El Paso home EDUCATION Conference

FEBRUARY 21-22, 2025
El Paso Bible Church

Join us for a refreshing conference that will inspire, energize, teach and encourage you for your family's unique journey of home educating and parenting. Our keynote speaker will encourage you as you begin or continue your home education journey or simply as you parent you children.

Members are able to register for the conference for FREE.

El Paso Bible Church 5730 Saplinas Rd, El Paso, TX 79932

CONFERENCE SPONSORs

SILVER SPONSOR

CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS

Jennifer Pepito is the host of the Restoration Home podcast, author of Habits for a Sacred Home and the founder of The Peaceful Press. Jennifer is on a mission to help moms overcome fear and live with wonder and purpose, and her homeschool curriculum empowers this through heroic stories, heartwarming poetry, and engaging life skills development. Her resources help create joyful memories among families, which leads to deeper connections and lasting relationships. Jennifer’s writing has been featured in several online and print journals, including Wild and Free, Commonplace Quarterly, and Home Educating Family. She hosted the Wild and Free podcast for seven years and has made guest appearances on other popular podcasts such as 1000 Hours Outside, At Home with Sally, and Read Aloud Revival. Jennifer lives in the mountains with her beloved family, where she enjoys reading aloud, working in her garden, and watching the sunset.

KEYNOTE TALKS

HOMESCHOOLING WITH VISION

In this workshop, Jennifer helps families define a vision, and develop a plan for letting go of outside expectations and follow the unique calling that God has placed on their family. She shares stories and practical advice from her own family and the lives of others to help you identify a vision, make a plan to carry it out, and ultimately to inspire your children to live with hope and purpose. 

HABITS FOR A SACRED HOME

Embark on a journey through history in this compelling speech, where you'll uncover nine sacred practices that have anchored and restored families through generations. Learn how spiritual disciplines exhibited by women of faith can be powerful tools to cultivate a sacred home in the modern world. Explore practices that stand the test of time, providing a foundation for harmony and connection within your family. 

WORKSHOPS

MOTHERING BY THE BOOK

BookIn this session, Jennifer will share ten  lessons for overcoming fear taken from  the books she read aloud to her children.  Fear can rob the joy from our  homeschool journey, but we can  overcome it by looking at noble  characters in literature and applying the  truth we learn from these examples to  our daily lives so we can savor the homeschool journey.  

Bountiful Home Schooling on a BudgetIn this workshop

In this workshop Jennifer will give tips and ideas for home schooling your children when funds are limited. Drawing from her years as a frugal mom to many as well as her four years spent with her family on the mission field she will suggest to you creative resources for giving your children a quality education on a budget. You can give your kids a first class education without breaking the bank and this workshop will give you tools to make it happen.

Conference Schedule

Two full days of workshops, childcare, and a fantastic vendor hall.

Friday, February 21, 2025
8:00–9:00 Vendor Set Up
9:00–9:45 Registration and Exhibit Hall
9:45–10:45 Opening Session + Keynote
11:00–12:00 Workshops
12:00–1:30 Lunch and Vendor Hall
1:30–2:30 Workshops
2:45–3:45 Workshops
4:00–5:00 Workshops
5:30 Exhibit Hall Closes

Saturday, February 24, 2024
8:00–9:00 Registration and Exhibit Hall
9:00–10:00 Closing Keynote
10:15–11:15 Workshops
11:30–1:00 Lunch and Vendor Hall
1:00–2:00 Workshops
2:15–3:15 Workshops
4:00 Exhibit Hall Closes

Parental Controls for Curious Teens (Spoiler Alert: Your parental controls probably are’t cutting it!)

Public schools are filled with determined teens finding 1,000 ways to get around school content filters. Homeschool teens are no different. Your kids may already know more than you think about how to hide their internet activity from parents who are putting too much trust in the device’s parental controls. This leaves them vulnerable to pornography addictions, predatory social media interactions and a host of other pitfalls. As a mom to a public school teen, I’ve gotten a crash course on a few common routes kids are using to gain unrestricted internet access. But I’ve also learned some practical tips and strategies to learn what your kids are doing online and how to create effective parental controls. This workshop will share what I’ve learned and empower parents to do the hard work of being engaged in their children’s digital lives. * this workshop is not appropriate for kids to sit in on.

