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How does this Co-op Letter sound? (CC)


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How does this letter sound? I'm a (Protestant)Christian, and would like it to be a "Christian Classical Education Cooperative" but if classes are such that non-Christians would join, that's fine, too. BTW, I've specifically gone about trying to make it so that we can have Christian/Catholics, too.

 

 

Hi Friends!

 

We would love to have (you) come to our first Coordination Meeting for Silverton’s 2011/2012 Integrity Cooperative Academy. We will have a parent cooperative for children 11 and under. (12 year olds considered, if not ready to move up) Classical Education will be the bent, but all are invited to join!

 

For students who are in junior high and above we will have a mixture of Parent/Teachers, paid teachers and other adults in the community who are willing to volunteer to help educate students by teaching one or more courses a year.

 

For students 11 and younger, we will be meeting one day a week from 8:35 am- 1:45 pm.

 

For students 12 and older, we will be meeting two days a week from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

 

Students will be divided by age, into approximately

(as of Sept. 1st of each year) ages (nursery for under 3) 3-5, 6-9, & 10-11. (could extend to 12 year olds)

Class Teachers will have determination of age adjustments and with the Director and Board make final determination of special requests regarding age.

 

The schedule will be something like this:

8:30 - 9:00 Chapel Time (Prayer for peace, hymns or other songs, announcement, no devotion,trying for "very nondenominational))

9:00 - 9:45 1st Period

9:50 - 10:35 2nd Period

10:40 - 11:25 3rd Period

11:30 - 12:00 Lunch

12:15 - 1:00 4th period

1:00 - 1:45 PE/ recess

1:45 - 2:30 Clean-Up (Could be done faster!!)

 

Parents who are with the "younger" children will be staying on campus. Parents with "older" students are encouraged to stay and help, too. All parents will be asked to rotate cleaning and setting up for the day. All parents will be taking assignments to help this program be a true "cooperative".

 

Core subjects for students 11 and under, will be Art, Science, and History with current Geography.

There will be a 4th period of something “elective” which will be available depending on what Teachers would like to offer. Suggestions will be asked for, so that we can all brainstorm together. Some thoughts so far are: Crocheting, Living Math or Science studies, Etiquette classes (and having tea parties with different themes), Cultures around the World with different foods being prepared.

 

Core subjects for students 12 and up will be classical studies of : Latin and Latin Translation, Logic & Rhetoric, Science “in practice”, Classical History Studies, and rotating “Electives”.

Edited by NayfiesMama
Made some corrections because of comments :)
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On the surface it seems good. I don't think I'm in your area at all, but would you consider Chapel optional?

 

As an agnostic, I'd probably skip it if that was a choice. However, if you use the end (or beginning) of that block for announcements or similar, I'd be in a bind. Depending on the tone/subject matter of your Chapel time, it might also not appeal to non-Protestant Christians.

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For students 11 and younger, we will be meeting one day a week from 8:35 am- 1:45 pm.

 

For students 12 and older, we will be meeting two days a week from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

 

Students will be divided by age, into approximately

(as of Sept. 1st of each year) ages (nursery for under 3) 3-5, 6-9, & 10-12.

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The age groups are a bit confusing to me..are 12 yr olds with 12 and older, or with 10 and 11 yr olds (10-12)

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I thought of 12 as the "cross-over" year... some in the younger... some older :) Hmmm... I'll figure out a way to word that.

 

Chapel.... hmmm.... I am planning, when there would be a difference, to explain things from a Christian perspective. (yes... I know... many definitions....) I am not opposed, to explaining the other side, without "making fun".... So... this is what I believe the Bible says about young earth. Some don't agree and if your family believes differently, you can talk that over with them. (Sticky Sticky... I teach my children what I believe... but love everyone and want them to feel as comfortable as they can..... while still being able to teach my children what "I" believe)

But, at this cooperative, I am really trying to see if we can teach with consideration for our whole group.... Don't know how that will pan out... :(

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On the surface it seems good. I don't think I'm in your area at all, but would you consider Chapel optional?

