Northern Lights Home-School Association

Student Code of Conduct

In order to assure that Northern Lights Home-School Association is a positive experience for all involved, we have developed the following Code of Conduct.  Every adult, not just tutors, are expected to intervene if disruptive or disrespectful behavior is observed. All parents are responsible for enforcing NLHSA rules listed below. It is understood that if anyone in your family violates the rules, it will jeopardize your participation in the group. The NLHSA board reserves the right to deny participation to any student or family. Parents will be contacted if a disciplinary problem arises and may be asked to remove their child from class. Please take the time to read and discuss this with your children.

Let us be a testimony in our words and actions to our association members as well as to the community.

Code of Conduct

• Always show respect for all tutors, monitors and other adults during class time and NLHSA functions.

• Anyone talking aloud, whispering to friends, texting, talking on a cell phone, or in other ways disrupting class will be sent to their parent. Disrespectful or inappropriate conversation and gestures and aggressive physical contact will not be permitted and will jeopardize your membership.

• Please dress in a God-honoring way that is not distracting to others.

• Respect church property as a house of worship and use only items and areas sanctioned for our use (upstairs and downstairs classrooms, nursery and preschool rooms, gym, kitchen and fellowship hall, parking lot, but not the church offices or Acorn Academy Preschool Area including their stairwell). Church personnel are often working while we are there, so no roaming around and no running indoors. No defacing of church property will be allowed. You will be held accountable for any damages caused by your actions. In addition we ask that you do not allow your children to climb on the stair rails and church structure outside of the building for respect and safety reasons for all.

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• All electronics devices should be used for classroom participation purposes only.

• Be in class at all times while at co-op and do not leave the classroom without the tutor’s or monitor’s permission.

• Please clean up after yourself before leaving each class. We strive to leave the church in better condition than when co-op started.

• Students are expected to encourage and support one another in a gracious and loving environment.

• Rough-housing or bullying will not be tolerated. Bullying includes, but is not limited to: slurs, name-calling, rumors, jokes, demeaning comments, pranks, gestures, physical attacks and/or threats, peer group exclusion, or other written, oral or physical actions. Depending on the nature and severity of the bullying or retaliation for reporting acts of bullying, discipline can range from a verbal warning to expulsion.

Any student not honoring these standards for two weeks in a row will be removed from class for one week. Upon return to class, if the student habitually fails to honor these standards, the student will be removed from the class for the remainder of the semester.

Discipline Guidelines and Consequences for Violation of Code of Conduct

Discipline

Guidelines for handling disruptive behavior:
Step 1: Lovingly but firmly, the student will be advised to stop the behavior that violates the Student Code of Conduct.

Step 2: The student will be informed of the consequences if they continue the behavior.

Step 3: The student will be asked to move to a different seat and/or an adult will sit next to them. The tutor or monitor will complete a Student Behavior Report (online or on a paper copy in the class folder) and contact the parent after co-op. 

Step 4: The student will be removed from class immediately and escorted to the Director and/or Assistant Director.

• A Student Behavior Report may be completed if a student displays recurring behavior each class period, even though he/she does not continue the behavior after step 2. 

• Steps 1-3 can be skipped at the tutor's or monitor's discretion if a student is excessively rude or aggressive.

• Follow-up - If the student continues to be disruptive or disrespectful, it may result in the student’s removal from Northern Lights Home-School Association.

• If a student harms another co-op member, they will be asked to leave for the day. This will be done on a case by case basis. If this type of aggressive behavior continues, the student WILL be removed from Northern Lights Home-School Association. This MUST be a safe place for all its members.

• In the event a student is dismissed from co-op, tuition and fees will not be reimbursed.

• This Code of Conduct will be adhered to during all Northern Lights activities including field trips and special events.

As parents, it is our privilege and responsibility to encourage and equip our children for success in the classroom and in group activities. Let us pursue an attitude of grace with one another and use discretion with our spoken words holding ourselves and each other accountable the same way we do our children.

Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Proverbs 27:5-6 "Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse."

