Homeschooling

Manatee Agricultural Museum Grades 3-5
2023-10-20 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Manatee Agriculture Museum, 1015 6th Street West, Palmetto, FL, 34221, United States
Come enjoy an exciting morning at the Manatee Agricultural Museum! This field trip is for grades 3-5. We will partake in a schoolhouse lesson, Beef-o Bingo, a planting project, outdoor painting, making butter, a Cow Hunt, and picking up mail in the Post Office.

Moms' Night Out at Savor in North Port
2023-10-19 18:30 - 20:30 | Savor, 1083 N. Toledo Blade Blvd., North Port, FL, 34288, United States
Attention all South County Moms! Come on out to Savor 100×35 in North Port for a fun Moms’ Night Out! Savor is owned by our very own Nichole Antomattei and her husband. The menu is amazing and we will have tables reserved for our group. This is a casual dinner meet up so feel free to drop in, order some delicious food and stay however long you want. Can’t wait to see everyone and sample that menu!

Manatee Agricultural Museum Grades K-2
2023-10-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Manatee Agriculture Museum, 1015 6th Street West, Palmetto, FL, 34221, United States
Come enjoy an exciting morning at the Manatee Agricultural Museum! This field trip is for grades K-2. We will partake in a schoolhouse lesson, a Cattle Lotto game, a planting project, milking and lassoing,
outdoor painting, making butter, and picking up mail in the Post Office.

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport Field Trip
2023-10-18 10:00 - 11:30 | SRQ, 6000 Airport Circle, Sarasota, FL, 34241, United States
Come join us as we tour the SRQ airport. We will be able to see areas that most people never get to see! Enjoy learning about how all of the different jobs work together to keep each area running smoothly. This field trip is for 1st graders and UP ONLY.

Spirit Days - Sports Day
2023-10-17 09:00 - 15:00 | Renewal Church, 7221 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 34241, United States
Sports Day at Co-op! Come dressed in your favorite team jerseys, college team shirts or ball caps. Or you could even wear your own team jersey! Have some fun and show your LAF Spirit!

Middle School Painting with a Twist
2023-10-09 17:30 - 19:30 | Painting with a Twist, 5543 Palmer Crossing Circle, Sarasota, FL, 34233, United States
Let your kiddos express their creativity while making new friends and having fun with old ones. Who doesn’t love their kids’ art work? It’s time to upgrade those paintings on your refrigerator with a nice wall canvas created by your child under the guidance of a professional artist that you can love and display for years to come.

School Picture Day
2023-10-05 09:00 - 13:00 | Renewal Church, 7221 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 34241, United States
When: October 5th, 9am – 1pm
Where: In the Gym at Co-op
Get those smiles ready! It’s school picture day! This is open to ALL LAF families. We want your picture in the Yearbook so mark the date! Please go on your parent portal now and verify that your student’s grade is correct.

Moms' Night Out - Painting with a Twist
2023-10-02 18:00 - 20:30 | Painting with a Twist, 5543 Palmer Crossing Circle, Sarasota, FL, 34233, United States
Calling all LAF Moms! Let’s get our creative juices flowing. Join us for a fun filled evening on Monday, October 2nd 6:00- 8:30 pm at Painting with a Twist Sarasota.

Moms' Night Out at ATRIA Cafe
2023-09-28 18:00 - 20:00 | ATRIA Cafe, 4120 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch, FL, 34211, United States
We are excited to be hosting our Moms’ Night Out Kick Off at ATRIA Café in LWR.

This amazing place is owned by one of our LAF facilitators’ family. We will have several tables reserved so we can all talk and get to know each other. This is a great way to connect with other moms at LAF and get to know the board and leadership team! This is a busy time of year so feel free to just drop in and say hi, or stay the entire time. We want to meet you and make sure everyone gets connected this year!

Wacky Tacky Spirit Day
2023-09-19 09:00 - 15:00 | Renewal Church, 7221 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 34241, United States
Wacky, Tacky Day! Be as creative and wild as you want and show your Co-op spirit. Dress up in the wackiest and most unmatched clothes you have! The best part about Wacky Tacky day is the worse your outfit looks, the better!

