Paradise Christian Homeschoolers, Inc.

Policy and Procedures

It is understood that all members and guests will behave in a Christ-like manner and use good judgment in their speech, actions, and clothing choices while attending any PCH event, or when representing PCH to the public. The Steering Committee reserves the right to remove anyone from an event, or from membership who does not respect others through violations of these policies. 

MEMBERSHIP

Qualifications: 

• Membership in PCH is open to all homeschooling families; provided they complete all parts of the membership process/application, agree to abide by Policies and Procedures and By-laws, and agree with the Statement of Faith.  All applications should be completed online through the PCH website or submitted to the secretary for processing. Members are expected to be homeschooling at least one child aged 3 or older. 

• Membership in PCH does not exclude a family from joining another home educator group, provided they stay in good standing with PCH. 

Attendance: 

• Non-members are not eligible to attend hangouts, banquets, and/or participate in high school or kindergarten graduations unless approved by the event organizer. Members’ children that attend public, private, or virtual public school ARE eligible to attend family events. 

• Membership in PCH does not exclude a family from joining another home educator group, provided they stay in good standing with PCH. 

Application Process:

1. Complete the membership application form

2. Complete Statement of Faith form

3. Complete Consent to Participate

4. Pay annual dues

5. May be subject to a background check

• Membership is renewed annually, and subject to review and approval by the current Steering Committee. The membership year runs from July 1 to June 30, regardless of when the application is submitted or processed. Early registration for the following year may be opened at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

Benefits:

• Information about state requirements, best practices, etc. by experienced home school parents

• Access to website including discussion forum, calendar, family directory, etc.

• Access to private ‘PCH Members Only’ Facebook group

• Access to educational group field trips

• Fellowship events for parents, teens, children, and families

• Opportunity to participate in our co-operative learning program (see Co-op policy for more information)

• Opportunity to join clubs (vary each year)

• Opportunity to join sports teams (vary each year)

• Information on conferences and homeschooling events nearby

Expectations of Membership:

• Modesty and Respectful Clothing Choices - PCH wants to encourage a spirit of unity without uniformity, while also encouraging respect for others. We do this by emphasizing modest apparel at PCH-sponsored functions. When attending any of our events we ask that you be conscious about what you wear, taking care that it is not a stumbling block to others or sending a message counter to the Christian faith. If there are questions for specific events, please contact a member of Steering.

• Behavior and Discipline - Parents are responsible for their children at all PCH events.  Any parent not attending an event with their child must have the approval of the coordinator of the event.

• Tobacco Use - Students and adults are not allowed to use tobacco products on the property where a formal PCH event is being held. 

• Grievances - If a conflict or situation arises in which a family feels a wrong has been committed, it is expected that the family will follow the steps outlined in Matthew Chapter 18, to restore relationships, in keeping with the PCH Statement of Faith and Consent to Participate.  While we are not a church, we are a Bible-based group and our policies follow the examples the Bible lays out for us.  If the offense cannot be resolved through the first two steps in this Scripture, then these concerns should be brought to the Steering Committee.  The steps for conflict resolution are laid out below in ‘Conflict Resolution’.

  • “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established’ and if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church.  But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”  “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’  Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” Matthew 18:15-17, 21-22 (NKJV)

• Conflict Resolution - We expect all families to act in a Christian manner, showing respect and extending grace in every situation.  Should a conflict arise with another member, he/she is expected to follow the PCH policy, as stated in the Grievances section above. 

  • If a member has attempted to fix the problem but is unsuccessful, he/she should approach the group or event leader for assistance.

  • If it cannot be resolved, the involved leader will refer the situation to the Vice President for a decision. 

  • If the member cannot accept the decision of the event leader and Vice President, the Vice President will refer the situation to the full Steering Committee for a decision. The Steering Committee makes the final decision on all matters.

• Sickness Guidelines – No child or parent should attend a PCH event or activity if they are sick or are contagious. 

  • Illness may include the following, please use this list to assist in deciding: 

    • Any fever

    • The need for medication to lower fever to a normal temperature

    • Excessive Coughing

    • Diarrhea within the past 24 hours

    • Non-food-related vomiting within the previous 24 hours

    • Runny nose 

    • Unusual body aches or fatigue

  • Please note if you show up to an event and it is believed you may be sick, you may be asked to go home. 

