Teacher Handbook

Communication

• Email is our primary means of communication.  (rootsandwingshomeschool@gmail.com) is our main co-op email and RWCHCTeachers@gmail.com is the email for our  teacher liaison,  Amber Trethewey.  Please contact Amber Trethewey with any questions or concerns.
• We are not affiliated with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church; we rent space from them.  Please do not contact their office in regards to RWCHC.
• If there is an emergency and you need to call someone, please call our teacher liaison (Amber Trethewey 708-296-5874).

Independent Contractors

• Registration closes 1/15/2026. Teachers are REQUIRED to pick up all checks on this date and deposit within 24 hours. If teachers do not pick up and deposit within 24 hours, the class will be canceled and checks will be stopped. Teachers, after you have deposited checks we are asking that you take a picture of the cashed total and send it to Megan within the 24 hour time period.

Curriculum

• Please consider your class material through a Biblical lens to make sure it does not contradict our mission statement or statement of faith.
• We will try to accommodate all classroom requests, but we have limited access to AV equipment, open space, rooms with sinks, etc.

Identification

• Please show your teacher lanyard or Driver’s License for entrance into the building.
• Teacher lanyards are to be worn the entire time teachers are in the building.
• Check in using kidcheck.

Classroom Use

• We are a nut-free co-op. Please contact teacher liaison for questions about food in the classroom, otherwise food is not allowed in the classrooms. Students are allowed water. Teachers we allow you to have water/coffee in a closed container.
• The only students allowed in your room while teaching are those enrolled in that class. (Your own children need to be registered for the class)

Teacher Agreement to Clean Room

Effective immediately, all teachers are required to sign in and sign out of the room they use during each teaching hour. A sign-off sheet will be located on a clipboard in the room and must be completed upon entering and before leaving.

Teachers are expected to stop instruction a few minutes before the bell in order to clean and reset the room according to the requirements listed below. This expectation is not optional.

Maintaining our rented space is a shared responsibility. Nearly 200 children and adults use this building each day, and it is essential that each of us do our part to keep it clean and orderly. We are grateful to Good Shepherd for allowing us to rent their building, and it is critical that we remain in good standing by taking proper care of the space.

Thank you for your cooperation and support of the co-op.

Room Requirments:

• Chairs must be placed neatly around tables.
  
• Tables must be returned to their correct formation.
  
• Carpet must be vacuumed if needed (vacuum is located near the hallway monitor).
  
• Floors must be swept of all debris (paper, markers, pencils, pencil shavings, etc.). All rooms should have a broom.
  
• Tables must be wiped down.
  
• Room 5: Black card tables are not to be used during Roots and Wings. If they are set up for the day, please do not allow any students to sit around them.
  
• Any supplies left behind by students must be taken home by the teacher or disposed of.
  
• For large spills or significant messes, a board member is available to assist with a mop or other necessary cleaning supplies using the walkie talkie to contact one of us.
• If you send students to the bathroom to dump materials or clean up after completing a project, it is your responsibility to check the bathroom before leaving the area. Any mess created by your class must be addressed before you depart.
• Dry erase boards cleaned and wiped off if used.

Substitutes for Absence

• Consult the Substitute Teacher List under VIP (password is growroots26) on our website and contact the people who are available for the class hour you will be missing.  If you have somebody outside of RWCHC who you would like to sub for you, please work with Amber Trethewey to make arrangements for them to sign a statement of faith and complete a background check.  
• Once your sub has been confirmed, please email the teacher liaison (RWCHCTeachers@gmail.com) to make them aware of the change.  If you confirm a sub less than 12 hours before co-op, please text Amber Trethewey 708-296-5874
• Substitute teachers are to be paid $25 per class.
• The teacher is required to provide all supplies and curriculum for the substitute covering class hours.
• Substitute Teachers will take attendance on the paper copy roster in the classroom.  
• Please submit emergency sub plans and materials for each of your classes when you pick up your checks .  These should be plans that can be implemented in an emergency situation where you are unable to make it to co-op and do not have time to get plans/materials to a sub.  
• All sub plans should be quality content that fill the entire class period.  
• The first day of every semester is really important to build a relationship with your children. It is crucial that you are there on the first day of co-op.

