SEE Co-op Handbook
SEE Co-op Profile
Basic Schedule
Membership
Fees
Procedure Guidelines and Explanations
SEE Co-op Code of Conduct for Parents and Children
Substitute Policy
SEE Staff Positions and Responsibilities
Teacher Info
The SEE Co-op Handbook is to be read by all members. Members will be required to sign a form stating that they have indeed read the handbook and agree to abide all ruled laid forth in the handbook. We thank you for your interest and support in SEE Co-op and only wish to provide a safe environment for all involved.
SEE Co-op Profile
Welcome to the SEE (Southside Educational Escapades) Co-op. We believe this co-op will be a positive place where individuals find camaraderie, inspiration, and encouragement. Our group is a great place to meet and make friends through park days, field trips and enrichment classes.
MISSION STATEMENT: Southside Educational Escapades Home School Group is an inclusive homeschooling organization in the Tidewater area of Virginia serving families across a diverse spectrum of home schooling styles and philosophies. The main focus of Southside Educational Escapades Home School Group is to provide opportunities for home schooling families to interact with each other through educational and social activities. Programs:
Southside Educational Escapades Homeschool Group meets weekly for enrichment and academic classes and for other social activities planned on a monthly basis. The type of events and number of activities are directly related to membership involvement.
Since we are an inclusive co-op, all members’ beliefs, racial and cultural backgrounds will be respected. We value diverse perspectives and believe our differences enrich our world. In consideration of this diversity, we ask that individual beliefs be kept separate from teachings and personal religious viewpoints not be taught as facts in the classroom or expressed in a confrontation or judgmental manner on the online message board.
Basic Schedule
Every Friday – Academic and Enrichment Day at MUM
Attend classes at Miles Memorial United Methodist Church on Granby Street in Norfolk. Though
the co-op meets at a Methodist church; the co-op itself is not a religiously specific co-op. SEE
welcomes all religions and beliefs; we just ask that all members be respectful and sensitive to the
diversity found in our wonderful world.
Monthly Park Day
Meet at local parks and gardens on a rotating schedule that will be posted for the semester prior to semester start up. Ideally a day of unstructured play with little or no cost associated. It will be a great time for moms to spend some time chatting while the children get to know their classmates better.
Monthly Field Trip Day
Experience local theatre performances, tour museums, explore various areas of interest. Trips are on the calendar for the school year prior to 1st semester start up. Scheduled field trips are subject to change, members will be notified of any changes. All associated fees and sign up information will be posted as field trip date approaches.
Membership
All families interested in becoming members must register for the semester they are interested in attending classes, registration information will be posted prior to each semester beginning.
Please email us at admin@seecoop.org to find out which classes still have openings, class descriptions and fee information can be found at http://www.seecoop.org .
Staff Membership is also available as long as there are open positions. Families interested in becoming a staff member must send in a completed Staff Application and/or meet with a member of SEE’s administrative team (there are great benefits). All staff members are required to meet the facility requirements: background check and free child safety class.
Fees
Registration
You may register to become a SEE co-op member which entitles you to enrollment in any and as many open classes of your choosing, access to the online support group, and participation in all field trips and park days. The registration fee is due before the start of the upcoming semester and is non-refundable. Registration is payable once a semester.
· $55 per family
Monthly Class Fees
· $20.- for classes taught by SEE Co-op staff
· Outside instructors set their own fees
Class Supply Fees
Class supply fees vary by class, please refer to the schedule for supply fee pricing.
Class supply fees are due before the first day of classes.
