Michigan Church Hosts Homeschool Hub to Reconnect With Community

Amy Toman, mother of four and wife to Jacob Toman, the pastor of Ada (Mich.) Christian Reformed Church, directs the Ada Homeschool Hub, a community resource she developed out of necessity when the family moved to Ada three years ago.

The family, with children then ages 2 to 10, had been homeschooling for years, but Ada was at least 20 minutes from any home schooling hubs they could find, and those full-day programs were unsuitable for their kindergarteners with severe food allergies. The Tomans created an allergen- and neurodivergent-friendly co-learning environment that serves their family and their community.

“The teachers are friends of friends from other CRC churches or retired educators from different Christian schools or grandparents who are retired from their careers and now contributing those skills to teach the next generation,” Amy Toman said. The goal was to create a community for homeschooled children to meet other friends. It’s a two-day-a-week drop-off program that meets for just under three hours, with academics—science, history, or language arts—on one morning and electives, like art and music, on the other.

Toman said parents are still responsible for their children’s learning overall. This is just a 12-week supplement to give an opportunity for students to “understand and learn with other kids outside of their family.” It’s been popular, increasing from 15 students at the beginning to 70 (32 families) in two years.

“Ada CRC is a hidden church that has kind of been quiet for many years,” Toman said. Since launching the hub she’s noticed more recognition in the community, hearing things like, “‘Oh, I’ve heard about your church. I didn’t even realize there was a church up there.’”

Toman said the hub had the support of the church council and many of the older congregation members, noticing, “Yes, you are an older congregation, but you still have a lot to offer, and there is a large community here who could benefit from your help and the community (feeling) they are looking for.”