Tuesday, March 5, 2024

120+ Kansas City Area Homeschool Co-ops, Sports, Fine Arts, Enrichment, FB Groups, & More!


Last updated 3/5/24

New to the area? Lived here your whole life? Just visiting? Somewhere in between? 

Is your homeschool curriculum religious, secular, eclectic, rigorous, relaxed, or a mixture of a few of those? Whatever — you're in the right place!

Welcome to my post full of Kansas City homeschool co-ops (parents pitch in), drop-offs (parents get a break), and hybrids (a couple of days at a school building or other place to learn, and the rest of the work is done during the week at home), as well as sports and enrichment opportunities, Facebook groups galore, and MORE! 

I've spent lots of time and care compiling this information, so please let me know if you find a link that is out of date or if you know of another entry I could add to the list! You can email me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com 😁 or leave a comment on this post.

With so many options in one spot, I'm hoping it makes it easier to choose the best one (or more!) for your family! Here are your many, many options, with more added all the time!

1. Bethany Lutheran Homeschool Academy (Lutheran)

Location: 91st and Lamar in Overland Park, KS

Age range: Kindergarten through 8th grade

Price: $60 application fee. $830 for the first student. Each additional child gets a 10% discount.

2. Brighton Academy (Christ-centered)

Location: 5201 Antioch, Overland Park, KS

Age range: Kindergarten through high school

Price: Tuition information can be found here.

3. Chesterton Academy (Classical Catholic 5 days a week; opened fall of 2022)

Location: 500 W. 40th Street in Kansas City, MO

Age range: High school

Price: $7,500 per student plus $250 book fee, plus fundraising is expected throughout the year

4. Christ the King Academy Homeschool Coop (Catholic)

Location: Christ the King Catholic Church School Building at 85th and Wornall in KCMO

Age range: Birth through high school

Days: Wednesdays 8:45-3:30 including Mass, lunch, and recess (some years it's also Mondays)

Price: $200 per family paid to the church + $100 per family supply fee paid to the co-op + appx. $16 per year per family insurance. Class fees and books are extra depending on the classes you choose.

5. Christ the King Squires Program (Catholic drop-off)

Location: 3027 N. 54th Street, Kansas City, Kansas

Age range: Kindergarten through 8th grade

Price: Determined by your status as parishioner or non-parishioner. CAP participants will pay 2⁄5 of the total cost per student with discounts for multiple members of the same family. The enrollment fee is waived for CTK parishioners. For non-parishioners, the annual fee is $75 per child. 

6. Cornerstone Homeschool Enrichment

Location: Paola, KS

Age range: Kindergarten through 5th grade

Price: Monthly tuition is $120 for Tuesday/Thursday classes 

7. Crossroad Trails Education Center

Location: Gardner, KS

Age range: All ages

Price: Non-refundable registration fee is $50 for one student and $100 per family with multiple students; tuition is in three tiers and is based on how many days a week your child attends

Contact: crossroadtrails@gmail.com 

8. Discovery Homeschool Academy 

Location: First Baptist Oak Grove (enrichment Tuesdays) and Manna Fellowship Church in Pleasant Hill, MO (update February 13, 2022: third location will be in Kearney, MO)

Age range: Kindergarten through high school

Price: DHA Academic Program or DHA Enrichment Program 

9. Eagle's Wings Homeschool Enrichment Co-op (Clay-Platte Home Educators)

Location: North Kansas City, MO

Age range: All ages

Contact: ewregistrar@gmail.com 

10. Fellowship Church Homeschool Academy (Christian; dropoff)

Location: 150 Highway, Greenwood, Missouri

Age range: Preschool through 9th or 10th grade

Price: Tuition information can be found at the link above. 

11. For the Kingdom Homeschool Co-op (hybrid)

Location: Belton, MO

Age range: Preschool through high school

12. Frassati Academy (Catholic high school hybrid for boys; "northern" location—See St. Athanasius Academy)

Location: 700 W. Maple Street, Plattsburg, MO (St. Ann)

Age range: High school

Price: Total costs are around $3,000 per year. 

