How can my family build up our homeschool community?
Stella Maris was founded as a field trip group where each family took turns planning activities. Today, each member is asked to take the lead in caring for a need in our homeschool community. Please read through the following to determine what role(s) your family can best fill at least once during the year.
Field trip(s)
- Decide where the field trip will be. Here are some ideas
- Contact the location to inquire about..
- Times & Dates available for a homeschool fieldtrip
- Min-Max number of children and parents
- Target age range
- Cost per person and when payment is due
- Invite the community by posting details to the GroupMe Calendar including any rules for the field trip.
- Gather RSPV’s. www.signupgenius.com is a popular choice.
Meetup(s): These are activities requiring little planning and no RSPV’s. They can be a one time activity or recurring.
- Decide what the meetup will be
- Park day, game night, hike, group sports(kickball, soccer, capture the flag, ec), and a splash pad are popular ideas.
- If needed, contact the location to inquire if they require anything of groups.
- Invite the community by posting details to the GroupMe Calendar including any rules that we need to be aware of. For example, no scooters on the trails for this hike.
- Arrive early to welcome those who are joining you.
Mom’s Night(s): Whether it’s a potluck, a coffee, or a chance to dine out, the goal is to encourage, support and share our homeschool experiences with each other.
- Choose a location, time, and date.
- Invite the community by posting details to the GroupMe Calendar
- Make a reservation for those who selected “yes” on the calendar. If the place does not take reservations, plan to get there early to request a table for the group.
Dad’s Night(s): Gather the dads for a casual night of food and drinks. A speaker can help motivate new dads to join the group.
- Choose a location, time, and date.
- Invite the community by posting details to the GroupMe Calendar
- Make a reservation for those who selected “yes” on the calendar. If the place does not take reservations, plan to get there early to request a table for the group.
Homeschool Event: Most of these need multiple families to work on one event. The leadership team will get the ball rolling by sending a group message to all the families who selected Homeschool Events. The planning will look different for each event, but here’s a general guideline.
- Decide on an event
- Service, projects, speakers, All Saint’s Day Party, May Crowning, Spelling Bee, Scavenger Hunt, Homeschool Curriculum Show & Tell, Father-Daughter Dance, Homeschool Mass, Birthday Party for Jesus, Science Fair, Mother-son Event, High School Graduation, a retreat, ect.
- Find a location
- Reserve the time and date if possible
- If there is a fee: determine when it is due and how the money will be collected.
- The team determines what tasks need to be done and splits them up.
- Invite the community by posting details to the GroupMe Calendar
- Gather RSPV’s. www.signupgenius.com is a popular choice.
GroupMe Monitors: These members are essential to making sure our day to day communication runs smoothly.
- Help add and welcome new members.
- Check posts are in the correct sub-group.
- Remind members of the guideline if they are forgotten.
- Help members if they have any difficulty with GroupMe
Leadership Team: These members work to ensure Stella Maris supports the local homeschool community.
- Meet during the year.
- Encourage in-person opportunities for members to gather.
- Help plan large group events
- Respond to member questions and concerns
- Register all members once a year
- Maintain and update https://stellamarishomeschoolers.org/
Stella Maris 