FAQs

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Firelight Homeschool is a secular, parent-involved homeschool group for the whole family, from preschool through high school. We provide an encouraging, supportive, and respectful community where like-minded families can connect and grow together on their homeschooling journey. Our group offers a variety of supplemental, cooperative, and group learning experiences for families in Columbus and central Ohio, creating opportunities for fun and enrichment that are best enjoyed with friends.

As a welcoming and inclusive community, we embrace families from all backgrounds, beliefs, and walks of life. We celebrate diversity and foster kindness, respect, and understanding in every interaction. By participating in our group, you'll not only find enriching opportunities for your children but also build meaningful relationships and lasting friendships for your entire family. At Firelight, you'll truly find "your people"—a supportive community to grow with and create lifelong memories.

• *Class days
• Field trips (Educational and Social)
• Family evening events
• Service projects, visits and donation opportunities
• Moms' Outings
• Teen (ages 12+ ONLY) Outings 

*Class days are a required part of membership. All other events are optional but highly encouraged.

**Throughout the school year, Firelight Homeschool events are exclusive to members unless special permission is granted or select events are opened to local homeschoolers outside of the group. For more information on our public events, join the "Friends of Firelight" Facebook group or check out our public calendar on this site.

We rent space at Lord of Life Lutheran Church for our class days and some special events.

Address: 2480 W. Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus, Ohio 43235

While most of our events take place throughout the Columbus area, we strive to keep them central. However, we occasionally branch out and plan trips to other locations within Ohio and nearby states. *Only Class days are a required part of membership. All other events are optional but highly encouraged.

We primarily meet on Fridays throughout the school year, but our activities extend well beyond that. We regularly organize Teen Outings, Moms’ Outings, one-off field trips, family evening events, family overnights including camping trips and casual meetups on other days of the week. *All of these events are optional but highly encouraged.

Class days, which are held twice a month on Fridays from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM, are the only events required with your membership. You can find a typical class day schedule under "Class Day Overview."

We operate in two sessions per year: fall (September through December) and spring (January through April). Additionally, we offer optional summer outings to keep the connections and fun going all year long!

9:30-9:40           Arrive/Set-up

9:45-9:55           Announcements

10:00-11:00    1st Hour Class

11:00-12:00    2nd Hour Class

12:00-12:30    Lunch

12:30-2:00       3rd Hour Activities & Cleaning

This is a general schedule. Schedules for classes like the preschool room or special event days, such as potlucks or parties may differ slightly.

Each family is expected to provide one volunteer from their family. This family volunteer (parent or guardian) will need to attend every class day and participate.  Each parent will need to teach a class, be a class helper, or be a buddy to one of our special needs students for each hour. This is not a “drop-off” program; a parent or designated guardian is expected to remain on the property at all times.

Membership Fee: This fee allows your family to be a part of our community for the current semester.  The current membership fee will be $90 per family. Due anytime on or before orientation, a late fee of $10 will be added after the first class day.

Background Check Fee: The church requires a background check for each adult attending class days on a regular basis. The initial background check costs $15 and needs to be repeated triennially.

Class Fees: These fees are paid directly to the teachers (usually via PayPal or Venmo) to cover the cost of supplies and materials for each class. We strive to keep class fees as affordable as possible, with most classes ranging from $0 to $60. Cooking classes tend to be the most expensive due to the cost of food. Please submit these fees as soon as your child(ren)’s schedule is finalized so teachers can purchase the necessary supplies. If you're on a tight budget, some teachers may be open to exchanging class fees for donated supplies. Please reach out to them directly to make arrangements.

The adult who will be regularly attending class days is required to complete a background check, as per the requirements of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, our rental space provider. (Background checks are not needed for visiting adults or a parent filling in for the day.)

This is not a drop-off program. Parents are required to participate by teaching, assisting, cleaning, or helping in other ways.  

By joining Firelight Homeschool, you commit to attending all class days, except for illness or pre-planned absences. If you know in advance that you’ll be absent, please notify as soon as possible and coordinate to ensure the class runs smoothly. Continued absences of two or more days, or absences without prior notification, may result in forfeiture of membership without a refund.

Please do not register for membership unless you are sure you would like to participate and are committed to regular attendance.  

This is a very popular question because we have many bright homeschool students who are working above grade level.  For our purposes, however, we do ask that you enroll your child in classes according to their age. This allows them to socialize with their peers of similar ages.

We are currently peanut and tree nut  food allergy mindful and are willing find a solution that works for everyone if the need arises. Since lunch is eaten together as a group, if your child has an allergy that restricts what others eat, where others eat, or affects crafts, please inform the leaders and include this information on your registration. This allows us to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all children in our group.

Moreover, Some rooms that we rent are allergy-friendly, and we require members to follow any posted food restrictions carefully. 

The Firelight Homeschool leadership team consists of volunteer moms whose families attend community events and who are dedicated to fostering friendship and knowledge within the homeschool community. Our team manages all the behind-the-scenes tasks to ensure each semester runs smoothly. 

Leadership Team Members

Anna Evans

Christy Steward 

Sheri Nash

Susan Guryanova

Thank you for considering becoming a part of Firelight Homeschool!