FAQs

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We are a volunteer-run homeschooling group that offers a yearly cooperative membership to the greater East Tennessee homeschool community. We provide opportunities for homeschoolers in our area to participate in weekly co-op days that include both academic and enrichment class offerings, as well as activities, field trips, dances, and events for moms and families along with online support and connection.  Cornerstone Cooperative is designed to enrich your homeschooling, not replace your homeschooling at home.

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Co-op is short for cooperative, where people work together towards a common goal. Cornerstone parents pool our talents and time to provide an opportunity for our children to be with peers, whether it be on co-op meeting days or at other events scheduled throughout the year. We work together to emphasize fellowship, discipleship, and support within our community.

On class days, every family is expected to participate and fill a role within our cooperative, whether it’s teaching or helping out in the nursery, security and hall monitoring, assisting with morning set-up, or clean-up at the end of the day. We strive to place a parent in an area based on their gifts and/or children’s needs; however, there are no guarantees, and we ask each parent to have a servant’s heart as we work together for the greater good of our community. 

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• Fall and Spring Kick-Off Events

• Weekly Co-Op days

• Strong academic classes as well as fun enrichment classes

• Field trips (oftentimes at a discounted group rate)

• Mom’s Night Out (any member can host one at their home or restaurant)

• Social gatherings

• Academic events (some ideas listed below)

• Park Days

• Service Projects

• Spring Used Curriculum sale

• Homeschooling workshops and seminars

• Holiday Celebrations

• Yearbook

• New Member Brunch

• Dances, including Formals for high schoolers and a Father-Daughter dance for all ages

• Coordinated events for middle schoolers

• Coordinated events for high schoolers

• Membership cards to use for area discounts 

• Online forum and facebook group for support and encouragement

• New homeschooler support

• Social events for the whole family - picnics, holiday parties, etc.

• Free listing on our website for any businesses that are owned by homeschool families

• Opportunity to participate in assisting other homeschool families with temporary homeschooling help, physical needs, and prayer support

• Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) discount 

• Teach Them Diligently homeschool convention discount

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Cornerstone Cooperative meets in Seymour, TN for two 12 week semesters.  Our Fall Semester begins in August and ends before Thanksgiving, and the Spring Semester begins in late January and ends in late April or early May, depending on our break weeks. 

Our Monday schedule is as follows: 

Chapel - 9:30am to 9:55am  

First Hour - 10am to 10:50am

Second Hour - 11:00am to 11:50am

Lunch - 11:50 to 12:30pm

Third Hour - 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Fourth Hour - 1:30pm to 2:20pm

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Because we have so few spots available, we have limited our Visitation Days to those who have applied.  If you are serious about joining and wish to visit, please fill out an application and we will reach out to you.

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Families must have at least one child who is at least six years old and in 1st grade when classes begin. Full day and year-long (fall and spring semester) participation is required. 

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We are pleased to offer classes for every age range through graduation! Our offerings include electives as well as academic classes to supplement already-established homeschool curricula that our members use at home, and they vary each semester based on demand and what parents want to teach. In general, we seek to offer a wide variety of academic and enrichment classes to fit the needs and desires of our membership. 

Class offerings for each semester will come out before registration in December and April. Some classes are year long and some only run one semester at a time, but no class is guaranteed to repeat every semester as needs are always changing.  To see a current schedule of this semester’s classes, click HERE.

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Cornerstone Cooperative is a service oriented co-op where we all work together to make it run smoothly. It is our prayer that we all will have a servant attitude and view this co-op as an opportunity to serve one another.  Our parents teach classes, assist in classes, help plan social activities, and assist with set up and clean up, etc. Many hands make light work, so the load is not overwhelming. And the regular fellowship with one another is a blessing!

Families are required to arrive on time to begin our day together at Chapel.  Any more than 3 tardies to chapel will result in delayed signups for the following semester. 

Parents participating in our class days are required to serve 3 service positions throughout the day.  These positions include teaching, assisting a teacher, hall monitor, security, nursery, float, setup and cleanup.  Moms of infants 4 months our younger are exempted from serving.  Moms of infants 4 months - 1 year are asked to serve 2 hall monitor positions.

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Most teachers at Cornerstone are parents of children attending co-op.  Occasionally, an outside teacher, generally known by one of the families, may teach a class or multiple classes based on particular background or ability. 

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Typically, classes are maxed at the following:

-Preschool: 8

-K-2nd: 10

3rd-5th: 12

Middle & High School: 15

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Class registration typically takes place during the months of April and December, and registration occurs through the website only, so you must have online access in order to complete the registration process. The exact day and time for registration will be sent out through emails and listed on the website calendar. It is your responsibility to ask any questions before registration opens.  Classes usually fill up quickly, so please be aware that registration occurs on a first-come, first-served basis.  Semester fees must be paid by the deadline to register.

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Class payments are to be made directly to the teachers no later than the first day of classes, unless otherwise specified by a teacher. Your child’s teacher will communicate how he or she prefers payment.

