Raising Arrows Homeschool Fellowship Untitled Header Image Raising Arrows Homeschool Fellowship
 

About Us...

Raising Arrows meets on Mondays in Lenoir City, Tennessee.

Anyone is welcome to apply and join our waitlist at any point during the year.

For those praying for a co-op fellowship, we join you in praying that the Lord will lead you and your family EXACTLY where He would have you to be!  To resgister and apply, or to join our waitlist, please complete our registration and application steps here.

Raising Arrows Homeschool Fellowship is a Christian homeschool group with a purpose of encouraging and supporting homeschool families through a weekly co-op, field trips and play dates, dances & teen events, Mom's Nights Out, and online social media support. Our group primarily serves families in Blount, Knox and Loudon (and nearby) counties of East Tennessee. 

We began in January 2021 to help meet the needs of Christian families who longed for in-person, free-smiling fellowship and homeschool connection. 

We believe that for many homeschool families, their "co-op" family provides not only educational instruction and enrichment for the children, but also a forum where both parents and children meet and develop deep long-lasting friendships, and find much needed encouragement and support for their homeschool journey, for life in general, and for their spiritual growth.

As such, this co-op has an upfront application process to join. We welcome families who are committed Christians with a conservative Christian worldview (pro-life, pro-Biblical marriage, etc) to apply. We will have plenty of outings and field trips that are great for inviting friends and neighbors and unbelievers too, but the co-op itself is a group of like-minded (or "Christ-minded") families. Please do not let our application (screening process) deter you if you are interested in joining. Like a marriage- you want to vet your future spouse and make sure you are "equally yoked." Our upfront application process helps us create a beautiful co-op community of like-minded families! 

Psalm 127: The Raising Arrows logo at the top of this page, and the Bible Journaling pictured on the right, were both drawn by one of our creative teens!

Registration Timeline

2024-2025 Co-op Timeline: 

Registration Deadline for new families: Friday, July 15th

Parents submit class ideas to teach or co-teach: ASAP or until the schedule is full (Let us know quickly a class or two (or more) you can teach or co-teach so we can start class sign ups!) Note: Just because you submit a class does NOT guarantee placement on the final schedule. Schedule will be based upon interest and availability.

Background check authorization form and references due: July 15th (if these are not complete by July 15, we may offer your space to someone on the waiting list)

Class sign ups: August 5th at 10:00am

Daily Schedule

Daily Schedule:

9:30                Chapel (mandatory)

10am-10:55   1st Hour Class 

11am-11:55     2nd Hour Class

12:00-12:30     Lunch & Fellowship

12:30-1:25      3rd Hour Class

1:30-2:25        4th Hour Class

2:20-2:45       Clean up

Co-op Details

Location: 

Lenoir City on MONDAYS

(Exact location shared with those who become members)

Meetings: 

  • Back to School Ice Cream Party: Late August (dates given to members)
  • Fall term: Week of Sept 9 - December 16 (OFF the weeks of Sept 30, Oct 28, and December 2) 

Time: 9:30 - 2:30 (includes chapel, 2 classes, lunch, then 2 more classes)

Ages: All ages from infant through high school. YOU MUST HAVE at least one child in 1st Grade or higher, as this co-op is primarily to support families who are already in the "homeschool" years. Our classes will be broken into the following age groups:

  • Nursery & Toddlers
  • Preschool (3-5)
  • Lower Elementary (K-2)
  • Upper Elementary (3-5)
  • Junior High (6-8)
  • High School (9-12)

Costs and Fees:  You must pay the $30 registration fee once approved for registration. This fee is non-refundable if you decide not to join us. .

This fee covers our per-family costs to use this membership website, background check fees, and our ID lanyards that will be made for each parent and child.

We also have a per semester fee of $60/family.

The fall semester fee will be due in 2 parts- $35 due Aug 15, and $25 due Oct 15 2024.  
The spring semester fee will be due in 2 parts- $35 due January 15th 2025. and $25 due March 15th 2025. This covers our weekly fee we pay to the church for using the building, custodian costs for the building, some co-op supplies, and our required liability policy we must have to meet at the churches. 

The final fees are the class fees. This will vary per class, and will be paid directly to the teachers. When you register, you will see exactly which classes are offered and what each class fee is. Class fees range from FREE to $30/class/semester.

Partial Days: Some families have asked if they are able to come for only a half day. At this time we do require that families commit to a full day to help foster our sense of Christian community. 

Study Hall: If your child has any hours during our co-op day that they don't have a class offered that works for them, we will have a room for "study hall." They can bring their school work, art, or a hobby to quietly work on during this hour. 

Parent Expectations: One parent from each family will be expected to serve 3 out of 4 hours each co-op day. 

"SERVE" hours will include:

  • Teaching or co-teaching at least 1 class period (more is better if you can)  and/or
  • Be an assistant in a class 1 (or more) hours and/or
  • Help however needed 1 hour (we call this "FLOAT"- you help where moms are absent or where extra hands are needed)  and/or
  • Serve in an alternative capacity (ie come early for set up, stay late for clean up, serve on lunch recess duty, serve on security team, etc.)

