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Local
Support Groups
These
support groups are independently run; each has their own unique
culture. We list them as a service to Massachusetts homeschoolers,
but being listed here does not imply an endorsement by AHEM. AHEM
reserves the right to remove a listing at any time. Don't
see a group in your area? Start your own! For inspiration, see
Why and How to Get Connected.
Barnstable
County
Coastal
Free Learners
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coastalfreelearners/
Contact: Jessica, jechunt@hotmail.com
Area primarily served: Cape Cod
Eligibility: Any homeschoolers
How to join: You can request to be part of the yahoo group.
You are then approved ~ sometimes follow-up questions are needed
~ and are part of the group.
Fee: No
Special focus:
No special focus, broad-based membership
Berkshire
County
Berkshire Homeschoolers
URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BerkshireHomeschoolers/
Contact: Amy,
amynajimy@yahoo.com
Primary area served: Berkshire County
Eligibility: Anyone
currently homeschooling or planning to home school their children
How to join: Go to the yahoo group and click to join adding
a small sentence or two about yourself. The moderator will receive
your message and approve you to join the group.
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
FERN
Family Educators Resource Network
URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FERNetwork/
Contact: Beth, BLawton@fairpoint.net
Area primarily served: Albany, NY (Capital district); Rensselaer
& Columbia counties, NY; Berkshire county, MA
Eligibility: Any home-educating family or persons interested
in home-education. Not open to commercial entities, although we
post their information regularly.
How to join: Join through Yahoo groups
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
Bristol
County
Berkley
Area Homeschoolers
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BerkleyAreaHSers/
Contact:
Pam, boltonpamela@yahoo.com
Area primarily served:
Berkley, Taunton, Fall River, Attleboro
Eligibility: Active
homeschooling families
How to join: Ask
to join the Yahoogroup. Tell about yourself, and or answer questions.
Fee:
No
Special
focus: No special focus, broad-based membership
Southcoast
Homeschoolers
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/schomeschoolers/
Contact: Jessica,
schomeschoolers@yahoo.com
Area primarily served: Southcoast of MA. We are centered
out of New Bedford, but have members as far east as Wareham and
as far west as Providence, RI.
Eligibility: Anyone
currently homeschooling or even thinking about starting.
How to join: Go to our Yahoo Group to apply.
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
Dukes
County
Essex
County
Essex
County Inclusive Homeschool Group
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EssexCountyInclusivehomeschoolinggroup/
Contact: Sally, Sally.Allphin@gmail.com
Area primarily served: Essex County (mostly focused on
the North Shore)
Eligibility: All homeschoolers in Essex County
How to join: Request joining through Yahoo Groups. Tell us
why you want to join. Typically, you will then be approved and
become a member.
Fee: No
Special focus: No special focus,
broad-based membership
Home School Meetups Group
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hsmeetups/
Contact: Amanda,
asuleski@gmail.com
Area primarily served: Northern MA, Merrimack Valley area
and Southern NH
Eligibility: Anyone
who would like to or does home school
How to join: Request to join the Yahoo group.
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
North
Shore Young Homeschoolers
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsyounghomeschoolers/
Contact: Rachel, ferrets@quiddity.cc
Primary area served: North Shore (Beverly, Danvers, Salem,
Peabody, etc).
Eligibility: Families
with young homeschoolers (preschool to early elementary ages)
How to join: Apply to join the Yahoo Group.
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
Franklin
County
Hampden
County
Crayola
Homeschool Support Group
URL:
Contact: Jessica, daisiesjewells@aol.com
Area primarily served: Springfield, Holyoke, Chicpoee
Eligibility: Anyone
is elegible to join, they must fill in our survey before being
approved. Anyone who is not homeschooling and looking for information
as well.
How to join: Just a simple survey asking simple questions
about homeschooling and who they are homeschooling.
Fee: No
Special focus: No special focus,
broad-based membership
Hampden
County Homeschoolers
URL:
http://hchomeschoolers.com/default.html
Contact: Joli,
jolenecook@comcast.net
or
Kerrie, kerriejean@comcast.net
Area primarily served:
Hampden County
Eligibility: Anyone
who is homeschooling or considering homeschooling while living
in western MA.
How to join: Contact
either of the group founders with your email address, who will
then add you to our yahoo group.