13. Homeschool Christian Academy (drop-off, but parental involvement is encouraged)

Location: 7700 W. 75th Street, Overland Park, KS

Age range: Kindergarten through middle school

Price: Tuition information can be found here. 

14. Homeschooler Education Network

Location: Olathe, KS

Age range: Kindergarten through 6th grade

Price: $3,000 per child per year with discounts for subsequent children; hybrid education program for working parents 

15. Hope Lutheran Homeschool Ministry (researching; sent message for more information via Facebook on 7/5/23)

Location: Shawnee, KS

16. In the Light Performing Arts Center (my daughter Eva is taking Theatre Production classes there and loves it!)

Location: My new hometown as of 2017: Peculiar, MO

Age range: Kindergarten through high school

Price: Tuition information can be found here. 

17. Journey Outpost

Location: Harrisonville

Age range: Preschool through high school

Price: $25 registration fee per family + most classes are $60 a year plus a supply fee

18. Kearney Homeschool Co-op

19. Knox Classical School (two days a week; opening August 2024)

Location: Lenexa, KS

Age range: Kindergarten through 3rd grade

Price: $3,500 per student per year plus application fee and enrollment fee

20. L.E.A.R.N. Home Education Network — L.E.A.R.N. is a secular (non-religious) homeschool community that offers resources, educational cooperatives, and support to homeschooling families in the Greater Kansas City region of Kansas and Missouri. Facebook group

21. Legacy Christian Academy

Location: Lenexa, KS

Age range: Birth through high school

Price: Tuition information for Lenexa can be found here.

22. Legacy Connections (an extension of Legacy Christian Academy)

Location: Belton, MO at South Haven Baptist Church.

Age range: Birth through high school

Price: Tuition information can be found here. 

23. Legacy Homeschool Enrichment Center

Location: Olathe, KS (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday campuses)

Email: legacyhomeschoolenrichment@gmail.com

Phone: 913-406-4526

Age range: Preschool through high school

Price: Supply fee $52 per student; K-12 tuition $104

24. L.I.T.E (LEARNING INSPIRED THROUGH EXPLORATION) Fort Leavenworth Homeschool Coop (military and military-affiliated homeschoolers)

Location: Fort Leavenworth, KS

Age range: Preschool through high school 

25. Little Green Schoolhouse (The) (private school and homeschool enrichment)

Location: Olathe, KS

Age range: Kindergarten through 7th grade

Price: $35 per day for a full day 9-3; $20 for half day AM or PM 

26. Mighty Oaks Enrichment

Location: Gardner, KS

Age range: All ages

Price: Check website

Contact: moec@mightyoaks.org 

27. Mighty Roots Academy

Location: Grandview, MO

Age range: Kindergarten through high school

Price: Varies depending on what you're looking for

28. Northland Families Learning Together (NFLT, secular)

29. Northside Co-op at Northside Assembly

Location: Holden, MO

30. Olathe Homeschooling Co-op's Facebook page

Location: Olathe, KS 

31. Outreach Christian Homeschool Academy

Location: Kansas City, MO

32. Queen of Heaven Co-op (Catholic; Mondays)

Location: Coronation of Our Lady Catholic Church in Grandview, MO

Age range: Birth through high school

Price: Comparable to Christ the King in KCMO

*This one is kept pretty small, but please contact Siobhan (pronounced shove-on) at shoveon86 at gmail dot com 

33. Pathway Academy Homeschool Hybrid

Location: Overland Park, KS

Ages: Kindergarten though 5th grade

Contact: Sally Dodd, sdodd.kc@gmail.com 

34. Regina Caeli (Catholic; hybrid)

Location: 7700 W. 75th Street, Overland Park, KS

Age range: Birth through high school

Price: Tuition information can be found here. 

35. Rooted Life Academy

Location: Between Spring Hill and Gardner, KS

Ages: Kindergarten through 2nd grade

Rooted Life Academy is a Private Microschool and Tutoring Business offering personalized learning in a small educational environment. 