Dads' Night Out
2023-09-16 18:00 - 21:00 | Livingston’s, 5947 Clark Center Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34238, United States
Calling ALL LAF Dads to come on out to Livingston’s Amusements for our first ever Dads’ Night Out hosted by LAF Dad Seth Van Valkenburg.
It is going to be a fun Dads’ night out with tons of arcade games, billiards, bumper cars, go karts, and lots of food and drink options. This is a good way for the Men to connect and get to know each other in a fun, relaxed environment.

Axe Throwing - High School Only
2023-09-15 16:00 - 18:00 | Axe and Bull, 4088 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota, FL, 34233, United States
Kick off the school year with LAF’s favorite high school activity, Axe Throwing! We did this last year & had a great turnout so it’s BACK by popular demand!

Ice Skating Field Trip
2023-09-13 14:00 - 16:15 | Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex, 5309 29th St E., Ellenton, FL 34222, FL, 34222, United States
Let’s start off the year right with a Back to School Skating Bash! Come join us for a fun-filled afternoon at Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex. This field trip is for all ages.

High School Graduation
2023-05-19 18:00 - 20:30 | Covenant Life Presbyterian Church, 8490 McIntosh Rd, Sarasota, FL, 34238, United States
If you have never been to a homeschool graduation, mark your calendars and plan to join LAF as we celebrate our high school graduates and their families.

At Learning and Families, we strive to honor each student and their parents who traveled an unconventional road to the high school finish line! The LAF graduation features a heart-warming slide show to honor each graduate’s unique homeschool journey. The grad’s parents are welcomed on stage to turn their tassels and present their diplomas. We get to hear a few words about each student’s accomplishments and their plans after graduation, and the grads are inspired by a special keynote speaker.

LAF high school graduations are open to the community, so mark your calendar and plan to join us. Details for this year’s graduation are listed below.

Last day of Middle/High School Co-op
2023-05-11 08:30 - 14:50 | Renewal Church, 7221 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 34241, United States
Thank you for another GREAT year at LAF! We hope to see you back in the fall.
If you have any questions over the summer, feel free to reach out to info@learningandfamilies.org.

"Dear Edwina Junior" 4:30 PM Performance
2023-04-29 16:30 - 18:30 | Rise Above Performing Arts Centre, 3501 S Tamiami Trail Suite 1105, Sarasota, FL, 34239, United States
The LAF Theatre Troup is excited for this year’s Spring Musical production of Dear Edwina Junior. This year’s musical is the story of plucky advice-giver-extraordinaire, Edwina Spoonapple, as she directs the neighborhood kids in a series of buoyant production numbers for the latest edition of her weekly “Advice-a-Palooza.” Edwina and her friends share wisdom on everything from trying new foods to making new friends through clever, catchy, and poignant songs.
To purchase tickets, visit the LAF Shop.

"Dear Edwina Junior" 1:00 PM Performance
2023-04-29 13:00 - 15:00 | Rise Above Performing Arts Centre, 3501 S Tamiami Trail Suite 1105, Sarasota, FL, 34239, United States

High School Prom
2023-04-22 19:00 - 23:00 | Palm Aire Country Club, 5601 Country Club Way, Sarasota, FL, 34243, United States
Every spring, Learning, and Families offers a high school prom for any high-school-age homeschooler in the community and their guests (ages 14 – 20). The LAF prom is a big hit in the homeschool community and sells out quickly.
Check back for more details later in the year!

Last Day of Thursday Junior Co-op
2023-04-20 08:45 - 12:30 | Renewal Church, 7221 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 34241, United States

Last Day of Tuesday Junior Co-op
2023-04-18 08:45 - 12:30 | Renewal Church, 7221 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 34241, United States

Co-op Spirit Day — All One Color Day
2023-04-18 | FL
This month, show your LAF spirit by wearing all one color!
LAF Spirit Day is the 3rd Tuesday and Thursday of the month, excluding December and January. Everyone can participate (all ages)!
Help us make this the BEST LAF Co-op year yet!

