Spring is when Monroe County parents make big decisions for K-12 education for the following year. Many of the kindergarten “round-ups” have been held or are still taking place, private and charter schools are holding open houses, and transfer requests need to be taken care of.

If you plan to homeschool (I know some people who have, or are planning to, do that), or are looking for a way to supplement what your child is learning in the classroom (I took that approach), there are lots and lots of educational resources available to Monroe County parents that work very well with frugal budgets.

• Janel at Frugal Hacks recently posted some of her tips at Unboxing Munchkin Education, and several of her readers have chimed in with their favorite homeschooling web sites.
• There is a very lively community education atmosphere in Monroe County where you, or the kids, can participate in whatever classes you like at a very low cost. Monroe Public Schools, Bedford Public Schools and Monroe County Community College run very active programs; and you’ll also find classes offered by several other agencies listed in the Community Page section of the print and e-editions of The Monroe Evening News and on the Monroe Talks calendar as they get announced.
• The Christian Home Educators Association meets twice a month in Monroe.
• The Monroe County Library System has a very busy calendar of events that ranges from preschool story times to music concerts.
• The Monroe County Intermediate School District has a Resources for Families Page and a Student Enrichment Program page.