Life Adventures Policy Manual
Purpose Statement
Life Adventures Homeschool Resources is a Christian homeschool group. We are also an open, inclusive group, welcoming homeschoolers of all faiths and those with none. We encourage cooperation and service to each other and our fellow man. We schedule social and educational activities and provide support for new and veteran families alike.
Life Adventures Homeschool Resources was formed to provide information and support to homeschooling families. A variety of events are offered to meet those goals as well as to encourage Christian fellowship. Opportunities include monthly meetings (workshops and/or topics), field trips, Moms' Night Out, Couples' Night Out, field day, swim and park days, plus a web site.
Registration Requirements
1. Submit a completed registration including:
Name, address, email, phone, child name(s) and dates of birth and any allergies your child may have.
2. As a family read and sign the Code of Conduct
3. Each family must pay the annual registration fee
4. Find a place to volunteer to serve the group for a minimum of 5 things. Example: set up a field trip, plan a party, help with yearbook, set up a CNO, etc.
Volunteering
Every family must volunteer in at least one of the following ways:
• Be on a team that coordinates one of the functions of the groups
• Set up a field trip, adventure, or activity for the group
• Help clean our facility
• Help with one of the major events
• Help to monitor the play spaces and halls
• Volunteer in the nursery
• Every family must keep an eye on their children when we are gathered for events, classes, or field trips. Children who are 10 years old or younger must have an adult on premises for any Life Adventure event or class. This ensures children who are upset, hurt, etc. has someone to care for them.
• Please be willing to help out our teachers by volunteering in classrooms, when necessary, or helping with their children, if asked.
Serving each other is the heart of our group. Please look for ways to serve each other.
Fees
Family Registration There is a $25 per family registration fee to participate in any Life Adventures events or activities. This fee pays for
· background checks
· ensures streamlined and uniform communication
· confirms that all children and parents have agreed to Life Adventures policies
· guarantees that all families get all invitations to every kid, mom and family Adventure
· corroborates student information: allergy, age, etc. for all classes and activities
· contributes toward insurance, facility costs, website fees, etc.
Support Group: For registered Life Adventures families, the Support group is FREE. There are no dues for the Support Group. Each family is responsible for whatever costs, donation, or volunteer hours events or activities require.
Kids Club: For registered Life Adventures families, the Kids Adventure Club is FREE. There are no dues for Kids Club. Each family is responsible for whatever costs, donation, or volunteer hours events or activities require.
Classes: Each class has a required enrollment fee to be paid online. Additionally, the class fee will need to be paid directly to each teacher in cash or check or through PayPal. Teachers and classes are vetted through Life Adventures; however, each teacher provides their own class material to teach from. This situation is an implied contract between parents and teachers, and parents are responsible for paying their class fees in full the first day of class each semester. Families will not be allowed to enroll for the next session unless all teachers are paid in full or otherwise compensated. In addition, parents will provide supplies & textbooks required on syllabus.
REFUNDS
Registration and enrollment fees are NON-REFUNDABLE.
*Teachers are subcontractors of Life Adventures and hired by parents when you enroll your child for their classes. As such many decisions are left up to each individual teacher, for example: if they will offer a partial refund.
Partial refunds may be possible:
Between 13 days before the start of class up to the 1st or 2nd week of classes, some teachers may offer a 50% or 75% refund. Please contact the teacher of the class to ask them their refund policy.
CODE OF CONDUCT
The goal of all Life Adventures events, whether field trips, classes, or meetings, is to provide academic and relational benefit to all participants. In order to facilitate this goal, it is crucial that everyone show the utmost respect and courtesy to others within the group and to all involved in making the event possible.
To that end, Life Adventures requests the following conduct from all participants:
PARENT GUIDELINES
- Parental cooperation is expected. Please work in a spirit of cooperation and unity.
- Parents are to respect the beliefs and opinions of other members. We ask that parents use discretion when discussing topics that might be contrary to another parent’s belief system. This does not mean we don’t discuss controversial topics but do so giving dignity and respect to others’ opinions.
