Policies at CAFE
Coordinators: Kerry Marsh and Michelle Nephew
Registration/class size/fees
1. Class sizes are set by the teacher and/or the co-op, and both reserve the right to declare a class full. If a student is unable to join a class due to its size, the co-op will work with the family to find a suitable alternative.
2. Class registration priority will be given to returning co-op members prior to the published date of open registration. Other factors taken into consideration may include Christ Covenant membership, willingness to teach or help, and referral by current co-op or Christ Covenant member. Please note that our PreK and kindergarten mom-taught classes are reserved for younger siblings of students in first grade and above. PreK classes are open to students who are 4 years old at the start of the school year.
3. Semester fees are as follows:
Class fees: see Class Description for the specific class fees and supply fees
Family fee: $60 per year, due at the beginning of first semester. Families joining for second semester will pay $30.
Drop-off fee: $50 per family per year (only applies to junior high and high school age students)
($25 per family per semester if only taking one class period)
**Additional Drop-off information below**
Class Withdrawal Fee: Once the semester begins, class fees are non-refundable. If a paid class is dropped at any point prior to the start of second
semester, there is a $50 withdrawal fee in lieu of the second semester class fee.
Costume fee for recital night: varies by class.
If your family drops out of the co-op after the semester begins, your registration and class fees are non-refundable.
Parent responsibilities
1. Parents are responsible for their own children during the duration of the co-op, whether the child is in class or on the premises anywhere. Neither Christ Covenant Church nor CAFE leadership assume liability or responsibility for children involved in CAFE activities.
2. If you are running late, please call the Coordinator or someone who would be on site to let them know when you will be arriving. Please let the Coordinator know if someone other yourself will be bringing your children or visiting.
3. Be alert and aware of activities and happenings in and around the building at all times. We are all traffic controllers, hall monitors and building security!
4. Parents are expected to remain on the premises while children are participating in classes. If a child is not in class during any given hour, he/she must be in the designated study hall area or in the immediate vicinity of his/her parent. Children should not be wandering the halls. If you leave for any reason, you must designate another parent to be responsible for your children, record that information on the sign out sheet and inform your children who is responsible for them.
5. Students may be outside with a parents' permission and supervision. Children should play in the side parking lot only, and parents should use extreme caution when driving on church property.
6. If you will be off campus for an errand, you must sign out on the front table and designate another adult on site who will be responsible for your children while you are gone.
Teacher/Helper responsibilities
1. Come prepared, with necessary materials and a plan to lead the class. If a helper is assigned to the class, we encourage the teacher to include the helper in classroom management and curriculum prep as needed.
2. Direct students to leave the room neat and ready for the next class, including erasing the whiteboard, picking up scraps on the floor, returning furniture, etc. Additionally, make sure that students have packed up all their personal items and any returned work.
3. Periodically send out a note to parents of students that includes general information about how the class is going. This is especially important for classes requiring homework, but also helps parents reinforce any classroom learning at home. If teachers are using Google classroom, such communication can happen in that forum.
4. If a student is misbehaving in class or is not doing expected out of class work, let CAFE leadership and/or the parent know as soon as possible. Do not let disruptive behavior continue.
5. If you are a classroom helper, be on time and check in with the teacher before class starts. Your role is to help keep students engaged and attentive, and support the teacher in any way needed. Keep phone/text/computer use to a minimum so that you are a good example to the students in respect for the teacher and engagement in the class.
6. In the event of an absence, paid teachers are expected to provide instructional materials that assume a sub is not an expert in the subject matter. CAFE will provide a sub if possible, although the teacher should suggest someone who has the necessary skills. If an outside sub comes in to teach, the CAFE teacher should work out payment details with the sub.
7. In the event of an absence, a non-paid (coop parent) teacher should communicate with their helper or CAFE leadership as soon as possible to create a plan for class. Coop teachers should have materials in case of an absence either prepped online (easily accessible), stored in their classroom, or turned in to CAFE Leadership.
Student responsibilities
1. Be on time to class and come prepared.
2. Walk in the hallways, respect the church property, and be kind and respectful to others.
3. Honor teachers and other adults by addressing them with formal titles (ie. Mr./Mrs.), and responding appropriately to teachers' directives.
