Where & When do you meet?
We meet in Huntersville, NC every Wednesday from 9:00 am -3:15 pm from August-May. We take a break about every 6 weeks and take 3-4 weeks off at Christmas time. Academic Calendars are made available on campus when you visit on community day or attend an informational meeting.
What is the focus of PFHC and what do you teach?
The Paideia Fellowship is a Christian classical homeschool community that, as fully as possible, restfully seeks the good, the true, and the beautiful through the great works of literature, through language, great works of art, through an experience with the created world, and provides meaningful opportunities to live out worship and virtuous action in community.
The Paideia Fellowship exists to assist classical homeschooling families in providing a traditional classical liberal arts education for their children. While we do offer classes for 1st – 12th graders our primary focus is meeting the needs of Christian classical 5th -12th-grade students and their families.
The Paideia Fellowship Homeschool Community is a Good/Great Books style humanities program, which means the ideas and the literature lead. Practically this means that more time will be spent on the literature and in coaching writing and reading skills. History will be present for sure, but it will inform the literature and there may be shorter discussions or class time devoted specifically to the history topics. Whenever possible mentors and students will seek to see the common thread of ideas woven through both the history and the literature and respond to these ideas with writing, discussion, and other projects or activities.
What is your philosophy of education?
Our philosophy is the Christian Classical Liberal Arts Tradition. The way that The CiRCE Institute, Classical Academic Press, andCharlotte Mason talk about education is a very good gauge for how we view and approach education.
As a community, our motto is “Expanding Wisdom, Extending Grace”.
We recognize there is an ideal to reach for so we continue expanding wisdom. We believe that each individual is made in the image of God and created to live as a wise, virtuous, and fully alive human being. Our goal is to align ourselves with the forms of learning that are consistent with cultivating such individuals. Namely, Christian Classical Education. The CiRCE Institute, Clark & Jain’s The Liberal Arts Tradition, and a Charlotte Mason education embody the essence of what we mean by Christian Classical Education. We honor the nature of the art/science/discipline, the Mentor, and the student. Therefore each is respected, honored, and held to the high standards they were created for.
We also recognize that none of us can completely reach that ideal until we see our Savior face to face so we continue extending grace. We help support each other as we each live in this tension and move towards wholeness in the process. By giving each student space to wrestle through ideas, give accommodation when necessary, and provide small class sizes -where peace and discussions thrive, we can meet each student where they are. By offering authentic, affordable, and accessible community, classes, and additional resources and training we are able to meet each family where they are.
We want to be a community that recognizes the ideal and moves towards it, but also recognizes the reality of today and makes provision for it.
For a more thorough discussion about our educational philosophy, we recommend the following articles and books.
Article: What is Classical Education, by Martin Cothran of Memoria Press
Book: The Liberal Arts Tradition: A Philosophy of Christian Classical Education, by Kevin Clark & Ravi Scott Jain
Book: Consider This: Charlotte Mason and the Classical Tradition, by Karen Glass.
What is your statement of faith?
The Paideia Fellowship does not claim any denominational affiliation. Its participants and mentors are from a variety of Christian backgrounds including Orthodox Christian, Protestant, and Catholic. As a fellowship, we hold to the Christian beliefs set forth in the Nicene Creed, and we aspire to live life as described in 1 Corinthians 13 and the motto “Expanding Wisdom, Extending Grace.”
Do you have a nursery or classes for PreK and kindergarten children?
Unfortunately, at this time, we are not providing classes for babies – Kindergarten children. We do offer a nursery for children ages 6 weeks – 5 years old, if their mother is a mentor and a classroom assistant. Substitute mentors will have access for a small cost on days they sub.
What do the Parents do?
At the Paideia Fellowship, while we do not expect every parent to teach, we do expect all parents to take on some support/volunteer role. This is what allows us to keep our tuition rates lower and keep our community flourishing. There are a variety of support roles ranging from classroom assistants to field trip planners. Each parent will be required to choose their top 3 areas of interest at the time of registration. We will do our best to give you one of those three options. If you are required to be at the church during class time for your support role, you will be expected to find childcare for any child who is not enrolled in a class. Most moms switch kids with another mom who is not working that day and then returns the favor when it is the other mom’s turn. The only exception would be moms who are there every week for their role, like class assistants. They will have access to the mentor kids nursery.
