Support Groups

Support groups come in many flavors. Some are highly restrictive with membership requirements and statements of faith, while others are open to all. Co-op type support groups offer classes, and the parent may have to teach or pay dues. Other groups are oriented towards monthly or semi-monthly park days where the parents chat and the kids play, and some focus on field trips. Consider carefully what is important to you when deciding on a support group. It may be worth a little more of a drive to be with the people with whom you can relate.

Most support groups are religiously affiliated. If you do not think of yourself as particularly religious, take a moment to consider whether you would enjoy being in a group that has members of unfamiliar religions, as some of the "open" groups do. Try out several groups before deciding on membership. Ask your children about their experience at the park day or field trip. Did they meet interesting children? Did you feel comfortable with the other parents? You are not limited to one group, and you can always start your own group by finding a few people that you really like and setting a weekly or monthly time to get together.

Religiously Affiliated

ARCH Angels
Melbourne area support group for Catholic families. Its goals are as follows:

to promote and encourage Catholic family life by providing a support group for home educating families.
to share the traditions and history of our Holy Mother Church, our devotion to the Blessed Mother, the saints and our obedience to the Holy Father
to provide Catholic playmates for our children
to establish a network in which all can help and assist one another in our vocation as home educating parents

Email Cindy

Brevard Alternative Homeschool
BAH is for homeschoolers practicing or exploring alternative philosophies such as agnosticism, atheism, humanism, Paganism, Native American spiritualism, or Wicca. All others friendly to free thought or alternative philosophies are welcome. The group offers friendship, support, help with secular or alternative curricula, and a forum for discussing issues we may have as nontraditional homeschoolers.
Email Dani
752-0026

Brevard Christian Home Educators Inc.
Opportunities for achievement testing, field trips, and student activities. Support groups meet monthly in both Port St. John and Rockledge. Also offers an umbrella school, Christian Heritage Academy, that BCHE members may choose to join.
Email or phone 321-454-2445

Brevard Network of Catholic Home Educators
Email Kathy Frogge
321-259-6464

Calvary Chapel Homeschool Ministry (Melbourne)
Calvary Chapel Homeschool Ministry is a Christian support group for homeschoolers to encourage both the parents & students with parent meetings, classes, field trips, and other activities. We also have end of the year testing. $27/year
Email CCMHS

Calvary Chapel of Merritt Island Support Group
Email CCMIS
321-632-7915

Central Brevard Catholic Homeschool Support Group
Email Amy
321-454-2403

Covenant Home School Fellowship of Palm Bay Support Group, Co-op, Church Ministry
Email CHSF
321-722-5722

Heart of Mary Home Educators, Support Group
Catholic support group in North Brevard. Heart of Mary is an association of lay faithful established to promote and encourage Catholic family life by providing a support group for families that opt to educate their children at home. Monthly mom's meetings the 4th Tuesday of each month, August thru May. We also have a home school Mass that we participate in at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mims on the 3rd Friday of each month.
Email Cathie
321-383-0484

North Brevard Home School Association
North Brevard Homeschool Association meets 1st Monday of each month (with the exception of September, which meets the second Monday,) at Park Avenue Christian Academy, 2600 S. Park Ave, Titusville, Education Building, Room 202. NBHSA also offers a Tuesday co-op with classes for various ages including high school. For more information see the NBHSA website.
Email Judy

North Brevard Education Alliance Corporation (B.E.A.C.H)
For children birth through 4th grade. Meets Thursday mornings in Titusville for informal lessons and fun. For more information, email Amy

Palm Bay Christian Homeschoolers (PBCH)
Denise
321-728-1035

Unaffiliated

Brevard Homeschool (Sponsor of this website)
An active on-line and in-person support group for all homeschooling parents in Brevard County, Florida, to provide discussion and support, share information of interest to homeschoolers, and to buy and sell homeschooling material locally. We offer field trips, park days, and hobby clubs. All homeschoolers in Brevard regardless of affiliation are welcome! You can belong to this group and others! Membership is FREE. To join, please send a brief introduction of yourself including your homeschooling situation and where you live.
Sign up via our Yahoo Groups site

Brevard County Homeschool Teens Group
An all-inclusive group for Brevard-area homeschool teens, ages 12-17. We offer field trips, educational activities, social events such as game nights, dances, and more! Participation is voluntary, though everyone is encouraged to participate and offer ideas.
Email Linda

Homeschool Exchange
The Homeschool Exchange is an all inclusive support group meeting in the central Brevard area. We welcome guests and new members anytime. Meetings are held at 10AM every other Friday at Kelly Park on Merritt Island. In addition to regular park days, the group plans field trips, community service projects, holiday events, etc. There are no dues or membership requirements. If you have any questions,
Email Rhonda or
Email Christene

Homeschool Trading
Homeschool Trading offers a monthly support group to all parents of homeschoolers or parents thinking of homeschooling. We usually have a topic of the month and then linger to discuss, share, and laugh at the ups and downs of our homeschool journey. This is a child free event so we can discuss honestly and openly our challenges and success of homeschooling. Our meeting are held on the Second Wed. of the month at 7 p.m. in our Learning Lab located in Palm Bay.
Email or call 321-474-4063

Melbourne/Palm Bay Homeschool Recess Group
The purpose of this group is facilitate communication between homeschoolers who would like to participate in a weekly recess (physical education, sports, and playground games) co-op. Recess will be located at various county, city, and community parks in the Melbourne/Palm Bay area. FREE
To learn more, join the Homeschool Recess yahoo group or Email Kim