Breakdown of Fees Non-Staff Members: – $55 registration per family paid directly to the church (once per semester) – 100% of supply fees; supply fees vary per class (once per semester) – 100% of monthly class fees; monthly class fees are $20 per class
For 1 job member will pay: – $55 registration per family paid directly to the church (once per semester) – 100% of supply fees; supply fees vary per class (once per semester) – 50% of monthly class fees; monthly class fees are $20 per class (Drama will always be $20 per month regardless)
For 2 jobs member will pay: – $55 registration per family paid directly to the church (once per semester) – NO monthly class fees (except for drama, which will be $20 per month) – 90% of supply fees*** (once per semester)
*** Depending on membership enrollment this percentage may decrease.
Field trips
Scheduled field trips will list any known charges when posting event particulars on the member’s Yahoo group. Field trip expenses are the responsibility of each participating family and due as noted in event announcement. Field trips are held at least monthly, tie in to seasonal or curricular topics and are always optional.
Returned check fee: There will be a $35.- returned check fee and the expectation of cash payment for
future fees.
Procedure Guidelines and Explanations
Classroom
· Teachers- please BE PROMPT! This cannot be stress enough. Your being late impacts not only you, but the children in your class AND the children and teacher of your children’s classes.
· If a SEE class is scheduled to meet and is canceled by SEE, all students will be prorated any monthly class fees for canceled classes. If you are unable to attend a class due to vacation, illness, or other reasons, monthly class fees will still be due.
· If you drop a class, you must give a written 2 week notice to the teacher and admin team.
· Teachers who will be unable to teach their scheduled classes must contact the substitute (see Substitute Policy laid out later in this handbook).
Nursery
· The Nursery helper (SEE staff position) is on duty to watch their own children and children of other staff parents as they work their shifts. Nursery workers are not responsible for children not fitting these two categories.
· Potty trained nursery children may use the Nursery toilet with Nursery personnel supervision. Providing diapers and wipes are parent’s responsibilities.
Field Trips and Outside Events
· Please represent the homeschooling community in a positive way when we are out as a group. Maintain control of your children and be appreciative of the efforts your co-op liaison and the facility we are visiting have put forth to provide an enjoyable experience for you and your family. If you have concerns or complaints, go to the event’s co-op liaison first to achieve resolution. It is each participant’s responsibility to be informed of pricing and particulars of events by checking the group’s Yahoo message board prior to arrival.
SEE Co-op Code of Conduct for Parents and Children
General rules
- Walk slowly and quietly through the hallways. Please do not run in the building.
- Please be on time so that we may stay on schedule and not have the classes disrupted.
- Come prepared for class as per teacher’s instructions.
- Student must be respectful of his teachers and classmates.
- There is to be no cell phone use in class.
- Student must listen when others are talking and raise hand when wishing to answer/ask the teacher questions so that everyone gets a turn to be heard.
- Students participate in their classroom in a positive manner without the use of bad language or raised voices.
- All rooms must be put back in original condition by teachers.
- Teachers will be mindful that we may not all share the same beliefs and not teach their personal viewpoints as fact.
- Nursery must be put back in original condition by nursery helper and older nursery children.
- Parents please pick up your child from the nursery promptly after your staff shift.
- Hall Monitors must check facility before leaving and see that it is put back in its original condition.
- All snacks and drinks must be eaten outside or in cafeteria.
- Everyone is responsible for cleaning up after themselves.
- Co-op children are dropped off at MUM; parents use the sign off sheets so we know how to reach you. Parents who opt to stay are welcome to relax in the parent room.
- Please do not climb trees on the church’s property.
- No destruction of church property, including exterior landscaping, will be allowed. Each family, not the co-op, will be responsible for any damages it may cause.
- Please do not verbally abuse or physically discipline your children at co-op functions.
- Please inform the admin team of any visiting guests at least 24 hours before the day of co-op. Any visitor MUST sign in and remain with their guest. Visitors may NOT leave their children in the nursery.
Please Note: If you or a member of your family breaks these rules you may be given a formal warning, after three warnings, or a grievous offense, you may be put on probation or even asked to leave the co-op.
Classroom Discipline
- If a student does not follow the rules, the teacher will point out their error in a way that is not demeaning or physical in nature.
