Dream Academy is a ministry for homeschooling families. Our desire is to enhance what you are already doing at home and not to take the place of anything. We offer affordable classes so that your child can have the same experience as other tutorials in the area with professional and experienced teachers. Dream Academy begun in August 2022 with just four teachers (Emery, Stacey, Rhonda, and Chelise). Now we have grown substantially. We are offering quite a few more classes and have more teachers. We grateful to announce that we have an exciting partnership with STAX Music Academy starting in the fall. They will be offering FREE group music classes (guitar, piano, voice) and also private music classes this year with music professionals onsite. We have families who drive all the way from Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and surrounding areas because their kids enjoy coming to our classes, activities, and programs. We would love for you and your kids to be a part of our loving Dream Family. Welcome!
Please read through everything carefully. After reading everything thoroughly, if you have any further questions or urgent matters you can DM the director Smiley Chelise or Marjorie Echols on Facebook and she will DM you back. This is our form of communication with parents. We do not take phone calls. You will find everything you need to know about the D.A.C. right here in this form. Registration is open now for our for the upcoming 2026-2027 until the listed deadlins below.Our Your child WILL NOT be considered registered for classes requiring a payment until we receive a complete Venmo payment. WE DO NOT TAKE CASHAPP, ZELLE, OR PAYPAL.
NEW REGISTRATION POLICY STARTING THIS YEAR: When you register your child for classes, you are registering them for the entire school year and committing to pay for classess each semester regardless if you are present for the classes or not. After attending the 1st day of classes there are no refunds. You will only have to complete this form one time a year now. Please make sure that you select all of the classes that you like and fill out the form correctly.
Dream Academy Coop meets on Wednesdays from 10:00-3:30 PM and a few classes end at 4:00PM for our middle school and high school students. Our Pre-K-2nd Grade class ends at 2:45pm. We meet in the Frayser Memphis area at Word of Life Church at 1215 Floyd Ave, Memphis, TN. Dream Academy will begin on September 2, 2026 and end on April 21, 2027 with holidays and breaks off. We offer classes for Pre-K- Kindergarten (ages 4-5years old), Elementary, Middle School, and High school. Most families stay for the entire day but you are welcome to choose the class(s) that are suitable for your child. If you only want your child to go to one class for the day that is fine too. All parents, family members, and/or adults bringing children to COOP ages 19 and above will be required to complete a our free back ground check that the church requires and child safety training before starting classes with our COOP every two years. The link is enclosed in this application.
We would like to be a blessing to everyone in the homeschool community by keeping cost affordable, and still giving your children an amazing opportunity. Some of the teachers might ask you to bring other things for class. There will be a separate cost for any High School or Middle school textbook, lab supplies, misc supplies, school supplies and field trips. Some of the teachers will also ask you to bring certain items for class a week or two in advance. Middle School and High School might have homework from time to time and it will be posted in our Facebook group.
It is not manditory for Parents to teach a class. We hire all of our teachers. While it is also not manditory for parents to substitute and volunteer in the classroom, we do hope that parents will remember that none of our Dream Academy Staff are on a salary. Some of us teach for free, or only recieve a stipend for gas and supplies. Some of us teach for free because we all want to be a blessing. Most of our teachers are commuting from a great distance to work with your children to give them amazing experience. So we hope that parents and family members will help out from time to time to make Dream a success for your child.
Parents are welcome to stay with their kids and sit in the designated areas through out the building. Parents are also welcome to come and eat lunch with their kids. We do not have the space for every parent to sit in the classrooms at the same time but we welcome help from parents (1-2 at a time). Students in the 2nd to 12th grade can be dropped off and picked up.
Special needs children: If your child is special needs with Autism, etc, one parent is required to stay with them in the classroom (no matter the age/grade level).
Restroom Safety: one parent will need to stay in the building at all times for kids in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and first grade to take their kids to the restroom, etc.