4. Complete all class requirements and cooperate with teachers at all times.
5. Stay current with assignments and take responsibility for making up missed material due to an absence. A pattern of excessive absences or late/missed assignments may result in notification by the teacher to the parent and/or co-op leadership, or even dismissal from the class with no refund.
6. No gum is allowed.
7. No cell phones, other electronic games/equipment, or personal items such as trading cards, toys, headphones, etc. should be brought to class unless approved by the teacher. Each teacher has the right to confiscate any distracting item until the end of class or returned to a parent.
Family responsibilities
CLEANING: Each family (including drop off families) will be responsible for end-of-day cleaning two times per year. If your family is unable to fulfill your end-of-day cleaning responsibilities, we have a "pay-a-teen" option for $20. The family of a student coming for one paid class is excused from cleaning.
VOLUNTEER POSITIONS: While we don't agree with her on much, it does take a village to run a co-op. We ask that families commit to serve in various positions throughout the day, proportionate to the number of classes taken. These positions can be filled by older students (junior high and above) or adults. Families paying the drop-off fee or coming for only one paid class are excused from weekly volunteering positions.
If your family is at the CAFE for:
*1 hour (unpaid class), sign up for 1 job.
*2-3 hours, sign up for at least 2 jobs
*4-5 hours, sign up for at least 3 jobs.
*6-7 hours, sign up for at least 4 jobs
**If you are the lead teacher for two or more classes, you may reduce your volunteer hour requirement by one job.**
If the lead teacher in a class is absent, the helper is expected to lead the class, and a substitute helper will be provided. That substitute helper will be a mom who has free time that hour. Any mom not assigned to another helper position will be expected to pitch in and be a substitute helper as needed. Parents paying the drop-off fee are excluded from subbing or volunteer requirements.
Drop-Off Policy
1. Students in paid junior high or high school level classes may be dropped off or drive themselves. Parents must fill out a drop-off form with contact information at the beginning of the semester, and must be accessible at the given phone numbers during co-op hours. If discipline issues arise, the co-op may require a parent to be on the premises during class hours.
2. There is a $50 drop off fee per family per year in addition to the family registration fee. The drop-off fee is reduced to $25 if students are only on site for 1 class hour.
3. Drop-off families who attend two or more class hours still need to do end-of-day cleaning twice a year, but do not have weekly or substitute responsibilities.
Discipline
Every student is expected to participate in class activities, to honor teachers and other adults, and to respect their fellow students. If a child is disrupting a class session and does not respond to verbal redirection, he/she will be removed from the class and escorted to the parent or to a co-op leader for the duration of the class period. At the co-op leader's discretion, the child may be permitted to return to the class that day.
If the child's behavior continues to be a disruption, co-op leadership will work with the teacher and the parent to resolve the situation. However, the co-op reserves the right to dismiss the child from the class for the rest of the term. The child will be expected to remain with the parent during that class period for the remaining weeks.
We are guests of Christ Covenant Church, and thus any willful destruction of church property will not be tolerated. Failure to respect the building or property may result in co-op discipline and/or dismissal. Please report any accidental damage immediately.
Illness/Absence policy
Participants should not attend classes if they are sick, or if they have experienced vomiting, diarrhea or fever within the last 24 hours. Please use good judgement when deciding whether to send some students if other family members are sick. This is a great place to apply the Golden Rule!
If you are a teacher, and you suspect that you will not be able to attend due to illness in your family, please let the Coordinator or your helper know as soon as possible (preferably the night before) to arrange for a sub.
Excessive absences, whether planned or unplanned, may result in the necessity of hiring a longer-term sub. Therefore, the participant may be required to help cover the cost of the long-term sub.
Weather/Emergency Cancellation Policy
Unless communicated otherwise, cancellation due to weather will be communicated via email by 7:00 am for the morning classes (all those classes that meet before noon.) Cancellation for the afternoon classes (any class that starts at 12:30 pm or later) will be communicated by 10:30 am via email. If an additional cancellation make-up day beyond the one schedule is needed, information will be communicated at that time.