If it is not your week for support work, we still would love to have you to stay and hang out if you can. We have a community room where you can enjoy a cup of coffee hang out with other moms, and maybe even do some lesson planning. If your little ones join you during this time you will be responsible for them and may not leave them unattended. You are also welcome to visit your student’s class at any time. All community members, who are at the church during community day, are expected to help maintain the cleanliness of our meeting place by helping to pick up at the end of the day.
Throughout the week at home, parents lead their children in completing the assignments assigned on community day. Parents are the primary teachers for their homeschool students. Parents are responsible for overseeing their student’s education, keeping their children accountable for completing work on time, maintaining the transcript and other record keeping responsibilities, and -in North Carolina- arranging for the annual standardized test to be given and taken.
Lastly, throughout the year, we strongly encourage all moms to join us at our monthly mom’s night out/book club. Part of doing well at classical homeschooling is taking seriously our own development as homeschooling moms. What better way to do that, than in the trenches with some amazing women experiencing the exact same thing.
Who are PFHC Mentors and what do they do? How do you choose them?
The PFHC Mentors are homeschooling parents, educators, and/or individuals who have a passion for learning, reading, seeing Christ in all things, and for the Christian classical tradition. They also have a passion for sharing and leading other towards truth. They have gone through an application process and training with PFHC. In that application process, we ask them about their teaching and learning background, their faith, their view of people and education, and ask for references. We spend time getting to know each applicant before a decision is made about whether they will join our mentor team.
Mentors are responsible for preparing each class time in accordance with the PFHC syllabus, teaching the class using the classical modes of teaching, and assessing student work assigned in class. Mentors are there to assist and come alongside the parents. There are not there to take the parent’s place. Parents remain the primary educator of their homeschooled children at all times. Mentors are given training and support throughout the entire year and are, in our opinion, amazing servant leaders. Mentors will give parents meaningful feedback about their children’s work, but will not assign grades. PFHC uses a complete-incomplete grading system. If you are interested in learning more about mentoring with PFHC visit out Mentor Application page for more information.
What do students do?
Students are the reason we are here. Students are responsible for attending class, completing all assignments, and being a life-giving participant in the community. We are all co-learners in pursuit of truth and virtue and we can only attain these things if each of us commit to participating with a spirit of humility and respect. Students, especially the Middle and High School students are responsible for reaching out when they need help, keeping a record of work they must complete, and doing their best on all assignments. If a student has special needs or finds it difficult to complete the work the parents and students are expected to communicate and work with mentors so everyone can experience a successful academic year. Mentors do not have to accept assignment once they are 2 weeks late. Students who remain 2 weeks or more behind in their work will be placed on audit status. Meaning, they can attend class, but they may not participate or receive feedback from the mentor. If the student desires to “catch-up” in such a situation, the student/family would need to pay extra for the extra time of the mentor, at a rate of $35/hour, and if the mentor agrees and is able. The choice to provide extra tutoring is at the complete discretion of the mentor and is not required.
How are you different than Classical Conversations?
The primary focus and our view of what classical education are our biggest differences. The primary focus of Classical Conversations is to assist parents in homeschooling their children, pursuing classical education is secondary. Our primary purpose is to assist families, committed to a Classical Charlotte Mason approach, make this way of educating a deeper and more present reality in their homeschools and lives. The fact that we homeschool is secondary. Furthermore, Classical Conversations views classical education as the stages of development, associated with the trivium in the way Dorothy Sayers lays it out in her essay ‘The Lost Tools of Learning’. PFHC takes a more complete view of the classical tradition as passed down from ancient times, where the trivium and the Quadrivium are the 7 liberal arts that each student must study to become a truly free human being. We also believe Charlotte Mason’s writing and methods depict a beautiful embodiment of this ancient tradition and we therefore draw much inspiration and guidance from her writings as well as others who have gone before us in this tradition.
What do you teach about Charlotte Mason, Classical Education, and the Trivium?
