Learning Station is a cooperative. Our success depends on the contributions of every member’s time and unique talents.  We strive to match members’ roles with their own interests, giftings, and preferences. We also try to divide the labor so that no one is overburdened. 

For co-op to be successful, each member is expected to contribute by teaching/helping in three classes and one extracurricular or the approximate equivalent, recognizing that some assignments require more of a time commitment than others.

In each elementary-level class to which you are assigned, you are working with at least one other teacher.  The two of you would then work out a teaching model that best suits both of you.  Over the ten-week semester, you might teach five sessions, and the other teacher would teach five sessions.  Another option is that one of you would be the main teacher for all ten weeks, and the other person would be the assistant.   You will be expected to be present each week and to make yourself available to help out where needed.   

Members who are interested in teaching classes for upper level students may choose to teach for 10 or 15 weeks per semester.   Classes at upper level may be taught by one teacher, by co-teachers or by a team of teachers.    

All parents of elementary students are asked to remain on campus from nine to noon even when they are not teaching, so that they are available if their children need something or if a class needs a substitute.  There is more flexibility for parents of middle/high schoolers in this area depending on when they are teaching.

Normally, you are free to leave at noon.  One exception would be if your child is involved in a performance-type class like drama; teachers may schedule additional practice time after noon on occasion.   The other exception would be if we have a weather-related delay.  In that situation, we would operate on a two-hour delay schedule, and the elementary day would end after noon.

Please know that we offer the opportunity to order pizza for lunch or for you to bring a packed lunch for the 10 weeks that co-op meets. Some families stay to socialize and eat lunch and some families head to a local playground. This is all optional but the opportunity for social time exists if it is something you are looking for in your homeschool week.

Sometimes absences are necessary due to illness or extenuating circumstances, but attendance for both adult and student members should be a priority.   If you must be absent, have your co-teacher take charge of the class and find a substitute for that day from the sub list in advance. If you have a last minute emergency on Wednesday morning, call your co-teacher to take charge of the class and call a substitute from the sub list.  After you have made substitute arrangements, please notify the elementary coordinator or upper level coordinator of the arrangements you have made.   Elementary-aged students may not attend co-op without their parents except for pre-approved and extenuating circumstances.  If approval is granted, the parent must designate another co-op member to be responsible for his/her children.   

All appointments, trips, and other commitments should be avoided during scheduled co-op days.  Avoidable absences reduce the availability of substitutes for unavoidable ones, place an unnecessary burden on other members, and are contrary to the commitments members make to Learning Station.   If a member plans to miss any co-op days in a year, he/she should notify the steering committee as soon as possible and preferably prior to registration.  The steering committee will consider requests for more than one planned absence on a case by case basis.   If the steering committee determines that the absences would hinder the member’s ability to fulfill his/her minimum obligation to the co-op, the committee will not approve the request. The member may then decide to withdraw his/her membership for the year.  Refunds will be issued according to the refund policy, and exceptions to the refund policy will be considered on a case by case basis.    If a member takes more than one avoidable absence in a year without approval from the steering committee, he or she will require steering committee approval to renew his/her membership for the following year.

Because faithful attendance is vital to the success of the co-op, the steering committee will re-evaluate the membership status of any member who, for two consecutive years,  misses three or more co-op days per year for any reason.   The steering committee will also re-evaluate the membership status of any member who misses four days for any reason in a single year.   Extenuating circumstances will be taken into consideration.