Co-op
Where Students are Empowered to Grow in Wisdom, Academics, & Faith

Co-op Information

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The co-op program is an optional program available to families who are enrolled in Heritage Christian Academy. Registration for the following school year begins every March for new families and continues until classes are full. Contact the office to register: Kristina Parnell at kristinaparnell.hca@gmail.com.​

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Who? The co-op is open to all students in grades K-6 who are registered in HCA's Church Related School. There is a Pre-School and PreK program that is only open to younger siblings of co-op students. Students and parents must interview with the co-op board and be accepted into this program. Interviews are available from November until January. Sign up starting on November 1, 2024, to interview for the 2025-2026 school year!

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What is co-op? Co-op stands for "cooperative." In this program our parents "cooperate" with one another with every parent teaching, volunteering, and subbing approximately 60 hours a year; every parent is present every Wednesday and helps out in some capacity every Wednesday. We offer 2 co-ops at HCA; each family is either enrolled in the morning co-op or the afternoon co-op.

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What are enrichment classes? Enrichment classes are optional classes with an additional class fee of approximately $1 per 30 minutes your child is in class. There are fall classes and spring classes. Most classes have a small supply fee as well. Enrichment class offerings vary annually and have often included Spanish, Bible, Sign Language, Dissection, Nature Study, Group Games/PE, Tuttle Twins, Card Making, Watercolor, and more.

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When, and where? Co-op is a 24 week program that meets on Wednesdays in Hermitage, TN. Co-op meets 12 times each fall, and 12 times each spring. We take a fall and spring break as well as a Christmas break.

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Why? We believe in the gift that homeschooling can be to families, but we also believe in the gift of community! Co-op offers the opportunity for your children to learn in community and develop deep, life-long friendships. Co-op offers a family to walk with you as you travel on your homeschooling journey.

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How much? Pricing for 2025-2026 are as follows: Registration for co-op costs $150 per family with a $60 fundraising fee in addition to your CRS fees. The enrichment fees are listed above. The optional Preschool and PreK class is $100 per student.

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How do I register for HCA's Co-op?

• Sign up for an appointment time to interview and tour HCA Co-op. Contact Kristina Parnell with any questions. 

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Frequently Asked Questions Here are answers to some of the most common questions we receive.

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1. Do I have to be in a co-op to homeschool? No, you absolutely do not. Many homeschool without a co-op, tutorial, or enrichment group. It is a wonderful supplement to homeschooling, but it is a commitment that not all families desire.

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2. What if I can't get into HCA Programs? While we wish we could accept everyone, we are limited by space in our building. Every year we are able to take a few families who have children in the specific grades we have space in. If you can't get into HCA this year, you can always try again next year. In the meantime there are many other wonderful homeschool groups in middle TN.

 

3. I work a lot. Is HCA Co-op a good fit for our family? Our prayer is that every family finds the right homeschool group for them. HCA Co-op is not the right group for every homeschooler. Co-op requires a large time commitment from parents as the teachers and volunteers; if you work full-time, travel a lot, or want a "commitment-free" schedule, co-op would not be the right fit for you. However, there are many other groups that would be a great fit! There are multiple field trip only groups in middle TN. There are elementary tutorials that don't require much time from parents.

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4. What do co-op students study in co-op? All co-op classes at HCA are history and science based. For a 1st grader we cover topics like Mammals and Maps while a 5th grader will be studying topics like Ancient Civilizations and Fish & Water Life. 

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5. I've never taught other kids before and I'm scared of the teaching/volunteering commitments of HCA Co-op. Never fear! For teaching we provide lesson plans for every week and every class for you! Any week you teach you will have more than enough material to use. You don't have to prepare anything solo! For volunteering you are an assistant teacher and will do things like set out craft supplies, take students to the water fountain, read a book to the students while the teacher is preparing the next activity, supervise children on the playground, and more.

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6. What types of enrichment classes do you offer? We offer different classes every year based on parents' teaching interests. This past year we offered academic enrichments, such as Dissections, Book Club, Gardening, and more. We also offered P.E. enrichments, such as Volleyball, Basketball, and Ballet. Additionally, we offered art enrichments, such as Drama, Clay Sculpting, Handmade Greeting Cards, Cupcake Decorating, and more. Next year's enrichment class schedule will be set in January.

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7. How much does co-op cost? All HCA Co-op students must be enrolled in the CRS (these fees can be found on the CRS page). The only mandated fees for co-op are the registration fee (per family) of $150 and the fundraiser fee (per family) of $60. The optional fees are adding Preschool or PreK ($100 per student) and enrichment classes (fees vary - if you took every optional class at every time available, it would cost between $90-150 per child).

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8. When does school start and end? HCA Co-op begins in August and goes through the beginning of April. We take off the month of December for co-op. The academic calendar is set in January for the following year.