ESCHEL Membership and Waiting List

Are you new or seasoned to homeschooling? Welcome! We would love to partner with you on this wonderful journey. Registration for the next ESCHEL school year will open for members in April. Registration for new families will follow.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE WAITING LIST REQUEST FORM TO BE CONSIDERED FOR REGISTRATION  (click here). 

DO NOT COMPLETE THE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM UNTIL YOU RECEIVE CONFIRMATION THAT THERE IS AN OPENING FOR YOUR STUDENT.

AFTER receiving notice of an opening, people wanting to become members should complete the "Membership Application" form, other required documents, and pay the family registration fee. .  

ESCHEL is a community of Christian families working together to enhance their children’s home education. We offer classes for home-educated students from preschool through high school.

ESCHEL began in 1987 with eight families who met at First Evangelical Free Church in St. Paul. In 1990, we moved to the Salvation Army Temple in Maplewood. In 1996, we added grades 7-10 and became a non-profit corporation. We moved to Hope Church of Oakdale, MN in 2012, and we now have approximately sixty-five families participating.

ESCHEL meets on Tuesdays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. We also offer an optional afternoon class from 1:30-2:30. Our school year begins in September and ends in May, with an extended break in December. We meet at Hope Church at 7910 15th Street North in Oakdale, MN. We conduct classes for children from kindergarten through high school. During class time, parents are free to leave the building if they have no assigned duties.

What is Expected from Members

For more details about member expectations, see our Member Handbook.

• Timely payment of tuition and fees
• Serving during class days about 5 hours per semester

What Makes Us Unique

• Classes for children from kindergarten through high school taught by qualified tutors, with homework, parent/tutor conferences, and report cards for some classes
• Optional group experiences including service opportunities and field trips
• Class days for personal use when parents have no assigned ESCHEL duties

Annual Registration Fee

The 2026-2027 annual registration fee for ESCHEL is $75.00 per family ($77 if paid through PayPal). This nonrefundable fee must be paid as part of member registration -- before registering for classes.  Payment can be made by check or by Paypal.   

Class Tuition and Supply Fees

Class tuition and fees listed in the Class Registration tab. Note that with the exception of semester-only courses, tuition and fees listed are annual amounts. 

Tuition and fees for all courses will be paid in two installments as follows:
1^st Installment due April 15
2^nd Installment due Sept. 1 or by the fall Parent Meeting.

Refund policies are included in the class descriptions and set by individual tutors.

Please note: The tutors have done their best to accurately estimate supplies and other class fees for the upcoming school year. These estimates are based on expected class enrollment. Class fees may be adjusted based on final enrollment. 

Class Fees cover supplies, room rental, conferences and other expenses for the tutors.

ESCHEL's program for elementary students is NOT a cafeteria-style program where you can choose individual courses. Our younger students benefit from participating in all courses for their grade level which allows for a consistent student group in a classroom atmosphere. Elementary students must be enrolled in all three core couses -- Writing, Art and Phy Ed. If not selected, Admin will override registration. There are often optional early morning and afternoon courses available for registration in addition to the core courses.

To see detailed information about courses, click on the Class Registration tab. Then click on individual courses in the class schedule for a description and tuition. 

Lunch: Elementary students are expected to eat outside or in the designated lunch room(s). All children 6th grade and younger must be supervised by a parent or other adult arranged by the parent after lunch if not registered for a class and/or waiting for an older student to finish. Kindergarten students must be picked up by an adult at the end of their class time. 

ESCHEL’s program for junior high and high school students is a la carte, meaning families can choose which classes their students take. We strongly encourage families to take advantage of each of the courses offered for their student’s grade level.  Doing this fosters a sense of community and provides academic challenge, giving students a solid foundation for future high school coursework. 

To see detailed information about courses offered, click on the Class Registration tab. Then click on individual classes in the class schedule for a description and tuition. Note that individual courses are subject to cancellation if minimum enrollment is not met.

Lunch: Secondary students are welcome to eat lunch from 1:00-1:30 pm either outdoors or in designated rooms. Students eating lunch at ESCHEL are expected to clean up after themselves. 

2025-2026 

September     9, 16, 23, 30

October          7, 14, 21, 28 

November       4, 11 (conferences, no classes), 18, 25

December       2, 9 (End of 1st Semester)

January           13, 20, 27

February        10, 17, 24

March             10, 17, 24, 31

April                14, 21, 28

May                 5, 12 

2026-2027 (TENTATIVE) 

September     1 (Parent Meeting PM), 8 (classes start), 15, 22, 29

October          6, 13, 20, 27

November       3, 10 (conferences, no classes), 17, 24

December       1, 8 (End of 1st Semester)

January           12, 19, 26

February        9, 16, 23

March             9, 16, 23, 30

April                13, 20, 27

May                 4, 11 (last day of class -- Program)