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Your membership fee covers insurance fees and website fees as Cornerstone is billed per family by the administrator of the site. Additionally, your semester fees covers expenses such as office supplies, whiteboards, bank fees, etc., as well as the facility usage fee to our host church as they generously open their doors to us each week, provide us with space, allow us to use their sanctuary for Chapel, and host various events. We are so grateful to our host churches for making their beautiful facilities available to us!

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Regarding membership:

As a co-op, we commit to various financial obligations well in advance—including insurance, facility fees, and class resources—which are based on expected membership. These costs are non-refundable to us, regardless of changes in individual participation, and therefore, our fees are also non-refundable.

We completely understand that plans can change, but this policy is in place to ensure the co-op remains financially stable and fair to all participating families.

Regarding class registration fees:

Your class fee is generally non-refundable once you have taken a spot in our classes, so please carefully consider your decision before registering for a class.

As homeschoolers, we enjoy a great deal of flexibility with our students’ educational plans, and we understand that situations in life often change. However, please understand that Cornerstone, as well as each instructor, invests a great deal of time and resources into planning for the co-op and classes. When you enroll in a class, you are making a financial commitment to Cornerstone, and that commitment is binding. The instructors at Cornerstone rely on those commitments to budget and purchase class materials, etc.; additionally, signing up for a class and then deciding not to enroll in it may prevent others who truly want that class from being able to participate. Therefore, we ask that you make careful consideration of all your family’s and student’s commitments, classes elsewhere, sports, etc., as you sign up for classes.

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As part of our commitment to both quality classes and a thriving community, we ask that families plan to attend all 4 hours of co-op. A great deal of time, planning, and prayer goes into making each week a success, and full participation helps us create the best experience for everyone involved.

For high school students, we do allow for one Study Hall hour if needed, as long as it aligns with the parent’s off hour. Please note that we do not offer a separate Study Hall class—students will remain with their parent during that time.

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We’re so excited to celebrate the new life joining your world! Yes, please be sure to register your baby. All children in your household— including little ones who will be born during the co-op year—must be registered so we can plan accordingly and reserve a spot in the nursery.

Thank you for helping us prepare to love and care for every member of your family!

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We generally require students to be in the age/grade range listed for a particular class for many reasons. Most of our classes are limited by the space of the rooms and by the abilities of the teachers who may be equipped to handle only a certain age-range with an expected maturity level. For many courses, particularly those offering credit hours to high school students, separation by age is necessary based on the skills required; after all, we want upper-level courses to be challenging for high school students trying to earn high school credit. As a result, sometimes the skills required for a class outweigh the student’s interest in that class.

Additionally, when a student is far advanced in academics but young in age and maturity, he or she may not “fit” in most high school courses. An older student can effectively sit in on a class meant for a slightly younger age group, but a younger student may not work out as well in a class intended for older students. While accelerated learners may have an advantage in academics, they usually have not achieved the maturity to match. Even though they can handle Algebra and read high school literature, they would not be able to discuss many of the broader topics that the other high school students are interested in discussing and studying.

Furthermore, although accelerated learners may be intellectual equals of the teens, they are not equipped emotionally, physically, or in any other way to participate in the teens’ social events, and one of the benefits of being a member of Cornerstone is making friends and developing a social life. Fellow classmates, who would be so much older and more mature, may not accept them as equals or friends. In other words, their emotional/philosophical level is still in elementary school, where their age places them. For their self-esteem alone, it would be better for them to be with peers closer to their age.

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We encourage parents of young children to put them in age appropriate classes. If participation isn't age-appropriate or would cause a disruption to the class, then we ask that the child stay in the nursery where their needs can be met in fun and age-appropriate ways.  Generally, the nursery is intended for children 2 and under and preschool classes are for children ages 3-5 (preschoolers must be potty trained).

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Because the heart of our co-op is community focused, Cornerstone’s class days are not meant to be a school or a drop-off.   One parent or legal guardian is expected to stay on site for the entire day, and after participating in Chapel with their child(ren), will either teach, assist, or fill a service position 3 out of 4 hours of classes. Our goal is that each parent will get one hour off each day to either rest, have some alone time, or fellowship with other parents who are off that same hour.

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Our co-op runs most smoothly when everyone is present, so we ask that you schedule other activities around class days whenever possible. However, since some absences cannot be avoided, we do allow 3 excused absences per semester. More than 3 absences will result in delayed class sign-ups for your family.

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The terms “special needs” and “learning differences” cover a vast array of diagnoses. Children with special needs may have mild learning differences or profound mental challenges; food allergies or terminal illness; developmental delays that catch up quickly or remain entrenched; occasional panic attacks or serious psychiatric problems. Because most parent-teachers are not equipped to teach or maintain discipline in classrooms containing children with severe learning differences, please prayerfully consider if Cornerstone is right for your special needs child before applying. Depending on the parent, teacher, and the Board’s assessment of a child’s ability to participate in classes with minimal disruption to the learning process, we may not be able to acommodate these needs.

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Because we desire to give God our first fruits in all we do, we meet together to worship, pray, and share a devotional before we begin our class day. This is also where we will share any necessary announcements for the day. Please note that Chapel is an integral part of our community and our co-op days. Chapel is not optional, and we request that families make every effort to be present and seated by 9:30am so that our worship and devotion time is uninterrupted and no important announcements are missed. 

