Getting Connected

ECHO operates an email communication group through Yahoo! Groups. You do not have to be a member of an ECHO support group or have attended an ECHO meeting to participate. 

The ECHO Yahoo! group has proven to be a wonderful resource for families homeschooling young children. You can post your homeschooling questions, participate in the "Topic of the Week" discussion and connect with new homeschooling friends. 

To join the ECHO Yahoo! group, click on the link below. You will receive a Welcome Letter including  a few simple questions that will serve as your introduction to the Yahoo! group. You must answer the questions in order to participate in the Yahoo! group. We also ask that you take a moment to read the egroup etiquette below. These simple guidelines help to maintain a strong and enjoyable group.

Click here to join the ECHO-MN Yahoo! Group

ECHO Yahoo! Group Etiquette

Staying On-Topic
The ECHO Yahoo! group is a homeschooling email group. Please try to keep the conversation on topic. On-topic material includes homeschooling methods, philosophy, curriculum, parenting, etc. Because homeschoolers represent such a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, religious convictions, lifestyle choices and educational styles, determining what is and isn't off-topic can often be difficult and we hesitate to set specific limits. Therefore, please post with care and with respect to the diversity of this group. ECHO is an inclusive group with members from a variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds. Should we find a post to be offensive and in direct contrast to our mission of inclusiveness we will contact the author privately and remove the post from our archives. Continued disregard for the ECHO Yahoo! group Etiquette will result in a member being removed from the list.

Off-topic posts are not banned but they are not encouraged. Please be sure to change subject lines to reflect the topic of your posts. (This is especially important if the content is of a religious nature.) This way the email can be easily deleted without being read if one so chooses. If you do find an email that is offensive or inappropriate please alert one of the Yahoo! group moderators or email us at echo-mn@earthlink.net .

Sale and Swap Posting
This is not a Sale or Swap board but you may post items for sale provided you mark the subject line clearly. "For Sale" items are not limited to homeschooling materials, supplies and resources. If the Sale and Swap posts become too numerous we may set further limitations on Sale and Swap posts.

A Word About Email Forwards
Forwards are strictly banned on this Yahoo! group. Anyone wishing to share a forwarded message can briefly describe the type of message and give a personal address where those who are interested can send a message asking to receive it privately. DO NOT forward anything from the ECHO Yahoo! group without the author's permission. We encourage members to send links whenever possible rather than copy and/or forward entire articles.

Virus Warnings
Virus warnings should always be checked with a Hoax site before forwarding to the group. The ECHO-MN Yahoo! group does not accept email attachments.

Personal Information
For safety reasons, please limit posting of specific personal information (addresses and phone numbers). You may, of course, share that information with each other privately. We recommend that specific information about group fieldtrips, park days, etc. be shared on the individual support group egroups only.

Replying to Messages
Please cut off old post (including the headers and footers) when replying to messages. Many of the members of the ECHO-MN Yahoo! group receive the email in digest form or they read the email online. It is less confusing for all of us to have messages clear and concise. You only need to include the relevant sentences or phrases. Also, please be sure to change the subject line when necessary.

Respect
Above all, treat everyone with respect. Personal attacks and political debates will not be tolerated. We have all chosen a path that can sometimes be bumpy. The support we gain from the ECHO-MN Yahoo! group can give us all strength and help to build a strong homeschooling community.