Homeschool Co-op - St. Paisios Orthodox Mission

St. Mammas Orthodox Christian Homeschool Co-op
St. Mammas Orthodox Christian Homeschool Co-op is a parent-directed, parish-based educational community serving families with children in Pre-K through 6th grade.
The co-op exists to support Orthodox Christian homeschooling families by organizing a regular framework for shared participation, mutual support, and community-based educational life within the Church. It provides a consistent setting in which families may gather, collaborate, and cultivate a common rhythm of formation rooted in the life and tradition of Orthodox Christianity.
St. Mammas is intentionally not a school, but a structured cooperative of families who are actively engaged in the education of their children and who desire to do so within a shared Orthodox Christian context. The co-op reflects a preference for the homeschool model, particularly for younger children, where education is most fruitfully received within the life of the family through personal attention, steady formation, and a pace suited to the child rather than to an institutional schedule.
Purpose and Community Life
The purpose of St. Mammas is to assist families in forming their children within a stable, communal environment that supports both learning and spiritual growth. The co-op fosters relationships among families, encourages continuity in children’s formation, and provides an organized setting in which shared educational and cultural experiences may take place.
As a parish-based co-op, St. Mammas is integrated into the broader life of the Church. Families benefit from a setting that reinforces attentiveness, reverence, and virtue, while also providing opportunities for peer interaction and the strengthening of friendships among children and parents alike.
The co-op also serves as a point of connection for parents, offering a network of mutual encouragement, shared resources, and collaboration in the work of homeschooling.
Program Structure & Vendor Compliance
St. Mammas Orthodox Christian Homeschool Co-op is organized as a parent-directed educational support program and operates in accordance with Texas homeschool laws and applicable guidelines for approved vendors.
The co-op provides organizational, administrative, and facility-based support services to participating families. It does not function as a private school, does not provide primary academic instruction, and does not issue grades, transcripts, or diplomas.
All educational responsibility remains with the parent, including curriculum selection, methods of instruction, pacing, and evaluation. Participation in the co-op is supplemental to each family’s independent homeschool program.
Services provided by St. Mammas are structured to align with the requirements of applicable Texas education savings account (ESA) programs. Documentation describing participation and services is available to families upon request for submission to state programs.
Enrollment & Participation
Families interested in participating in St. Mammas Orthodox Christian Homeschool Co-op are invited to inquire between June 15 and August 15 each year. Participation is open to Orthodox Christian families with children in Pre-K through 6th grade. Families do not need to be members of St. Paisios the Athonite Orthodox Mission to participate.
St. Mammas operates as a parent-directed homeschool co-op. Participating families retain full responsibility for their children’s education, including curriculum, instruction, and compliance with Texas homeschool requirements.
An annual program participation fee of $800 per student supports the organization and administration of the co-op, including family enrollment and communication; annual scheduling and calendar coordination; use of parish facilities and meeting space; access to shared co-op materials, supplies, and program resources; administrative planning for parent-directed group activities; and the maintenance of an organized Orthodox Christian homeschool community for participating families. Scholarships may be offered on a case-by-case basis according to need.
Space is limited, and early inquiry is encouraged. To express interest or request additional information, please contact Fr. Athanasios Kombos at frathanasios@icloud.com or by phone at (936) 622-0622.
St. Mammas... The School's Patron
St. Mammas was a holy martyr of the early Church, known for his deep faith and gentle spirit. Born in the 3rd century to devout Christian parents who died in prison for their faith, Mammas was raised by a pious Christian widow. Even from a young age, he was known for his purity and love for God. According to tradition, he lived peacefully among the wild animals, particularly befriending a lion who became his companion and protector.
St. Mammas spent much of his life in the rugged, otherworldly landscape of Cappadocia, a region known for its cave dwellings and rocky outcroppings, where early Christians often sought refuge. In this sacred terrain, he lived a life of simplicity, prayer, and communion with God’s creation, drawing animals to himself with gentleness and grace.
When pagan authorities learned of his faith, Mammas was arrested and brought before the emperor. Despite his youth, he boldly confessed Christ and refused to offer sacrifice to idols. He was subjected to cruel tortures and eventually martyred, likely around the age of 15 or 16. His witness inspired many, and he has long been venerated as a protector of children and animals. St. Mammas is especially beloved in the Orthodox Church for his innocence, courage, and the miraculous grace that surrounded his brief but holy life.

St. Mammas Orthodox Christian Homeschool Co-op

Purpose and Community Life

Program Structure & Vendor Compliance

Enrollment & Participation

St. Mammas... The School's Patron