluation, and fundraising efforts.  As A PHAA evaluator, Genevieve brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team as an educational professional for over 20 years. She holds degrees and credentials in elementary education, math education, and special education along with national certification as a school psychologist. Outside of her homeschool life, she has spent time working on humanitarian efforts in Nepal, teaching Sunday school, and volunteering with her church youth group. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four children exploring the great outdoors, running long-distance races, and eating her husband’s culinary creations.

I have served as a homeschool evaluator in Pennsylvania since the very first season of the homeschool law, back in spring of 1989! I love meeting with families and learning about their year of active learning. I do travel for evaluations, although not to every region of the state-- I schedule a May trip to the Harrisburg, Lebanon, and Lancaster and to Eastern Pennsylvania (north of Philly up to Allentown area). Families in Western Pennsylvania generally come to my home outside of Kittanning PA for evaluations. Since COVID 19, I've also very successfully been able to offer ZOOM virtual evaluation meetings to families-- and some have continued with this option, as it's simply more convenient and 'no travel time' needed.

I have been involved as a PHAA member evaluator since the very beginning, and have served continually on the PHAA Board. I was a regular workshop leader at the PHAA High School at Home Conference, at our in-person conferences and for our online conferences, and now am helping with our live monthly PHAA Webinars-- I love this chance to meet so many PHAA parents, students, and evaluators. 

I love to see the many, many ways that families can tailor the PHAA guidelines to bring out the best in their own students, and I love to see these young people grow up into responsible good people, with strong communication skills and real goals for their lives-- and the tools to get there. I treasure the warm friendships I've made with so many PHAA families that I've served as their evaluator.

I also teach AP United States History with Pennsylvania Homeschoolers AP Online , and am the overall AP Coordinator for the whole program, working with wonderful homeschoolers from all over the nation (and even internationally). Many of my PHAA evaluation families also take part in the many AP Online and Honors classes that we offer. 

I'm happy to write college and scholarship recommendation letters for my PHAA students as needed, and am very familiar with the Common Application and several other online application systems. 

I'm limited in the number of new students I can take on each year, but hopefully, I can fit your family into my schedule. For families that are re-contracting with me for evaluations, I email out my annual contract in early September of each school year.

Shirley Schafer
1105 Dewey Ave.
New Castle, PA 16101
wfschafer@juno.com

I earned a BS in History with a minor in Elementary Ed and an MS in Education. I am state certified in three areas: Elem Ed, Reading Specialists: K-12, ESL: K-12. I have completed nearly 4,000 evaluations for grades one-twelve since the home school act became law. My own two children were home educated and are now a full-time college librarian/part-time vocal & piano instructor and architectural drafter/residential builder. I have taught at all levels including college and public and private schools. I tutor privately, also and work as a Title 1 teacher in my local school.

All high schoolers working on a recognized home school diploma submit required compositions and research papers to me according to a yearly schedule.

I will email the evaluation contract, fee schedule, and other information to interested home schooling families. As an evaluator I give meaningful suggestions and feed back to the families I serve. I provide letters of recommendation and signed transcripts for high school students.

 teresaberkheimer@gmail.com

My name is Anne Burgevin and I am a homeschooling parent here in central Pennsylvania. I have been evaluating homeschooling families for the past 7 years. I enjoy the chance to assist families in this manner. Last year the assistant superintendent of our school district, Mr. Mike Hardy, gave me permission to do evaluations for high school students. I am very excited about this prospect. Please note that I have also worked with families from the surrounding school districts.

I hold a master's degree in elementary education and have permanent certification in New York State. My teaching and homeschooling career spans twenty-five years, which includes the years I homeschooled my two teenage daughters. My older daughter is now a junior at Dickinson College and my younger daughter is currently deciding on which college she would like to attend.

I have room for new families. It would be a pleasure to work with you as your evaluator. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 235-6362. Thank you for your consideration.

Deborah L. Butchart

61 Paul Revere Road

Oil City, PA 16301, Venango County

814-516-4427

bdbutchart@comcast.net

A Homeschool Evaluator for Students of Elementary, High School and Special Needs. A  Teacher of the Hearing Impaired with 34 years of experience recently retired.

Wendy Girard

If you are in need of an evaluator for your child/children: I can evaluate elementary and secondary students, as well as give prior approval for Special Education students. I have PA teaching certificates in Early Childhood Education, Special Education (k-12), and Reading Specialist (k-12). I have taught in PA and MD for a total of 9 years. I am willing to do evaluations or testing in Cambria and surrounding counties.

 I am a retired reading specialist who taught various grade levels from K-6 and in a classroom in Grade 3. I taught in the Erie area for 30 years, in various districts, includiing HarborCreek, North East, and Iroquois, I have found evaluating home schoolers to be a rewarding experience for both myself and the evaluees, as well as the parents. They are excited and eager to show me their year's work, and I am excited to see it and see how entusiastic they are,  I feel this is the perfect way for me to spend my energy in retirement, and influence students and parents to explore all the wonderful ways they can use homeschooling to explore whatever it is that interests them.I can also show the students and parents how to do this exploration and still meet the expectations of the curriculum and school district.  I will do anything necessary to help homeschoolers and their families to make homeschooling a vibrant and fascinating experience for all. I do not do distance evaluations, as I feel I like to see the students in person and let them have the thrill of showing me their actual work.

I am a retired High school teacher, teacher of the Gifted, and Guidance Counselor.  I do home school evaluations for grades 7-12 in the Warren, PA area.  I work with PHAA and with the Erie County Diploma Association.  I also do zoom evaluations if meeting in person is not an option.

I have a Masters degree as an Educational Specialist II  and in Educational Leadership. One of my specialties is career counseling.  I enjoy helping students make career decisions based on their curriculum, interest and focus.  

Dr. Amber Shay Nicholson is a homeschool mother of 4 and holds a doctorate in piano performance with multiple years of teaching at the college level.  She loves to see the individual ways that homeschooled students choose to meet the standard requirements, and how they can tailor their learning plans to learn extra things they are excited about, above and beyond the basics.  She does not offer elementary or secondary evaluations, but can provide virtual, distance, and in-person evaluations for PHAA.

ambershaynicholson@yahoo.com