According to Cathy Stone, who is the director of one of the major homeschool “co-ops” in the region, Harvester Teaching Services, the biggest misconception she sees in homeschooling parents is the idea that you have to do everything yourself to be involved in your child’s education.
HTS hires teachers to instruct homeschooled students twice a week in their subject of expertise striving to give parents the peace of mind that comes with their students learning from professionals while only meeting twice a week so as not to diminish the close supervision of the parent unique to homeschooling.
Stone, who is also the mother of five, said, "When I was homeschooling my children, I realized I probably wasn’t the most adequate teacher for certain subjects at a higher level. Particularly with chemistry and biology, I knew I needed help. I really appreciated that HTS had the budget, equipment, and teachers I needed to get my children the proper class requirements I couldn’t have given them myself.”
According to Springfield Connection, "HTS meets at Harvester Presbyterian Church in Burke. Along with elementary education, the co-op provides middle school and high school classes, nursery care, and a homeschooling mother’s bible study on Tuesday mornings.
STARS, another popular co-op meeting at The Foundry Church in Burke which boasted 116 students last year, focuses predominantly on high school education.
Both STARS and HTS meet Tuesdays and Thursdays. While both co-ops celebrate the community, opportunity, and structure their programs contribute to a child’s homeschooling experience, each clarified that the critical role parents play in their child’s education at a co-op is what makes this experience different from that of a traditional school."
Maryam N. is a Senior Writer at Nesbitt Realty. She is an expert on Fairfax County. Maryam has also worked previously as a geologist. She is a foodie and enjoys cooking and exploring new restaurants.