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
Hampshire
County
Middlesex
County
Billerica
Homeschooling Association
URL:
http://www.billericahomeschooling.com
Contact: Jen
or Amber, billericahomeschooling@live.com
Area primarily served: Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford,
Lexington, Bedford, Westford, Wilmington, Lowell, Andover.
Eligibility: Any homeschooling
family, we respect all homeschooling approaches and philosophies.
How to join: Send an email to billericahomeschooling@live.com
to contact Jen or Amber. We have a yahoo group that is invitation
only.
Fee: No
Special focus:
No special focus, broad-based membership
Homeschooling
Together
URL:
http://www.homeschoolingtogether.org/
Contact: Peter,
bermudes@verizon.net
Area primarily served: Homeschooling Together is based
in Arlington and surrounding communities, but draws members from
a wide geographical area.
Eligibility: Anyone
interested in actively exploring and/or joining and building our
homeschooling community is welcome.
How to join: Homeschooling Together is an open support group.
People are welcome to join at any time. All members are required
to read and respect the operating principles detailed in our *Welcome
to Homeschooling Together* document (which will be sent after
you request a group invitation from the moderator); let us know
a bit about yourself by completing a brief introductory information
form; and complete an annual member survey. Contact Peter at bermudes@verizon.net
for more information.
Fee: No
Special focus:
No special focus, broad-based membership
Merrimack
Valley Home Learners
Contact:
Jacki, jackidibble@verizon.net
Area primarily served: Northwest of Boston
Eligibility: Any homeschooling
family
How to join: Email jackidibble@verizon.net for a registration
form.
Fee: There
is an initial $10 fee with free renewal every year afterward.
Special focus:
No
special focus, broad-based membership
Metrowest
Homeschoolers
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mwhsers/
Contact: Joyce, mwhsers-owner@yahoogroups.com
Area primarily served: Framingham and towns within about
10 miles
Eligibility: Any homeschoolers
interested in activities in the Metrowest area.
How to join: While there is no official group, the Yahoo list
is available for questions and announcements of activities for
homeschoolers in the Metrowest area.
Fee: No
Special focus:
No special focus, broad-based membership
Nashoba
Homelearners
URL: n/a
Contact: Kate, Kate.Wheeler@verizon.net
Area primarily served: Acton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord,
Harvard, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Stow, Sudbury, Wayland &
neighboring towns
Eligibility: Local
homelearners and homelearning families
How to join: Contact the contact person
and give your name, address, email, telephone number and ages
of children (only email address will be shared with the group).
It also helps us if we know something about your homeschooling
journey. You are welcome to bring your homelearning-related questions.
Fee: No
Special focus: No special focus,
broad-based membership from the above listed geographical area
Newton
Homeschoolers
URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NewtonHS/
Contact: Shim, NewtonHS-owner@yahoogroups.com
Area primarily served: Newton
and surrounding towns
Eligibility: Homeschooling parents or teens
How to join: Email list moderator through yahoogroups.com
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
North
Shore Unschoolers
Contact: Lynn,
LynnAndrade123@verizon.net or Leigh, Onemomn4kids@aol.com
Area primarily served: North of Boston, MA
Eligibility: Anyone
How to join: Contact us
Fee: No
Special focus: Unschooling
North
Suburban Home Learners (NSHL)
URL: NSHLonline.org
Contact: Leigh, onemomn4kidz@verizon.net
or Erika, enauda@yahoo.com
Area primarily served: North of Boston (Melrose/Wakefield
based)
Eligibility: All homeschooling
families are welcome to join.
How to join: Families may download and print the membership
form from our website and mail it, along with their dues, to the
address provided on the form.
Fee: $5 per year
Special focus:
No
special focus, broad-based membership
Nantucket
County
Norfolk
County
Sharon
Home Learners
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sharonhomelearners/
Contact: Evelyn, ek2000@comcast.net
Area primarily served: Sharon, Canton, Walpole, Norwood,
Westwood, Stoughton, Easton
Eligibility: Homeschooling
families
How to join: Join Yahoo group or contact Evelyn
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
Plymouth
County
Freelance Learners
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FREELANCELEARNERS/
Contact: Jen, jendesat@verizon.net
Area primarily served: South Shore of Massachusetts
Eligibility: Everyone
How to join: Via the Yahoo group web site
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
Just
Live Life
Contact:
Marcia, marsi77@aol.com
Area primarily served: Southeastern Massachusetts
Eligibility: Unschoolers
and mindful parents, who don't feel the need to follow a curriculum
but who learn as they live with the whole world at their fingertips.
