A One-Room Schoolhouse is growing and making plans for the future. This post may not answer all of your questions about our expansion, but I hope it will shed some light on the vision for the schoolhouse in the years ahead.
The bottom line is this: the Schoolhouse is growing and we have a plan; well, sorta! I mean we have a plan, but I am sure it will be like most plans — it will change!
Schoolhouse Growth
Currently, A One-Room Schoolhouse supports 47 homeschool students in grades K-12. I am hopeful that all of these students will continue with us next school year. In addition to returning students, there were also be seven incoming Kindergarten siblings. Whew!
To top that off, I get calls and emails weekly from families wanting to tour our schoolhouse and asking for enrollment information for the 2022-2023 school year. It is my sincerest desire to create space for each and every one of those children.
The problem is space and resources. I am constantly working behind the scenes to clarify our expansion plans, negotiate leases, gather resumes from qualified teachers looking to transition out of institutional education and gain feedback from our board of directors. This is no easy task, believe me!
Walking By Faith
Not to get overly dramatic or sentimental, but A One-Room Schoolhouse’s formation has been a faith-driven endeavor from the beginning. And that often means that even though we have an overall vision, little pieces often fall into place slowly and bit by bit.
Sometimes we have gone to the end of our faith rope and just held on until that next step became clear. I assume that is how it will be this school year. (Although, I hope not to cut it as close as we did last year; the location search was nuts!)
Returning parents will relate to the location search last spring and the change of schedule from a five-day-a-week offering to a three-day-a-week model. Next year will come together…just hold on for the ride!
In the meantime…
Here are a few things I’ve been working on as we move forward.
- Consulted with a lawyer to discuss the legal and tax ramifications of expansion to additional sites, both in Pennsylvania and out of state.
- Revisited and updated our business plan to account for faster growth than originally anticipated.
- Prepared a proposal for additional building use at Camp Agape, our current location.
- Met with the Camp Agape staff and board of directors to negotiate the use of additional space. (This is still in process, but should wrap up by mid-January.)
- Met with the Schoolhouse Board of Directors to discuss all the gathered information and brainstormed options for further expansion.
What Does this all Mean for the 2022-2023 School Year?
Since things will likely change (and maybe at the last minute), I ask everyone who expresses interest in enrollment next year to follow AORSH on social media and check the website periodically for new information. The Schoolhouse will do a long countdown to next year’s registration on social media and on the website. If you stay tuned, you will not miss your chance.
Here are some other tips for families desiring a spot for their student next year:
- We will accept applications for new students most likely in February.
- The Schoolhouse will admit by family so your kiddos will not be split up.
- Remember that we have a hefty volunteer commitment, so make sure you have the time or resources available to meet this important schoolhouse requirement.
- Familiarize yourself with our curriculum to make sure it’s a good fit for your family. We rely heavily on The Good and the Beautiful for our core subjects. Take a look at our curriculum guide here. For high school students, check out our curriculum recommendations here.
- Call or email with all of your questions and/or tour the schoolhouse before February so you can be prepared for the application process as soon as registration opens.
- We are specifically looking to grow our high school program next year, so families with older students should check out our high school page.
How Can You Help?
We are always on the lookout for the following:
- Grant programs that support innovation in education.
- Land and buildings that are cheap, accessible and usable for the schoolhouse model.
- Talented teachers who are ready to leave traditional education and have an interest in becoming an educational entrepreneur.
Up next on the Blog…
What’s up next on the blog? You are in for a smorgasbord of blogging treats! Watch for posts about our most recent field trip adventure, Christmas Festival, Christmas Showcase and more science fair information.
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