- All Life Adventures members must abide by and enforce any rules set for our group by our team and/or facilities.
- Parents are ultimately responsible for their child/ren's actions and behavior at all times.
- We will have periodic volunteer work days, depending on our host facility. Families are highly encouraged to attend and contribute.
- If you need to speak directly to a child about something due to a specific behavior or a comment that caused hurt feelings, please follow up with the child's parent to make them aware of the situation.
- No one may attend classes or events while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.
- If there is a serious offense, please talk to the parent of the child before confronting the child.
CHILD GUIDELINES
(Parents – Read this information with your child/ren and make sure they understand and abide by the following.)
• Show respect for everyone in words and actions. (no name calling, curse words, bullying, etc.) No child will push, poke, punch, kick or, in any way, intimidate another child.
• Students will not be physical with each other in anyway (pushing, hitting, kicking, kissing, hugging, holding hands, etc.)
• Show respect for all property - Our group must leave the facility that is hosting us cleaner than we found it and in good repair.
• Our children must stay on the facility property unless leaving with a parent or as part of an organized group or class.
• We will have periodic volunteer work days, depending on our host facility. Families are highly encouraged to attend and contribute.
• All students must show respect to the hosting facility by walking in the building and using quiet voices. (No stealing, vandalism, or wanton destruction of property. No running, yelling, or throwing, except where allowed, i.e. gymnasium area, playground)
• Do not leave the activity or room without the permission of a parent or instructor.
• Abide by the facility guidelines regarding food and drink.
• Clean up after yourself.
• Help with all clean up.
• Participate in all events or classes willingly. Anyone causing serious disruption will be asked to leave.
DRESS CODE
We believe that parents are responsible not only for their child’s education, but also their attire and we are a diverse group and enjoy the variety that each family brings. However, as we have boys and girls participating together, we want to protect our children from offense.
- No vulgar images/phrases on clothes.
- Dress modestly. Adults, teachers, or facilitators may ask a student to wear their jacket, call a parent to bring appropriate clothes or sent home if dressed immodestly.
This dress code applies to adults as well as children.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
We believe that parents should be in charge of their children and help monitor the behavior of all children who attend events sponsored by Life Adventures. Should there be a problem, we again encourage each member to speak directly to the other member with whom there is a concern.
As the safety and prudent upbringing of participants is our highest concern, for certain egregious acts as determined by staff of Life Adventures, children may be dismissed from participation without warning.
For less severe infractions of our policies, in the event that conduct warrants it, the following steps will be taken:
1. First offense – A Team member will speak with both the parent and child. A note will be made by the Adventures Team member that this has occurred.
2. Second offense – Same as above. In addition, the parent and child will be asked to review the code of conduct and discipline policy and the child will be asked to sign it.
3. Third offense – A meeting will be held with the parent/s, child, and Team members; a parent may be asked to attend all future events with the child; the child and/or family may be given temporary dismissal from participation in events or classes sponsored by Life Adventures .
Note: In any offense, if it is deemed appropriate, the child and/or family may be asked to write a letter of apology to the offended parties and arrangements for restitution may be made.
Please keep in mind:
• Families will be held accountable for any damages.
• Being a member of Life Adventures is a privilege and one’s participation can be revoked due to misconduct.
• The Team reserves the right to change policies and procedures to accommodate the needs of the group and will notify all members should such a situation arise.
SICK POLICY
Teachers and students will be asked to wipe down all surfaces after each use &/or class including light switches, door knobs, tables & chairs, etc. In addition, bathrooms will be deep cleaned at least once a day and we request each older student and parent wipe down surfaces (door knobs, faucets, toilet lever, etc.) after each use. The use of masks is not required, but parents, as always, are free to wear them and have their children wear them. Social distancing won't be feasible in the facility, but children will be reminded to keep their hands to themselves, cover their mouth when they cough, use a tissue to blow their noses, wash their hands, etc.
Family members should not attend any Life Adventures sponsored activity if they are during the contagious stage of illness or have:
• Upper Respiratory or Flu-like symptoms
• Communicable disease
• Head lice, chicken pox, ringworm, Covid-19, etc.