Nursery Playroom for Parents and Pre-k-2nd Grade Centers time: Babies, kids, and Toddlers: Our Nursery Room has a rocking chair and toys for parents to sit and fellowship with other parents while their kids play. Parents are required clean up after your child, to pick up any trash off the floor, wipe down all toys, spray soft surfaces that your kids play with, and put all toys and items back in the room where they were at the end of the day before leaving.
We want our parents who stay for the day to be comfortable so we do have rooms and areas available for our parents to sit in to Work, relax, and fellowship. Here are the rooms that we have available:
1. The prayer room- for parents who need to do work zoom meeting calls
2. Room 5- is located on the other hallway of classrooms and is another sitting room, parent work room, make phone calls, if no class is taking place at that time.
3. Nursery room-Playroom for babies and toddlers, for parents to fellowship with other parents while their kids play, and for breastfeeding moms. Parents must stay with kids, wipe down hard surfaces and toys, spray soft fabric surfaces, and everything that their child played with before leaving at the end of the day. Empty trash, vacuum, and clean room before leaving for the day. Put everything back the way you found it so that it will be ready for the Church to use weekly.
The Pre-k/Kindergarten teacher would like for parents to come to the room as a helper as she needs it. She just wants to have someone there just incase she needs something, to help, and assist as needed. If you need to have your work laptop in the classroom she is ok with that. She only needs one parent, helper, or volunteer per week to rotate. Please pop your head in from time to time to see if your child needs to go to restroom and is ok. Please help by going outside with her for recess to help keep an eye on the kids. Please relieve her if she needs to quickly use the restroom.
No eating or drinking in the Sanctuary. Kids are not allowed to roam the hallways with out adult supervision. Please encourage your kids to clean up after themselves in the lunch before they go and in the classroom before they leave.
Questions for teachers or the director: ALL information about the COOP is on this registration form. Please read through everything carefully. Because this is a ministry and we are volunteers: We do not have office or Phone hours. Most of the teachers are extremely busy and need to head right out after class so to save our teachers and the director time, instead of after School conversations or direct phone calls: Please Facebook message teachers and/or the director individually or in our private Parent Exchange FB group page if you have any questions or concerns and if you do it in the group please make sure that you tag them so that they get the message. Thank you for understanding.
Please clean up after yourself: throw away your trash, put chairs back in place in any rooms, hallways, outdoors, or any areas that you were sitting in before you leave for the day. Please make sure that your kids don't leave trash in the hall, outside, or in the cafeteria. Please remind your kids to clean up after themselves after any meal or snack.
PARENT PARTNERSHIP:
Thank you for your partnership with us so that we can make Dream Academy an amazing place for our students. Parents will be required to help so that everything does not fall on the Director.
HERES THE FOLLOWING DUTY REQUIREMENTS: We need all parents to help
1. Lunch Duty- please help and encourage students wipe off all of the tables, wipe out any chairs that have food in them. Then parents push mop/sweep under the tables, pick up any trash and throw it away. (If you work or are in school this can be done by you or family member when you pick your child up From school)
2. After School Duty- Get the large trash can on wheels from fellowship hall, empty it and all of the small trashcans in the 4 restrooms (leave trash bags in small cans) and take outside and put in trash bend. Sweep fellowship hall at the end of the day. Wipe off all tables, in fellowship hall after lunch, and clean up kitchen and microwave if you make a mess. Both things will only take 10-15 min to do this
All classrooms will need to be cleaned daily: teachers will need to have students help them, empty trash in their classrooms, wipe down tables and chairs, clean up mess, put everything back in place for church and Bible classes, sweep up or vacuum any mess in classrooms or hallways. The nursery will need to be cleaned. Clean any mess from outdoor projects/activites. It would be nice if parents volunteered as well to help lighten the load.
