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Friendly Educators Policies and Guidelines for 2025-2026

Welcome to Friendly Educators! We are a supplemental homeschool tutorial providing classes, chapel,and community events to Christian homeschooling families in the Triad area. We welcome families that share our values and want to take an active role in making FE a wonderful and safe community. While we are proud to offer a wide variety of resources to our families, it remains the sole responsibility of the parents to meet all requirements of the North Carolina Department of Non-Public Education in regards to their own homeschool.

It is our desire to honor the Lord in all that we do and to point our children to Him. This document in no way precludes the board from making decisions that need to be made in the best interests of this program or from allowing the Lord to direct our paths. This document is intended to be a set of guidelines to give FE families a fair expectation of our time together and to eliminate confusion about policies and procedures.

General Policies

  1. All families and tutors at Friendly Educators are required to sign our Statement of Faith. By signing your name, you are agreeing that this statement is your sincerely held belief in faith and practice.

  1. We use this webiste for Registration, Calendar, and Community Event Sign-Ups. Communication from the Directors will come from the Communications@friendlyeducators.org email address.

  1. Student cell phones are to remain off and out of view at all times. The use of cell phones is not permitted in class, hallways, bathrooms, chapel, or during lunch.  If needed for an emergency, students may use phones at the front desk only.

  1. Parents or another family member must remain on campus for all students except those that can drive themselves AND are in 11th & 12th grade.  FE is not a drop off program.  Students and parents are expected to check in and out together. If you need to leave your student on campus without you for any reason, you may appoint another adult to be responsible for them in your place, but this must be approved by the directors. 

  1. Leaving campus for lunch may be done at parent’s discretion. FE does not monitor students leaving for lunch. Parents, please advise your students of your wishes.

  1. Food is only permitted in the designated spaces provided: the fellowship hall (first floor), the youth chapel (second floor), or outside.

  1. The kitchen is off limits to students, parents, and tutors unless teaching or participating in a class, without special permission from the directors.

  1. Students are not permitted to hang out in cars or other unsupervised areas on campus without parents. Students must remain in designated areas under adult supervision, to include lunch.

  1. Study hall is available at every hour and will be split between Elementary/Middle School  and High School/Middle School. Middle School parents may choose which study hall is appropriate for their student’s maturity level. These rooms will be used for the purpose of quiet, independent studying. High School students that are on campus but not enrolled in a class must be enrolled and attend Study Hall. The cost to register for Study Hall is $50/year.

  1. Chapel is a foundational part of our program, and attendance is MANDATORY for all students and parents on campus anytime between 11am-12pm unless serving in work duty.

  1. Students are required to show care and respect to the property of Lawndale. Any property damage caused by an FE student or family member will result in that family paying for the repair or replacement of the damaged property. Any student who willfully causes property damage (and this includes marking on tables) may be suspended from classes for a period of time determined by the FE leadership.

Behavior Policies

Please read this section, paying careful attention to details. We are dedicated to providing an atmosphere where optimum learning can take place in a secure, peaceful environment.

It is impossible for us to consider, list, or address every negative behavior that we may possibly encounter. All students must conduct themselves in a manner that is pleasing and acceptable to God, and in a way that brings honor to our Lord, Jesus Christ.

We have high standards for behavior and expect students and their parents to conduct themselves in a respectful and Christian manner. If there is any doubt that your children cannot or will not adhere to the FE rules and policies, or that you can support us if disciplinary measures are required, this is likely not the appropriate program for your family.

Failure of parents or students to uphold these principles may include consequences resulting in suspension or expulsion from the program, and refunds will not be given. 

These behavior standards apply to all FE functions and activities.

  1.  Students are expected to be respectful, polite, considerate, trustworthy, obedient. Most unacceptable behaviors will result in one warning and a discussion between our directors, student, and student’s parent and tutor if appropriate. A repeat offense in a classroom, will require a parent to sit in the classroom with the student for the remainder of the semester. Beyond this, the student will be suspended or expelled, at the discretion of the directors.

  1. Disrespect toward administrators, mentors, or peers will not be tolerated. Students must demonstrate Christ-like respect and consideration for others.

  1. Students may not disrupt class or interfere with the learning process.

  1. All students are expected to be in the classroom or Study Hall where they are assigned OR with a parent at all times. The exception to this is during lunch, when students may play in the gym, or eat in the Fellowship Hall (1st floor), Youth Chapel (2nd floor), or outside weather permitting.

