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How to Register for Classes and Attend Co-op

Registering your family to attend HOP Co-op is easy.  Below is a quick list of steps that each family should take in order to attend HOP.  Detailed descriptions of each step follow.

How to Attend HOP Co-Op in 8 Easy Steps. Please read carefully before registering.

  1. Read the class descriptions and semester schedule with your children and think about which classes your child(ren) might like to take.
  2. Attend the Meet and Greet.  Talk to teachers along with your child(ren) to solidify your registration plans.
  3. Register for classes online on our website.  During registration you will pay our semester fee of $45. For each class you register for you will be required to pay a $2 admin fee as well. ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN 1 WEEK OF REGISTERING TO SECURE YOUR CLASS SELECTIONS.
  4. After you have registered, sign up for a volunteer spot on our online Volunteer Sign-up Form. (Each registered family volunteers for one spot, which is a total of about 4 hours of volunteer time per semester).  Please make sure to fill in your mobile number in case we need to contact you.
  5. Join us for our “NOT BACK TO SCHOOL BASH”.
  6. Attend classes on our first day of co-op!  Pay each teacher on that day (either the entire fee, or half the fee plus any materials fee – your choice). Please put your check or cash in an envelope and clearly mark the student(s) name and class name.
  7. On class day #5, pay the second half of your class fees to teachers if you didn’t already pay the entire amount on day #1.
  8. Enjoy the rest of the semester!  Make friends, learn new things, and enjoy the HOP community!

To see the dates when each of these steps occurs, please look at the semester calendar.

Meet and Greet

Attending the Meet and Great is an important opportunity for families who are thinking about registering for HOP. At the Meet and Greet, families can meet teachers from all of our offered classes, tour the facility, talk to the Planning Team, and connect with other families who are planning to attend co-op (or are long-time members already).   Age ranges are not all set in stone, so talk to a teacher if you think a particular class is a good fit!

Registering for Classes

Registering for classes is simple.  We use an online registration system that is run through our website. You can also just go to our website and click the “register” menu. It is important that you DO NOT use a mobile device to attempt registration, as that will usually cause errors in the process that will prevent registration.
We suggest you plan to be at home near a computer when registration opens. Be aware that some popular classes fill quickly. At the time of registration, be prepared to pay the family registration fee of $45 by Paypal and $2 per class admin fee. No fees are due to teachers until the first day of classes. If you are having problems with registration: 1) make sure you are not on a mobile device.  2) try using a different browser.  3) clear your cache.

Paying the Registration Fee

The family registration fee is $45 per semester regardless of how many classes you register for or number of students registering in your family. The registration fee is paid as part of the online registration process. This fee is meant to cover immediate family members only, including step-children. If you are bringing children of another family, the other family must also register and pay the online registration fee.  Each class you register for will also have an administration fee of $2 per class. The registration fee and administration fees cover the rental of the facility as well as HOP’s liability insurance for each person that attends HOP. Registration and admin fees are non-refundable unless the reason for canceling is a material change HOP has made. HOP is a not-for-profit cooperative.

Paying for Classes

For each class you will write a check directly to each teacher. Some teachers can be paid via PayPal or directly through their website. Please see individual class listings to see if that is an option. The HOP Planning Team cannot accept any money for classes.  Please put your cash or check in an envelope with the student name and class name and hand it directly to the teacher.

  • Payment for the first six weeks of classes (half of the semester), including any non-refundable materials fees, is due on or before our first day of classes.
  • The second payment is due to teachers on or before the fifth day of classes.

You always have the option to pay in full on or before the first day of classes. Please see our calendar for the exact dates of classes and days that payments are due.
Important Note about payments: If your child decides to stop attending classes at any time after the drop period has passed, your family will still owe the full fee for each class that your child was registered to attend.  You may not skip paying the second payment.  Families that do not fulfill their financial commitments to teachers will not be allowed to attend HOP in the future.

Drop/Add Policy

Registering your family for classes is a commitment.  Please do not register for classes and then change your mind during our registration period.  It takes a lot of work for our Planning Team to handle the process of dropping and adding classes, so please be sure of your choices before registering.
We do allow students to drop classes after attending the first class of the semester if the child realizes the class is not a good fit for them.  The deadline to drop a class and receive a refund (minus materials fees) is 12:00pm on the Monday following the first day of classes (check the current semester’s schedule for the exact date). This allows the student to try one class to decide if it is a good fit.  An exception to this policy would be a family will not receive a refund for dropped classes if the drop puts the teacher below the minimum number of required students for the class. Please be aware of this exception before registering. If you decide to stop attending classes after the drop period has passed, your family will still owe the full fee for each registered class.
You may add a class at any time during the semester, with instructor approval, although add-ons will be at the teacher’s discretion and not all teachers pro-rate their classes.

How to Add, Drop or Waitlist a Class

If you want to add a class that has available spots, you can simply register for that one (or more) class(es).  You do not have to pay the registration fee more than once.
In order to drop a class or get on the wait-list for a class, please immediately send an email to homeschoolersofpinellas@gmail.com. Do NOT email the teacher directly.
If you are wait-listing for a class, please don’t register for another class in the same period.
Regardless of whether you are dropping, adding or wait-listing, all actions are processed in the order they are placed in the system.  It is to your benefit to send the email as soon as possible because the order may affect whether or not you are accepted into a filled class or whether you are due a refund for a drop.
All drops MUST be entered into the system before the drop deadline.  Adds may be processed at any time during the semester with the approval of the course teacher. Verbal requests to drop/add/wait-list will not supersede the email sent to admins.  As soon as you know you want to drop/add/wait-list, please email the admin team.

Materials fees are not refundable

Many teachers have non-refundable materials fees to cover consumable & take-home materials used for their classes/students. Please be aware of this cost before registering or dropping a class. Materials fees are paid with your first payment to the teacher, which should include half the fee for the semester plus the non-refundable materials fee.

Signing Up to Volunteer

For HOP to run smoothly, it is imperative that all families are involved in running HOP so that the responsibility is shared. We require each family to volunteer their time over the 12 week semester. Each registered family volunteers for one spot, which is a total of about 3 hours of volunteer time per semester.  Once your family has determined your class schedule, please fill in the volunteer form for the slot that work best for you. This is on a first come basis, so you may not get the time slot that is easiest for your family.  If volunteering presents a challenge for your family, please contact the volunteer coordinator. (Families who already serve in one of the following roles are exempt from further volunteer requirements: teachers, cooperative class coordinators, volunteer coordinators, and the Planning Team.)

Don’t forget to join the Facebook Group

Our community Facebook group is used for disseminating immediate information on events as well as varied homeschool discussions. You can find the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Homeschoolersofpinellas/ and request to join.
Once you join our main Facebook group and register your family for classes, you will be invited to join our registered-only Facebook Group for the current semester. It is a secret group used for families that have registered for classes during the current semester.  This group allows us to communicate important information to registered families, such as teacher absences, class cancellations, last minute teacher requests, or issues with the weather.  When you register, you will be emailed to join if you would like. While it is optional, we highly recommend joining and checking the group before HOP day each week. If you choose not to join the current semester’s Facebook Group, you will miss important and timely announcements.