Jump to:  Why Homeschool?  |  About Us  |  Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome!

We are launching a homeschool co-op hosted at our campus in Lodi (and will add our Valley Springs as needed) with an aim to begin in the late-July/early-August timeframe. The goal of a co-op is to combine the resources and facilities of the church with the gifts and talents of the families in the co-op community to provide the best educational experience that is customized for your children. 

The Latest

• Parent meetings

Friday, May 29 @ 6:30 p.m.  |  Wednesday, June 10 @ 6:30 p.m.  |  Sunday, June 14 @ 1 p.m.

We have set dates and times for three parent meetings in coming weeks. To be clear, the same information will be shared at all three meetings. We just thought having three different days/times would make it easier on everyone to make it to one of them. There's absolutely no expectation to make it to all three but we won't stop you if you really want to! We expect the meetings to run about an hour long, depending on how much Q&A takes place. Please help us get the word out!

Given the size of our Lodi campus, with lots of doors, it can be a bit confusing. Please park in the north parking lot (the smaller one @ 101 South Ham Lane, Lodi) and watch for signs to direct you to the right meeting room after entering at the red pointer. 

• Registration

Registration will open after the first parent meeting on May 29th. We will be waiving the application fee ($50/family) and August's membership fee for anyone who registers in-person at one of the three upcoming parent meetings. A Statement of Faith, outlining what we believe and our overall approach, as well as a Statement of Conduct, walking through expectations of conduct for all parties, will be made available shortly.

• Facility

We've made great progress on the facility revamp. It never ceases to amaze me what a fresh coat of paint can do. The awesome new flooring has also started to go down! Tremendous thanks to all who have pitched in thus far. If you're interested in lending a hand, please let us know. There's still plenty to keep us busy!

• Grants

On Tuesday, May 5th we gave our first grant request presentation. It went well and we should hear back from the group in about a month. We will be pulling together the paperwork for another grant request with our overarching church body soon. These grants will help to keep our expenses down, helping all the families!

Why homeschool?

Much has been said in responding to this question. The long and the short of it is that while standard classroom education can be successful, for many students it is not. It can leave students woefully unprepared, arguably even unable, to live the abundant life described by Jesus. We encourage you to check out the documentary Homeschool Awakening. You can find the trailer below (or on YouTube here). We have two copies available to borrow at the church (contact secretary@zlclodi.org). Alternatively, you may be able to borrow it via the library and it is available to rent via YouTube. 
 

About Us

Lutherans have had a heart for education since our inception over 500 years ago and is why our church body, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), operates over 1,900 early childhood centers, elementary schools, and high schools nationwide, 3 international K-12 schools, 5 universities, and 2 seminaries serving over 160,000 students. 

Zion has been a Lodi staple for over 75 years and has been running a childcare/preschool for over a decade at our Lodi campus. We have trained and certified teachers with decades of combined educational experience as part of our administrative team.

Frequently Asked Questions

•  Do we have to be Christian to be a part of the co-op? Do we have to be Lutheran?  No to both questions. However, while you might not believe, please know that our underlying foundation and approach comes from our belief that learning (wisdom) is from the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of the Holy One (Proverbs 9:10). We believe that foundation in our Lord and His Word, found in the Holy Bible, is the pathway to excellence in education. Regardless of what services we may provide together, this belief will be the underlying foundation that we, by the Grace of God, will build upon.
   
•  What grade levels are going to be included as part of this co-op?  We are investigating that very question. We are considering elementary through high school, likely on an alternating schedule.
   
•  Will students with disabilities be included as part of this co-op?  By its very nature, homeschool is very accommodating and aim for the co-op to be likewise. 
   
• Financial
  •  How much will you charge?  We are investigating that very question. Obviously there will have to be some cost as we will be needing to cover the expenses of administration as well as those of the location. However, as a homeschool co-op we will be working together leaning on each other to teach, assist, help with meal times, facility maintenance, custodial, etc. 
     
  •  Will there be any discounts offered?  As a non-profit ministry, we will be keeping costs as low as possible. There will be a Zion church member discount and a multi-child discount is in consideration.