2023-24 GRACE Co-op Handbook

2023-24 GRACE Co-op Handbook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

General Co-op Information

Registration Information

Teacher Opt-Out

Attendance Requirements

Nursery/Preschool Information

Materials Fees

Use of Church Property

Entry and Exit Procedures

Student Responsibilities

Additional Parent Opportunities

What is GRACE Co-op?

Each parent is part of the GRACE Co-op team, providing a group learning experience for our children. As an all-volunteer team, every parent takes ownership and responsibility for the success of the program, while the leadership team helps with organization. For every hour a parent spends preparing/teaching a subject, if they share it with multiple children, they should get a multiplied return on their time investment in what their children receive from the other teachers.

As homeschool parents, we feel that God has called and enabled us to homeschool our children. We feel that cooperatively we can provide educational opportunities that may not be possible on our own.

Who can participate?

Only current, approved members of CCCHG can register for GRACE Co-op. All Co-op attendees must read and abide by the terms set out in the handbook. The parent must meet all CCCHG Membership requirements.

To register for GRACE Co-op, you must have at least one participating school age child who is 5 on or before the first day of classes and no older than 19 on or before the first day of classes.

Nursery and preschool classes are provided for younger siblings of Co-op attendees. Children that you do not have legal guardianship over (i.e.: children that you babysit) are not permitted on campus during Co-op hours.

If an adult (ages 21 and up) wishes to volunteer their time to our Co-op by teaching or helping in a classroom, they can make a request to the Co-op Director to seek approval for participation and/or class topic. If approved, they must fill out all required member documents and pass a background check. They do not have to pay the membership fee or fill out the family pre-registration form.

It is a privilege for our members to be allowed to teach a class at our Co-op program, meaning the opportunity to teach or help is not a guarantee. If you are not able to fulfill your responsibilities to participate in our program, as determined by yourself or the leadership team, you will be offered the option to participate and pay the opt-out teacher and helper fees.

When and Where are Classes?

Each Co-op year consists of a Fall and Spring term. Each term is between 10-12 weeks, and we meet once a week for classes. We usually have three one-hour class periods, followed by an optional lunch and recess, which is a great social time for parents, as well as children of all ages. The actual Co-op dates, times, and class schedule will be posted on the group website each term.

What kinds of classes are offered?

We each use our own strengths and interests when deciding what to offer. We have had classes in the past such as choir, drama, art, sports, P.E., track & field, creative writing, ballet, yearbook, Spanish, French, preschool program, needlework, geography, science, finance, horses, environmental science, think-tank, recorder ensemble, etc. It depends on what the kids want and what the parents decide to provide. The classes change each term, although occasionally a class may run for 2 terms, or have an ongoing program that runs term to term.

How much does it cost?

No Tuition* - We keep our classes free (no tuition or teacher fees), as we each have valuable skills that we are sharing with the group. (*Occasionally we may choose to bring in an outside resource – an instructor not from our group -- to enhance our program, and there are usually tuition fees with these classes.)

Materials Fees - We do allow actual materials fees to be charged -- these fees are only to cover consumable materials used by the students or supplies that the students keep. Also, a nominal fee for printing/copies is allowed, if necessary. The materials fees are due the first day of Co-op in CASH. If a class does require a specific book for each student or supplies, the teacher may try to buy/order in bulk for that class to keep the cost-per-student low.

GRACE Co-op Program Fee - There is a per-term, per-family fee that we collect to pay for the facility and other administrative costs of running the Co-op program. See the Fees and Costs page on our website.

How am I required to help?

If one parent from each family teaches one class, it is enough for a high-quality program. When you first join our Co-op, you are exempt from teaching the first term. We want you to become familiar with our program and get comfortable with the process. When you are required to teach the following term, we would be happy to assist you in your planning, should you request help.

All parents (1 per family) will either teach or help in one class period, then be assigned as a helper for another class period by the Co-op schedulers. If you are exempt from teaching due to being a new member or having a baby under 1, you will help in two classes. (Special consideration in helper assignments may be given to moms of babies, if the Co-op director is contacted before the term begins.)

If you are not able to fulfill your teaching responsibilities to participate in our program, as determined by yourself or the leadership team, you will be offered the option to participate and pay the opt out teacher and helper fees.

To see more about who is required to teach, see the Family Pre-registration section below.

What else do I need to do to make this a success?

The planning process is VITAL to ensure we have classes the kids WANT, and to make sure that there is enough interest to offer that class. If you are interested in participating in Co-op in an upcoming term, we encourage you to participate in the planning of our class offerings, both to see what classes your kids would like offered and to see where you want to serve. Watch for the Co-op planning email prior to each term, and plan to attend the kick-off meeting.

Communication:

All Co-op related emails will either be posted under the Admin or Co-op Class Program Message Board on our website. It is mandatory that you click to receive these notifications on your member profile, or you will not be notified of important Co-op planning and updates throughout the year.

