FAQs
General FAQ
Q: |
Is Firefly Homeschool Community a school? |
A: |
No, Firefly Homeschool Community is not a school. The key difference between a homeschool co-op and a public/private school is that in a co-op each parent is ultimately responsible for providing the primary education. FHC is a parent-directed, nonprofit organization providing enrichment classes and social events for homeschoolers from Kindergarten through high school. Our teachers are parents and community members who design their own classes and are paid directly by parents/guardians for the classes their children choose to take. Teachers pay a small fraction of this tuition to Firefly to cover rent and other costs. Teachers do not issue grades, keep track of hours, or complete transcripts for courses offered, as the responsibility for following Georgia home study requirements remains with parents/guardians. |
Q: |
What is the age range for students at Fireflly? |
A: |
Firefly will serve students in Kindergarten (age 5 by the first day of class) through high school. |
Q: |
What do you mean by full-day student and partial-day student? |
A: |
Firefly offers six class periods a day, with mulitple classes offered per period. A full-day student is a child who is registering for all six periods. A partial-day student is a child who is registering for fewer than six periods. Students in grades 2-12 are free to choose whichever classes they like, whether they're registering for a full-day or partial-day. PLEASE NOTE: If you have at least one full-day child, you may register all of your children at the same time, even if the others are taking fewer than six classes. |
Q: |
Why are grades K-1st required to take the full day Lightning Bugs program on Thursdays instead of picking and choosing their classes? |
A: |
We have two reasons for this change. First, this is an effort to help streamline the class day for our youngest students. Having an instructor walk the entire group to their next classroom will lessen confusion and anxiety during busy class transitions. With a set schedule, we can ensure all of these students are going to the same place at the same time and that they will have a designated adult to help them navigate this routine. Second, because we are expanding our course offerings for our upper grades, classroom space and teacher availability is limited. Our K-1 program includes a variety of our most popular class offerings for this age group. |
Q: |
Why do you no longer accept Pre-K students? |
A: |
We are utilizing our limited space and resources to expand our course offerings for upper grades. |
Q: |
Do you accept neurodiverse students? |
A: |
Yes, we have several neurodiverse students in attendance at Firefly and in many cases, parents are required to attend classes & events with their child. This has worked really well for our students, our instructors, and our community as a whole. Most of our instructors are homeschooling parents without formal training, so we rely on the parent of a neurodivergent student to share insight, to monitor the individual behavior of their child, and to provide direct support when needed. Parents who stay on campus as their child’s aide will need to sign a Parent Agreement and submit to a background check and are responsible for costs incurred. |
Q: |
Do your instructors have to pass a background check? |
A: |
Yes. All instructors are subject to and have passed a background check. |
Q: |
When and where do you meet? |
A: |
Classes are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Princeton United Methodist Church located at 2390 S Lumpkin St in Athens. There are 16 weeks of classes per semester. |
Q: |
How much does it cost to register and take classes? |
A: |
Please refer to the "Payment Info" tab above. |
Q: |
How do I register for classes? |
A: |
In order to register for classes, you must first register your family with Firefly:
You will not pay tuition at this time, only Registration and Facility Fees are due to secure your registration. Please note that registration closes on July 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester. |
Q: |
Do I drop my child off for classes? |
A: |
Yes. If you'd like to stay in the area, please check out Molly's Coffee Company, Memorial Park, or the Bear Hollow Zoo. |
Q: |
Will I get a refund if I change my mind about a class or decide not to attend at all? |
A: |
Please view our Payment Policy |
Q: |
Can my student change classes once the year has started? |
A: |
In general, classes are designed as two-semester classes, building upon skills acquired in the previous semester. However, some classes will admit new students at the start of the second semester. Mid-semester class changes will not be permitted after the third week of each semester. Please see our Payment Policy for financial responsibilities if changing or dropping a class once a semester has begun. |
Q: |
Are Firefly Homeschool Community parents required to volunteer? |
A: |
Yes. Firefly is a community that values family involvement and fellowship with one another. Because we are not a school, but a non-profit parent cooperative for independent homeschoolers, we need help from all of our families throughout the school year. It is important to us that all members are actively building and investing in our community as we work together in educating our students. For information on volunteer requirements, please visit here. Families will be notified by email when the volunteer sign-up becomes available as we near the start of each semester. If you are unable to fulfill this requirement, please pay the volunteer opt out fee ($65 per semester) via PayPal to [email protected] |
Q: |
How do I know when semesters start and end or when Firefly Homeschool Community is on on break? |
A: |
Please refer to our monthly calendar on the homepage or our full calender here. |
Q: |
Are Firefly Homeschool Community classes cancelled for inclement weather? |
A: |
Firefly Homeschool Community follows the Clarke County School System for all class cancellations due to inclement weather or other unforeseen events. If Clarke County Schools are closed, FHC will likely close as well. |
Q: |
Is tuition assistance available? |
A: |
We are committed to making FHC affordable for all families. Excess funds are earmarked for the community and tuition assistance. In conjunction with our March registration dates, we will open our Tuition Assistance application form for the following school year. Tuition Assistance is granted on a first-come, first-served basis, and is issued until the fund runs out. |