Classical Connections Bylaws

ARTICLE I – NAME, PURPOSE, LOCATION, STATEMENT OF FAITH

Section 1 – Name

The name of this organization is Classical Connections, also referred to as Connections.

Section 2 – Purpose

Connections is organized to provide home education families an opportunity to enrich their children's academic learning and social experience within the context of a Christian-based, classical co-operative organization. Therefore, our heart is to “walk in the light, as He is in the light, to have fellowship with one another.” (1 John 1:7)

Connections does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit, incidental or otherwise.

Section 3 – Location

The principle location of Connections shall be in Lake County, Florida. The organization may have any number of spaces at such places as the Board may determine.

Section 4 – Statement of Faith

This statement of faith expresses what unifies us and is intended to both protect and limit what aspects of our faith can be referenced in classes. All families are required to sign the statement of faith under the agreement that they believe it and will uphold it as a condition of membership.

At Connections we believe:

Christ followers practice faith in various Christian denominations.
The Bible is the infallible, divinely inspired Word of God, the supreme and final authority for all faith and life.
In one God, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In God the Father, creator of heaven and earth.
In Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He is fully God and fully man without sin. He suffered, was crucified, died for the forgiveness of our sins, and was buried. On the third day he rose again from the dead to bring us new life, resurrection, and the gift of eternal life.
In the Holy Spirit, guiding us into all truth and sealing us for the day of redemption.
The true Church is composed of all persons who through individual faith in Jesus Christ are united together in the body of Christ.
Mankind is created in God’s image, both male and female.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 – Participation

All parents, students, and contracted tutors will be required to sign the parent agreement, student agreement, or contracted tutor agreement (according to their role), as well as the statement of faith before becoming a member. Participants will also sign these agreements and statements at the renewal of their membership every year.

See the Connections Handbook for details of these agreements.

Section 2 – Responsibilities

At least one parent per family must fulfill the responsibility of teaching a class, assisting in a class, or filling another volunteer position as determined by the Board.
A non-refundable deposit is required to hold your spot in Connections. The deposit will be applied to any remaining fees due for the school year.
All fees are due by the posted deadline or as otherwise determined by the Board. Signing the registration form constitutes an agreement to pay all applicable fees on time. Membership is contingent upon any outstanding balances being paid in full prior to the start of the school year. All fees are non-refundable.
All members are required to attend the annual orientation, which typically takes place the week before the first day of co-op.
Parents are fully responsible for their children while at co-op and should be present for each meeting to supervise their children as agreed upon.
Parents are the primary teachers of their student(s).
Parents should ensure their student(s) complete(s) weekly class assignments to the best of their ability.
Parents are personally responsible for children under program age during class time. Childcare is not provided by Connections.

Section 3 – Co-op Meetings

Meetings shall be held August through May. The dates shall be determined by the Board of Directors, who will also set the time and place.
Special member meetings may be called by the Community Director.
Notice of all meetings shall be provided to co-op members by e-mail and/or Connections’ communication platform with as much notice as possible prior to the meeting date.

Section 4 – Termination

Upholding the above responsibilities maintains membership in the co-op. If a member does not abide by Connections’ bylaws, and issues are not resolved in a reasonable amount of time, membership may be terminated by a vote of the Board. The goal will always be to do what is best for the whole of the co-op with the hope and desire to work things out.

ARTICLE III – TUTORS

Section 1 – Purpose

The general purpose of a tutor is to be the lead learner and facilitator in a co-op class setting and to provide guidance in classical and conversational learning that will aid in understanding of the weekly lessons. The tutors' aim should be to create an atmosphere for learning, conversation, and at times, hands-on opportunities. Tutors do not need to be an expert on any given subject and should avoid filling the entire class time with lectures.

Section 2 – Tutor Qualifications

Able to commit to being present on meeting days with minimal absences.
Able to prepare weekly lessons, keep up with curriculum pace, facilitate conversation, and have good time management.
Must have an interest in learning and applying a classical approach to education.
Able to guide conversation and class time with your given course materials.
Able to be inquisitive along with students as you use the tools of the trivium. Tutors should take time to understand their materials enough to curate a conversation designed for learning. Tutors do not need to be an expert in their course materials.

