Can I drop off my child, or should I stay?
We love having parents as part of our daily rhythm! You are always welcome to stay, connect with other parents, and be part of the "village." However, if you need to head out, drop-off is an option for children ages 6 and up who are ready to navigate their needs independently. This flexibility allows us to support your family’s unique schedule while ensuring our learners feel confident and capable in the group.
What days does Sunbeams meet, and what is Wednesday for?
Wednesday is our smaller, more intimate gathering day — a chance for children to enjoy one-on-one and small group time with our educators. It’s a quieter, more personalized day focused on deeper connection and individual attention. Tuesday and Thursday are our full co-op days with the whole group. Wednesday is available exclusively to families enrolled in our 3-Day tuition plan.
Is there a cost for summer sessions?
Summer meetings at Sunbeams are free for our community! It is a wonderful time for relaxed connection and continued exploration during the warmer months.
What is your bad weather policy?
Since we are 100% outdoors, we keep a close eye on the radar! For typical Florida showers, we utilize covered spaces. In the event of severe weather, we will notify families of a cancellation. To keep our rhythm going, we may transition to a Virtual Gathering or an Optional Pop-Up Field Trip. These pivots allow us to focus on our shared projects from home or keep our community spirit alive in a new setting. Once conditions improve, we resume our standard outdoor gatherings.
How do Virtual or Field Trip days work?
On days when it is too cold or unsafe to be outdoors, we don’t want our participants to miss their friends!
Virtual Gatherings: We meet online to focus on our core themes. This ensures our engagement continues and allows the kids to maintain social connections.
Pop-Up Field Trips: We may host an optional group outing. These provide hands-on experiences outside of our usual setting.
Is this a religious or secular co-op?
We are a secular and inclusive community. We welcome families from all backgrounds and beliefs. Our resources and gatherings focus on nature, science, and community building.
Do you provide progress reports?
No. As a co-op, we believe parents are the primary directors of their child's education. We provide enrichment and mentorship, but parents are responsible for maintaining the student's portfolio and scheduling annual evaluations as required by Florida law.
What is the parent's responsibility for homeschooling?
Parents remain legally responsible for their child's homeschooling journey. While Sunbeams provides core subject support and a structured environment, the parent is solely responsible for maintaining school records, preserving work samples for a portfolio, and meeting all state evaluation requirements.
How do I handle annual evaluations while at Sunbeams?
Since Sunbeams is an enrichment co-op and not a private school, your child is registered as a home education student. You will need to keep a portfolio of your child’s work (including samples from our Discovery Workbooks) and arrange for a certified teacher to conduct an annual evaluation or participate in standardized testing.
What is the "Village" volunteer commitment?
Community is the heart of Sunbeams. To keep our co-op thriving and our costs accessible, each family is asked to contribute 10 volunteer credits per season. These can be fulfilled through various roles, such as helping with field trip planning, sharing a special skill, or assisting with community events.
How does Sunbeams support our family's unique rhythm?
A Consistent Anchor: We believe in Standards, not Standardization. While you choose the curriculum that works best at home, our co-op provides a Framework of Milestones to keep students engaged. We serve as a consistent space where mentorship and connection flourish.
Will my child need any specific materials?
Yes! To bridge our in-person sessions with your learning at home, we utilize curated Discovery Workbooks.
How it works: These are chosen to align with our seasonal themes and provide a cohesive rhythm for our group.
Is it required? While these resources are highly recommended for a shared group experience, we value family autonomy. Parents are welcome to use their own equivalent materials.
Cost: These resources are provided at-cost to families.
What are the behavior expectations?
To keep our community safe and peaceful, we expect all participants to be respectful of our mentors, peers, and the environment. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for bullying or physical aggression.
How do payments work and is there a refund policy?
Sunbeams Co-op is an approved provider for Step Up for Students (PEP/UA). We facilitate the use of these funds for your Annual Tuition Installments for your convenience. To ensure we can honor our commitments to our professional mentors and maintain our facility and insurance, all tuition payments are non-refundable.
