HESWM Code of Conduct
HESWM is a supplemental social group to parent-led learning and social training. Although each HESWM family is bound to have slightly different standards of behavior, the HESWM Code of Conduct outlines standards that are in keeping with Biblical guidelines on which the majority of us have agreed and/or are beneficial in a group situation.
Each person attending a HESWM event, whether adult, youth, or child, will be expected to abide by the following standard of behavior. We have all agreed to be held to this standard and we are trusting one another to keep that commitment. We want all families to feel assured that these common standards of behavior will be expected of each other. It is each parent’s responsibility to be knowledgeable about, and to make their own child(ren) aware of, HESWM’s standards of behavior. Likewise, enforcement of these standards is ultimately the responsibility of the parent(s) of each student. This is a commitment in which you and your children sign must agree to participate in all HESWM events.
A standard of behavior that encourages everyone to act in a Christ-like manner will make HESWM gatherings manageable for everyone.
Standards of Behavior
1 Peter 3:8--Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous...
Behavior:
Refrain from any careless, unkind, foolish, or rude behavior.
Let the command to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” be your guide. Commit to representing Christ in your attitudes and behaviors toward others.
Bullying, physical aggression, recklessness, destruction, abuse of property, or violent behavior that endangers others will NOT be tolerated.
No alcohol or illegal drugs are to be present at any HESWM functions/events. Adults who legally smoke or vape will be asked to do so in their vehicles when at church facilities and far away from the group at field trips.
Speech:
Honor others with your speech.
Children and adults alike should refrain from making unnecessary noise or participating in off-topic discussions or activities during assemblies and open board meetings.
Curse words, any use of the Lord’s name in vain, and other offensive speech are unwelcome at all HESWM activities and events, no matter the location.
Lies, gossip, insults, and mean-spirited teasing will not be tolerated.
Property:
Show respect for others’ property by using only what you have permission to use.
Keep personal items inappropriate for specific activities at home or put away. Any violation of this rule may result in an item being confiscated and held until a parent retrieves it. A few examples of such items are toys, knives, cell phones, gaming devices, off-topic media, etc.
Take care to leave every place in a better condition than you found it.
Restitution for abuse or neglect of others’ property, including church property, will be the responsibility of the member causing damage.
Electronics and Internet Usage: It is 100% the parents’ responsibility to make sure your child/children are not misusing electronic devices, cameras, smart phones, etc. to violate trust of anyone in the group. No unwanted photos or videos of any fellow members will be tolerated, especially ones that are used with the intent to bully or betray a fellow member.
The group and/or host facilities will in no way be responsible or liable for any damage caused to your electronic devices. It is best practice to not bring them or use them at HESWM events.
There will be zero tolerance for the inappropriate use of media.
Respect:
Children should show respect for adults and each other in speech, manners, behavior, and attitude.
Members should never be in undesignated areas of homes, churches, restaurants, field trip locations, sporting events, etc. If your child has a class, they need to be in the classroom. Between class times, they need to have parental supervision no matter what age. If they are “too old” for parent supervision and there is downtime between their classes, they need to leave the premises. Under no circumstances should parents or children take items from any facilities that have not been offered. To be specific, do not take anything from supply closets, classrooms, refrigerators, etc without explicit permission from the administration of the facility. Do not enter rooms that have been deemed forbidden (kitchens, classrooms, offices, sanctuaries, play yards, etc.)
Organized group events are an ideal place for homeschool students to practice group etiquette by raising their hands before speaking, waiting for a turn, and occasionally standing in line. Please teach your kids these practices before sending them into a class so they are aware of the expectations from the volunteers who lead classes.
Limiting interruptions, looking for opportunities to serve, and practicing first-time obedience are a few ways our children can show respect.
Being an Example:
All members should be mindful that they will be looked to by younger peers for examples of the standard of behavior in a given situation.
Set a good example and offer deference to younger members at all HESWM events.
Modesty:
Keep in mind general principles of cleanliness, neatness, and modesty of dress.
Males and females should make sure that their dress and conduct is modest at all times.
Clothing should not be tight or revealing.
When in doubt, please err on the side of modesty.
Flirting/Dating:
HESWM events are not the occasions for public displays of affection.
Since each family has different ideals and expectations about dating or courtship, HESWM activities should not be a place for the practice of either.
Obvious flirting and any public displays of affection should not take place at HESWM activities.
