Every great adventure begins at the trailhead. Before setting off, hikers gather to introduce themselves, compare maps, check that everyone has what they need, and make sure they're all excited about the journey ahead. Our Trailhead Talk is inspired by that idea.

A Trailhead Talk is a relaxed conversation between your family and a few members of our community, what we think of as a mutual interview: We'll share more about Foxfire, answer your questions, and learn about your family's homeschooling journey, interests, and hopes for a co-op.

Because Foxfire is a cooperative, every family helps shape the community through teaching, volunteering, and shared leadership. The Trailhead Talk gives us all a chance to make sure we have a shared understanding of what that looks like and to decide together whether Foxfire feels like the right “trail” for your family.

Being secular means our co-op doesn't promote or teach any particular religion. Families of every faith tradition, and families with no religious affiliation at all, are warmly welcome here. We believe children benefit from learning alongside people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Our focus is on creating a community where everyone feels respected, included, and valued.

Our classes are designed to enrich what children are already learning at home. Some classes are wonderfully academic. Others focus on art, engineering, theater, nature, cooking, music, creative writing, life skills, or simply exploring something fascinating together. Parents remain responsible for their child's overall homeschool curriculum, while the co-op provides exciting opportunities to learn, create, and make friends.

Every family is asked to contribute to the life of Foxfire, and for most families, that typically includes teaching at least one class each semester. Don't worry, classes don't have to look like traditional school lessons! Some of our favorite offerings are hands-on projects, nature walks, crafts, games, book clubs, cooking, hobbies, or opportunities for children to explore something a parent is passionate about.

We know every family brings different strengths, interests, and seasons of life. If there isn't a class you'd like to teach, no teaching opportunities are available, or your family needs an exception, we'll work with you to find another meaningful way to contribute.

Foxfire relies on many kinds of volunteers beyond classroom teachers. Depending on the semester, families may be able to support the co-op by helping with curriculum planning, coordinating special events, mentoring new families, organizing supplies, assisting in classrooms, supervising recess, serving on committees, handling communications, or taking on other behind-the-scenes roles.

Our goal isn't for everyone to contribute in the same way—it's for everyone to help cultivate the community. We believe every family has unique gifts to share, and we're committed to helping you find a role that fits both your strengths and your season of life.

Twice each year, families help plan the upcoming semester. Before planning meetings, everyone is invited to share class ideas, interests, field trip suggestions, and other feedback through surveys. Then we meet together, both in person and online, to build a schedule that reflects the interests of our children and the talents of our families.

It's one of our favorite traditions because everyone gets to help shape what's coming next.

Our co-op is led by a five-person Coordinator Team made up of parents from our own community. Their job isn't to "run" the co-op, it's to help it thrive by coordinating volunteers, organizing logistics, communicating with families, and keeping things moving smoothly. Big decisions, like changes to policies or budgets, belong to the community as a whole.

We strongly support routine childhood vaccinations and encourage families to follow evidence-based medical guidance in partnership with their healthcare providers. At the same time, we recognize that every family has its own circumstances.

Our goal is to create a welcoming community while thoughtfully balancing the health and safety of everyone who participates. If public health guidance changes or communicable illnesses become a concern, we'll communicate openly with families and respond accordingly.