Middle & High School Handbook

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Philosophy of HEED

     HEED is not a school but instead a hybrid learning program.  Its goal is to assist parents to fulfill their call to home educate by locating and securing qualified independent instructors to enrich their home education program. We believe it is the responsibility of parents to train the minds of their own children to think rationally and biblically, to discern truth, and express thoughts clearly and persuasively. HEED assists parents by providing the opportunity to join with other families to offer the best possible educational experiences for their children. The parent ultimately remains the teacher. The HEED local instructor is a facilitator, instructing the student in class, while the parent oversees and leads the student throughout the week. HEED local classes provide community for middle and high school aged students in an environment where they are encouraged to seek God first as well as pursue academic excellence. 

HEED students require a level of self-discipline and accountability. Students must be prepared, attentive, and free from distraction to benefit from this type of educational opportunity. Parents are ultimately responsible for keeping their students accountable and their assignments up to date.

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​Responsibilities and Commitments

HEED Directors commit to:

• Provide a schedule of classes for students to enrich their educational goals and prepare them with future ready skills for the next steps in their education.

• Seek to match available instructors and courses with the academic needs of students. Criteria for instructors will include educational experience, mastery of material, ability to teach, personal integrity, and a love for the Lord.

• Require that instructor candidates undergo a criminal background check. HEED directors reserve the right to replace instructors if the circumstances become necessary.

• Attempt to maximize learning by maintaining a class size between 8 and 24 students per class depending on class structure and number of instructors.

• Provide an active website and updates to inform HEED families of all pertinent information and announcements.

• Provide a Learning Management System (LMS) for students to access their assignments, submit work, receive work back and communicate with instructors.

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HEED Instructors Commit to:​

• Provide quality instruction in a Christian environment.

• Maintain and utilize an online LMS that keeps families informed of all course material and assignments.

• Communicate with parents and directors about any difficulties with a student’s behavior or assignments and attempt to handle all difficulties and conflicts with integrity and in a biblical manner.

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HEED Parents Commit to: ​

• Sign the release of liability waiver and the statement of faith on the registration form online.

• Purchase books and materials for all courses.

• Pay tuition and fees timely. All final tuition payments will be collected on August 1st. No students are permitted to attend classes with a tuition balance unless otherwise agreed to by the directors. All payments are nonrefundable and nontransferable. 

• Attend the mandatory Back to HEED/School Night to meet with their student’s instructors and the HEED directors.

• Log in to HEED LMS to monitor assignments, post grades, get instruction from, communicate with instructors and mark that weekly assignments are completed.

• Submit any online grades in the LMS in a timely manner as required by the instructor.

• Oversee their student’s classes to provide proper accountability; ensure that all assignments are completed on time with integrity and confirm that their student is fully prepared to participate in class. Some courses will require the parent to correct work at home.

• Communicate with HEED instructors, to inform them ahead of time of planned absences, make arrangements for missed lessons, or regarding any changes or concerns about their student’s work.

• Make sure students arrive on time for class (5 minutes before class begins, do not arrive earlier than 10 minutes prior to class) dressed appropriately and ensure that they are picked up promptly after class. (See dress policy below.)

• HEED parents must pick up or supervise their students if the students have more than one free period between classes. Students may register for a study hall to stay for one free period at HEED if it is between two classes. Students are only permitted to stay during lunch if they have a class period before lunch in the morning and a class in the afternoon.

• Support and help enforce the HEED policy regarding no cell phones, tablets, smart watches, or electronic devices with internet access on campus.

• Obey the HEED dress code themselves (parents) when on HEED’s campus.

• Keep their student home if they have a fever, sore throat, congestion or cough not caused by allergies.

• Handle all difficulties and conflicts with integrity and in a biblical manner.

• Review this handbook with their student at the beginning of each year.

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HEED Students commit to:

• Abide by the rules of dress and conduct. (See Dress Code below)

• Abide by the cell phone policy. (See Cell Phone Policy below)

• Obey traffic rules including driving very slowly in the parking lot.

• Participate in class without being disruptive, distracting, disrespectful, offensive, immoral, intimidating, flirtatious, or rude. Any form of bullying will not be tolerated. Poor attitude is grounds for immediate dismissal from HEED without refund.

