Participant Expectations
Christian Home Educators' Cooperative
Participant Expectations
2024-2025
Parents, please read this document aloud to all of your children (or have them read it themselves), and discuss together before signing below.
Behavior
The standard of behavior for co-op participants is exceptionally high. Please consider whether you, the student, are prepared to participate in the classes in a way that benefits those around you.
All students listen to, respond to, and quickly obey adults. They respectfully listen during class time. “Respectfully listen” means not only listening, but having the appearance of listening, keeping eyes on the teacher and/or whatever the teacher is referencing. Students interact on topic when it is appropriate. In the academic classes, students must not have side conversations. Comments to each other, even on topic, are distracting and impolite. All talking should be for the whole class and only when talking is appropriate.
There are no inappropriate public displays of affection between co-op participants.
We need to be excellent guests of the church. When students are in the building, they must walk (not run or engage in horseplay) and use quiet voices.
Once students arrive at co-op, they must always stay under the supervision of adults. No student is at co-op without a parent or a previously arranged parent substitute. No student may leave campus without permission from a parent and notification of affected co-op teachers.
Juniors and seniors may have partial days at co-op, taking what they need and leaving when they do not have class. Please keep in mind that students who leave campus must have permission from a parent.
All parents have the freedom and responsibility during co-op classes to address behavior issues. If bad behavior is chronic, parents and the director will be notified.
Students may only have water for a beverage while in the building, and they may have that water only between classes, at lunch, and at PE. No water for students in classrooms. Parents may have any beverage in the building, and juniors and seniors may have non-water beverages at lunch.
Disruptive behavior is not tolerated. If a child cannot behave properly at co-op, the entire family will be asked to delay their involvement in co-op for one full semester. After that time, the family may be reconsidered for co-op participation.
Dress Guidelines
As co-op is an academic environment, students (and parents) dress appropriately and modestly on class days. In an effort to not distract others or draw unnecessary attention to oneself:
Young ladies will dress as young ladies and follow these specific requests:
Do wear modest tops (not too low or too tight) that do not expose midriffs.
Do wear shorts and skirts that fall at a modest length (think longer than mid-thigh)
Do wear a mid-thigh length top or tunic with jeggings, leggings, or spandex (pants that do not allow for normal creasing in the fabric).
Do not wear jeans or pants with rips, frays, or cut outs above the mid-thigh unless clearly backed with fabric.
Do not wear ball caps.
Young men will dress as young men and follow these specific requests:
Do wear shirts with sleeves. (Young boys may wear sleeveless shirts.)
Do wear pants at the waist.
Do wear shorts that fall at a modest length (think longer than mid-thigh)
Do not wear jeans or pants with rips, frays, or cut outs above the mid-thigh unless clearly backed with fabric.
Do not wear caps in the building.
Cell Phone and Technology Use
All CHEC participants, both students and parents, are asked to keep personal, non-CHEC related phone and accessory usage (such as Airpods and headphones, etc.) rare and minimal, except where allowed by parents during a study hall (students), and during off-time (parents).
Upper level CHEC teachers are welcome to ask students to use phones or devices for classroom enrichment purposes, but they are expected to set clear guidelines for use.
Outside of these specific classroom activity times, all participants should keep their phones and accessories out of sight and silenced.
Any student phone or device use in the classroom outside of specific teacher permission or direction will result in the device being confiscated from the student and returned to the parent. Repetitive unacceptable phone use will necessitate a meeting with the director, CHEC teacher, parent, and student to determine the student’s further enrollment in the class &/or CHEC.
With parent permission, students may use their phones and device accessories such as headphones or AirPods during a designated study hall. Parents are expected to give specific parameters to their students, and parents should maintain the responsibility for monitoring.
Expectations for Academic Readiness and Integrity
Co-op classroom time is not intended to be the bulk of the student’s time spent in each subject, nor is it meant to be an avenue for simply being exposed to material. In most cases it is the culmination of what students have been studying throughout the week, and a means to deepen understanding of the subjects that are already being explored at home.
This means:
In the week leading up to co-op, students should attempt to understand assigned material well enough that they are able to engage in class, or have appropriate questions to ask if they don't understand.
While some students are more comfortable than others at sharing ideas and answers in class, all students should demonstrate attentiveness and engagement in the classroom.
Participating students in grades 7-12 are expected to be prepared and ready to participate in chosen classes.
Academic integrity is taken very seriously and viewed as a matter of Christian honor. All submitted coursework must be the intellectual property of the student alone, except where the student has sufficiently cited outside sources in an academic manner. Any use of artificial intelligence to author or unduly enhance submitted coursework is strictly prohibited unless specifically directed by a CHEC lead teacher.
Homework
Some of the late-elementary classes and almost all the junior high and senior high classes use purchased curricula.
The students in these classes are expected to purchase the curriculum and do work as paced by the co-op teacher. The students being at the same place in their courses of studies makes enrichment possible.
Should a student fall behind in a subject, parents and students need to communicate with the co-op teacher as soon as possible with a plan for catching up.
For the sake of class morale and quality, if a student consistently comes to class unprepared, they will be asked to leave the class permanently.
Given the requirement for students to remain up to date with their coursework, there is no allowance for auditing classes.
Copyright laws
Copyright laws are to be taken very seriously. Please do not copy materials that are protected by copyright laws unless (1) you contact the publisher and obtain permission; OR (2) you are very sure that you are not infringing the copyright (for example, your copying falls under the “fair use doctrine” or another exception to the law).
When in doubt, call the copyright holder and ask. CHEC views this as a matter of Christian integrity.
Parents, to indicate you have read this document, please follow the instructions here.
Please note that in signing this document you are acknowledging that you have not only read this document yourselves, but have thoroughly discussed these expectations with your ALL of your children. Students 7th and up will have the opportunity at the student orientation to sign for themselves that they have fully read and understand these expectations, as well.