Section 3 – Class & Curriculum Responsibilities

Stay within parameters of the statement of faith.
Use the curriculum chosen for your course.
Curate weekly assignments.
Scope and plan out the required costs for students to take your course. Parents should know the full year’s costs prior to committing to the course.
Communicate with parents and students with any necessary and helpful information throughout the year as it pertains to your course.
Be prepared for class prior to students' arrival.
Find an adequate substitute in the event you need to be absent. If your absence is not related to an unforeseen emergency, you need to prepare class lessons and materials for your substitute.
Clean up your space at the end of your class.

Section 4 – Purchases & Reimbursements

Tutor materials and resources are at the expense of Connections and will be covered by the supply fees collected from members at the beginning of each year. These materials and resources remain property of Connections.
Tutors may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses such as copies, tutor writing instruments, and general supplies needed to adequately teach the course. Reimbursable expenses must be submitted to the Financial Director with a copy of the receipt.
Single-item purchases using class supply money that will exceed $300 require approval from the appropriate Academic Director and Financial Director.
Tutors are responsible for any teaching aids that they personally purchase and are not included in the approved materials, labs, or aids outlined in the course description.

Section 5 – Compensation

Tutors shall not receive any stated salaries for services. Nothing herein stated shall preclude any tutor from being reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses incurred while fulfilling tutor duties.

ARTICLE IV – INDEPENDENT SERVICE PROVIDERS

Independent service providers are those who are not members of Connections and have been enlisted by parents to provide a service to members. These services can include academics, electives, and childcare.

Independent service providers should be initiated and arranged by parents who wish to provide a group service for their Connections students.
The Community Director will work with the appropriate Board member to vet and approve all independent service providers.
Independent service providers must follow all Connections agreements and policies and sign the statement of faith and liability waiver.
Independent service providers are not necessarily affiliated with Connections.
No director is required to arrange service structure, communicate to Connections members of said services, set pricing, or process any requests on behalf of the parent or the service provider.
Any funds service providers require must be made payable directly to them from the family receiving their service.
Independent tutors must define their own class structure and what services they provide.
On co-op day, independent tutors may only tutor students from within the Connections community.
Classes may only be offered at an approved time given by the Community Director so as to not interfere with Connections’ schedule.
Academic and elective classes are not designed for auditing.
Curriculum, if needed, is chosen between the service provider and the parents.
Making the facility and Connections time available to outside tutors may be discontinued by the Board if deemed necessary.

ARTICLE V – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1 – Organizational Governance & Board Structure

This co-op shall have the right to govern itself according to the standards of the New Testament scriptures, “...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...” Ephesians 4:3. The governing body of this organization shall be known as the Board, and it shall have plenary powers to do all things necessary and proper to operate the organization. The Board is responsible for maintaining the overall policy and direction of the organization. Each member of the Board is to govern their specified area with the oversight of the Community Director. The Board acts as a unified body of governance.

The board is composed of seven (7) voting members who hold director’s roles. The seven voting members are Community Director, Relational Director, Communications Director, Financial Director, Upper School Director, Lower School Director, and Electives Director. We believe leadership should be spread out to avoid the burden of our co-op falling on one person. By having a Board of Directors, all volunteers can keep their focus on their own students, while being able to serve their co-op on the side. We are carefully choosing to avoid common structure and embracing a wide responsibility platform for Connections leaders. We want Connections to truly be a co-op even at the top! All Board members are volunteers and shall receive no monetary compensation. Expenses of and for the co-op are reimbursable.

Section 2 – Board Composition

Board of Directors shall consist of seven (7) voting members: Community Director, Relational Director, Communications Director, Financial Director, Upper School Director, Lower School Director, and Electives Director.

The Board of Directors works as a wheel. Each director role enjoys a specific function that works with the others as a spoke that helps Connections keep moving. All directors work to unify the co-op in their specific disciplines, appreciating the work of the others as equal to their own.

