Homeschooling with FOCUS is mostly about relationships. Our close-knit community of learners and their families makes FOCUS unique.  Advisory Teachers become so much more than a contact at the district.  They become friends with whom families love to visit and share their learning adventures.

FOCUS families are diverse and accepting.  Monthly learning-focused get-togethers encourage families to connect and build on those connections.  We often meet at the Palmer Library to participate in tinkering or STEM workshops that enhance math and science concepts.

Families are also invited to join in low-to-no-cost field trips where they continue to nurture the relationships they’ve developed.  These field trips are designed to both support student interests and to introduce students to new activities or interest areas.  Field trips to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Experimental Farm, North Star Bakery, UAA Aviation Technology Complex, and AVTech, highlight career opportunities, while field trips to local Fly Trampoline Parks or Brett Memorial Ice Skating Rink, provide for physical activity.  Learning more about the place we call home is important too.  We’ve done field trips to the Matanuska Glacier, Talkeetna, and the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies, among many other local venues.

FOCUS offers the freedom to homeschool in a way that meets the needs of each family.  Some families choose hands-on curriculum, while others find that computer-based lessons work best for them. Whether in a school room that models a more traditional classroom, a spot at the kitchen table or on the couch, or meeting up at Kaladi Brothers Coffee Shop with friends to share experiences, FOCUS families are able to find ways to learn that best suit them.

FOCUS staff is supportive and understanding, helping to alleviate some of the stress of homeschooling.