Northern Lights Home-School Association

Parent Code of Conduct

As a member of NLHSA, I agree to the following:

1. I understand that everyone is needed to pitch in, in order to make the co-op function and a success.

2. I will complete my volunteer service jobs and follow the guidelines listed in the service job descriptions.  

3. I, or a representative of our family, commit to coming to every co-op.  If I miss a co-op, I need to call the Director or Assistant Director as soon as possible so they can find another parent to cover my position.  For each co-op I miss, I will cover for another parent who is gone. I will be put on a list to help on a future co-op day as needed. I will miss half of my Fellowship Time (45 minutes) to be a substitute monitor along with my regular monitor/teacher duties for that day.

4. I understand that I need to be on time by arriving at 9:15 am.  This helps show respect for the teachers and the students.  If I am consistently late after 9:30 am, I will help with clean up after class and take down at the end of that day.  I will be prepared to stay until 1:30 pm.

5. I understand that the registration payment of $110 is due by June 13th, 2024, or 1 week after registering (for new members) and that tuition payments must be made at the maximum of 4 payments on Parent Night on August 26, 2024, October 15, 2024,  November 15, 2024 and December 15, 2024.  If I do not pay by those dates, there will be a $10 late fee assessed. If I do not pay, we may not be able to return to co-op for the second semester until it is paid. We are also aware that our spot may be filled.

6. If a family leaves NLHSA during the year, for any reason, it is understood that all tuition and fees for the year are non-refundable.

7. I will dress in a way that honors God and is not distracting to others.

8.  I understand that NLHSA forms of communication (email, Telegram, forum, etc) are meant for the enrichment of our community, and I will use it in a way that is on topic with prayer requests, NLHSA activities, and homeschooling.

9. I have read the NLHSA Statement of Faith provided in the registration form and will not promote ideas contrary to it.

10. I understand that membership in NLHSA is at the discretion and approval of the NLHSA Board, and membership may be canceled at any time without explanation.

11. I will honor the grievance policy of NLHSA in a God honoring way that is respectful to all the members of the co-op.

Northern Lights Home School Association, Inc.

Grievance Policy

We encourage our members to try to resolve conflict and offenses as quickly as possible. Please do not let bitterness, anger, or hurt take root in your heart and mind. We must refrain from criticism, grumbling/complaining, and gossip. These are Satan's way of taking glory from God. Instead, let us honor and glorify God by “keeping our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking lies” (Ps. 34:13) and allowing “our speech to be always filled with grace” (Col 4:6).
 

In any group, there will be disagreements; there is no expectation that NLHSA will be free from disagreements. However, it is God's desire for there to be continued Christian fellowship with all members of this group. As it states in God's Word: “All this is from God who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18). In conflict, our goal is reconciliation.
 

Therefore, conflict resolution within Northern Lights Home- School Association (NLHSA) will be handled to the best of our ability in accordance with Matt. 18:15-17. This means that, should a point of conflict within our organization arise between two members, they will first be asked “to go and show him his fault in private” (Matt. 18:15). If the conflict is not resolved by this action, the interested party should approach a member of the NLHSA Board of Directors, and they will assist in fulfilling the mandate of verse 16: “If he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every fact may be confirmed.” As NLHSA is an organization and not a church, we feel we cannot completely fulfill verse 17. However, if the conflict is still not resolved by the above steps, or if the member(s) refuses to meet to discuss and resolve the issue(s), the NLHSA Board of Directors reserves the right, on behalf of the group, to dissolve the offending party’s membership in the group.
 

All information will be treated confidentially by NLHSA Board and those involved in the grievance are expected to treat the matter with confidentiality as well (i.e. communication outside the parties involved). Once all steps have been taken to bring resolution to a grievance, the board will make a final decision which will be presented to the body if need be.  The Board will do its best to present all information to the body in a way that is respectful and honoring to all parties involved.

Responsibilities of Members

Parents must show a genuine interest in their children through active participation in NLHSA activities. This includes being present during all co-op meetings and serving as a monitor or tutor. If you have to miss a class day, you must call the Director or Asst. Director as soon as possible so they can make arrangements to cover your position. Please remember that missing a class day places a strain on the co-op. Another parent has to cover your responsibilities.  

