This article recently appeared in the December 2007 issue of the SLO Classical Academy SCOOP, which is now posted HERE.
After spending some time talking with Edie Overduin I realize the necessity for me to step back and redefine my baseline for busy. Laughing gently this Classical parent welcomes with ease the stresses of daily life. She humbly accepts acknowledgments of respect and proceeds to then softly shrug them off. Her household, filled to brimming with five children, leaves her with little time. She’s focused on getting everyone up, dressed, fed and out the door by 8am!
Edie heard about Classical Academy during its inception. Home schooling her two eldest children, her ear was tuned for discussions about alternative educational options. Last year the Overduin’s son Lance made the transition from 100% home schooling to our integrated system. This year his sister Sara joined him and according to Edie “they just slid right in.” The transition was pretty seamless for the family and the kids “are doing well. “Classical Academy was the first time for them in a group environment” Edie tells me. They are full of smiles, laughing, having fun and loving it.
Edie enjoys personal rewards from SLO Classical Academy as well. She has the opportunity to get to know the other parents, is thoroughly cultivating her love of books and reading by participating in the parent reading group, she’s a member of the History Day Committee, works in the classroom and performs the ever present need of yard duty. Certainly time management is a skill that this woman has perfected! She and another parent carpool to and from school each day—one does the drop off in the morning and the other the pick up in the afternoon. When she’s at full capacity, her twelve passenger van has every seat filled!
Both Lance and Sara are in Middle School and attend the Track B schedule. Edie finds that Classical Academy offers “a perfect balance, interaction with other kids and direction from other teachers.” The Overduins are another proud, happy Classical Academy Family.
