SCHE Purpose & Guidelines

The purpose of the Starkville Christian Home Educators (SCHE) is to support and encourage homeschooling families in Starkville and the surrounding areas as they seek God’s will in training and educating their children.

Objectives

As a volunteer organization, all SCHE members will work together to uplift and encourage each other and to keep each other abreast of current events or legislation affecting home education as well as to provide opportunities for family, recreational, and educational activities.

Understandings

• SCHE is a Christian organization and has an unchanging standard, God’s Word.  As such, all the group’s activities, publications, and conduct are to be consistent with the teachings and principles of the Bible.

• To encourage an environment for our children that will contribute to the development of godly character and Christian principles and virtues, each member is expected to honor God through modest appearance and appropriate attitudes and actions at SCHE events.

• SCHE, according to Scripture, defines the traditional family as consisting of a man and a woman, lawfully married and having children of their own, whether by natural process or by adoption. This will not exclude from membership a single parent, whether they are such by divorce, separation, or death. SCHE does not recognize any union of same-sex couples, whether 'married' or cohabiting, as being defined as a 'family.' (Matt. 19:4-5)

• SCHE holds that God created human beings distinctly as male and female (Gen 1:27). The distinctness, complementarity, and relational nature of the human race as “male and female” is based on the created order given by God when He created humanity “in His image” (Gen 1:26-27; 5:1-3; 1 Cor 11:7; 2 Cor 3:18; Eph 4:23-24; Col 3:10), and these establish a normative connection between biological sex and gender.

• Successful programs are dependent upon adequate planning, volunteer workers, and active participation of members.  Therefore, participation and volunteerism is expected from members.

• SCHE believes that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, and respect. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the objectives of SCHE.

• As an organization, SCHE does not

Provide textbooks, curricula, or teachers

Provide legal advice

Support or endorse business ventures

Give out names, addresses, or phone numbers of members (exception: SCHE members and Mississippi Home Educators Association)

• SCHE is affiliated with the Mississippi Home Educators Association (MHEA).

Statement of Faith

All SCHE board members are required to sign the MHEA Statement of Faith, which follows:

1. The Bible is the inspired Word of God.
2. God has existed from all eternity in three persons:  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, was God come in human flesh being fully God and fully man except without sin.
3. Man is by nature sinful and is inherently in need of salvation.
4. Christ’s death provides substitutionary atonement for our sins.  He literally rose bodily from the dead.
5. Salvation is offered as a gift – free to the sinner.  The gift must be responded to in individual faith, not trusting in any personal works whatsoever, but the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone.
6. Children are a heritage from the Lord entrusted to parents to train up in righteousness, for His glory.

SCHE Leadership

SCHE shall be governed by a board of directors.  This board of directors shall be comprised of the local support group leader, a treasurer, and appointed members.  After prayerful consideration, new board members will be appointed by the existing board.

Policies

• All students must have a guardian or someone assigned by the guardian responsible for handling safety and disciplinary situations at all SCHE events.

• Parents and children should dress modestly at all SCHE events, respecting others.

• The Statement of Faith (as stated above) must be acknowledged by all members of SCHE.

• Dues must be submitted by September 1st..  For families registering after September 1st, dues must be paid immediately upon admittance to the SCHE group.

• SCHE will only admit to group membership those actively pursuing a home-instruction program.

• Regular attendance at SCHE events is reserved for SCHE members unless communicated otherwise.

SCHE reserves the right to require the withdrawal of any member whose behavior is in conflict with the above Statement of Purpose and Membership Guidelines.

(Adopted July 1996, amended 7/99, 7/07, 8/13, 10/13, 6/15)