Don't forget to check your email regularly throughout the term for updates from teachers or staff. There may be additional supplies needed for your child for their class, or other preparation info. This may change with each session. Make it a point to check a night or two before the next class. Teachers, please post supply or homework requests as soon as possible to allow parents time to prepare or shop for items needed All teachers will receive a roster with their students' names and their parents’ email addresses. This is to be used for Co-op class business ONLY. This is how you can communicate any updates or concerns about the class privately.

It is your responsibility to check the website for emergency cancellation. The leaders will post it on the website no later than 8am, if at all possible.

How to Register:

To participate in GRACE Co-op, there are two registration phases -- Family Pre-Registration and Student Registration. You must complete both parts by their individual deadlines.

Part 1: Family Pre-Registration (Required!)

All Co-op participants must complete the Family Pre-Registration by the deadline posted on the website. Any members not pre-registering by that date will not be able to register for Co-op.

You will be required to sign that you reviewed the provided child safety training materials, as well as the GRACE Co-op Handbook before you can complete the Family Pre-registration form. Then, you will complete the online form with one of the three options below:

By providing a class to add to the schedule.
By qualifying for a teaching exemption. All teaching-exempt families must still complete the online Family Pre-registration by the deadline and will still be required to help in two class periods. The following are qualifications for exemption from teaching:

Moms with babies UNDER 1.
First term Co-op participants.
Those with extreme circumstances, as determined by the leadership team, may qualify for a temporary teaching and/or helping exemption. (Scheduling conflicts including workdays, your other student(s)' school schedule, etc. do not fall under extreme circumstances.) Please fill out the exemption request form that can be found on our website under the GRACE Co-op tab no later than 10 business days prior to the Family Pre-Registration deadline. This will ensure time to evaluate your request and provide an answer. If declined, you will still have time to submit a class or pay the opt-out fee.

By signing up for and paying the teacher opt-out fee: This a fee-based option you can choose in order to be exempted from teaching if none of the other exemptions apply to you. See "Co-op Teacher Opt-Out Program” below.

How to Submit Your Class:

To help you take the leap, we allow NEW Teachers (the first term a parent is not exempt) to co-teach with another NEW Teacher for one class period if they do not want to teach alone. You are welcome to find a co-teacher on your own, or we will help you find a good fit!

All RETURNING teachers must provide a class, and a helper will be assigned to them.

Each parent who is required to teach must prepare a quality class to offer to the program. If leadership becomes aware that class time is not being utilized to its fullest potential, then the teacher may lose their privilege to teach in the future and would have to pay the Teacher Opt-out fee to participate in the Co-op program. Examples of this would be if the class regularly finishes the planned activities with much of the class time remaining, or it becomes obvious that little to no planning went into the class lesson. We want to offer a quality program and many teachers spend several hours planning the classes that your children have registered for, so please return that same respect as you teach their children.

If your class gets canceled due to low signups, then you may be required to help all three periods the first term this happens (or you could choose to pay one helper opt out fee and help 2 periods while still having a free period). Please consider this a learning experience as to what classes in our Co-op are usually popular and what age groups they may appeal to. If a class you are offering gets canceled again in future terms, then you may be required to pay the full teacher opt-out fee to participate in Co-op, which must be paid in full upon finding out that the class was canceled. Co-op Admin have prior experience and information regarding classes that get canceled and will try to offer suggestions and guidance to help you avoid this situation.

If you have a child between the ages of 16-19, who wishes to teach a class, they can teach under the direction of their parent. The parent must be a CCCHG member, and the parent and child must be registered participants of Co-op. The parent must be listed as the teacher and the child can be assigned as a "student helper". The parent is still responsible for overseeing the planning and classroom behavior and is still responsible for fulfilling all their other Co-op responsibilities. The student helper will not count as an adult regarding the two-adult rule, so another adult besides the parent would still be assigned as a helper. This would fulfill the parent's teaching requirement.

All course information will be provided by parent teachers in the online Family Pre-registration form during Part 1 of the Co-op planning cycle. You will list your class materials fees, grade range for class, class size limit (minimum 15 students unless there is an approved safety reason), required materials or textbooks, days you will be absent, helper and scheduling requests (i.e. I request a specific person as my helper, please schedule my class for 1^st period, I need a TV in my classroom, my class will take place outside at the pavilion, etc.).

Once the schedule is live on the website and registration is open, you may not make changes regarding materials or material fees. Also, if you have not initially required additional classroom days outside of Co-op days before registration opens, these must be optional and must not interfere with successful completion of the class. Parents must know these additional responsibilities before deciding to register their children in your class.

How to Opt-out of Teaching:

Our Co-op class program has always been a group effort, with each parent being required to add something to the schedule for their child(ren) to participate and benefit from the efforts of others. That's the only way we have been able to ensure we have enough classes to accommodate all the kids that want to participate. We do understand that some parents just aren't comfortable teaching a class.

