I am homeschooling my youngest this coming school year! We are so excited and on the hunt for 1-2 group learning environments to expand her (our) horizons, have positive social interaction.
We started by going shopping at the Education Expo to meet and greet the leaders of all the different groups we could join as a homeschool family. We explored various homeschooling groups and met their leaders, gaining insights into their activities, schedules, teaching philosophies, and community dynamics. Based on the expo experience, she wanted to sign up for every one of them! But I continued my research, talked to parents, visited as many as I could, and have come to a decision. Here’s a breakdown of what I discovered, which might help others who are also exploring their options:
Disclaimer: things change quickly. When groups regroup for the next school year, there are likely to be changes. I also just added the feature of comments/reviews on each of the listings in the resource guide. I linked those listings below, so please please, share your wisdom and experiences with others by commenting here on this blog and reviewing those resources you know well.
Notes: We also considered charter schools and other publicly funded programs (that is in another blog post)
Who: Miranda, Michelle, Jenny, Heather (I don't know their last names, but the teacher list and support staff include my friend and Options for Education volunteer, Rachel Boettner)
What: Christian homeschool co-op prioritizing rootedness in Christ Jesus. Parent-led classes – many classes to choose from that change each year based on the group. Tuition is an annual or monthly fee – the same for everyone, I believe.
Where: Parkway Christian Church
When: Fridays, 9-1
My personal notes: Parkway is a great location for me - not too far from my home. Fun, huge indoor space for winter weather days. Rooted was a fairly new name for a co-op that had been around for a long time. In fact, I believe I participated in it when my eldest was little and had a very positive experience. Classes are determined by what the parents offer to teach. This co-op is quite large (50 families or so?) , so there are a lot of options. Last year, this co-op had a waitlist, but I think because there are more options now, there is not a wait list.
Who: Rochelle Wostenberg, Erin Turner (an Options for Education volunteer), Jessica Cooper, Jennifer Soden, Fallon Vanfossan, and Brianna Jameson
What: Christian homeschool co-op. Students are placed in age-specific Bible and Science classes in the morning, as well as a 3rd class (art, music, geography, or history). Then, there are afternoon classes that are designed similarly to Rooted, in that the parents offer to teach classes and families sign up for the ones they like. Tuition is based on if you are doing mornings and afternoons or just mornings, and if you are teaching a class or not.
Where: Edgewater Church
When: One day a week, Day TBD, Last year it was 8:30am on Wednesdays
My personal notes: I know quite a lot of people in Tribe and they are very happy. I haven’t had the chance to visit it myself yet. The only negative thing I have heard is that the classes fill up quickly, so your child may not get into the class they want, especially if you are a newby.
Who: Gabi Johnson (an Options for Education volunteer), Heather Richard (not to be confused with the other Heather Richard who is helping to start LIFE learning group), and Bree Petty (with many other parent teachers)
What: A new secular homeschool co-op, started in winter of the 2023/24 school year
Where: Tom Pierce Park
When: One afternoon a week, day TBD, last year was _________
My personal notes: I had some hesitation initially because I think that Schole started sort of as a break-off of another local Christian co-op perhaps having to do with topics such as inclusivity. Inclusivity is one of those words that sounds good, but depending on the person using it, can mean very different things. Upon further research, I have no concerns there. In fact, I feel like this co-op is pretty in line with the overall approach of Options for Education.
What: A secular homeschool co-op serving a large geographic area with members from Ashland, Trail, Medford, Rogue River, and Grants Pass
Where: Various places across the Rogue Valley and beyond, different every day
When: Tuesdays and Fridays (either or both), 11am start time (no problem if people are late 😊
My personal notes: There is something really unique about this one. Their “secret sauce” is their parent community. The moms got together once a month without the kids! Sometimes out to dinner, but mostly at each other’s homes. This group is less about the academics and more about fun and community. I could feel the difference (and loved it). Every family was doing their own thing as far as homeschooling. Many were in other groups as well. They are just really committed parents doing life together. I also really liked that there is no tuition. Parents share the load of planning and providing supplies for 4 group lessons a year and pay their own way if they go somewhere as a group (like Wildlife Images or a museum). Every day is optional. They offer groups twice a week, but some families only do one or the other. Very low pressure in every way.
What: A Sudbury-style program valuing student atonomy
Where: Evans Valley
When: 3 days a week (they have offered more days in the past and may in the future)
My personal notes: I am all about the Sudbury methodology. It is about giving students choice and power and support in their educational journey. Sounds a little crazy at first, but after listening to Kerry McDonald teach about the Sudbury method and hearing the stories of students at Raindrop, I am a believer and I will follow the general concept at home. Students choose to opt in or out of the offered classes and work at their own pace on their own educational goals. There is nothing compulsory and yet students consistently achieve (over achieve, actually) in all academic areas using this method. The students in Raindrop are often at higher levels academically in only three days than others are in a five-day compulsory education program. Some parents choose to supplement at home while others do not.
