New Family FAQ
Welcome to Connections! Our mission is to parnter with parents to educate and equip students by providing arts and academic classes from preschool through high school in a supportive, Christ-centered community. These FAQs are meant to help you become more familiar with how our community works.
OVERVIEW
Q: When do you meet?
A: We meet on Mondays and Wednesdays, September through May. You may enroll in as many or as few classes as you wish. For more information, visit the Class Schedule. |
Q: Where do you meet?
A: Our classes meet at two different facilities. Monday classes are held in Everett, and Wednesday classes will be held in Lynnwood. |
Q: Who can participate in Connections?
A: Any family who is homeschooling one or more of their own children may enroll in classes at Homeschool Connections. Students who also participate in a public school/parent partnership like Northshore Networks or the HEE are also welcome to attend. Likewise, students who have been previously homeschooled and are concurrently enrolled in Running Start are eligible for Connections’ classes. |
Q: Are the instructors "real" teachers?
A: Yes! Every one of our instructors is a highly qualified expert, passionate about the subject they are teaching. What makes our instructors special is that they desire to partner with parents to ensure the best level of individual learning for your child. Many of our instructors have been, or are currently homeschooling parents themselves, or even were homeschooled growing up, so they understand the unique needs of our students. Because you choose the classes your children are enrolled in, there is no “tenure”. That means that our instructors are teaching because they are great teachers, and students want to learn from them! |
CLASS DAYS
Q: What does a typical day look like?
A: A typical day looks different for every family. Some of our families take one or two classes a week while others take nine or ten classes. Most of our classrooms look like a normal classroom with an instructor in the front of the class and students sitting in chairs around a table. During lunchtime, many of the students hang out and visit with each other. |
Q: Can my family visit to see what Connections is like before registering?
A: Yes. Please contact our Community and Events board member to set up a time to check out the campus and/or take a look at classes you would like to visit. When you check in, you will receive a visitor badge, and the team at the Welcome Table will provide you with directions to classrooms and any other information you may need. During your visit, your children must stay with you. |
Q: What is the Welcome Table?
A: The Welcome Table is a place where you can find answers to your questions, share a concern, locate a classroom, ask for prayer, or alert us to an urgent need. The Welcome Team is a group of parents who have been trained in how to address your concerns and assist you. You will often find a board member not far from the Welcome Table if you need further assistance. |
Q: What do the fees cover?
A: All fees and tuition are paid directly to Connections. Registration fees are paid annually to cover administration, insurance and facility expenses. Tuition is set by the instructors. It is the cost for each class for the YEAR and is broken into 6 monthly payments. Supply fees are set by the instructors and paid annually. These are used for materials utilized by students during the class. Some classes require the outside purchase of textbooks, books or other supplies listed in the class description. Late fees are paid if tuition payments are not received on time. Drop fees are paid when withdrawing from a class on or after September 1st to offset the loss of tuition for the remainder of the school year. |
BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY
Q: May I drop my child off? Can I run a quick errand while my kids are in classes?
A: No, for legal reasons, parents must remain on-site with their children. If you are caught dropping off your children, you will jeopardize your participation in Connections. |
Q: May I sit in on my child’s classes?
A: Absolutely! We encourage parents to attend classes with their children, but please know that cell phones that have not been silenced, as well as whispering in the back of the room, can be disconcerting to the instructor. There are chairs in the back of most classrooms for parents, but keep in mind that siblings (except nursing infants) are not allowed to attend classes for which they are not registered, as they can be distracting to the learning environment. |
Q: Will I have a job?
A: Yes. To ensure that Connections runs smoothly, every family at Connections is required to perform a family job while on-site. A job may require that you arrive 30 minutes before your first class, or remain 30 minutes after your last class, so please keep this in mind when registering for first or last hour classes. All other jobs are completed during the hours your students have classes. See our jobs page for more information. |
Q: Why do I need to do a job? Can I switch jobs? I'm failing at my job because my kids are not cooperating, what can I do? I hate sitting around doing nothing when my kids are in class; is there anything I can do for Connections while I'm waiting?