Because of this, we have the “Co-op Teacher Opt-Out Program”. This option allows a parent to essentially “purchase” the free hour that belongs to another parent, who will then teach a class for them. The opt out teacher fee is $160 per term, which is due to the CCCHG treasurer by the “paying parent” by the Family Pre-registration deadline. The Co-op leadership team will secure a replacement teacher as described further down.

For the Paying Parent:

You are required to pay the Teacher Opt-out Fee before the close of Family Pre-registration, as well as complete the Family Pre-registration form. This ensures that the paid teacher will be able to plan and prepare, purchase supplies and the class can be added to the schedule along with all the other classes, with no risk of being canceled. There will be no exceptions to this being paid by the Family Pre-registration deadline, (check for this date on the “Co-op Dates and Deadlines” page), due to the huge ripple effect a class cancellation would cause, both to the new teacher, the schedule, and to the students who are registered.

If you have not paid by the deadline, have not offered to teach a class, or are not otherwise exempt, you will not be able to attend Co-op.
Any “preview list” of classes is not guaranteed to be offered. One or more class could possibly overlap and there is the possibility that a class could be canceled BEFORE the deadline.
There will be no refunds based on the finalized schedule or for any other reason after the deadline.
Paying parents will still be required to help one class period and will have 2 class periods free. All other Co-op guidelines and duties will still apply. The paying parent must still stay on site while their children are on campus.

For the Paid Teacher:

The qualifications to be considered as a paid teacher are as follows:

That parent must have taught a class at Co-op for at least 2 terms in the past.
They must be a current teacher this term and have already submitted their required class to meet their own requirement, and not be exempt for any reason.
They must agree to offer a quality class similar in prep-time and content to the majority of other Co-op classes.
They should submit one or more classes that they are willing to teach, with a brief description, age, fees, etc. for each. The more options submitted, the more likely they will get a paid position if any are available.

Paid teachers will be selected based on the following criteria:

A class they are offering fills a gap in our schedule.
Dependability of the teacher from past experience.
First-in-line based on submission date.

Paid teachers will be paid at the end of each term by the Co-op treasurer. The teaching fee is divided by total number of Co-op weeks and must be earned by being there and teaching each week you wish to get paid for. Excessive absences may disqualify you from receiving payment for teaching extra. In summary, we have avoided any payment-for-teaching situations in the past, by simply requiring the same amount of contribution from each participant. But we do know that there are families that may not be participating due to the teaching requirement. Our aim is to make a way for all to participate.

Helper Assignments:

Each Parent, regardless of teaching status, is required to serve an hour as a registered helper.
If you are uncomfortable or unable to help, you may pay the helper opt out fee of $80 per term per class period that you do not want to or are unable to help as deemed by you or the leadership team.
Each parent must be fully present and assist the Teacher when they are in a classroom as a registered Helper. If leadership becomes aware that the helper is not assisting the teacher and is doing the following, but not limited to: being distracted by their phone, leaving the room frequently, chatting with other adults or helpers in the room, sitting down in the corner and not offering assistance when it is needed, keeping their children who are not age appropriate in the classroom with them, etc. they may lose their privilege to teach or help. To participate in Co-op in the future, they would be required to pay the Teacher and/or Helper Opt-out fee. If you do not know how to best help the teacher, please ask the teacher or the Co-op Director.
Helpers will be assigned to classes AFTER student registration closes. If you see a class on the schedule that requires a certain skill, and you possess that skill (i.e., reading music, knowing a foreign language), please let the Co-op Director know that you have that skill and are willing to help in that class.
If you have a request of where you would like to help, you may submit that request (in writing such as email or text) to the Co-op Director during the registration period before registration closes. However, please realize that ultimately you will be assigned where there is the greatest need.
The class helper position can be substituted with administrative duties or standby-helper duties at the discretion of the Co-op Director.
The Co-op scheduler will assess how many helpers each class needs. We may offer a nominal fee to members who give up their free hour to help extra when help is needed. Excessive absences may disqualify you from receiving payment for helping extra.

Students ages 14 and over are allowed to be a student helper in a classroom where the children are ages 5 and up, upon approval from the Co-op Director. The student will be listed as a student helper and their parent does not have to be helping in the same classroom. This does not count as the helper duty of the parent. (Students ages 16 and up are allowed to help in a classroom where the children are ages 3 and up. Students ages 18 and up are allowed to help in a classroom where the children are 0 and up.)

Part 2: Student Registration

Once you have filled out the Family Pre-registration form and the class schedule is finalized and posted, you will be allowed to register your children. You must choose to sign up for Co-op classes offered in order to participate in the Co-op. Each child should be registered for one class 1^st period, one class 2^nd period, and one class 3^rd period. All students ages 0 and up who are on the premises must be registered, for safety and scheduling reasons. If you have a student that does not see a class they want to take for a particular period, they must be registered in “Study Hall”, "Student Helper" (if applicable) or “Attending with Parent”. If you are assigned as a teacher/helper in a class, your children must be registered in an age-appropriate class OR Study Hall. They cannot be “Attending with Parent” as you are fulfilling your duties that period. Occasionally we have an extra room and the Study Hall students can do independent work in there. Otherwise, they will need to stay with the parent during this time, if their parent is on their free period, or near the help desk where the Leadership Team can supervise them.

