Northstar Learning Cooperative

North Star

Learning Cooperative

Interest-led

We facilitate discussion and learning with instructional guides, to encourage self-directed study and help learners develop critical thinking skills. Coursework is self-paced and families choose curriculum based on need and ability.

Christ-centered

Rooted in Orthodox Christian prayer and the lives of the saints, we seek to be faithful servants in all that we do. Engagement of the whole family is critical, as each one involved is a small church, bringing our children up in the faith.

Freedom-driven

All projects, coursework, problem-solving and conflict resolution are led by our learners themselves. We meet one day a week in the studio for guided learning with opportunities for students to arrange additional study/play gatherings.

Hello, all! As some of you may know, for the past year a few of our Holy Ascension families have been participating in an experimental homeschool co-op. While logistically many details changed throughout the year, the goals have proved productive, and the kids have largely loved the experience and are excited to move forward with a more focused plan for the next year. To continue this project we would like to extend an invitation to any families interested in participating in this co-op for the next school year.

Where: Church hall

When:

Thursdays, 9am-1pm (Clubs 1pm-3pm)
8 wk trimester schedule
Start after Labor Day, finish before Holy Week, with 3 weeks off over Christmas
All feast days are spent at church rather than co-op

Cost: PER 8 WK TERM

Number of Children	Charlotte Mason Inspired (9a-1p)	Clubs (1p-3p)	Full day
1	$110	$40	$150
2	$90 ea	$30 ea	$120 ea
3	$80 ea	$24 ea	$104 ea
4+	$70 ea	$20 ea	$90 ea

Example: if there are 5 children in your family and 3 are doing full day ($90 x 3) and 2 are only doing mornings ($70 x 2) it would be $410 for the whole family
for an 8 week term.

Goals:

Socratic discussion
Interest led
Interaction across age groups
Skill/mastery based
Flexibility in learning styles
Outdoor play/learning

Format:

Once a week meetings on Thursdays, focusing on Charlotte Mason inspired course work in the mornings, and interest-led “clubs” in the afternoons (rotating on a ~8wk trimester schedule). We hope to offer Junior, Intermediate, and Senior groups based on learning ability (generally: non-reading, reading + learning how to learn, independently learning). We take off all feast days, with around a month break for Christmas, and finish up our last trimester right before Holy Week.

Content:

In the past year, the older students concentrated on a full year’s dive into American History, Literature Discussion, and Liturgical music, with single trimester classes on Astronomy, World Geography, Government, and Drawing. The younger students took nature walks and learned about Trees, Continents, Human Anatomy, and Plants.

Using a Charlotte Mason inspired format for next year, we plan to focus on Composers, Artists, Geography, Orthodox Hymns, Saints Lives, Icon Study, Poetry, Shakespeare, and Nature Study. With a more organized content plan, we can more successfully encourage all groups interacting with the same subject matter in creative, age-appropriate ways and learning from the projects of other age groups rather than from primarily adults. It will also facilitate student and parent ability to continue the learning process at home in between sessions if desired. We are intending this portion of the day to be for learners 5 years old and up.

Afternoon clubs will be chosen by the students for each trimester, but suggested options so far include: Home Ec, Entrepreneurship, Chemistry, Film-Making, Geology, Coding, Cooking, Drawing/Graphic Design, and Bushcraft. As we establish which clubs will be available, we will determine with the club guides what age group the work will be appropriate for.

We will also have Career Exploration/Guidance for 15years+.

Contact:

If you are interested in joining or have any questions, please contact Koren at 517-740-3698.

Any adults interested in offering short afternoon seminars to the students on their topics of expertise, please also contact Koren and let her know what you would be available to teach.

Preschool:

North Star Learning Co-op will be offering a 3 and 4 year old preschool option for the 2025-26 school year!

The youngest learners will start their day with the older group with prayer and singing. They will then break off to focus on age appropriate learning of the Saints and icons, with other activities to follow.

Where: Church hall

When:

Thursdays, 9am-12pm
8 wk trimester schedule
Start after Labor Day, finish before Holy Week, with 3 weeks off over Christmas
All feast days are spent at church rather than co-op

Cost: $52 per 8 week term

Content: Working on themes similar to the older kids, the young learners will be participating in diverse activities that will utilize and reinforce (but do not focus on) the basics of reading, writing, and counting. The kids will be exploring stories, songs, movement, art, nature, free play, and role play. Along with the planned lessons there will be all the benefits of social development and growth that happen in a larger group setting.

Contact:

If you are interested in joining or have any questions, please contact Koren at 517-740-3698.

The first club learning experience

Goals:

Create a fun play-scape with natural and recycled materials

Create walking trails around the property

Help the older kids learn how to plan and lead while playing

Guide: Koren Farmer

Where: Parish Hall

What to bring:

-tools
-lunch
-extra clothes
-work gloves

Cost: $0

When:

August 7 & 21

We'll start around 10 am and aim to head home around 3 pm

(Assume it is cancelled if there is actual precipitation around 9 am- if it's a wet forecast call or text {(517)740-3698} to find out the plan)