While we could do an entire workshop on this, in short, PFHC takes a more complete view of the classical tradition as passed down from ancient times, where the Trivium and the Quadrivium are the 7 liberal arts that each student must study to become a truly free human being. This is in contrast to the Trivium-Dorothy Sayers view that Classical Education is the three stages of development compared to the Trivium. We also believe Charlotte Mason’s writings and methods depict a beautiful embodiment of this ancient tradition and we draw much inspiration and guidance from her writings as well as others who have gone before us in this tradition.
How do you handle discipline?
When conflict arises we follow the pattern laid out in Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 13. If problems persist after a student is spoken to one-on-one, the parents will be contacted.
How do we register for Classes & the Homeschool Community?
Contact us and let us know you are interested, ask any questions you have, and make sure we have space. We want to make sure each family is a good fit. You can email us directly at paideiafellowship (at) gmail (dot) com.
Once you visit and determine we are a good fit for your family, we will send you a link to complete your registration online, pay a 10% deposit on tuition, and set-up how you will pay tuition. You can choose to pay in 1, 2, 4, or 5 installments. Once this is complete, your spot is reserved and you will be added to our email list and private Facebook group.
Remaining 90% of tuition is due no later than 30 days before the first day of class/orientation, paid directly to Paideia Fellowship. For the 2016-2017 School year this is July 15th, 2016.
What is your refund policy?
If you decide to drop a class/PFHC, tuition will be refunded according to the following schedule:
Before 30 Days before the first day of class: 100% minus the non-refundable deposit
Before the end of orientation day: 50% minus the non-refundable deposit
After the end of orientation week: no refund
* Please note: administration fees and deposits will not be refunded. These policies are subject to change without prior notice.
What is the Payment Schedule for Registration?
Parents pay 10% of the total tuition a the time of registration and the remaining balance is due per chosen installment schedule and by July 15th (30 days before orientation day).
All installment plans must be completed and paid in full no later than July 15th.
What is the cost for the Paideia Fellowship?
The cost for the Paideia Fellowship includes tuition (prices listed below), a $50 per family supply fee, a $30 per family insurance fee, and the assigned books/school supplies for each enrolled classes.
Each family is responsible for purchasing supplies/books for the classes. The 1rst/2nd grade class along with the Theater/Nature Art classes charge a supply fee instead of asking families to buy supplies themselves. Bulk and shared community supplies work better in these situations and are cheaper in the long run. Lastly, the end of each semester we take up a love offering for our host church, since they allow us to meet there for free, yet it is not free for them. The love offering is whatever you feel prayerfully led to give.
Includes for Morning and Afternoon Classes
$584.00/Frist-Second Grade Student/year
$584.00/Third-Fourth Grade Student/year
$751.00/Fifth-Sixth Grade Student/year
$834.00/Seventh-Eighth Grade Student/year
$959.00/Nineth-Twelfth Grade Student/year
Mentor Kids Class
Based on enrollment. Nursery Families will share cost so Mentor will receive $8/hr for up to 4 kids and $10/hr if over four children.
Do you have Insurance & Facility Fees?
We do have an insurance premium to pay per family. It runs about $30 per family and the facility fee will be updated here as soon as we know.
Who provides the textbooks?
We do not provide textbooks for any class. Parents and students can view the course syllabus to discover what the required texts and materials are and purchase them.
Do you allow payment plans?
When you register, you have the option to split up your tuition payments into 1,2, 4, or 5 installments. 100% of the tuition is due no later than July 15th. The 10% of the total tuition deposit is still required at the time of registration and the remaining balance is due per chosen installment schedule and by July 15th, 2016 (30 days before orientation day).
All installment plans must be completed and paid in full no later than July 15th, 2016.
Do you have Scholarships Available?
Yes. Scholarships are given on a case by case basis. Scholarship availability is dependent on corporate and individual donations as well as The Paideia Fellowship coffee cup and t-shirt sales. If you are interested in donating to the scholarship fund or in applying for a scholarship email us at paideiafellowship (at) gmail (dot) com.
If you have other questions that have not been addressed here, please email us at paideiafellowship (at) gmail (dot) com. We look forward to hearing from you.