Frequently Asked Questions

How does TALC work?

TALC is structured as a co-op where everyone contributes to the group. Parents (or students) make offerings for students (or parents) based on their interests. They may involve field trips, outdoor activities, or guest speakers. Each TALC family is required to:

Pay a membership fee each session
After the first session, offer a class, field trip, or other offering educational offering each season (many families find that a donation of 6 hours works well for them)
Sign up for and complete two cleaning times per session
Accompany your children to TALC. (Note: The social and supportive component of TALC is as important for the parents as for the kids, and makes this requirement a positive one for most parents.)

Can I leave my kids at TALC for the day?

No. TALC is not a drop-off center. Children involved in activities must be accompanied at all times by either a parent or another adult designated as that child’s caretaker, both for insurance purposes and because the involvement of our adult members in the operation of TALC is vital.

How do decisions get made at TALC?

All members are encouraged to become members of the TALC Council. The Council currently consists of a Coordinator, Housing Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, Secretary, Treasurer, Social Media Manager, and any other members who wish to join Council. All of these positions are volunteer and unpaid. Council meets once each month while TALC is in session and is responsible for decisions regarding finances, membership, rules and guidelines, etc. Council decisions are made by consensus.

How many members does TALC have, and how old are the children?

In the past, between 20 and 40 families have been enrolled each year, for a total of 40-90 children, between the ages of 5 and 18. Not all of these children are in the building at the same time, however! An average class size is about 10; an average of 3 classes is taught each period; and each day contains 5 periods. Siblings aged 4 and under typically accompany their families to TALC but are not always enrolled in classes, though there are some classes specifically for little ones..

What sorts of sessions and activities are offered at TALC?

Anything and everything, from knitting to foreign languages, from field trips to math, from biology to cooking, from gym to outdoor soccer instruction is offered at TALC. The schedule varies every session, depending on what courses families decide to offer. Classes may meet every week, or only once. Each family decides what they would like to offer, for what age groups, at what times, and how many sessions. A concerted effort is made, by a registration committee, to steer each class toward a balance of offerings for each age group.

Is TALC a religious group?

No. Though we rent space in a church, TALC is open to homeschoolers of any religion, any political view, any method of homeschooling, any family structure, etc., and that fact has often been cited as a strength of this long-running group.

Is there a membership fee?

Each family pays approximately $105 each season to cover rent and our insurance policy. Individual classes may include a small materials fee to be paid directly to the instructor.

Can I join your email list?

Our mailing list is for members only.

TALC