What costs are involved for each course?
On our courses page, you will find the one-time registration fee (per year, which includes the Fall and Spring semester) per class. This is an up-front fee you pay when you register. Next to this fee is the monthly fee per class. All classes, unless otherwise noted, are year long classes. We start classes in mid-August and go thru mid-May; subsequently, we bill you for 10 months. Almost all our families pay per month, but we do give the options of paying for the semester (Fall and Spring) or the entire year. We invoice all our families via the postal service or email, whichever you choose on the registration form.

Is Hilger Higher Learning Value-oriented?
As we’ve grown over the years, we’ve had countless feedback on how value-oriented our classes are -- what you get for the price you pay. We’ve always tried to deliver on this front, so our families receive quality services for a fair price. If you take some time to read about our program and browse over our faculty, you’ll notice an abundance of incredible teachers, who have been with us for several years! You’ll also see an array of outside activities we coordinate to encourage social interaction and the use of talent, such as helpful seminars, Talent Shows, Drama productions and Choir performances – all free of charge. Also, we have an extremely high retention rate with current families. While we have waiting lists each year for many of our classes, we do not blindly raise tuition simply because the demand is there.

How quickly do classes fill up?
While we normally have waiting lists for most of our classes, only a few of them fill up within a couple weeks of registration beginning (April 15th). Several of our high school classes will fill up by early June, while others take longer. It really depends on the class and what families need each year. You can always call or email us if you are in question about whether a specific class has filled up or if space is still available.

How are grades, evaluations and progress reports handled?
Grades: At the end of each semester, we will send a report card in the mail containing your child’s semester average in the form of a number grade (i.e. percentage). The number grade is based on our teacher’s evaluation of your child’s performance and progress in the class. It is ultimately up to you to report this number grade to your umbrella school. An evaluation/comment, from the teacher, of your child’s progress will also be included in each semester's report card.

Progress Reports: If your child is struggling (below a 75%) in any course, you will receive a progress report on your child around the 8th week into each semester.

Is there any sort of dress code?
Dress code: Please send your child to class looking neat and modest. If any clothing draws our attention in a negative way, we will warn your child once and then send him/her home the next time. (For example, short shorts or skirts, tight or low-cut shirts, inappropriate advertisement, etc.) Of note, we very rarely have an issue with this in our program, so that’s why there’s no need for us to create a uniform or some 5-point system of rules for dress.

What sort of behavior is encouraged?
We will hold all of our parents and students to the following standards:
1. The student must conduct himself/herself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
2. The student must contribute to his/her class setting in a positive way.
3. The parent must be completely involved in every subject the student takes from Hilger Higher Learning.
4. The student must complete all homework on a consistent basis.
5. The student must not have excessive absences.
6. The student’s grades must reflect his/her ability.
7. The student must leave the church premise (parking lot included) after class, unless otherwise supervised by an adult or if he/she has another class within the allowed 15-20 minute window.

“Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” Ephesians 5:4
 
Students and families should honor one another by not participating in gossip or slander.  Conflicts and disagreements should be promptly handled with love, humility, and direct communication.
If biblical behavior is not kept throughout the year and over the summer, we reserve the right to ask the student to discontinue classes at Hilger Higher Learning.  Also, if alcohol, drug or tobacco is possessed, consumed or joked about, or if a student is caught cheating on a test or quiz, we may require the student to withdraw from Hilger Higher Learning.

How are absences treated?
Absentee policy: If a child is absent, we ask parents to call or email the teacher, so they know why a child was absent and to get whatever was missed. If you know you are going on a trip, please try to contact the teacher ahead of time to get your child’s homework. It is the student’s responsibility to get caught up on any work he/she may have missed!

What if there is a long “lay-over” between my child’s classes?
If your child has less than 20 minutes between classes, he/she may remain in one of the smaller classrooms or the foyer area.  If your child has more than 30 minutes between classes, and you are not with them, he/she must leave the church premise (i.e. not hang out in the parking lot).

What role do the parents have?
Although you are not the teacher of the courses we offer, you maintain authority over your child’s learning and is responsible for holding your child accountable for completed assignments. As teachers, we simply serve as a support cast for you who chose to educate your child through the home.

How are parents encouraged to interact with their child’s teacher?
We encourage you to come to class and help out, contact the teacher at home or converse via email. Our teachers are here to help you, so any communication initiated by you is warmly welcome. There will be a meeting in August to introduce you to the teachers. A phone, address and email list (in the form of an HHL Handbook) will be given out at this meeting so you’ll have all contact information for your child’s teacher and other students in your child’s class.

Who other than my child’s teacher is at Hilger each day?
Our secretary, Mrs. Lois Anderson, who also teaches for  HHL is on duty every school day (Monday – Thursday).  The responsibilities of the secretary include assisting anyone who has questions or needs help, greeting families and visitors, monitoring halls to keep noise level and congestion to a minimum, assisting teachers as needed, supervising study sessions, performing office duties, and reporting to Eddy Hilger on a daily basis.  Lois is available to serve you and helps keep the dynamics of HHL running efficiently, decently and in order.  If you’d like to learn more about Lois, please visit our faculty page to view her biography.

Weather Related Issues
All delayed and cancelled classes will be updated on our home page under the “Special Interest” section on the right-hand side of the page. We try to update this area around 11-12pm the night before – a questionable day – and by 7am (if an update is necessary) the next morning. If you are coming from a treacherous area and we are still holding class, please use caution and decide whether the risk involved is worth coming to class.

Quotes from various parents and students

Thank you for the great service you provide. Thank you for the care you give to selecting fine teachers. Thank you for creating a tool that has so blessed our family. It is hard to imagine our home school without the resource of Hilger Higher Learning.

Our lives have been forever enriched because of Hilger Higher Learning.  Emily receives so much joy out of her classes and interactions with those at Hilger.  What you and your staff have done has allowed Emily to grow in so many ways, and for that, we are forever grateful.

Your science class gave my children a fun and exciting place to “experience” science, rather than just read about it. I was very happy that I didn’t have to clean up the mess each week!!!

I KNOW that each of you who have dealt with my daughter truly care for her and her future, academically and spiritually. I praise God for having directed us to you, and I thank you all for the caliber of service and care you assure our homeschoolers; not to mention bringing honor to Him in doing so. It is a bright and positive memory in our journey.

Your literature and writing classes gave my girls another “audience” for their written work. They were able to enjoy the benefits of a classroom literature discussion, while still enjoying all the benefits of a home education.

The ability to delegate some of the prep work for teaching my older children has provided me with the time I needed to devote to my elementary student.

Hilger Higher Learning has been an incredible tool assisting me in the home education of my children.

We are so thankful for ALL of you at Hilger Higher Learning. Courtney has had such a wonderful experience with all of her classes. I know that she would not be doing nearly as well as she is if it were not for all of you and the love that is shown towards learning and towards the children.

Your program has helped me to balance the needs of all my children within the 24-hour day God has given us.

I can’t begin to describe what Hilger Higher Learning has meant to our family. My children have not only developed mentally, but socially and emotionally, too! Your teachers’ attention to course study and their personal interaction has been phenomenal – I’m another parent who can’t imagine what it would be like without Hilger Higher Learning.

Promotional Video
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