- If a child is disrupting or upsetting the class with his/her behavior, s/he may be asked to sit separately from the class (within the classroom or with the hall monitor) for a short period of time i.e, 5 minutes.
- If inappropriate behavior continues, s/he will be asked to leave the classroom and stay with the hostess for the remainder of class.
- After being removed from the classroom more than once, the student may be put on probation, temporarily suspended or dismissed from the co-op.
Substitute Policy
We will have a sub available for each class period. It is the staff member’s responsibility to contact the substitute.
Teachers are responsible for providing a lesson to their sub even if the absence is a last minute absence. This is why it is strongly suggested that a back-up lesson plan is turned in to the admin team at the beginning of the semester.
If you cannot reach a sub or are calling in at last minute, please contact Cynthia Davis (homeschoolcyn@gmail.com) so she knows what is going on. Subs remember to check for allergies if you plan to do anything involving food.
There is a database table called “Class Subs”, this is so that any teacher needing a sub can log their info to remind admin and the hostesses (as well as the subs!) where and when subs will be called in.
So if you are a teacher and need a sub, please:
- add your info to the database,
- add your subs name (once they have been notified),
- send an email to Cynthia.
Nursery Personnel, Lunch Helpers, and Hall Monitors also need to aquire a sub if needed.
SEE Staff Positions and Responsibilities
***Note: All staff positions will require a clear background check
Administrative team
Administrative members serve at the request of the director.
Administrative members function as a team to set mission and goals for SEE. They ensure appropriate membership while working to fill all class seats, accurate recordkeeping and correspondence, financial accounting, and engaging class offerings.
Team members meet as necessary throughout the school year.
Members: Cynthia, Linda, Marie
Hall Monitors
Hall Monitors are responsible for assisting students in finding correct classes, ringing the bell for class times, assisting younger students with bathroom visits, maintaining facilities during the day, assisting visitors, and assisting teachers with emergencies and discipline problems. The opening hall monitor, needs to ensure all appropriate supplies are carried upstairs
Closer
The closer will ensure teachers leave rooms clean and orderly and the remainder of the facility is in order. The closer will also ensure all appropriate supplies are carried downstairs.
Nursery Workers
There will be 4 nursery positions – 1 for each class period. Nursery staff is not responsible for the nursery children during the lunch break. They are responsible for tending to children’s needs during their shift, i.e., bottles, diapers, etc…
Teachers
Teachers are the backbone of SEE! Most teachers are parent volunteers. To receive member benefits, a teacher must be assigned as the primary teacher for 1 class. Teachers’ responsibilities include the following: preparing their lessons on a weekly basis, setting up a sub (contact and give the necessary information/supplies) if they cannot attend class, manage their class in a professional manner and ensure a safe and calm environment for learning, contact parents if there is student behavior that disrupts the class, contact admin if problems need to be further addressed. Teachers are to also make sure their classroom is clean at the end of their class.
Substitute Teachers
Substitute teachers will be available to fill in for the lead teacher or nursery staff in case of absence, illness, or emergency. She will also be available to the lead teacher for special projects that may require an extra adult. In the event that sub positions aren’t filled, staff members will be asked to fill in to ensure class coverage. Subs are responsible for keeping up with the sub database and communicating with teachers in a timely fashion.
Lunch Duty Staff
The Lunch Duty Staff will be responsible for the set up and take down of tables and chairs for the students to eat lunch. They will actively monitor the students during their 30 minute lunch break and assisting them in cleaning up after themselves. After the lunch period is over, the Lunch Duty Staff will wipe down tables, put the tables and chairs away, and sweep the floor.
Yearbook Coordinator
Yearbook coordinator will be in charge of taking pictures of students and classes throughout the year. The yearbook coordinator can ask for volunteers to help with this duty. The Admin team will give the yearbook coordinator a master lsit of members and classes at the beginning of each semester. Picture events to coordinate are: individual shots, group photos, field trips, etc. The field trip coordinator will also be in charge of collecting all photos and compiling them into a yearbook. A sample book should be ordered no later than one month before the end of the spring semester for the Admin to review to ensure all members are accounted for.
