We are a community of believers who work cooperatively to support each other in the Christian home education and discipleship of our children by sharing our time and talents with them.

The Orchard Home Education Co-op supplements the educational needs of children from nursery age through elementary. (The middle school program will broaden as the younger children grow.)

As a true cooperative, all families pitch in to make it work. Besides the Leadership Team, members volunteer as tutors, room helpers, nursery workers, set-up/clean-up teams, and other areas the co-op needs to run well. (This is not a drop off co-op with paid tutors.)

Core classes include Gym/Life Lessons, Art, and Music. Additional classes are dependent upon the talents of parent-tutors; science, Bible, history, world cultures, and reading/poetry have been offered in the past.

The Orchard also ministers to home-educating parents by setting aside the second Thursday of the month for time to pray together, support each other, and have meaningful discussion while the children engage in a fun activity.

When We Meet

The Orchard Co-op meets on the first three Thursday mornings of each month at New Life Evangelical Free Church of Hastings. There are also optional planned field trips that generally fall within the 4th week of the month.

• First Semester—Sept. 4 - Dec. 11, 2025

• Second Semester—Jan. 8 - May 7, 2026

See registration forms (first page) for additional information.

Registration

Registration opens for Co-op families on April 10, 2025.

Open enrollment registration begins May 5, 2025.