Member Handbook.
Please read this form in its entierity if you will be attending classes or field trips with Homeschooler Link.
Enrichment Thursday classes will be held at
Sunrise Church
7116 Twin Chimneys Blvd
OFallon, MO 63366
2023 Spring Semester
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1/26 2/2 2/9 2/16 2/23 3/2 3/9 3/16 3/23- OFF Spring Break 3/30 4/6 4/13 4/20 4/27 End of Semester Celebration |
Please Note:
It is our hope that this schedule will help families to plan their other family activities and vacations. We do understand that some things come up during the year and you cannot make it to every class. Please keep in mind that it is difficult for the teacher and the other students if someone misses classes frequently.
Rules
We didn’t want to have rules, but now we know how necessary they are.
Timeliness
Please be on time to your classes. We are not expecting perfection on this, but it does create a disruption for the class when someone enters late.
On the first day of classes, please arrive early so that you can find your classrooms.
Visitors
All visitors to Enrichment Thursdays need to sign in at the front desk. All adults will need a background check.
Helpers
Our requirements for helping are set up to keep this program as more of a co-op and to help it run smoothly. Each family must volunteer to help in some position one hour for every hour your children are registered in classes for up to 3 hours each Thursday. So, if you come only 2 hours, you will have to help both hours. If you come for 4 hours, you will have to help for 3 hours. There are many areas where you can help. Here are some areas to help in:
Teacher - Probably too late to sign up this semester, but you can look into it for next semester. We have a “Teacher’s” area on the website that provide more information on what this job entails. A teacher also receives a $10 credit off their class fees.
Teachers Aid - This is the teacher’s right-hand man. This person helps the teacher in various ways depending on the teacher and the class (i.e. making copies, helping with lesson plan ideas, help bringing in supplies). This person must be able to substitute for the class if the teacher can’t make it to class. There are 2-3 adult sign up positions per class. The first is for the teacher, the next person to sign up is automatically the Teachers Aid, if there is a 3rd adult, they are the helper.
Class Helper - This person will help in classes for Prek to 2nd for the most part. The help is there to help in taking kids for potty and drinking fountain breaks, maybe taking attendance, handing out papers, or other small tasks in the class.
Various Other Tasks - There are other jobs that you or a teen can fulfill for the family. Helping to set up or break down classrooms, wipe down tables and help clean after lunch, recess monitors, resetting classrooms to how we found them, staying after to help clean, etc.
Tot Room Attendant - We also need help staffing the tot room while others are teaching in classrooms.
Tot Care
Everyone below age 2 can either be in the tot room or with their parents. We do have a tot room if you need someone to watch your little ones while teaching a class. You will need to sign up your tots in the tot room each hour that you need this service. This room is only for the specific hour(s) that the adult is teaching. Others may use the room, but must stay with their child. The Tot Room will be staffed with parent volunteers as needed throughout the day.
Families with tots who do not teach a class are required to do their helping hours in the tot room.
Tot Room Policies and Procedures
When children are being cared for, there must always be at least two adult caretakers in the room who are at least 18 years old. Our intent is to have 3 helpers in the room every hour. Teen assistants must be 13 or older to serve. All adults that serve on a volunteer basis with children are screened using an online background screening service.
Parents are expected to check-in on their child. If the parent is a regular teacher, teacher-aid, or helper, their child’s information regarding allergies and where they are working will be listed on the sign in sheet. If the parent is a rescue helper, they need to provide the information for their child’s allergies and their location during the hour.
Tot room rule: If you will be utilizing the tot room for your children, we do require you help in the tot room. The required amount of time to help is dependent upon the number of hours you will be at co-op on Thursdays or other factors such as teaching a class/teacher's aid.
Examples:
@ CO-OP 3+ HOURS: Teach CLASS 1 hour = help tot room 2 hours
@ CO-OP 3+ HOURS: Teach CLASS/S 2 hours = help tot room 1 hour
@ CO-OP 3+ HOURS: Teach 3 hours = you do not have to help in the tot room
@ CO-OP 3+ HOURS: TA 1 hour = HELP IN tot room 2 hours
@ CO-OP 3+ HOURS: Helper 1 hour + tot room 2 hours
If you are not at co-op for 3 hours then you only do tot room for the hours you are there. WE ASK THAT YOU VOLUNTEER ONE HOUR OF TIME FOR EVERY HOUR YOU ARE AT CO-OP, UP TO 3 HOURS.
Volunteers need to try to arrive at the tot room at least 5 minutes before classes start so that parents can get to their classrooms also. We will provide hand sanitizer in the tot room and encourage parents to have their child use it before entering and before leaving the room.
Health
The tot room follows the same sickness policy as the rest of the co-op. See Sickness below.
Diaper Changing/Restroom Use
Parents are encouraged to take their children to the hall restrooms, before checking into their individual rooms, so they are freshly changed or relieved.
Volunteers will not change diapers and/or assist children in the bathroom. We will have a two way radio for the volunteers to contact the front desk and they will find the parent and cover their “helper job” while the parent goes to attend to their child.
