Frequently Asked Questions

Education Model

How does the 3-day homeschool hybrid model work?

  • Students will be in a school setting for three consecutive full days of learning, growth, and community. During these school days, a wide range of subjects will be covered, including: phonics, math, literature, Bible, poetry, science and nature study, handwriting, composition, history, geography, art, choir, artist study, composer study, public speaking, and handwork. Additionally, students are afforded a generous amount of time for outdoor play with their classmates.

  • The two homeschool days will have some required work that can form the foundation for that time of home learning.  Examples of this work include:

    • Math, practicing concepts covered at Cove 

    • Phonics and reading fluency, as needed

    • Literature, reading an additional chapter at home and providing an oral narrative response

    • History work

    • Time for progress on the handwork project introduced at Cove 

    We would love to discuss in more detail how this would look for your family and age range in your home.  Please reach out and we will connect to discuss further!

  • Please know that the work required during these two homeschool days is not nearly the length of a typical school day. Our target for the time required to cover the necessary subjects–once a rhythm has been established at home–will be:

    • Kindergarten: 1 hour

    • 1st & 2nd grades:  1.5 – 2 hours

    • 3rd - 5th grades:  2.5 – 3.5 hours

    • 6th - 8th grades:  3 – 4.5 hours

    Families also have complete flexibility as to when that work occurs. It doesn’t have to be during the morning hours of the two homeschool days! This allows for so many great options as you consider all that your family hopes to prioritize in a given week.

Philosophy

  • Our homework philosophy is simple:  before 6th grade, aside from daily reading, no homework is to be expected on “school nights” or weekends.  

    The expectations of students at Cove are high, and we truly value their time. Students will have experienced a full day of thoughtful and important lessons, and when they go home, we want them to have time to play, participate in music or a sport, have dinner together, read for enjoyment, help with household needs, rest … their work at school has been plenty for one day.

  • Technology is not part of classrooms at Cove. 

  • Yes!  We are dedicated to coming alongside families in their homeschooling journey–whether this will be new for you or you’ve been using a homeschool approach for some time.

    We are grateful to have a teacher with over 20 years of both homeschool and classroom experience who has agreed to serve as a resource for Cove parents.  Additionally, we will have regular parent meetings to share successes and challenges and learn from each other along the way.  

    This support is something we intend to provide throughout the school year, but we will begin engaging with Cove families on this topic as soon as they have enrolled, if desired.

  • We plan to offer Kindergarten - 6th grade when we open for the 2026-27 school year. We intend to add one grade per year through 8th grade.

    As our Year One enrollment begins, if interest warrants it, we are open to considering a 7th/8th grade classroom immediately.

  • We intend to employ a reading specialist, and already have significant math expertise on staff.

    Additionally, it is important to point out that the 3-day homeschool hybrid model offers a unique opportunity for parents with children struggling significantly in a subject like reading or math.  More specialized resources can be sought during that time, and Cove would also like to partner in these situations to help families prioritize these areas.

  • Exposure to and participation in the fine arts is important at Cove.  Students will have high-quality art instruction, choir (including two annual performances), as well as lessons in artist study and composer study. The artists and composers studied will be school-wide, streamlining the number of different areas families are covering.

Black and white logo featuring a lighthouse with waves underneath and the letters C and C in the top left and bottom right corners.

Community

  • Cove has leased space at Valley Evangelical Free Church in Chaska. We are so blessed to have been welcomed by Valley and to have access to their beautiful building!

  • Cove is a Christian school that welcomes students with at least one parent or guardian able to sign our Statement of Faith.

    The foundation of our Statement of Faith is the Apostle’s Creed:

    We believe in God, the Father Almighty,
          creator of heaven and earth.

    We believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. Jesus Christ was
          conceived by the Holy Spirit
          and was born of a virgin, Mary.
          He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
          was crucified, died, and was buried.
          He descended to the dead, and
          on the third day He rose again from the dead.
          He ascended into Heaven,
          Where He sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
          From Heaven He shall come to earth again to judge the living and the dead.

    We believe in the Holy Spirit,
          one holy catholic* church,
          the communion of the saints,
          the forgiveness of sins,
          the resurrection of the body,
          and the gift of everlasting life.

    *universal

  • We want Cove to be a place of close community for our students, and also our families. Without becoming overwhelming, we want to provide ways for parents to connect effectively with each other.  We hope to achieve this in a number of ways:

    • Parents welcome at morning assembly and bi-weekly chapel

    • Bi-weekly parent connection on homeschooling and other topics of interest

    • Access to a simple app to facilitate connection (Slack, or something similar)

    • All-school Christmas and spring concerts

    • Occasional field trips to orchestra concerts, art exhibits, plays, or performances featuring work recently studied.

  • Yes. To facilitate a sense of community and lessen distractions, Cove will have a uniform, with a number of options. Shoes are to be comfortable, easy to get on and off, and not distracting (no light-ups, characters, or bright colors). A uniform guide will be coming soon.

Investment

  • Tuition will be $6,500/child for the 2026-27 school year.  This is an “all-in” number; there will not be additional student or enrollment fees.  

    There will be an application fee, which will be credited toward tuition upon enrollment.

    We are offering a discounted tuition of $5,850/child (10% discount) for those who pay in full by May 1, 2026.

  • We want to work with families to make Cove affordable for anyone who wishes this type of education for their child(ren).  Please reach out so we can discuss your specific needs.

  • For families enrolling two or more children, there will be a 10% discount offered on the full tuition.

  • Yes, teachers are offered a generous tuition discount for their enrolled children. Please reach out for more information.

“What we must guard against in the training of children is the danger of their getting into the habit of being prodded to every duty and every effort. Our whole system of school policy is largely a system of prods. Marks, prizes, exhibitions, are all prods; and a system of prodding is apt to obscure the meaning of must and ought for the boy or girl who gets into the habit of mental and moral lolling up against his prods.”

C H A R L O T T E M A S O N