Participation


How do families participate in CFA?

Each family who joins CFA participates in the functioning of CFA. Each family pulls their own weight in true co-operative form.

At least 1 parent is expected to participate in CFA if at least one child from the family is participating. This means the family adult is in attendance with her children on Friday for the full day, serving the full day. While at CFA, parents spend their time teaching, grading, assisting, administrating, in child care, and in other helpful ways. Generally the time commitment is about 5-8 hours a week when the time at CFA plus time planning are combined. Parents take turns with maintenance (cleaning) as well.

 

The Ark is designed to assist parents with the siblings of CFA students attending in the Elementary and Jr. / Sr. departments. We will accept membership from families with K-club (Kindergarten age) students who have notified their school district that they are homeschooling, but who do not have older siblings. Students in the ark are divided by age. Nursery, age 0-2, provides care for infant and toddlers with play time, snacks, and rest time if needed. Preschool, ages 3-4, has play time, a lesson, music, gym, art, and with a rest time if needed. K-Club, ages 5-6, has circle time with pledge, show and tell, and lesson time. Classes throughout the day include art, music, gym time, and bookworm bunch to end the day.
The Elementary is designed for students ranging from 1st grade to elementary 6th grade. These classes require Friday attendance but little if any student work outside of the Friday meeting. Classes offer categories to choose from such as music, art, drama, Bible, gym, history, science, literature, and more. The children eat lunch together and have recess/ play time. The atmosphere is relaxed, but it is expected that the children will follow basic rules such as raising their hands to speak, working on their assignments, and sitting during the class-as is age appropriate.
The Jr. /Sr. High is designed for students ranging from 6th to 12th grades. (We realize students don’t always exactly fit into a grade category-classes are picked independently). The Jr. and Sr. high classes are typically more academic in nature. Work is completed at home through the week from an assigned syllabus and brought to Friday’s meeting. Regular attendance, assignments completed and high commitment to study is expected. Electives are available, but the emphasis at this level is to assist parents with the core classes of English, history (social study), and science. The classes are designed and sequenced in a manner that provides a plan for completion of college prep. Classes range from “fixed”, where the teacher teaches the same class from year to year, to “flex” where the teachers and families involved develop the class together to meet specific needs or desires. Classes offered are determined by student/ parent interest, available teacher, and space available. The core classes will be given priority so that parents can map a plan for their students through the high school years.