What happens when two parents with a 70-acre property, a wedding venue, and a 2% chance of having children decide the local school system just isn't good enough for their girls? They build something better from scratch.
In this episode, Cheryl sits down with Sarah and Greg Holland of Jericho Valley Co-op in Berkshire County, Massachusetts — a homeschool support organization they built on their own property, with a licensed teacher who walked away from 25 years in the public school system because she believed in what they were building.
Sarah and Greg share how they went from never considering homeschooling to launching a thriving co-op that doubled enrollment in less than a year and now has a waitlist. They talk about hiring a teacher, navigating the legal landscape of running a homeschool co-op, mixed-age learning, getting kids outside every day, and why they believe every community has the resources to do something similar if they just look around.
If you've ever thought about starting something like this in your own community — or you're just looking for proof that there's a better way — this episode is for you.
Topics covered:
Why two self-described "school lovers" chose to leave the system behind
How they built a co-op using their existing property and business
Finding and hiring a teacher who left a 25-year public school career
Mixed-age classrooms and individualized learning plans
Navigating homeschool co-op laws in Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York
How running a business from home changes what your kids learn
Why their shy, isolated daughters transformed after just one year
How to start your own co-op even without a big property or budget
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