Section 3 – Board Member Roles & Relations

These roles are not person specific, but rather designed to be peacefully passed from parent to parent. These roles function best when motivated by love instead of fear or forecasting the future. We recognize that with such a vast headship, we are due to weather a few conflicts. However, we feel our celebrated virtues help us navigate our differences and become resilient, uneasily broken.

The Community Director is the face of the co-op and center of the wheel, pulling together the various disciplines to work together for the community. The Community Director should be both highly relational and organizational. She/he must have been a board member for at least one year, and a classical education homeschool parent for at least three years.
The Relational Director seeks to see the heart of the co-op beat with joy as it loves God and others while remaining attentive to the details of the co-op to step in should circumstances require. The Relational Director should be a big picture thinker with a big heart. She/he must be a spiritual leader and a good example of the co-op’s virtues. She/he must have been a board member or care coach for at least one year and a classical education homeschool parent for at least two years.
The Communications Director organizes and delivers information to ensure that all members feel seen, heard, and loved. The Communications Director should be highly organized with the heart to see that everyone has the information they need to participate in the co-op fully with ease. She/he must understand the vision of our co-op completely and be willing to use and learn technology. She/he must be trustworthy and a homeschool parent for at least two years.
The Finance Director protects the co-op by being transparent and honest with the bookkeeping. She/he must be trustworthy and be willing to use a digital bookkeeping system. She/he must have been part of the co-op for at least one year and a homeschool parent for one year.
The Academic Directors (Upper School, Lower School, and Elective Directors) seek to preserve our classical education vision, while encouraging students and parents to discover the joy of learning and to appreciate what is good, true, and beautiful. All Academic Directors must be passionate about classical instruction and must have homeschooled their children using this method within our co-op for at least one year. As the mentor for the other academic directors, the Upper School Director should be the most proficient in classical instruction, demonstrated by either (1) having classically homeschooled her children through upper school courses for at least two years, or (2) having completed a classical training course.

Section 4 – Board Qualifications

In order to be eligible for the Board, a member must have the following qualifications:

Have a good track record of character and interactions within the community.
Coachable and able to work collaboratively as part of a team.
Have homeschooled at least one child for the minimum number of years appropriate for their role.
Have participated in Connections classes and fulfilled the responsibilities of co-op membership.
Be able to commit to serving a full two-year board term.
Demonstrate a passion for homeschooling and a commitment to Connections’ mission and success.
Be willing to serve as a tutor during each year of their board term.
Current on all payments due to Connections and have no outstanding fees.
Commit to attending at least 75% of the co-op days per school year and the majority of parent meetings.

Section 5 – Board Selection

The process for selecting Board members during an election year or in the event of a mid-term vacancy will be implemented as follows:

Members will be made aware of Board vacancies and asked to make nominations for the vacant Board role(s).
The Board will review the nominations to verify if the nominee(s) meet the qualifications to be on the Board and meet the strengths of the position(s).
Nominee(s) who meet qualifications and the strengths of the position will be presented to the members. Members will then vote anonymously on whether or not the nominee should be added to the Board.

Section 6 – Resignation, Removal, & Vacancy

Any member of the Board may resign at any time by giving written notice to the organization.
Any member of the Board may be removed from their position by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the remaining Board members, excluding the member in question. This action may be taken if, in the judgment of the Board, such removal serves the best interests of Connections. Removal from the Executive Board does not preclude continuing participation in the co-op.
If a mid-term vacancy is the Community Director, that position should be filled by the Relational Director who will serve as the Community Director for the rest of the term. The Relational Director will serve in both roles until an emergency election can be held for a new Relational Director.

Section 7 – Terms

Members of the Board shall each serve a two-year term and all members are eligible to serve consecutive two-year terms without limit.
Terms shall be staggered as to not have a potential complete board turnover. The Relational Director, Communications Director, Lower School Director, and Elective Director will be on election rotation one; and the Community Director, Financial Director, and Upper School Director will be on election rotation two. This election rotation will begin at the annual members meeting of 2027.
Each term of service will begin on the first day of the month following the annual members’ meeting and will conclude at the end of the annual members’ meeting held two years thereafter.

