Hello Everyone,
Please find the tentative class schedule for STARS co-op below, for the 09/10 year! First, a BIG thank you to all the parents who came to the parent meeting and helped make this a possibility! Now…the list: 
nursery: provided from the beginning of co-op to the end for all participants.
3 and 4 yr olds: phonics, playtime, arts and craft time, snacks and reading. We also put in a movie sometimes, just for “fun” time. These are Christian based movies that the kids really enjoy!
K5/1st grade:
Konos: We will be implementing this unit study and encourage each parent who participates to read up on what Konos is. It’s a truly GREAT unit studies program!! We have the entire program along with the VHS tapes and cassettes.
Art: Taught by Mrs. Ginger
Geography/Science/crafts: The last class of the day will be a follow up on the subjects that correlate with the Konos lessons they have earlier in the day. Each lesson has follow up and we’ll do that in the afternoon class. Kids WILL have very simple homework assignments in this class.
2nd/4th grades:
Christian Kids explore Earth and Science: This is a curriculum. Each parent will need to purchase the inexpensive kids text to follow the teacher’s manual that we’ll have at co-op. Homework will be required in this class.
Geography: We’ll be using the Beautiful Feet Geography curriculum. This is a reading based curriculum with map work and Christian principles. They’ll be homework requirements in this class.
Grammar/Literature: This is not a language arts class. This is a grammar class with some focus on Reading Comprehension and Literature. We’ll be studying TRUE grammar rules and helping the kids be ready to succeed at being great writers and hopefully, outstanding readers!
3-5th grades:
Apologia Astronomy and Botany: We’ll do the Astronomy first semester and the Botany the second semester. Hopefully, the weather will be warm enough to permit some outside experiments during the second semester for Botany!
IEW A: The Institute for Excellence in Writing
Grammar/Literature/Reading Comprehension: This will be an extension of IEW. We will focus on proper grammar, reading skills and comprehension. There will be homework in each of these classes and these should cover everything you’ll need for science and English for the year.
5th – 7th grades:
Christian Kids Exploring Chemistry: This is an elementary introduction into Chemistry. It’s a GREAT science curriculum.
IEW B: The Institute for Excellence in Writing
Environmental Studies, Science: This is an extraordinary science program that is fully approved as curricula. It’s a hands on scientific lab. Here is the link to check out this program!! It’s one of the most wonderful programs I’ve seen in quite some time:
http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/21_19_1.html
7th – 10th grades:
Etiquette: This class will be taught by a fully certified children’s Etiquette teacher from the American School of Protocol and will be good for 1/2 credit. The class will cover, but is NOT limited to these, topics: Posture, respect and courtesy group exercises, being a good host/hostess, dinnerware, how to tie a tie, seating a lady, job and college interviews, clothing rules, phone etiquette and safety, and of course, dining skills, to name a few!!!
IEW A, B or C: Please place your student in whatever level you feel is appropriate.
Apologia Physical Science: This is a lab only and DOES require homework!
Algebra I: This will be using the Saxon curriculum
8th-12th grades:
Spanish I and II: These will be taught by Mrs. Angela Perry who is fluent in Spanish and a wonderfully Godly woman!! She has been such a blessing to our co-op and my oldest LOVES this class.
Geometry and Algebra II: These will both be taught by Mrs. Jennifer Carr. Jennifer is a certified high school math teacher and a Godly woman who genuinely cares that her students understand the material she is teaching!!
IEW C: You may place your students in any IEW class you think they are ready for.
Biology I: We will be using the Apologia curriculum for this class.
Chemistry: We will also be using the Apologia curriculum for this class.
English Lit: American Literature. We will be
following the BJU curriculum in this class. This class is suggested for 10–12th grades only.
English Lit: The Fundamentals of Literature. This is a 8-10th grade class level. We will be using the BJU textbooks.
Debate class and club: This class is good for 1/2 credit and students will have the opportunity to participate in local, regional and national debates if they choose and qualify. This class will extend past co-op hours and will be laid out at the parent/teacher meeting. It is a weekly 2 hour class. I’m trying to work this so that we can get this class in and students still be able to participate in other classes that they need.
Please note that ALL high school classes WILL be good for either 1 or 1/2 credit. Students WILL be tested and graded. There is required homework in each of our classes and all students are required to turn in their work or receive a poor grade.
We will also be offering Driver’s Education again next year. I am also setting up a music teacher to be available to provide personal music lessons during our day at co-op. If you decide to take advantage of this, it will be paid outside the co-op fees and you would schedule this with the music teacher. This will be covered in detail at our parent/teacher meeting and first registration in April.
Please note that last year ages nursery thru 7th grade filled almost completely during the first registration. I can’t imagine that will change this year. If you are interested, I would strongly suggest being at that first meeting, when I email out the date, because I cannot hold classes and once we fill, that class is closed.
Blessings, Kristi Walker
Director, STARS co-op
