GRACE Co-op Spring 2024 Term Dates & Deadlines
Co-op Planning and Registration: Our Planning and Registration is a 2-phase process that all attendees must participate in. The first phase (called Family Pre-registration below) is when we collect the list of classes that are going to be offered from you, the parent. The co-op coordinators will then assemble all classes into a schedule and post it online. In phase 2 (called Priority Registration and Registration for all students - below) the students are able to register for the classes they wish to attend. ONLY families who participated in Phase 1 (which is the building of our co-op schedule either by offering a class or qualifying for a teaching exemption) will be able to participate in Phase 2 -- student registration for classes.
Be thinking... about what class you want to teach. Remember, if you have participated in co-ops before, you will not be able to register your children for classes unless you have signed up to teach a class (unless you have a baby UNDER 1 years old or if this is your first term attending co-op.) Again this term, we are offering the Teacher Opt-Out Program that does come with a financial cost (see Fees and Costs), but will also exempt you from the teaching requirement. Our goal and passion is to get all co-op parents excited about sharing something they are already good at or interested in learning.
Note: If you don't have your infants on your member profile, then I don't know that you need special consideration for your helper assignments and nursery availability, please make sure your infants are registered in a class -nursery or attending with mom, you can always change it later, but they MUST be registered for one of these all 3 periods.
Planning and Registration Schedule:
November 20th, Monday @ 9am : Family Pre-Registration OPENS -- LOG IN TO REGISTER, under Grace Co-op Tab.
November 30th, Thursday @ 9pm: Deadline to fill out the special consideration request form for any exemption request pertaining to breaking the attendance policy during the fall 2023 term and having to pay teacher and/or helper opt out fees to return to co-op. If you missed more than 2 days last term, you will want to fill out the form, otherwise you may be charged the teacher and/or helper opt out fees in order to participate in co-op. If you are unsure if you broke the attendance policy or not, please reach out to Donielle Wilburn at 352-697-5383 or Becca White at 352-634-4195 and we can look it up. We understand that lots of sick bugs were going around, there's grace for that, that is why we have the special consideration form, so please take advantage of it! The form can be found under the GRACE co-op tab on our website.
December 14th, Thursday @ 9pm: Deadline to fill out the special consideration request form for any exemption request pertaining to your teaching or helping requirements for the spring 2024 term. This will give the board time to review your request prior to the deadline. The form can be found under the GRACE co-op tab on our website.
January 4th @ 4pm if you are not attending the Kick Off Meeting, @ 8pm if you are attending the Kick Off Meeting: Family Pre-Registration Closes
*Please note: If you have not filled out the family pre-registration form prior to 4pm on January 4th, then attending the Kick Off Meeting is MANDATORY and we will have computers there to help you get registered. If you miss either of these deadlines and you are a returning member, you will have to pay the teacher opt out fee in order to attend the spring 2024 term.
January 4th @ 6:00-8:00pm, Spring Co-op Kick Off Meeting @ Citrus Missionary Baptist Church in Inverness : We will be ramping up for our Spring 2024 term. This meeting is also for non-member homeschoolers to come learn about our group and get information on how to join.
This is the LAST DAY to sign up to attend co-op! If you are exempt from teaching (new member, have a baby under 1) then click "exempt" on the registration form. As you know, if you are not exempt, you are required to teach a class in order for your children to participate in Co-ops. To make sure everyone at co-ops knows what is required of teachers, leaders and students, all co-op participants will have an online handbook they will need to view and certify they have read before submitting the Family Pre-registration form. If you are new and have questions about this, please don't hesitate to call or text Becca White at 352-634-4195 or Donielle Wilburn at 352-697-5383.
January 8th-10th, Monday-Wednesday: Admin Work Days, co-op team will be reviewing the classes and special request that were submitted to make the schedule and post it online.
January 11th, Thursday @ 8am: Class schedule posted to teachers only for review. Teachers review schedule for mistakes and notify us by 5pm if anything needs fixed.
January 11th, Thursday @ 6pm: Class Schedule Posted. Parents, this is the time to start going over the classes with your children to see what they want to take this term!
