A diverse secular PA homeschool community
☆ Academics ☆ Enrichment ☆
☆ Social Events ☆ Field Trips ☆ Outreach ☆
Welcome to
The Homeschool Collective
Serving Hanover and the surrounding Adams/York PA area
At The Homeschool Collective we believe in the empowering opportunity that learning together can bring. Sharing the homeschool experience with supportive peers, we explore our world with an open mind and open heart. Our classes promote collaboration, critical thinking, and well-being. Our mission is to cultivate an uplifting inclusive community, that encourages diversity, unity, wellness, and compassion - for others, ourselves, and our Earth.
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Our homeschool collective is a secular group, which welcomes diversity in all its forms. Our participants respect and honor all our families, regardless of race or ethnicity, LGBTQA+ sexual or gender identity and preferences, religious or atheist beliefs, socio-economic status, and even age. We encourage awareness and respect through discussions, modelling, and normalizing language.
With 2 locations along the Adams/York County border in southern Pennsylvania, we offer exciting weekly classes, as well as online options, social activities, and volunteer opportunities. We welcome your assistance, not by arbitrarily deciding your role, where and how you will participate, as some groups do. Instead we invite you to lend your talents, energy, and support, as the essence of our homeschool community! What excites and inspires YOU? Whether it's helping to plan an activity or trip, assisting students, or simply pitching in to clean up, we value your efforts! Let's work together to provide a positive compassionate learning environment for our children!
Our Core Classes
Our Core Classes--
2024-2025 --
Fall Semester: Sept 9 - Nov 14
Winter Semester: Jan 13 - March 20
Spring Semester: April 7 - May 22
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2023-2024 -- Fall, Winter, Spring, Sept 11 - May 23
2022-2023 -- Fall, Winter, Spring, Sept 12 - May 22​
2021-2022 -- Fall, Winter, Spring, Sept 13 - May 19
2020-2021 -- Fall, Winter, Spring, Sept 14 - May 24
Our academic and enrichment classes meet on a weekly basis each 10 week semester, Elementary, Middle, and High. In-person and online options exist. Our tutors are an inspiring mix of veteran educators, community professionals, and experienced homeschool parents from our homeschool community and beyond!
Click on the tabs above, or 3 bars at the top (Menu), for our Class Descriptions. Check out our Facebook group for more on our teachers and classes!
Philosophy:
Since this is not a typical co-op, you and your child are not committed to a full day, or to teaching a class. Each drop-off class has its own teacher, materials, and fee. Enroll your child in as many as you like!
These tutorial classes are intended to assist in forming your home curriculum by driving instruction as the "spine" for that subject. Learning is continued at home during the week through optional or required home assignments that extend the classroom lessons. Materials are provided by the classroom teacher, unless noted in class descriptions.
Your child has two tutors: one in the classroom, and you at home. We ask that you continue each class's learning at home, working and discussing assignments together, providing organization, scaffolding independence, and holding your child accountable by reviewing and assisting as your child needs.
As well, any final decisions on grades and credits are made by you, the homeschool supervisor for your family. You are welcome to solicit feedback from your tutor when making these decisions, as to class participation and assignment completion, keeping in mind, you hold the clearest insight into level of efforts 6/7 days at home. Assignments are optional, but we encourage you to recognize them as additional lessons, rather than homework, and crucial to your child's learning experience.
Choose Your Level:
Students in transition grades (5/6, 8/9) are welcome to choose from whichever level suits their needs and ability in that subject. Our children are each on their own unique learning journey, often with an eclectic mix of learning styles, levels, strengths, and challenges. Choose what fits them, academically and socially.
Most classes allow for a range of abilities and output. And of course, how you tailor your home support, through extending or narrowing any assignments, is the beauty of being your child's education supervisor. As well, any students who may need specific personal assistance in class, please discuss details with your class tutor and consider participating as your child's aide, if needed.
Location:
We meet weekly for your choice of up to 4 in-person 50 minute classes at elementary, middle, and high school levels. We currently offer 2 locations, one on Monday in the Hanover area, and one on Thursday in the Abbottstown area, each offering an entirely separate schedule of weekly classes at all levels. For the safety of our children, specific locations and directions will be shared privately. In some terms we may offer live online classes, held throughout the week. As we grow, we may offer more locations to serve a wider area of homeschooling families. Please inquire via the chatbox, if you'd like to discuss supporting a branch in your area!
Online:
Although our focus is on establishing a local in-person homeschool community, we have also offered many online classes, as additional options to any of our in-person students, for families restricting Covid exposure, or for those homeschooling across the nation! Join us for an extended family of learners -- it takes a Village!
Tutors:
Our parent tutors are a wide collection of professionals and passionate homeschool parents. Officially considered tutors, they have elected to offer classes to our students by choice- not as an employee or a participation requirement. Although teacher certification is not required, background experience and knowledge of class content is, as well as criminal clearances, and various class preparations. Our tutors offer what they know, what they love, and what inspires them! The kids can tell!
If you are interested in leading a class one semester, we welcome you! The life and diversity of this group depends on our collective participation and input! Please contact us to discuss these possibilities. Support and guidance is available, if you are unsure about turning your passion into a class. Whether you offer something to a younger group that you've done in the past with your child, or take a topic you've been planning to do at home and share it with a small group, you'll be surprised at how rewarding this opportunity can be!
This is not a required offering, but a chance to share your passion, hobby, or academic interests. Tutors discuss and set their own class fees, keeping 100% of what they receive from parents. Please connect with Julia Hancock, Academic Coordinator, via the chatbox to discuss your possibilities!
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Community Outreach
What better way to learn perspective and practice compassion, than by networking with our greater local community?
With activities and events through the year, our children will begin to better understand the world around them and how they can play an integral role in the dynamic connections that can be made through volunteerism and social activism.
Through the seasons we enjoy connecting and bringing cheer to seniors at a local assisted living center. We've smiled through their windows on our outdoor Halloween Window Parade, decorated their gardens with lively scarecrows, and even provided Holiday Zoom Celebrations! We hope to continue future events that brighten the day for these lovely communities. Have more ideas for us?
In our second year students created an Environmental Allies Club to coordinate earth stewardship events, like Trash Clean-ups around Lake Marburg, Gettysburg Rec Park, and elsewhere. Future plans are being discussed for tree plantings, and more! Join our trail walks this term?
Please check Updates section or FB to learn how your family can be a part of these opportunities to give back to our community!
How would you like to see your kids helping others? Providing TLC at an animal shelter, hosting a game day with seniors, creating an art gallery for a local business, or packing bag lunches for homeless shelters? Each term we will be brainstorming ways to reach out and safely support our greater community. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated. Please contact us to make it happen!
Social Events--
Social Events --
Along with academics, we feel the social needs of our children is vital. We provide numerous opportunities for our children to socialize outside the classroom! We offer a weekly teen club, which meets at our co-op facility, as well as off-site teen game nights and social events. For the younger set, we offer some off-site meet-ups for active play!
We also offer fun, educational field trips for all ages throughout the year! This past year, we visited Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, Indian Echo Caverns, Turkey Hill Experience, Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, Bear Branch Nature Center, Hershey Gardens, Land of Little Horses, and more! We have some exciting field trips in the works for the upcoming term, and we are always open to your suggestions!