What: A new co-op, started in the winter of the 2023/24 school year. Secular,
Where: Solid Rock Church, Grants Pass
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays all day (typical school schedule on those days)
My personal notes: At first, I wrote off Arrows because of the cost (about $250/mo) for 2 days a week (the same price as Vineyard for 5 days a week), but after visiting, I changed my mind. The great thing is that they handle all of the less fun (in my book) essentials such as math, language arts, etc. They offer families resources and guides to continue at home on the homeschool days, but it is not required. What a nice mix! Arrows does not do any grading or transcripts, which is very honoring to homeschool families, but for some families looking for more support, could feel like a burden.
What: A full-time program for 2-4 grades (expansion in process), technically a co-op, but feels like a blend between school and co-op. It is not a faith-based program, but parents should expect a Christian-friendly environment and collective prayer.
Where: The Minter home in the New Hope area
When: M-F
My personal notes: The leaders of this learning group are very well-known and respected in the community. Anna Minter is “Annie the Clown!” I have gotten to know her over the last year and I trust her 100%. Her space is so sweet. It feels like home and school at the same time. Parents are required to volunteer in the classroom, administratively, or in some other way which is the cooperative part that helps to build that community. I would compare the vibe with Vineyard in that the families, the kids, and the leadership are a beautiful package that you cannot put a price on. Speaking of price, it is also similar to Vineyard in that the tuition is under $300/mo (last I heard). However, Gracious Me is very full with a wait list. If I was looking for a full-time program, I would have asked her to bump me to the top of that list (just joking – it is not cool to ask for preferential treatment because she is my friend😊)!
Our deciding factors:
I know I am going to sound really picky, but in my defense, here is why: The joy of homeschooling is choice! We get to choose what we really want to do. There is no pressure to fit the mold of what works in someone else’s life. And, we have so many offerings in Grants Pass, that we can narrow it down to the perfect fit! How lucky are we?!?!
Time of Day… If you knew my daughter, you would know why this is such a big deal for me. I despise school mornings rushing this child out the door. I am sooooo excited to begin our days snuggled up with tea on the couch and our Campfire Curriculum book (more on the curriculum we have chosen in another blog). There were two options for groups that didn’t meet in the morning: Fun Schools and Schole.
Indoor/Outdoor… I am not too keen on the idea of meeting outside rain or shine – not my jam. There were two options for co-ops that meet inside: Tribe and Rooted. However, my daughter and I did want to be outside in nature if at all possible, so the idea of meeting inside during the warm weather was not ideal either. There was one group that meets only in the afternoons outdoor and under a shelter: Schole.
Proximity… I was looking forward to a reduced fuel bill. For the last many years, we have driven about 15 miles each way to school and that adds up! Co-op would only be one day a week, but still, proximity counted somewhat. For that reason, I was leaning away from Tribe and Fun Schools. (Update: I heard that Tribe is moving back to Edgewater Church, which is close to my house!)
Community…This is a huge one for us. We have been a part of Vineyard Christian School her whole life. Her class there is so special and having good friends has helped my daughter to find her courage, step out of her comfort zone, and develop healthy social skills. Had she been in an environment with different people, I don’t think she would have blossomed the way she has. For that reason, I feel that we are taking quite a risk in leaving our beloved Vineyard (Why are homeschooling if we love Vineyard so much? That is for another blog, my friend.) In all of the co-ops, we found only one that my daughter had friends at already (from sports and dance). While I was pretty stoked about the community of several options, she was more selective. It really did seem special in that regard. Schole
Jesus… I have mixed feelings about Christian Education. I love Jesus. I want everything I do to honor and glorify him. I want my daughter to also develop a strong relationship with Christ Jesus. However, being at a Christian School (especially full-time) has made it easy for me to be lax in my parenting in that way. I felt the need to take that responsibility back on in the home. I am also a bit wary of Christian programs because when I reflect on my own childhood, I would tell you that the Good News Club style of children’s ministry drove me away from Jesus. I won’t go into all of that other than to say that I wanted an environment that I felt safe in, one led by people who operated with God’s discernment, but who weren’t teaching doctrine . There was only one group that fit the bill for that: Schole.
Sexualization and Gender Dysphoria… It is of utmost importance to me that my daughter is not in a situation in which she would be instructed or encouraged to think on, discuss, or consider topics such as gender identification or sexual preference. I will handle that at home. I definitely got the feeling from every group we looked into that these are parents who are involved, who care, and have no interest in oversexualizing kids. I felt pretty safe on this front choosing any of the options above. But over time, depending on the families involved, I could see a potential for this becoming a gray area and I didn’t want to be a part of something that could go that direction. I wanted to be sure that the leadership of whatever group we join is in complete alignment on that topic. That isn’t an easy one to be sure of without knowing people intimately, so I had to use my best judgement based on the personal relationship I have with some of the leaders. I felt 100% sure about Arrows, Rooted, Tribe, and Schole.
Academics… One of the main reasons we are choosing homeschool is to give our daughter the freedom to dive deeper into her interests, learn outside of the classroom, and excel academically to her full potential, not being held back by a group standard. For those reasons, I eventually decided against a hybrid model, even though there were so many great aspects.
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