Q:

A:

Please see:

How to Join Planet Homeschool

Q:

A:

Please see:

Membership Fee

Q:

A:

Please see:

Payments

Outstanding Balances — access requires a family profile

Q:

A:

Please see:

Payments

Outstanding Balances — access requires a family profile

Q:

A:

Please see:

Visiting Planet Homeschool

Q:

A:

Please see:

Community Expectations

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A:

Please see:

Community Expectations

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A:

Contact our co-op’s Lead Volunteers at PlanetHomeschoolMN@gmail.com, and we’ll put you in touch with the class’s instructor(s).

Q:

A:

Please see:

Daily Schedule

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No. We’d love to have your student join us for as many or as few classes as they’re ready to take.

Students may register for one, two, three, or four classes each semester.

Younger students may do best with taking things slowly and trying out just one or two classes to start.

Q:

A:

It depends.

You should carefully consider your child’s maturity and readiness for extended periods without close adult supervision. While there are always adult co-op members onsite, PHS students who have free periods will not be directly and continuously supervised.

In some cases, our co-op’s Lead Volunteers may require that a parent or other responsible adult stay onsite with a student during free periods (or pick the student up to spend free periods offsite) in order to help the co-op function more smoothly and safely for all.

Q:

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It depends.

All parents, guardians, and caregivers are encouraged to stay on site while their children are in classes. Navigating homeschooling through the teen years can be challenging, and you can learn a lot from other members by staying at PHS while your student is in classes.

Parents, guardians, and caregivers of 10-year-old and 11-year-old students are expected to stay onsite during their student’s first semester at PHS. Parents, guardians, and caregivers of students ages 12 and up are encouraged to stay onsite at least for their student’s first few days at PHS. This time at PHS will give you an opportunity to develop an understanding of what our co-op looks like and allow your family to make the connections that will help you become a part of our community.

Parents, guardians, and caregivers with younger siblings enrolled in Sibling Squad are expected to stay with their younger children.

In many cases, parents, guardians, and caregivers may drop off their children, but you know your child best. If your child needs extra adult help to succeed in a group learning environment, please plan to stay with them to provide it.

Our lease does not allow children, even very responsible and independent older teenagers, to be at Faith UMC without an adult co-op member present. Please do not drop off children before 9:00 AM, and please be onsite to pick up your children no later than 3:15 PM so that our co-op’s Keyholder may lock up and leave as soon as cleanup is done for the day.

In some cases, our co-op’s Lead Volunteers or instructors may require that a parent, guardian, and caregiver stay onsite with a student in order to help the co-op function more smoothly and safely for all.

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A:

Rides home should be at PHS no later than 3:15 PM to pick up students, preferably by 3:05 PM so that you may assist with cleanup at the end of the day.

• Our co-op’s fourth-period classes end at 3:05 PM.
• When everyone pitches in cleanup should be finished by 3:20 PM.
• Families should be prepared to stay until 3:30 PM or even later for cleanup to be completed.

Also see:

Cleanup Guide   Daily Schedule

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A:

No students may be at Faith UMC (inside or outside) without an adult co-op member present, even if they are mature, responsible, independent, an older teen (or even a newly minted adult), or have the permission of their parents or guardians.

• At least one of the Fourth Onsite Volunteers has to stay until every student is picked up.

  • Plan for the possibility of being unexpectedly delayed whenever you’re one of the Fourth Onsite Volunteers.

• There is nowhere within walking distance where students can safely wait inside, so the only options are:

  • staying at PHS with one of the Fourth Onsite Volunteers

  • being driven home by another parent, guardian, or caregiver

  • being driven to another safe place by another parent, guardian, or caregiver

Ask your fellow co-op members for help if you know in advance that you can’t be there to pick up your child on time and are not otherwise able to arrange an alternative way home:

• You may ask for help via direct messages to other co-op members

• You may ask for help via our co-op’s Co-op Business forum

• You may ask for help via your student’s Class Forum to appeal to the parent, guardian, or caregiver of their classmates

All students should have a backup plan in case their ride home is unexpectedly delayed:

• Can another parent, guardian, or caregiver drive your student home? If so, does your student know that you will allow them to be driven home by another parent, guardian, or caregiver?

• Can another parent, guardian, or caregiver drive your student some place safe to wait? If so, does your student know where and that you will allow them to be driven there by another parent, guardian, or caregiver?

  • To the home of a friend or family member. Make sure your student knows who, where they live, and their phone number.

  • Saint Anthony Library is near the junction of St Anthony Blvd, New Brighton Blvd, and Silver Lake Rd. While it’s a 20-minute walk there, it’s only a 4-minute drive.