Liz Houser is a homeschool mom to 4 boys and foster mom to a public school teen. She has done the hard work to protect her boys from the darker sides of the digital world and is ready and willing to share all that she has learned.

MULTI SENSORY LEARNING

Claudia will explain the different sensory systems, how they work together, and the role of the brain in processing sensory information. Discuss common signs and behaviors that may indicate difficulties with sensory processing, such as over- or under-responsiveness to stimuli like noise, touch, or movement.

Claudia Yagel is an El Paso native and has be serving the community for 14+ years. She obtained her Masters in Occupational Therapy from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2011 and her Doctorate from Texas Tech Health Science Center in 2022. Claudia has dedicated her time specializing in the pediatric population, with an emphasis in children with Autism and Sensory Processing Disorders. Claudia has also been a Certified Autism Specialist since 2017. Additionally, another one of her passions is teaching her OTD students at UTEP. #PicksUp

EPCC DUAL CREDIT FOR HOMESCHOOLERS

This session is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the processes and criteria involved in enrolling students who are homeschooled into the El Paso Community College Dual Credit programs. Our goal is to ensure that all students, regardless of their educational background, have the opportunity to benefit from dual credit courses.

Seleste Cardoza-Comer is a dedicated and experienced Dual Credit Counselor with a passion for guiding students through the intricate pathways of educational advancement. With a robust background in both traditional and homeschool education systems, Seleste brings a unique perspective and expertise to the role. Having completed specialized training in homeschooling strategies, she is adept at integrating alternative educational methodologies with mainstream academic requirements. This skill set ensures that every student, regardless of their educational background, has access to dual credit opportunities that align with their personal and academic goals. Known for her empathetic counseling approach, Seleste is committed to empowering students to make informed decisions about their educational journeys.

Preserving Progress: Creating Homeschool Portfolios

Document your homeschooling journey with portfolios that serve as more than just record-keeping tools—they're a testament to your child's growth and achievements. In this workshop, you'll learn how to organize and showcase your student's work in a way that demonstrates progress, fulfills record-keeping requirements, and becomes a cherished keepsake for years to come. We'll cover practical tips for selecting and organizing materials, creative ways to personalize portfolios, and how to use them as a celebration of your child’s unique learning journey. Whether you're new to homeschooling or looking to refresh your approach, this workshop will equip you with the tools and inspiration to create meaningful portfolios with ease.

Cultivating a Culture of Reading Together

Transform your homeschool into a hub of connection, curiosity, and learning through the power of reading aloud. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to foster a culture of shared reading that sparks imagination, strengthens family bonds, and builds a love of literature. Discover the joy of diving into great books across genres, including poetry, picture books, timeless classics, and engaging non-fiction. We’ll discuss strategies for selecting age-appropriate reads, creating meaningful discussions, and making read-aloud time an essential and treasured part of your homeschooling day. Whether your children are toddlers or teens, this workshop will inspire you to make reading together a cornerstone of your family life.

Felicia Johnson is a dedicated homeschooling mother of eight children with over 22 years of experience tailoring education to fit each child’s unique needs. Having graduated three of her children and continuing to teach five more at home, Felicia has navigated a wide range of learning challenges, including deafness, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and anxiety. She is passionate about teaching to her children’s interests and strengths, helping them develop strategies to overcome their challenges while celebrating their God-given potential. Her approach fosters confidence, resilience, and the skills needed for lifelong success.

Hostility toward Homeschool Freedom

The battle to protect your right to homeschool is entering a new phase. A new model bill that is hostile to homeschooling freedom urges legislators to impose archaic restrictions on home education in every state. The best way to safeguard the future is to learn from the past. Homeschooling’s history of close calls and exciting victories sheds light on upcoming challenges to homeschool freedom. Come hear the secret to keeping homeschool freedom free.

