CEDAR Handbook and Expectations Guide

Important Finance Note: CEDAR will charge families paying by Credit Card or Debit Card a convenience fee of 4% for their classes in October, and again in April (for those charges (if any) after October. This is because an outside service charges us. PLEASE pay with eCheck, or simply send in a check to avoid this fee. Thank you!

Please carefully review the material in this handbook and expectations guide. CEDAR's face to face classes will take place on varying weekdays at Riverside Church (957 Rock Island Road, North Lauderdale, FL 33068). Live Online classes take place from the comfort of the student's own home. Please visit "Calendar" to see which classes are taught on which days and at what time. Also, please visit our "Questions and Answers" link found under our "About Us" link, for a more detailed description of how online classes work, and what is necessary to participate in them.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide quality, God-honoring academic classes to assist parents in educating their children.

Philosophy

CEDAR is a program (not a school or a co-op) and its classes are not intended to fully replace parent education. CEDAR endeavors to assist parents in the home education of their children by locating and providing quality independent instructors. The CEDAR instructor is a lecturer and facilitator, instructing the student in class while the parent oversees and leads the student throughout the week.

Organization

CEDAR operates as a part of the ministry structure of Riverside Church. Riverside Church seeks to serve home school families in the South Florida community. Donations are much needed and gladly accepted to help this program continue. CEDAR Directors are responsible for leading the ministry. CEDAR directors are: Joe Anderton, Brian Brookins, and Tim Smith. Click here to contact them.

Commitments

CEDAR Directors commit to:

  1. 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. CEDAR requires that instructor candidates undergo a criminal background check. CEDAR directors reserve the right to replace one instructor with another if the circumstances become necessary.
  2. Attempt to maximize learning by maintaining an appropriate class.
  3. Provide an active website and updates to inform CEDAR families of all pertinent information and announcements.
  4. Provide an appropriate facility.
  5. Moderate and oversee in the resolution of conflicts and disagreements related to CEDAR classes/activities according to the guidelines of Matthew 18:15-17.

CEDAR Instructors commit to:

  1. Provide quality instruction in a Christian environment.
  2. Provide parents with course description, textbook list, and class syllabus with schedules to specify expectations and assignments for each class.
  3. Provide parents with a thorough explanation of how and when to grade their own student's work. Parents and instructors collaborate through this ongoing communication to create the overall grade for the student in each class. The extent of grading the parents are obligated to do for each class is explained by each instructor for each class.
  4. Provide parents with periodic progress reports for their records.
  5. Certain grades that instructors give to students, without parental input, will be done in a timely fashion. CEDAR's general goal is to evaluate and grade each student's work within one week. Instructors reserve the right to take longer for certain assignments, however, and will notify parents when this extension must occur.
  6. Attempt to handle all difficulties and conflicts with integrity and in a biblical manner, according to the guidelines of Matthew 18:15-17.

Parents commit to:

