Information for Potential BACH Members
Thank you for your interest in Boerne Area Christian Homeschoolers. The BACH board has compiled the questions and answers below as a way of providing prospective members with information about our group. If you do not find the answer to your question here, please feel free to email.
Can anyone join BACH?
BACH exists to support families who are educating their children at home. BACH offers enrichment classes for elementary and middle school, and academic classes for middle and high school. BACH is not a school and parents are responsible for educating their children. BACH offers sports, field trips and activities for homeschooled students. Families who are enrolled in area public or full time private schools are not eligible for BACH membership. Families who have students in multiple educational scenarios, but are fully homeschooling at least one student are welcome to join BACH. The students in that household who are not homeschooled might be able to participate in some activities, but it will be dependent upon the activity.
Families who utilize university model style schools, where students attend classes 2 to 3 days a week and homeschool the other two days should contact bach@bachboernehomeshool.org prior to applying and paying for membership.
Is BACH a school?
No, BACH is a group of parents that collectively pool their time and resources to provide activities and classes for their children. BACH is not accredited.
For K-5th grade, parents plan field trips and outings that are appropriate for their student’s age and interest level, participate in BACH sponsored events and can attend classes at BACH. Classes for elementary are non-academic in nature and provide a way to meet friends, reinforce learning at home and give students a chance to participate in a classroom setting. Parents are expected to provide all academic courses at home in the manner they choose. Due to limited space and the wide availability of preschool programs, BACH does not offer pre-school level classes.
For 6th through 8th grade, students can participate in both elective and academic courses. For example, middle schoolers might choose to take pre-algebra and drama or general science and outdoor leadership skills. Parents will need to provide most academic coursework at home. Sports are available to students beginning in 5th or 6th grade if parents choose to have their students participate.
For high school, most courses are academic and college preparatory in nature. Students will be able to take some of the necessary coursework needed for a high school transcript, but they will not be able to get all classes that are needed. Each year, parents will need to provide several courses home that are either parent taught, dual credit or obtained online. BACH will not provide all classes needed to graduate high school. Parents must plan ahead and map out their student’s coursework each year.
· Does BACH offer anything besides classes?
Yes! Fieldtrips, play dates, dances, prom, graduation, day trips and more are offered at BACH. Individual parents are more than welcome to plan events and invite BACH families to attend.
· I pulled my high school aged student out of school last week. Can I enroll him/her into classes at BACH?
No. Families must have homeschooled for at least a year prior to enrolling in BACH classes for high school aged students.
· If I try BACH for a year with my high schooler and then enroll him/her at Boerne/Champion High school, will BACH force the school to accept earned credits.
No. Public school do not have to automatically accept credits from a non-accredited private school (including homeschools). You can request that the school test your student using the STAAR or end of year exams for the course in which you are seeking credits.
· My oldest child is 2. Can we join BACH?
No. BACH limits membership to families that are actively homeschooling their K-12th grade children. Families with preschoolers may join BACH in the fall of their child’s final year of preschool (typically age 4 or 5) but may not attend enroll in classes until the student is kindergarten age (5). Parents of preschoolers are welcome to attend park days as advertised on the BACH public calendar as well at any support meetings that BACH offers.
· Do my children have to attend classes to be part of BACH.
No. We have many members that choose to only participate in sports, field trips, dances, and other BACH offerings.
· Will BACH offer all the classes I need for my student for an entire year?
No. BACH offers elective, fun, hands on style classes for elementary and middle school. Parents are expected to provide a full academic program at home. Academic class for 7th-12 graders are offered, but not all the credits that a student needs will be offered in one year. Parents will need to provide additional academic classes at home.
· If I do not wish to teach my 2nd grader math, will BACH offer a 2nd grade math class?
No. BACH does not offer academic classes in elementary. If you would like to outsource academic classes, there are several hybrid model schools in the area. Crestmont is located on the same campus used by BACH and offers all academic classes necessary for a complete school program
· I am looking for an all-day drop off program. Can BACH provide this?
Not completely. Parents do not need to stay on the church campus while their child is in class. However, students cannot stay on campus for lunch and must be picked up. Students are not allowed to walk off campus per church regulations, so a parent or guardian needs to take them to lunch then return for any afternoon classes. Additionally, there may not be enough classes to fill a day for a student, depending on their age. However, parents are welcome to leave campus while their student in in class, there is no need to stay in the church building.
· Are there volunteer hours required by parents?
Yes, but only if your student is taking classes with BACH. You can find more information on this under the FAQ’s tab on the menu bar.
· How much does BACH cost?
Membership is $50 per year. This includes access to email loop, full website, field trips, and other outings. Should a member's circumstances suddenly change, membership fees are refundable for 14 days past the date of payment. After 14 days, no refunds will be available.
If you choose to attend co-op classes, an additional fee of $40 per family per year to pay the church and insurance is charged.
Classes are priced individually classes ranging from free to $75 per month.
Classes dropped after the registration deadline will assess a drop fee.
· If my child is in BACH will he/she be exposed to Christian ideas and information.
Yes. BACH is a Christian organization and Christ, God, the Bible, and prayer are topics that are brought up in most classes.
· Our family travels a great deal and will miss several weeks of classes each semester. Will that be a problem?
Travel is one of the perks of homeschooling and teachers will understand occasional missed days. However, if your student is taking academic middle or high school classes, they are expected to attend class and turn in homework. If they need to miss class for any reason, homework should be turned in ahead of or on time. Late homework does not have to be accepted by the teacher. Students who miss more than 5 classes per semester can be removed from a class and drop fee penalties will apply. If a family travels a lot, we recommend taking classes in an online format to better accommodate your schedule.
· Does BACH offer the same classes every year?
No. BACH does try to offer the following (middle and high school) classes each year: pre-algebra, algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry, biology. The following classes are offered on a rotating basis: precalculus, physics, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, forensic science, general science and physical science, high school American history, world history and world geography, personal finance, middle school writing, middle school American history, middle and high school outdoor leadership skills.
Elementary classes are offered per teacher decision, but classes are frequently rotated every 2-3 years.
· My student has a disability. Can he/she attend BACH?
Maybe. Our teachers are typically able to accommodate students with dyslexia and some other learning disabilities. We cannot accept students that hit, run, bite or harm others or themselves in any way. Please contact the BACH board with specifics.
· Are there other Homeschool Groups in the Area?
Yes, check our Homeschooling Resources Tab for a full list.