When Cathy LaFrombois joined a homeschool co‐​op in North Carolina, she had no idea how it would change her life. “You don’t teach music by any chance, do you?” the director asked, mostly in jest. “As a matter of fact, I do,” Cathy replied. Soon she was taking over for the retiring director of the group’s K‑12 choir, the Mountain Troubadours.

The co‐​op met once a week, and musical options included band and choir. Private and group lessons were available. “I was a public school band and choir teacher and loved my job. But when my oldest was 5, I decided to focus on my children and their education and put my career on hold,” she recalls. “Leading the Troubadours gave me the best of both worlds—I’m with my kids in the homeschool community while still doing what I love.”

After Cathy and her family moved to Wisconsin in 2013, she decided to start a similar group in her new town. She had 80 children the first semester and offered two choirs, beginning band, and a small ensemble for kids who already played. By 2018, the “Valley Troubadours” had grown to 150 students and no longer fit in the church space they were using.

That summer, she and her husband bought a small building to house the Troubadours and welcomed 200 students in the fall. By March 2020, when schools closed in the early days of COVID-19, Cathy had 240 children taking her classes. She moved the classes outdoors to enable things to continue during the first COVID summer.

As homeschooling increased during school shutdowns, interest in the Valley Troubadours grew. By spring 2022, Cathy had 320 students in her classes. Following a front page story in her local paper that also ran in newspapers around the state, she was deluged with inquiries. With 420 students, her enrollment for the upcoming semester is full and she has a wait list.

The growth in students has enabled Cathy to broaden class offerings. Options this semester include beginning ukulele, tin whistle, drama troupe, choir, and a variety of bands. They also host concerts and plays so the kids can showcase their hard work for their families and the community.

Cathy says there is a lot of interest in homeschool enrichment programs like hers because parents have fond memories of their time in band and choir when they were in school. For some parents, lack of musical options is the thing that prevents them from homeschooling their kids. When they find the Troubadours, it makes it much easier for them to choose homeschooling.

Since the newspaper articles, Cathy has been hearing from people around Wisconsin and beyond who are considering starting similar groups in their communities. She’s exploring ways to help them so they can take advantage of the legwork she’s already done.

As a long‐​time homeschooler, Cathy is thrilled to see so many new families getting involved. “It’s important for families to have educational options so they can find the best fit for their children,” she says. “Homeschooling and other flexible learning approaches are the future of education.”