FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

"How does our co-op work? How do I describe PATH to my friends?"

We know that the concept of a parent-taught co-op may be new to you. This information was prepared by category to help you understand the logistics of our organization. You may copy this information for a friend who is interested in learning more about our rules and activities before calling about joining us. This information does not contradict or restate our rules and regulations which should be read in full by each member or potential member and their children.

Cost:

  1. Each family pays a $50 application fee every semester to cover PATH's copy costs, postage, building rental and supplies. This cost is paid when you turn in your application each semester. Normally we will have application during March for the fall or October for the spring semester. Application fees are not refundable if you choose to withdraw from PATH before the semester starts. We will not cash your application check until we have confirmed that we have an opening for your family, have accepted your application into PATH and have confirmed that you wish to participate in PATH the following semester.
  2. You will also pay, at registration, for the classes that your children will be taking. This amount will vary per family depending on the number of children you have and the cost of the classes that you allow them to take. Individual class prices can vary from $1 per semester to more than $25 per semester. We do have scholarships available for a few of our families as needed.
  3. PATH is affordable because our families do all of our own work. Each of our moms/dads teach, clean up after PATH is over each week or set-up the Church for our teachers before PATH starts each Monday morning. PATH couldn't exist if our parents didn't teach and clean to return the Church to an excellent condition before we vacate the Church each Monday afternoon. The Church will not allow us to continue to use their facility if we do not clean and care for it with a grateful spirit of good stewardship. I want you to take better care of the Church than you do your own home. If you see trash, pick it up; if you see a child sitting on a table, tell them to get down.

Parental Involvement:

  1. Parents must stay on-site with their children. Our parents assist the teachers in classrooms while their children are taking classes. The parents may or may not choose to assist in the classes that their children take, but the parents cannot leave the Church if their children are in classes at PATH.
  2. In addition to assisting in the classes, each parent must contribute A MINIMUM two credits to PATH. Moms or Dads can earn two credits by cleaning every week after co-op, by setting up the classrooms every week before co-op or by teaching classes. However, each of us should be prepared to do that which is necessary to keep this volunteer-ran organization operating smoothly. Each ten-week class counts as one credit for the teacher. If the teacher has a co-teacher then each teaching mom/dad gets a half-credit and must find another way to earn a credit and a half more. If you teach two classes, such as Magic School Bus to the K-2nd graders during first and then again during third hours, that will count as your two credits. Someone teaching one class can earn their second credit by helping the clean-up or set-up crew 5 times during the semester. The sign-up sheet for this will be at registration.
  3. What do I do during the times that my children are in class and I am not teaching? You, the parent, will sign up during registration for a specific class every hour. If you teach third hour, you are then free to decide which classes you would like to assist in during first, second, fourth and fifth hours. Each teacher will request a certain number of assistants for her/his classes depending on the class subject. Every class will have a minimum of two adults in the classroom at all times. At no time will one parent be alone with one or more children.
  4. We will also need 2-3 floaters every hour. Those moms/dads will report to the administration table at the beginning of the hour. The director or board member on duty will then assign each floater a classroom to assist in for that one-week depending on which classes have absent assistants.

Classes:

