Quick recap:
Almost 3 years ago, we started homeschooling accidentally.
It wasn’t Plan A. It was a necessary Plan B.
More details here if you missed it.
Now that we’ve been doing this for awhile, we’ve found our rhythm. My husband drives the kids to various homeschool activities during the day while I’m at school doing the public school teacher thing. Then when I get home and do the lessons with the kids, my husband goes to work.
It has mostly worked, except when we’re exhausted, which is unfortunately often.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
So we started praying. We started to ask God if this was what He had for our family in this season or if there was another direction we needed to navigate.
Then a friend called me in December of 2022. She said she had an idea that she wanted to run by me.
Now this friend is one of those people that when she has an “idea,” it sounds all sweet and innocent, but you realize months later that she meant business and she was moving mountains. And she wanted you to join the tidal wave required for real change.
That day in December, she told me about how she was visiting her mom over Thanksgiving and met for coffee with another friend. That friend told my friend all about a hybrid homeschool that their family was part of.
My friend (of course) got the hybrid homeschool director’s phone number and called him 30 minutes after hearing about her friend’s experience.
And now a few days later, she was calling me.
“I think you should be the director.”
Her words surprisingly did not freak me out (like they probably normally would have). August of the next school year seemed a safe distance away that I could entertain the idea without becoming an emotional wreck.
And the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Over the years, I have had several people tell me that I would someday be a school principal. I always shrugged that notion away because — no thanks — I’m happy just being in charge of a classroom of 25 children.
Even my own husband had told me several times that he thought I should be director of a school.
And now here was my trusted friend telling me the same thing, but this time with a real idea of a real school needing a real director.
Plus, it’s no secret on this blog that I am deeply passionate about families having more options than just the neighborhood public school.
Families need options.
Let’s create options.
And what started as a “maybe this is happening” in December turned into a “this is definitely happening” by February. The details kept falling into place.
Mentor hybrid homeschool to walk us through starting a hybrid homeschool. CHECK.
Visit mentor hybrid homeschool to see how it’s done. CHECK.
Church building where our classes could meet two days a week. CHECK.
Information meetings. CHECK.
Classical education model and curriculum. CHECK.
Interested families. CHECK.
Teachers filling out applications. CHECK.
Registration numbers growing by the day. CHECK.
Teacher interviews. CHECK.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19
Now mind you, I can not take credit for any of this. It’s more like I am simply participating in what God is actively doing. The mentor hybrid homeschool directors have been very generous with their time and expectations as I finish out this current school year well with my current responsibilities.
So here’s the overview on this hybrid homeschool:
Two days a week, parents will drop their children off for classes at our host church.
Three days a week, families will homeschool. Lessons will be provided for families.
Once per semester, parents will meet for curriculum training.
Once a month, parents will meet for community-building and homeschool encouragement.
Every six weeks, there’s a week off. Sabbath rhythms for learning.
I have so much to be thankful for in this change of seasons.
For one, I used to shut down the idea of being a school principal. I even briefly entertained the idea of starting my own school, but again, I shut down that idea because I did not know where to start. I’m so thankful that I will not be going this alone in the director role, and I will have mentors to reach out to with the constant questions.
I’m also thankful that this fits our family season. My children will attend the hybrid homeschool with me on the class days and I will be the homeschooling parent on the home days, giving my husband the freedom to pursue his career interests. I will be a homeschooling parent helping other parents to homeschool.
I’m excited to see how this all plays out.
So much more to be thankful for, but I’m not sure I have the words for it yet. (Hard to believe, I know, that I would run out of words and yet be writing on a blog…!)
Stay tuned for whatever comes in this adventure God is orchestrating!
Until next time,
WHOOHOO!! ALL GLORY TO GOD!! This sounds a tailor made job for you!! So happy for all involved!