Please read the class description to view any materials fees, supplies or textbooks that may be required for the class BEFORE registering your child for the class. All materials fees are due in CASH on the FIRST day of Co-op.

Please review the age and/or grade requirements that the teachers have listed for the classes they are offering. Many times, if a class says “8-10 years old” and you have a 7 or 11-year-old that would love the class, you can request an exception for your child to be registered in the class. Take into consideration the workload, reading level and maturity level that the class may require and use your best parental judgment before requesting that your child be able to register in that class. All K-12^th grade level exceptions must be approved by the Co-op Director and are not guaranteed. If you register your child for a class that is not being offered to their grade level without Co-op Director approval, your child will be removed from the class, and they will be asked to pick a different class. Please do not go through the teachers for approval. If they need to be contacted, the Co-op Director will contact them. The teachers have already taken into consideration the skill level and maturity that their class will require, and we want to honor the work they have put into their class and their judgement. If you register your child in a class that is not offered to their grade level and there are children on the waitlist that are the appropriate grade level, your child will be removed to allow the child/ren that the class is intended for. You will need to register your child for a different class during that period.

The nursery is for ages 0-2, preschool classes are for 3-4 year olds, and other classes are broken up at the teacher’s discretion. All 0-PreK grade level exceptions must be approved by the Preschool Coordinator or Co-op Director.

Attendance Policy

If you are absent more than 20% of the term (planned or unexpected) we reserve the right to limit you to the Teacher and Helper Opt-Out Fees for future terms as we have to do what it takes to help this program run smoothly and be a blessing and not a burden to the members.

When you arrive at Co-op, all attendees must be checked in. See admission procedures below.

If at ANY time during the day you decide to leave the premises, you MUST go to the sign-in desk and tell the Safety Coordinator that you are leaving. Check in with the Safety Coordinator at the sign in desk upon your return. Due to safety procedures, and to ensure smooth operation of our program, we must know and be able to keep track of who is present at all times. Even during your free period, you should still be on the property, available to step in if we need a class covered or easy for us to find you in case there is a medical emergency, potty accident, etc. with one of your children. If you wish to go sit in your car or walk around the building for exercise during your free period, you MUST tell the Safety Coordinator at the sign-in desk.

We do not offer drop-off service of any kind. A parent or legal guardian must be on the premises at all times. If you leave for any reason, you must take your children with you. This policy is for the protection of your children, leadership, and other parents.

If you will be Absent:

All teachers and helpers who will be absent MUST contact the Co-op Director as soon as possible. This is to ensure each class has enough help and to maintain the two-adult rule.

If your spouse or child's grandparent is fulfilling your Co-op duties and responsibilities in your absence, they will check in as a visitor and must follow visitor protocols (see below) while filling in. This should be done on a rare occasion and requires prior approval from the Co-op Director.

Teachers should directly call their helper(s) and let them know what to do to fill in for them.

As a teacher, you should have easy back-up plans in place for your helper to take over teaching the class in case of your unexpected absence. Please plan ahead and be in contact with your helper so that things run smoothly in your absence.

IF YOU ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE BREAKFAST BAR: Don't forget to have someone cover for you if you are scheduled to bring something for the breakfast bar. You will not be excused from this. It is your responsibility to find out when your make-up day is by contacting the Co-op Director or Breakfast Bar Coordinator.

IF YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD WILL MISS CLASS: Please, as a courtesy, let the teacher know as soon as possible so they won't have to add the expense of copies, materials, etc. for your child.

PLEASE KEEP ABSENCES LIMITED: Please make your appointments on a different day of the week if at all possible and keep absences limited to true emergencies/sicknesses. We only meet once a week and we want to make it a priority to let our children have quality classes and fellowship. With commitment and communication, we can make sure every week is one that our kids look forward to.

Nursery and Preschool Policy

The nursery is available for children of teachers and helpers only during the class hours that they are scheduled to be elsewhere. Please do not leave your children in there unless you are teaching or helping during that class period, and in this case, they must be on the official roster. When leaving your children in the nursery, please label all your child's items (diaper bag, sippy cup, etc.).
Only adult females should ever escort preschoolers or toddlers to the bathroom. They should take them into the women’s bathroom and stand outside the stall. If they require more assistance than this, the class helper should ask the person at the Help Desk to get the child’s parent. Check the stalls before and after the preschoolers enter and exit them for safety and sanitary reasons. Never be in the stall or alone in the bathroom with a child.
No one under 18 can be a helper in the nursery and no one under 16 can be a helper in a preschool class. The student helpers may not pick up/lift/hold a child that is not their sibling.
No men/boys are allowed into the nursery as this is also our nursing area.
CLASS TRANSITIONS: For the younger students, the parents must come escort them to their next class, or they will be taken/picked up by their teachers. Please make sure this transition is working for your little ones during the first few weeks. At the end of the last class, please hold these younger students until their parents pick them up. The older kids can be released to go to their next class independently.

Materials Fees

None of the teachers have received group funds. If your child’s class does have a materials fee, that will be collected IN CASH by the Co-op treasurer on the first day of class so the teacher can purchase the rest of the supplies for the term. Teachers, please keep track of your expenditures, and remember to refund any monies at the end of the term that were not used in purchasing materials for each child. Please keep your receipts for supplies until after the last class day, in case a parent has a question regarding the appropriation of the materials fees that were collected.

The Treasurer will hand out all materials fees no earlier than the 2^nd week and no later than the 3^rd week of Co-op and will be required to sign a receipt acknowledging that they received the funds in full.

Teachers must pay the materials fees for their children that are registered in their class, and it will be returned back to you when you receive your class fee funds from our treasurer. This is the only way to keep the books balanced so to speak.

Once Co-op has started, if your child wants to switch classes, you will be required to submit a Drop/Add request to the Co-op Director. Upon approval, you will then be responsible to pay the Treasurer any materials fees for the new class and the materials fees you already paid for the class you are dropping will not be refunded if you are switching classes at any time after the first day of Co-op.

If you do not pay your Co-op program fee and materials fees by the end of 3rd period on the first day, you must:

Pay the full amount in cash the 2nd day of classes including a $10 late fee.
If not paid by the end of the 2nd day of classes, your approval to continue participation in Co-op will be determined on a case-by-case basis and/or additional late fees may incur.

Supplies

Please send the usual supplies for your children's classes, i.e.: notebook, paper, pencil, etc. They will probably receive handouts in most classes, so a folder is necessary. Please label all backpacks, notebooks, folders, etc. as it is a strain on the Co-op team to manage unclaimed items for weeks on end until someone notices they lost something. We post items under lost and found weekly.

Stewardship and Use of Property:

Our partner church has provided us with a beautiful and spacious indoor and outdoor area to use. There may be other activities going on at the same time on other parts of the property, so please don't allow your children to wander inside or be outside the designated outdoor play areas during designated times.

This is a borrowed facility, and we are responsible for leaving things as we find them. There are game tables, musical instruments, and other various forms of equipment in several of the rooms, these are not to be used by our group. Please instruct your children ahead of time not to touch these. Please ask them to stay away from the stage area. Some of that equipment is very expensive. Outside, please make sure your children know ahead of time not to climb or pull on basketball goals, volleyball nets, soccer goals, etc.

Also, only the side entrance door is to be used. Please stomp the sand off your shoes before entering and do not roll strollers through the grass and sand area on your way in- this usually tracks in huge clumps of mud and sand. Also, please do not drag/ scoot tables across the floor. If you need to move a table and/or chairs, you must pick them up and ALWAYS put them back how you originally found them when you are done.

Children are not allowed in the parking lots, including those near the pavilion.

Our goal is to leave the building CLEANER than we found it. This has always been our strict standard. Those who are the last to leave wind up doing anything and everything that was left undone, so please do your part in cleaning up anything that you notice needs attention, including at the pavilion.

Facility Liaison

One of our leaders is the Co-op Facility Liaison, and she handles ALL issues with the church staff in regard to the building or grounds. They know what agreements we have with the church and what we are paying to use. PLEASE DO NOT circumvent this relationship and contact church staff for Co-op issues without coming to Co-op leadership FIRST. Please only be in rooms assigned, and do not move equipment, change air setting, etc. We need to know anything we changed when we arrived in the morning so we can reset it when we leave; all changes and requests must go through our Building Liaison. When the church staff re-evaluates the use of their facilities by various groups, we want to be the group that they invite back as we make it easy on them and don't repeatedly disrupt their day with questions and needs by multiple members or leave things out of place.

Damage to Property

CCCHG is not liable for damages that could result from unauthorized/improper use of property.

If a parent or child damages something, the parent will be held liable and not the group. PLEASE stress the rules to your children and help others by reminding them of these rules if you see an action or activity that could result in damage to a person or property.

Use of Supplies

Do not use anything that you did not bring with you, such as supplies, utensils, cups, items in cabinets, craft supplies, etc. These belong to the church and are not offered to us for use. We bring our own supplies for whatever we are each in charge of. Paper towels and restroom supplies can be used.

Lost and Found

Check, check and recheck for items you may have accidentally left behind. PLEASE LABEL your kids’ bags and notebooks, so at least we'll know they are OUR group's lost and found and not the church members' items. Any items left behind that we know for certainty belong to our members the leadership team will take home until the following week. Members are NOT permitted to call the church or go up to the church to look for lost and found items. If you leave it behind and a leader did not collect it, unless it's a medically necessary item, it will need to remain there until the following week.

Use of Property

We are only approved to use the church facility for educational purposes. We have to be careful we don't compromise, or even appear to compromise the not-for-profit nature and standing of the church property. The church pastors are in and out of "our" area and parking lots, etc. very frequently, and walking through with other ministers, etc. as well. If you have a business and some of your customers are at Co-op, please find a nearby meeting place off the church property for payments and drop-offs. We want to keep it fair for all members across the board. That being said, if you have infrequent, personal transactions that might be made, just please be sensitive to the intent, as we do not want to jeopardize our future use of this facility. Additionally, soliciting or advertising your business is not allowed at Co-op or other group activities. We do, however, offer a special place on our forum where you are allowed to advertise.

On Site Fundraisers

A group-wide, group-sponsored fundraiser may be possible if the need arose. We would have to establish a group need for the fundraiser, and we would go through the church main office for approval to conduct one on their property. Please do not post, solicit, or conduct any non-approved fundraisers.

Parking

Please park in designated parking spaces (along the driveway), and not in the field that is near the building. This area is used for classes during Co-op.

Entry and Exit Procedures

We want parents AND children to use ONLY the side door (nearest the big grass side field), not the door at the end nearest the parking lot. We understand that it is more convenient to bring supplies in the end door, but for safety purposes, it is prohibited.

The end doors are a fire exit ONLY from 8 am to 1 pm. The approved side-door entrance is also where the Sign-In Desk is located.

Registered Participants

The registered participant is the one who is assigned Co-op duties and they should have already been background checked when joining CCCHG.

Upon Arrival at Co-op, each adult must check in at the Sign-In Desk outside of the Co-op Entrance. No adults will be permitted to enter the building without a badge. There will be a replacement badge fee of $3, so please don’t take them off and set them down or give them to your kids to turn in.

If one of your registered children is not with you, please advise the attendee at the Sign In Desk. For safety purposes, we must have 100% accountability of each human on the premises each day.

Non-Registered Participants (Pre-approved visitors or guest speakers)

Any guest speakers must be approved AHEAD of time to be added to the visitor roster and will be asked for ID at the sign in desk prior to getting their visitor badge, OR the CCCHG member can vouch them in at the sign-in desk.

Guest speakers must remain with a registered participant and always wear their visitor badge. They will be escorted to and from classes.

In ALL cases, all non-registered guests must sign in and always wear a Visitor Badge. Again, this is to ensure that regular attendees are all at ease knowing that someone they don't recognize is supposed to be the

re. These procedures are for a grandparent without a background check or guest speakers only. Any other guests (potential members) that want to come see what Co-op is like must pre-arrange a visit personally with Co-op Leadership, as we have information to give them and will arrange the best time for a tour.

Other visitors will only be considered for official purposes, and are not permitted without PRIOR approval from Co-op leadership, please give us enough notice of your request to consider the nature of the "visit", see if it fits a need of the Co-op program and to obtain approval from teachers, if necessary, etc. Our Co-op families expect our group members to be there around their children, but not other people that they were not expecting. Co-op is a closed CCCHG member event.

Safety Procedures

Yellow Folder

Each classroom will be given a yellow folder at the beginning of each term and that folder stays in the classroom for all three periods. This yellow folder contains directions and safety protocols for fire drills, tornado drills, and what do in the event of an intruder. It is the responsibility of each Teacher and Helper to familiarize themselves with these procedures. We will perform scheduled annual drills.
Attendance sheets for all three classes will be in the yellow folder and it is the responsibility of the Teacher or Helper to take attendance at the beginning of every class.
At the end of third period, leave this folder on the table in the classroom or return it to the Safety Coordinator. The folder for the outside classes will be left at the Sign in Desk out front and is to be returned there after each outside class for the next outside teacher to pick up.

Outside Classes

- For outside classes the Teacher or Helper should wait outside the front door with the roster in hand to take attendance. After attendance has been taken, they are to lead the class to the outside area where class is to be held. Children are not to wander down to the pavilion by themselves. If a child needs to come back in the building for any reason during class, an adult should escort them back to the building and then back to class if need be. All outside classes are not to be dismissed until the Teacher or Helper has walked them back to the front door and taken a head count. Class should never be released from the pavilion. This does mean that you will have to end class 5 minutes early to give you time to walk them back.
- All Teachers and Helpers for outside classes should keep their class in an area manageable to be supervised at all times. We do not want any children wandering away from class or near the parking lot. Hide-and-seek type games are not allowed as the Teacher would not be able to see the children at all times.
- We trust God’s protection over our little ones, but we must still give our due diligence to keep them safe. Always keep your eyes out for suspicious persons or vehicles when outside and report all suspicious behaviors to the Front Desk Attendant who will then contact the Safety Coordinator. Please note that the church does have its own security team and they may be on the premises during Co-op hours. They should be easily identifiable by wearing a security vest or badge. If you are unsure if someone you see is supposed to be there, please report to our Safety Coordinator and they will verify.

