Policies and Procedures

General Information:

A parent from each participating family must serve in the co-op all hours. The parent’s giftings and input will be considered when the schedule is made.
Once a family is registered for the semester, they will be expected to stay in Co-op for that semester. If a family withdraws after the registration deadline, they will be ineligible to participate in Co-op for one whole year. (Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis with board approval.)
Families need to arrive a FULL 15 minutes before Co-op starts to get all small children settled and all teachers in their rooms and ready to go before the first classes start. Classes must start and end at the appointed times. A bell will ring five minutes before each class ends and at the end of each class.
Note to pregnant mothers: There may be children participating in our classes that have not been immunized or have recently been immunized.

Class Clean-up (Clean up should begin when the warning bell rings):

Have the kids pick up all the little fluff and such off the carpet before they leave. Vacuuming may be avoided if this is done well.
Put the furniture back as you found it, including pushing in the chairs.
Wipe table with cleaner and paper towels if needed.
If you are the last teacher in a class for the day, empty your wastepaper basket into one of the bathroom trash cans. If the classroom trash bag is in good shape, leave it in the basket and return the basket to the room. Turn off the the light when you leave.

Building Clean-up:

Each week after Co-op, the building must be cleaned and put in order. The areas of clean-up are wiping down the bathrooms, taking out trash, vacuuming/sweeping floors, lunchroom clean-up, and cleaning glass doors. Every parent will be placed on a cleaning schedule. The parent may oversee her children doing the work. If you are absent, you must trade with someone and let the cleaning coordinator know of the change, preferably by email. If you are not cleaning, you and your children should visit with friends outside.

Absences/Substitutes:

If you are unable to make a class because of sickness (you or your child(ren)), a death, or unavoidable travel, YOU must call the substitute coordinator as soon as possible. Please also call the other adults involved in the classes where you work.

After you have made all the appropriate phone calls when you or a child are sick, please ask another parent to be responsible for your well children who are 7^th grade or older so that they may attend their classes even though you are not onsite.

Sickness:

Please carefully read and abide by the Health Policy. We have at least one child with health issues who needs to stay well.

Supplies:

We have many supplies available for the classes. We have art supplies, P.E. equipment, science lab equipment, snacks, and more. If you need something that we do not have, either have the children bring items or add it to the supply coordinator’s shopping list found on a clipboard by the door in the supply room. Purchases made without prior permission might not be reimbursed.

Please take very good care of whatever you use and put nonconsumable materials back in the correct place in our supply area when you are done. If you use the last of a consumable item, please put the item on the supply coordinator’s shopping list found on the clipboard by the door in the supply room.

Our supply list is online at www.chempa.org. Choose CHEC. Choose Supply List.

Fees:

We take up small fees to pay for expenses for different age groups and different type classes. Please see the categories below to calculate what your family owes.

Family fee - $10 per semester

Supply fee - $1 per child per semester

Specific supplies fees may occasionally be charged to offset specific class projects.

Families can rent the curriculum for some classes. The rental fees are due at orientation. If a rented book is lost, the family will pay the replacement cost.

Money:

These fees go into CHEC’s checking account at Pilgrim Bank. All pre-approved purchases will be reimbursed by receipt and kept on file. We invite the accountability of members examining the books. Contact the treasurer.

Copyright laws:

Copyright laws are to be taken very seriously. Please do not copy materials that are protected by copyright laws unless (1) you contact the publisher and obtain permission; OR (2) you are very sure that you are not infringing the copyright (for example, that your copying falls under the “fair use doctrine” or another exception to the law). When in doubt, call the copyright holder and ask. CHEC views this as a matter of Christian integrity.

Cancellation of Co-op:

Weather problems --- Co-op will cancel if MPISD cancels for weather. Regardless of our canceling or not, use your own judgment concerning weather.

Other problems --- Check the CHEMPA and CHEC Yahoo loop on the day of Co-op. If you are not on the loop, you need to find a buddy to keep you informed.

Homework

Some of the junior high and senior high classes use curriculums. The students in these classes will be expected to purchase the curriculum and do the homework. If a student consistently comes to class unprepared, they will be asked to leave the class permanently. Unprepared students affect the ability of the teacher to have enriching class discussions and lower the work standard for the other students.

Behavior: (This section needs to be read by parents and all children 4^th grade & older.)

The standard of behavior for the children will be exceptionally high. Please consider whether your child is prepared to participate in the classes in a way that he and those around him will benefit from his being there. Children with special needs are welcome. Their parents may contribute to the co-op by shadowing their special-needs child.

All students will listen to, respond to, and quickly obey adults. They will respectfully listen during the class time. “Respectfully listen” means they will not only listen, but look like they are listening: keeping their eyes on the teacher and/or whatever the teacher is referring to and interacting on topic when it is appropriate. In the academic classes, students must not have side conversations. Comments to each other, even on topic, are distracting and impolite. All talking should be for the whole class and only when talking is appropriate.
There will be no inappropriate public displays of affection between boys and girls.
Students (and parents) will dress appropriately and modestly on class days. Young ladies must not expose their midriffs and shorts must be a modest length. The young men will wear sleeves and will wear their pants up on the waist. No caps.
We need to be excellent guests of the Church. When students are in the building, they must walk (not run or engage in horse play) and use quiet voices. We need to leave every room the way we found it, if not better.
Once students arrive at the co-op, they must stay under the supervision of adults at all times. No one will be on site without a parent or a previously-arranged parent substitute.
All parents have the freedom and responsibility during co-op classes to address discipline issues. If the child involved does not change his or her behavior, please let someone on the leadership team know.

Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. If a child cannot behave properly at Co-op, the entire family will be asked to delay their involvement in Co-op for one full semester. After that time, the family may be reconsidered for Co-op participation.

CHEC Board:

Director: Lisa S.

Treasurer: Karen R.

Building Liaison: Karen R.

Age-group Coordinators:

Nursery – 6^th Christie G.

5^th – 12^th Lisa S.

Others: Kirsten G.

Christine B.

Other Contacts:

Web/Loop Coordinator: Kirsten G.

Curriculum Purchaser: Kirsten G.

Supplies Purchaser: ?

Substitute Coordinator: Christine B.

Cleaning Coordinator: Christine B.