Jay Ryan is the name behind the website Classical Astronomy, and Fourth Day Press publishing, where he seeks to promote the traditional approach to understanding the sky, as it had been understood from ancient times through the period of the American Almanacks, until about the mid-19th century. The popular media today is full of Modern Astronomy, featuring black holes, big bangs and related topics. Instead, we hope to restore an historical understanding of the forgotten sky, as can be seen from our own backyards. Our readers will be surprised at how much there is to know!

Lisa Rose will be speaking broadly on Charlotte Mason education. She is a pianist and singer whose love of books and Bach is only eclipsed by her love of family and faith.

Lisa co-authored the book Patterns for Life: An Orthodox Reflection on Charlotte Mason Education, a meditation on what it means to be a Christian educator. When she is not busy juggling her myriad responsibilities as a homemaker and homeschooler she is most likely to be found curled up somewhere comfortable with her nose in a book. 

You can find Lisa online in the AmblesideOnline forum or at Substack with co-author Laura: https://orthodoxcm.substack.com

Dawn Garrett has been involved with Set Your Feet from the beginning and is a speaker again this year.

Bio: Dawn Garrett has loved learning with her three children at home. Following the principles of Charlotte Mason, she and her children learn about God and His cosmos by studying the seven liberal arts in order to know Him better, imitate Him and His ways, and share about Him with others.  Now with two homeschool graduates and a rising Senior, she hopes to continue to support, encourage, and engage with the homeschool community. She blogs at ladydusk.com and acts as Community Manager for pambarnhill.com. She is the author of I Am, I Can, I Ought, I Will: Charlotte Mason's Motto Explained for Upper Elementary Students which can be found free on her blog.

Session: Dawn will be talking about what we mean by the idea of "Set Your Feet" and why we chose it as the name of this conference.

Cindy Brown is a new speaker for SYF, although she has been a previous attendee! She shares her bio and about her talk: I began homeschooling in 1996 and have since graduated my 3 oldest, who now have their own wonderful lives. My youngest will be a junior in high school.
Because one of my kids has dyslexia, it led me on a search for the best ways to help him. In my research, I became aware of the Children's Dyslexia Center in Canton. I eventually reached out to them and took their training, and have been a certified tutor with them since 2018. Our family grew up with nature and camping and dune climbing. Watching the stars, clouds, and the Great Lakes are some of my favorite things.

Session: Helping struggling readers and writers make connections.
Description: I will give a quick overview of dyslexia and dysgraphia, then we'll focus on how best to help struggling kids make connections with the printed word. How to use copywork and dictation with intentionality, and how the English spelling system actually works.

Mandie Lewis has been part of Set Your Feet since the beginning. She and her husband Mike have 5 children, ranging from age 7 to 16. They live in Xenia, OH. When not homeschooling or driving kids to and from activities she enjoys reading, board games, Shakespeare movies, cooking, and teaching Sunday School. She is a moderator of the AO Facebook group and forum, where she hangs out under the name carpeaeternitatem.

Session: "wow, uhm . . . That's a lot of Shakespeare." In this session we will look at why we study Shakespeare's plays, briefly touch on "how to" do it at different levels, and then focus in on a "mini lesson" from Henry V.

Blossom Barden found Charlotte Mason after searching for an alternative to public school for her two children, then in 4th and 6th grade. Mrs. Barden began using AmblesideOnline in 2009 and has continued to love learning ever since! She is the founder of Wildwood Community School, a non-profit educational resource based in Ohio adhering to the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason. She is a co-coordinator for the annual Ohio Set Your Feet retreat focusing on preparing parents and teachers for each new school year. 

Session: "Ourselves: A vast country not yet explored." Unlike the others in the Home Education Series, Charlotte Mason's fourth volume is written to the student. In this session, the history and purpose of Ourselves will be shared. Is it still relevant for students of the 21st century? How and when should it be included? We will also participate in a lesson using the book.

Krysti Maxwell has been married for 28 years, is a mother of four, and is a grandmother to one. She graduated her youngest this year, and he will attend Ohio State in the fall. She enjoys natural dyeing, working with fibers, gardening, and reading. 

Krysti's husband wanted her to start homeschooling, and after tears, objections, crying, and plenty of research, she embarked on the journey of her life. A friend had given her the book For the Children's Sake, and it made a huge impression. Although she dabbled in Classical, she always felt like she was "a Charlotte Mason kinda girl." She went back to her heart's desire and fully immersed herself in Charlotte's methods. Because her girls craved friendships and community, she was led to find like-minded families and began a co-op, The Willows- A Charlotte Mason Community, which ran from 2016-2020.

Today, Krysti hosts Livnu church in her home and runs a balloon decor business.

Margaret Garrett is a 2023 AO graduate. She loves to sing and participate in community theater.  She has appeared in two Community Theatre Shakespeare productions (Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream) and several shorter homeschool co-op productions (Taming of the Shrew - Petruchio; Macbeth - Banquo; As You Like it - Audrey; Hamlet - Horatio). After a gap year, she plans to attend New College Franklin in the fall.

Session: Margaret is excited to lead a teen track session doing Shakespeare reader's theater.


Katie Blount and Jennifer Morocco will also be helping with the teen track this year!

Liz Talbot is a second-generation homeschooler. She teaches middle school and high school language arts online and at her local co-op during the school. Quilting, CrossFit, hiking, and reading are her favorite pastimes.

Session: Join Liz for a breakout session in the traditional art of English Paper Piecing, a creative and beautiful form of patchwork quilting known for its portability, affordability, and ease. This breakout session offers an opportunity to unwind, connect with other handicrafters, and learn a timeless skill. No prior experience is necessary. All materials will be provided.

Stephanie Neujahr has been educating her children at home since 1997. She has followed Charlotte Mason's principles since 2001, extensively using the Ambleside Online curriculum, and has graduated 6 of her 11 children. Mrs. Neujahr has led and taught homeschool co-ops in 5 states, teaching various classes on Composer Study, Artist Study, Nature Study, Folk Songs, Plutarch's Lives and Shakespeare. She is currently chairperson for the board of education at St. Peter's Lutheran Church and sitting chairperson for the Classical Christian Academy in Shaker Heights, Ohio.

Her greatest joy in home education has been teaching her children to read and have them discover a love for the written word. Mrs. Neujahr and her husband reside in Shaker Heights, OH with 5 children still at home.

She is leading a breakout with Mandie Lewis. They will be talking about scheduling with multiple ages/grades.

Kristi Stephens will be presenting on how CM has influenced her Bible teaching in other arenas:
Charlotte Mason has influenced many of us in ways that go well beyond the education of our own children. Kristi Stephens taught Bible in a Christian high school for two years and has been serving as a Bible teacher for adults in lay and staff roles at their church for two decades, but learning Miss Mason’s philosophy and approach has profoundly impacted her thinking in recent years. In this breakout, we will explore practical ways narration and other CM philosophy can be implemented in Bible study settings.