IBC Home Educators (IBCHE) is a Christ-centered ministry that endeavors to connect, encourage, and equip the homeschooling families of IBC; and to provide outreach to the local NoVA homeschooling community.
Purpose:
IBCHE functions as a social co-op for homeschoolers of IBC, as well as those in the surrounding area. As a ministry of IBC, IBCHE aims to provide opportunities both in-person and online to foster a sense of community for homeschooling families.
Families who want to participate in IBCHE should register each year to be entered onto our roster for that school year. All registered home educators receive access to our private BAND account (a free app or web-based communications platform), which contains our private activities calendar, as well as all announcements, club signups, and the opportunity for parent peer-to-peer communication. Activities and events vary from year to year, depending upon our volunteers; and volunteer requirements are minimal for member families [see below in the section about commitment in the FAQs]. Examples of some of the things we have done in past years are: weekly clubs (i.e. Cross-Country Running, Drama/Improv, Nature Studies, PE, Art, etc.); monthly family gym nights; academic events (i.e. science fair); educator encouragement meetups; service projects; and field trips around the region. While the activities themselves may change from year to year, the goal is to provide opportunities for fellowship, friendship, support and personal growth for both the students and parent educators within our community.
Look for us on Facebook at IBCHE (Immanuel Bible Church Home Educators) and on YouTube.
To register your family in IBCHE for the 2023-24 School Year, please click the button below.
FAQS
Do you teach academic or drop-off classes?
No. IBCHE is a social co-op, so we do not host core academic classes; nor do we hold to one specific curriculum. Members of IBCHE use a variety of curricula and subscribe to various education models (Charlotte Mason, Classical, etc.). Some member families are a part of academic co-ops during the week, and other member families are not. While we might give advice about curriculum options to new members who ask for it, we do not promote or pressure one method or brand of curriculum over another. We may have some academic events (i.e. science fair, international night, etc.), but they are not curriculum specific.
What is the Cost?
IBCHE is FREE. Yes, you heard that correctly. It’s FREE! We do not want anyone to be financially burdened by participating in our community, so we do not charge a registration fee to participate in this ministry. However, it is possible that an activity like a field trip might require an entry fee.
What is the commitment if I register to join IBCHE? Do I have to teach something?
No. The focus of the group is not on providing core academic classes. We may have a few academic events (like a science fair), but we do not expect members to teach. However, IBCHE is 100% volunteer run; so for those who register to participate in our activities, we ask that one parent volunteer to assist in some capacity at least ONE TIME per school year (i.e. help with field day, clean up after a gym night, etc). We do NOT require parents to sign-up for ongoing volunteer positions on a weekly basis. However, we do accept volunteers and you’re welcome to volunteer more than once! Please keep in mind that according to church policy, all ministry leadership is required to be members or regular attenders of IBC.
What is the attendance policy?
IBCHE does not have a minimum attendance policy, meaning that if your family only makes it to 3 events in a year, we are not going to kick you out. Obviously, the more you attend, the deeper the relationships that you will form, but we do not require mandatory attendance of all events to participate in our community.
Do I need to attend or be a member of IBC to be a registered member of IBCHE?
No. There are families in IBCHE that do not attend IBC. We just ask that you read over the church’s statement of faith to be familiar with our theology. And then follow the simple IBCHE policies listed below. See the IBC Statement of Faith here.
How do I get the list of upcoming events? And can I share event details with friends?
Only registered IBCHE members will have access to our calendar, so if you are interested in participating in any of our activities or events, we ask that you register. We are sensitive about posting when/where details of children’s events on public websites/ Facebook, so we will only give those event details to registered members. If you have a friend or relative that you’d like to bring as a one-time guest, that’s fine. But if they want to participate on a regular basis, we ask that you not continue to forward information, as they would need to register to join the group.
I have an idea or opportunity I would like to implement for IBCHE. How do I do that?
We ask you to contact leadership at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. about your idea, and if it aligns with our mission and is feasible to do, we will do our best to work with you to make this happen. We encourage ideas and volunteers!
Policies
When attending IBCHE events, (unless otherwise stated or arranged) a parent must be onsite and supervise their child(ren) at all times. All IBCHE families must respect the Christian values of our ministry, as well as the facilities being used (whether at the church, a community building, or a personal home), or forfeit participation. IBCHE will not put up with foul or inappropriate language, disrespect shown to our faith, or incur damage expenses at the hands of an unsupervised or unruly child.
Contact Information
If you would like to volunteer to serve in this ministry, or if you have any additional questions, please contact our ministry leads, Matt and Laura Benton, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
