A co-op is a collaborative learning environment in which homeschooling parent's work together to provide class opportunities for co-op members. 

Co-op is NOT a drop off service. 

SJHA wants to ensure our members feel empowered in the health, educational, and developmental decisions of their own children. We assist in this by providing access to any and all resources and tools that would benefit our homeschooling community.

Where we meet: First United Methodist Church of Williamstown: 159 S Main St, Williamstown, NJ 08094

When we meet: Wednesdays from 10:15am-2:30pm 

Co-op duration: Ten weeks

Fall Semester dates: 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12

Note, there is a virtual parent and teacher open Q&A meeting each semester. This meeting is a REQUIREMENT for all new families. Date is for fall is 9/2/25 at 7:30PM. RSVP HERE.

All registering families and teachers must complete our co-op handbook quiz questionaire!
(Login>Co-op Tools>Co-op Handbook Quizzes>Select the appropriate quiz)

Registration is open to South Jersey Homeschool Association Members only (Join now at only $40 per school year per family). We also require at least one school aged child in order for a family to enroll (aged 5 or older). 

Family registration fee: The family registration fee is $75 per family. The registration fee will be sent in a separate invoice. Failure to pay your invoice within 48 hours will result in disenrollment from co-op classes. 

Class fees: All classes have material fees per student (note you do not have to register for every class, you may pick and choose, however the family registration fee does not change based on the amount of classes you select.)

Late registration: registration after the deadlines (space permitting) will result in a $25 late fee per family.

Waitlist: We will keep a first come, first served waitlist for families who cannot register due to capacity limits.

Scholarships: SJHA Co-op scholarships are open to SJHA members. Please refer to the above "Scholarships & Registration Dates" tab to review scholarship deadlines. If the annual membership is cost prohibitive to you, contact us. 

FALL '25 Co-op Dates: 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12

• Scholarship applications: 7/14/25 at 10AM - 7/18/25 at 10PM
• Scholarship approvals: sent on or by 7/21/25
• Teacher registration: 7/23/25 at 10AM
• Volunteer board member registration 7/26/25 at 10AM
• Returning family registration: 7/27/25 at 10AM
• New family registration: 7/30/25 at 10AM
• REGISTRATION CLOSES 8/6/25 at 10:00PM

• Priority registration
• Ability to curate classes
• $25 discount per class ($50/maximum)

We define a "returning family" as a family who is returning to a new semester of co-op immediately after the previous semester. 

If you skip a co-op semester, you will be considered a "new family" and will be allowed to register after the "returning families" during new family registration time period. 

We require all students to bring the following basic materials to co-op classes: 

• Pens 
• Pencils 
• Markers 
• Crayons 
• Colored Pencils 
• Scissors 
• Glue stick 
• 1 Notebook 
• 1 folder 
• A charged laptop if necessary and available to your learner 

Your childs "age bracket" is determined by their age on October 1st, 2025 for Fall 2025 semester. 

Your childs "age bracket" is determined by their age on March 1st, 2026 for Spring 2026 semester. 

If you wish to request an exception and place your child into a different age bracket, please obtain admin approval in writing (BAND or email) asap. Admin reserve the right to allow or deny any age exception requests based on availiblity and co-op needs.

We reccomend that people pack lunch as we do not have options available on site. However, many people choose to visit local resturants or doordash lunch. 

All adults at co-op must be background checked.

Your co-op registration includes a complimentary background check for one adult (the primary parent that completed reigstration).

All adults are required to take and pass a child safety course in conjunciton with their background check. Please look out for communications from protectingourkids.com and/or mobilizemyministry.com

________
 

You must request additional background checks for alternate adults at least 4 business days ahead of time, as it is a process. 
There is a $22 fee to background check additional adults that will attend co-op.

1. Please complete the background check request form and pay the fee.
2. SJHA Admin will process your request
3. Your additional adult that is being background checked must approve the request via email from our 3rd party background check software. Please tell them to look out for communications from protectingourkids.com and/or mobilizemyministry.com
4. The additional adult being background checked must take and pass the required child safety course. 
5. SJHA Admin will email you with the approval status. 
6. Background checks & child safety courses will be valid for two years. After two years, you will need to repeat the process. 

If your party that is being background checked does not complete the emailed consent form and child safety course in a timely manner, it will delay this process. From the time they approve via email, it will take TWO BUSINESS DAYS to get background check approval status.

This organization, South Jersey Homeschool Association, is committed to the safety and well-being of all children and youth accessing our services. We have taken steps to educate our volunteers and staff about the risks related to child sexual abuse, instituted policies and practices designed to protect children from the risk of child sexual abuse, and trained our staff and volunteers about proper reporting requirements. 

We expect every adult attending to be pro-active about child safety at co-op.  
Some of our guiding rules for child safety are:

• ALL ADULTS must be background checked at our co-op.
• Only parents/guardians will assist in the bathroom.  This is non-negotiable and parents must always be reachable for this purpose.
• Children should never be alone with just one adult. We must always have two adults with children.
  •  If you see a teacher doesn’t have an aid, immediately report it to the administration.
• All people at co-op must wear an SJHA lanyard. The lanyard will display names and where they should be for each session. 
  • Lanyards are parent's responsibility and need to be brought and worn each day to co-op
  • You can request a red laynard to siginify that your child has an allergy
  • There is a $5 replacement fee for lost lanyards. New Lanyards can be requested here.

We all are responsible for safety. If you are an aid you will make sure to keep a careful count of the class and make sure that students remain with the class.  

If a member of the co-op sees a child that got away from the class they will return them to class and report to admin so we can re-evaluate their aid needs.

See Something, Say Something

New Jersey is a mandatory reporting state, if you ever see a child being abused in any way you are required to report it to the state child abuse hotline 1-877-652–2873

All parents must participate in volunteer duties. Here are instructions for how to select them:

• TEACHERS: assign yourself to the class you are teaching, and then assign a volunteer duty during the sessions you are not teaching. You can select any other class to be a helper in, OR you can select one of the volunteer duties at the bottom of the grid. Please select the "Not present" option if your child/children are not in attendence for any particular session. 
• PARENTS must assign themselves to a class as a helper or to a volunteer duty at the bottom to the grid. Please select the "Not present" option if your child/children are not in attendence for any particular session. 
• IF YOU DO NOT sign up for volunteer duties, admin will assign duties to you at the close of registration. It is best to select what you are most interested in doing ahead of time.
• Admin reserves the right to move volunteer duties around as needed. 

Only choose this option if you have a student not enrolled in a class during the particular session. This student will be under your responsibility and doing independent study. Please note, you are still responsible for volunteer duties if you have other children attending classes at this time.