 

As an agnostic, I'd probably skip it if that was a choice. However, if you use the end (or beginning) of that block for announcements or similar, I'd be in a bind. Depending on the tone/subject matter of your Chapel time, it might also not appeal to non-Protestant Christians.

 

Hmmmm... Well, I'm thinking a Hymn, an opening prayer about working peacefully together and if there are any shared prayer requests, and what field trips or other announcements there may be.

 

So, prayers are something to think about. Hymns can be considered culturally appropriate to learn, and well... field trips fun.

 

Things to think about :)

 

I'm not thinking about preaching/devotions/etc...

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Can students pick and choose, or would they be required to take all classes? I agree with the previous poster about the optional chapel time, but if you spell out your guidelines clearly, them's the rules! You can also use an announcement board and email to communicate important things prior to co-op day. There's no guarantee people will listen even when you're speaking directly to them! ;)

 

We would love to start offering more academic classes in our own co-op, especially as kids get older, but we started as an enrichment co-op, and I wonder how we'll transition.

 

Good luck; I'm eager to continue following your progress!

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I was thinking of students picking and choosing.... but... not sure how that would go. The morning would be the main classes... and the afternoon would be the "elective classes"..... For the afternoon, I just want to be the person that Teachers can offer their classes through... but don't want to have independent contractors. I would like for all money to go from family to teacher. (Younger kids... free... Older kids... some classes will cost.) I could "hire" employees but am scared of that process... If I shouldn't be... enlighten me. I HATE dealing with $$$ and taxes.

:)

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On the surface it seems good. I don't think I'm in your area at all, but would you consider Chapel optional?

 

 

I agree that optional chapel attendance would be more appealing. Although my family is non-denom Christian, we would prefer to opt out of it, particularly if it leans more toward "prayers for peace" and cultural hymns. I'd be less wary if you called it something other than "chapel" time. How about "Opening"?

 

Your scheduling with electives/options at the end of the day sounds similar to a local Classical Conversations group. It works well and gives families more options.

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How about Zero Period. My olders have that in school... The period before school starts... Now I'm curious, what's bad about praying that we can get along together? (My prayers in my past spot were something like, "Thanks for this great day! Help us to remember why we're all here, and for us to communicate well with each other and with consideration.")

They do a similar type prayer at the Local Unitarian Church.... and learning hymns? Well, I like my kids learning hymns, and no we don't do that at church... so....

But, perhaps that's a problem.... I can't make everyone comfortable or like it :( Not even if I want to... :(

 

Anyway, I do appreciate everyone's responses!!! I love to have things to think about :)

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Now I'm curious, what's bad about praying that we can get along together?

 

...

 

They do a similar type prayer at the Local Unitarian Church

 

This. For me personally, it's something that under the guise of "church" (from the name "chapel,") when in reality it has nothing to do with what my church believes. That's not a place I'm willing to go, literally or figuratively, with young children.

 

For me, the same thing applies with the hymns. If we're singing hymns for church, fine. If we're singing hymns as part of learning about culture, that's also fine, but I wouldn't have my kids sing hymns as a part of cultural study under the label of "church/chapel."

 

"Zero period" is a great name. With that name, I would feel more comfortable with my kids praying a more generic prayer, and singing hymns as part of a cultural exposure.

 

I agree, you can't make everyone comfortable. I admit, I'm a tough one to please. I have issues (just in case you couldn't tell :lol:).

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How does this letter sound? I'm a (Protestant)Christian, and would like it to be a "Christian Classical Education Cooperative" but if classes are such that non-Christians would join, that's fine, too. BTW, I've specifically gone about trying to make it so that we can have Christian/Catholics, too.

 

 

Hi Friends!

 

We would love to have (you) why is this in parenthesis? come to our first Coordination Meeting for Silverton’s 2011/2012 Integrity Cooperative Academy (This name is too long and won't be remembered. I suggest making a letterhead with the school name and then referencing to it as you plan to call it. ICA? or SICA? .....the first planning meeting for ICA 2011/2012 We will have a parent cooperative for children 11 and under.Since this is the first and only group mentioned in this paragrah, it makes it appear to be your focus? Are the older kids just a side project? (12 year olds considered, if not ready to move up What does this mean?) Classical Education will be the bent I personally don't care for the word 'bent' to describe classical education. I would use goal/focus/', but all are invited to join!

