FAQs
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Is L.I.N.K. affiliated with any particular Christian denomination?
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L.I.N.K. is an exclusively Protestant organization founded on Jesus Christ but is not affiliated with any one denomination. Click on the Statement of Faith to learn what we believe. |
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What if we're Catholic? |
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L.I.N.K. is an exclusively Protestant co-op, and you'll find that L.I.N.K.'s Statement of Faith—which all applicants and members are required to sign that they fully agree with—does not fit with the Catholic doctrines and beliefs. Due to differences between the Protestant and Catholic faiths, we do not feel that L.I.N.K. would be the best fit for your family at this time. |
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How much does L.I.N.K. cost? |
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As a cooperative support group (everyone works together to make it possible) we're also very cost friendly. L.I.N.K. membership is only $25 per year. Field trips and special events are often free or involve only a small fee. Occasionally we offer a grander field trip with a grander cost, but, as always, families pick and choose which events to participate in. Each family participating in L.I.N.K. Thursdays also pays $25 per semester church-use fee. We know about homeschool budgets all too well, so many of the fees charged for Thursday classes are quite small. Each of our elementary classes average around $10 per semester. Middle and high school classes average $17 per semester. When we pay an expert to come in and teach a class, fees may be more; but again, you choose which classes and events in which to participate. |
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How do I become a member of L.I.N.K.? |
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The first step of becoming a member of L.I.N.K. is to complete the Membership Application (see Document & Forms). Both parents must review and sign the Statement of Faith, the Agreement and Waiver, the Participant Profile Form (a.k.a., background check), and the Participation Waiver (COVID-19). The References section should be completed in full with a reference who can speak to your church involvement and Christian walk, as well as two personal references. References must not be related to the applicant(s) and must not all be members of L.I.N.K. Please mail your completed application and Membership Fee to L.I.N.K. Registrar, P.O. Box 144, Lowell, MI 49331. Be advised: (1) Applications will not be processed until the required Membership Fee has been received. (2) You may submit your L.I.N.K. Thursdays Registration Form at the same time as your Membership Application, however, it will not be processed until membership has been approved. Upon receipt, your application will be assigned to a L.I.N.K. Board Member for processing. You will receive an email confirmation, followed by an introductory phone call. In an effort to get a better understanding of applicant families and their beliefs as pertaining to the L.I.N.K. Statement of Faith, we do contact all references. As a cooperative organization where parents are also teachers, we have found that in doing this we avoid areas of potential conflict during morning devotions, prayers, and classes. |
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When will the L.I.N.K. Thursdays class schedule be posted for next semester?
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The L.I.N.K. Thursdays Schedule and Class Descriptions for our Fall semester will be posted in May. Winter semester information will be posted in November. |
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How do I register for L.I.N.K. Thursdays? |
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To register for L.I.N.K. Thursdays, you must first be an approved member of L.I.N.K. Homeschool Upon membership approval, both parents will need to review L.I.N.K.'s General Information and complete the L.I.N.K. Thursdays Registration Form. Your Membership Fee may suffice as the minimum payment due. An invoice will be emailed to you for the balance due. Effective 10/20/21: At this time, for any new members applying to join L.I.N.K. with the intent to participate in L.I.N.K. Thursdays, it is required that the oldest child in the family be at least 5 years old by August 31 of the application year. Families whose oldest child is younger than 5 are always welcome to apply for general membership which gives access to field trips, parties, parent events, field day, and more. |
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Can we still be members of L.I.N.K. if we don’t attend classes on Thursdays? |
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Absolutely! L.I.N.K. offers a wide variety of field trips and special events, in addition to L.I.N.K. Thursdays. Special events vary, but often include regular Moms Night Outs, TeenLINK activities, holiday parties, science and history fairs (alternating years), semi-annual student Presentation Nights, and an annual Track & Field Day. We try to coordinate field trips that include some "just for fun" and others more academic in nature. You are encouraged to participate in whichever of our activities that appeal to you. |
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What additional responsibilities would I have as a member of L.I.N.K.? |
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L.I.N.K. is a cooperative support group. Have you noticed the reoccurring theme here? We are only as strong a group as the effort we invest! Each L.I.N.K. member is required to coordinate or co-coordinate one activity each school year. That could be as simple as planning a park day for fellowship time (Just choose a park, day, and time... that's it!) or organizing a Moms Night Out (Maybe late-night appetizers at a local restaurant?) or getting with another L.I.N.K. member to plan a holiday party or another event. If participating in L.I.N.K. Thursdays, someone from each family, whether it be a mom, dad, grandparent, young adult, or family friend with a specialty, is expected to teach or assist during two of the three class hours. New members of L.I.N.K. are not expected to teach but would be assigned as a classroom helper or nursery worker. In future semesters, new members are often teamed with our more "seasoned" co-op teachers to help ease the transition. Members who hold leadership positions are not required to teach, but they often do. Please review our complete membership requirements as found in the L.I.N.K. General Information packet found on the Documents & Forms page. |
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What do the parents do while their kids are taking classes on L.I.N.K. Thursdays? |
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As a cooperative homeschool group, an adult from each family is expected to teach, co-teach, or assist in two classes each semester. Often, you and a partner would be teaching almost the same material to two different age groups. For example, Esther and Wendy might be teaching science to both the 6-9 and 9-12-year-old age groups, making age-appropriate adjustments to content and expectations. Our teachers are often moms, but we've also been blessed to have dads, grandparents, and young adult children also teach. In addition to teaching, each adult generally has one "free" class hour to get to know the other parents, work on their own lesson plans, etc. Note: Parents are required to remain onsite at Alton Bible Church during all three class hours. |