MORGANTOWN — Angie Channell is gearing up to do some teaching.
Ten classes spread across four days for six weeks.
For free … save a sandwich or two.
“Occasionally I get lunch,” she says, laughing. “I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.”
Channell is president of the board of directors for Mountaineer Homeschool Hub, and its primary teacher.
“We are a homeschool enrichment center. What we do is offer classes and activities that supplement the five subjects that parents have to teach, per state law,” she said.
And in those classes students may do anything from science experiments and dissections to music appreciation, crocheting, forensics and some escape-room-style problem solving.
What started out, unofficially, in 2018 with an architecture class for eight students has grown to a nonprofit with 35 member families and 47 students.
Danielle Trumble and her son Connor were among the first to join.
“I love that someone is willing to plan and teach the messy, hands-on things that I don’t necessarily want to be doing at home,” Trumble said, noting the appeal of homeschooling has only grown over the last year or so.
“During COVID, the benefits of homeschooling need no explanation, but we were homeschoolers even before that. My husband travels a lot for work. So we’ve always enjoyed being homeschoolers because it gives us the flexibility to travel with him if we choose to,” she said. “Plus my son really likes that we set our own curriculum. He just started second grade and decided he wanted to learn physics. So that’s what we’re doing. I’m not sure that’s what normal second grade curriculum is right now.”
The Hub is getting ready to begin one of four six-week sessions at its new home, which consists of 1,214 square-feet in the old Woodburn school building.
Chanell explained that a $25 membership to the Hub not only gives families access to the enrichment classes, but it also access to a curriculum lending library.
All that money goes back into the program.
“I volunteer my time. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time. My joke was that I wanted to do it so I didn’t have to go back to working a nine-to-five job when my son graduated from high school. Well, he graduated this past year,” Channell said. “Luckily, my husband is understanding and supportive. Hopefully, within the next year, we’ll get to the point where I can draw some salary.”
More information on Mountaineer Homeschool Hub is available at mountaineerhomeschoolhub.org. You can email Channell at mountaineerhomeschoolhub@gmail.com.
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