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Welcome
Great Explorers Co-op (GECO) is a secular, member-run educational community of homeschooling families.
Together we create high-quality, student-centered classes, programs, educational field trips, and travel experiences for homeschooling students ages 5-18 and their families.
We believe that learning is social, that there are many ways to learn, and that each person's voices and needs are important. Both what we do and how we go about doing it is grounded in these ideas.
About Us
We are a group of life-long learners committed educating our children in the context of a supportive, inclusive, welcoming community.
Founded in 2012, we became a 501(c)(3) organization in 2019. We currently serve about twenty families and fifty students; more than half are ages 12-17.
Our members come from a broad geographic area ranging from Holyoke, Massachusetts to Hudson and from the Wachusett area to Woonsocket, RI.
Programs & Activities
We offer three 8-week class sessions: Fall, Winter, and Spring. Each student chooses two classes to take during each session. Classes take place on Monday mornings in Marlborough from October through May.
Before, during, and after classes we meet as a whole group to celebrate birthdays, cultural and civic holidays, and our version of spirit week which we call "March Madness." Students have the opportunity to participate in an event fair (science, history, etc.) and an Art & Talent show each year.
We also offer social events that are open to the homeschooling community including weekly Park Days on Monday afternoons. Some of our field trips and experiential learning programs are also open to non-members.
Our Community
With low member turnover and many veteran members, GECO is able to offer a sense of belonging to homeschooling families.
We are an active community. Parent involvement is very high. Everyone shares in the responsibility to deliver the programs, events, and classes that we plan. New ideas are welcomed and new members are invited and expected to jump in with both feet.
Community can be messy! As adults, we are committed to working through challenges respectfully and with appreciation for the many differences we each bring to the table.
Making co-op a safe space, especially for our children, is a non-negotiable for us. Hate speech, bullying, and discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. We encourage our children and teens to be welcoming and kind and we actively support and guide them in meeting that expectation.