  • Silverwood Visitor Center’s Café is just off of Silver Lake Rd on County Rd E West. While it’s a 40-minute walk there, it’s only a 6-minute drive.

• Is there a nearby friend or family member that your student can call for an emergency ride home? (Nearby would be within 10 minutes or so.) If so, does your student have that person’s contact information with them?

• Can your student go home with another family? If so, does your student know that you will allow them to go home with another family?

• Is it possible for your student to take the bus home? If so, does your student know the routes and have emergency bus fare?

  • The northbound Metro Transit Route 25 picks up students at the corner of 33rd Ave NE and Belden Dr NE at approximately 3:17 PM.

  • The southbound Metro Transit Route 25 picks up students at the corner of 33rd Ave NE and Belden Dr NE at approximately 3:41 PM, but students may wait unaccompanied at the bus stop across the street, weather permitting.

Q:

A:

You can find exact registration dates on our Calendar and on our Important Dates page.

• Class registration opens first to renewed members and then to new members.

  • Fall class registration typically opens to new members in late April.

  • Spring class registration typically opens to new members in early November.

Please see:

Important Dates   Course Schedule   Co-op Calendar

Class Registration — access requires an active membership

Q:

A:

First, join our co-op or renew your membership!

Once registration opens, you may register either from our homepage or on the Class Registration page:

1. Click on the title of the class to open further details including registration.
2. Click the select box next to the name of the student(s) you wish to register for the class.
3. Click the REGISTER button.
4. Pay your tuition and supplies fees when they are due.

Please see:

Important Dates   Course Schedule   Join   Renew   Tuition & Fees

Class Registration   Manage My Registrations — access requires an active membership

Q:

A:

Your co-op membership for the upcoming semester is still pending.

1. Check to be sure you completed all the steps to renew your membership or join our co-op.

2. If you have completed all the steps, then contact our co-op’s Lead Volunteers at PlanetHomeschoolMN+membership@gmail.com for assistance.

Also see:

Join PHS   Membership Renewal

Membership Application Troubleshooting   Membership Renewal Troubleshooting

Q:

A:

If none of the above “Registration Troubleshooting” situations apply, then you are not logged into your account.

• Log in.

Q:

A:

Yes, please explore these options for younger kids:

• Hedfex (Home Educators for Excellence) is a secular homeschool co-op offering classes for ages 3–16. 

• Homeschool Adventures is a secular field trip group for all ages.

  • The HSAdventures website is broken (but under repair), but you can join the HSAdventures Facebook Group to stay in the loop.

• STAR (Scholars Together Always Reaching) is a secular homeschool co-op for highly gifted children.

• MASH (Minnesota Area Secular Homeschoolers) is a Facebook Group for connecting with other secular homeschoolers in Minnesota (or near the state line).

• Minnesota Homeschoolers Alliance is a great resource for all secular homeschoolers in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Homeschoolers Facebook group is the largest Facebook group for homeschoolers in Minnesota, but it is not exclusively secular (it’s not exclusively religious either).

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A:

No. We do not accept class registrations for any children younger than 10, but we would love to welcome your 10-year-old next year!

Q:

A:

PHS classes are restricted by age, not by grade level. Exceptions are not granted to academically advanced younger children. Many of our older students are also academically advanced, and success in a group learning environment depends on more than academic readiness.

Please see the section on Ages at:

About Us

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A:

Some classes do allow waiting lists but whether or not you will be notified of an opening depends on the availability of volunteers to send out notifications. Any spots that become available are filled on a first-come-first-served basis.

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A:

Every classroom is scheduled for every period in the space that we rent.

Our class schedule for the year is set during the spring before, and we don’t have much wiggle room once the schedule is complete.

Stay tuned — popular classes are often run again. Sometimes a teacher might choose to add a spot or two if they decide they have the physical space and ability to handle a couple more students.

Q:

A:

You may manage your student’s class registrations via your Manage My Registrations page.

If an invoice adjustment is also needed that must be made by one of the small number of volunteers with both the website authority and co-op leadership permission to alter financial records, so please allow up to 3 days for a volunteer to make those changes.

To request assistance, email PlanetHomeschoolMN+registrations@gmail.com. Please include:

1. your full name
2. the full name of your student
3. the class title
4. the name of the instructor

Please see:

Refund Policy

Manage My Registrations —access requires an active membership

Account History —access requires a family profile

Q:

A:

Please see the Tuition and Supplies section at:

Refund Policy

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A:

Yes. Students should pack a lunch to eat during our 30-minute lunch period in the Fellowship Hall from 11:55 AM to 12:25 PM. Students may also choose to eat outside, weather permitting. There are a few picnic tables available.