Section 8 – Board Meeting Protocols

The Board of Directors shall meet quarterly at an agreed upon time and location.
Board meetings may take place if a quorum, defined as a simple majority, is present.
The Community Director presides over all board meetings, leading the flow and timing.
Only the Community Director has the authority to call for a motion to vote during board meetings. A vote may take place once she/he determines that sufficient discussion has occurred and it is appropriate to proceed.
Votes, excluding bylaw amendments, are decided by a simple majority vote. Bylaw amendments will require a supermajority vote, defined as 2/3 of the Board of Directors. Motions that pass will go into effect immediately unless otherwise specified at the time of the vote.
Amended bylaws that require member review for adoption will be presented at the Annual Members’ Meeting.

Section 9 – Compensation

Members of the Board shall not receive any stated salaries for services on the board. Nothing herein stated shall preclude any member from being reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses incurred while fulfilling board duties, i.e. office supplies, lesson supplies, subscriptions, etc.

ARTICLE VI – BYLAWS: EFFECTIVE DATE, AMENDMENTS & DISSOLUTION

Section 1 – Amendment Proposal and Adoption

Bylaw amendment proposals may be submitted in writing to the Board by any active Connections member. Proposals will be considered by the Board and adopted as proposed amendment(s) if approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. Further, the approved proposed amendment(s) will be anonymously voted upon by the general membership at the next annual meeting.

Section 2 – Minor Changes

The Community Director or Communications Director together shall be authorized to revise these bylaws to correct punctuation, grammar, cross-references, article and section designations, and to make such other technical changes as may be necessary, where these changes shall be minor in detail and shall not alter the meaning or intent of the bylaws. Notice of changes made under this authority shall be communicated in writing to the general membership by the following school year in the handbook.

Section 3 – Dissolution, Distribution of Assets

A motion to dissolve Connections would be presented to the membership after a majority vote of the Board. The motion will be presented at a general membership meeting and will require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present to be enacted.
Upon the dissolution of Connections, assets shall be distributed at the discretion of the Board.
Should there be funds left at the dissolution, those funds will be given to either the host facility or an agreed upon charity by the majority of the Board.

Section 4 – Prohibitions

No part of the net earnings of Connections shall adjust to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article First of these governing documents.

No substantial part of the activities of Connections shall consist of carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation. Furthermore, Connections shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.

Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, Connections shall not engage in any activities that are not permitted to be carried on by an incorporated organization operating under the terms and expectations of the host location.

ARTICLE VII – FINANCIALS & BUSINESS

Section 1 – Fees & Funds Collected

Supply fees are collected, allocated towards classes they were collected for, and dispersed based on those specified needs.
Budgets will be made available to directors and tutors as needed.
Budgets are balanced to $0 each new school year.
All overages are pooled together and allocated towards items/events that benefit the community as a whole and/or continue the advancement of Connections. This allocation may include a portion given to the host facility as a thank you or a portion may be put into an operational co-op contingency fund.
Overages are not refunded or used for purchases that are not a benefit to the whole community.

Section 2 – Financials

Classical Connections’ desire and goal is to be wise stewards of all money coming in and going out, as well as to manage the finances well and keep accurate records. We commit to working towards this goal as much as is in our power, understanding, and ability.

Connections financial reports will be shared at the quarterly Board meetings.
Connections financial reports will be shared at the annual members’ meeting.
Administrative purchases exceeding $500 will need Board approval.
Class purchases using class supply fees that exceed $300 will need approval of the appropriate Academic Director and Financial Director.

Section 3 – Corporation Registration

Classical Connections, Inc. is registered with The Florida Department of State as a non-profit corporation.
Connections will renew its corporation with the Florida Department of State annually, as required by the state if it is an active organization.
The Community Director will be listed as the President and the Relational Director as the Vice President in non-profit corporation filings.

ARTICLE VIII – BYLAW ADOPTION AND RATIFICATION

These bylaws of Classical Connections were adopted and ratified by a majority vote of the general membership on April 11, 2024.

Amended on May 20, 2025 by the Board of Directors. Amendments adopted by majority vote of the general membership on May 27, 2025.