  1. Grading daily work of their students, including grading some tests. Parental grading obligations vary per class and are at the individual instructor's discretion. Parents commit to understanding their grading obligations for each class. Communication will be ongoing between the instructor and the parents so that daily grades reflect the student's understanding of the subject material.
  2. Purchase books and materials and pay CEDAR in a timely manner when tuition is due. No student will begin attending classes at the start of any term with a tuition balance.
  3. Pay a late fee if your tuition payments are late. Starting in the 2022-23 year, 50% of tuition and 100% of resource fees will be due at the time of enrollment. The remaining 50% of tuition will be due June 1. If either of these payments are 30 days late, a $50 late fee will be charged to your account. If either of these payments are 60 days late, a $150 late fee will be charged to your account. if you are unable to pay these fees on time, you MUST notify us at the time of enrollment and we will set up a payment plan for you. This payment plan costs $25. The plan will start on the first day of enrollment, and stretch to mid-October only. Payments will be made in monthly installments. If your monthly payment plan is not made on time, a $50 late fee will be charged after 30 days, and a $150 late fee will be charged after 60 days. In addition, failure to pay a payment plan on time will result in your student(s) being barred from class until your balance due is paid.
  4. Pay a drop fee, if a course is dropped after a specific grace period. In order to maintain instructor salary, all courses that are held for a student may be subject to a drop fee. The drop fee is $1 per day based on when the seat was held, excluding any grace period. The grace period is not more than 10 days, and may be less if the student enrolls closer to the start of class. Please see section Withdrawals and No Refund Policy for more information.
  5. Pay deposits on time for held seats. Failure to pay deposits promptly may result in forfeiture of the held seat, and the student will be placed on the waitlist for that previously held course.
  6. Oversee their student’s CEDAR classes, to provide their students with proper accountability to ensure that all assignments are completed on time with integrity, and that their student is fully prepared to participate in class. Many courses will require the parent to correct work at home.
  7. Oversee their student’s have all necessary supplies for class. Cell phones are not allowed to be used as calculators, if required for class, students need to have a calculator TI-30XS or similar.
  8. Communicate with CEDAR instructors, to inform them of planned absences, make arrangements for missed lessons, or any changes or concerns about their student’s work.
  9. Make sure students arrive on time for classes (no earlier than 10 minutes prior to class) dressed appropriately and that they are picked up promptly after class. (See Dress Policy.)
  10. CEDAR parents must pick up or supervise their students if the students have more than one free period between classes. Students may stay for 1 free period at CEDAR if it is between two classes.
  11. Pick up their children in a timely manner after classes. When not in class, in some cases, students younger than 13 years may be required to have parental supervision. CEDAR will notify the parent if their student(s) need such supervision. Students enrolled in CEDAR5 full day curriculum are exempt from this possibility, as they will be under direct instructor guidance throughout the day.
  12. Parents MUST proctor all tests taken at home. All tests must be signed by the parent or caregiver, to signify this supervision occurred and that all CEDAR rules were followed while the student took the test.
  13. Parents must closely supervise their children while they take math tests at home. Parents commit to making sure their child only has access to a calculator TI-30XS or similar, and NO technological device capable of internet connection can be accessible while taking a math test at home. Failure to comply could result in expulsion from CEDAR without refund.
  14. Respectfully accept any decision on our part not to refund tuition for a course you drop. We consider your enrollment in a class to be a commitment to us. A withdrawal often creates an unfilled seat that cannot be offered to another student and results in unrecoverable lost income to the instructor. Assuming we have met our stated commitments, we generally do not refund withdrawals apart from circumstances we judge to be extenuating.
  15. Familiarize yourself with our Conduct Agreement. Click Here to read our Conduct Agreement. Failure to comply to any part of our Conduct Agreement could result in probation or expulsion.
  16. Attempt to handle all difficulties and conflicts with integrity and in a biblical manner, according to the guidelines of Matthew 18:15-17.
  17. Review with their children and agree to abide by the policies set forth in the CEDAR Handbook and Expectations Guide.

Students commit to:

  1. Abide by the rules of dress and conduct. (See Dress Policy and Code of Conduct.)
  2. 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 CEDAR board, will be dismissed from class with no refund.
  3. Participate in class without being a distraction to the instructor or other students in class.
  4. 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.
  5. No cell phones or AirPods, or any type of headphone is allowed at at CEDAR. This includes no cell phones in back packs, under any circumstance. A cell phone ringing or vibrating in a student's backpack is against CEDAR rules. Cell phones MUST be checked in and left with the front desk mom and reissued at the end of the day. Parents will be given the contact name and number of the front desk mom in the event you need to reach your student. A cell phone that is collected by admin or an instructor that was not dropped off at the front desk mom as per CEDAR rules , will result in the student being fined $10. This fine must be paid in order for the family to retrieve the cell phone and it must be retrieved by the parent. Second offense is removal from our program. 
  6. Attempt to handle all difficulties and conflicts with integrity and in a biblical manner, according to the guidelines of Matthew 18:15-17.
  7. Read and agree to abide by the CEDAR Handbook and Expectations Guide by signing the CEDAR application form.
  8. Treat all instructors, directors and volunteers with respect and honor.
  9. Not leave church building without special exception from both parent and CEDAR Administrator
  10. Never smoke, use e-cigarettes, and/or vape anything at CEDAR. Smoking, vaping and use of e-cigarettes of any kind are strictly prohibited at CEDAR. Failure to comply could result in probation or expulsion without refund.
  11. Familiarize yourself with our Conduct Agreement. Click Here to read our Conduct Agreement. Failure to comply to any part of our Conduct Agreement could result in probation or expulsion.