Changing stations are provided in the tot room. Diaper or clothing changes should be done at the changing station. Hands must be washed and the changing pad must be sanitized after each diaper change.
Equipment
The toys in each room are carefully selected for age appropriateness and ease of cleaning. Toys must be able to withstand cleaning with a disinfectant, an industrial dishwasher or clothes washing machine.
Toys that are mouthed should be wiped or washed after each use.
If your child has a special toy that they bring with them, please be sure to label it. We would prefer they not bring a toy from home, but understand sometimes it is the only thing that will bring comfort.
Snacks
Parents must inform staff if their child has any allergies. (This should be on your families information section on the website)
If you bring a sippy cup, binkie, or bottle, please label it with the child’s name. All cups, binkies, and bottles will remain up on a table out of reach, so that other children will not grab and use someone else’s cup.
The tot room will be food free to avoid allergy issues. Tot room volunteers will not provide snacks or treats to any children.
Behaviors
If a child is biting, spitting, or hitting to the extent that the volunteers cannot redirect, the tot room attendant will radio the front desk so that we can locate the parent to take the appropriate actions.
If a child is crying uncontrollably, the volunteer may take the child out of the room and walk the halls, but must stay in the halls or entry where they can be seen. Sometimes letting the child walk on their own a bit in the hallways will help them to calm down also. Our goal is to not disrupt the surrounding classrooms with constant crying as much as possible. A parent may be notified if the volunteers cannot comfort or redirect the child.
Volunteers cannot take your child into an empty room for any reason.
PreK & Preschool Classes
Any prek classes or Preschool classes we have scheduled are only open to families that have other siblings attending classes with us. They are for ages 3 and above.
Lunch
Lunch is from 12:00 to 1:00. From 12-12:15, the lobby area is not able to be used, but we do have permission to eat in the Room 215 attached to the lobby. (Please be in the classrooms by 12 and do not let children run around the lobby) The church has a preschool that does drop offs and pickups during this time. You may use the refrigerator to store your lunch, but please remove them at the end of the lunch period. We do not want anything left in the refrigerator at the end of the day. There is a microwave in the kitchen to heat up your lunches.
It is imperative that you clean up after yourself and your children at lunch. It is not fair for another person to have to throw away your trash and wipe up your mess. Do not allow children to wander outside the designated lunch room area. You may eat outside if the weather is nice. You may want to bring a picnic blanket, or there are a few tables in the playground area.
We are allowed to use the playground from 12-12:50 during our lunch/recess time. We will bring balls and other toys outside after 12:00. On inclement weather days, indoor games will be organized and we will let everyone know which rooms are available for indoor “recess.”.
You are responsible for your children at lunch. You must be outside with your children. Recess monitors will be there to bring toys outside for children to play with, let kids know when recess is over at 12:45, ensure that all toys get picked up and take the toys back to the storage room. They will also be a 2nd set of eyes watching the kids and will intervene if they see a problem, but they are not a substitute for parents watching their own children. If your child is 6th grade or older, you may allow them to go outside without you.
The toys provided need to be played with as they were designed to be used, not for hitting or tying.
We will start clean-up of lunch at 12:45. Please be sure to throw away all of your trash and put your belongings away so that the tables can be wiped down.
Parent Attendance
Parents either need to be in the building during co-op or find another parent to be responsible for your children if you need to leave for any reason. This applies whether you are out all day or just running errands during a free hour. We will have Parent Contact Information forms available at the front desk. These forms will provide the name of the person at the co-op responsible for your children while you’re not there and a phone number so that we can contact you if necessary.
Responsibility
Please help us to keep our environment safe and clean. If you see someone doing something wrong or dangerous, please let them know. You may come and tell any of the teachers or leaders of any situation if you feel it is necessary.
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Do not let children run in the building or parking lot. There is also a preschool that will be at the church during our class time. Please be respectful of this.
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Do not sit on tables and PLEASE respect the furniture and walls. The Church is graciously letting us use their facilities. Please be respectful of that.
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No child 5th grade and under may exit the building without an adult. Any children older than 5th grade should have permission from their parents before going outside.
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The doors of the facility lock with maglocks. Please be aware when coming and going that someone will have to let you back inside.
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Discipline
Please be sure to follow the Homeschooler Link Policies and Procedures for the group.
Our basic rule is Respect the teachers, Respect the building, and Respect others. Please do not bring toys to class that will cause a distraction. Each student needs to cooperate in class and not cause distractions in the class with their behavior. There will be no talking back to the teachers. If there is a problem with a student’s behavior, the teacher will contact the parent to discuss the problem. If it continues, the parent will be required to sit with the student during class. If this does not correct the problem, you will be asked to remove your child from the class. There will be no refunds given.
Bullying - HSL has a zero tolerance for bullying. Any issues brought to the board will be discussed with the parent immediately. If the behavior continues, the child will be asked to leave the co-op. Please talk with your child in advance about how we treat everyone respectfully and do not put others down.