  • PCH is not liable for any sickness that you or your family may incur while attending PCH events. 

FINANCIAL POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Annual Dues: 

• Annual family dues are $60 per family and are due before attendance at any PCH Activity.

Scholarships:

• Scholarships for annual dues are available by request and based on need. The total number of scholarships each year will be based on the yearly budget.  Scholarship distribution will be reviewed and decided upon by the Steering Committee.

• Students who attend public, private, or virtual public school are NOT eligible to enter contests and/or apply for scholarships.

Financial Disputes: 

• Any questions or concerns regarding the financial policy should be directed to the President and may require review by the Steering Committee at their scheduled meeting for resolution. 

Financial Expenditures: 

• All expenses for events that will be distributed from the budget must be pre-approved by the coordinator designated by the Steering Committee.

Reimbursements: 

• All requests for reimbursement for pre-approved expenses must be submitted via the PCH Reimbursement Request Form with applicable receipts attached to the President or Vice President within 2 weeks. Electronic or check reimbursement will not be issued without receipts. 

CO-OP POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Participation:

• Co-op is open to current members in good standing with PCH.

• At least one parent (or other approved adult) must participate for at least 2 of the 3 hours as a teacher, assistant, or serve in another capacity to be determined by the committee.

• Parents and students are required to participate in the entire day of classes. Students are to enroll and attend the full 3 hours. Any exception to this rule must be made by appeal to the Steering Committee and will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

• Our teachers work hard planning and preparing for classes. Students are expected to fully participate in their class (even if the class is not their first choice!) This includes completing any classroom projects and homework assignments. 

• Visitors are welcome to come visit but must be pre-approved by the co-op director to observe classes only and are limited to a one-time visit. Check-in upon arrival for the visit. Visitors are expected to follow the Policies and Procedures of PCH Co-op.

• Space may be limited. Pre-registration is important to ensure space for your family. 

Schedule:

• PCH's Co-op currently offers a fall and spring semester each running for 8 consecutive weeks. Semesters may vary as to days and times. Classes begin promptly at the scheduled time and families are expected to honor these times. Your family should be checked in before the start time. Repeated late arrivals may result in your family being asked to sit out the next semester of co-op. 

Fees:

• To participate in co-op there are additional, non-refundable fees of $20 per family and $10 per student for each semester. This fee goes toward classroom and general co-op supplies. 

• All fees are due immediately after registration. You may pay with cash or check in person or by mail or you may use Paypal through the website to send your payment.
  *Limited scholarships may be available for those experiencing financial hardship. Scholarship requests are handled on a case-by-case basis by the Steering Committee. To apply for one please get in touch with a current member of the Steering Committee.

Benefits:

• Steering Committee members and teachers can register their families first for classes, followed by pre-registered general membership, and lastly, general membership that did not pre-register.

Registration:

• Parents must attend an orientation session before registration. 

• Families register their children through the website class registration tool. Registration is open on a first-come, first-served basis within the order stated in the “Benefits” section above. Payment is expected at the time of registration. If there is more than one class available for each age group, once a class is full, a child must register for the other class(es) offered that hour. If all classes are full for the child’s age group, the child will be unable to attend that semester. 

Orientation:

• We offer 2 orientations per year. Once before Fall registration and once before Spring registration. Orientation will be required once a year. 

Classes:

• All classes are taught/led by a participating member adult, with the exceptions of occasional classes offered by cadet teachers (high school students monitored by a parent) or an outside instructor approved by the committee. All class topics must be approved by the committee. Classes are based on the number of teachers willing to teach and the anticipated number of students. 

• Students and a parent or registered adult are expected to stay for all class sessions. 

• All classes will be supervised by at least 2 unrelated adults (teacher, assistant – see 2 adult policy).

Nursery / Little Learners / Preschool / Kindergarten:

• Along with our classes for older grades, we also have younger classes for the littlest members of our co-op families to be cared for. This is a very important part of co-op as some of our parents need to be able to teach other classes and participate with their older children. 

• Those who volunteer for the first hour of Nursery, Little Learners and Preschool classes should know that they will need to arrive about 15 minutes early each week to allow the younger children to check in before the Opening Assembly. Promptness and consistency are vital to this part of our co-op.

• Children under the age of 3 can be registered for the nursery class or stay with a parent throughout the co-op day, with the expectation that the child will not present a disruption to classes. All other children should attend his or her own assigned class. Children 3 and older will not be allowed to attend classes with a parent or sibling. 

