We work to empower parents to provide educational and social opportunities to homeschool families in the Roaring Fork Valley. We believe in fostering a supportive and inquisitive community where all children can thrive. Our events are designed to cater to the diverse needs and interests of families from all backgrounds and circumstances, offering a wide spectrum of educational extracurricular activities that appeal to the extensive age and interest range of our kids.
We strive to enhance the education parents are directing for their children in a way that compliments their lifestyle yet gives their children their best chance to succeed in and enjoy life. Our group employs a student mentorship philosophy. Older students are expected and coached on engaging with younger students within the Co-Op to form a positive peer relationship.
OUR MISSION
Guided by Christian values, we seek to serve as a support system in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys for families engaging in alternative education by offering enriching extra-curricular opportunities suitable for a wide age and interest range of students, fostering a vibrant multi-age student community, and supporting students to succeed academically and socially on their education journey through practical experiences.
The Valley Co-Op was formed by a group of parents that have different homeschooling philosophies and methods, but who are all committed to giving our children the best education experience possible. We want our kids to succeed in all aspects of their life--academically, physically, emotionally, and socially.
WHAT IS THE VALLEY CO-OP?
Student Members enrolled in the Co-Op are eligible to attend three Co-Op meetings per month (August through May), two class days and one field trip day. Our class days are the first two Tuesdays of each month-we gather for lunch at 12:30 and our events run from 1:30pm until around 3:30pm. Most of our field trips are on the third Wednesday of each month, usually from 9:30am until 2:30pm. Class days are held at the Orchard Church in Carbondale, CO while field trips vary from location to location.
On class days, our students are broken into two classes by age; typically our Younger Class includes 5 to 9 year olds while our Older Class includes 10 to 18 year olds. This grouping is contingent on the ages and number of students who enroll each year.
Parents are required to stay on site during our events AND to assist at the Co-Op in some way. This can be teaching a class, a parent lead of a single age group, checking students in, assisting with classroom management, helping watch future members, or leading our students in setup and cleanup. Each parent rotates through various roles, typically with a 2-month-on, 1-month-off schedule. For the "1-month-off" rotation, parents CAN leave their children at the Co-op DURING CLASS. All parents must stay with their students during field trips. Our Student Member registration fee includes entry to our field trips for one parent.
Students who are too young to participate in Co-Op (0-4yrs) can pay for a "Future Member" enrollment, which includes parent-led childcare during Co-Op and entry to Co-Op Field Trips during the school year. All children that are on campus during our Co-Op must be registered members for insurance purposes. Families are able to purchase additional tickets for most field trips through the Valley Co-Op--these can be requested through our member portal.
The goal of the Valley Co-Op is to give each student a fun education experience while providing an opportunity to grow socially within a wide age range of students. Our main focus is forming a community of students that can grow together and a community of parents that will support not only their students but also each other.
The Valley Co-Op is a HSLDA Discount Group! The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has been protecting homeschool freedom and helping families make homeschooling possible for over 40 years. Over 100,000 member families trust HSLDA's team of lawyers to answer questions and resolve problems in homeschooling. HSLDA works with the homeschool community from local and state levels and speaks up for homeschooling in the courts, legislatures, media, and public arena. To learn more, visit HSLDA.org. Valley Co-Op Members can access a group discount for $15 off their yearly HSLDA membership. For more information on our group-specific discount code, please email us.
*You must be an active member of the Valley Co-Op to qualify for this discount