1.  Please be prompt: Please arrive by 9:15am so that you will have time to hang up coats, use the restrooms, and bring your child(ren) to their starting rooms. At 9:30am, children will open with prayer, say the Pledge of Allegiance, and celebrate birthdays.  It is important to show respect to our tutors and the other students by being in opening time and ready to start at 9:30am. By arriving at 9:15am, you can help get the morning off to a timely start, and your child(ren) will receive the benefits of the full first period of class time without unnecessary interruptions or delays. 

2.  Pickup of Students: Parents must pick up infants and preschool children promptly at 12:55pm before visiting or taking care of other NLHSA business. Only parents, not siblings, may pick up infants and preschool children. This way we can ensure the children are where they belong. K-3rd grade students will be brought to the sanctuary by their monitors after co-op. Parents need to get children from the sanctuary by 1:00. 4th and up students will be assigned minor take-down duties and then will go to the sanctuary. After co-op, all students must either be in the sanctuary or with their parent, NOT roaming freely in the halls.

3.  Monitors: Each time you monitor you are responsible for supervising all activities of your assigned age group during either the first half of the meeting (9:40-11:15) or the second half of the meeting (11:25-12:55). The main points are as follows:

• Your most important class duty will be reminding students to have a respectful attitude and listen while in their classes. Please don’t allow our tutors to waste their time on discipline.  This is your job. If an issue arises with a student that is disruptive to the class, remove the student and talk with them in the hall.

• First half monitors: Please be in the sanctuary with your students starting at 9:30am. Regular duties include taking attendance, handing out name tags, and bringing students to the bathroom and classes.

• Second half monitors: Bring students to the bathroom and classes. Please make sure tables are clean, floors are picked up, and tables and chairs are put back in order. If you are monitoring a K-3rd grade class, bring them to the sanctuary after their class is done.

• Please return your monitor folders and badges to the Fellowship Time room at the end of the day.

4.  Student Behavior: If your child’s behavior becomes disruptive in his/her class in any way, you will be notified of the problem by your child’s monitor or the Director/Asst. Director so that you may work with your child to correct it.  If the problem is more serious or your child refuses to cooperate in a class, they may be sent to the Director/Assistant Director or returned to you for the remainder of the class period. NLHSA participation is to be considered a privilege, which may be revoked if behavior problems remain uncorrected.  Should this happen, no refund will be issued.

5.  Participation: We strongly encourage full participation in all Northern Lights class activities.  Please help your students to be prepared for special events such as Speech for Fun, Oral Presentation, the Challenge, and the Spelling/Geography Bee. We believe that one of the most important benefits we offer are these opportunities for our students to practice speaking in front of their peers. The greater the participation, the better the result will be for everyone. Please do not stay home from co-op if your child does not want to participate in special events.

6.  Volunteer Responsibilities: Every family volunteers to help with different NLHSA activities. This helps to run our co-op and ensures that the Board does not get overloaded. More information is on the following pages.

7.  Member Status: In order for our co-op to function properly we depend on each member to fulfill their obligations. Families will be given priority registration for the following year based on their “Member Status.” This is a Two-Tiered System.

• Tier One includes returning members who have satisfactorily completed their service jobs and have maintained consistent attendance. These families will be given first priority for registration on May 13th at 12:00pm, with a deadline of May 20, 2024.

• Tier Two includes new families who have interviewed and accepted an invitation to join NLHSA, and returning families who have not satisfactorily completed their service jobs or have inconsistent attendance. These families will be given second priority registration beginning at 10:00am on May 20th, with a deadline of June 25th, 2024.

We have read the Parental Responsibilities page and will adhere to it.

Photo Permission

I understand that pictures will be taken at many NLHSA outings and functions and may be posted on NLHSA approved sites such as the NLHSA Facebook Page, NLHSA website, etc.
 

After submitting this form, be sure that you have completed the Medical Form and the Waiver of Liability Form found under the Membership Tab.