We are thrilled to be led in worship by many of our students. If your child sings or plays an instrument and would like to use these talents to worship the Lord and bless our community, please let us know.  

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Cornerstone Co-op Dress Code Policy

At Cornerstone, we believe our outward appearance should reflect our desire to honor the Lord. Our dress code is designed to help students develop a Christ-centered attitude toward their appearance and a growing maturity in understanding what's appropriate for different occasions.

This policy is not meant to replace family rules or be an exhaustive list, nor is it meant to relieve the student of the opportunity to grow in personal responsibility for his or her own appearance. We ask for parental partnership in upholding these standards—not only on co-op days, but at all Cornerstone events.

If a student is out of dress code, parents may be asked to take the child home to change.
The Cornerstone Board reserves the right to make final decisions regarding dress code compliance.

General Standards for ALL Co-op Members (Students & Parents)

Dress and grooming should be:

• Neat, modest, and respectful

• Reflective of Christian values

• Shoes must be worn at all times, except during PE, Karate, or Gymnastics

Please avoid clothing that:

• Displays messages/images inconsistent with a Christian lifestyle

• Contains offensive or derogatory language/statements

• Is sheer, semi-transparent, see-through, or off the shoulder

• Is intentionally shredded/ripped and reveals skin

  • Tears higher than mid-thigh must be layered underneath so no skin shows

Tops must:

• Avoid low necklines or cleavage

• Cover the shoulders, back and midsection

• Have at least 2 inch straps

• Must not reveal undergarments

• Be modest in overall fit and design

Bottoms must:

• Not reveal undergarments

• Leggings/skin-tight bottoms are only permitted if a dress or top fully covers the backside (applies especially to teen girls and moms)

• Shorts should be no higher than mid-thigh length

• Dresses, rompers, and skirts (without leggings) must be no shorter than knee length

Field Day Exception

On Field Day, modest athletic wear is acceptable and encouraged. Please still uphold our modesty standards while dressing for physical activity.

Our Heart Behind our Dress Code Policy:

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We desire for our students and families to dress in a way that reflects a heart to honor God and respect others. Thank you for your help in creating a Christ-centered, modest, and unified atmosphere.

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To protect the safety, focus, and community of our co-op environment, we have established the following policy regarding student cell phone use during co-op days:

• Phones are not to be used at any time during the co-op day, including during lunch. This helps foster meaningful in-person interactions and eliminates distractions.

• All students must keep their phones on silent, stored in their backpacks, bags, or purses during the entire co-op day.

• Students are not permitted to carry phones in their pockets or keep them on desks or tables, and are not permitted to use them during lunch, or passing between classes.

Exception:

• A teacher may request that students use their phones during class for a specific, educational purpose (e.g., calculator, research, taking a photo of notes). Once the task is completed, the phone must be immediately returned to the student’s backpack.

If a student is seen using a phone without permission, any teacher or board member has the authority to ask them to put it away immediately.

Repeated violations may result in the phone being confiscated and held until it can be returned directly to the student’s parent.

Why This Policy Matters:

• Promotes healthy social interaction: We want our students to build face-to-face relationships, especially during free time and lunch.

• Minimizes distractions: Co-op days are short and full—we want students to stay engaged and respectful during class time.

• Protects privacy and safety: Cell phones can be misused for photography, social media, or messaging in ways that may jeopardize the safe, respectful environment we work to create.

• Reinforces responsibility and boundaries: Learning to manage tech use is a key part of maturing in both discipline and discernment.

A Note to Parents:

We ask for your full support in upholding this policy for the good of our community, and appreciate your help in reinforcing this policy with your children before co-op days. Thank you for helping make Cornerstone a place where students are present, engaged, and growing in both knowledge and community together in Christ.

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We make every effort to ensure that our campus is safe on co-op days. We utilize a group of parents who serve on our security team.  All of these parents are security trained and watch over the campus to alert the board and host church of any concerns.  All parents and students of Cornerstone Co-Op will be issued a lanyard which must be worn during class days. 

We also have an evacuation plan on file.

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Yes, all teachers have a background check, and the main parent/legal guardian of students attending Cornerstone must also have a background check. Because a parent or guardian is required to stay on campus during Cornerstone hours, we want to do all that we can to ensure the safety of each child and family who is on campus.

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Yes, we have a co-op orientation at our host church in August before our semester begins.  Attendance is mandatory for orientation as it guarantees that all participants are aware of the facility guidelines and rules set forth by Cornerstone and its host church.  It is also an opportunity for students and teachers to meet and become acquainted with the layout of the facility.

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When applying for membership to Cornerstone Cooperative, you are applying for a year-long commitment to the upcoming school year.  Upon acceptance into the co-op, you may remain a member as long as you are in good standing. 

Good standing means that members have paid all fees on time, have not been parked in our system more than once due to lack of payment, and have not had multiple behavioral infractions.

Our members have the option to continue with us at the end of every school year, and we are pleased to report that we have very little turnover.  Should you choose to leave after fulfilling your commitment, know that you will have to reapply and wait until there is space to return.