Homeschooling together with integrity & virtue! Join SHINE St. Charles today! Check out our calendar of events! Core classes & enrichment classes for all ages. Meet new friends at SHINE St. Charles! Explore all the fun classes, group activities, field trips & more with SHINE St. Charles
 

FAQs



Q:

SHINE St. Charles is a Christian led co-op.  What does this mean?

A:

The board of SHINE St. Charles is made up of Christians who all sign a statement of faith. SHINE families are not required to sign a statement of faith. However, families are required to treat each other with respect.  In addition, the manner in which you present yourself while at co-op or any SHINE event should not go against the teachings of Christian doctrine and/or the church our co-op resides. Classes may include Christian content, and will not include teaching of religious beliefs contrary to the Christian faith.  Of course a lot of classes will not include religious teaching at all. Feel free to contact the teacher of a class to get more information about what is being taught if you have any concerns.

Q:

What fees will I need to pay?

A:

Joining our SHINE St. Charles community is $25 per year per family.  This fee allows you access to the website and our SHINE families only Facebook group.  In order to attend SHINE Wednesday co-op classes, each family pays a $30 location fee each semester.  This fee helps pay the rent for the church location. Each class that you sign a child up for has a base fee of $18.  Classes requiring extra supplies will have an additional supply fee. These fees can be found on the class registration matrix.  SHINE St. Charles also offers a variety of field trips, parties, and other activities. Some of these are free and some have additional costs.  Information about these activities can be found on our website under the calendar tab. Fees and details for the activity will be listed in the description.

Q:

When and where are SHINE Wednesday co-op classes offered?

A:

SHINE Wednesday classes are offered on Wednesdays throughout the school year.  Classes meet at First Free Will Baptist Church O'Fallon, MO. Classes are currently offered at 10am and 11am. We would like to invite you to join us for fun and fellowship at 12pm as well,sometimes this will be held off site. You would provide your own sack lunch and drinks for your family. Parents are responsible for their children at lunch

Q:

Do I have to attend classes all day?

A:

No.  We offer 2 hours of classes at SHINE Wednesdays, currently.  You can attend just one hour, all hours, or whatever hours fit your schedule.

Q:

Do I have to teach a class?

A:

No, you don’t have to teach if you prefer not to.  All of our teachers are parent volunteers, but we understand that teaching isn’t for everyone. Parents often prefer to just help out in classes for the first semester or two and consider teaching once they are more familiar with co-op, but you are never required to be a teacher.  

Q:

Do I have to volunteer?

A:

SHINE Wednesday co-op classes are just that, a co-op.  In order to ensure that everything runs smoothly, we do require parents attending SHINE Wednesdays to volunteer to help in a class (or teach if you want to) each hour that your children attend classes up to a maximum of 3 hours.  If you attend all 4 hours, you only need to help for 3 of those hours.  See information below.

Q:

Can I just drop my children off at co-op?

A:

No.  We require that parents are present during SHINE Wednesday classes.  In order for co-op to run smoothly, we need parents to help in classes.  If you attend all day, you are only required to help for 3 hours. We know there may be emergencies that come up and you may need to step out for a few minuets to take care of them, stop by the front desk and talk to a board member if this happens.

Q:

Is there a fee for use of the nursery for my younger children?

A:

No, there is no fee for use of the nursery.  However, available nursery hours are limited and we do ask that you register your child/children to be in the nursery so we can ensure there are enough nursery helpers available.

Q:

What is the front desk that you refer to?

A:

At SHINE Wednesdays in the Lower Level Foyer we have a table setup where a couple of board members can be found during the day. This is where you sign in when you arrive and out when you leave.  This is also where you can ask any questions you have and turn in any receipts for class supplies you need to be reimbursed for.

Q:

Can I just attend field trip and/or parties and not SHINE Wednesday co-op classes?

A:

Yes, definitely.  Being a family in our SHINE Community means you can choose how you participate. You can choose to attend calendar events, parties or special functions only. You will find the information about these field trips, parties and other activities on our calendar of events and on our members only Facebook page. To help plan accordingly we generally require you to sign up for the events you would like to attend.

Q:

Do you do background checks on those teaching classes?

A:

Yes, background checks are run on those who will be present in classes with students, as well as all adults who attend Wednesday Co-op classes.  In addition to background checks, we do require the presence of two or more adults in each class.

Q:

I have more questions who do I contact?

A:

Please feel free to email info@shinestcharles.org  for further help in answering your questions.