CC Handbooks


Challenge Handbook Knoxville CC Monday Community





Table of Contents

Welcome Letter                                                                                                                     2

2012-2013 Calendar                                                                                                            3

2012-2013 Directors’ Contact Information                                                                       3

2012-2013 Challenge Directory                                                                                          4

Challenge Scope and Sequence                                                                                           5

Parental Involvement                                                                                                           6

Director Privileges                                                                                                                6

Student Responsibilities                                                                                                       7

Incomplete Assignments                                                                                                      7

Non-enrolled Students                                                                                                         7

Facility Guidelines                                                                                                                 8

Snack/Lunch Guidelines                                                                                                      8

Electronic Devices                                                                                                                 9

Driving Students                                                                                                                   9

Dress Code                                                                                                                            9

Code of Conduct                                                                                                                    9

Inclement Weather Policy                                                                                                    10

Family Volunteer Policy/Guidelines                                                                                   10

Parental Observation of Seminars                                                                                      11



Dear Parents

It is our pleasure to welcome you to Classical Conversations 2012-2013.  We are excited about this coming year and the relationships we will build throughout the months to come.  Classical Conversations has provided unmatched support and developed close community for enrolled families for the past four years, and we anticipate this year will be no exception.  We hope this year will be the best you’ve ever had and are thrilled about the opportunity we have to partner with you and your family. May your year be blessed and successful, and may you come to know God and make Him known in a way you never have before.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Vermeulen, Foundations/Essentials Director

Mary Koester, Challenge A Director

Lee Anne Johnson, Challenge B Director

Michelle Smith, Challenge I Director

Marcia Walker, Challenge II Director

Jeana Partin, Challenge III Director




Calendar 2012-2013

2012

July 30
Parent Meeting
Aug  13
Sept 3
Challenge Classes Begin
Holiday- no classes
Sept 10
Foundations begins
Oct 15
CC Break – no classes
Nov 26
Dec 10
CC Break – no classes
Last day of classes before holiday

2013


Jan 7
All classes resume
Feb 11
April 1
CC break- no classes
CC break -no classes
April 8
Last day of Foundations
April 29
Last day of Challenge


Directors’ Contact Information

Foundations, Jennifer Vermeulen   (865) 247-8511        jennifervermeulen@yahoo.com

Challenge A, Mary Koester               (865) 206-9706        mrkoester@yahoo.com

Challenge B, Lee Ann Johnson         (919) 819-7640        pedtherapy@aol.com

Challenge I, Michelle Smith              (865) 932-9027        riverdancemom@yahoo.com

Challenge II, Marcia Walker             (865) 483-8022        walkerfamily9@comcast.net

Challenge III, Jeana Partin                (865) 773-5633        jeanapartin@bellsouth.net








Challenge Directory
Scope and Sequence







Parental Involvement

We, your Challenge Directors, understand you are called by God to home school your student. Your financial investment and time commitment has proven that you are your student’s greatest fan. Since you are more familiar with your student and his/her abilities and talents than anyone on the planet, you are your student’s best and most qualified teacher.  Our role as Challenge Directors is to partner with you and offer you the best support we possibly can.  This may be your student’s most challenging year, so it will be imperative that you (1) hold your student accountable for completing his/her work, (2) ensure that your student has the time he/she needs to complete assignments excellently, and (3) stay engaged with your student on a daily basis.  Your student’s success depends upon your support and involvement. Directors only get one hour per subject with your student on Mondays, therefore, we understand our limitations; It is impossible for us to ensure that your student has the support he/she needs throughout the week. Since you are your student’s teacher Tuesday through Friday, our responsibility is to support you in that role. We will do that by providing for you a copy of a lesson outline (or just referring you to the Challenge guide) which is to be signed by you, the parent, indicating you know your student has completed his/her work. If your student has not completed his/her assigned work for that week, you are to write an explanation on the outline or guide expressing why your student was negligent in completing his/her assignment. Additionally, please understand, as your child’s primary teacher, you are responsible for grading your student’s papers.

Director Privileges

In the hours that we share each Monday, we will provide the highest quality tutoring and facilitation that our time will allow. We will…

1- Present the new concepts within math, logic, Latin, etc. for your student’s upcoming week

2- Offer safe opportunities for and facilitate non-judgmental rhetorical conversations within class

3- Guide students in analyzing and discussing literature

4- Provide materials for and lead science experiments (if applicable)

5- Provide guidelines and guidance for effective class presentations

6- Communicate with you and your student about class expectations

7- Hold your student accountable in class for previous week’s assignments

Student Responsibilities

Each week students are expected to…

1-Come to class prepared with his/her materials (paper, pen, pencil, Bible, guide, etc.) resources, and assignments

2- Bring a copy of the lesson outline or page from Challenge guide signed by the parent with an explanation for incomplete assignments

3- Pay attention in class and participate in presentations and discussions

4-Opening assembly begins at 9:15AM and classes begin at 9:30AM.



Incomplete Assignments

In the past four years, we have had some students come repeatedly to class unprepared. This dramatically affects the dynamic of the classroom. If a student comes to class without reading a literature book, then he/she cannot participate in classroom discussion. If a student comes to class without having completed last week’s math assignment for example, he/she is “lost” during classtime. Our experience over the past four years has led us to implement a new classroom policy. If a student comes to class without having completed his/her work, he/she will be sent to a designated room with that incomplete assignment to finish it.  We understand this may happen occasionally to a student whose life was unexpectedly turned upside one week due to unforeseen circumstances. However, laziness, social outings, and technological interruptions (i.e., Wii, iPod, computer games) are unacceptable excuses for incomplete work.  We will assume you, the parent, are aware of your student’s progress weekly and are writing explanations for your student when your family has a difficult week.  However, we do expect your student to complete his/her work on a daily basis without exception.