Literature that Proclaims Christ: Stories to Show How Christians Look at Life, the Universe, and Everything

Two thousand years of Christian literature have been passed down to help us imitate Christ in our daily lives. Join us as we consider just a fraction of these works. Depending on the workshop, authors discussed may include three different Johns (Bunyan, Donne, and Calvin), Athanasius, C.S. Lewis, Marilynne Robinson, J.K. Rowling, and more.

“I’d Love to Help, but How?” Dads and Homeschooling

In many homeschooling families, Mom is the day-to-day teacher with input and support from Dad, but it doesn’t have to be that way—and it often isn’t. What happens when Dad is more involved or even the primary educator (and not just for the seriously cool science experiments)? Navigating play dates, setting schedules, maintaining the routine—all bring their own special challenges. In this workshop, Darren gives advice and encouragement for dads who homeschool.

Darren Jones is Senior Counsel and Director of Group Services for Home School Legal Defense Association, where he has worked for almost 30 years. He and his wife Sara homeschool as a team. They have graduated 3 and are still teaching 1. Darren has advised homeschool families and groups around the country about how to comply with homeschool laws. He enjoys board games, teaching Sunday school, and speaking at homeschool conferences.

Curriculum is Less Important Than You Think

Homeschoolers often think that if they can just find the right curriculum, their homeschooling woes will go away. However, the homeschool environment is actually more important than the curriculum for long term success, joy, and sustainability. I'll share lessons learned on how to create an environment for a thriving homeschool, as well as how to support your kids in developing a love of learning at different ages.

Sarah Smith is a homeschooling mother of two teens who has been homeschooling for 12+ years. She is reformed homeschool-pusher/Type A mom who learned the hard way how to better support her children's educations. Sarah organizes the Roadrunner Homeschoolers group in Las Cruces for several dozen families with kids of all ages. She blogs about homeschooling, history and science unit studies, natural health, and real food at nourishedandnurturedlife.com. Sarah is also a natural healthcare practitioner and former NASA aerospace engineer. 

Navigating the Storm: Finding Peace Amidst the Challenges of Special Needs Parenting

Storms in life are inevitable, uncontrollable, and transformative, especially for parents navigating the unique challenges of raising children with special needs. In this presentation, Peggy Ployhar, SPED Homeschool Founder & CEO, will explore how God’s presence in life’s storms provides peace, direction, and a deeper work that we often cannot perceive in the moment.

Filled with practical wisdom, personal stories, and convicting testimonies, this talk will encourage you to trust and follow God through any storm. Peggy will share how faith in God serves as a steady anchor, offering hope and strength when life feels chaotic. Discover how to embrace rest, lean into God’s provision, and persevere with confidence, knowing He is at work transforming challenges into growth and peace. Join this session for encouragement, hope, and a roadmap to navigating the storms of special needs parenting with faith and resilience.

Hands-On Workshop for Using Unit Studies Through High School

As students approach high school, many parents shift away from hands-on learning in favor of more traditional instructional methods. However, for students who struggle with abstract concepts, this shift can make the transition to high school not only challenging but also discouraging.

In this interactive workshop, Peggy Ployhar, CEO of SPED Homeschool, will share practical strategies for designing high school courses using unit studies—a method that keeps learning engaging, multi-sensory, and discovery-based. Peggy will demonstrate how to align unit studies with high school credit requirements while catering to your student’s unique learning style.

This hands-on session will leave you encouraged and equipped with the tools and confidence to start or continue your homeschooling high school journey using unit studies, ensuring your student stays motivated and engaged.

Peggy Ployhar, SPED Homeschool Founder & CEO, is a dynamic leader and a popular speaker known for addressing a wide variety of topics she learned throughout her homeschooling journey. A physicist by training, Peggy left a successful career in the medical device industry to focus on teaching her struggling learners at home. This personal experience ignited a passion that led to the founding of SPED Homeschool in 2017.