During Classes

No child will be allowed to leave the building from 9:30 - 12:30 unless they are with their parent. No exceptions.
There will always be one scheduled attendant at our designated entrance during Co-op time, Non-Co-op persons who may be visiting the church for some other reason will be redirected to the church office entrance.
There should be a minimum of 2 adults “on duty” in each class setting (indoor and outdoor) at all times. A student helper does not fulfill the 2-adult rule. Any non-member such as a visitor or guest speaker does not fulfill the 2 adult rule. Additionally, 2 related individuals (ex. husband and wife) do not fulfill the 2-adult rule.
Teachers and Helpers are ultimately responsible for maintaining a safe and peaceable learning environment within their classroom at all times. Please do not allow continued disruptions even if they are not of a negative nature. Please report all behavior issues to the Co-op Director in a timely manner.

Where Everyone Should Be

From 9:30 - 12:30, all children are to be registered in a class or study hall, or with their parent. ALL CHILDREN PHYSICALLY PRESENT MUST BE LISTED ON A ROSTER AS TO THEIR LOCATION, THIS INCLUDES INFANTS. All persons must be "documented" in case of a fire or other evacuation so we can account for the safety of ALL individuals without sending someone back into a potentially dangerous situation.
Parents should be either teaching/helping, in the nursery with their little one(s), or in the Parent break area. This prevents disruptions to classes in session. Sometimes there is no extra room for a break room, and if so, please be mindful of the conversation level in the halls as the noise carries through the building. Usually there is a class in the large meeting room during all 3 class periods, so the unused area in this room will be reserved for quiet, reading moms, and school-working study hall students.
If you are assigned as a stand-by helper, check in at the Help Desk or with the Co-op Director to get your assignment. Under the event that no teachers or helpers are out that day for you to fill in for, you will be assigned as extra help to a class in need or tasked with administrative duties. This is not a free period.
If the Teacher only has one Helper and one of them needs to step out of the room, please ask someone at the Help Desk to find another member to step in during their short absence until they return. This is when we need to exercise flexibility and even if it is your “free hour”, you may be asked to step into a room for a moment to give the Teacher or Helper a bathroom break while helping us still always maintain our standard of 2 adults in each class.
At lunch and recess, students must be in the designated lunch and play areas. They are not permitted to be indoors, in the parking lots, or wandering, etc. The lunch area will be under the pavilion outside; Please instruct your kids to stay out of the pond, the creek, and in-view and not over the "ledge" on the far end of the field, and have them stay on the pavilion side of the driveway/parking lot, not the Co-op side door field. By asking all students to follow these guidelines, we'll help ensure the safety of our younger ones.

Discipline Procedures

If a child is being uncooperative, disruptive, or disrespectful during class, the following procedures may be followed:

The child will be spoken to by the Teacher.
If the behavior continues, a member of the Leadership Team must be notified immediately.
The child may be asked to sit out of the class for a period of time and may be taken to their parent for the remainder of the class.
If the child repeats the unacceptable behavior the following week, the parent may be required to stay in the class with the child.
If the child continues with the unacceptable behavior, they will be removed from the class until a meeting can take place between the teacher, parent, and child and at least two members of the Leadership Team to discuss whether the child can return to class, or will need to sit out the remainder of the session. Please keep in mind that these are guidelines and leadership can decide at any time that the child may be permanently removed and deemed ineligible to attend future events.
Please note that if a parent feels the need to discipline THEIR OWN CHILD (in particular the nursery and preschool-aged children), they should not do it in front of the other children, but rather do this in private.

Student Responsibilities

Any breaches of the following rules may result in immediate and permanent removal from the Co-op program and/or group membership at the discretion of the leadership team.

