Marysville Cooperative Education Partnership Policy and Procedure Manual

MARYSVILLE COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

I. Introduction

A. MCEP Mission Statement

The mission of the Marysville Cooperative Education Partnership is to provide the best education possible for children. Utilizing the many diverse skills of parents, teachers and children, to foster a family-oriented program where children, teachers and parents are equal participants. Creating an enriched environment that nurtures a life-long love of learning and respects the uniqueness of each individual.

B. CoreBeliefs

The Marysville Cooperative Education Partnership founders wrote the following core beliefs as they presented the Co-op idea to teachers, parents and district administrators:

• Parentshave a place in their child's classroom. They not only reinforce what the teacher provides, but contribute their own unique skills and abilities for the benefit of all of the children in that class.
• When parents participate in the classroom, their children know school is important.
• Parentswho become actively involved in their child's education not only contribute to their child's classroom, but become the building blocks of an entire community which values and supports education. Everyone in this community--students, parents, teachers, administrators--wins.
• When parents participate in the classroom, they become better at educating their children, gain first-hand experience in teaching children, and become advocates for the public school system.
• The low adult-child ratio entitles students to timely, personalized help. Teachers developdiverse, individualized and creative lesson plans knowing they will have assistance in carrying them out.

C. Bylaws

Bylaws are an organization's rules of governance. They contain all of the rules of such importance that they cannot be changed at any one meeting.

The recommendations for change must be completed by the February Council Meeting. The Co-op Council may choose to adopt the changes as presented, make further changes to the bylaws, or send the changes back to the bylaw committee for further work. Once the Council has adopted the changed bylaws, they go to the general membership for final approval.

At the beginning of each school year, parents sign a contract based on the contents of the bylaws. Therefore, bylaws that are approved for change do not apply until the following school year.

D. Policies and Procedures

The policies and procedures found in this manual describe MCEP’s policies for operation and the procedures necessary to fulfill those policies.

When changes to MCEP’s Policies or Procedures are necessary, the changes must be presented to the Council. The Council may use its discretion on matters it determines may not need a vote of the entire membership. Following the approval of a Policy and Procedure change, a summary should be submitted to the newsletter to inform the General Membership.

E. MCEP Annual Directory

Each year MCEP publishes a directory of student and family information electronically, with the option to request a printed copy. This is meant to facilitate communication between Co-op families and is not meant for any other purpose. Using the directory for business purposes is not allowed.

All information used in the creation of the directory is voluntary and must be provided by the family. In creating the directory, the PC Team Leader will use existing lists of data, to provide a directory sheet for each Parent Coordinator (PC). The PC is to provide opportunities for families to fill in, or change, and verify the information they wish published. It is very important that the PC ensures that parents are aware that all information provided is voluntary and will be published in the directory. Any changes made to the provided information must be made by the family. The District does not provide information for the creation of the directory.

II. MCEP Membership

The Membership includes students, parents, teachers, and the principals and vice principals.

A. Parents

Whenever the term “parent” is used throughout the Bylaws and Policy and Procedure Manual, it is understood to include adults acting on behalf of a student, such as grandparents, guardians, sponsors, and PPA signers.

1. Elementary Enrollment and Placement

MCEP is an “Optional School Program” and as such is subject to the school district’s in-district transfer policies and procedures. The process is as follows:

• Notify the MCEP Public Relations Chairperson(s) of your intent to apply and confirm your ability to meet the program requirements as outlined in the Parent Participation Agreement.
• Apply to MCEP by having an annual in-district transfer form signed by the student’s home school and submitting the form directly to the Marysville School District office during the transfer period which is determined annually by the District.
• Notify the MCEP Public Relations Chairperson(s) of the date the annual in-district transfer application was submitted.
• Once the annual in-district transfer period has closed, students will be placed on a space available basis.
• If there are more applicants than space available per grade level, all names of new applicants for that grade level will be placed in a lottery.
• If a lottery is necessary for new applicants, the names of the students will be drawn and ranked in order, starting with those that have siblings currently enrolled in MCEP. Students will be accepted based on available space. All others will be put on a waiting list. Families will have two business days to accept or decline the position. If they decline, the next name on the waiting list will be notified and they shall have two business days to accept or decline.
• Students applying for an opening during the current school year must still be referred to the Public Relations Chairperson(s) to discuss program requirements and subsequently will submit a transfer form as per District policy.
• Students residing outside of the Marysville School District who apply for admission to MCEP must abide by the District policy.
• Families may continue their enrollment in MCEP by notifying the Public Relations Chairperson(s) by way of the annual intent form.
• The principal is responsible for classroom placement; this is usually done by August. Parents are welcome to write to the principal describing their child’s learning style and any other factors that may be pertinent to their child’s placement.
• PC Team Leaders will inform the teachers which PC has been assigned to their class.
• Once the class lists are prepared, the principal will provide the lists to the PC Team Leaders.
• PC Team Leaders then provide class lists to the membership.