Any unwelcomed physical contact or sexually explicit speech aimed at a child in our group will absolutely NOT be tolerated on any level. This can lead to immediate removal of that member from HESWM. We want all of our children to come to HESWM functions without fear of any form of harassment, embarrassment, or uncomfortable situations involving sexuality.
Enforcement of the Code of Conduct
Of course, we all understand that children misbehave at times. An advantage of homeschooling is that, in most cases, we get to be with our children to help train and guide them through new or difficult social situations. One of the reasons for participating in group activities is to have opportunities for social training that we might not have within our own homes. Because we are partnering with other homeschooling families, we should be surrounded by friends who understand the trials and joys of this significant responsibility. Understand that minor infractions of the Code of Conduct will be handled in the following manner.
Offense #1 Verbal warning from parent who witnesses the breach to at least one adult in the offender’s family. Any disagreement on whether a breach actually took place needs to be immediately brought to the designated disciplinarian of the group
Offense #2 Verbal warning from Board member and documentation of misconduct
Offense #3 Child’s suspension from group activities for specified time decided by the Board
Offense #4 Child or Family suspension from group activities for specified time as decided by the Board
Offense #5 Child or Family suspension from the group with no invitation to return
Steps 1-3 or 4 may be skipped in the case of a serious infraction of the Code of Conduct. A child may be removed from class, without warning, at the discretion of the teacher volunteer. A student’s parent or guardian will always be notified in such cases.
We believe that we do one another a disservice by neglecting to make one another, as parents, aware of issues that might need to be addressed within our own families.
Handling an Offense
As we fellowship and build relationships, we trust that all will be thoughtful of others and display Christ-honoring attitudes and actions. When instances arise where there is an offense or concern, approach the matter prayerfully, first considering your own part in the matter. Then let the Matthew 18 principle be your guideline:
This means that you should speak directly, in a calm, friendly manner, to anyone who has offended you or caused you serious concern. If you are unable to resolve the problem between the two of you, please bring the issue to the Vice President of the HESWM board. They will assist you in further addressing the matter with the parties involved. If there continues to be a problem, the entire Board will be consulted and brought in to handle the problem from there.
Conclusion
It is our prayer that these guidelines will unify and protect our members. Ensuring that everyone is clear about what is expected and how HESWM activities will operate, will hopefully prevent conflict.
HESWM is a supplemental social group to parent-led learning and social training. Although each HESWM family is bound to have slightly different standards of behavior, the HESWM Code of Conduct outlines standards that are in keeping with Biblical guidelines on which the majority of us have agreed and/or are beneficial in a group situation.
Each person attending a HESWM event, whether adult, youth, or child, will be expected to abide by the following standard of behavior. We have all agreed to be held to this standard and we are trusting one another to keep that commitment. We want all families to feel assured that these common standards of behavior will be expected of each other. It is each parent’s responsibility to be knowledgeable about, and to make their own child(ren) aware of, HESWM’s standards of behavior. Likewise, enforcement of these standards is ultimately the responsibility of the parent(s) of each student. This is a commitment in which you and your children sign must agree to participate in all HESWM events.
A standard of behavior that encourages everyone to act in a Christ-like manner will make HESWM gatherings manageable for everyone.
Standards of Behavior
1 Peter 3:8--Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous...
Behavior:
Refrain from any careless, unkind, foolish, or rude behavior.
Let the command to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” be your guide. Commit to representing Christ in your attitudes and behaviors toward others.
Bullying, physical aggression, recklessness, destruction, abuse of property, or violent behavior that endangers others will NOT be tolerated.
No alcohol or illegal drugs are to be present at any HESWM functions/events. Adults who legally smoke or vape will be asked to do so in their vehicles when at church facilities and far away from the group at field trips.
Speech:
Honor others with your speech.
Children and adults alike should refrain from making unnecessary noise or participating in off-topic discussions or activities during assemblies and open board meetings.
Curse words, any use of the Lord’s name in vain, and other offensive speech are unwelcome at all HESWM activities and events, no matter the location.
Lies, gossip, insults, and mean-spirited teasing will not be tolerated.
Property:
Show respect for others’ property by using only what you have permission to use.
Keep personal items inappropriate for specific activities at home or put away. Any violation of this rule may result in an item being confiscated and held until a parent retrieves it. A few examples of such items are toys, knives, cell phones, gaming devices, off-topic media, etc.
Take care to leave every place in a better condition than you found it.
Restitution for abuse or neglect of others’ property, including church property, will be the responsibility of the member causing damage.
