Naming Your Homeschool

In Kansas, you are legally required to register your homeschool once your youngest child is seven years old. The form is simple; it consists mostly of contact information, but it does have a blank to fill with your homeschool name. This gives you the opportunity to be as creative (or non-creative) as you wish.

Some families choose to use their last name as part of their school name resulting in "Smith Academy" or just "Smith School". Using first names is another option, but this can be problematic if you haven't yet closed your enrollment. Other ideas include using your street name as in "Outlook Academy" or a geographical term like "Parkview School". You can also use foreign language in your school name, and for some classical-leaning homeschoolers, Latin is the appropriate choice.

Choosing a school name doesn't have to be serious. We chose to have fun with it. On our most recent trip to Disney World's MGM Studios, we perused the Star Wars shop (our entire family enjoys these movies). I found matching navy t-shirts saying "Jedi Training Academy" in all sizes from youth to adult. This is how we decided on our school name. Our Jedi Training Academy has just officially begun our third year of homeschooling. We've worn our matching t-shirts out on field trips, and we purchased both a licence plate cover for our van and a personalized wooden sign for our schoolroom.

How often you use your school name is entirely up to you. Once you register with the state, you never have to mention it again. On the other hand, you can make it part of your daily life. We enjoy having an "identity", and I will use our school name on teacher's discount forms or when signing up for special homeschool programs. Just as with homeschooling, you can adjust to fit the needs of your family.