Field Trip Coordinator
The field trip coordinator will be in charge of gathering ideas for field trips and planning 4 field trips a semester. While each field trip does not have to cater to all age ranges, there should be a mixture throughout the year to ensure all age ranges have fieldtrips appropriate to their ages. The field trip coordinator will be in charge of signing people up and gathering any monies. Also, the field trip coordinator is in charge of planning park days or indoor play days (ex, a bounce house) about once a month.
Teacher Info
Supply Fees- Receipts and itemized lists for supply reimbursement are to be placed in the blue envelope on the sign-in table labeled ‘receipts’. Supply fees will be reimbursed on the last Friday on each month. However, you can turn them in at any time, just be sure to write your name and class on the receipts.
Also, post to the yahoo group when in search of supplies, not only for things like paper towel tubes and other recyclables, but for various things like a scale or magnets. You might be surprised what someone has lying around! Each class will have a different supply budget which will be listed on your roster. If there is any problem with the amount listed, please talk to a member of the admin BEFORE spending over your amount. Supply money that is not used to explicitly reimburse teachers is used toward buying curriculum, books, and group buy materials.
Communications- With a group this large communication can be a problem. Therefore, it is important that check your email on a regular basis. The best way to get info to a large number of the group is to use the yahoo group. The names and emails of your students’ parents will be included on your class rosters. Parents enjoy feedback about what their children are doing in class so weekly or bi-weekly emails about class happenings are encouraged.
Food Handling Card- Any teacher who will be handling food during classes or who wants the ability to occasionally work in the kitchen at Miles Memorial UMC must have a Food Handler’s Permit. This is a requirement of the City of Norfolk, not the church. Permits are issued by the city to individuals who attend a Food Handler’s class. Classes are held at 830 Goff Street, Norfolk, VA 23504, normally at 9:30 am and again at 3:30 pm on Mondays and Thursdays only and run approximately one hour. No preregistration is required. It is recommended that you arrive several minutes before class starts. The fee for the Food Handler’s Permit is $10. To call and verify the time, or for other information, you can call the Norfolk Food Handling Permit number at 757-683-2712. SEE Co-op WILL reimburse this fee.
Discipline- While it is our hope that classes run smoothly and everyone’s needs and actions are respected, we do need to have some sort of procedure in place for behavior issues. Teachers, please remember that your students all come from different background and homes with varying beliefs. What one person may see as willfulness another may see as independence. As parents though, we need to explain to our children that they need to be respectful of everyone in their class and if they are being disruptive then no one benefits.
Copies- Copies are to be reimbursed at 8cents a page and is counted against supply reimbursements. Places like Office Depot/Max will charge 8 cents a copy if you do 100 copies or more. We will also reimburse if you print from home, you will just need to keep an itemized record of what you do.
Clean-Up- Teachers are responsible for cleaning up their classrooms at the end of class. Please incorporate clean-up time into your class period. Each class is an hour but if you know you have a messy project then plan for 10-15 minutes for clean up. Classrooms are limited so for the most part there will be a teacher in the class right after your period. Children are very eager to help, so feel free to have them help tidy up the classroom. Please leave each class as you find it.
Incident Report Form – Incident report forms will need to be filled out in case of injury or discipline issues. The co-op will keep one copy for its records and ne copy will be placed in the parent’s folder in the mail box.
Medications – Please do not give students medications that are not specifically requested by their parents, this includes pain and cold medications and herbal remedies. If a parent does have any medications for a teacher to give a child for any reason, please do it discreetly, such as in the hallway. Emergency medications, are of course, OK to give anywhere (such as inhalers, EPI pens, etc). Neosporin, Band-Aids, and ice packs are OK too.