Areté Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Introduction...Q: Is Areté a School?
A: No. Areté is a supplement to parent directed home education led by individual tutors. We are a homeschool cooperative.

Q: What grade levels are offered at Areté?
A: Areté offers classes for Middle School (7th and 8th grade only) and all four levels of High School.

Enrollment...Q: I'm new to Areté. Are there any special procedures to follow for first time acceptance?
A: Yes. Please contact us to schedule an interview and tour. Please send your New Student Enrollment Request  in at least two weeks prior to the interview. The board will make a decision about your acceptance based on the interview and form. See our How to Register page for more information.

Q: Can I tour Areté before deciding to enroll?
A: Yes. There are Open House tours in early Spring. Dates are listed on the How to Register page.

Registration...Q: How do I register for a class?
A: Please follow instructions provided on the How to Register page.

Q: Why should I register early?
A: Some classes fill up very quickly. Once a class reaches capacity, registration for that class closes. There are 4 or 5 classes that consistently close in mid-Spring. Check the Course Schedule to see if your class is open or closed.

Q: Is it too late to register?
A: The early registration deadline is June 30th. After this date, the registration fee goes up to $150. The registration deadline is July 31st. Be aware that classes that meet ​the maximum number of students will be closed. New families must enroll before registering.

Q: Our family has at least one student at Areté now but wants to enroll a new student. Is the new student's registration fee considered returning or new?
A: If you are a returning family but have a new student, that student is covered under the lower returning family fee.

Q: Do you ever allow students to be put on a wait list for classes that are closed?
A: Yes. Please request this on your registration form by writing, "Wait List," after the course title.

Q: Can I register at the Orientation Night in August?
A: No. That does not give tutors time to properly prepare for your student. Registration deadline is July 31st. Please register by this time.

Q: Can I request a course that is listed as FULL?
A: Classes marked as FULL have met capacity and are currently closed. You may be placed on the wait list by indicating "WAIT LIST" next to the course title on your registration form. We will notify you if the course opens up.

Classes...
Q: What days and times are classes?
A: Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-4:45.

Q: Do all classes meet both days?
A: No. Many classes meet twice a week, but some are only one-day classes. The schedule of classes and the course descriptions will help clarify this. If a class is listed on both days, it is a twice-a-week class.

Q: Do my students need to stay on campus from 9-4:45?
A: No. Students may select classes that work best for them and leave when those classes end.

Q: What if my students have a long break between their classes?
A: Study Hall is available at all blocks; however, students may only take ONE study hall per day. Students registering for Study Hall must be capable of sitting quietly for 90 minutes without talking or disrupting other students during the study hall block

Q: Can my child eat lunch at Areté?
A: Lunch is from 12:00-12:30 and is primarily offered for high school students. Seventh and eighth graders taking courses immediately before AND after lunch may eat lunch at Areté.

Q: How do I determine if a class is offered this year and when?
A: Check out the Course Schedule.

Q: Why isn't a class offered this year at Areté?
A: There is less demand for certain classes and they are offered on a rotating schedule. The course you are looking for may return to our schedule another year. You can always request certain courses be added to the schedule the following year and we'll pass your suggestion on to our amazing tutors! On the Course List page, select 'Show All Courses' to see a list of inactive courses.

Q: Can my student take all their classes at Areté?
A: No. Areté is not meant to replace home instruction, but rather to supplement it.

Q: When do classes begin/end?
A: See the Academic Calendar.

General...
Q: How much do Areté courses cost?
A: Supply fees and monthly tuition are listed on the Course List. Nine monthly (September through May) payments are due directly to each tutor by the 1st of each month.

Q: Does Areté provide transcripts?
A: No. Each tutor will provide progress reports and report cards. The parents will be responsible to compile these into a complete transcript. We can recommend a consultant to help parents in this endeavor.

Q: Does Areté have a graduation ceremony?
A: Yes. The graduation for the class of 2024 will be held May 18, 2024 in the Activity Center on campus. Graduations are run by a volunteer committee.

Q: Does Areté offer sports programs?
A: No, but many of our students participate in homeschool varsity sports under one of the following groups: ​richmondspiritathletics.com or cvhaa.org.

Q: My child has special needs. Is there a place for him/her at Areté?
A: Please contact us to schedule an interview. We consider students on a case by case basis. While we ​recognize that God has a wonderful plan for all of his children, our tutors are not trained to work with all special needs. ​​​We will need to meet you and your child to determine if Areté can provide adequate instruction.

Middle School...
Q: My child is in middle school, but is only 10 years old. Can he/she enroll?
A: No. We have found that children in the lower middle school grades, although academically ready, often have a difficult time adjusting to the social atmosphere at Areté. Keep in mind your child could be often mixed with high schoolers.

Q: Do you accept 6th grade students?
A: No, not at this time. Middle school begins in 7th grade at our co-op. Students must be 12 years old by the beginning of the school year.

Q: Can a 7th or 8th grade student take a high school course?
A: A 7th grader may not take a high school course, but an 8th grader MAY take a high school course if given permission by the course tutor.

Q: Why have many of the middle school classes not met the minimum number of students while most of the higher level classes have? I'm worried that they will be dropped.
A: Returning students tend to know which classes they will need and register early. Many middle school students ​are new to Areté and register later. It is very typical for the middle school classes to fill in July, rather than in ​March.

Q: Can my middle school student stay for lunch?
A: Middle school students who have a class immediately before AND after lunch are able to stay for lunch.

Q: Can my middle school student take Study Hall?
A: On a case-by-case basis, middle school students will be allowed to attend study hall. Registration for study hall requires a middle school student to register for a class both immediately before AND after the study hall block (with the exception of lunch). Students registering for Study Hall must be capable of sitting quietly for 90 minutes without talking or disrupting other students during the study hall block.

Parent Involvement...
Q: What is role for the parents at Areté?
A: Parents act as their child's academic supervisor and work alongside their child’s tutor(s). In addition to these responsibilities at home, parents shall take turns serving at Areté throughout the year.

Q: How much do I need to serve?
A: In general, we ask that each family with one student enrolled sign up for 2 time slots. Each family with 2+ students enrolled should sign up for a total of 4 time slots. Each time slot is no more than 4 hours. Time slots are available for mornings and afternoons.

Q: What does a parent serving at Areté do?
A: Parents provide another set of eyes on the campus and pitch in to help wherever needed. This includes monitoring the halls, bathrooms, and periodically walking around the campus. Feel free to bring a book, laptop, or other activity during downtime.

Q: How do I sign up to serve?
A: The SignUpGenius sign-up sheet will be available at Orientation in August, and an electronic sign-up sheet will be emailed throughout the year.

Q: Who can serve?
A: A parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other responsible adult can serve at Areté. If a parent is not able to serve, we ask the parent to find a substitute.

Q: Can I bring my younger children with me when I serve?
A: Yes, younger children may accompany you, but they must stay with you at all times.