Parent Contract

Ashe Schools for Home Education (ASHE) provides programs at Friendship Baptist Church (FBC) in Jefferson, for the purpose of enhancing the learning of homeschooled students.  Our goals are to promote the common interests of ASHE members, and provide encouragement, support, and guidance to homeschooling families living in Ashe County and surrounding areas.  We are a Christian homeschool group, but are open to all homeschooling families, regardless of religion, who agree to abide by the following ASHE Parent Agreement.  Our guidelines are based on the following biblical principles:

• Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.  (Romans 15:7)

• Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  (1 Peter 4:9)

• Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  (1 Peter 4:10)

• Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  (Ephesians 4:2)

• Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  (Colossians 3:13)

• May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ.  (Romans 15:5)

In order to participate in ASHE activities at FBC/elsewhere, I agree, on behalf of my child(ren) and myself, as follows:

____General Conduct & Behavior  -  Courtesy and respect are the standards as we honor God through our conduct.  

• Violence, intimidation (verbal, physical, or spiritual), insulting/bullying behavior or speech, and inappropriate conversation, physical contact, or gestures will not be permitted.   

• Profanity/vulgarity (spoken, printed, or worn) will not be permitted.

• Public displays of affection will not be permitted.  

• No running in the building, or playing/loitering in the bathrooms.

____Parent Responsibilities  -  Parents are responsible for their children’s actions and behavior at co-op.

• God has made us our children’s primary teachers.  Parents retain full responsibility to educate their children.

• Parents must attend a Parent Meeting each semester before classes begin.

• Dropping off children under age 16 is NOT permitted.  Parents are required to stay on-site at all times. 

  • Parents may arrange for another adult to attend with and supervise their children, and must notify the board/welcome table volunteers of such arrangements.

  • Teens aged 16 and up are exempt from the No Drop-offs Policy.  They are responsible for themselves only; they may NOT be the responsible party for younger siblings.

• Parents will check in at the Welcome Table upon arriving, and when leaving during the day.

• Children under 12 are not permitted outside without the supervision of a parent or sibling over the age of 12, unless Playground Monitors are on duty.

• Parents are responsible for cleaning up their family’s area after lunch (table and floor).

• VOLUNTEER POLICY:  Parents will volunteer 4 times/semester, arranging a sub as needed 

• Monitors are:  Clean-Up, Playground (lunch), Welcome Table, & Teen Hangout.

  • Teachers are exempt from  volunteer obligations with the exception.

• PAYMENT POLICY:  Parents will promptly pay teachers as required on the first Tuesday of the start of the semester unless a prior arrangement was made with the teacher.

  • Classes canceled due to weather will be credited to the following month. 

  • Classes missed due to other issues (illness, parent choice, behavior issues) will NOT be refunded and must be paid if your student is enrolled. 

  • Payment for activities/field trips must be made in advance of the event, to the designated person. No shows will not be refunded by may be able to transfer to another attendee. 

____Dress Code  -  Modesty is our standard as we all strive to honor God through our appearance.  

• The following fashions are NOT allowed:  visible underclothing, bare midriffs, spaghetti straps, see-through clothing, open-sided shirts, cleavage/plunging necklines, and visible backs.

• Shorts/skirts must be an appropriate length, and yoga pants/leggings must be worn with shirts that cover the bottom. 

• Boys must wear shirts even in PE classes

____Class Policies  -  Respect and attentive engagement are our standard as we learn together.

• Teachers/supervisory adults will be in the classrooms during designated class time.

• In case of absence, teachers will notify students/the group as early as possible.

• Students should report to class on time, prepared, and with all required materials.

• Students will follow the directions of teachers/supervisory adults during and after classes and activities.  If students do not follow behavior guidelines, they will be barred from participating.

• Misbehavior will be addressed according to the Disciplinary Policy.  Insubordination will NOT be tolerated.

• Items (toy/device/etc.) are not allowed in class unless specified by the teacher. They may be removed by the teacher, and will be returned to the parent. Teens may have phones for the day,  but they may NOT disrupt class. 

_____Disciplinary Policy  -  Safety and consideration for others are the standards we uphold in attitude and behavior.

• Children who behave inappropriately during class will be lovingly corrected by the teacher.  If the behavior continues, they will be sent out of class to their parent.

• Continued infraction(s) will be met with the following interventions:

• One or more board members will discuss the infraction with the parent and child.

• The individual in violation of policy will be invited to a private board meeting for further discussion.

• If a child continues to disrupt class, he or she will not be allowed to attend that class. 

• The individual in violation of policy will not be permitted to attend the group or be on premises.

• Egregious violations of the Parent Agreement may result in immediate dismissal from the group.