As a cancer survivor, influencer, and business owner, Peggy brings a unique perspective to her work. Under her leadership, SPED Homeschool has grown into a global organization that empowers thousands of families each year to create specialized home education environments for their children with unique learning needs. 

Peggy’s extensive experience in the homeschooling community is further highlighted by her past roles, including serving as the Texas Home School Coalition Special Needs Team Lead, the Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators Special Needs Coordinator, and the Mothers of Preschoolers Area Coordinator for MN, ND, and SD.

Doesn’t Everyone Love Math?

As a high school math teacher, I see students every day who have a fear, even a hatred for math.  Part of my job, as I see it, is not only to help them learn how to conquer the basics of high school algebra but to overcome their mental blocks about the subject.  This talk is about building a foundation in math, in the practical aspects as well as our attitudes towards it.  Math should be a tool to explore the world, not just a chore to be carried out under threat of life.

Dove Cranson is a math teacher at Coronado High School and a bivocational pastor at the Rio Church. As such, he teaches full time and pastors on the side. Dove and his wife Holly have 6 kids ages 20 to 8 and have been blessed to watch God work in their lives.  They have homeschooled all of them until high school and then have done a mix of public school, part time public school, homeschool, and community college. Dove and Holly are from Colorado and moved here in 2007 to help plant the Rio Church. Dove enjoys being a part of people lives and seeing them develop a personal relationship with God through Jesus.

LEARNING THROUGH NATURE

Discover the vital role nature plays in a child’s development and how outdoor exploration can enrich learning for home-educating families. This engaging workshop will explore the cognitive, emotional, and physical benefits of time spent in nature, from fostering curiosity and creativity to improving focus and well-being. Participants will gain practical strategies for incorporating nature study into their daily routines, including ideas for hands-on activities, journaling, and seasonal projects. Whether you have access to a backyard, local park, or wilderness area, this workshop will inspire you to make the natural world an integral part of your child’s education.

Finding Your Flow: Rhythms and Routines in Homeschooling

Create a homeschool day that balances structure and flexibility by understanding the power of rhythms and routines. This workshop will explore the key differences between rigid schedules and adaptable routines, empowering you to design a flow that suits your family’s unique needs. Learn practical tips for establishing a consistent rhythm that supports productivity, nurtures creativity, and reduces stress, all while allowing space for life’s inevitable surprises. Whether you’re new to homeschooling or seeking a refresh, this session will equip you with tools to implement and sustain routines that bring balance and harmony to your days.

Lindsay Kronmiller has been homeschooling her two children for 9 years. As a Charlotte Mason enthusiast she has a love for living books, nature, and handcrafts. She runs the local Wild and Free Homeschool Community as well as works as a freelance graphic designer and fiber artist. She has volunteered with the El Paso Homeschool Association since it’s inception and has a strong desire to bring resources to the local homeschool community that aren’t readily available.

A Classical Education

What is a classical education? Why has this philosophy of education been successfully used for well over 2000 years to produce some of the greatest thinkers, writers, inventors and theologians in history (Albert Einstein, Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, St. Augustine, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling and Isaac Newton, to name just a few)? What is it about this form of education that specially equips young minds to enter the world today? Come and learn about classical education, its history and approach, to discover how to provide your child with the lost tools of learning. 

Kyle Townes has finally settled in El Paso with her family after traveling the United States as a military spouse for the last 12 years. She homeschools her 5 children and has been using a classical education model for the last 11 years. Kyle graduated summa cum laude from CUA in Washington D.C. and taught middle school in both inner city D.C. and in Fredericksburg, VA. Kyle has written for various organizations such as Modern Reformation, Live Action, the Baptist Standard and the National Right to Life, and speaks at conferences when the opportunity arises. 

Early Childhood Education

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TeenPact is a non-profit organization designed to help students understand the political process, value their liberty, and engage the culture  through a Bilblical worldview. Students learn vital leadership skills through hands-on experience about their state government. Students gain understanding of their government by participating in a mock legislature, and hold class elections.

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