New Hampshire Homeschool Convention: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Homeschool conventions are one of the most efficient ways for new families to get oriented. In a few hours you can preview curriculum, hear from experienced homeschoolers, meet local support groups, and leave with a clearer picture of what the next year actually looks like. For families just starting out in New Hampshire, they are worth attending even if you do not buy anything.

This post covers what NH conventions typically offer, which organizations coordinate them, and how to make the most of your time — including some preparation steps that will make the curriculum floor less overwhelming.

Who Runs NH Homeschool Events

New Hampshire does not have a single large statewide convention on the scale of some other states. Instead, the convention and conference landscape is shaped primarily by two organizations:

Granite State Home Educators (GSHE) is the main all-volunteer advocacy and support organization in the state. GSHE organizes gatherings, workshops, and informational events for NH homeschoolers. Their events tend to be practical and community-focused — less about selling curriculum and more about connecting families, sharing resources, and covering legal and compliance topics specific to New Hampshire. GSHE also maintains evaluator lists and monitors state legislation affecting homeschoolers, so their events often include updates on any legislative developments.

New Hampshire Homeschooling Coalition (NHHC) similarly organizes enrichment and informational events and has regional representatives across the state. NHHC events often have a local flavor — specific to the region rather than a statewide gathering.

Christian Home Educators of New Hampshire (CHENH) runs events oriented toward faith-based homeschooling families, including curriculum fairs and fellowship gatherings that draw from across the state.

For current event dates, the most reliable sources are the GSHE and NHHC websites and their respective Facebook groups. These organizations are volunteer-run and do not maintain large advertising budgets, so events often circulate primarily through member networks.

What to Expect at a Curriculum Fair

Smaller NH-scale curriculum fairs typically include:

• Vendor booths from curriculum publishers — both Christian and secular options, with representatives who can walk you through scope and sequence
• Used curriculum sales — homeschool families selling materials their children have finished, often at a fraction of retail price
• Workshop sessions — covering topics like record-keeping, portfolio assembly, different educational approaches (classical, Charlotte Mason, unschooling, structured textbook), and high school planning
• Organization tables — where GSHE, NHHC, CHENH, and local co-ops set up to answer questions and collect contact information from new families

The curriculum floor can feel overwhelming if you arrive without a plan. Vendors are skilled at presenting their materials persuasively, and it is easy to leave with purchases you did not need.

How to Prepare Before You Attend

A convention is most useful when you have already done some basic thinking about your approach before you walk in.

Know your child's learning style. Most curriculum publishers organize their materials around different learning modalities — visual, auditory, kinesthetic, reading/writing. Having a rough sense of how your child absorbs information helps you evaluate whether a particular program will work for you.

Know your legal requirements first. New Hampshire requires annual assessment under RSA 193-A. Understanding what that assessment can consist of — portfolio review by a certified evaluator, standardized test, or other options — affects which curriculum records you need to keep throughout the year. This is worth understanding before you start selecting materials, not after.

Make a subject list. What subjects are you covering this year? Which ones are you most uncertain about? Walking in with a list of three or four subjects you need solutions for makes vendor conversations much more productive.

Set a budget and stick to it. A complete boxed curriculum from a major publisher can run several hundred dollars. Used curriculum purchases, single-subject workbooks, and free resources can accomplish the same educational goals at a fraction of the cost.

If you are still in the process of withdrawing from public school, getting your documentation right before convention season matters. Attending a convention, buying curriculum, and starting your homeschool year before properly filing your RSA 193-A notice can create legal complications.

The New Hampshire Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers exactly what the RSA 193-A process requires — what to file, when to file it, what districts can and cannot ask of you, and how to document your home education program correctly from the start.

Making the Most of Your Visit

Talk to other parents, not just vendors. The most useful information at any convention comes from families who are one or two years ahead of you. Ask what curriculum they tried and abandoned, what they wish they had known in year one, and which local co-ops or groups they actually show up to.

Collect without committing. Take every catalog and brochure, but do not buy on the floor if you can help it. Most vendors offer the same prices online, and you will make better decisions after sleeping on it.

Attend at least one workshop. The sessions aimed at new homeschoolers are genuinely helpful for orientation. Even if you have done research online, hearing experienced homeschoolers describe their process in person tends to fill in gaps that articles leave out.

Connect with GSHE and NHHC directly. Their tables are worth stopping at regardless of what else you do. Getting on their mailing lists ensures you hear about future events, evaluator availability, and any legislative changes that affect your homeschool.

New Hampshire's homeschool community is active, regionally organized, and welcoming to new families. Conventions and local events are the fastest way into that network. Starting with solid legal footing makes everything that follows easier.

See the New Hampshire Legal Withdrawal Blueprint for the full RSA 193-A process

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