We had the opportunity to interview the Kocher family this week, and get to know more about them! They play a large part in our Solid Rock community, and we are honored to have their son Tanner in our first Kindergarten class.
Tell us a little about your family.
We are the Kochers’ – Jake and Cynthia. We are both entrepreneurs and own our own businesses. Cynthia does hair and Jake owns an auto detailing company. Our kids, Tanner (almost 6), and Kennedy (almost 2), light up our life. We thank God daily for making us their parents and love pouring into them and watching them grow.
Why did your family choose Solid Rock?
As we were mentally preparing for kindergarten to come, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that public school wasn’t the right path for us. I wanted something that allowed Tanner to grow more at his own pace and that had more traditional and faith based elements worked into class time.
While I commend anyone who takes on homeschooling their children, I knew that taking off the time for work to be able to have enough time for homeschooling just wasn’t going to work financially for us. Solid Rock was the option that felt like coming home. Jake and I felt so much peace after meeting with Maria Leman and Brianna Haworth (shoutout to the sweetest, best kindergarten teacher I could have ever imagined!!). We knew after one meeting that this was the right decision for our family.
What is your favorite part or what excites you most about Solid Rock?
It has only been about two months into the school year, but we can already see such a difference in Tanner’s confidence! Having a curriculum that can be tailored to meet each kid where they are at and challenge them on an individual basis means he gets to work hard and improve daily instead of being compared to everybody else all of the time. Watching our child grow leaps and bounds in both confidence and curriculum has been the best feeling.
What is your child’s favorite part of school?
Having friends! He says he loves playing with them during recess. He also loves the color chart accountability Mrs. Haworth uses and loves telling us at the end of the day that he made good decisions and worked hard!
What does your child want to be when he grows up?
Currently, he says a lawn care business owner so that he could drive a truck and trailer and all of the different tractors needed for lawn care. Since both of his parents are entrepreneurs, he usually comes up with some sort of business he wants to own based on whatever his interests are at the time!
What is your volunteer position at school?
I get to be a teacher’s aide on Mondays and Wednesdays in the mornings! I help do whatever copying and things are needed to get ready for the next day. I also get to help with library time and read books to the kids! It’s so fun to see them interacting with each other.
What is a character trait you want to instill in your children?
The love of working hard and the feeling that comes from achieving a goal. Because when you set your mind to something and pursue it continuously, with hard work and prayer, there is nothing that you cannot do.
What does your family like doing together?
Anything that the kids enjoy we love to do with them! We spend lots of time at parks, at the pool in the summer, or playing side-by-side with them and their toys. We just love to do all of life together!
For instance, we had a vacuum museum we ran out of our garage this last year with Tanner. He repaired vacuums donated to us by neighbors and now we are getting to donate those vacuums to people who need one! We love leaning into whatever our kids are interested in and learning new things alongside them.
What is your family go-to favorite recipe?
Most of the time for breakfast Tanner requests my protein waffles made with cinnamon, vanilla, and a few chocolate chips!
What is your advice to families that are on the fence about sending their child to Solid Rock?
The community that we are building here at Solid Rock is worth the longer drive, or whatever sacrifices/changes your family makes by choosing this over public education. We have felt so welcomed here, and it is so wonderful to see our child growing alongside kids that will be lifelong solid friends to lean upon. It’s a comfort to know that there are other families who truly care about you and your children, and want to see them grow and maintain their individuality just how God designed them to be. I know we all pray for each other and the children daily. That sense of community is something you just can’t find everywhere.
A big thank you to Cynthia and Jake for their time in this interview! We are so excited to have them at Solid Rock. Stay tuned for some more Family Spotlights!
