Essential Church School

Homeschool Alabama Capitol Day 2025
2025-04-10 | Montgomery, AL, Montgomery, AL, United States
Registration is now closed at https://homeschoolalabama.org. Space is limited for the day’s activities inside and around the Statehouse. BUT – your family can still participate in the afternoon rally together with other homeschool families from around the state.
Stay tuned for information about attending the “rally” at the end of the day. We will share these details as soon as it is confirmed by Homeschool Alabama.
In addition, if you missed the registration for the tours with Homeschool Alabama, there is so much to see and do in Montgomery! We hope to post an activity guide for our families who still want to be a part of the day.

Teen Zoo Field Trip Day
2025-04-16 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Birmingham Zoo, 2630 Cahaba Road, Birmingham, 35223, United States
Join our Biology class for a field trip day to the Birmingham Zoo! We will explore the zoo together and make connections to what we have been learning this year. But, we will also enjoy some fellowship and fun together.
Younger students and parents can also secure admissions and take advantage of our discounted group rates. If you already have a zoo membership, you can enter using that admission.
Remember to secure your admissions before April 15th!

BHC Easter Park Day 2025
2025-04-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Cahaba Lily Park, 3200 County Road 52, Helena, AL, 35080, United States
Join us for an Easter egg hunt and community park day! Teens and dads are invited to “hide” the eggs for us, and we divide the park up for age appropriate hunts.
All participants are encouraged to bring a few eggs to share, and don’t forget a container for collecting eggs!
SCHEDULE
130 – Teens/Dads hide eggs
200 – each area (grades PreK-K, 1-3, and 4+) lines up to begin their respective hunts
230 – students search their eggs for prizes, and any unwanted eggs are collected for the next year’s event
We do suggest that you talk with your students about prizes before attending. Let them know that we celebrate with those who find the special eggs, and we are willing to share with those who may not have been as fortunate.
RSVP on the BHC website
If this is a rainy day, we will still gather under the main pavilion at the park for a modified activity and time together.
FREE EVENT

Morning Testing for Grades 3-8
2025-05-01 08:30 - 12:30, 2025-05-02 08:30 - 12:30 | Essential Church School Offices, 4000 Eagle Point Corporate Drive, Birmingham, AL, 35242, United States
We will offer 2-day group in-person testing for students in grades 3-8 at our offices. Our testing room only accommodates 10 students, so space is VERY limited. (For information about online or at-home testing, visit the Testing information under the Resources tab above)
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 2-day testing process. Your student will be required to attend BOTH testing days.
Please complete the form below to reserve your student’s participation before April 1st. Essential families receive a discount on the test administration. Essential families should use the discount code: TEST2025
Non-Essential students can test with us, but you do have to verify that they are homeschooling students and where they are enrolled. The discount code cannot be used for non-Essential students.
Please check out our resource page at http://essentialchurchschool.org/resources/testing for other at-home testing options.
MORE INFO ABOUT THE TEST:
We are offering the Iowa Assessments Form E, which is the most up-to-date test available to our school. This test assesses a broad array of skills in these areas: • Vocabulary • Reading Comprehension • Language (Spelling, Capitalization, Punctuation, Usage and Expression) • Math (Concepts and Estimation, Problem Solving and Data Interpretation, Computation) • Social Studies • Science • Sources of Information (Maps and Diagrams, Reference Materials). Students mark answers on a bubble sheet. Each section is timed. Test results are thorough and highlight strengths and weaknesses.
TEST PREP:
You can purchase and have your student go through a practice test. Amazon.com offers several test prep books, and Essential families should also explore our school library for resources.
LOCATION:
Essential Office Building at 4000 Eagle Point Corporate Drive
Park up and behind office building, and enter through back double door entrance.

Alabama Homeschool Prom 2025
2025-05-01 20:00 - 23:00 | Gabrella Manor, 8912 4th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35206, United States
For full details, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/414237074781513
8-11 pm (note the start time, it gets darker later in May and this also allows the kids to eat before Prom starts)

Cost: $70 per person (pay at the door), cash or check (if check make out to Gabrella Manor)
Open to any Homeschooler 9th grade and up, and a date, the date does not have to be homeschooled. Many kids come in groups that is fine as well.
Dress: Semi-Formal Boys need a suit or sport coat, Many girls will be in a prom-type dress.Note: I trust the parents on the dress, if the parents are ok with the dress I think I can be ok with the dress as well.

