FAQs

General Co-op questions

What are the qualifications of families requesting membership in Queen of Saints Co-op?

To be a member of the Co-op, families must fulfill the following requirements:

Families must have at least one adult who is a practicing Catholic, or Families must have an adult who is enrolled in an OCIA program with the intent of receiving the sacraments of initiation;
Families must be parishioners in a Catholic church;
Families must be actively engaged in homeschooling.

What are the Core Values of Queen of Saints Co-op?

OUR CORE VALUES ARE...

We defend and support the Truths of the Catholic Faith as established by the authority of the Magisterium which interprets Tradition and Sacred Scripture.

We believe that each home is a Domestic Church and in conjunction with our parishes we are committed to living the discipleship of our Lord Jesus Christ and inviting others to join us in this way of life.

We acknowledge that we do not have all the answers to life's questions and challenges, but surrender our will to God's, believing that He will guide us to the truth.

We are committed to preserving the eternal treasure of our children's souls by accepting the parental responsibility of being the first teachers of our children in ways of the Catholic Faith.

We are also committed to having our classes taught by volunteers who are practicing Catholics.

Q:	I have other commitments during the morning/afternoon. Do we need to sign up for the whole day?
A:	No, there is no requirement for your family to sign up for the whole Co-op day. Some families come in the morning, and some families come just in the afternoon. However, many families do stay for the whole day. The registration fee and semester fees are not prorated if a family does not attend for the full day.

What does a typical Co-op day look like?

We begin our day at 9:00 am with morning prayers, the pledge of allegiance, and announcements. Morning classes begin at 9:15 am. All families gather for lunch in the cafeteria beginning at 11:15 am. The kids have some time for games inside or outside before the afternoon classes begin. We say the Angelus just before noon and continue with our afternoon classes from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

Morning mass is at 8:00 am. Many Co-op families attend mass and then have plenty of time to eat breakfast and prepare for the day before we gather to begin.

An adoration chapel is also available.

What is the work requirement for adults?

As a co-operative program, we rely on parents to volunteer to teach our classes. We require one adult from each family to volunteer to teach or assist one class each week that the co-op is in session.

First-year homeschoolers or others with special circumstances may assist the Co-op in a variety of other ways in order to meet this requirement. If there are any questions or concerns regarding this requirement, please contact Lori Fontenot, Co-op Administrator at rychaross5@yahoo.com.

How many weeks does the Co-op meet?

The Co-op meets for a total of 30 weeks: 15 weeks in the fall semester and 15 weeks in the spring semester. The first day of class is in late August with a break for Thanksgiving. Classes usually end by the second week of December. The spring semester begins in January after a three week break for Christmas. There is a Winter break and two weeks off for Easter (Holy Week and Easter week). Classes end for the year in early May. See the Calendar at a Glance for specific dates.

Where does the Co-op meet?

The Co-op classes are held at St. Juan Diego Catholic Church, 3301 Pasadena Blvd, Pasadena, TX 77503.

Click here for a map link to the Church.

Is the Co-op a good fit for my family?

That is a good question that we encourage each family to prayerfully consider. Some questions to ask are does the Co-op meet the needs of your family? Do we offer the classes that will support your homeschooling goals? Do you have enough time in your week to attend a Co-op and complete your daily work? Are you willing to give of your time to the Co-op?

Please remember that when you join Queen of Saints Co-op, you are committing you and your family for the entire 30-week Co-op year. Other families will be relying on you to either teach a class or help as an assistant in a class. When a family leaves the Co-op mid-year, other families are impacted. Of course we understand when family emergencies come up that require a family to leave the Co-op during the year.

If you have any concerns about the commitment required in joining the Co-op, feel free to call Lori Fontenot, Co-op Administrator, at 832-457-9929 to discuss your questions and concerns.

How do I join the Co-op?

To become a member of Queen of Saints Co-op, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill out the Registration Form by clicking on Join on the top menu bar. After you submit the form, sign up for an interview with the Co-op administrator.

Step 2. After your form has been received, you will be called for an interview in order to answer any questions you have, to discuss if the Co-op is a good fit for your family, and to find out how you would like to volunteer in the Co-op.

Step 3. After your interview, you will receive an email with instructions on how to log in to the Queen of Saints Website. You will pay the Annual Registration Fee and register for classes on the website.

Are adults required to take the Archdiocesan Safe Environment training?

Because Queen of Saints Co-op operates in a Catholic church that is located within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the requirement for adults to complete the Safe Environment training also applies to us. All adults that will be teaching or assisting with classes on-site must take the Safe Environment training. This training is now completed online through the CMGConnect website. If you have completed the training at your home parish, then you have met the requirement. Training is renewed every five years.