Co-op Spirit Day — Twin Day
2023-03-21 | FL
It’s Twin Day at LAF Co-op! Find a buddy and dress alike!
LAF Spirit Day is the 3rd Tuesday and Thursday of the month, excluding December and January. Everyone can participate (all ages)!
Help us make this the BEST LAF Co-op year yet!

Spring Break
2023-03-16, 2023-03-14 | FL
LAF Co-op is closed for Spring Break. Enjoy this time of rest and be rejuvenated. We will see you next week!

History Fair and Wax Museum
2023-03-10 14:00 - 16:00 | Selby Library, 1331 1st St., Sarasota, FL, 34236, United States
This special event is open to all families enrolled in the LAF Support Community.
Details TBA

Junior Co-op Egg Drop Challenge
2023-03-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Renewal Church, 7221 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 34241, United States
Our annual Egg Drop Challenge is for all LAF students this year.
It is held on the west side of the CLC building (see location below).
The students are challenged to create a system to protect a raw egg from cracking or breaking from a high fall. They can use any materials they want to protect their egg so it survives the fall.
All of the event information will be listed in the Facebook Event on the Facebook LAF Community Support page five weeks before the date of the Egg Drop.
All families with students from preschool through 12th grade enrolled in the LAF Support Community are encouraged to participate.
1:00 PM — Pre-K through 5th Graders
2:15 PM — Middle and High Schoolers

Co-op Spirit Day — Decades Day
2023-02-21 | FL
This month, it’s Decades Day! Choose from 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s, and dress like you are a blast from the past!
LAF Spirit Day is the 3rd Tuesday and Thursday of the month, excluding December and January. Everyone can participate (all ages)!
Help us make this the BEST LAF Co-op year yet!

Valentine's Exchange
2023-02-14 14:15 - 15:00 | FL
Our annual Valentine’s Exchange and Friendship Celebration is held on the Tuesday before Valentine’s day at a local park. Each student participating makes or purchases a Valentine’s box that can hold approximately 50 valentines. They also make or purchase 50 valentines to distribute.
The Valentines can be candy or non-candy items and can be as simple or as creative as you want.
Families meet at a park after Tuesday Co-op to eat lunch and play. The actual exchange starts at 2:15 when the participants line up their Valentine boxes with their age group and drop their Valentine’s in the boxes.
Each family is asked to bring a small sweet or salty snack to share as well.
All of the event information will be listed in the Facebook Event on the Facebook LAF Community Support page five weeks before the date of the Valentine’s Exchange, and all ages are welcome to join.
All families enrolled in the LAF Support Community are invited to join in the fun.
In the event of rain (as was the case in 2022), we will move the Valentine’s Exchange to the Co-op gymnasium.

Mom's Night Out - Print Making and Stamp Carving
2023-01-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Pompa Home (see FB for details)
This is the 2nd date for this class. It is capped at 18 so if you missed the class in the fall sign up now to hold your spot!
Join us for a fun night of crafting with our very own LAF Art teacher Alaina Pompa! Alaina will teach us how to carve Rubber stamps to be used for printmaking.
The cost includes all supplies to create a 4X5 Stamp and about 10 printed cards. Everything will be provided. The cutting knives, paper, ink, rollers and a pattern to work from for the stamp.
Middle and High School girls are welcome to participate.
No experience is necessary for this project.
Let us know you’re coming by visiting the event page on Facebook.

Field Trip - Save our Seabirds
2023-01-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Save our Seabirds, 1708 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL, 34236, United States
Let’s spend the afternoon learning about birds at Save Our Seabirds. We will visit their Wild Bird Learning Center and take a stroll along their Birdwalk. Students, bring a notebook to keep track of some exciting information for your field guide!
Afterward, anyone interested can bring a snack and enjoy some outdoor time at the nearby park.
Please remember to wear your green LAF shirts to this event.
NOTE: This is a free event. Please bring a few dollars to drop into their donation box so we can help them continue their amazing work!

Let us know you’re coming by visiting the event page on Facebook.
