Homeschool & Classical Learning Center opens at AU

ASHLAND — Theresa Watson homeschooled all five of her daughters. 

Her oldest is a senior this year. She said her family chose to homeschool because it offered one-on-one time with her children, along with opportunities to dive deeply into their individual interests. 

“We would create notebooks of whatever we were studying at the time,” Watson said.

“So, say you’re studying Ethiopia for geography. We would look at the food, the culture, the history, all of (those) things, and they would create their own little notebooks.”

It’s on the rise

Homeschooling rates increased nationally since the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the Washington Post shows Ohio having a 54% increase in the number of homeschooled students statewide since 2017-2018. 

Keith Ramsdell, Ashland University’s vice president for enrollment management and marketing, said AU has worked over the last couple years to build a bridge with homeschooling families thanks to those trends.

Last year, the school created an advisory council to collect ideas and form a response. Ramsdell led that council. They wanted something to demonstrate the school took homeschooling families seriously.

“You have to earn some trust,” Ramsdell said.

It culminated in the idea to put a building on campus that would offer resources to homeschooling families.

Over the years Watson homeschooled her own daughters, she said she turned to other homeschooling co-ops in the area for help. 

Classical Conversations, a national group with chapters in the area, was a big help. And, with the opening of Genesis Christian Academy, Watson said her family took advantage of their resources. 

But even after her experience homeschooling five children, Watson said it can be challenging. 

“It’s a learning process,” Watson said. “The whole thing — you’re learning right along with your child. So, to have extra help where you’re not an expert is a benefit.”

Especially once students get to high school, putting together transcripts, navigating college application processes and getting them help with higher level subjects becomes tougher and tougher, according to Watson. Ramsdell agreed.

Those challenges and the growth of homeschooling are the motivators behind the creation of Ashland University’s new Homeschool & Classical Learning Center.

The center sits on AU’s campus, right next to the Jack W. Liebert Military & Veteran Resource Center, where Vines Bakery used to be. 

Watson, who previously directed Classical Conversations and worked as a program director at the Kroc Center, has taken a place at the helm of the new center.

What will the new center offer?

Watson said the Homeschool & Classical Learning Center will provide free, no strings attached tutoring and events for homeschool students and families. 

She has plans for book clubs, poetry workshops, moms’ nights, help with College Credit Plus and creating transcripts and more. The events may be limited on space, she said, but they’re open to both new and veteran homeschooling families. 

The first book club will begin in February with “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis. Watson said her plan is for students to meet weekly over the course of five weeks to discuss the novel. 

College students from the Ashbrook Center, AU’s honors college and the math department will also step up to help with peer and group tutoring sessions too, according to Watson. That was a big need that came up in Ramsdell’s conversations with homeschooling families, he said.

“Sometimes you need some help,” Watson said. “And it’s somewhat costly to hire your own, or you don’t know where to start.”

With its location at AU, Watson said the center will also help students start acclimating to what it’s like to be on a college campus.

Ramsdell, the VP for enrollment management at AU, said the goal is for it to continue serving homeschooled students once they arrive on campus as students too.

The center will also host a homeschool conference later this year, on March 15.

Getting it off the ground

While Watson has high hopes for the center, she said she’s still working on getting all her “ducks in a row.” 

She’s connected with homeschool centers in the area, like Genesis Christian Academy, the Classical Conversation groups and Mansfield Classical Academy. The center has a Facebook page, and she said AU is working on getting a landing page for the center onto its website. 

But, with homeschooling, she said many families just do it on their own. Watson hopes to work on connecting with those individual families to offer the center’s support too.

From Ramsdell’s perspective, having Watson on the team is a win for AU. He said she has strong connections in the homeschooling community in the area.

For now, things are still getting off the ground. But in the long term, Watson hopes the events and resources make the center a welcoming place for students and their families. 

“This is the best of both worlds,” Watson said. “It’s programming and homeschooling, and it’s definitely something I would’ve used with my kids if it were here. It is definitely needed.” 

Watson said interested parents and students can contact her directly for more information. She can be reached at twatso15@ashland.edu.

This independent, local reporting provided by our Report for America Corps members is brought to you in part by the generous support of the Ashland County Community Foundation.