We have decided to post this on the NEWS page (which is also sent to each member’s inbox) in lieu of a member meeting. If you are not signed up for co-op classes and would like to, registration is still open. If you are not planning on singing up for classes this year, you may disregard this message entirely.
As you may know, this
Friday, September 13th marks the beginning of the 2013-14 Mindful
Learning Center Co-op Classes!! Can we get a woot-woot?! Okay, on a serious note, there are
a few things we’d like to go over with our members before classes begin.
DAILY CO-OP CLASS SCHEDULE
9:30-9:45
|
Opening Announcements
|
9:45-10:35
|
1st Hour Classes
|
10:35-10:45
|
Clean-up and Change
Classes
|
10:45-11:35
|
2nd Hour Classes
|
11:35-11:45
|
Clean-up and Head to
Closing
|
11:45-12:00
|
Closing and Pick-up
Children
|
Location: Co-op
Classes will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 239 Frank Street in Council
Bluffs. Once you arrive, enter through
the side doors off Perrin Avenue. Feel
free to use the parking lot to the Northwest of the church.
Participation: You must submit a Membership Application
in order to participate in any Mindful Activities/Classes/Events. You can do this anytime from our website. Online Class Registration is also available
and should be done prior to participating in classes. For those who have not registered, Class registration is still open for 2013-14 terms 1-4.
Fees: An annual $30 membership fee per
family is required and due by September 27, 2013. Any fees submitted
after September 27, 2013 will incur an additional $10 charge. This $30 fee is due prior to your
participation in ANY Mindful Learning Center activities/classes/events.
In order to participate in our Co-op Classes this
Friday, your annual membership must be paid in full prior to OPENING
ANNOUNCEMENTS at which will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. Since it
will be a busy morning, there will basically be a drop box for checks written
to ‘Mindful Learning Center’ and envelopes (which you will write your name on) for
those paying with cash. We will then
write out receipts during class times and distribute them during our
CLOSING. Please try to have exact change
if paying by cash. This will help us to
move the line along quicker. If you have
to pay your annual fee, please allow extra time for this by arriving early.
Arrival: For
this first week, we ask that you please arrive at least 15-20 minutes
early. We plan to begin our
announcements promptly at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. This means we would like all members
situated, seated and ready before 9:30 a.m. The announcements might pertain to the day’s
events, classes, changes, future events…all things you won’t want to miss!
Assigning Helpers:
After the announcements, students will be dismissed to their classes with their
teachers. This should leave a room full
of smiling J Mindful Adult Members. At this time, we will announce how many
helpers are needed for each classroom and the nursery for each hour. We would like our members to show up ready to
volunteer for these positions and willing to help out where needed. We want you to feel comfortable helping in
the area of your choice. So, please feel
free to speak up and tell us where you would like to volunteer.
Helper Responsibilities: Once you are in the classroom, you are not expected
to co-teach the class. We feel it is
imperative that the students recognize one person as the leader of the class in
order to develop and maintain a sense of order.
Your duties, however, are just as
important as those of the teacher. It
is your job to handle ANY interruptions that might occur in the classroom, so
the teacher can continue to conduct his or her class. This includes, but is not limited to, disciplinary
action. Each helper will be supplied
with a handout to use in the event that they have to enforce MLC’s discipline
policy. We have a very simple, yet
highly structured discipline policy at MLC.
If a teacher asks a
student to leave the classroom for being disruptive for the first time, the
classroom helper should take the student into the hallway and use the following
script (in bold):
HELPER: Why do
you think you were you removed from the classroom?
STUDENT: (Their answer ***If they are incorrect,
kindly tell them what they did wrong in two sentences or less.)
HELPER: That
behavior is not acceptable in this classroom.
If you choose to return to this class, you will have to choose to act
more appropriately. If you choose to be
disruptive, you will be removed again, but this time you will be taken to your
parent. If you are taken to your parent,
unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in any other classes
today. What would you like to do?
STUDENT: (Most likely
answer.) I would like to go back to the class.
HELPER: Do you understand what will happen if you
choose to be disruptive again?
STUDENT: (Most likely
answer.) Yes.
HELPER: Then you may return to the class.
Second offense: The classroom
helper should escort the student to their parent/legal guardian. If the parent requests an explanation, you
can either explain the circumstances of their child’s dismissal (if you feel
comfortable doing so) or ask the parent to contact the teacher after class is
dismissed.
Please review our official
discipline policy below.
DISCIPLINE POLICY: If
a student member is highly disruptive while attending a Mindful Learning Center
class/event, they will be immediately removed from the activity by another
adult member. At this point it will be explained to the student that they
must choose to change their disruptive behavior in order to return to the
classroom/activity. If the student's disruptive behavior
continues after rejoining the class/activity, they will be escorted by an
adult member to their parent/guardian. This child will not be able to
rejoin the group for the remainder of the day. If a child needs to be removed
from a class/activity more than three times, Mindful Learning Center reserves
the right to expel that student from further activity for the remainder of the
school year. Fees will not be refunded in the event that a student is
expelled.
It is suggested that you
explain this discipline policy to your children. Teachers will be asked
to review this policy with the students on the first day of class.
Students: Our students are expected to keep a positive attitude. Students
should be respectful of others bodies, personal space, and property. It
is important that students know that the facility is being offered to us to
use, but is also used for other purposes. We shall not be disruptive,
loud, or run in the hallways. Our students are expected to be respectful
of others who are working in or using the building for other purposes. We
want to demonstrate how appreciative we are for use of the facility by our
actions.
Students do not need to bring school supplies. They will be provided.
It is not required, but highly recommended, that students wear athletic
shoes (or shoes that cover their feet) if participating in Physical Education.
In closing, we would like to thank
those of you who are choosing to participate in MLC’s Co-op Classes. We are looking forward to an exciting and
fun-filled year! If you have any
questions at all, feel free to email us at MindfulLearningCenter@gmail.com
Hello MLC Members!