Do not bring pocketknives or weapons of any kind to Co-op.
No child will be allowed to leave the building from 9:30 - 12:30 unless with their parent or with parental permission.
No rough housing, horse playing, or any other physical play that could result in injury. Physical violence of any kind, including threatening and/or physically intimidating behavior, will not be tolerated. Any person exhibiting this kind of behavior will be excused from Co-op, including lunch/social time and any other CCCHG sanctioned events.
No bullying, teasing, or jokes that could be perceived as offensive.
No using bad or crude language, or slang that could be offensive to others.
No wandering around the building. You must be in your scheduled class or in transition to your next scheduled class at all times.
Be on time.
Be prepared. Bring supplies, books, and homework. Homework is not optional unless stated, please make sure your student arrives prepared for their next class by completing any out-of-class assignments given. If a student is consistently not preparing and not participating with the rest of the class assignments, and it becomes a distraction to other students, they may be permanently removed from the class in order to preserve the level of learning environment the other students and the teacher are expecting. This is not an “ability” issue, it is an “effort” issue. We kindly remind parents and students that your child got one of the seats in that class and another child may not have been able to take it due to no more open seats.
Be quiet in the halls between classes—absolutely no yelling or running. Go straight to your next class unless meeting up with your parent. No loitering in the hallways or bathrooms in between classes.
Maintain a positive, learning, and respectful attitude towards the teachers, parents, leaders, and other students and their property.
Do not disrupt class, this may include bringing in and engaging with items from home, eating snacks during class hours or overall behavior that takes away from the learning experience.
Work together and encourage one another in words and actions.
Class participation and maximum effort is expected, and all assignments should be completed on time.
Be a Christ-like role model for the little eyes and ears that are always paying attention.
High school students are expected to assist in setting up classrooms and returning them to their original state at the end of class.
Members must wear helmets when on outdoor equipment such as, but not limited to ripsticks, bikes, scooters, skateboards, roller blades, etc. They are also required to wear helmets when engaging in outdoor sports that normally require the use of helmets, such as baseball.
Electronic Devices - Music, Cell Phones, Ear Buds/Pods, Laptops, tablets, iPods, CD or MP3 Players, other music players and electronic gaming devices must be left on silent/vibrate in student's bag/purse from 9:30 – 12:30 and may not be used during Co-op hours. However, such devices may be used under a teacher’s supervision during class time if allowed with the teacher’s permission (i.e., yearbook class). Internet content must be appropriate. Parents will be held responsible for what their students are viewing online. Please instruct your student to the sensitivity of this matter. Content acceptable for some families is problematic for others. This includes websites containing violence, improper language and other inappropriate content. Parents may consider parental control software which is provided free of charge by most internet providers. CCCHG reserves the right to terminate any improper electronic activity.

Note: Due to limited Internet connections and bandwidth, teachers have priority for Internet access. There may be occasions where all others are asked to be offline to ensure that class needs are met.

Inclement Weather and Cancellation Policy:

In the event of threatening inclement weather, the leadership team will make the decision by 8am as to whether or not classes will be canceled. It will be posted on the website. These decisions will follow those of the local school districts weather cancellations for situations including, but not limited to tornado, flood, and hurricane watches and warnings.

In the event of less threatening inclement weather all outdoor classes will meet indoors during Co-op hours. If there is lightning spotted outside, all outdoor classes should come inside for immediate shelter and shall remain indoors until no lightning has been spotted for a minimum of 30 minutes. Under the metal roofed pavilion does not count as adequate shelter during an electrical storm.

Uniform and Dress Code

If there is a uniform or dress code for your child's class, please don't forget those. Changing facilities and time are minimal, so the fewer wardrobe changes needed, the better. Please come as ready as possible for your classes. If it is hot outside, please have any children participating in outside classes wear appropriate P.E. attire, including shoes, and have a bottle or cup of water with them.

All parents, students, visitors, and guest speakers are required to always adhere to the CCCHG group dress code guidelines, unless in an approved alternate uniform for a specific activity. Please check necklines, shirts and shorts lengths, etc., and be respectful of the other members who are expecting that they or their children will be exposed to modest clothing. The CCCHG Dress Code that each family agreed to follow upon joining the group is the standard. Tt can be found under the CCCHG Policies and Membership tab on the website and in the Member Handbook. If you are not in compliance with the CCCHG Dress Code, you will be given notice with the part of the code needing attention highlighted, and you will need to make an adjustment or leave to change.

End of the Co-op Day Responsibilities

As soon as the last class period ends, and before visiting with friends, or eating lunch, please remove ALL belongings from the building. If classes end at 12:30, the building should be empty by 12:45. Thanks for your help in this area.

Do not forget to pick up what is left on the free wall of any items you brought!

Third Period Teacher Responsibilities -

The last teacher in each room is responsible for sweeping, emptying the trash, and tidying and cleaning tables, boards, counters as needed. Please designate some of these tasks to your helpers.

Fun Stuff for Parents:

PARENTS’ COFFEE FUND: Sign up for unlimited coffee and tea all term long for only $3.00 for the entire term. This is paid separately in cash on the first day of classes.

PARENTS' SNACK BAR: Sign up to partake in a breakfast/snack bar all term. This is only $2.00 for the whole term, which helps cover plates/napkins/forks. Each participant must sign up to bring in one dish to share for just one week, and all term long you have a nice treat/breakfast waiting for you upon arrival at Co-op. This is reserved for adults only.

MOMS' SECRET SISTER: Sign up for the secret sister program at the bottom of the class registration chart. See all details and get your form filled out online so you can be part of the drawing on the first day of Co-op. Each term is 3 months long, so we ask that you bring your Secret Sister one gift each month (equaling 3 small gifts total that cost no more than around $5) and you may leave her cards and prayers throughout the 3 months as you wish. You will have the opportunity to reveal yourself to your Secret Sister at the end of the term. This is a real blessing, and a great way to get to know other members.