A: These are great questions!! Our amazing Jobs Coordinators can assist you. |
Q: I have a dog that can’t be home alone. Can I bring the dog to Connections?
A: The churches have asked that we not have dogs or pets of any kind on campus (including in your car) unless they are service dogs. |
Q. Can grandparents visit their grandkids in class?
A: We welcome occasional adult visitors. Please have them check in and out at the Check-In Table, and they will be given a visitor badge. During their visit, all visitors must be accompanied by a Connections parent. Please ask permission from the instructor if they plan on attending class. Bringing children for whom you are not the legal guardian is not permitted. |
GETTING CONNECTED
Q: How do my kids meet other kids?
A: A great way to have your kids meet other kids is by attending H.O.M.E. sponsored events. H.O.M.E. is a separate organization from Connections. The organization puts on field trips, dances, and other outings. Any homeschool family can join. If you wish to join H.O.M.E., you may do that through their website. Some classes more than others provide an easy way for students to get to know each other. For example, drama, band, choir, and art classes tend to be collaborative. Consider enrolling your student in one of those classes. You may add an open class even during the school year. If a class has already begun, you will need to ask for instructor permission. For teens, participate in the Domus (House) system! All teens are sorted into a domus, and most participate in the events, get some leadership and service opportunities, and make great friends along the way! Bring something to play with other students. In The Hangout, consider bringing a game and some cookies to share. For lunch, bring a big beach blanket or a soccer ball. If you see other kids playing outside, ask to join them. It can feel risky to ask but most likely you will get a yes. For high school students, offer to take photos for the yearbook class or join tech for drama. |
Q: It seems like everyone knows each other and has been at Connections forever. What do I do?
A: We have all felt like this at one time! The good news is we have a lot of new families each year! Yes, kids that know each other already are excited to see each other each week, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t open to meeting new friends. Here are a couple things to keep in mind: please introduce yourself! We like new people. If you don’t receive a warm welcome from a specific person, please know they have a story. Perhaps they are having a bad day or their child is struggling. But please know this: we are excited that you are here! |
Q: How do I meet other parents?
A: Great question! There are many ways to meet other parents. The best way is to introduce yourself! We also recommend the following: attend H.O.M.E. events with your children, post on our closed Facebook group, come out of your car during lunch times and mingle, and figure out which kids your own children are connecting with and meet those parents. Perhaps suggest a time to meet at a park together. |
Q: Are there any volunteer needs in the community to help me plug in?
A: Yes! The Board of Directors is made up of just a few volunteers, and we can’t do it all! We are supported by amazing leadership teams. But we still need help with many facets of Connections, whether that is helping younger kids with a seasonal activity, setting up or taking down events, supporting our tech team, cooking food for a teacher appreciation lunch, filling in for jobs that need a substitute, or one of many more needs that we have, we would gladly accept the gifts you bring to this community. If you are interested in sharing your time, talents and skills with Connections, please contact the board president at [email protected]. |
DATES YOU NEED TO KNOW
Q: I am interested in joining, but it's mid-year. Can I still register?
A: Our registration closes for the academic year on December 31. Registration for the following year will open in the spring. Please note that registration closes temporarily for the month of July but will reopen August 1. |
Q: I'm ready to join! What do I do next?
A: Sign up to join the Connections community here. Once you’re a member and logged in, check out the Family Guide and many more informational resources on our member website. Then you’ll be ready to sign up for classes when your registration window opens in the spring. |
Q: Are there any important dates I need to know?
A: For start and end dates, as well as holidays, see the Calendar page. Our Open House will take place in the spring before registration (typically in late March), and all current and prospective families are invited. Registered families are also invited to a fun School Year Kickoff and Orientation Night, held about a week before school begins. Tuition payments are due six times a year, beginning in May after registration, and then in September, October, November, January, and February. Payment due dates can be found on our Fees page. Registration for the following year opens in spring and is open until December 31. All of these dates and more will be heavily advertised in the newsletter. |