3. Parents are required to stay and help clean up after all parties, events, programs, etc until everything is complete.
ACTIVITIES:
We would like to offer activities, events, and field trips on Mondays Matters or Friday Fun day. We will also have track and field day at the end of the year, park days, skate days, graduation, banquets, outreach projects (Christmas toy drive, thanksgiving baskets, feeding the homeless, etc), Mom's Night out, Dad’s Fellowship Night, Mom’s Prayer Group, school pictures, concerts/programs, science fairs, Thanksgiving Lunch, Winter Break party, Valentines Day Party, book clubs, pizza parties, support, and possible family camp out, etc. We plan on doing some exciting things and we would love to have you and your family a part of our family.
Halloween:We do not celebrate Halloween. Please do not have any of your kids or family members come dressed up in costumes during the Month of October. Please do not read any books, bring jackolaterns, tell stories, bring candy, or play any games partaining to halloween. We have families in our COOP who do not celebrate it. You are welcome to bring things about the fall and the harvest season.
Christmas: We do celebrate the birth of Christ but please do not discuss, dress, read books/poems, play games, sing songs, or show any videos about Santa clause. We have families who do not believe it that and do not want that taught to their kids.
Birthdays: If you or your child has a birthday you are welcome to bring a nut free cake or cupcakes to share with everyone. Please also remember when planning that we have students who have quite a few food allergies, some are gluten free, or vegan, or also dairy free. So please check with teachers or parents to find out what type of allergies there are so that you can bring something for everyone. We don't want any of the kids to feel left out.
Food Allergies: please DO NOT pack any lunches for your kids/family or bring any food with nuts in it to COOP for the safefy of other childrens with nut allergies.
Pork/Seafood: we do not serve or bring any pork or seafood in the church at the coop, for any classes, nor for any COOP functions. We also have some who are also allergic to seafood.
Attendance/ Sick days: It is important that we know that you all are going to be out so that if too many families are out we will make it an off day for the entire dream academy so that teachers won’t plan, work hard, or drive to COOP (some of the teachers commute) only to find one student for the day. Please always put in our FB parent exchange group if your kids are going to be absent the night before or early in the morning ASAP. We will add you to our Facebook Parent Exchange Instant Messenger group as soon as you pay for your classes for the semester for your kids.
First Semester Registration:
Regular registration: July 10 - August 25, 2026
Late Registration: August 26 - August 27, 2026 - $50 late fee per student regarlus if you are new or returning.
Second Semester Registration:
Regular registration: September 15, 2026- November 15, 2026
Late Registration: November 16 - 17, 2026- plus a $50 late registration fee per student
Graduation Fee: $25 per family (Due second semester)
We hope tol have tshirts made this year for our co-op events, field trips, and the kids are welcome to wear it to class but not required. Shirts are $11.00 per shirt. If you need 2x - its $12.65 per shirt, and for 3X-5x it will be $14.65 per shirt.
Registration Fee: To help offset a variety of cost that the director has been paying for, this year we will start requiring $25 registration fee per semester/per family for various incidentals/items, decorations, various awards for track and field, science fair awards, supplies, other misc things, and etc.
Graduation Fee -$25 per family. Please pay this fee second semester on top of the registration fee. This is for various graduation items (not including cap and gown etc).
COOP SCHEDULE
DAYS/BREAKS OFF FROM COOP. DATES
First Semester COOP Classes Begin: September 2, 2027
NO COOP-Fall Break - October 12-16, 2026
NO COOP-Turkey 🦃Thanksgiving Break November 25, 2026
NO COOP- ☃️Winter Holiday Break December 1, 2026 - February 2, 2027
Second Semester COOP Classes Begin: February 3, 2027
NO COOP- Spring Break March 15-19, 2027
Number of Days of Classes for the year: 22
First Semester- 11 classes
Sept - 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Oct-7, 21, 28
Nov - 4, 11,18
Second Semester-11 classes
Feb- 3, 10, 17, 24
March- 3, 10, 24, 31
April - 7, 14,21
COOP EVENTS FOR THE YEAR:
SEPTEMBER:
September 27, 2026 - 2:00 - 6:00PM - Sunday - Fall Fun Faith Festival and Picnic - Menegerie Farms: roast smoores, hotdogs, petting zoo, horse back riding, pony rides, hayride, games, and food. $12 per person due by September 23. Please RSVP by September 23, 2026.