OFF HOUR: Our goal is for each parent to have 1 hour as a scheduled "fellowship hour" - where the parent can visit with other parents who also have an OFF hour, or just take an hour for yourself (must stay on campus). 

Ready to Apply?

Click Here!

FAQs

Joining Raising Arrows

Question

What ages are allowed to participate in Raising Arrows?

Answer

You must have one child that is 1st Grade or older to join. We offer classes for babies through 12th grade!

Question

What level of participation is expected of parents?

Answer

One parent must stay and participate during our co-op day. This is not a drop-off, but rather a community we are building. The participating parent will either teach, assist, or fill a service position 3 out of 4 hours of classes. Our goal is that each parent will get one hour "off" each day- to either rest, have some alone time, or fellowship with other parents who are off that same hour. 

Parents are also expected to participate in chapel with their child(ren).

Question

Is it required to be a Christian family in order to participate in Raising Arrows?

Answer

Our co-op requires a strict agreement with our Statement of Faith and Beliefs, which requires not just a belief in the Old Testament, or attending church, but having a life-changing faith in Jesus Christ, and for both parents (if there are 2 parents in the household) to be Christians who seek to live their lives in according with all of God's Word and principles. 

Our hope and prayer for each family is that they have a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ, as we believe that salvation comes only through Jesus. He is our only true Hope, Joy, Forgiveness, and Strength. 

Question

How do I join Raising Arrows?

Answer

We have an extensive application process. Don't be alarmed- this vetting process is part of what makes this community so special! We want to make sure that our families are all on the "same page" about the things that matter most. Of course this starts with our Christian faith, but also includes Biblically conservative values (ie we are pro-life, believe that marriage is between one man and one woman, etc, and we are liberty lovers!). 

To apply, be sure to follow ALL the steps at the link below. Your application will not be approved until you complete each step:

Apply here: https://www.homeschool-life.com/3243/signup

General Co-op Questions

Question

How much are the fees, and how much do classes cost?

Answer

We have an annual $30 registration fee, which covers our "per family" use of this website, our background checks, our badges for parents and children, etc.

We also have a semester fee for both fall and spring semesters. For our Seymour and Maryville locations, the semester fee is $50. For our Lenoir City location, the semester fee is $25. The semester fee covers our insurance policy, facility rental for the churches where we meet, and general supplies needed to operate the co-op.

Class fees are paid directly to the teachers of each class, and the fee is set by the teacher. Class fees range from FREE to $65 depending on the class. Our priority is that this is an affordable co-op, and that fees are set to cover just the cost of the materials to run the class, and a buffer for unexpected expenses.

It is a core value of our co-op that we make classes as affordable as possible. We want to support homeschool families as best we can, understanding that most are single income families, and that prices for everything are high these days. We believe we can provide quality homeschool classes for our community without high costs.

Note: The classes that are on the higher end of that class fee range are taught by "outside teachers." These are professionals in our community who do NOT have children who attend Raising Arrows, but the teachers have a passion for teaching homeschool students. These classes cost more because the class fee helps to cover the teacher's time in commuting and teaching our students, as they do not have the benefit of the co-op blessing their own children. For example, we have a former homeschool mom who teaches our Debate and Public Speaking classes. Her kids are grown, but she loves to teach for Raising Arrows!

Question

Do you offer events for families outside of co-op day?

Answer

Yes! We are huge on community. We offer:

  • Monthly Mom's Nights Out
  • Teen events (games nights, lake days, spring formal, park days, etc)
  • Park play dates (often with teen led worship in the park!)
  • Field trips (museums, pumpkin patches, farms, educational outings)
  • After co-op seasonal events (gingerbread making, Resurrection Day celebration, Muffin Monday, etc)
  • Concerts & sporting events
Question

What is is the co-op dress code?

Answer

We desire our co-op to follow God’s call to modesty in appearance (1 Timothy 2:9-10), and in doing so, create a safe place for everyone to learn without distraction and temptation. These guidelines (for both parents and students alike) will give a measurable way to keep our clothing in check.  We want to dress for the comfort of others, rather than the comfort of ourselves.

  • Make sure that private areas are covered completely and please avoid tight clothing that might accentuate those areas.

  • Shirt and dress necklines, tank top straps, shorts length, and dress/skirt length should be modest

  • If a shirt or dress is a thin material, please wear a slip or a T-shirt.

  • Shirts need to be long enough to cover the midsection, both front and back, even when hands are raised.

  • Modesty is the key!

Question

What are your behavior expectations at co-op?

Answer

As Christians we want to walk in the light and honor Jesus in all we do!  Below are five core values that we use to remind each other how to walk in a manner worthy of the calling!  Teachers, hall monitors, helpers and any parent at Raising Arrows are encouraged to use the core values to remind the students of what’s right.  

Each finger on our hand represents one of these 5 core values. We welcome you to practice them at home with your children, and in class with your students!

  1. Do Unto Others- “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

  2. Be Orderly- “But all things should be done decently and in order.” 1 Corinthians 14:40

  3. Honor Authority- “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1

  4. Consider Others-”Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

  5. Walk in the Fruits- “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22

Monthly Scripture Song

Contact Us

Raising Arrows Leadership
[email protected]
(425) 344-1566