Non-enrolled students

Students that are not enrolled in the Foundations, Essentials, or Challenge programs may not be on campus.


Facility Guidelines

First Cumberland Presbyterian Church has been generous in letting us use their facility. It is paramount that we honor the facility’s administration and submit to the guidelines we’ve been given. Changes have been made to the organization of classrooms. The building has security cameras for your protection. However, access to the playground is prohibited. Challenge students are permitted in the gym and on the grounds during lunch time.

            In order respect these facilities, we have been asked to:

·Pick up our trash and wrappers

·Supervise the children at all times. This is particularly important on the playground and in the gym. Challenge students are NOT allowed on the playground.

·Walk while in the building

·Use all the stairs, refraining from sliding down the banisters or jumping down the flight

·Exit the gym by 1:00 pm  allowing the floor to be prepped by the janitorial staff

·Enter  by the Gym or the basement doors

·Place the rooms back in the order in which they are found. This is a church the building should be treated with reverence

            As you can see, these are not unreasonable requests. Please work with your children at home letting them know what is expected of their behavior. We do not wish to “wear out our welcome” with First Cumberland, and failure to comply with these restrictions may result in your families’ inability to participate in our community.  We want to work together to make this year a success for everybody.





Snack and Lunch Guidelines

Please do not bring any food that has nuts onto the campus as many of the students have peanut allergies. Additionally, please bring only water for drinks. Snacks should be simple and not require the use of a knife, fork, or spoon.



Electronic Devices

Students are not permitted to have iPods, computers, cell phones or electronic devices ON CAMPUS.  In emergency situations parents may contact their child through the director’s cell phone.



Driving Students

A student that has a driver’s license may not leave the campus for lunch or for any other reason once classes begin for the day until the end of the day without express written permission from the parent.



Dress Code

  • Footwear is to be worn at all times while on campus.
  • No offensive text/graphics on clothing.
  • No exposed underwear, midriff, or cleavage (fore or aft).
  • Shorts, skirts, and dresses must be no shorter than three inches above the knee.
  • Leggings may be worn, but only with a skirt or dress that meets the dress code length.
  • All shirts (boys and girls) must have sleeves.
  • If a student comes to class with clothing that does not satisfy dress code regulations, he/she may be offered a large shirt to wear for the day or be asked to call a parent to request appropriate clothing or a ride home.

Code of Conduct

  • Speech should be edifying; No offensive language will be permitted on campus.
  • All students, parents, and teachers are expected to demonstrate respectful behavior toward others.

Inclement Weather Policy

Classical Conversations will follow the same plan that Knox County schools do. In the event that the plan may seem unclear, check e-mail before heading to First Cumberland Presbyterian. Directors will send an e-mail to family e-mail address listed in directory in the event that classes are cancelled or postponed.


Volunteer Responsibilities

Hall Monitor Foundations/Essentials: (9:30AM-12:30PM) The hall monitor is to make sure that children walk when they are in the upstairs halls, remind children to keep hands to themselves and notify tutors if there are unsupervised children in the halls.

Gymnasium Monitor Foundations/Essentials (12:30-1:15PM)  The gymnasium monitor is to make sure that appropriate play is taking place in the gym.  This means that it is a hands off environment, no horse play. First Cumberland allows  the children to use the gym equipment.  The monitor also makes sure that the gym is clean after all children leave.

Recess Monitors: Two parents will monitor all outside activity within the designated play areas and supervise cleanup of the area when it is time to return to class.

Hall and Cafeteria Monitor Challenge Levels: ( 9:30AM-1:15PM; 1:15PM-4:15PM) Monitor downstairs hallways by making sure that all students are in their classrooms at the appropriate times.  Monitor cafeteria when students are sent to the cafeteria to finish incomplete work. Maintain a presence in the large open area.  Make sure bathroom breaks are event free (one student in the restroom at a time). No students should be roaming or unsupervised.  Any student waiting for a seminar should go on into the classroom.

Clean-up: (4:00-4:45PM)  All teachers will be responsible for tidying up their classroom.  It is the clean-up person’s responsibility to make sure all trash is taken to dumpster, whiteboards are clean, tables are clean, cafeteria is wiped down and clean, and there is no trash on floors.











Parental Observation of Seminars



----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Greg Stockton" <gstockton@classicalconversations.com>
To: walkerfamily9@comcast.net
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 9:34:38 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Parental Observation of Seminars





I’m writing to follow-up with you regarding your inquiry the role of parents in the seminar classroom.  The guidelines that we ask communities to follow is to invite parents to sit-in on the classes anytime that they would like, especially during subjects such as Logic, where the parent may need to brush-up the knowledge and skill-base. The caveat that goes with that, however, is that parents need to remember that the seminar is for the students who need to listen, practice the dialectical and rhetorical skills, as well as establish and maintain their group dynamics, so we parents need to take a spectator role. As such, we’ll listen attentively from the perimeter while refraining from comments and questions. If we have questions, we’ll check with the Director during break or at another time when seminar is not is session. Should a parent forget, the Director should thank us for the question or comment and ask that we speak with him or her during a break. Should there be a pattern where a parent continues to ask questions and make comments during the seminar time, despite requests to keep the seminar questions and comments for the students, that parent should be privately and respectfully asked to take a break from seminar observation and be reminded that each family has paid for the students to utilize the seminar time for learning.



Thank you,

Greg




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