2. Elementary Parent Participation Requirements
Parents are required to participate in all of the following ways:

• Classroom Time Requirement (Exception: Refer to Out-of-Class option.)
• Field Trips: Requirements and Procedures.
• Meeting Requirements
• Committee Requirement

1. Classroom Time Requirement:

Each family commits to approximately 90 hours (2 1⁄2 hours per week) of parent participation in classroom service per child enrolled in the program, per year, as needed by teachers. Classroom time may be completed by a parent, another family member, or a friend or sponsor who is at least 18 years of age. Classroom time may also be done by an individual who is being paid by the family. It is up to the family and the individual who is working the class time to determine a fair rate of pay, or to barter services or time.

The teacher and the Parent Coordinator are responsible for setting up the work schedule for the classroom. The schedule is generally divided into morning and afternoon work periods. Parents are asked to request their preferred work times prior to the beginning of the school year, and every effort is made to accommodate them. Parent Coordinators will post the work schedule in the classroom and distribute one to every parent. When a mid-year schedule change is requested by a parent, the Parent Coordinator will be responsible for determining if this is possible.

When a parent’s work day falls on a non-school day, the classroom time will not need to be made up.

Every person who volunteers in the classroom must complete a Washington State Patrol (WSP) volunteer application, which may be obtained from any Parent Coordinator or picked up at the school’s front desk. Once an application has been submitted, a volunteer is classified as "pending approval," and may volunteer in the classroom with supervision. A “pending approval” parent may not go on a field trip. Final approval of a volunteer means a parent may work with children without supervision by the teacher or another approved adult, and attend field trips. WSP approval is good for two years. The PC Team Leaders will notify families via their PC prior to the expiration of their approval to let them know they need to submit a new WSP application.

After their first year in the program, classroom time is waived for all full time teachers teaching in the buildings with MCEP who have children in the Co-op. One half of classroom time is waived for half-time teachers teaching in the buildings with MCEP. MCEP classroom teachers, who have children in the Co-op, fulfill the meeting requirement by attending Membership Meetings and are exempt from the first year requirement. Field trip and committee requirements, as outlined in the PPA, must be fulfilled.

If guest teachers (substitute employees) are working in the building where their Co-op child attends during their scheduled classroom work time, the time requirements for that day is waived.

1)Out-of-class Option
Parents who are unable to fulfill their time commitment in class may request to participate as an out-of- class parent for a total of one year per child enrolled in the Co-op.

The out-of-class parent must participate on field trips, committees, and General Membership Meetings in the same manner as in-class parents and in accordance to the Parent Participation Agreement.

The PC Team Leaders assists out-of-class parents in developing the plan by which the out-of-class parent will maintain communications with the classroom and complete assignments in a timely manner. The out- of-class parent is responsible for seeking adequate work to fulfill their classroom service requirements, as well as assuring the completed assignments are returned as agreed.

1. Consideration for an Out-of-Class Assignment

•All new families to the Co-op are expected to work in the classroom for one school year followingtheir enrollment date. All Kindergarten parents are expected to work in the classroom.

•No more than two parents, approximately 180 hours, may be out of class in each classroom each year. Parent Coordinators will work with parents, the teacher and PC Team Leaders to determine how the classroom schedule and parent/child needs can best be met. Generally, there are more opportunities for mini lessons as the children reach the secondary grades, which create some flexibility for in-class assignments at the discretion of the teacher.

•The parents’ history in supporting in-class and out-of-class assignments the prior year will be taken under consideration when reviewing requests.

•It is understood that circumstances arise that make it impossible at times to work in the classroom. If a family is in need of an out-of-class assignment, complete the “Request for Out-of-Class Assignment” form (Appendix C) and submit it to the PC Team Leaders. The PC Team Leaders will review the request with the teacher and Co-Chairs.