Changing Classes After Registration is Closed:

• Students can only make a change if there is space available in the other class(es) at the same grade level. Students may not make a change after the 2nd week. All teachers involved must agree. There may be an additional fee assessed if additional supplies will have to be purchased for the child to participate in the new class. Any class expenses for a class change must be paid immediately.

Absences:

• Families are expected to attend all 8 weeks of co-op. Families who have scheduled plans and know they will miss more than 2 days of co-op in the semester due to previously scheduled events should not register for co-op, as this does not allow for anything unexpected, such as sickness or emergencies. If an unavoidable conflict arises, the family must notify the Steering Committee as soon as possible and fill out the absence form on the website under the co-op tab. Failure to notify of an absence will make you ineligible to participate in the next semester. Please avoid making appointments on co-op days to ensure consistency for the group and the learning environment of everyone. 

• In the case of an emergency that only involves the parent, the children may come to co-op under the supervision of an approved adult. This adult must be listed on the family membership application.  Approved guardians may not be adults who are already involved in co-op. Substitute guardians will be required to fill all assistant roles that the original parent was assigned to for that day including classroom assistants, family duties, etc. Substitute guardians must also agree to abide by our Statement of Faith and sign our Consent to Participate form when they arrive on the day of their substitution. All requests for children to attend with a substitute guardian must be approved by the Steering Committee before 9 am the day of co-op.

• If the Steering Committee feels that a family has abused our absences policy without legitimate reason during a semester, that family could be asked to sit out the next semester’s co-op session or will not receive priority for registration. A co-op is only successful when all parents are pulling their weight and doing their part. Undue absences not only affect what your child learns in class but affect the teacher and other parent assistants who are constantly having to cover for you.

Adult Roles: 

• Teachers:

• Teachers are responsible for planning, preparing, and implementing age-appropriate activities for their classes. 

• Prospective teachers will submit a syllabus to the Steering Committee for approval. 

• Prospective teachers will complete a supply request list for the class. Supply lists may be approved or amended by the Steering Committee, depending on the budget available for classes. Teachers can pick up supplies at least 2 weeks before co-op classes start. 

• Teachers and assistants are responsible for supervising all students in his or her class. Children cannot be left unsupervised at any time. 

• Teachers and assistants are responsible for cleaning and returning their classrooms to their original condition. 

• Assistants:

• Assistants are expected to arrive in class on time (and preferably a few minutes early) to help the teacher prepare the students and classroom for instruction as soon as class time starts. 

• Assistants should take an active role in the classroom. Cell phone use is not allowed during class, except for taking pictures for the yearbook and/or presentation purposes. Assistants help children with activities, help the teacher gather and distribute supplies and materials, monitor behavior so the teacher can focus on the lesson, and go with children who need to leave the room (restroom, see a parent, etc.). 

• Assistants should promptly deal with any conduct issues in the classroom. If a child is persistently causing a disruption or behaving in an unChrist-like manner, the Assistant should take the child to his or her parent for correction. 

• Assistants should be familiar with the lessons taught. Assistants will be asked to teach if the teacher is absent and should be prepared to do so. 

• Assistants may be moved to help in another class should the need arise.

• Hall Monitor:
  
  

  • Those adults who are assigned as the hall monitor for one of their hours are expected to be available as a second adult if the classroom needs one. They will watch for students going to the restroom, assist another adult if they have a younger child with them who needs assistance, and make sure no children are wandering the halls by themselves. The hall monitor should be alert and not use their phone.

Two-Adult Rule:

• One-on-one adult/child situations (where the child is with a non-parent adult) during co-op are not acceptable. Private conversations between an adult and child should always be done with at least 2 adults present. All classrooms will always maintain at least 2 adults. In the case of a Cadet Class (those taught by our junior and senior high school students), the cadet teacher(s) will be considered an “adult” for these occasions and all rules for such will apply. If a special circumstance or emergency arises where an adult must be left alone with children that are not their own, the adult must make sure that the room is well-lit, easily accessible and the door left open. The adult also must make sure that there is more than one child present and that every effort be made to contact the hall monitor and gain another adult as quickly as possible.