Snacks and drinks provided, NOT DINNER.

We have multiple Chaperones and everyone there who works at Gabrella is very familiar with our group by now and will have eyes open at all times. We have paid guards in uniform from the Sheriff’s Dept as well. Any parent that feels they simply must come with their child must pay to get in and be dressed for the dance.

We do allow parents to come in about 15 min before the dance to take photos and stay about 15 min after the dance begins, then we ask them to leave if they did not pay to stay…

Feel free to invite any other homeschool kids you know of.

Kindergarten Graduation 2025
2025-05-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Church of the Highlands | Greystone Campus, 1701 Lee Branch Lane, Birmingham, AL, 35242, United States
This special day typically includes a slideshow of our graduates, a personal recognition by parents, opportunities to share accomplishments through presentations and table displays, and a special cake reception for family and friends.
Essential families with enrolled kindergarten students should check their Member Page for the Kindergarten Graduation link in order to secure a discount code.
For your graduate to participate,
NEEDED BY APRIL 1
Order any needed caps/gowns/tassels by April 1st (click here for options). We encourage all graduates to have a cap and tassel. Our group order helps keep cost low.

NEEDED BY MAY 1

Pay the graduation fee and RSVP on the BHC website with graduate’s full name for diploma and preferred name for cake. Space is limited.
Email 3 pictures of your graduate to us by May 1st. Make sure you include at least 1 baby photo. Email to info@birminghamhomeschoolers.com
Invite family and friends to join us for this special day!

High School Graduation Ceremony
2025-05-22 18:30 - 20:30 | Church of the Highlands | Fultondale Campus, 3250 Lowery Pkwy, Fultondale, AL, 35068, United States
We look forward to a special, formal evening celebrating our high school graduates.
Graduates and their parents should use Graduation Information link on the Member Page to register for participation and admissions.
Admissions for friends and extended family are required for attendance. Please secure your attendance admission BEFORE May 15th. Admissions may be offered after this date, but they will reflect additional fees for adjustment charges. The admission ticket allows us to plan for attendance, cover photography, audio/visual, and cleaning services, and provide security/insurance for the venue.
Although admissions are not refundable, please contact us if you are unable to attend due to illness. We encourage everyone to continue to abide by health and safety guidelines in respect for others.
Scroll down to see the order form. Be careful entering your email address and selecting appropriate tickets. You will receive a confirmation email. Please forward this confirmation to any guests for whom you are purchasing tickets, so they can show as needed for entry. (The email does not have to be printed. Viewing on a phone will be acceptable.)
If you have any questions or issues with ticket purchase, please use the Contact Us tab above to send us a quick message.
Small children ages 5 and under do not require a ticket. Please note that this event can be long for young children. Consider having some quiet activities for them while sitting in the auditorium, or have them stay with a sitter for the evening.
RESERVATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

We asked for advance purchase of tickets before May 15th. Last minute tickets will be offered, but they may require additional expense to cover last minute adjustments to our numbers. Please use the Contact tab to notify us of any special requests for admission.

Legacy Girls Volleyball Evaluations
2025-06-02 13:00 - 15:00 | Gardendale Civic Center, 857 Main Street, Gardendale, AL, 35071, United States
For students in grades 7 and up, this is a great opportunity to learn and grow! Contact Kate for more information at 205-602-0481. All skill levels are welcome to attend.

Mother-Daughter Tea
2025-06-07 14:00 - 16:00 | Faith Worship Center, 505 West Main St, Glencoe, AL, United States

2024-2025 Attendance Due
2025-06-30 | Virtual
2024-2025 attendance is due for all students enrolled with Essential during the 2024-2025 school year. There are no exceptions!
Use the online attendance form on your Member Page to have it automatically submitted to Essential, or use the printable attendance record to return to the office by June 30th.
Attendance records are a requirement of state law, and Essential requires this of all students regardless of the number of days enrolled during the school year.

Essential's 2025-2026 School Year Officially Begins
2025-07-01 | Virtual
Either complete the Re-Enrollment form on your Member Page – OR – JOIN US at https://essentialchurchschool.org/enrollment
July 1st marks the movement for Essential into a new school year for our records, but your students can continue to work on completing grade levels or coursework through this school transition. Your academic reporting has freedom in Essential to report as work is completed. The only requirement is that you are enrolled with Essential!
Contact our office staff if you have any questions about Essential’s school year designations.

Legacy Lions vs. LCA
2025-09-16 17:00 - 20:00 | Life Christian Academy, 254 Allen Drake Drive, Huntsville, 35806, United States
Come support and cheer on Essential students and the Legacy Lions volleyball team!

TEEN - House Hang
2025-09-19 12:00 - 14:00 | Private Home, Birmingham, 35244, United States
***This group is exclusively for high schoolers- must be at least 14 and in 9th grade by Sept. 1st.***
First meetup of the year! Teens will hangout at the house playing get-to-know-you games!
Snacks will be provided! 🍪
*Parents are welcome to stay and hang too, or if you have younger kiddos to tend to, you can drop off teen.
For exact address, please join group and connect with Lindy.
3H GroupMe
Click here to join: https://groupme.com/join_group/95267939/8h2uLyYR

Legacy Lions vs. HVA
2025-09-22 18:00 - 20:30 | HVA, 2402 10th Street SW, Huntsville, 35805, United States

Science Fair 2025
2025-09-26 13:00 - 15:00 | North Shelby Library, 5521 Cahaba Valley Road, Birmingham, AL, United States
Share your knowledge and experiments! We are excited to offer the BHC Science Fair for the 2025-2026 school year for all ages and grade levels. We do require you to register your student’s project by September 22 if possible. The $5 registration fee will help BHC cover the expenses of the venue, judges, and prizes – yes, this event includes some friendly competition!
REGISTER HERE
Science Fair Information
All projects must be a controlled research experiment that follows the scientific method. This is not for models or for research complications. If the project is not an experiment, your student will receive constructive comments but will not be eligible for judging. Watch videos for more information about the scientific method:
For more information about controlled experiments:

CLICK HERE for lesson on Controlled Experiments.

Project Ideas

ScienceBuddies.org – click on Find A Project Idea, then browse by topic or grade level
Education.com/Science-Fair
Pinterest.com – just make sure it’s a controlled experiment

Science Fair Guidelines

Make sure the project is age appropriate. The student should understand what they are doing and be able to discuss it with you. The student should pick a project that they are interested in and do the work themselves as much as possible.
Please do not harm any living things for your project.
A student may enter just one project. Students may work together on a project, but the project will be judged for the age group of the oldest child involved.
Projects will be judged and prizes awarded for winners. All participants will receive a certificate for participating.

All presentations must be in English and the student must be prepared to answer age-specific questions about their project during the judging process. Make sure to write everything in your own words to avoid plagiarism.

You do not have to have your project judged if you do not want to. Just mark that on the registration form.

The presentation must be presented on a tri-fold, stand alone cardboard display board that can be found at Wal-Mart and other local stores for around $3.

Please follow the below example as closely as possible to simplify judging. If the child cannot write, someone else can write for them or they can draw pictures to demonstrate what they did. Photographs are also good to use.

You can bring materials to show the judge, but they must fit easily in front of the poster, they must not need to be plugged in or require other resources, and they must not make a mess.

On fair day, please be there at 1:00 to get set up set up and ready for judging. The judges will walk around to each project and discuss with the student.

Please note that the measurements for the poster board are 48″ long and 36″ tall. The diagram below has a mistake- the middle section measures 24″, not 36″.

REGISTER HERE

Legacy Lions vs. Tuscaloosa
2025-09-30 16:30 - 19:30 | Tuscaloosa, 1400 3rd St, Northport, 35476, United States

Legacy Lions vs. East Central
2025-10-02 17:00 - 20:00 | East Central, 8000 Lilies Lane, Trussville, 35173, United States

Legacy Lions vs. Evangel
2025-10-07 17:00 - 20:00 | Evangel, 6020 Hwy 119, Montevallo, 35115, United States
Come support and cheer on our Essential students and the Legacy Lions volleyball team!

Legacy Lions vs. Trinity
2025-10-09 18:00 - 20:30 | Trinity Christian, 265 Curry Hwy, Jasper, 35503, United States

TEEN - Arcade at Oak Mountain Lanes
2025-10-15 12:30 - 14:00 | Oak Mountain Lanes, 300 Bowling Lane, Pelham, 35124, United States
***This group is exclusively for high schoolers- must be at least 14 and in 9th grade by Sept. 1st.***
Come play games in the arcade at Oak Mountain Lanes! Wednesdays is half priced on arcade games!
*Parents are welcome to stay and hang too, or if you have younger kiddos to tend to, you can drop off teen.
3H GroupMe
Click here to join: https://groupme.com/join_group/95267939/8h2uLyYR

Birmingham Christian College Fair
2025-10-30 12:00 - 14:00 | Westminster of Oak Mountain, 5080 Cahaba Valley Trace, Birmingham, 35242, United States
We encourage our high school students to attend this college fair and explore Christian college options.

