- MACHE - Annual Conference: General Information

...General Information...

Audio Recording: General Sessions and all workshops will be professionally audio-recorded by Rhino Technologies and available for purchase in CD and MP3 format. Audio Order Forms can be obtained in your Conference Program Booklet and at the Audio booth. By placing your order in advance, you will avoid the rush at the end of the Conference. No personal recording devices will be allowed.

Carts/Strollers/Roller Luggage: Due to safety and liability issues, carts, strollers, and roller luggage are not allowed in the Conference areas. These must be ‘checked’ at the Coat/Book Check as you arrive. However, you may return to place items in them at any time when Coat/Book Check is open.

Children: The MACHE Conference is a parent education opportunity. Its primary purpose is to equip and encourage parents as they educate their children in the home. However, orderly children 12 years and older may attend with their parents; MACHE does not encourage the attendance of children under age 12. There is a $30 fee for each child attending. There is no charge for infants under 18 months.

Coat/Book Check: A nominal fee of $2 per day will give you two boxes or bags (or you may use your own cart/stroller/roller luggage) in which you can keep your coat(s) and purchases. Additional boxes or bags will be $1 each per day. Open daily: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Directions to the Mayo Civic Center: The address for The Mayo Civic Center is 30 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, MN 55904. For a detailed map of Rochester city streets and parking areas, visit the following website: www.rochestercvb.org/planning/citymap.asp.

Exhibit Hall Etiquette: Our exhibitors go to great expense and effort to bring their products to our Conference and it discourages them when, after they spend valuable time explaining their product, attendees go to different sources to make their purchases. Encourage the exhibitors to return to future MACHE Conferences by purchasing the product from them. There are no "Exhibit Hall Only" passes. Only registered attendees may enter the Exhibit Hall. Open daily: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Grandparents: We encourage grandparents of homeschooling families to participate in the Conference and invite them to attend at no charge when accompanied by their homeschooling family. We do ask that they be included on your family’s Conference Registration Form so that we have an accurate count and proper nametags. This invitation is only extended to those grandparents who are not actually homeschooling!

Infants: An area will be provided for mothers with nursing infants up to age 18 months, but there will be no nursery or play area. Husbands and other children are not allowed in this area. Please be aware that even an infant’s happy sounds during a workshop session make it difficult for those nearby to listen to the speaker and for us to produce a clear audio recording. Please sit near the back of the room for ease of exiting, if necessary.

Meals: The Mayo Civic Center (MCC) does not allow ‘outside’ food or beverages to be brought into the facility. Food may be purchased at the MCC for lunch on both days and dinner on Friday. NOTE: For health issues that require that you bring your own food into MCC, please obtain a statement from your doctor or a medical card indicating your need for a special diet; keep this with you in the event that you are asked about it. There is no special protocol required to obtain permission from the venue.

Nametags, Program Booklets, and Handouts: You will pick up your nametags and Program Booklets when you arrive at the Conference. Your nametag is your admittance to the Conference and MUST be worn at all times. If lost or forgotten, replacement nametags are $5. Workshop handouts will be available in each session. To guarantee that you have a handout for the workshops, you may want to download and print the workshop handouts ahead of time to bring with you. You will find the handouts linked from the Conference page at www.mache.org/AnnualConf.htm. These will be available online from April 1 through May 30.

Pastors: If your pastor would like to know more about home education, invite him to attend with you. Full-time pastors and their wives (who do not currently home educate) are invited to attend the Conference as your guest, at no charge. Simply have your pastor fill out a paper Conference Registration Form AND, using church letterhead, write a request to attend the MACHE Conference as your guest. Mail both the Form and the letter to MACHE at: Pastor/Conference Registration, PO Box 32308, Fridley, MN 55432.

Refund Policy: All refund requests should be made in writing and will be processed after the Conference. There will be a $10 handling fee for all refund requests. Refunds may take up to 12 weeks to be processed.

Registration: Register online at www.mache.org by January 31, 2010, for the greatest savings. You may also use the paper Registration Form in this brochure or register on-site at the Conference. Credit cards will be accepted for online and on-site Registrations. Mail-in Registrations require that you send a check. For other registration deadlines, refer to the back page of this Brochure.

Thursday "Special Session": "Homeschooling 101: Where Do I Begin?" will be presented on Thursday, April 15, from 12:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., just prior to the Conference weekend. Attendance to these four workshops requires a separate registration from the regular Conference registration; you do not need to register for the Conference to attend the "Thursday Special Session". You may register online at www.mache.org.

Used Curriculum Sale: You must be registered for the Conference in order to sell or shop in the Used Curriculum area. If you would like to sell your used homeschool curriculum, reserve your table online at www.mache.org or on the paper Registration Form in this Brochure before March 14, 2010. Open daily: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Work Scholarships: MACHE is able to provide a limited number of Work Scholarships to individuals who are willing to volunteer for a few hours of service before, during, or after the Conference. For more information, please contact the Conference Volunteer Chairman at 763-717-9070 (1-866-717-9070) or info@mache.org.

Need More Information? Check the MACHE website for more detailed information about the Conference.

MACHE Contact Information: Email: info@mache.org

          Phone: 763-717-9070 (Toll free: 1-866-717-9070)

          Mailing: PO Box 32308, Fridley, MN 55432-0308

          Website: www.mache.org

NOTE: Emergency contact phone number at the Mayo Civic Center is 612-250-3391.

This is to be used for true emergencies only.

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