No smoking/vaping or possession of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or other "smoking/vaping" devices are allowed at co-op. Any student caught with these items will have them confiscated and will be immediately expelled for the rest of the semester.
STUDENT APPEARANCE
Student dress and grooming will be the responsibility of the individual and parents/guardian with the following guidelines:
Students shall not wear the following:
a. clothing that reveals too much is not appropriate
b. low cut shirts, muscle shirts, backless apparel, sagging pants, or extremely short shorts/skirts
c. clothing which promotes drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and/or its products
d. clothing with sexually suggestive messages, profanity, or messages of a vulgar nature
e. clothing with holes in inappropriate places or exposing undergarments
Communication
We will communicate school closings and other class information on Facebook in our private members group, and via text or email.
Your teachers will send information about their classes through the website class groups so that the information is only being emailed to the families in their classes. They may also post this on Facebook or at least post that an email has been sent.
Parents, please contact your teachers if you have a problem. You can reach them either through the website and email, or you can send a personal message on Facebook. Do not let a concern fester. Ask questions. We are all here to help.
Sickness
If your child is sick, please keep them at home. There are some children with a lower tolerance for fighting off little bugs and can get very sick. You can text 314-941-2520 to let us know you will not be at classes.
Please stay home if anyone in your home has had a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, yellow or green mucus, crusty, red or runny eyes or have started antibiotics with-in the past 24 hours. Every child should be free of a fever, without medication, for at least 24 hours before returning to Enrichment Thursday.
If a volunteer feels your child should not be at co-op (according to sick child policy), they will page you immediately.
If your child has symptoms that may present as contagious please inform the volunteers at drop off, so they are assured your child is not contagious.
It is always helpful if you notify us if you find, once you are home or the next day, that your child may have been contagious so we can be on the lookout for an outbreak, or be prepared to inform other parents.
Attendance
Please try to attend classes on a regular basis. We do realize that people get sick, but if the schedule listed on the first page of this booklet does not work for your family, please wait until the schedule works better for you to enroll.You can text 314-941-2520 to let us know you will not be at classes. Your helper jobs need to be filled by someone if you are not there. You are an important part of our co-op!
Security
We will do a background check on all teachers, teacher aides, helpers, and leadership. In step 4 of the registration process, we ask for your signature for permission to have a background check done. If more than one adult in your family may possibly be at our classes helping, then both persons will need to fill out an authorization form. We require a background check even if you will only be sitting in the classroom with your child. If you do not authorize a background check, you will not be allowed in the classrooms.
We require at least two adults in a classroom. It is imperative that families attend classes on a regular basis and help out. If we do not have the 2 adults, the class will be cancelled for the day. So, if your family is sick or cannot make it, we need to have a replacement for you. You are important!
Refunds
There will be no refunds after the first date of class each semester.
Class Fees
Building Fees will be paid with a registration/building fee of $25 per family, per semester. Every family needs to register ONLY 1 child for the Building Usage Fee class located under the family column of the class roster. This is a $25 fee per family. It is only collected once a semester. This fee covers our building usage and goes directly to Sunrise Church. This is a different fee than the website membership fee you had for joining the group.
Most class fees are $20 per class, per semester. This fee will cover some of the class supplies, copies, and overall group expenses. Some classes may have an additional supply fee to cover costs, if they require a larger amount of materials provided by us.
Year-long classes will need to be paid for again in the second semester. If there is a lab or supply fee, it will also be paid again in the second semester. You will have to re-enroll in all year long classes for the second semester sign ups.
Paid teachers – Some of our classes have an additional fee for the teacher to be paid. These are teachers we have brought in to teach an upper level class or a specialty class and do not have any homeschool children themselves. This amount replaces the normal $20 per class. The prices of these classes are still within reason of other co-op prices. Please refer to your class description to find these fees. These fees must be paid before the classes start. There will be NO IOU’s on extra teacher fees.
Extra supplies fees – Each teacher will have listed in their class description a cost for supplies, if any, for their class. This will be for higher expenses such as, biology lab fees, and drama scripts & licensing. Please refer to the class descriptions to find these fees.
Books and Materials – Each class description will have a list of books and supplies that you are responsible to provide.
All fees should be paid by the first day of class. If you need help in paying for any of these classes, please notify a board member. If you need to make payments, please contact us. We do require you to pay 20% of your bill at registration, your bill should be at least down to 50% at mid-semester. If you have credits to be applied, you will have 5 business days from the date the credits are applied to make at least a 20% payment to hold your spot.
If you drop your classes before classes start you will lose the 20% deposit. There are no refunds after the first day of classes.
When you have completed registration and are ready to make payment for your class, go to the top right hand corner of the website to see your total due. Go to Class Registration Matrix and in the upper right side there is a "View Class Registration Summary," this will list all of your class and show you amounts due. You can pay here with PayPal or a credit card or mail a payment.
If you have an outstanding balance, you are not allowed to register for the next semester until your bill is paid in full.
Questions
If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected].