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:
- Each family pays a $65 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- To keep consistency and prevent large grade level spans in the class room, the following guidelines will be used:
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- We will have assembly time from 12:45-12:55. We will communicate any necessary information to our families at that time.
- 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.
- 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, Kristi Huckabee, Director, PATH Co-op