OCTOBER:
National Hispanic Heritage Month - October 7, 2026. Please have each child to do a short 30 sec 1 min presentation about Hispanic culture, History, a particular country, or any Hispanics who made a difference. We will have Tacos, burritos, and any type of hispanic foods. Please select tacos items in October off our list that will be sent out. You are also welcome to make or purchase other authenic foods for our Potluck meal for lunch. Time: 11:30 - 12:15
NOVEMBER :
Potluck Friendsgiving meal and Christmas Party/ Christmas Talent Show- November 18, 2026. Please bring an item in your crockpot or preassure cooker (casserole, soup, main dish or holiday menu item that will cook in a crock pot or preassure cooker) that is nut, pork, and seafood free. Left over plates will be made and passed out to the homeless after Co-op.
FALL PLAY PRODUCTION: November 22, 2026 4:30-6:30PM all families please bring refreshments: desserts, fruit trays, chips and dip, hot or cold drinks to share after the program. Place on tables in the hall way off from the Worship Center.
Outreach Opportunity: Please take your child shopping and allow them to pick out a gift to donate to a child or youth in need. Please bring toys wrapped (Lable for boy or girl and put the age range) for toydrive outreach project for homeless kids and kids in need to the Fall Concert or at our Dream Academy Friendsgiving.
FEBRUARY:
Chinese New Years- February 3, 2027 all students will be required to write a 1 minute presentation/short paragraph on a note card to share during lunch about the history and information on the Chinese New Year. We would like for each family to bring a large pan of chinese or asian food to share with the entre co-op for lunch. Examples: egg rolls, vetable spring rolls, vetable potstickers, vegetable fried rice, lo mein, orange chicken, tofu, asian curry, vetable stir fri, plain Jasmine rice, soy sauce, chili sauce, chili garlic paste, tea, chopsticks, utensils, drinks.
Valentines Day Party- February 10, 2027-Each students is welcome to bring Cards, Candy, treats, desserts, etc to share. Please have your child bring a valentine to Exchange. Please also have your child bring a bag, box, basket, or bucket to put all of their cards and treats in (Please do not bring any candy with nuts in it). The party will be from 11:30 - 12:10 PM
Black History Living Museum Presentations:
February 17, 2027-(K - 5th Grade)
February 24, 2027 (6th -12th Grade)
Kids will choose an African American person or an event about Black History. Then they will share information about it in a creative way. You may speak, bring props, posters, trifold boards, pictures, artifacts, dress up in a costume, sing, dance, or act it out in 30 seconds. 6th-12th grade students are also welcome to do a short 2-4 slides power point presentation. Each presentation can only be 30 seconds to 1 minute. If time permits we will play a Black History Trivia Game at the end. For Lunch we will do an African and Soulfood Potluck. Here are some menu examples- chick pea curry, Jala rice, Jasmine Rice, chim chim (friend sweet bread), fried plantan, greens, salad, mac and cheese, chicken, candy yams, etc. You can also have your child look up some african recipes and help you make something to bring for Lunch. You can also purchase something from an african resturant. 11:30 - 12:00 PM
MARCH:
High School Gospel Prom -Formal Banquet (Grades 6th-12th) - March 4, 2027 (Thursday) 5:30 - 8:30 pm - at Dream Academy. Dress in formal Attire. Enjoy a Gospel Rap music, line dancing, limbo, kareoke, free style rap, fun photos, Bring your talent to share, and enjoy Asian food. Parents will be asked to sign up to make or purchase 2 food items, or give $50 or more for us to get food catered. Everyone will be asked to help clean up after. Please find or be a Sponsors-and give $25, $50, $100 donations (for photo booth $400) - The price is $20 per student. This year all Dream academy and non Dream Academy students will pay to help cover the cost. Parents and Sibblings are free. Families are still requires to donate food items for Prom. Families that are a part of the coop will be asked to come early and help decorate, serve food, donate food, plate, cups, utensils, plastic flute glasses, decorations, and various prom items. Because the church uses the building for various community projects, free tax services, church, etc. We will decorate the Wednesday before, during co-op and also after coop. Parents with High School Kids are asked to stay and help the day before prom. Then we will have Prom the next day.
