Membership

Code of conduct
-As homeschoolers, we want to shine in our community. We do this by treating others and our
volunteers with respect. We take care of the wonderful facilities that we are allowed to use. We
keep outside and inside picked up, and we clean up after ourselves. We strive to leave the UB Church, the
Stevens’ Barn, field trip locations, and nature trails are better than how we found it.
-When we are on our field trips, we will follow the rules of the facilities and treat our group guides with
respect.
-At the UB Church, we will be diligent not to leave doors held open, and to stay in the areas we are allowed
in, to stay out of room 1 and the church’s gym equipment room, and not touch the musical equipment
That is on the stage as well as the sound equipment in the back.
-We will follow the rules that Heather and Jesse Stevens have for their property.

The definition of a Co-Op or a Cooperative Group is where a group of people decide to become members
of a group with other like-minded people, and all participate in a way that benefits each other. We take
our skills and apply them to create the best possible group we can. We require parents to volunteer for
one of our teams. There are different ways you can participate, for example, by volunteering for the
cleaning team for our church days and barn school days. Other volunteering opportunities can
be found in our teams document.

Cost
Our Fee is $100 for the year per family. Cost goes towards Field trip
deposits, non-donated supplies, co-op parties, and a donation towards the church for allowing us to use
this facility. Periodically throughout the year, we will have Sign Up Genius set up for crafts, different
classes, recipe items, or snacks for potluck-style days. We will collect the dues on our first day,
September 5th, along with the registration packet (if not yet completed).
Off-Site Activities

Field Trips- Deposits are covered by the co-op (i.e., cider mill had a $40 deposit). Some field trips have a
cost, and some do not. We are always up for suggestions or ideas on field trips. If someone would like to
schedule a field trip, please see us for more information.

Outdoor School- Once a month, we will be meeting outdoors at state parks or metro parks, or on site at
one of our members' homes (Stevens’ Barn). Some of our members have opened their homes to us to
use on certain days where we will be learning outdoor skills and doing outdoor activities. Some of those
activities include, but are not limited to, fire safety, gun safety, pocket-knife safety, outdoor cooking,
foraging, plant identification, camping/hiking skills, nature journaling, first aid/anatomy, and knot tying.
Hikes- Once a month, we will be going on designated hikes or nature walks. Locations will vary at Sleepy
Hollow State Park, Kensington Metro Park, Bishop Lake State Park. If you have a request or
recommendation for a hike, we welcome you to share.

Fees: Kensington Metro Park you do need a metro park sticker ($40 per year) otherwise it is $10 for the
day to go. State Park Fees may apply as well.

What to expect- Before starting our hike, we will meet at the trailhead to go over reminders and then
split into groups. We know that some hikers are faster than others, and that’s ok. We will meet at the end
of the trail to ensure that no one is lost. The average hike we do is 1.5 miles, but we go up to 3+ miles.
Please encourage your child to use the prompts in their nature journals, or to use their blank pages for
their own prompts they come up with. Remind them that these will be presented at the end of the year,
so they will want to use their best handwriting or add color to some of their pages. Kids can work on
their nature journals during or after the hike.

What to bring- Trail food or lunch, water bottles, hiking/walking shoes, backpack, nature journal,
something to write with, binoculars (optional but encouraged), bug spray and sunscreen, wide-brimmed a 
hat or baseball cap, and a whistle.

Hiking Backpacks: What you have in your backpack will depend on your child’s curiosity on their hikes.
Some kids like to find different types of plant and flower specimens, rocks, and leaves, while other kids
like to sit and observe the wildlife. Here’s a list of what can be included in your hiking backpack; use your
discretion while packing; ID Cards, First aid kit, specimen jar or bag, tape, scissors, measuring tools, Field
guides, pocket knife, compass, rain jacket/poncho, flashlights, lip balm, wet wipes, hand warmers,
whistle, bug spray, sunscreen, nature journal, trail snacks, water bottle.

Groups, Clubs, and Optional Classes
Keep an eye out for additional things to participate in, as we have some exciting things in the
works which may include, but are not limited to, Apologetics, writing classes, science classes, a
yearbook class (students will be taking pictures and creating a yearbook for this co-op year),
plane flights, ASL, disc golf, gun safety, math help, and more. These do not yet have a designated
or set times.

Thank you!
We appreciate your interest in our co-op and are looking forward to a new year together! Feel
free to email us or contact us on facebook with any questions you may have.
thelivingwaterscoop@gmail.com
samantha.reaume.bb@gmail.com
maddie.crass@gmail.com

God bless you!
Samantha Folts
Madelynn Crass

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you