LEGACY POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS

 

GENERAL POLICIES AT LEGACY

 

The heart of Legacy Homeschool Center is homeschooling, which necessitates parents' involvement in their children's education, classes, and day-to-day experiences to achieve maximum effectiveness.

 

Therefore, Legacy policy requires that a parent or permanent legal guardian remain within Legacy boundaries the entire time his or her children are at Legacy. Extended family members are not allowed to come in place of a parent other than pursuant to the Parent Absence Policy, defined below. Parents assume full responsibility for their children at all times while at Legacy, including the time they spend in study hall.

 

Legacy students benefit immensely from the presence and influence of our dedicated parents on-site each week. As a cooperative organization, all parents are responsible to enforce co-op rules and expectations. This plays a vital role in ensuring a high standard is maintained for conduct, attitude, and safety at our co-op. Parents will be contacted if disciplinary problems arise. Sitting in a car or dropping off children is not allowed.

 

Parent Absence Policy: In order to limit the number of classes a student may need to miss due to unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances beyond a family’s control, the Parent Absence Policy has been put in place. This policy allows each family up to two exemptions for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year (up to three exemptions per full school year beginning September 2012) for reasons deemed sufficient to the family requesting the exemption. A Parent Absence is defined as any instance in which someone other than one of the parents or permanent legal guardians listed on the Registration Contract has responsibility for the any of the children listed on the Registration Contract for all or part of a day at Legacy, and each instance must be documented as one of the two allowed absences. Please keep in mind that the abuse of this policy by ONE family may jeopardize its continued implementation for ALL families. For this reason, we cannot stress enough the need for discernment in applying this exemption to your family's situation. For ongoing medical situations or other extenuating circumstances, please contact the Legacy Board.

 

Please be aware of the following steps you must follow in order to send your children with an alternative adult temporary caregiver up to two times during the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year. Please ensure that your children are fully aware of to whom they are accountable in your absence.

 

• A Parent Off-site Form (download requires Adobe Reader) must be filled out completely and the Board notified of any exemptions. This form may be turned in at the Front Desk either in advance or upon arrival at Legacy on the day in question, and must include the following:
  • Reason for absence
  • Name, contact information, and signature of adult who is assuming responsibility for your children
  • Name of individual who is covering your co-op job
  • Parent's signature
  • Board member's signature (available at the Front Desk)

• It is highly recommended that a completed medical authorization form be signed and given to the adult who is assuming responsibility for your children. Click to download a sample Medical Authorization Form (requires Adobe Reader).

• If you are sending your children with an adult who is not part of a current Legacy family, they must register at the Front Desk as a visitor.

Undocumented absences, more than two absences for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year, and/or failure to provide for the completion of your co-op job during your absence will jeopardize your privilege to participate in this co-op.

 

Designated Legacy Co-op boundaries: DO NOT use areas of the church that OCC has not invited Legacy to use. EMPTY CLASSROOMS, THE GYM, THE CHAPEL, HALLWAYS BEHIND THE ELEVATORS, AND STAIRWELLS ARE OFF LIMITS, unless you are in class, traveling to or from class, or exiting the building in the case of an emergency. In order to adequately account for each student during an emergency, children are expected to remain in class or in the lunch room/study hall (Room #3) at all times unless accompanied by a parent or responsible adult, or carrying a hall pass. Students may not loiter in the hallways.

 

Eating Areas: Please honor all OCC signs denoting where food and drinks are allowed. Room #3 (upstairs) and the tables downstairs in the hall near the elevator are the designated eating areas. Families are encouraged to eat together, and each family is responsible for cleaning up after themselves. Eating will not be permitted in the classrooms unless scheduled by the teacher.

 

All parents and children are expected to treat other parents, teachers, students, and our host facility/staff with courtesy and respect at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, cleaning up after themselves, not talking loudly in areas where classes are in session, and not running in the building. In addition, the following rules apply to building use at OCC:

• No weapons, real or play (guns, knives, etc.); alcohol; or illegal drugs will be permitted on church premises.
• No bikes, skateboards, scooters, or roller blades allowed on church premises.
• No pets are allowed on church premises except working service dogs.

Dress and conduct codes: All parents and children are expected to follow Legacy’s dress and conduct codes.

• Clothing should be modest
• Hemlines should be at least knee-length
• Bare midriffs, halter tops, spaghetti straps, and/or visible cleavage are unacceptable
• Underclothing should not be visible
• Shoes and shirts are required, both inside and outside the building
• Walking shorts only
• Inappropriate physical affection and/or aggression will not be tolerated
• Foul language and/or bullying will not be tolerated

Emergency procedures: In case of a fire, alarms will sound and all children should be evacuated in a quiet and orderly manner along assigned routes to safe areas away from the building. Please do not run. All exits are clearly marked, and emergency exit routes are shown on wall maps in each room. All classes must remain together with their teacher and facilitator. A Board member will notify teachers and facilitators when it is safe to re-enter the building. Should we be unable to enter the building again, teachers and facilitators must remain with their classes until parents locate their children. In the event of an earthquake, everyone should immediately get under a table and assume the duck and cover position. It is important that you stay away from any windows and remain in the room until given further instructions. In the event of a non-evacuation emergency, please listen for complete instructions. We will have unannounced emergency drills throughout the year.

 

Sick or contagious students and/or family members may not attend Legacy.

 

Visitors to Legacy are required to sign in at the front desk and receive a name tag.

 

JOBS AT LEGACY

 

You will be required to fulfill an assigned job and to be available to provide additional assistance if needed. Jobs that are assigned include janitorial, setup, cleanup/restoration, monitoring, and facilitating. Although we strive to assign jobs in keeping with your schedule and other requests, all jobs will be assigned based on the needs of Legacy. Please understand that your particular job may require you to be at Legacy up to 30 minutes before or after your student’s class(es). This means that if you are assigned a setup or cleanup/restoration job at the beginning or end of the day, your responsibilities may extend beyond the beginning or end of class time.