APRIL:
Science Fair- March 31, 2027 - (During Lunch and Art)-11:30-12:40 pm. Please bring lunches for your kids and they can eat while others are presenting. Please remind your child to eat during this time. Any homeschooler can participate even if you are not a part of our COOP classes. All grade levels can participate. All students are welcome to do an experiment. This assignment is manditory for 3rd - 12th students. Students must do a Scientific Exeperiment using all of the Scientific Methods. Your child will be require to diplay everything from their experiment on a tri fold bord: display all the methods, pictures, journal entries, they will need to project their voice, be creative, us expression, have visial aides, know what they are talking, maintain eye contact, and be able to breifly show everyone how the experiment works,cand what they learned in 1-3 minutes. Each child will receive a gold medalian for participating. We will also have judges again this year giving the students an opportunity to win a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner trophy for our Science Fair this year. This is a great opportunity for your child to experience. Please have them work on this project January - March.
Family Retreat MAY 13 -16, 2027- Camp York Town Bay in Mountain Pine, Arkansas. Enjoy paddle boats, kayaking, hiking, zipline, rock wall climbing, group boat ride, arts and craft painting class, worship, basketball, bonefire, smoores, gigantic swing, and more. Please let the director know and she will send you a link to sign up you and your family.
-$25 for all activities per person
-$68 per person for all of your meals
-Lodging (for 3 nights) - $60 per night for 1 queen bed, $70 per night for 1 -2 queen beds, $88 per night for 5 twin bunk beds and 1 full bed that sleeps 10-12 people. All rooms have a private bathroom and AC.
-Kids 5 and under eat free and only pay $5 for all of their activities
You can start sending in monthly deposits of $50-$75 per month to go toward your trip between September - May 1. For those who plan on attending the retreat, the total amount for your family will be due on May 1st.
Here's the link to register for the Family Retreat:
https://form.jotform.com/233203129664149
Track and Field Day/End of the Year Pizza Picnic/ Inflatable Slide- April 21, 2027. Schedule for the day:
Elementary Classes/High School Classes/Finals -9:00AM - 12:00
Lunch 12:00 -12:25
Spring Concert and Graduation Practice - 12:30 -1:25 (break down everything)
Track and Field Day - 1:30 - 4:00PM (Everyone stay after to clean up)
Tennis shoes are required on this day. Bring your bikes, tricycles, big wheels, scooters for the kids to do short relay races. $20 per family (for Dominos pizza with also gluten free options, and blow up slide). We do ask that families also sign up to bring desserts, drinks, water, popsickles, and icecream for the kids. You are also welcome to bring obstacle courses, out door games, water ballons, and water guns to help the kids have an amazing end of the year school celebration.
We ask that Dads to set up cones and help lead out in the track and field races: 1. Pre-K - Elementary: bike race , tricycle race, scooter race, running race, log jump, short Jump, potato sack race.
2. Middle School/High School: bike race, scooter race, running forward race, running backwards race, potato sack race, two legged race, long jump, short jump, jump rope contest.
Spring Program, Graduation, Aawards Ceremony, Reception: Sunday April 25, 2027 starting at 4:30 - 6:30PM Graduation will be for grades Pre-K, Kindergarten, 5th, 8th, and 12th grade. For the Spring program: Elementary classes will present a song, poem or presentation of something they learned. Group piano class will play a song, each Praise Dance Ballet Class will present a song, Stax bass class will play, Dream Choir will sing a song. Then we will have the graduation, and then the awards ceremony.
