Community Agreements (Adults)

We agree to:

1. Uphold a culture of shared responsibility.
   We agree to uphold a culture of shared responsibility. Each family will contribute time, energy, and resources toward teaching, supervision, and logistical support in alignment with their capacity.

2. Foster respect and kindness.
   We agree to foster an atmosphere of respect and kindness in the spirit of The Four Agreements. We will model and encourage respectful behavior toward all adults, children, and property. We will not look away from bullying, harassment, or intentionally unkind behavior, and will address such incidents with care and accountability.
   The Four Agreements:

   1. Be Impeccable With Your Word

   2. Don’t Take Anything Personally

   3. Don’t Make Assumptions

   4. Always Do Your Best

3. Uphold respectful conduct.
   We agree to uphold respectful conduct in both language and behavior. We will refrain from using profanity, gossip, disrespectful language, or unwanted physical contact. We will promote mindfulness around personal space and seek clear, mutual consent in our interactions.

4. Respect the autonomy and dignity of all children.
   We agree to respect the autonomy and dignity of all children. We will interact with all children in ways that are affirming, developmentally appropriate, and free from shaming or coercion. Shaming means making a child feel bad, embarrassed, or unworthy for who they are, how they feel, or what they do. Coercion means pressuring or forcing a child to do something through threats, guilt, or manipulation, rather than offering support, choices, or understanding.

5. Support one another’s authority.
   We agree to support each other’s authority in thoughtful and respectful ways by approaching differences in perspectives and parenting styles with openness, humility and curiosity, rather than judgment or criticism. While caring for others’ children, we will offer guidance that aligns with the group’s shared values, while honoring each child’s relationship with their parent or guardian. We recognize that diverse viewpoints, cultural, personal, educational or parenting styles, can enrich our community, and we commit to listening generously and learning from each other rather than imposing our preferences.

6. Communicate openly and promptly.
   We agree to communicate openly and promptly regarding concerns and or logistics. We will share important updates, changes in plans, or emerging issues in a timely manner, using agreed-upon channels to avoid confusion and maintain clarity.

7. Resolve conflict with care.
   We agree to resolve conflict through empathic, honest, face-to-face communication, preferably with a neutral witness present. We will seek understanding and repair in the spirit of mutual respect and emotional maturity.

8. Practice emotional awareness and support.
   We agree to provide emotional support and practice self-awareness. We will remain mindful of our own traumas and emotional states, seek support when needed, and model emotional regulation and empathy for the children and one another.

9. Approach redirection as growth.
   We agree to approach redirection as an opportunity for growth and character development. When misbehavior occurs, we will engage parents in communication, use positive reinforcement where possible, and apply consistent, graduated levels of support that align with our community values.

10. Use technology intentionally.
    We agree to create a no-tech and no-device policy for all community gatherings and leadership meetings. We will collaboratively establish clear guidelines around the use of phones, tablets, and other devices during homeschool hours as we develop the co-op’s offerings and courses.

11. Maintain confidentiality.
    We agree to maintain confidentiality within the cooperative. We will not share sensitive personal or family matters discussed within the group without explicit permission.

12. Reflect and adapt together.
    We agree to regularly reflect on and adapt our agreements as the community evolves. We recognize that needs and circumstances change, and we will revisit these agreements to ensure they remain relevant and supportive.

We embrace these agreements as a reflection of my personal values and my desire to contribute to the well-being of this cooperative. I understand that no one is here to enforce these upon me—they are mine to uphold. In the spirit of mutual respect and shared purpose, I will do my best to live them out, knowing that our community thrives when each of us shows up with intention and integrity. 

Community Agreements (Children)

We agree to:

1. Ask for help and offer help.
   Everyone helps in their own way. We are kind by helping others and brave by asking for help when we need it. We work together to make our co-op a great place to learn and play.

2. Be kind and respectful.
   We use kind words and gentle hands. We do our best to help people feel safe and welcome. We speak from our hearts, listen with care, and keep our bodies calm. We respect people’s feelings, bodies, and ideas.

3. Honor living beings and personal space.
   We listen when someone says stop, and we ask before touching or joining in.

4. Treat people fairly.
   Everyone belongs here, and each person is unique and important. Our presence is our present. We don’t leave anyone out because they are different or because we don’t understand them.

5. Seek to understand others.
   When someone thinks or acts differently than we do, we stay open-minded and kind. We ask questions, listen with our ears and our hearts, and stay curious.

6. Be honest and speak up.
   We are free to express ourselves. We share what’s true for us in the moment. We speak up when something feels wrong or when we have a change of heart. Being honest helps everyone feel safe and included.

7. Work out problems calmly.
   When we disagree, we talk it out. If there is a problem, we share how we feel and what we need, and we listen to each other’s feelings too. We can find solutions together.

8. Take care of our feelings and others’.
   We notice how we are feeling and ask for help when we need it. We are kind and supportive when others are having big feelings too.

9. Learn from mistakes.
   When we mess up, that is part of learning. We grow from our mistakes.

10. Use screens and devices mindfully.
    During our time together, we follow the shared plan for technology so we can truly connect with one another.

11. Protect people’s privacy.
    We respect our friends by keeping their personal things private. Before talking about someone, we ask ourselves, “How would we feel if someone said this about us?” We help keep each other safe by telling a trusted grown-up if someone is being hurt or is in danger.

12. Help things get better.
    Our co-op will change and grow, just like we do. We each do our part to care, share, and contribute to our community. Our ideas and feelings matter.

These are not rules we follow because we have to. They are agreements we share because we care about each other. When we all do our part, we create a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and ready to learn.

** Our co-op reserves the right to deny participation or terminate membership for behavior that disrupts the learning environment, poses a safety risk, or violates our community agreements.