 

If you are unable to fulfill your assigned job due to an absence, it is YOUR responsibility to find a replacement so that your job will be completed.  If you drop a class and will no longer be at Legacy for the hour that your job is scheduled, you are required to fulfill your job until a replacement is found, or you are given a new job. You will be contacted concerning your job prior to the start of classes in the fall.

 

CLASSES AT LEGACY

 

Legacy Homeschool Center does not employ teachers. They are under the employ of the families who have students attending their classes. For this reason, we do not pay the teachers; you, the parents, pay the teachers directly through a facilitator. The Board does, however, maintain supervisory authority. Each teacher must ascribe to our Statement of Faith and Mission Statement and submit to a Washington State Patrol Criminal History Background Check. While Legacy does its best to screen teachers for qualifications, we recognize that teaching style and personality vary among teachers and we in no way guarantee satisfaction with any particular teacher or class. Parents are encouraged to discuss concerns with the teacher before contacting the Board. For unresolved complaints based on personality or style, please withdraw quietly from the class without spreading dissention among other co-op families. For unresolved issues which are more serious in nature, please inform the Board of specific behaviors which have raised your concern, keeping in mind the need for discretion when discussing issues with others at Legacy.

 

Canceled classes: Classes may be canceled at any time at the Board’s discretion. If class is canceled due to teacher’s absence, children may be sent to the study hall. In the event of class cancellation/teacher absence, reasonable effort will be made to notify parents prior to class time. Teachers work many hours outside the classroom; therefore, if class(es) are canceled, tuition will not be refunded.

 

Students must obtain teacher permission to register for classes outside their grade/age range. Only students enrolled in the class and their parents are eligible to attend class; auditing (attending without paying tuition) is not permitted. Parents who wish to sit in their student's class are encouraged to make alternative arrangements for their other children; however, siblings may be allowed to be in class with a parent provided they have received teacher permission; they are not disruptive to the class; and there is space in the classroom. Parents are not eligible to enroll in classes.

 

The Nursery is available for use by teachers and facilitators only, and only during the hour(s) they are in class. A one-time supply fee is due on the first day of Legacy in September. Please notify the Board if you will be using this service, and for which hour(s).

 

Waiting Lists: We cannot guarantee you will get the class(es) you request; however, each full class will maintain a waiting list. You may not be confirmed in a class and remain on the waiting list for a different class during the same hour. Students’ names will be randomly selected to fill classes and waiting lists. Legacy reserves the right to prioritize enrollment of upperclassmen.

 

Pay tuition for classes on time. Checks are to be made payable to the teacher and given to the class facilitator on time, according to the co-op payment schedule provided (see Calendar). You may place the check in the facilitator’s family mailbox folder. Please do not give checks or cash directly to the teacher. All tuition and fees paid are nonrefundable, including all tuition and fees paid over the summer and any tuition that you choose to pay in advance during the school year. School district funds may not be used to pay for tuition, fees, and/or registration, or for the reimbursement thereof.

 

Dropping classes: Please register your children for classes with the intention of participating from September to June. While situations occasionally make it necessary to drop a class mid-year, please keep in mind that this may have a negative impact on the teacher and the other students in the class. If you choose to drop any classes, you must notify the facilitator for each class that you are dropping. If you are dropping Legacy entirely, please notify the Registration Director in addition to notifying the facilitator for each class. When dropping a class, you will be required to pay an early withdrawal penalty equal to four weeks of tuition from the date that you give notice to the facilitator. Your child is not permitted to attend the dropped class during this four week period.

 

Students are expected to come to class on time (5 minutes before class begins, but no more than 10 minutes early) and prepared with completed assignments and all required books and materials.

 

Cell phone use is not allowed during class; this includes text messaging. Please silence your cell phone during class. Any student using a cell phone in class may have their phone confiscated by the teacher or facilitator until the end of class.

 

COMMUNICATION AT LEGACY

 

The Legacy Bulletin will be sent out via email on Wednesday of each week Legacy is in session. Please read it completely for important updates and notification of upcoming events. If you are a current Legacy family and you are NOT receiving the bulletin, please inform the Board at info@legacyhc.org. The Bulletin will also be posted in the foyer near the mailboxes; please check this area and the whiteboard weekly for announcements.

 

Family Mailbox folders: Family mailbox folders are located in the foyer as a convenience for co-op participants to communicate co-op related information and to distribute tuition checks and other approved literature. Mailboxes are not to be used for solicitation. Please check with the Board before distribution of material via the mailboxes. Legacy Homeschool Center is not responsible for the loss of any property distributed through or left in mailboxes. Each family mailbox folder will contain a current family schedule (parent maintained) to assist in locating parents/students as needed.

 

Bulletin board policy/disclaimer: A bulletin board in the foyer is available for notification and communication of homeschool information among co-op participants. Items included on the bulletin board do not necessarily constitute co-op board endorsement or promotion. As a nonprofit organization, we are prohibited by law from the “carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation,” neither shall we “participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.”

 

Winter weather closure policy: In case of inclement weather, check the Legacy web site at www.legacyhc.org for closure information.

 

Emergency contact: We are independent of the church’s operation and ask that you do not call OCC regarding Legacy matters. Please address all inquiries to Board members.

 

 

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS TO ADHERE TO THESE POLICIES AND TO ENFORCE THEM WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

THE LEGACY BOARD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DENY PARTICIPATION TO ANY FAMILY OR STUDENT.

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE POLICIES WILL JEOPARDIZE YOUR FAMILY'S PRIVILEGE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CO-OP.