  1. We work hard to offer the classes that are most requested by our families. At the end of each semester, we will hand out a survey to find out what are the most requested classes for the next semester. From that survey, each age group coordinator will contact moms/dads that have expressed an interest in teaching a class to confirm their spot of service.
  2. There will always be moms whose classes are not chosen for the next semester. They can either become a part of the clean-up/set-up crews or volunteer to teach one of the requested classes that does not have a teacher yet.
  3. To keep consistency and prevent large grade level spans in the class room, the following guidelines will be used:
    4. Pre-K through Elementary Grades: For a child to move up a grade level, up to and including grade 5, the teachers of this child will be informed to specifically observe the student for two weeks. If 3 out of 5 of the student's teachers agree that this student is ready both socially and academically to move up, after conferring with the Coordinator and the Director, it will be approved.
    Middle and High School: Students may move up one (1) grade level from their birth placement. For example, any 8th grader may move up into a class labeled as a 9th grade class (with Coordinator and Director approval), but may not move into a class labeled as a 10th grade class.
    • Any class listed as a 6-8th grade class will be open to any student in 6-8th grade, regardless of the actual grade level imposed. Any class listed as a 9-12th grade class will be open to any student in 9th through 12th grade, regardless of the actual grade level imposed.
    • Students wishing to move up one full grade level for all classes must have two evaluations done, one by the higher grade level Coordinator and one by another board member, preferably the lower grade level Coordinator. Move ups for full grade level must then be approved by a majority vote of the Board.
    • Any student moved up a full grade level will not have the option of moving up another (2nd) level for any classes. For example, if a student is moved up to 8th grade but their age places them in 7th grade, the move up to a 9th grade class is not available to them.
    All children must register for classes within their age level. For example, if your child is 5 on or before Sept. 1, they must register for the Kindergarten Kids class. All age levels will use the Sept. 1 for the cut off date. You must have an exemption from age level coordinator to take classes at a higher level before registering. However, children may take classes below grade level without an exemption as long as space is available for that class.

Adding to the co-op:

If you have a friend who is interested in joining PATH, feel free to tell them about the co-op and to copy this informational sheet, the rules and regulations and the statement of faith for them. If they are still interested after reading those documents, they may download the application packet from the Application page and mail it to the Director. Or you may write down their name, address and phone number and give it to the director or new family coordinator. We will mail them our application package. The first method is preferred. We will add to PATH co-op on a class size basis, then on a first-come, first-serve basis. If we have "maxed' out our 3-5-grade class size, we will pass over a family with a child in that age group for the next family on the waiting list that has students in the other age groups, such as high school or junior high students.

Discipline:

  1. Do not speak to the children harshly, but please watch out and stop children from running in the halls, playing in the bathrooms, and any other type of inappropriate behavior that you see happening.
  2. Discipline notices are going to be sent home for those students who are not following our rules and regulations. Please read the rules to your children so they can know what is expected of them. I would also ask you to use discretion when giving a discipline notice out. However, do use these forms if you are having trouble with any child, including the director's children. Parents cannot correct what they do not know is happening! However, any child who receives three discipline notices will then be expelled from PATH. It will be the family's responsibility to make arrangements in accordance with PATH guidelines if the rest of the family continues to attend.
  3. We will expect obedient and responsive students who have come to learn and have fun in a classroom setting. We WILL NOT tolerate disruptive behavior in our classrooms, nor will we allow children to speak disrespectfully to our parents/volunteers. AND In accordance with Proverbs 6:16-19, 'sewing discord' among the Co-op will not be tolerated. Doing so is grounds for immediate expulsion from the Co-op.

Download Discipline Policy (76k PDF)

Communication:

Email is the main course of communication. It is imperative to check your email periodically during the week and Sunday evenings before retiring. Each family will have a folder (Mailbox) marked with their name in the lobby. We will place discipline notices, co-op newsletters and other matters of written communication in these folders. Please check your folder each morning upon arriving and each afternoon before leaving.

  1. We will have assembly time from 12:45-12:55. We will communicate any necessary information to our families at that time.
  2. We will communicate as much as possible via email since so many of our families have email addresses. Those families without email are asked to buddy up with a co-op family who will forward information to them. We cannot be responsible for information missed due to lack of email.
  3. Please make sure that our communication is glorifying to the Lord. We are a Christian organization for Christian families, and we want to be a blessing to each other. Grumbling, gossiping and critical comments will not be tolerated by anyone!

Thank you for reading this lengthy list of "how we work." I hope this clarifies PATH for you and provides an aid for you to use when describing our co-op to your friends!

In Christ, Lori Duncan, Director, PATH Co-op