• Be in their seats and prepared for class at the start of the class period. Students are expected to go to the restroom during the breaks between classes and not during the classes if possible.

• Come prepared for class and complete all assignments on time. Students who fall significantly behind on assignments without legitimate reason, in the judgment of the instructor and the HEED directors, may be dismissed from class with no refund.

• Maintain a satisfactory grade point average in each class. A student who fails to maintain a C average for a class, will be placed on academic probation. The student will have a period of 30 days to raise his/her grade to the satisfactory level. If, based on the instructor's appraisal, the student fails to raise the grade satisfactorily. then the student may be dismissed from the class indefinitely. The instructor and the directors will make the decision for dismissal, and no refund will be given.

• Maintain personal and academic integrity.  Plagiarism, cheating and the use of artificial intelligence to complete assignments are grounds for dismissal with no refund. 

• Stay during lunch only if they have a class before lunch and a class in the afternoon. Students may eat in the lunchroom or designated eating areas only. Stay on HEED campus between classes unless given permission otherwise.

• Respect church property. Students may not climb on any walls of the building. No chewing gum is permitted on the church campus. Students must keep the lunchroom and classes clean by picking up after themselves.

• Conduct themselves in accordance with biblical standards and in a manner, which will not be distracting to other students. Strive to exemplify excellence in their personal behavior, conducting themselves in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord. Philippians 1:27. "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” 

• Avoid gossiping to or about others.

• Respect the property of others by not touching anything that does not belong to them without permission.

• Leave all pocket-knives or any other object that could be used as a weapon at home.

• Any damage caused by a student to the building, tables, or other church property is the financial responsibility of that student and his/her family.

• Handle all difficulties and conflicts with integrity and in a biblical manner.

 

Cell Phone Policy

Students must leave all cell phones, tablets, smart watches, or any electronic devices with internet access at home or in their car. If, for some reason, a student needs to contact a parent during class hours, they will be permitted to use the administrator’s phone.  Likewise, if a parent needs to reach their student during the day, they will have the number of the administrator on duty.

If a student will need their phone after HEED and thus must bring their phone to HEED, it must be checked in with the administrator upon arrival.  Students may not leave their phone in their backpack.  If a student has a phone at HEED that is not checked in, it will be confiscated and they will be fined $40.  A parent must then come and meet with the directors to retrieve the phone.  If a student is caught a second time, the student is subject to possible dismissal from HEED with no refund.

 

Dress Code

​Recognizing that different people have different standards of modesty, we are asking students to proactively take a conservative approach that reasonably avoids offense to anyone.

Middle and High School Students will be required to wear a HEED T-shirt, which will be provided to you. 

Young Men: Out of respect for classmates and instructors, young men may not wear shorts, and waistline of pants must be worn above the hips, so that underwear is not visible at the waist.

 Young Women: Out of respect for classmates and instructors, young ladies may not wear shorts, yoga style athletic pants or short skirts. Long pants, jeans or skirts or dresses to the knee are permitted and waistline of pants may not be worn below the hips showing underwear or midriff.

​Students are permitted to wear the HEED hoodie only or zip up jacket on cold days. Other hoodies are not permitted. 

Students who arrive at HEED dressed inappropriately (in the judgment of any HEED instructor or director) may be sent home.  Parents are responsible for their own children’s behavior to ensure they are acting in accordance with the HEED Handbook. Any student who does not abide by the HEED Handbook and all policies set forth by HEED may be dismissed without refund. 

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HEED STATEMENT OF FAITH

 

WE BELIEVE the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God, and the final authority for faith and life.

 

WE BELIEVE that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all.

 

WE BELIEVE in the biblical understanding of sexuality as a gift from God, expressed through purity in singleness and faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman.

 

WE BELIEVE that God the Father is the infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love;

 

WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is both God and the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully human, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, provided for the atonement of our sins by His death on the Cross, was bodily resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit, ascended back to the right hand of God the Father, and ever lives to make intercession for us.

 

WE BELIEVE the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and also fully divine. He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.

 

WE BELIEVE that all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness of sin are freely offered to all by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, trusting Him to save, that person is immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit, all his/her sins are forgiven, and that person becomes a child of God, destined to spend eternity with the Lord.