There is a 5-minute period before lunch, 11:50 AM–11:55 AM, to allow time for students in second-period classes to clean up their classrooms and all students to participate in setting up the Fellowship Hall for dining.

There is a 5-minute period after lunch, 12:25 PM–12:30 PM, to allow time for all students to participate in cleaning up the Fellowship Hall and students in third-period classes to set up their classrooms.

To reduce pests in the building, food should only be consumed in the Fellowship Hall during lunch. However, children who need a midday snack may eat at the Onsite Volunteer Station in the hallway outside the lounge. Food spills must be cleaned up promptly.

Food is allowed in the classrooms only as part of class activities. Food spills must be cleaned up promptly.

No food is allowed in the lounge.

Refrigeration is not generally available but may be arranged if medically necessary.

Q:

A:

Please see:

Allergies, Allergens, and Sensitivities Policy

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A:

Planet Homeschool members and instructors have access to our co-op forums and are expected to stay abreast of PHS-related communications posted there. Co-op forum posts can be read online or received via email (or both).

All co-op members and interested members of the wider community are encouraged to follow Planet Homeschool on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and to visit our Blog.

Also visit:

Facebook   Instagram   LinkedIn   Twitter

Blog   Community Expectations: Communications

Co-op Forums — access requires an active membership

Q:

A:

Classes are chosen based on the interests of our current members, the availability of classroom space and instructors, and the need to offer a balance of topics and classes for both middle and high school students.

Prospective instructors should visit:

Information for Instructors

Q:

A:

Please see:

COVID-19 Policies   Course Schedule

Q:

A:

Please see:

COVID-19 Policies

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A:

Please see:

COVID-19 Policies

Q:

A:

We apologize for the delay! To help our volunteers out, please check the following:

1. Confirm you completed all the steps at How to Join Planet Homeschool.

2. Do you have at least one child who will be between the ages of 10 and 19 years on the first day of class?

   Planet Homeschool only offers middle school and high school classes for students 10 to 19 years of age.

3. Double-check to make sure you saved your Family Profile.

   You should have received an email with the subject line “Membership Signup Request” from lifeline@homeschool-life.com.

4. Double-check to make sure you paid your membership fee.

   You should have received an email with the subject line “Receipt for Your Payment to Minnesota Secular Homeschool Enrichment dba Planet Homeschool” from service@paypal.com.

5. Has it been at least 3 days since you applied?

   Most of the time, your application will be reviewed and approved within a day, but sometimes our co-op’s volunteers need to prioritize other parts of their lives, so please allow them at least 3 days to review your application.

6. Search for an email from PlanetHomeschoolMN@gmail.com.

7. Search for an email from Lifeline@homeschool-life.com.

8. If you successfully completed all required steps and allowed enough time for a volunteer to review and approve your application, please contact our co-op’s Lead Volunteers at PlanetHomeschoolMN+membership@gmail.com.

   Please include a list of which steps you’ve completed and when (if known).

Q:

A:

With rare exceptions, you may join Planet Homeschool at any time throughout the year as registration for PHS Clubs remains open throughout the semester and social activities continue throughout the summer.

Also see:

Course Schedule   Important Dates   Calendar   How to Join Our Co-op

Q:

A:

There are two possibilities:

1. It’s too soon.

   A membership renewal invoice for the next semester is emailed to all current members after the course schedule and membership fee for the coming semester is set and before class registration opens.

   Fall Semester membership renewal invoices are usually created and emailed in early to mid-April, shortly after the course schedule for the coming academic year is finalized.

   Spring Semester membership renewal invoices are usually created and emailed in early to mid-October, one to two weeks before class registration begins.

2. Your membership has lapsed.

   Membership resumption invoices are not routinely created for inactive members.

   If you took a break from PHS, you just need to request a membership resumption invoice via an email to PlanetHomeschoolMN+membership@gmail.com.

Also see

Important Dates   Renew

Q:

A:

If you do not renewed your membership before the start of the next semester, your account will be “parked.”

• Parked members have access only to their family profile and their accounting page (including their Membership Renewal or Membership Resumption invoices), as well as to all public pages.

• To re-active your account, you’ll need to renew or resume your co-op membership.

• If you are taking a short break from or know you will not be returning to PHS, please let our co-op’s Lead Volunteers know via an email to PlanetHomeschoolMN+membership@gmail.com.

Please see:

Membership Renewal   Lapsed Memberships

Q:

A:

If you have any other questions about Planet Homeschool, please contact our co-op’s Lead Volunteers at PlanetHomeschoolMN@gmail.com.