36. Saint Athanasius Academy (Catholic high school hybrid for boys; "southern" location—See Frassatti Academy)

Location: Christ the King Catholic Church School Building at 85th and Wornall in KCMO

Age range: High school (curriculum used is Kolbe)

Contact: Holle Balzer and Suzanne Egger at athanasiusacademy@gmail.com 

37. Saint Catherine of Siena (Catholic high school hybrid for girls)

Location: Christ the King Catholic Church School Building at 85th and Wornall in KCMO

Age range: High school 

Price: Comparable to St. Athanasius Academy

Contact: Holle Balzer and Suzanne Egger at athanasiusacademy@gmail.com 

38. Shema Homeschool Community

Location: West Haven Baptist Church in Tonganoxie, KS

Age range: All ages, meets on Tuesday mornings

Price: $50 per family per semester.

39. Smithville Scholars Homeschool Co-op

Location: Smithville, MO

Age range: All ages

Price: $50 per family per semester (high schoolers are an additional $25). Each class may have additional fees. 

40. Southland Academy (Christian) 

Location: Providence Church, 10113 Lenexa Drive, Lenexa, Kansas

Age range: Kindergarten through high school

Price: Tuition information can be found here. 

41. South Side Schoolhouse (Christian) 

Location: Grandview, MO

Age range: Preschool through high school

Price: Tuition information can be found here. 

42. Stone Table Study Group

Location: Lee's Summit, MO

Age range: Classical co-op ages 6-13; secondary academy (drop-off, a la carte) grades 7th through 12th

Contact: admin@stonetablestudygroup.org

43. Michelle Volz's Writing Classes (email her at volzmichele7@gmail.com for current class offerings)

*Highly recommended*

Location: Bucyrus, KS

Age range: Kindergarten through 12th grade

Price: $195-225 per semester depending on grade level and class

Special workshops: $70-135 

Sports, Fine Arts, STEAM, and Other Opportunities


A Time to Dance in Raytown, MO

Allegro Choir


Classical Conversations Groups — There are multiple Classical Conversations groups in the metro as well including Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Overland Park, Lee's Summit, and others. 

Crescendo Collective in Independence, MO. They have two groups: beginners ages 6-10 and intermediate ages 11-18. They meet on Friday mornings. Price is $85 per student per year. Contact email is kcmetrohomeschoolchoir@gmail.com.


Culture House (The) in Olathe, KS



Green Leaf Performing Arts in West KCK with 2 more locations in Olathe

Guerrero's Shotokan Karate in Blue Springs, MO





KC Mavs (my youngest son Sam is playing basketball with them during the 2022/2023 season and loves it!)






Piano — Kristen's Piano Studio. Kristen Ely is a homeschooling mom who graduated her youngest this year (2023). She gives creative private or partner piano lessons in her home studio in Lenexa, KS. kristenelypianostudio@yahoo.com
Lenexa, KS
913-433-4463
I take a creative and individualized approach to learning piano through games, improvisation, and more along with a solid foundation in technique and note reading. For ages 5 to adult.

Pure Dance Studio in Independence, MO

Reed Performing Arts Company in Lee's Summit, MO


Seams to Me — Roxanne R. Durando, Seamstress (Alterations, Sewing Instruction Age 8 & Up, Costume Design/Construction). Email rxd9gch@gmail.com. Phone 816-724-9478.

Social Cabaret in Overland Park, KS — Theater and music instruction opportunities at a new venue in Overland Park. Specifically for 16+. Check out Cabaret Arts & Social Theatre on Facebook to see opportunities for older kids (16+). They have an improv class coming up and an audition workshop series as well.


Spanish — Mariposas Spanish Language Experience
Lenexa, KS. Kristen Ely is a homeschooling mom who graduated her youngest this year (2023). She teaches homeschool Spanish classes in her home in Lenexa, KS. kristenelypianostudio@yahoo.com. 
913-433-4463
I use a "comprehensible input"-based approach to second language acquisition. This means using a lot of Spanish in context, slowly and with lots of repetition so that everyone understands what's going on. The goal is to have meaningful interactions in Spanish, hearing it a lot and using it as the kids become comfortable with it. We move around, play games, sing and listen to songs, tell and act out stories, and have a lot of fun! For ages 8 and up.

