ABOUT JCHAI

It all started...

In 1984 when Tammy Brookins watched Pink Floyd's "The Wall", which prompted her to reflect on how the public school system became what it was. That same year, homeschooling was legalized in Florida. As she met homeschooling families over the years, she determined to homeschool her future children (all eleven of them!).

As homeschooling expanded over the years, due to the groundbreaking legal work of Brenda and Craig Dickinson, many people would ask Tammy for advice and share curriculum and resources with her. She often wished she had an office to meet with people and to store what was given to her, so she could help and share with others.

In 2020, Jefferson County Homeschool Association was incorporated as a non profit organization when Tammy rented their first space from the Jefferson County School District. With Tammy Brookins, Jen Brown, Rachel Scott, Heather Boyd, SiLynn Lee, Caitlin Roberts, Shelby Feinberg, and Carly Peary as the first board members and additional members, JCHAI was born. However, with the change of superintendents they lost their space quickly and were able to secure the historic Monticello Jail as their new location.

JCHAI still meets there today for various classes, co-ops and community. With nearly 60 family memberships, you can see that JCHAI has filled a void for homeschoolers in Jefferson County, bringing many families together. In addition to providing classes and co-ops, a free curriculum library, dances, and a homeschool graduation, we answer questions and help to guide families on their homeschool journey; whether it is legal questions about how to homeschool, or questions about curriculum choices. We can help individually, but the best place to learn is at our annual seminar in June.

We hope you will join us so we can walk alongside one another on this amazing journey!

JCHAI Board Members

Our Board Members work together to manage all aspects of JCHAI, all while homeschooling their own children and often working jobs, too! We are all passionate about helping others homeschool.