• Vomiting or diarrhea 24 hours prior to the start of the Life Adventures sponsored activity
• Fever that needs medication to control.
Children must be fever free for 24 hours PRIOR to participation in any Life Adventures sponsored activity. In addition, below is a list of Communicable Diseases. Should your or your child contract a communicable disease and you or your child participated in any Life Adventures related event during the contagious time, please notify a Teacher or Team member. If you are unsure if you or your child was contagious, please err on the side of caution and contact us.
Here is the list of communicable diseases, along with our rules for exclusion from Life Adventures-related events:
• Covid-19 - until 2 weeks after exposure and symptom-free for 2 weeks or a negative test
· Chicken Pox – until all lesions are dry
• Mumps - until swelling is gone
• Impetigo - until lesions are no longer draining
• Pink Eye - until discharge from eye(s) cease; 48 hours on medication
• Head Lice - until all lice/nits are destroyed and removed.
• Whenever a student is found to be infested with head lice, s/he is to be sent home for treatment and not readmitted until the parent confirms that the child is free of any nits.
• The other students in the infested student's classroom and the student's sibling(s) should be examined for evidence of either the lice or lice eggs (nits). The examinations should be done by each student's parents.
• Scabies - until adequately treated
• Ringworm - until under medical control
• Fifth Disease - until fever is gone 24 hours. This is dangerous to the pregnant moms in our group.
• Coxsackle Virus (Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease) - until 48 hours after fever is gone
• Pertussis (Whooping Cough) - until three weeks from onset of illness.
An email will be sent to the co-participants if a contagious child was at a Life Adventures-related event. We will let members know which communicable diseases their children may have been exposed to, as well as a list of the classes or activities in which the infected child was participating, but to maintain the privacy of the family, no names will be used.
Weather Policy
For weather related school cancelations (or e-learning) Life Adventures in Fort Wayne and Leo follow the Fort Wayne Community Schools while Life Adventures Bluffton follows Northern Wells Community Schools. Cancellations for weather will be posted on the Facebook group by 7:30 am on the day of any scheduled event or classes.
For weather related delays, Life Adventures does not delay, but please use your best judgement and be safe.
We are a homeschool group and our parents, as the primary educators of their children, should make the final determination to keep themselves, their children, and their teen drivers safe. Do not hesitate to stay home from a class or event if conditions are unsafe.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION POLICY
Life Adventures offers families the opportunity to support and be supported by other homeschooling families. Life Adventures also provides the option for families to supplement their homeschooling with academic and enrichment classes. Joining this group means becoming a member of a Christian community where families are willing to serve with a spirit of unity and cooperation. Here we share blessings, support, fellowship, accountability and responsibility.
We encourage all members to first pray and seek the Lord when becoming offended. Please ask yourself a few questions when trying to ascertain if you need to take further action. Is this an offense that can be overlooked? Is this something that simply hurt your feelings, or something that is more serious? Is this something that needs to be brought to the attention of the offending party? No matter the circumstance, we want to avoid gossiping about the offense. If you feel the need to discuss the matter, please first do so with your mate or a trusted friend, preferably outside of Life Adventures. If you feel this matter needs to be handled further, please follow Matthew 18:15-17.
If, after prayer and seeking outside counsel, you feel this matter should be pursued, and this matter concerns another member, another member’s child(ren) including any support team member, or a teacher:
• The issue should be confronted privately between the members involved.
• If resolution is not achieved after this step, and it is necessary to bring in outside mediation, please contact a member of the Adventures Team and a meeting with both parties will be pursued.
• If resolution cannot be reached in the above manner, both parties will be asked to submit a written account of the conflict and the matter will be taken to the Team to determine the appropriate response to the conflict.
All written communication should include specific facts that can be confirmed. Do not include gossip, hearsay, or opinions. Please also include your suggestions for handling the matter and/or your desired outcome.
All information will be treated confidentially by the Team, and those involved in the matter are encouraged to treat the matter with confidentiality as well.
Updated 6/22/2022