•If a parent wishes to appeal the decision, they must request that the decision be reviewed. The review would include any input from teachers that have had or have involvement in the matter being appealed.

•If the request is accepted, complete the “Out-of-Class Plan”, including signatures. The original goes to the PC Team Leaders, and the parent and teacher receive copies.

•The parent will be responsible for seeking out work to fulfill the service requirement.

•An Out-of-Class Assignment Log Sheet needs to be kept up to date, signed by the teacher, andsubmitted monthly at the General Membership Meetings to the PC Team Leader.

•No parent can be out-of-class for more than 1 year for each child’s lifetime enrollment in MCEP.

•Half time out of class may be approved on a case by case basis.

1. Non-compliance
   Out-of-class participants are expected to fulfill all aspects of the Parent Participation Agreement. Any revision of the Co-op Bylaws is incorporated in the Out-of-Class Agreement by reference. The PC Team Leaders will review the out-of-class participant’s log monthly. If an out-of-class participant is found to be non-compliant, the PC Team Leaders will follow the non-compliance guidelines.

1. Field Trips: Requirements and Procedures

Field trips are an integral part of the Co-op, providing students with a vast array of learning experiences not available in a classroom setting. Transportation will generally be provided by parent carpools. Field trip drivers may submit fuel receipts for reimbursement from the classroom fund.

Parents are required to participate on at least two field trips per child per school year. This does not mean the parent needs to drive, but that he/she should be in attendance. If a field trip falls on a parent's regularly scheduled work day, they may count the outing as their regular work day, and one of the two required field trips.

For parents with more than one child in the Co-op, conflicts may arise with work time in one classroom and participating on a field trip in another classroom. If this occurs, the parent may beexcused from the classroom and the time does not need to be made up. This is based on parent being needed as a chaperone or driver for the field trip and teacher discretion. Advance notice must be given to the classroom teacher so plans can be made for their absence. Attempts should be made to work in the classroom if the field trip does not take the entire 2 1⁄2 hours which constitute a typical classroom work day.

Siblings may not come on field trips. If a family chooses to meet their child's class at the designated field trip site with siblings, they may not join the class, as this may prove to be a distraction for the students or the chaperones.

In order to be a driver on a field trip, parents must carry at least $100,000/$300,000 liability insurance on their vehicle and obtain an abstract of their driving record as required by the district. Abstracts will be sent to district for approval based on district criteria. Most insurance companies offer increased liability coverage to the current policy for one day if a parent wishes to drive on a field trip and does not carry the minimum required insurance. If a teacher chooses to drive on a field trip, he or she must have a valid bus driver's permit. A copy of each driver's insurance declaration page showing the necessary coverage must be available in the Co-op filing cabinet. A copy of each driver’s license will also be available in the Co-op filing cabinet.

A Marysville School District staff member (or designee) will do a check on each vehicle before it can be used on the field trip. Each car must have working headlights, brake lights, and turn signals. The brakes and emergency brake must be in good working condition. The tires need to have plenty of tread, and there must be a working seat belt for the driver and each passenger. All current laws must be followed in regards to proper seat belt and booster seat use. All parents must comply with the following procedures:

•Only an adult may sit in the passenger front seat.

•Drivers should transport children directly to the field trip site. Do not stop for coffee, gas, etc. while en route. Please make gas or coffee stops before coming to school.

•Please do not purchase food or beverages for any children while on field trips. This makes other children feel left out. Also, other adults may feel obligated to do the same, but are not able to do so. (unless otherwise approved by teacher)

•Please do not make purchases in gift shops while on field trips. (unless otherwise approved by teacher)

•In the morning, remember to find a parking spot until it is time to load students. At loading time, you can move your car to the loading area designated by the teacher.

•The teacher will inform parents if there are any exceptions to the above rules on a particular field trip.

The principal must approve all field trips. He or she is ultimately responsible for the safety of all children, parents and staff. The teacher is responsible for the children while on a field trip. He or shemust approve who drives and chaperones, where the class goes, and activities which take place out of the classroom.

Every student going on a field trip must have a signed permission slip stating they are allowed to attend before they can leave on the trip. Each driver needs to have copies of the permission slips for the students he/she is transporting with them in their vehicle. The front office needs to have each child's signed permission slip, and a signed form noting each vehicle used on the field trip has been inspected. The office must also be given a list that indicates which students are with what drivers and a cell phone number to contact each driver or chaperone (Appendix D).