About Us
Arise Homeschool Family Co-Op is a product of the desire to work together with other families in our local community to give our children the best possible education in a cooperative and supportive environment. We fully believe “collision often brings light” (Gregory) and the utility and joy of learning together cannot be overlooked.
Therefore, Arise Homeschool Family Co-Op combines the best elements of the classroom with a family’s choice to home educate by offering:
Enrichment classes for children kindergarten to eighth grade,
Student-interest clubs for upper elementary and middle school students, and
Community events and service projects for the whole family.
Our History
Arise Homeschool Family Co-Op was founded on the principle that together we can achieve a thriving education for our children in Gloucester County.
Arise Homeschool Family Co-Op started in 2019 around a kitchen counter with a handful of children and a couple of mamas armed with a desire to form a passionate homeschool community committed to educational excellence and authentic relationships.
Each year, Arise Homeschool Family Co-op has grown and evolved into what we enjoy today. In 2023-2024, we served more than fifty students and their families, and we look forward to growing even more in the 2024-2025 school year.
How Our Co-Op Works
Arise Homeschool Family Co-Op is a volunteer-run homeschool cooperative, which means everyone involved in Arise Co-Op plays an active role in making this community one of passion, curiosity, and learning.
Arise Homeschool Family Co-Op is not a drop off program. Parents and/or guardians are expected, and required, to be on campus at all times during co-op meetings and scheduled events.
Classes are taught by parents and volunteers of the co-op. Our teaching positions are not paid roles; they are strictly volunteer-based. Those not teaching are expected to be helping hands for classes, organizing clubs/events, or otherwise contributing in some way to the success of the cooperative.
When We Meet:
Arise Homeschool Family Co-Op meets once a week on Thursdays from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in the Courthouse Circle for enrichment classes.
Our co-op meeting schedule is broken up into three 8-week sessions and one 6-week session. Co-op meetings begin August 29, 2024, and run through May 15, 2025.
Quarter 1 Class Dates: 8/29/24 - 10/17/24 (8 weeks)
Quarter 2 Class Dates: 10/24/24 - 12/5/24 (6 weeks)
Quarter 3 Class Dates: 1/9/25 - 2/27/25 (8 weeks)
Quarter 4 Class Dates: 3/6/25 - 5/1/25 (8 weeks)
We also offer additional events, clubs, service projects, and field trip opportunities throughout the year for a total of 34 weeks of co-op per year.
Thursday Dates in addition to Class Dates above: 12/12/24 (Service Project), 12/19/24 (Christmas Party), 5/8/25 (Service Project), 5/15/25 (Field Day).
Class Format:
Each Thursday, there are 3 class periods with class offerings geared toward varying age ranges. There are 2 periods during the morning session and 1 period during the afternoon session, which follows a community lunch break and recess.
Weekly Class offerings can be found here.
While this is a co-op geared toward kindergarten through eighth grade, we do offer childcare for registered families with younger siblings. We also offer a 1st period option for PreK4 students to choose from. To access our preschool and PreK4 offerings and childcare, a family must have a registered school-aged sibling taking classes as well.
Although we believe the richest experience comes by attending a full co-op day, you do not have to attend the entire day to participate in our co-op. We allow customization of your co-op experience by giving you the flexibility to choose to register for a full day or half-day, as well as the option to choose between attending the morning class(es) and/or the afternoon class.
Daily Class Schedule:
9:00 - 9:10 am: Welcome & Announcements in the Sanctuary
9:15 - 10:25 am: Period 1 Rotation
10:35 - 11:45 am: Period 2 Rotation
11:50 am - 12:50 pm: Lunch Break & Recess
1:00 - 2:10 pm: Period 3 Rotation
2:10 - 2:30 pm: Clean-Up & Release