Electronics and Internet Usage: It is 100% the parents’ responsibility to make sure your child/children are not misusing electronic devices, cameras, smart phones, etc. to violate trust of anyone in the group. No unwanted photos or videos of any fellow members will be tolerated, especially ones that are used with the intent to bully or betray a fellow member.
The group and/or host facilities will in no way be responsible or liable for any damage caused to your electronic devices. It is best practice to not bring them or use them at HESWM events.
There will be zero tolerance for the inappropriate use of media.
Respect:
Children should show respect for adults and each other in speech, manners, behavior, and attitude.
Members should never be in undesignated areas of homes, churches, restaurants, field trip locations, sporting events, etc. If your child has a class, they need to be in the classroom. Between class times, they need to have parental supervision no matter what age. If they are “too old” for parent supervision and there is downtime between their classes, they need to leave the premises. Under no circumstances should parents or children take items from any facilities that have not been offered. To be specific, do not take anything from supply closets, classrooms, refrigerators, etc without explicit permission from the administration of the facility. Do not enter rooms that have been deemed forbidden (kitchens, classrooms, offices, sanctuaries, play yards, etc.)
Organized group events are an ideal place for homeschool students to practice group etiquette by raising their hands before speaking, waiting for a turn, and occasionally standing in line. Please teach your kids these practices before sending them into a class so they are aware of the expectations from the volunteers who lead classes.
Limiting interruptions, looking for opportunities to serve, and practicing first-time obedience are a few ways our children can show respect.
Being an Example:
All members should be mindful that they will be looked to by younger peers for examples of the standard of behavior in a given situation.
Set a good example and offer deference to younger members at all HESWM events.
Modesty:
Keep in mind general principles of cleanliness, neatness, and modesty of dress.
Males and females should make sure that their dress and conduct is modest at all times.
Clothing should not be tight or revealing.
When in doubt, please err on the side of modesty.
Flirting/Dating:
HESWM events are not the occasions for public displays of affection.
Since each family has different ideals and expectations about dating or courtship, HESWM activities should not be a place for the practice of either.
Obvious flirting and any public displays of affection should not take place at HESWM activities.
Any unwelcomed physical contact or sexually explicit speech aimed at a child in our group will absolutely NOT be tolerated on any level. This can lead to immediate removal of that member from HESWM. We want all of our children to come to HESWM functions without fear of any form of harassment, embarrassment, or uncomfortable situations involving sexuality.
Enforcement of the Code of Conduct
Of course, we all understand that children misbehave at times. An advantage of homeschooling is that, in most cases, we get to be with our children to help train and guide them through new or difficult social situations. One of the reasons for participating in group activities is to have opportunities for social training that we might not have within our own homes. Because we are partnering with other homeschooling families, we should be surrounded by friends who understand the trials and joys of this significant responsibility. Understand that minor infractions of the Code of Conduct will be handled in the following manner.
Offense #1 Verbal warning from parent who witnesses the breach to at least one adult in the offender’s family. Any disagreement on whether a breach actually took place needs to be immediately brought to the designated disciplinarian of the group
Offense #2 Verbal warning from Board member and documentation of misconduct
Offense #3 Child’s suspension from group activities for specified time decided by the Board
Offense #4 Child or Family suspension from group activities for specified time as decided by the Board
Offense #5 Child or Family suspension from the group with no invitation to return
Steps 1-3 or 4 may be skipped in the case of a serious infraction of the Code of Conduct. A child may be removed from class, without warning, at the discretion of the teacher volunteer. A student’s parent or guardian will always be notified in such cases.
We believe that we do one another a disservice by neglecting to make one another, as parents, aware of issues that might need to be addressed within our own families.
Handling an Offense
As we fellowship and build relationships, we trust that all will be thoughtful of others and display Christ-honoring attitudes and actions. When instances arise where there is an offense or concern, approach the matter prayerfully, first considering your own part in the matter. Then let the Matthew 18 principle be your guideline:
This means that you should speak directly, in a calm, friendly manner, to anyone who has offended you or caused you serious concern. If you are unable to resolve the problem between the two of you, please bring the issue to the Vice President of the HESWM board. They will assist you in further addressing the matter with the parties involved. If there continues to be a problem, the entire Board will be consulted and brought in to handle the problem from there.
Conclusion
It is our prayer that these guidelines will unify and protect our members. Ensuring that everyone is clear about what is expected and how HESWM activities will operate, will hopefully prevent conflict.