CEDAR Dress Policy

Dress is expected to be respectful and modest. Dress may be casual, provided it is not sloppy or immodest. Students dressed inappropriately at CEDAR according to the judgment of any CEDAR instructor or administrator may be sent home.
For All Students
  1. Clothes may not display words or symbols which contain profanity, which promote alcohol, drugs or immoral behavior, or which dishonor Christ.
  2. Clothing exposing the torso or midriff, either front, side, or back may not be worn. This standard includes during activities such as raising the hand, sitting down, picking up objects, etc.
  3. At no time should undergarments be visible.
  4. Clothing should fit appropriately – not too loose, not too tight and not too short.
  5. All pants, capris, shorts and skirts may not be of an elastane or spandex material.
  6. pajama type pants/shorts are not permitted. Plain sweatpants are permitted, but they can not have anything written on the backside.
  7. Hats of any kind or not allowed.
  8. Hooded sweatshirts are allowed, but hood must be worn down and not over head.
In Young Men
Young men are required to show respect for others in the way they dress. Pant waistlines may not be worn below the hips; underwear must be covered. Pajama bottoms are strictly prohibited. Muscle shirts and tank tops are not to be worn at CEDAR.
In Young Women
Young women are required to dress modestly. Ladies may wear pants/jeans or dresses and not shorts or short skirts. Pajama bottoms are strictly prohibited. "Crop tops" are strictly prohibited, and all shirts must go below the waist. Dresses and skirts must be no shorter than 3 inches above the knee. No yoga pants, jeggings or tights are to be worn. Tops are to cover the shoulder, back, midriff, and cleavage; undergarments should be worn but not seen. No tank tops or off the shoulder blouses or shirts are to be worn at CEDAR.
Dress Code Warning
Students failing to comply to the above dress code will be immediately dismissed for the day. Second offense is removal from the CEDAR program.

Facility Use

Students are only permitted in designated areas. Students are absolutely prohibited from entering undesignated areas unless directed by a CEDAR instructor or administrator (Students must remain in the Riverside Student Center and may not enter into the Riverside main facility). Riverside Church is blessed to be the owner of a shopping center – please respect the needs of Riverside’s tenants and do not wander throughout the shopping center.

Lunch and Eating

Students are only permitted to stay throughout the lunch period if they have a class sometime before the lunch hour and after lunch. Eating and drinking is permitted only in the lunch room and snack area. Please respect church property by cleaning up after yourself.

CEDAR Online Classes

  1. Students participating in online classes, or those streaming live classes must have a working camera and be visible at all times to the instructor in an environment without distractions.
  2. Students who turn their camera off, or walk away from the computer, without prior permission from the instructor, may be removed from class automatically.
  3. Please contact the instructor directly to determine what is necessary for online classes and to stream a live class a few days before the start of class.

    4. CEDAR Expectations Guide

    1. Students will act in such a way that their words and actions promote the unity and encouragement of fellow CEDAR students.
    2. Students violating personal or academic integrity (plagiarism or cheating) will be dismissed from CEDAR with no refund. This includes using CHAT GPT, or other types of artificial intelligence applications. All written work will be analyzed and flagged for any artificial intelligence input, and will immediately be labeled plagiarism if found. Again the penalty of all types of plagiarism is expulsion from CEDAR with no refund.
    3. Cell phone use for students is prohibited at CEDAR. This means No cell phones at CEDAR.  This includes no cell phones in back packs.  Cell phones MUST be checked in and left with the front desk mom and reissued at the end of the day.  Parents will be given the contact name and number of the front desk mom in the event you need to reach your student.  If a cell phone is collected, there will be a $10 fine to retrieve it and must be retrieved by the parent.  Second offense is removal from our program. 
    4. Students will avoid acting in such a way that is considered disruptive, distracting, disrespectful, offensive, immoral, intimidating or rude.
    5. Students will avoid gossiping to or about others.
    6. Poor attitude is grounds for dismissal without refund.
    7. Students must dress modestly adhering to the Dress Policy set forth in the CEDAR handbook. Students who arrive at CEDAR dressed inappropriately (in the judgment of any CEDAR instructor or director) will be sent home.
    8. Students must be in their seats and prepared at the start of the class period. They may not wait for other students or for their instructor to call them to class.
    9. When not in class, in some cases, students younger than 13 years may be required to have parental supervision. CEDAR will notify the parent if their student(s) need such supervision. Students enrolled in CEDAR5 full day curriculum are exempt from this possibility, as they will be under direct instructor guidance throughout the day.
    10. The church has ministry functions throughout the week, an active church office, and tenants conducting business. Students may not go into any part of the building or shopping center other than the Riverside Student Center.
    11. Students must respect the church property (including the shopping center).
    12. Students must respect the property of others by not touching anything that does not belong to them unless they have permission.
    13. Halls and areas between classes must be kept clear and quiet.
    14. Students may not run in the building.
    15. Students may eat in the designated eating areas only.
    16. Students must pick up after themselves immediately. All trash must be thrown away and all belongings cleaned up and removed before an area is left.
    17. No chewing gum is permitted on the church property. Bringing gum into CEDAR and chewing gum is prohibited at CEDAR. This means NO gum at CEDAR.  If a student is found chewing gum, they will have to dispose of the gum in a sanitary way, and then they will be required to clean all of the tables in the room where they were first seen chewing the gum. Second offense will result in a $50 fine charged to the family. All subsequent offenses will also result in additional $50 fines charged to the family. Please know this rule at CEDAR resulted from the very high number of chewed gum found underneath the tables at CEDAR.
    18. Students may not bring pocket knives, or any other object that could be used as a weapon.
    19. 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.
    20. A student who fails to maintain a satisfactory grade point average (below a 2.0) in a particular class for a period of 30 days, will be placed on academic probation. The student will have a period of 30 days to raise his/her grade point average to the satisfactory level. If, based on the instructor’s appraisal, the student fails to raise the grade to the approved level, then the student will be eligible to be dismissed from the class indefinitely. The decision for dismissal will be made by the instructor and the board. The no refund policy will be in effect for such cases.