Background Check

• Teachers must complete a background check.
• Substitutes will also need a background check.
• Background checks are good for a year.

Teacher’s Children

• All children in classes must be registered members of RWCHC.  All PreK students are required to be 4 years of age and potty trained.
• All children must be registered for a class, even if you are the teacher.
• All Study Hall Supervisor’s children must be old enough to attend study hall and registered for the class; however, there is no charge for them.  

Discipline Procedure

• If a student is being uncooperative, disruptive, or disrespectful, the following procedures will be followed:        

1. The student will be spoken to by the adult that is in charge.
2. If unacceptable behavior continues, the child will be asked to sit out of the activity for a time to be determined.
3. If the student still exhibits unacceptable behavior, the student will be removed for the remainder of class that day and the parents will be contacted immediately.  The teacher will ask the Hall Monitor to contact the board member who is the Emergency Coordinator for that hour.
4. If the student repeats the unacceptable behavior the following week, the parent will be required to stay in the class with their child.
5. If the student repeats the unacceptable behavior the following week, the student will be removed from the class until a meeting can take place between the teacher, parent, child and at least two members of the Board to discuss whether the child can return to class or will need to sit out the remainder of the semester.

Please use this form if/when an incident has occurred that requires documentation. Please remember that your first communication should always be with the parent/guardian.  

Student Incident Form

Conflict Resolution Procedure

• Teachers and parents should respectfully work together to resolve any issues that arise.
• If a resolution cannot be reached, the RWCHC Board member liaison should be contacted and the board will prayerfully work to make a final decision

1:1 Policy

•   Teacher’s should not be in a 1:1 situation with any student.  Please contact      

                  a Board member immediately if this scenario presents itself during co-op.  

Emergency Procedures

• Take attendance online at the beginning of each class period.  This will be how we monitor which students are in the building and should be accurate throughout your entire class period.
• Each classroom has a walkie-talkie. Board members have walkie talkies as well (a board member will be the emergency director each hour so there will be someone to connect with on the other end)
• Familiarize yourself with the emergency clipboards for details on the following scenarios:

• Fire Emergency
• Tornado Warning
• Intruder/Active Shooter  

In case of a Week of Co-op being Canceled

• Cancellation will be sent out via email/text.
• We will have a make-up week at the end of the semester.

In case of Semester Cancellation

• Teachers will be asked to offer a refund for the remainder of the semester or offer online class(es) to finish the semester.

Role Modeling                        

• Teacher speech and conduct should reflect the spirit of the co-op.
•  Students, families, and fellow teachers should be shown respect and consideration regardless of gender, race, religion, or political affiliation.  Please refrain from comments and discussions that elevate one group above another or that may influence students to put less value on a group of people who are different from them.  

Parent Communication

• Introductory emails should be sent out approximately one week before the start of the semester and should be copied to the teacher liaison.
• Any concerns about students should be addressed with parents as soon as possible.  
• You are welcome and encouraged to send emails throughout the semester to your students families.
• If you do not have children in the co-op, it would still be helpful to read through the member handbook.

Volunteer Responsibility

• We are a volunteer-run co-op. At times, teachers may be asked to volunteer to help ensure the safety of our students at Roots. This requirement applies only to teachers who have students enrolled at Roots and are teaching one class for the semester. Teacher aides are also required to volunteer.

Teacher Orientation/ Open House

•  All new teachers should plan to attend the teacher orientation and open house to get pertinent information and to meet students and their families.  This is mandatory for all Spring 2026 Teachers (anyone in the classroom) Co-Teachers and Teacher assistants.

Other specifics to the co-op can be found in the VIP section of our website. The password for this page is growroots26