Hi! My name is Kim Engelke and I have
been working as a homeschool consultant
since 2014. I have my master’s degree in
early childhood special education with a
focus on Developmentally Appropriate
Practice. I believe that children learn best
with they are encouraged to follow their
interests.

From 2014-2018 I worked as a homeschool
reviewer for The Excelsior Academy. In 2018
I started my own umbrella school, Peach
Tree Homeschool Academy, providing
counseling, legal oversight, transcripts
and diplomas for families in Maryland. I find
that much of my focus is on high school
students, helping them design a high
school experience that fits with their plans
for after graduation.

My husband and I decided to homeschool
when we were pregnant with our first child.
Both our children were homeschooled right
up to college. Both of our children chose an
interest-based high school experience,
earning credit for their hobbies and passions,
rather than a strictly academic one.

My daughter was an avid horse woman from
the time she was young. She also loves to
read, write and draw. In high school she did
math, English, Spanish, and history classes.
For science, she used her equine experiences
of competing, training, and caring for her
horses. These experiences along with her
art also counted as her electives. In choosing
an interest based high school experience
she knew that she would need about 30
credits of community college classes
before transferring to a four-year college.
She started community college while still
n high school, receiving high school and
college credits. After graduating high
school, she continued at community
college then transferred to the University
of Maryland to complete her degree in
Microbiology. By attending community
college and then doing two years at our
state university, she was able to save a
lot of money and graduate debt free.

Our son is an avid falconer and received
his falconry license when he was 14 years old.
He was an apprentice for many years to a
Master Falconer. He is also an avid
horseman, competing, training, and caring
for his horses. We counted all these
experiences as primarily science and
elective credits. His study of falconry
required a knowledge of the history of
falconry, earning history credits. He wrote
bout falconry and brought his bird to schools,
assisted living facilities, and local hunting
clubs and gave talks earning credits in
English. He also took math, English, Spanish
and history classes. Our son also started
community college in high school earning
both high school and college credits.
After graduating high school, he received
his associates in welding at Pennsylvania
College of Technology.

Now that my kids have flown the nest, I enjoy
sharing my expertise with other
homeschooling families. In my free time
I enjoy riding my horses, training my dogs
for agility and flyball, knitting and
making greeting cards.