Susan's World of Dance in Lee's Summit (Friday 10:30 a.m. homeschool hip hop class)



Xtreme Gymnastics in Lee's Summit, MO

I also have a post coming soon on my other blog of roller skating in Kansas City!

31 Must-Join Facebook Groups/Pages:


Cass County Home Educators (must join before being accepted into the Facebook group; membership fee information can be found here) ccheinformation@gmail.com



Camelot Ballroom Dances (not just for homeschoolers)



Freedom Homeschoolers (Hippy Homeschoolers North Kansas City, MO)
Join this one first. Huge homeschool group (3,300 members as of this writing) with all kinds of people; Christian worldview.

HH2 (Homeschool Hookup) Teen Hangouts (13 and up but also has events for 12 and up)
You can join this one after you're accepted into the one above

IEC of NEK: Innovative Education Collaborative of North Eastern Kansas — Becky McNichols says: "If anyone is a founder/leader/teacher of a microschool/pod school/hybrid school option etc. in the North Eastern Kansas area, I just started a Facebook group for us to support and collaborate with one another."




KC Homeschool Connection (previously Lee's Summit Home Educators)













12 Other Homeschooling Helps:

On Mission Bible Quizzing runs August thru February for ages 8 and up. Teams work together on study through New Testament books of the Bible and compete monthly with other teams in Ks. and Mo. Weekly practices on Monday nights. This year's study is the Book of Acts. Curriculum is the Esv text. Learning God's Word, knowing Him more, Christian fellowship, teamwork, reinforcing grammar rules and competition. Located in Olathe. Private message Vicky Gunkel on Facebook. She and her husband are ministry leaders



Shameless Plug: Looking for a Fun Cookbook or Helpful Book for the Writer in Your Life?

The Tater Tot Casserole Cookbook

How to Get Published (and Paid!) Writing About Your Kids

Monday, February 19, 2024

22 Places to Check for Homeschool Books You Need


In keeping with my reputation as a Connector, this post will connect you with books! But first, a little story...

(queue the sad classical music)

I'm teaching a high school Government class this year at our Catholic homeschool co-op, and I'm using the 2014 edition of Declaration Statesmanship in conjunction with the Book of Readings. Early in the summer, these were easy to find for under $15 each, but as fall looms closer, they are more rare and more expensive.

One of the moms in the co-op needed these books. Her kid was not actually taking my class but wanted to follow along with the lesson plan at home.

She wrote me recently and told me the main book was going for $200 on Amazon. I was like, "WHAT?!" and then my fingers flew across my laptop keyboard searching for a better price. I knew that other parents also did not yet have the books and was worried they would not be able to find it at a good price, and that is NOT ACCEPTABLE!

And yes, there is that not-super-visible part of the page that says you can maybe get a copy used if you click a certain link. (she ended up getting the book that way; another student's mom got the book from another homeschool mom I connected her with)

Happy ending to this story, and here are 22 places where you can check for books you need!

AbeBooks

Alibris

Amazon (click the used)

Best Bookstores by State (blog post)

Better World Books

Bookfinder 

BookScouter 

BooksRun 

Chegg 

eBay 

Facebook (groups, personal, Marketplace, used curriculum sale events)

Friends and fellow homeschoolers who have older kids who may have taken the course, so they might have the book you need. I'm always more willing to part with books on my bookshelf if someone is offering me money for them!

Garage sales — True, this is more for when you are planning WAY ahead or in pure perusal mode, but you never know what you might find!

Half Price Books 

HomeWorks for Books — This is a local Kansas City area homeschooling foster family with a HUGE consignment business. We have consigned some of our coop books and I've consigned my personal books and we've done very well going through her!

