Family Guide

Connections is a Christian organization and thus while on-site, all families, instructors, and visitors agree to be respectful of the beliefs and values reflected in the Statement of Faith and Beliefs. The information in this guidebook reflects our belief that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity.

Information & Guidelines

Connections is designed for families. You must be the parent or legal guardian of any children you bring to Connections, and one parent must be present on-site with their children.

Communication

Most communication in Connections happens through three methods: direct email, our weekly e-newsletter that is posted in Newsletters on the Homeschool Life home page, and the a-frame sign boards near the entrances. Please check your email on a regular basis, and notify us if your email address changes. You are also provided with a mailbox folder to facilitate paper communication. Please check your folder weekly.

Jobs

To ensure that Connections runs smoothly, every family in Homeschool Connections is required to perform a job each day while on-site. A job may require that you arrive 30 minutes before your first class, or remain 30 minutes after your last class. All other jobs are completed during the hours your students have classes. If you are absent, please find a replacement.

Campus hours

Campus hours are 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Because of the sheer number of people on campus at any one time, we ask that you do not arrive more than 15 minutes prior to your first class, and leave in a timely manner after your last class. The exception: if your last class is 3rd hour, or your first class is 4th hour, we encourage you to have lunch at Connections (which is in-between 3rd and 4th hour). It’s a great time for you and your children to be social. At the end of the day, all families must vacate the campus promptly. A board member has to stay on campus until the last person has left, and we need to get home to make dinner, too!

Closed Campus

Connections is a closed campus. Students may not leave campus between classes without parental consent. We welcome occasional visitors. Please have them check in and out at the Welcome Table, and they will be given a visitor nametag. During their visit, all visitors must be accompanied by a Connections parent.

Nametags

All adults on campus must wear a nametag at all times. For enrolled families, a nametag and lanyard will be provided. All students over 13 (as of the first day of classes) will be a part of our House System, and will be provided with a lanyard and nametag that must be worn at all times in a visible location.

When Not in Class

On Mondays, students must be in The Hangout, the Monday Playroom, in a car or outside with a parent. On Wednesdays, students must be in The Hangout or Quiet Study, at the tables in the open area upstairs or downstairs on Wednesday with an adult, in the Open Playroom, the playground, or in a car or outside with a parent. As the churches are conducting business during the day, they have asked students not to be in the hallways or common areas of the facility during class hours in order to keep noise down.

Drinks

Students may only have water in classrooms, and all drinks must be in a closed container. Please clean up spills and report them to the Welcome Table.

Food

Eating is only allowed in the designated lunchrooms, The Hangout, or outside. Please clean up after yourself.

Attire

Clothing should be modest for everyone on campus. Please consider length of shorts, hemlines, and necklines. Shirts must completely cover midriffs. Shoes are required. We suggest you do a quick check before you leave home. Attire should not be distracting to others. If not dressed appropriately, you may be asked by a board member to cover up or return home to change.

Conduct

Public displays of affection between couples are not allowed. Physical aggression, bullying, or foul language is not acceptable.

Tutoring

Due to state law governing regarding church use, tutoring for the exchange of money (payment) may not take place on campus.

Playing ball

When a parent is present to supervise, students may play games in the coned-off area in the parking lot at the churches at any time during the day.

Dangerous items

According to RCW 9.41.270 (1), “It shall be unlawful for any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.” As with all Connections policies, each parent or legal guardian has primary responsibility for enforcing the policy with their own student(s). If a violation of the policy is reported to a board member, the parent of the accused student will be notified and action will be taken as deemed appropriate. In addition, any illegal acts occurring on campus will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

In the Classroom

Technology – Many instructors choose to use Microsoft Teams for communication with classes, homework, grading, virtual meetings, etc. Instructors will inform their classes if they plan to utilize this, and students will receive a Connections email address to sign up for Teams. For help with Teams, click here.
Parents – We encourage parents to attend classes with their children, but please know that cell phones that have not been silenced, as well as whispering in the back of the room, can be disconcerting to the instructor.
Siblings – Siblings (except nursing infants) are not allowed to attend classes for which they are not registered, as they can be distracting to the learning environment.
Illness – Please keep sick family members at home. If you contact the facilitator and/or instructor, they will be happy to provide assignments and information missed. Often the facilitator will put the homework in your mailbox folder, so don’t forget to check it regularly!
Activities – Monday and Wednesday classes, as well as band, choir, and drama performances are official Connections events and are the only activities covered by our liability insurance.
To add a class – This may be done through the registration link on the website. If classes have begun, please check with the instructor to make sure that he/she is accepting students. Please pay the tuition and copy/supply fees promptly. Tuition and copy/supply fees are paid to Homeschool Connections. Please pay online via Paypal.
To drop a class – Please drop your student from class by completing the online Drop Form found within the registration system. When you drop, your student is immediately removed from the class roster and may no longer attend class. Students will not receive physical copies or supplies for dropped classes. The drop fee is due at the time of the Drop Form submission.
To withdraw entirely from Connections:
1. Complete an online Drop Form for each class.
2. Pay the drop fees for each class.

Parent Absences

A parental presence on-site is mandatory. Dropping off your student(s) without following one of these policies is not allowed.

If an emergency arises and you must be temporarily absent, ask another Connections parent to be your temporary Substitute Parent. Let your student(s) know; fill out and put a Parent Off-Site Emergency Form in your mailbox folder and in a board member’s folder. Note: Only a Connections parent may act as your Substitute Parent. However, an emergency Substitute Parent may be responsible for all of your students, regardless of age, that are currently registered and taking classes at Connections.
For parents of students 15 years and older: If it becomes a hardship for a parent to be present on a consistent basis, he/she may apply for an exemption.

Church Facilities

Church Staff – Please do not ask the church staff for help; instead, direct all questions to the Welcome Table or a board member. They will be happy to help, or to assist you in finding a solution.
Church Grounds – We do not rent the entire church grounds; please be considerate in only using those areas at the churches that are designated for Connections’ use. When outside, stay off fences and out of landscaping.
Parking Lot Safety – Please drive safely and slowly through the parking lot, as you would in a school zone. On Monday only, bikes, skateboards, scooters or similar items may be used in the coned-off area of the parking lot if a parent is supervising.
Animals – The churches have asked that we not have dogs or pets of any kind on campus (including in your car) unless they are service animals.

Failure to comply with these policies may jeopardize your privilege to participate in Connections’ classes. Please feel free to talk with a board member if you have extenuating circumstances regarding these policies. The board reserves the right to deny participation to any family or student.