The basic needs that set a homeschool program up for success.
A Website
Even a self-described technophobe can build enough of a site to communicate and advertise. Many platforms work. The Valley Troubadours use Wix and find it user-friendly. Make the website your primary place for announcements, calendars, weather updates and audio practice links.
Registration
Registration gets more complex as you grow. Early on, families paid in cash or by check at the first class. Over time this has grown to include credit cards, payment plans, stipend checks, and approved-provider status with virtual school programs.
- Consider hiring a registrar, such as a homeschool parent, as the program grows.
- A basic Google Form can collect registrations, with a tool like My Music Office to organize the data.
- Wix forms, carts and payments keep everything in one place. Sawyer, built for camps, is another option, and Chorus Connection is worth a look.
- If you sell concert or musical tickets, choose a payment system that handles those too.
A Handbook
A handbook sets expectations for attendance, conduct, weather, supplies and dress. Ask families to sign it electronically before they register each semester.
Use our handbook template as a starting point.
Percussion & Equipment
Independent programs start with very little. Students can bring drum kits and folding stands at first. Storage space for percussion is the most common hurdle in a borrowed building, and good stands make a big difference once you have a place to keep them.
Partner With a Local Music Store
Music stores and lesson studios know the young musicians in your area, many of whom are homeschooled. They can help with instrument rentals and repairs, and they can spread the word.
Build a Music Library
Borrow from local schools at first; many clear out their libraries in summer and will pass along pieces with life left in them. Add reproducible collections for young singers, and grow the library with each semester's tuition.
Promotion
Offer an instrument demonstration at a local homeschool co-op. Families meet you, kids try instruments, and word of mouth does the rest. Homeschool families talk to each other, and happy families will fill your program.
Parents Are Your Coworkers
In a homeschool program, parents are educators too. The parents sitting in the back of rehearsal become advocates, chaperones, registrars, set builders and stage crew. Invite them in, give them real jobs, and your program will grow with them.