Library (yours) 

Library (friend's or family member's) 

Powell's Books

Second Sale 

SellBackYourBook.com

ThriftBooks 

Thrift stores — You never know what books you might find at your rinky-dink neighborhood thrift store!

Friday, September 8, 2023

Kansas City Area Social Opportunities and Events for Homeschoolers (+ Other Things!)

Friends, I'm sure you will understand when I tell you I can't keep up with this post. I bit off more than I could chew! I'm going to leave the post up with things that you might want to check out though. I just won't be updating it super regularly. I'll definitely post Christ the King Student Council events like dodgeball and dances!

Have a great summer!

You might also want to check out:

Homeschooling Mommybot: 60+ Kansas City Area Homeschool Co-ops, Drop-offs, Sports, Fine Arts, Enrichment, FB Groups and More!

TBD — Women's Self-Defense Workshop with Guardian Training Solutions (these come highly recommended)

Annual in the Spring — Prom Dress Giveaway Event in Grandview, MO from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Tuesdays and Fridays — Welcome Mat Judo at Christ the King KCMO

Thursdays 1st and 3rd — Roller Skating at Skate City

Thursdays 1st and 3rd (not in summer) — Ice Skating at KC Ice Center ($4 includes skates; parents skate free)

Annual in April — FHE (Families for Home Education) Prom

Annual in April — BunnyPalooza! Easter Bunny and Celebration at the KC Pumpkin Patch

JCCC Driver Education Course


For Summer Camps, see this post!

June

Brickfest Live!


July

Steubenville Conference

Used Curriculum Sale and Resource Fair

October

Christy Spook Trail (Grandview, MO)

February 2024

KU Engineering Expo

Winter Jam

Trail Life

American Heritage Girls


FHE Missouri Homeschool Day at the Capitol

March Brookside St. Patrick's Day Warm-up Parade

March 11-15, 2024 — The 32nd Annual National Homeschool Basketball Championships (Nationals)

KC Reptile Show

Gem & Mineral Show

You Might Also Want to Check Out

KC Area Sports and Physical Fitness Opportunities for Homeschoolers

60+ KC Area Homeschool Co-ops, Dropoffs, Enrichment, etc.

KC Area Fine Arts Opportunities and Events for Homeschoolers

Looking for a Fun Cookbook or Helpful Book?

The Tater Tot Casserole Cookbook

Here's my e-junkie shop full of instant downloads for writers


Saturday, July 29, 2023

106+ Co-op Class Ideas

 

Homeschooling moms have brains full of so many things that it can be difficult to think of what to teach in a co-op situation. 

It is my hope that this list of co-op classes will be inspirational 🙏








GENERAL ELECTIVES

1.     ACT/SAT Prep

2.     American Government (high school)

3.     Art (all grades)

4.     Business Law (high school)

5.     Business Management (high school)

6.     Catholic Schoolhouse (K-2)

7.     Choir

8.     Classical Enrichment

9.     Cooking/Baking (2 hours) (Advanced or Basic)

10.  Consumer Education (high school)

11.  Debate (middle and high school)

12.  Drama (all grades) (one semester)

13.  Drawing (middle and high school)

14.  Emotional Health Class

15.  Handicrafts (7 Benefits of Homeschool Handicrafts: Handicrafts, part 1 — Simply Charlotte Mason)

16.  Health and Nutrition (one semester)

17.  Health for the Whole Person (high school). High School Health for the Whole Person - 7sistershomeschool.com

18.  Hospitality (7th through 12th) (one semester) 

19.  How Media Influenced the 20th Century

20.  Improv 

21.  Leadership

22.  Liberty, Justice and Economics (5th through 8th

23.  Logic (and Critical Thinking; Informal) (one semester)

24.  Medieval Projects (one semester)

25.  Morning Basket

26.  Music and Movement (PreK through elementary)

27.  Music Appreciation

28.  Photography (middle and high school)

29.  Physical Education (all grades)

30.  School Newspaper Class (published monthly)

31.  Sociology (high school)

32.  Study Skills (middle and high school) (one or two semesters). Resources were: (first semester) Study Smarter, Not Harder and (second semester) What Color is Your Parachute for Teens