Q:	Is the Co-op an HSLDA discount group?
A:	Yes, Queen of Saints Co-op is an HSLDA discount group which means that Co-op members qualify for a $15 discount on the annual membership. Visit https://hslda.org/join for information on all the benefits of HSLDA membership. Members Only: See the HSLDA Member information page under the About Us tab for more information.

Co-op Fees

How much does the Co-op cost?

The total cost for a family to attend the Co-op for a year is $460.

This cost is broken down as follows:

The annual registration fee is $60.00 per family. This fee is paid once per year and is non-refundable after August 1.
Fall semester fee is $200.00 per family and may be paid in up to four payments.
Spring semester fee is $200.00 per family and may also be paid in up to four payments.

There are no per-child fees, no supply fees, and no fees per class. Families are responsible for purchasing books and normal school supplies.

If a family attends only in the morning or only in the afternoon, the registration fee and semester fees are not prorated.

Does the cost to attend the Co-op include textbooks?

The cost of any textbooks, workbooks, binders, pencils and other class supplies are not included in the Registration Fee and Semester Fees.

Families are responsible for purchasing all required books and other supplies needed for a class. The cost for books varies depending on the class. Because the Connecting With History program that is used at the Co-op is a cyclical program, the books that a family purchases for Volume 1 may be used again when that time period is studied in the next cycle.

Occasionally, the Co-op will make a group purchase at a reduced cost for a particular textbook for a class. In this case, the family will reimburse the Co-op for the text, but the family will then own the text.

The Co-op also has a lending library for selected history books, and there may be an option to rent a textbook for certain science classes.

Q:	Do you have any fundraisers to help with Co-op costs?
A:	Queen of Saints Co-op participates in the Raise Right (formerly Scrip) fundraiser. The rebates that a family earns can be used to defray the cost of their semester fees. Go to www.raiseright.com for more information on how this fundraiser works.

How are Co-op fees paid?

Co-op fees can be paid by cash, check, or credit card.

As a member of the Co-op, each family has their own Account page on the Co-op website. On this page, a statement of account, all invoices from the Co-op, and a record of all payments made are shown. Paying the Co-op fees by credit card is as easy as filling in an amount to pay, then clicking Pay Now to go to the Online Payment page to complete the transaction with your credit card. A 3% technology fee will be automatically added to all credit card payments, and the Co-op does not retain any credit card information.

Classes

What curriculum does the Co-op use for the History classes?

The Co-op uses the Connecting With History program for all history classes for grades 1 - 12. This program is described as a "Catholic, classical, chronological, literature-based history curriculum for the whole family."

Each year, a new time period is studied by the whole family, across all ages and grades, but at different levels of understanding. The Co-op offers at least four different levels: Beginner level for grades 1-3, Grammar level for grades 4-6, Logic level for grades 7-9, and Rhetoric level for grades 10-12.

During the 2025-2026 school year, the Co-op will be using Volume 3: High Medieval through Post-Reformation

Visit rchistory.com for more information about the program.

What other classes are offered at the Co-op?

Besides history, the Co-op offers electives for all grade levels, but the specific classes may vary each year. In the past, we have offered elementary science, PE, cooking, sewing, writing, government and economics, Latin, high school sciences, art and music. These extra classes depend on teacher availability.

What is Introductory Physics?

The Co-op uses Introductory Physics by John Mays available from Novare Science and Math as the text for this course. Introductory Physics is a non-vector based Physics course that introduces some fundamental skills such as metric units, scientific notation, unit conversions, significant digits, a problem solving method, and how to write a formal lab report. Topics introduced in this course are a good preparation for chemistry. These topic include energy, electrical charge, density, electromagnetic spectrum, atomic models, heat, temperature scales, and phases of matter. Other topics such as Newton's Laws of Motion, momentum, waves, sound and light, electricity and circuits, fields and magnetism will prepare a student for an advanced vector-based physics course.

Because this is a non-vector based physics course, a student taking Algebra 1 concurrently can succeed in this class.

A student can receive 1 high school credit after the successful completion of this course.

Does the Co-op supply books for the classes?

The Co-op does not supply textbooks, workbooks, or literature books for any class. Most art supplies are provided by the Co-op except for drawing, watercolor or acrylic paper.

All materials required to teach a class will be provided by the Co-op to the parent assigned to teach the class. These materials are property of the Co-op and are turned in at the end of each year.

What class will I be required to teach?

We try and assign a class for you to teach by first determining your areas of interest and matching that area with the classes that the Co-op offers. In some cases, we will add a specific class to the schedule in order for you to teach a class that you are interested in.

For families that have young children under the age of 3, you will most likely be assigned to the Nursery. If your child is in a particular class, you can request to be assigned as a teacher or an assistant in that class.

All teaching material will be provided to you by the Co-op such as teacher's manuals and a weekly plan of lessons.