It’s been about five months since Concordia Lutheran Elementary School and Learning Center in Riverton implemented a new hybrid homeschool approach and welcomed eight new students to their school.

Concordia principal Deanna Smith said it’s a chance for homeschoolers from kindergarten to sixth grade to get more involved with kids in the community their age.

“We run our traditional school and then our homeschool kids just see right into what we already do,” Smith said. “It was an easy transition.”

She said homeschooled kids’ parents are wondering “how do we get our kids involved in outside situations so that they can see situations outside of home.”

Rachel Haymond, Riverton resident and parent of Graham and Harry who attend Concordia, said it’s been great for her two boys to interact with other children who aren’t their siblings and gain “different perspectives.”

The school, on the grounds of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, includes activities such as reading Bible verses and Christian morals but doesn’t include strong religious teaching, Haymond said.

Haymond, whose family is a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said tat it’s been a perfect balance of strong education in smaller classes, diverse viewpoints and Christian morals.

“The whole experience has been wonderful for them, and I think it's really cool how they've integrated homeschoolers into their day,” Haymond said.

The schedule for the school year is flexible to accommodate different types of homeschooled students and make it the easiest for them to participate. Parents can pick and choose to have their children attend on select days in the afternoon or two full days every week in the school.

“Families have a lot of options on how to make our schedule fit their schedule,” Smith said.

Two part-time teachers enter the school a few times a week to teach Latin and music, the three full-time teachers teach the rest.

New kids have not only benefited from the program, but the kids who’ve attended Concordia previously have benefited from knowing them.

Smith explained that for Veterans Day, Haymond’s father was invited to present to the class about his experience in war.

“It was just a really educational moment for all the kids to be able to ask him questions,” she said. “He had actually been in a war and lost his leg and some fingers on his hands, and just shared his story with us, and that was really a great way for the kids to experience what Veterans Day is.”

“My staff adores these kids and I adore them,” Smith said. “They just bring a little bit of their personality, different from the personalities that were already here.”