You are welcome to be a part of our graduation and Awards Ceremony Program even if you are not a part of our COOP. Your child may march and you may also present an short award to your child as well. The rest of the program will only be for students currently enrolled in our Academy.
Each graduate will be able to set up a their very own table for the reception. You may come an hour early to set up and decorate your table. Please send the director your childs full name and grade that they will be graduating (one month before the program) So that diplomas can be made. There is also a $25 graduation fee to be a part of our graduation for your personalized diploma and to help offset the cost. Please also order a Graduation cap and gown for your child in the choice of their color one month in advace.
TABLE FOR GRADUATES AT RECEPTION April 25, 2027: If you have a graduate in your family (Pre-K, K, 5th, 8th, and 12th Grade) please decorate a table with keepsakes, pictures, ballons, awards, food, etc for people to walk around and celebrate your child and give them gifts. If you have multiple children graduating you can make one table for your family or two if you have a senior graduating as well so that the Senior can have their own table.
MOM'S TIME OUT:
1. September 14, 2026 -6:00 - 7:30 PM - Glow Zoomba Exercise Party. Bring food, crockpot, tray of food and also a dessert or drinks to share with everyone.
2. October 20, 2026 12:00 - 1:30 PM - Soap/ Candel Making Class- Magnolia -$25, out to eat at Pyros after. (Eat 6-7pm/class 7-8pm)
3. November 10, 2026 12:00-2:00PM -Painting and Craft Night - Paint A Piece (Price Varies on what item you choose to paint. 9289 Poplar Ave, Ste 103
Germantown, TN5.
4. February 1, 2027- 6:00-8:00 pm - PAINT AND SIP PARTY - Paint your problems away-$15 (if you want your kids to paint you will need to pay for them as well and let us know in advance or you can bring your own paint, brushes, canvas, and supplies for your kids) bring a tray, finger food, or a crockpot of food to share and drinks or dessert.
5. March 29, 2026- 6:00 - 8:00PM - Self Care: Spa time and movie night! Enjoy Spa and Pamper me night with a class on how to make bath salts and facial scrubs. Enjoy doing facials, Massages, manicures, pedicures. Pay for services. Bring tray of food, crockpot and desserts or drinks to share with everyone.
Free Child Care for all Mom's Night Out: Babies to age 5 (please change diapers and feed kids before you come or send them with a nut free meal) Please have bottles and snacks in bag for Babies. If you have older kids there will be movies, board games, and fellowhsip with other youth in another room/area. Please tip our teenage Baby Sitter's if you have it to give via cash or cashapp.
How We Communicate With Parents: All parents are required to stay in our parent exchange FB inbox instant messaging group for the entire co-op school year so that you can recieve notifications from teachers and the director. This is how we communicate with parent to let parents know when school is closed due to weather, and also for parents to let us know in the group if your child will be out sick. We also post homework, class material list, etc. If you don't have a FB account you will need to open one up as this is the main way that we communicate with you all. We will only use your email to add you to our calendar so that you can recieve reminders about our events and fieldtrips. Please also join our facebook page so that you can stay informed.
After reading through everything and completing the entire application, please remember that the director is volunteering her time and is not on payroll. So if you still need to contact me after reading everything, you can reach me via instant messaging on my Facebook. You can send me a personal voice recorded message or message on Facebook. Do not email me or send me a message on the website, as I will not get that. Just look for SmileyChelise on facebook and I will get back to you via Facebook messages. I am available to get back with you via Facebook messaging on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday. I am not available for phone calls. I am not available on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays. We look forward to watching God do some amazing things as we dream big with your kids and family at Dream Adcademy COOP of Memphis!
Blessings to you all!