Here are some stats to put in your pipe and puff:
Public schools have lost over $2million students nationwide since the pandemic.
Public school shootings, violence, and bullying have been on the rise.
Top teachers quit due to health concerns and government issued vaccine mandates.
More and more families are choosing to homeschool their children out of necessity and panic; however, organized, thoughtful, meaningful homeschooling is not easy nor is it feasible for every family. When we arrived in Bozeman, we saw a thriving homeschool community and multiple co-ops are forming across Gallatin County with a shared goal of supporting families and children. This seems like a great fit for some families, but it's not right for everyone. We heard concerns from parents and students in the homeschooling community regarding parental stress, feelings of inadequacy, limited budgets in a single-income household, social anxieties, loneliness, and parents overwhelmed by options or lack thereof to support their growing child.
Epoch, Inc. was formed to support families who knew they did not feel safe sending their child to a public school, but don't have time, skills, patience, or the resources to homeschool their child. We are a private school, but we have created a home-like environment, pace and structure. We provide a Waldorf-inspired education rich in spirituality, connection to nature and we enrich learning by integrating art, music and movement throughout the core subjects. In fact, we struggle to even call ourselves a "school" because there's so much stigma attached to this word over the past few years. We are an educational community!
We seek to meet the needs of the families that find themselves overwhelmed by the thought of homeschooling or require both parents to work to provide for the family and frankly couldn't survive on a single income. And, lets be real, mom...YOU need time for YOU, too! When you're a homeschooling parent, you're always "on" and have little time for self-care or pursuing your own passions and interests. Your child also benefits greatly from diverse personalities and experiences found in a classroom setting with a trusted caregiver and credentialed educator.
I hear it almost daily, "We knew we didn't want to send them to public school, but we didn't know what the other options were." Epoch is a Waldorf inspired, nature based program that will welcome your child as they are and provide rich, meaningful education, play based learning and a community of support for families.
Let Epoch be the epic answer you've been searching for!