Restroom Breaks:

• All children kindergarten-aged and younger children who need to leave the classroom to go to the restroom must be accompanied by an adult. If the child does not require assistance in the restroom, the accompanying adult will stand in the doorway between the hallway and the restroom, to be aware of the child, but still visible to the hall monitor. If the child needs personal assistance in the restroom, that child needs to be taken to one of the individual restrooms near the nursery where the door can be left cracked for another adult to help monitor the assistance given. If unexpected assistance is needed for a child who has been taken to the larger restrooms, the assisting adult will notify the hall monitor of the situation and the hall monitor will join the adult in the restroom for the assistance to take place. Children in early elementary classes and above will be allowed to walk to the restroom themselves. The assistant in their classroom will stand in the doorway of the classroom and the hallway to ensure a prompt journey to the restroom and back. The hall monitor will also help to ensure that the child goes to and from the restroom in a timely and respectful manner.

Outdoor Play/PE Supervision:

• All children and adults should stay in designated areas. A child returning to the building for any reason should be escorted by an adult. Supervising adults are to position themselves where they can see and interact with all children. They should not be using cell phones or socializing with other parents. Supervising adults need to check the area for trash, left items, etc. before leaving. All play equipment should be returned to the designated area.

Behavior and Discipline:

• Parents are responsible for their children when not in class. Before and after Co-op all children must be with their parent or registered adult. When being supervised, your child may be corrected by another parent. All adults are expected to correct a child’s behavior in gentleness and love. A non-parent adult should attempt to redirect or correct a child's behavior up to two times. If the inappropriate behavior continues, the child should be taken to his/her parent for correction. Children using cell phones and other devices (iPod, video games) during co-op will be asked to put them away. If there continues to be a problem, the child will be asked to take the device to his/her parent.

  • Respectful Guide (to be reviewed with the children):

    • Please keep your hands, feet, and other objects to yourself. 

    • Please don't talk while an adult is talking.

    • Please raise your hand to speak.

    • Please don't hit another, no rough play.

    • Please use kind words.

    • Please be respectful to your friends and teachers.

    • Please keep your hands to yourself.

    • Please stay in your seat unless an adult permits you to get up (during class).

    • Please do not have gum or snacks during co-op. Only clear, unflavored water is allowed. 

    • Children are not to leave the grounds during the school day.

    • Children need to ask permission for restroom breaks/seeing a parent, etc. from their teacher or assistant.

    • No cell phones or other electronic devices are to be used during class.

    • Children are asked not to handle church equipment, including the instruments, copy machines, televisions, and any other church property.

• Class teachers/assistants will generally be responsible for 'first line' discipline (i.e. 'please sit down', 'please don't jump', etc). However, it is the parent's responsibility to respond if their child has become a disruption beyond the 'first line' of discipline. It may be necessary for a helper or teacher to confiscate items that distract the student or classmates. Understand that the other parents will be, at times, correcting your child. This will be done in love and with patience. If you have any issues with this situation, please talk to anyone in leadership.

• If a parent is constantly being called out of class to deal with a student, and no evidence shows that the child is repentant of heart and has become a CONTINUAL disturbance to the teacher, then that child may be asked to “follow” their parent for the remainder of the day.

• Fighting / Physical Altercations:

• We expect all students to keep their hands, feet, and all other objects to themselves and to respect other people by doing so. In the case of any kind of physical altercation between students, a Steering Committee member should be notified immediately. The Steering Committee member will review the situation, and the students who are involved may be asked to sit out of class for the remainder of the co-op day. After the day is over, the Steering Committee will review the situation and decide on the appropriate course of action. In any case, if students are involved in a physical altercation, all involved parties may be suspended from co-op for 1 week of classes with the possibility of being expelled from that semester of co-op. The length of suspension or expulsion will be based on the severity of the incident and decided upon by the Steering Committee.

• Weapons:

• Students are not allowed to have any type of weapons on their person or in their bags during co-op. This includes all knives, guns, pocketknives*, etc. whether toy or real.

• Any student carrying a gun or threatening another student with any weapon will be removed for the semester and may be immediately expelled from membership at the discretion of the Steering Committee. 

• Accidentally carrying a prohibited item (pocketknife, toy gun, etc.) will result in the confiscation of the item and the following:
  1st infraction: Warning and confiscation of the item for the remainder of the day
  2nd: Must stay with a parent or registered adult for the remainder of the co-op day
  3rd: Dismissal from the remainder of the co-op semester

• The Steering Committee will review all situations involving weapons and reserves the right to determine the proper course of action for each incident, even if the decision is more severe than the procedures listed above.  