January 12th, Friday @ 10am: Priority Registration opens for students of Leaders, Teachers, and those that paid the Teacher Opt Out Fee
January 14th, Sunday @ 2pm : Registration opens for all students (Non teachers and new members can now register their children for classes. New families must pay the CCCHG membership fee and sign all required documents (under your member profile) and sign up for an event to help with before being able to register their children for classes. For questions about registering for classes, please call Becca White at 352-634-4195 or Donielle Wilburn at 352-697-5383. For questions about payments please call Melissa Wolchok at 352-302-0404 . For questions about signing up for an event to help with, please contact Shana Mahler at 407-803-3729.
January 15th, Monday @ 11:55pm: Registration closes for all students.
January 16-18th, Tuesday-Thursday: Admin Work Days
January 18th @ 9pm: Rosters Finalized- Teachers will have an accurate count of students and be able to purchase class supplies/materials. Teachers: We typically have new members join our group after this date and we like to do our best to squeeze them into classes that are not at full capacity. After this date, I will contact you before adding more students to your roster to make sure you are able to purchase materials for them and are able to accept another student.
January 23rd, Tuesday @ 9pm: Helper Assignments Posted - Please reach out to the teacher you are helping (find contact info in member directory) and exchange email addresses and phone numbers to aid in communication throughout the term.
January 26th @9pm: Invoices sent by this date. We do not pay these fees online. You will receive an invoice via email with the total amount you owe and will need to pay in CASH. If you need a total earlier than this date, you simply go into your registrations and look at the class fees for the classes that you signed your children up for and add those together, plus add on to that total our $20 program fee. If you signed up for breakfast and coffee bar, don't forget to include those fees as well. These fees will be due by January 3oth at the close of Winter War Games or late fees will apply. Even if you do not sign up to participate in Winter War Games, you will still need to stop by the church that day and pay your class fees to avoid the late fee.
If you need help with your invoice or have questions, please contact Melissa Wolchok, our treasurer, at 352-302-0404.
January 30th: Annual Winter War Games and class fees due, details to be posted later, but it will be held at Cornerstone Baptist Church, most likely from the hours of 9am-2pm. This is a fun outdoor event with an obstacle course and fun activities for all grades K-12 with childcare provided for 0-prek up in the church building in the nursery/preschool wing. All class fees will be due this day in cash. If you do not pay them on this day, you will receive a late fee and be marked absent from an official co-op day that applies to our attendance policy. Participation in WWG is not mandatory, just stopping in to pay your class fees is mandatory. Thank you for your understanding. Collecting these fees before the first day of co-op helps our first day run so much more smoothly.
February 6th: First day of Spring 2024 co-op classes!! Mandatory Welcome Meeting for all students @ 9am in the sanctuary.
Schedule of Class Days: 12 Week Term
February: ***6th (see below), 13th, 20th, 27th
March: 5th, 12th, 19th, (26th- Spring Break, no classes)
April: 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th
Schedule of Class Times:
9:15 - 9:25 Assembly (Prayer and Pledge)
9:30 - 12:30 Classes
12:30 - 12:45 Pack up & exit building - all co-op attendees must be out of building by 12:45 so we can get the building put back together
12:45 - 3pm Lunch/playgroup at Pavilion
*** February 6th will be our first day of co-op. On the first day of co-op we start off with a mandatory meeting: (FIRST day only) 9am Mandatory Meeting for all students and adults. We will be welcoming the kids to another co-op term and going over classroom rules with them. As we've done the last few terms, there will be the meeting for adults on your free period to meet new members and go over rules and updates, this is mandatory.
Reminders:
1. All families will have to complete the Family Pre-registration by the deadline posted above, either providing a class to add to the schedule, or qualifying for a teaching exemption by that date. Any families not pre-registering by that date will not be able to register for Co-op Classes.
2. This ship only sails with all hands on deck, and we need YOU! All parents (1 per family) will be required to find a class to teach. New teachers can find another NEW TEACHER buddy to co-teach with for one class period if they don't want to teach alone, and then will be assigned as a helper for another class period by the co-op schedulers. All moms are entitled to have one class period free of official duty. We will be available by phone, email, or during the Kick Off Meeting to help new or unsure teachers find a good class to teach/co-teach, or help you brainstorm. Many of us "veterans" started with apprehension and no experience, and most of us quickly grew to love teaching, and dreaming of what we can teach next term!
3. Program fee (formerly referred to as the Facility Fee) for this term is a flat rate of $20.00 per family. (See Fees and Costs)
4. You are required to be a paid member of our homeschool group if you wish to attend co-op classes.
5. See GRACE Co-op Handbook for all details.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Becca White
GRACE Co-op Director, CCCHG President