How to join: Send an email to join and tell about yourself
and why you want to join the group.
Fee: No
Special focus: Unschooling
Our
Lady Queen of Saints
URL:
http://www.ourladyqueenofsaints.org/
Contact: Wendy,
Planningteam@ourladyqueenofsaints.org
or Jenn, Info@ourladyqueenofsaints.org
Area primarily served: We serve the South Eastern section
of MA -- Cape Cod, Fall River to Bellingham and over to Weymouth
Eligibility: All are
welcome to join, but there will be a Catholic focus to many of
the posts and the Co-op classes that we offer. We are here to
encourage, support, and pray for one another as we do our best
to teach our children at home.
How to join: New members are encouraged to contact our membership
coordinator for a new member information packet. This packet includes
our calendar, behavior code, and other policies. We also include
the membership application to be returned if the prospective member
is interested. We encourage prospective members to attend a support
meeting or activity to see if our group is a good match for their
family.
Fee:
$20 for the calendar year.
Special focus: Catholic Homeschooling
South Shore Home Learners
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SSHLmembers/
Contacts: Krishyon southshorehomelearners@gmail.com
or Gina gckhomeschool@gmail.com
Primary area served: South Shore of Massachusetts - From
Boston to the Cape and inland to the 495 corridor.
Eligibility: South
Shore Home Learners was founded in 2003 by a small group of families
who share the following values regarding education and parenting:
Education: We believe in home-based learning. As a group we do
not endorse any one resource, method or philosophy of home-based
learning over another. Parenting: We believe in the ideals of
attachment parenting, including being emotionally responsive and
maintaining positive discipline. For information about the philosophy
of attachment parenting, visit www.attachmentparenting.org. SSHL
membership is open to all homeschooling families who are interested
in these same principles, regardless of their educational methods
or religious affiliations.
How to join: We have a free, open group online, for which
you just need to fill out a very brief approval form on the Yahoo
group. However we also have a smaller group of members who have
paid dues ($30
first year and $25 renewal) to receive
added benefits. Full membership and benefits information are available
on the Yahoo group site.
Fee:
See above.
Special focus: Attachment parenting
Suffolk
County
Hub Homeschoolers
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hubhomeschoolers/
Contact: Tonya, tedescokid1@yahoo.com
Area primarily served: Boston
Eligibility: Homeschooling
families
How to join: Email moderator through yahoo group
Fee: No
Special focus:
No special focus, broad-based membership
Worcester
County
LEAF
Home Learners Network
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LEAF-Network/
Contact: Olivia, leafnetwork@learninks.org
Area primarily served: South-central Massachusetts, northern
Rhode Island, and northeastern Connecticut
Eligibility: LEAF members must be either current homeschoolers,
of any educational philosophy, or families considering homeschooling.
Members may not be non-homeschooling third parties, such as representatives
of commercial ventures, curriculum vendors, or administrators
of non-profit educational groups.
How to join: Request membership through the Yahoo Group and
return answers to questionnaire to be reviewed for approval. Any
subscribers to the Yahoo Group who do not complete and return
the questionnaire will not be able to access the group.
Fee:
No
Special focus: No
special focus, broad-based membership
Worcester
Home Educators’ Network (WHEN)
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WorcesterHEN/
Contact: Yonit, WorcesterHEN-owner@yahoogroups.com
Primary area served: Worcester
Eligibility: Any homeschoolers
in the greater Worcester Area.
How to join: Go to the site, click "join" and put
in the message that you are a homeschooler.
Fee:
No
Special focus:
No
special focus, broad-based membership
Regional
MA
Salam Homeschoolers
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MASalamHSers/
Contact: Nadia, osmosismom@gmail.com
Area primarily served: Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Eligibility: This
group is a support group for Muslim homeschoolers.
How to join: Just join the Yahoo-group
Fee:
Special
focus: Islam and homeschooling
NE
Buddhist Homeschoolers
URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEBuddhistHomeschool/
Contact: Harriet, NEBuddhistHomeschool-owner@yahoogroups.com
or Jessica, schomeschoolers@yahoo.com
Area primarily served: New England
Eligibility: Homeschooling buddhists, Buddhists considering
homeschooling, and Homeschoolers considering buddhism
How to join: Join on the yahoo group page, sending an intro
to the group owner.
Fee: No
Special focus:
Buddhism and homeschooling
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The
information on this website does not constitute legal advice;
it is provided for informational purposes only.
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