33.  Theology of the Body for Teens (middle school through high school; two-hour class one day or one hour each Monday/Wednesday)

34.  Yearbook Class 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

35.  American Sign Language

36.  French

37.  Latin (First Form)

38.  Latin (Henle)

39.  Spanish (all grades) 

GEOGRAPHY

40.  American Geography (all ages).

41.  World Geography 7-12  

HISTORY (also includes some Literature, Philosophy, Fine Arts)

42.  American History (middle school)

43.  American History (high school) 

44.  Ancient/Literature

45.  Art History

46.  Church History

47.  Greek History/Literature 

48.  Egyptian Mummification (one semester; middle school) 

49.  History and Philosophy of the Western World (7 Sisters Homeschool)

50.  History of Fine Arts (middle and high school) (one semester) 

51.  Medieval History/Literature 

52.  Missouri 

53.  Modern World History (7th through 12th)

54.  Roman History/Literature 

LANGUAGE ARTS (some Literature combined with HISTORY)

55.  Book Discussion/Book Club

56.  Creative Writing (all grades) (one semester)

57.  English

58.  English Grammar and Composition (high school)

59.  Fairy Tales (K-1st)

60.  Film as Literature (high school)

61.  Great American Short Stories (high school)

62.  Great Books. Books can be acquired on Amazon, ABE Books, ThriftBooks, eBay, etc. (Sample lesson plans for Series 6-8 on the Homeschool-Life website). Can be paired with Art with younger grades into one class.

63.  IEW Writing 

64.  Letter of the Week (preK-1)

65.  Literature, American (high school)

66.  Literature, World (high school)

67.  Modern Literature/History

68.  Phonics/Reading

69.  Socratic Book Club (middle and high school) (one semester) 

70.  Speech (one semester). 7 Sisters Homeschool has a good program.

71.  Storytime (preK)

72.  World Literature (Seton, Memoria Press, etc.) 

MATH (middle/high school classes not generally taught at co-op anymore)

73.  Accounting

74.  Algebra

75.  Build a Business (5-8; high school) (one semester) 

76.  Economics (high school)

77.  Geometry

78.  Personal Finance (high school; Dave Ramsey) 

RELIGION/VIRTUES

79.  Apologetics/Sacraments (high school)

80.  Bible History and Catechism (1st through 4th)

81.  Bible Timeline (high school) 

82.  Book of Virtues (Based on The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett … huge book and could cover all 10 virtues in stories and activities over a year. Book of Virtues - Shiver Academy)

83.  Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

84.  Faith and Morality 

85.  Intro to Catholicism 

86.  Lessons with Father Mike (high school) (one semester) 

87.  Little Flowers 

88.  Religion

89.  Saints 

90.  Understanding Scripture  

SCIENCE

91.  Astronomy

92.  Biology (middle school)

93.  Chemistry (high school)

94.  General Science (Apologia)

95.  Human Anatomy and Physiology (high school)

96.  Life Science (CHC) (optional workbook and lab manual) (7th grade)

97.  Physical Science (middle school)

98.  Physics (high school)

99.  Psychology (high school)

100.         Science Experiments

101.         Science Lab  

STEM

102.         Engineering, Introduction to (one semester)

103.         LEGO Robotics (one semester)

104.         Math Games

105.         Project-Based Learning (create a zoo, build a city, etc.)

106.         STEM Projects (all grades)

 More ideas!

Homeschool Co-op Class Ideas- [Over 50 Classes] Elementary to High School (rookiemoms.com)

The Ultimate List of Homeschool Co-op Class Ideas - Walking by the Way

100+ Homeschool Co-op Class Ideas – Line upon Line Learning (rebeccareid.com)

The Unlikely Homeschool: Mega List of Homeschool Co-op Class Ideas (sign up to get it by email)

150+ Excellent Topic Ideas for Your Homeschool Co-op Classes (reallifeathome.com)

Homeschool Co-op Class Ideas ~ The Ultimate List! - Teach Beside Me