State of Homeschool Freedom
2025-11-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual
A FREE virtual event for all Alabama homeschool families.
Register at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/state-of-homeschool-freedom-nov–6 for access to the online event.

National Homeschool Day of Prayer
2025-11-07 | Virtual
Please join us and other homeschoolers across the country as we:

Give thanks for the freedom we have to homeschool our children,
Pray for homeschooling families in your own nation and around the world,
Pray for upcoming elections and the impact they may have on homeschooling,
Pray for your state’s homeschool organization and its leaders.
Pray for your elected officials to recognize that the education of children is the responsibility of the parents, not that of the nation,
Pray for your own family—your homeschooling journey and the Lord’s guidance as you take that journey, your relationships with one another, your own children and their futures, as well as seeking ways your family can minister to others,
Rejoice in God’s mercy and His faithfulness in all things.

Botanical Gardens Discovery Field Trip
2025-11-12 09:30 - 11:30 | Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham, 35223, United States
A field trip for the whole family! We only have a few spots for this one though, so register ASAP!
RESERVE NOW

TEEN - House Hang
2025-11-20 12:00 - 14:00 | Private Home, Birmingham, 35244, United States
***This group is exclusively for high schoolers- must be at least 14 and in 9th grade by Sept. 1st.***
Wear your favorite team jersey/shirt! Any team, any sport!
Not a sports fan? No problem, just come for the fun!
We’ll have some yard games for the teens to play if they want, or they can just hangout and talk!
*Parents are welcome to stay and hang too, or if you have younger kiddos to tend to, you can drop off teen.
For exact address, please join group or contact Lindy.
3H GroupMe
Click here to join: https://groupme.com/join_group/95267939/8h2uLyYR

Navigating High School
2025-12-04 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual
We are offering an online workshop focusing on the high school journey. This is only open to Essential families, because we will be discussing procedures specific to Essential enrollment and Essential’s diploma requirements. Best for families with students in grades 8-12.
Registration is required. CLICK HERE to reserve your spot!
The virtual link gives you access to the Microsoft Teams meeting. Microsoft Teams is available as a free app, and you can also access it through Google Chrome as a weblink. Plan to log onto the meeting about 5 minutes before the workshop begins. We won’t be able to help with log on issues during the workshop. This link will NOT work on Apple’s Safari web browser.

Narnia The Musical
2025-12-04 10:00 - 11:30 | BCT Mainstage Theatre, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd N, Birmingham, 35203, United States
Step through the wardrobe into the magical world of Narnia, where four siblings embark on an epic quest to defeat the White Witch and restore peace. This enchanting adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s beloved tale features heroic battles, mythical creatures, and the triumph of good over evil. A perfect holiday treat for the whole family.​
Reserve your admissions by Nov 1st! Don’t forget to have your Essential discount code which can be found on your Member Page.
RESERVE ADMISSIONS NOW

New to Homeschooling Workshop
2025-12-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual
We are excited to host this webinar for those who are interested or are needing information in the homeschool journey. Please invite friends and family to join us, and we feel that even those of us who have been on this journey for a little bit can be encouraged in attending this event. Let’s be encouraged and rejuvenated in our purpose and reasons for homeschooling and directing our students’ education!
Here’s a brief outline of the webinar’s topics:

Purpose for Homeschooling
Legalities
Educational Methods
Choosing Curriculum/Classes/Co-ops
Planning School Days
Q&A

Registration is Required! CLICK HERE to register now.

George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
2025-12-18 10:00 - 12:00 | BJCC Concert Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Blvd N, Birmingham, AL, 35203, United States
Join us for a special school performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker!
Because this is a special school performance, the Alabama Ballet is requiring that no more than 1 “teacher” per student attend. This is not an event for bringing Grandma, or your favorite Auntie. In addition, this is not a performance for young children under the age of 5.
This annual performance is very popular, and we are securing our seats a bit earlier this year due to a new reservation system. Please complete your reservations and payments by September 5th!
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW
