Our world looks a little different lately. Public schools are shut down for the rest of the year. College classes are all online. Most families are in the middle of figuring out how to make public school at home work while they are having to work themselves. Or, they are trying to school their children at home and they lost their jobs because of closures. So many scenarios are out of the ordinary and people are struggling to keep it all together.

In my state, the government has cancelled all end-of-year testing for public schools. That is great considering they won’t be able to go back to take the tests and they have missed a lot of work. The government just announced this past week that homeschoolers are exempt from end-of-year progress reports (testing, evaluations, or portfolios) as well. I am beyond thrilled because this crisis in our country has affected homeschool families as well.

The end of the homeschool year will look a little different for us. We usually have a big celebration with a few other homeschool families after testing or evaluations. That won’t happen this year. We also go to the beach or pool on the last day of school. That won’t happen either. I will note that we school year-round, so the “last” day for us is right before a two week break in June. We resume right back to normal after that and go on to the next grade level or book.

This year, we will focus on doing something as a family. I will make a yummy dinner (or order from their favorite restaurant) and dessert. We will probably get them some kind of special present, like Legos or a new pocket knife. We may even set up the sprinkler and run around for a while in it. Whatever we do, it will be something to commemorate the ending of another school year. It will be fun and help my children to appreciate all their hard work for the school year.

During our two week break in June, I plan to take my kids hiking a few times. The state parks are open to hikers and we love to walk the trails. Being outdoors is one of our favorite things because we can explore nature, get fresh air, and play in the yard. We can also pack a picnic lunch and eat at the park.

Whatever you decide to do for the end of your school year, make sure it’s memorable. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive (let’s face it, nothing is open anyway). Just do a little activity with your children and get outdoors for a bit or make a favorite meal. It is a different kind of year this year, but we can still celebrate our children’s achievements and make it special for them.