  1. The gym will be a place for students to get out their energy during lunch time. There will be no eating in the gym except for special occasions, and these will be communicated to you by the Directors. All rules about being respectful and following adult directions apply to the gym during this time. Please make sure your children are supervised or are mature enough to be respectful, follow directions, and make wise choices with their behavior. Please make sure your students have cleared the gym area before 11:55. 

  1. Conversations must not contain language or topics that are inappropriate in a Christian environment. Gossip will not be tolerated.

  1. Public displays of affection (PDA) such as kissing, hand-holding, and other body-to-body contact in a romantic way are not permitted.

  1. No fighting or bullying will be tolerated. If the behavior problem is serious, immediate suspension or expulsion will be administered at the discretion of the directors.

  1. Smoking, vaping, alcohol, or illegal substances of any kind are not permitted on campus. Students in possession of anything illegal will be immediately expelled and the police will be notified. 

  1. FE participants are expected to adhere to Christian principles regarding online communications including, but not limited to, social media postings and email/text exchanges.Students will avoid behavior and/or social media posts that may have a negative impact on other FE families, Lawndale Baptist Church, or our program. We are responsible for doing what is necessary to protect the integrity of our program and seek to only admit and retain families who consistently demonstrate good character and wise decision-making practices.

  2. Participants may be photographed or recorded while participating in Friendly Educators classes or events and may be published online or through other FE publications.

Classroom Policies 

Our goal is for FE to provide an environment conducive to learning where instructors and students alike have an enjoyable school day. We are not a school and do not have the ability to deal with behaviors beyond simple redirection.

  1. All Tutors and Sub Tutors will be background checked before being in the classroom with students. A Tutor may not leave their class with an adult that has not been background checked for any reason.

  1. Parents are responsible for obtaining required textbooks and materials prior to the first class.

  1. Parents are permitted to be in any class their children attend.

  1. Tutors reserve the right to impose academic standards that foster an environment of academic excellence. If your student, in the opinion of the tutor, does not meet the appropriate academic standards set forth, they may be asked to withdraw from their class. This is at the sole discretion of the tutor, and no refunds will be given. Please refer to the class descriptions for individual classroom expectations.

  1.  Students must respect the rights and property of others and treat those in authority with respect. Adults should be addressed with appropriate titles of respect.

  1.  When talking, students will use an appropriate conversational tone.

  1. Students are expected to show respect for others, participate in class, listen when others are speaking and raise hands for permission to speak in class.

  1. Writing and passing notes, tossing objects, and playing with irrelevant objects (such as laser pens, hand held games, etc.) will not be allowed in class.

Payment Policies

  1. All class payments will be due in full by August 15th. This year, in addition to our $125 Registration fee, we will also require a $50 security fee. This fee helps pay for our weekly off-duty officer.

  1. Payment schedule as follows:

  1. Failure to make payments on time will result in a late fee of $50 and your child being dropped from their classes the full payment is made. If the class has a waiting list, they will be moved to the back of that list.

  1. Please note that all monies, including but not limited to: Registration, Security Fee, Tutor Support Fee, Study Hall Fee, Missed Work Duty Fee, and all Fundraising are used for the many costs associated with running a large homeschool co-op. This includes administration costs, security costs, supply costs, insurance, website, payment fees, special events, our End of Year Ceremony, a monetary gift for Lawndale Baptist Church hosting us, and various other needs throughout the year. The Friendly Educators Board shares our budget with Lawndale Baptist and also conducts a yearly audit  to make certain we are above reproach in this area.

  1. If, at any time, students or parents are in violation of the signed agreements, their privilege of participation in FE will be reevaluated and may be revoked. No refunds will be given if a student is expelled from the program either from his own actions or those of a parent.

  1. In certain situations beyond our control (e.g. acts of God, government mandates, war, etc.) no refunds will be given.

Work Duty

  1. All families must participate in our work duty program weekly for one semester.

  1. Some positions, such as Leadership or Special Duty, require a weekly year long commitment.

  1. If you are unable to perform your work duty, you must find a replacement. You may trade work duties with someone, or find a sub from our work duty sub list and pay them $25.

  2. There will be fines for missed work duty as follows:

Dress Code

FE does not require a specific dress code. However, we are a Christian program and we meet in a church, so please be considerate of others. All participants and families are required to dress modestly. If you are unsure if something is appropriate, please do not wear it.

Sick Policy

Please do not bring sick children to campus.

Inclement Weather Policy

  1. We do not operate on any county school schedule.

  2. Classes may be cancelled or operate on a delayed schedule as follows:

Any cancellations or delays will be communicated by 7am the day of by an email from Communications@friendlyeducators.org.