_____Premises Regulations  -  Please remember that we are guests of FBC, and respect our host’s facilities.

• All participants will remain in the designated areas, and enter by the double doors into the Fellowship Hall.  

• OFF LIMITS AREAS include:  the sanctuary, pastor’s hallway, stage, and backstage areas.

• Students are not to be in classrooms alone.  Doors will remain open when class is not in session. 

• No adult should be alone with one student who is not their own child.

• No parking is allowed behind the building.

• The room divider between the Fellowship Hall and Gym may be adjusted only by authorized adults.

• YOUTH ROOM ACCESS is granted to students aged 12 and up (no exceptions) only during designated teen hangout time and only with the monitor is present.  This privilege may be revoked due to misbehavior or inappropriate conduct. Music, sound and computer equipment is strictly off limits.

• ABSOLUTELY NO animals, weapons, laser pointers, illegal drugs, alcohol, vaping, and/or tobacco products are allowed on premises. Any discovered will be confiscated permanently. 

• Parents are financially responsible for any damage, accidental or intentional, caused by their student.

• The  foyer is available to parents.  No food or drink is allowed in the foyer.

• The kitchen in the youth room is available for use, but everyone must clean up after themselves, including inside the microwave and washing dishes.

  • The Keurig machines may be used, but adults must bring their own K-cups.

  • All food should be kept in the fellowship hall.

  • No food may be left in the refrigerator at the end of the co-op day.

• IN CASE OF EMERGENCY:  everyone will exit the building and gather at a location (to be decided), so that everyone present can be accounted for.  Welcome Table monitor is responsible for retrieving Check-in Form.

_____Group Governance  -  A spirit of cooperation and involvement is our standard as we offer our children academic and social enrichment through ASHE.

• ELIGIBILITY:  Families are eligible for class enrollment only if they are homeschooling at least one school-aged child (5 years and older).  (Preschool classes are offered to serve parents/teachers with younger children.)

  • Prospective members, whose oldest child is only 4, may join to attend field trips only, if desired.

• MEMBERSHIP FEES, per family, are:

• $30 registration fee – required for each family participating in one or more activities/classes, regardless of the number of children, and 

• $20 facility fee – required for each family attending one or more class(es).  This fee will fund supply purchases for the group, and any unspent balance will be gifted to FBC.

• $25 cleaning fee - required instead of having cleaning monitors

• All fees are NONREFUNDABLE, and may be prorated if joining after the first day of classes.

• Payment can be made by cash, check, or on our website (ashehomeschools.com) through PayPal.

• If the registration fee is not paid, the family may not participate in activities/classes, including Prom.

• ASHE is a Christian homeschool organization.  Though we are open to anyone who homeschools regardless of belief system, we will not teach anything that contradicts a Biblical worldview.

• ASHE does NOT:  contact NCDNPE to register homeschools, provide annual standardized testing, or enroll members in NCHE or HSLDA.  We expect members to comply with all legal requirements.

• Copies of the ASHE By-laws are available for review at any time, in print or by email.

• BOARD & ELECTIONS:  ASHE is governed by a board, elected by the members; each FAMILY gets one vote.

  • Elections will be held every 2 years in April, by popular vote.  Board members serve 2-year terms, with 2 or 3 terms ending each cycle.  Members in good standing are eligible for nomination.

• VISITOR POLICY:  We welcome visitors according to these guidelines:

  • Visitors may attend once before membership is required.

  • Visitors must be considering membership, or be a guest of a member family.

  • Visitors must check in at the welcome table, and abide by the same Policies as members.

• Parents are responsible for the safety of students.  Neither ASHE nor FBC are responsible for students while at Tuesday classes or other ASHE events.

• ASHE reserves the right to:  complete simple background checks on members; deny membership to any individual/family; and dismiss any individual/family from membership with due process.

_____Communication

• bi -weekly announcement emails are sent from:  office@ashehomeschools.com, and posted on the private Facebook page.  This email is the preferred method to contact the board.  

• The Facebook page “Ashe Schools of Home Education” is the private group for ASHE members only; photos taken during co-op MAY be posted here.  Expectations of behavior outlined in this Agreement also apply to interactions on the private ASHE Facebook page.

• The Facebook page “Resources for Ashe County Homeschoolers” is a public page for general information, and MAY NOT have co-op photos posted on it.

• All comment/feedback to the Board must be submitted to the official email address to be considered.

• CANCELLATION POLICY:  We follow the Ashe County public school notifications for weather cancellations.  Make-up Day(s) may be arranged if more than 3 days/semester are canceled.

  • If the public schools cancel, we cancel. 

  • If the public schools delay starting, we meet as normal.

If the public schools call a Remote Learning Day – NOT due to weather – we meet as normal.