* There may be an exception for specific items (e.g. pocketknives, kitchen knives) for specific classes, but they should NEVER be used as a weapon or in a threatening manner. 

Facility/Building:

• All children should ALWAYS be with a parent or supervising adult. No child may be in the building or on the grounds (including play area, grass, and parking lot) unsupervised. Parents and children should stay in co-op designated areas. Parents and children are responsible for any damage caused, as stated in the Consent to Participate. The building shall be cleaned and returned to its original state according to the cleaning requirements.

Cleaning Requirements:

• Only PCH cleaning supplies should be used. These can be found in our cleaning caddies and will be easily accessible in the hallway in each area of the building for all those who are cleaning. Vacuums will be located in each hallway.

Nursery, Little Learners, Preschool, Kindergarten, Kitchen, and any other classrooms: Sanitize the following with disinfectant cleaner:

Large surfaces
Window sills
Small toys
Books
Soft surfaces

Return all toys, books, puzzles, and any other supplies to their designated area.
Vacuum the carpet.
Gather up all trash, tie the bag up, and place it in the hallway outside the room door.

All beds, changing tables, and chairs will be sanitized with disinfectant cleaner. Crib sheets
should be taken home by the designated nursery parent to be washed and brought back the next
week.
Floors will be swept and spills or accidents cleaned up and sanitized.
Clean sinks, countertops, and table tops.
Please mark the refrigerated items clearly and remove the items from the refrigerator at the end of each PCH event. Any spills in the refrigerator will need to be cleaned.
The individual toilets, sinks, potty chairs, stools, and counters in the Nursery, Little Learners, Preschool, and downstairs classroom areas must be cleaned and sanitized. Check to make sure the faucets are turned off and no water is running.
As stated above, teachers and assistants are responsible for cleaning their rooms, including disinfecting surfaces, vacuuming or sweeping, and cleaning up any spills, etc. If your class requires a drop cloth, please fold it in and place it back in the supply area.
Please remember to always leave your classroom/area in better condition than you found it. We are very grateful First Baptist Church allows us to use their facility and we want to respect their space. 

FIELD TRIP POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Participation:

• Field trips are open to current members in good standing with PCH.

• Additional children under the care of a member adult may be allowed to attend at the discretion of the Field Trip Director if they can be properly supervised by the member adult. An additional fee of $5 per non-member child per field trip will be required, except when the field trip is free to attend and there is not limited space (e.g. a park day). Members will take priority in registration over non-member children. 

• At least one parent (or other approved adult) must attend the field trip with member children. Children may be allowed to attend under the supervision of another member family at the discretion of the Field Trip Director. 

• Parents and students are required to arrive on time for the field trip.

• Members can choose which field trips to attend and are not obligated to attend any field trips.

Fees:

• Each field trip will have a unique fee structure. Some will be free to attend, while others will have an additional fee. 

• Fees must be paid before the sign-up deadline. No late sign-ups will be allowed. 

Registration:

• Each field trip requires its own separate registration. Sign-ups will be posted, and payment must be received by the payment deadline to register. 

• Each individual must be signed up to attend the field trip. 

Attendance: 

• Except as noted in the cancellation policy above, attendance is mandatory for field trips for which a member is signed up. 

• Late arrival is not courteous, as some or all group members may have to wait for your arrival before they can enter the venue. Please do everything in your power to arrive EARLY at the field trip location. 

• Late arrivals and no-shows will be penalized, and there will be no refund. The first offense will warrant a verbal or written warning, second offense will warrant a written warning. The third offense will revoke your field trip privileges for the remainder of the program year. Participation in the next program year’s field trips will be subject to approval by the Steering Committee and the Field Trip Director. 

• Carpooling is encouraged. 

Cancellation:

• Cancellation notifications should be made directly to the Field Trip Director as soon as a member knows they cannot attend. In addition, the field trip reservation should be removed from the website. 

• All members are expected to attend field trips for which they have signed up. We understand that last-minute illnesses or unexpected emergencies happen, but ask that, under those circumstances, the Field Trip Director be notified as soon as possible.

• Each field trip is unique in the payment structure. Refunds will only be processed if payment has not already been made to the venue for your tickets. Refunds may not be possible.