      21. Families commit to:

      1. Paying CEDAR when payments are due.
      2. Failure to pay deposits for enrolled classes, when deposits are due, may result in late fee fines and/or students losing their held position in the course. These students will be automatically placed back on the waitlist.
      3. If a specific course is held for a child, CEDAR allows a grace period for the family to change their mind. After this grace period, if a student drops the course, drop fees will be charged. Specific details of drop fee terms and grace periods given vary per class and depend on when the class is dropped. Specifics can be discussed with CEDAR admin regarding each class if necessary.
      4. Further, if payments are not made in a timely manner CEDAR retains the right to instill a penalty fee of $50 to any account that is in arrears and has been given an overdue balance notification via email. To avoid this penalty, please pay your account due on time, and/or communicate to CEDAR regarding your financial situation.

      Financial Policy:

      1. General: As a not-for-profit organization, we charge only what we need to perform our services. We want families to be fully aware of all costs prior to enrolling. Tuition amounts and any additional fees associated with each class can be found in the course details under the Courses and Enrollments tab. CEDAR is only able to provide it's services to our community by having ALL families promptly pay their balances when they are due. Late payments jeopardize CEDAR's ability to offer these services to our community.
      2. Payment options and convenience fees: Starting in 2018-19 terms CEDAR will charge families paying by credit card a convenience fee of 4% for their classes. This means that a $450 dollar class will cost $468 in total. This additional $18 convenience fee will appear on your account after the class has been either partially paid or paid in full using a credit card. To avoid this convenience fee, please pay by check or E-check.* (Our preferred payment). Click Here to read how to use E-Checks. PLEASE NOTE: DURING ENROLLMENT: CLICKING THE BOX STATING YOU HAVE REVIEWED THIS HANDBOOK IMPLICITLY GIVES CEDAR PERMISSION TO CHARGE YOU THIS CONVENIENCE FEE WHEN PAYING WITH A CREDIT CARD.

      Withdrawal Procedure and No Refund Policy:

      1. General: We consider a family's registration request to be a well-intentioned commitment to take that class and pay all fees associated with it, and we assume that families do not request a class they believe they are likely to drop later. Holding a seat in a class prevents other interested families from taking that seat and commits income to the teacher.
      2. When a student drops before the course begins: A drop fee will be charged. The drop fee is $1 per day based on when the seat was held. Tuition for the dropped course will not be refunded, however, a credit will be applied to the family's account for the original cost of the course, subtracting the drop fee. The family may use this credit for up to one year for future courses at CEDAR. After one year, the credit will be eliminated from the family's account.
      3. When a student drops after the class begins: Full tuition for that class is charged to the family, as our instructors are paid in full. We strongly encourage families to thoroughly review the scope, sequence, and standards of each desired course prior to enrollment, so you can ensure that what your child will be studying supports your educational goals.
      4. In the rare event that a student is expelled From CEDAR due to immoral behavior, or academic dishonesty: Full tuition for all classes the child is enrolled in are charged to the family, as our instructors are paid in full. Please note; the no refund policy will be in full effect for such cases.
      5. Starting in the 2022-23 year, 50% of tuition and 100% of resource fees will be due at the time of enrollment. The remaining 50% of tuition will be due June 1. If either of these payments are 30 days late, a $50 late fee will be charged to your account. If either of these payments are 60 days late, a $150 late fee will be charged to your account. if you are unable to pay these fees on time, you MUST notify us at the time of enrollment and we will set up a payment plan for you. This payment plan costs $25. The plan will start on the first day of enrollment, and stretch to mid-October only. Payments will be made in monthly installments. If your monthly payment plan is not made on time, a $50 late fee will be charged after 30 days, and a $150 late fee will be charged after 60 days. In addition, failure to pay a payment plan on time will result in your student(s) being barred from class until your balance due is paid.
      6. Mutual Responsibility. We deal in good faith with our families and we expect the same from our families.