 

For students who are in junior high and above we will have a mixture of Parent/Teachers, paid teachers and other adults in the community who are willing to volunteer to help educate students by teaching one or more courses a year. You say 'who' you plan to have teach them, but is this a cooperative as well?

 

For students 11 and younger, we will be meeting one day a week from 8:35 am- 1:45 pm. Why does this one start at 8:35 and the other 8:30?

 

For students 12 and older, we will be meeting two days a week from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. Is this going to be on alternate days to the younger group or overlapping?

 

Students will be divided by age (nursery for under 3) 3-5, 6-9, & 10-11 What about the older kids? Jr high and above?. (could extend to 12 year olds) I wouldn't worry so much about the 12yos, it is confusing detail for a 'come to a meeting letter'. I would edit it to say: Ages will be based on Setember 1st guidline and exceptions will be considered on a case by case basis.

 

The schedule will be something like this:

8:30 - 9:00 Chapel Time Announcements, songs, and Non-denom welcoming prayers

9:00 - 9:45 1st Period I would put 10 minutes between classes as a buffer for teachers to set up/ move around and kids to go to the bath/have a snack)

9:50 - 10:35 2nd Period (younger kids may need a wiggle break in here- or move pe/recess to here for the youngers)

10:40 - 11:25 3rd Period

11:30 - 12:00 Lunch

12:15 - 1:00 4th period (why does this class start 15 minutes after lunch ends?)

1:00 - 1:45 PE/ recess I would switch 4th/pe-recess so that you don't have families leaving after 4th and not helping with cleanup.

1:45 - 2:30 Clean-Up (Could be done faster!!)

 

Parents who are with the "younger" give ages not a general 'younger' statementchildren will be staying on campus. Parents with "older" give ages students are encouraged to stay and help, too. All parents will be asked to rotate cleaning and setting up for the day. All parents will be taking assignments to help this program be a true "cooperative".

 

Core subjects for students 11 and under, will be Art, Science, and History with current Geography.

There will be a 4th period of something “elective” which will be available depending on what teachers would like to offer. Suggestions will be asked for, so that we can all brainstorm together. Some thoughts so far are: Crocheting, Living Math or Science studies, Etiquette classes (and having tea parties with different themes), cultures around the world with different foods being prepared.

 

Core subjects for students 12 and up will be classical studies of : Latin and Latin Translation, Logic & Rhetoric, Science “in practice”, Classical History Studies, and rotating “Electives”.

How are you going to work 4 cores and one elective? Is there going to be a different schedule on the 12 and up days?

A few questions I have, and would address in the letter are:

 

Is the class going to be a complete subject or just for extra practice? Is the family going to be expected to purchase curriculum to match the instructor and follow along at home?

 

Since you are running short-ish classes (45 min including class changes, will leave about 35 minutes of instruction time) I wouldn't suggest allowing people to come for part of the day unless you do a 'before lunch' and 'after lunch' group. The disruptions of families coming/going arriving early and being late will be huge! Also consider, if you do allow 1/2 days, how will that affect the # of hours they are responsible for.

 

How many hours will each family be expected to contribute? X hours per child or family?

 

A few thoughts you may want to start thinking through, but not put in the letter:

Will you allow younger children to stay with a parent if they are helping in a classroom? How about nursing children? Will a classroom volunteer be allowed to nurse in a classroom or asked to step out and return when they are done? Is there a charge for the nursery? What if a parent wants to leave for an errand while a child is in the nursery? Do you allow special needs students? Can an older teen fill in for a parent's responsibly ie in the nursery?

 

 

When you are ready to have the final product go out, ask around for a good proof reader here.... I know there are some grammar whizzes here who would be willing to proof your final product.

Edited by Tap, tap, tap
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