Homeschool Cooperative looks to connect families

While Trumansburg has been home to families who homeschool their children for years, connecting with fellow homeschooling families has been difficult. Until now.

The Trumansburg Homeschool Cooperative, founded by Laura Hully, is gearing up for the start of the traditional school year.

“Trumansburg has its fair share of homeschooling families, and community is important for our children,” she said of what led to the creation of the co-op. “It’s due time.”

Organizing for the collective began in the early spring of 2020 with about a dozen families meeting to plan how the co-op would operate, Hully said, but the pandemic delayed the group’s start.

“Now, we are eager to get started finally,” she said. “It should be noted here that we are open to families from surrounding areas, including our Ithacan neighbors.”

Hully’s family homeschools its five daughters, who range in age from 14 years to 14 months old.

“We homeschool because that’s what all our children wanted when given the choice; it is a family priority that they have a say in their education,” she said. “Also, I have a master’s [degree] in early childhood education and I know, firsthand, the importance of child-led education that preserves critical thinking skills and creativity for life-long learning.”

Though she got the ball rolling, Hully sees the cooperative as the word is defined — a group working together to make it work for everyone involved.

“So, the co-op is designed by participating families and will continue to be what members build. There is a ‘offering’ submission form online that any member can fill out,” she said. “An ‘offering’ can be a class, workshop, activity or club that usually meets once a week for the duration of the session.”

Jenn Feingold runs Breathe preschool in Trumansburg and Watkins Glen. While her own child is only 6 months old, she was interested in the cooperative to connect with other parents and wants to offer some classes for the homeschoolers.

“We haven’t quite started our homeschool journey, but we know we want to homeschool. I thought, ‘perfect,’ I could participate as a parent and offer some classes as a teacher,” Feingold said. “I’m a certified yoga instructor for children. I want to do some yoga classes and some nature walks with plant and tree identification.”

This summer, Hully noted that families who are a part of the cooperative have been focused on community and socialization. So, she said, the group’s gatherings have been at parks, swimming and hiking.

“In the fall, the focus will be back to academics, so we expect offerings to reflect that with classes and workshops, but social enrichment events will continue throughout the year,” Hully said.

Feingold likes that the cooperative has operated on a drop-in basis with its events so far.

“If something comes up, you don’t have to feel bad about missing a commitment. I also like that it is exposing us to different families that we wouldn’t meet, especially during COVID,” she said. “We isolated [during the pandemic], and the only families I know are the ones enrolled in my preschool. I think it’s perfect timing for other parents, after COVID, realizing that maybe they want to look into an alternative education style.”

The cooperative, which is a secular, inclusive-culture organization, is planning to have four defined sessions throughout the year. The fall session is planned for 11 weeks, starting in early September.

The winter session also will be 11 weeks, starting in early January, followed by an eight-week spring session that will begin in early April. A summer session also is planned but will focus on social gatherings and community building.

“We have a weekly gathering every Thursday at 1 p.m., rotating around various local parks,” Hully said of what the cooperative has been doing this summer. “We will be holding planning [and] info meetings closer to September in prep for the school year.”

She said about 30 families have shown interest in taking part, and membership is opening in mid-August when the group will begin accepting fall session offerings.

“We’re just getting started and building up a thriving membership by fall,” Hully said.

To become a member, which is free, people fill out a form on the cooperative’s website. Hully said individual offerings may have a small cost associated with enrolling to help cover costs of things like materials and space rental.

“A typical offering may be as simple as a hiking club that meets once a week or a more academic option such as Algebra for Beginners,” Hully said. “Members also have the option of helping with administrative duties for their co-op contribution. We may waive participation requirements [for] the first session. If interested, please inquire.”

Feingold said that in addition to giving homeschooled students a variety of learning options, the cooperative also can be a resource for parents, especially those new to homeschooling.

“It’s slightly structured, and I think it will wind up being an eclectic mix of offerings for parents,” she said. “Hopefully it will help with IHIPs [Individualized Home Instruction Plans, which are required for parents who homeschool children in New York], too. They can be super intimidating.”

Hully said the 2021-22 school year will be kicked off with a “Not Back to School” picnic, which is open to all local homeschoolers and will include a curriculum and resource exchange.

For more information about the Trumansburg Homeschool Cooperative, visit its website at tburghomeschool.org or its Facebook page at facebook.com/tburghomeschool.

IN BRIEF:

‘Hands on History’ event set for Aug. 14

The Ulysses Historical Society will be hosting “Hands on History” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 14 at 39 South St. in Trumansburg.

The family-friendly event will include exhibits and opportunities for people to actively participate in activities using articles of local Ulysses “Americana” at the museum.

Specific events will be buttermaking at 10 a.m. and noon, grain thrashing at 10:20 a.m. and 12:20 p.m., straw baling at 10:40 a.m. and 1 p.m., bucksaw and crosscut sawing at 11:20 a.m. and 1:20 p.m., corn shelling at 11:40 a.m. and 1:40 p.m., and a spinning demonstration taking place throughout the day.

Inside the museum, recent exhibits will be on display highlighting Gregg Iron Works, Tompkins County Horseman’s Association, local military heroes and the Rongo. A semblance of a one-room school has also been set up upstairs with accompanying activities. Story reading will also take place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

There will be free popcorn and lemonade, and Cayuga Creamery will be on site with its ice cream stand.

There also will be live music, featuring Three Stone Fire from 10 to 11:15 a.m., TOIVO from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Uncle Joe & The Rosebud Ramblers from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

For more information, visit the Ulysses Historical Society Facebook page at facebook.com/UHSNY.