Haven Homeschoolers Policies & Guidelines
August 2006

Please keep this copy and refer to it as necessary

I. Purpose

Haven Homeschoolers is a support group in Mountain Home, Idaho for Christian families who have chosen to educate their children at home. Our main objectives are to provide family activities, informative parent meetings and social/academic events for home educated children. We encourage our parent-teachers to adhere to Idaho laws and to support those organizations who protect the right to home educate in the state of Idaho.

II. Membership

Requirements for membership are:

A. Each family must read the Haven Guidelines (including the Statement of Faith) and agree to uphold the Christian convictions of Haven Homeschoolers while participating in any group activity.

B. Complete a Membership Profile Form. This provides the group with information about your family. Please fill this form out in its entirety. This information will not be shared with anyone other than group members (see Communication).

C. Pay membership dues of $10 per family for the entire school year. (Dues for members joining in January or later will be $7).

D. Register in our volunteer program. Because we desire our membership to be involved, the participating parent is required to take at least one job responsibility related to the functioning of the group. The Board members of Haven Homeschoolers will create a list of committees and job responsibilities to facilitate the functioning of the group. If you would like to see other jobs added, please submit your suggestion to the Board.

E. Once you have completed the registration requirements, you will be mailed a membership card.

F. The Board Members may revoke membership when a member has failed to comply with any of the forgoing policies of Haven Homeschoolers.

III. Statement of Faith

We believe:

In the Authority of Scripture, that the Bible is God's only inspired, infallible and inerrant Word. It's the ultimate source for knowledge about God, as well as the definitive guide for our daily lives.

In the existence of a triune God or one God in three distinct persons-The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This God is self-existent, eternal, unchanging, omnipotent, omnipresent, holy, righteous and loving. God created the universe from nothing and He rules over His creation sovereignly including both human and angelic beings.

That Man is a physical and spiritual being who is created in God's image. But because of his sin or transgression, man has lost his fellowship with God. The extent of sin is so great that its effects continue to this very day in the form of cruelty, suffering and death.

That Jesus Christ-who is fully God and fully man-was sent to save us from our bondage to sin. We believe that Christ was born of a virgin, died for our sins, physically rose from the dead and will one day return to judge the world and deliver His people. Faith in Christ is the only means by which mankind can escape eternal damnation and judgment.

IV. Events

A. Guidelines:

Arrive on time for events.

Some activities have a fee, please be prepared.

Check your e-mail for last minute details and event changes.

Dress appropriately, many styles today are not modest, but let us seek modesty when we come together.

Members only - Events are for Haven Homeschool members only unless otherwise specified. Be sure to RSVP by the date given.

Respect people and property.

B. LET'S MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION. DO CONSIDER THAT OUR ACTIONS REFLECT, NOT ONLY OUR GROUP AND HOME SCHOOLERS IN GENERAL. It is your responsibility to ensure that your child maintains proper behavior during a field trip or while attending any other activity. Such behavior includes listening to and obeying instructions, respecting the facilities being visited, respecting the other adults and children present and staying with the group. If you do not accompany your child for an event, another adult must accept responsibility for the child. If discipline problems arise, your child will promptly be taken out of the activity and the teaching parent and the child will be required to meet with the board.

C. Event coordinators are responsible for all details relating to their event, including publicizing it in the newsletter, coordinating more helpers if needed, sending a Yahoo! group reminder, etc.

V. Meetings

A. One major organizational meetings will be held at the beginning of the school year, usually near the end of August. The activities and events for the semester will be presented at the meeting. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ASK ANOTHER MEMBER TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FOR YOU.

B. Moms' Night Out Support Group meetings are generally held each month, September through May. Meetings are held at various locations--often a member's home. Guests may attend one monthly meeting to determine if they desire to join Haven Homeschoolers. Otherwise meetings are for members only.

C. Some monthly meetings are designed for family attendance while others are just for parents. We will attempt to provide childcare for the "parent" meetings for families who must bring their children. Please inform us at havenhomeschoolers@yahoo.com prior to the meeting date if you need childcare. If childcare is not available, the children must stay with the parent at all times. (Nursing infants are always welcome.)

D. Members wishing to advertise goods and services at meetings may leave contact information at the designated table with their name and phone number. Anyone interested will be responsible to contact the advertising member personally. All goods and services must be pre-approved by the board members.

VI. Communication

A. Event schedules will be published in the newsletter and may be subject to change. As the event date draws closer, the information will be posted through the Yahoo! group. ONLY EMERGENCY INFORMATION (SUCH AS A LAST MINUTE CANCELLATION) will be transmitted via telephone and then ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THAT EVENT will be notified. All other changes will run through the Yahoo! group. Members who do not have access to e-mail will be notified by the event coordinator via telephone.

B. The Haven Homeschoolers Yahoo! group is for members' postings ONLY. No business (home-based or otherwise) may be advertised on the Yahoo! group. No other solicitations will be permitted. Members are encouraged to communicate information or opportunities that might benefit homeschooling families. No political items may be posted, unless they directly pertain to home education.

C. All Yahoo! group postings MUST have a subject line that states content (i.e. "Books for Sale", "Park Day Change", "Prayer Request", etc…)

D. A communications folder will be available at most events (and all meetings), which will contain copies of items posted on the Yahoo! group for members who do not have access to email.

E. Members may plan and/or post a one-time event that is within Haven Policies and Guidelines (field trip to orchard, corn maize, movie, concert, etc.) without Board approval. If the activity requires on-going participation then it needs Board approval.

F. A roster of Haven Homeschoolers members will be given at the beginning of the year. This roster is for group business ONLY. It is not to be shared outside of Haven Homeschool group, used for mailing lists, political purposes, sales or any other unauthorized purpose.

G. Haven Homeschoolers members may list their occupation or home-based business on the roster if they would like to make their services known to other members. Haven Homeschoolers will not be responsible for any business transactions nor will be held liable, financially or otherwise, for any business listed. Listing any business on the roster does NOT indicate endorsement. The Board Members reserve the right to remove any name/business from the list for any reason. Updates to the roster will be published only once during the school year (normally in January); changes to be published will not be the responsibility of Haven Homeschoolers.

H. Mentor Program-If you are interested in being paired up with a veteran home school parent for extra support, or in being a mentor to a new home educator, you may note that on your Member Profile Form, and you will be contacted about your participation in this program. ***THIS PROGRAM IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.*** If someone would like to take this on and organize it, please let Cheree know.