Here is a list of some of the questions that we’re frequently asked, and their answers. If you have a question that is not answered here, please contact us.
How much does it cost to join the group?
There is no registration fee to join Triangle Homeschoolers’ groups, TH Secular Chat and/or TH Meet Up. THINK Co-op will have a registration fee due to the costs of renting a facility and materials associated with the co-op’s activities.
How do I join?
We accept new members all year long. To join, there are several options:
To join TH Secular Homeschool Chat, simply request membership and an admin will approve you.
To join TH Meet Up, you’ll need to either know someone in the group or meet with one of our group administrators in person. The easiest way to do this is by either contacting us through our Facebook fan page or requesting to join the TH Secular Homeschool Chat group and coming to the next scheduled Park Day. Park Day is held on the third Monday of each month, but you’ll need to join the group to find out the location.
As a member of Triangle Homeschoolers, what is expected of me?
We believe that any group is only as active and successful as the members of the group want it to be. That means the more effort you put into the group, the more you will get out of it. Our organizers put a great deal of effort into maintaining the group and planning fun things to do for our families – all with no membership fees or club dues. In return, we ask that our members plan on being very active in the group’s goings-on.
If you’re a member of TH Meet Up, you will be expected to meet the minimum attendance requirement of one event per month in order to remain a member of that group.
How much does it usually cost to go on field trips and participate in other group events?
We recognize that most homeschooling families are single-income families and on a budget, therefore we try to make things as inexpensive as possible. Most locations we plan trips to offer group discounts or ‘school discounts’, which are sometimes open to homeschooling groups. Whenever possible we take advantage of that pricing, however almost all group rates have a minimum number of participants. This is one reason why we encourage our group members to take part in as much as they reasonably can.
Our most expensive trip to date has been a ticket price of about $25 per person, but this is a rare occurrence, and something like that is usually announced well in advance to give families time to budget for the expense. Most trips are free with the only cost associated with the trip being gas to get there. When we do have an admission fee, most stay within the $2-5 range, with a few in the $5-10 range. We carpool as much as possible and bring picnic lunches and snacks when allowed. Out of town trips are worked similarly; with several families working together to split the costs of accommodations and gas.
I would love to join in on some of your clubs and activities, unfortunately we’re not homeschooling. Can we still participate?
Yes! While most of our activities are planned with homeschoolers in mind, your child need not be homeschooling to participate. Some of our families school through the summer and our group plans activities all year round. You’re welcome to contact us about participating in anything that is on our calendar that fits into your schedule.
What do the terms ‘secular’ and ‘inclusive’ mean, and why is this group specifically secular inclusive?
Whereas some people tend to associate the term ‘secular’ with being anti-religious, in reality secular means ‘having no religious basis’. In our planning stages, we wanted to connect with the large homeschooling community in our area but found that almost every group was faith-based according to that group’s specific beliefs, and most require members to sign a statement of faith. We respect the religious diversity in our area and wanted to create an environment that was more inclusive of alternative religious beliefs, parenting and lifestyles. Contrary to what some may believe, we have many members who are religious, and deeply so. It is not our intent to demean or promote any belief system.
While the content of this group is largely secular, we do occasionally post things having to do with holidays and such, which may include a religious origin. In this way, though our group is not religiously based, we try to include everyone, no matter their religious preferences, lifestyles, orientations, etc. Where appropriate, we choose to use broad language when discussing concepts like “God” or “The Universe”, ‘family’, ‘partner/spouse’ and avoid verbiage that could be limiting or alienating.
Are you Christian?
The parents in this group hail from a wide variety of religious backgrounds and current beliefs. It is our belief that there is something good and something to be learned from almost every walk of life. We have found a great deal of inspiration from religious studies and developing relationships with people of different spiritual/religions/secular paths and we sincerely urge you to do the same.
Updated November 2015
Triangle Homeschoolers 