Following are the terms that families need to agree on in order to have their child(ren) join the project. Each one of these Terms regulates the Cooperative system throughout the year: they are based on feedback and long term observations.
It is extremely important to make sure you can commit to them before enrolling. If they don’t resonate with you, this might not be the choice that suits your family.
If you do, you commit to the Terms of Awareness and support the existence and healthy growth of the “Living and Learning Cooperative”.
Please read all points, and if you accept them, fill in the inscription form

 

Priority of space in the project will be given to:

• Families already enrolled in the previous year who were able to respond to the Terms and manifested a cooperative and responsible engagement.

• Families living in the area for more than one year.

• Children who can already speak and understand Portuguese language.

• Families who are homeschooling or unschooling and do not expect curricular support.

• Families willing to make a yearly commitment of participation in all the days offered to their age group

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Families Participation and Cooperation

In order to sustain the functioning and development of the project, families have to be present and pro-active by voluntarily participating in:

• Communal Days: each nucleus holds one communal day per trimester to maintain and develop the Spaces. It is expected that one representative of each family offers a minimum of 4 hours per trimester for each nucleus they participate in. In this way we make sure that communal efforts are equally shared in the required dates where each family has to be present or send someone (neighbour, friend, woofer) on their behalf.

• Alternative Contribution: A family which cannot complete this commitment of 4 hours, will pay 35 euros which will be used to carry out the planned tasks. We encourage families to be physically present rather than paying for Communal hours since this shared labor also nurtures our relationship with each other & with the project’s spaces.

• Fundraising Events: The Cooperative organizes one yearly fundraising event to create a common financial buffer to maintain and develop the learning spaces. It is expected that at least one representative of each family offers a minimum of 4 hours for this event. The yearly Volunteering hours can be covered by parents who want to do the yearly accounting of a nucleus.

• The yearly Volunteering hours can be covered by parents who want to do the yearly accounting of a nucleus.

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Monthly fees

These are the payment terms for participating in the project days which encourages yearly commitment that support both for sustainability and group dynamics.

• Monthly payment of 70€ (Olho Branco) and 75€/80€ (Tipi) should be done by the first week of each month. Please be responsible for making the payment on time in each space’s “Money box” inside an envelope with your child’s name! 
  (Mentors will not accept payments on hand to avoid losses.)

• Payments can also be done in advance for the whole Trimester.

• Payments are done separately to each nucleus (Tipi/Olho Branco )

• Full month fees are expected from October to June.

• Sickness: 50% discount is offered when a child does not attend for one month due to sickness
  Travelling discounts: We appreciate to know by the beginning of the year if a family is planning long term travelling but wish to reserve a yearly space for their child(ren). Assessment of each case will be done but in general terms the following discounts will be given on the months they are away: 
  1 month: no discount
  2 or more months: 25% discount
  Withdraws: If you wish to withdraw your child from one day or all days, please give notice in advance:
  Complete payment of the trimestre will be required if the child withdraws after the trimestre began. 
  Payment of one extra month will be required if the child withdraws at the end of the trimestre. 

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Yearly fees

One-time fees which are paid at the beginning of the year are:

• Coordination fee: a total amount of 1500 euros is paid between all the families to pay for yearly coordination hours of the Cooperative. The fee is paid at the beginning of the year and varies depending on the amount of families involved (generally 23-25 families)

• Material fee: 35€ per child Tipi Cerca Valley
                       30€ per child Olho Branco farm

• Child’s Insurance: 12€ per child.

• Joining Gift: 50€ per family, only for new families.
   

Yearly calendar

• We will share dates for internal celebrations, communal days, parents meetings and holidays via email at the beginning of each trimester. One week before each event we will send a reminder.

• Except for Christmas and Easter holidays, activities keep running on other dates of national or religious holidays.

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Communication

• Communication with mentors about specific issues is possible by the end of the day. Mentors stay for half an hour extra at the end of the day for necessary daily feedback with parents.

• On Arrival time (mornings), mentors are not available for this purpose. Attention towards the children and start of day's flow is at this time our priority.

• It is very important that parents and mentors communicate directly and in good timing with each other when relevant observations from either side arise.

• We encourage telephone or face-to-face conversations, rather than messages, for sensitive topics.

• Private meetings can be set if mentors or parents feel the need for intimate sharing related to the child's process.

• One Parents-Mentors meeting per trimester will be held to share feedback related to the children and other issues regarding the Cooperative’s functioning.

• The Cooperative shares a private web page where families enrolled are allowed to view updated information about calendar and other relevant topics to all.

• Each nucleus will create an email contact list and a Telegram group of participating families to share specific internal information, using mainly Portuguese language.

• Please communicate in advance when you know your child will not attend the activities.

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Health

• Observe and consider if your child is healthy to join the group; (physically, energetically and emotionally).

• Lice - parents should keep vigilance and act fast. A general preventive message should be sent to everyone if you find lice on your child. Children can only come back to activities once they are free from lice.

• Parasites are contagious and need to be checked and reported.

• Respiratory system: Heavy cough, cold & flue must be healed before rejoining activities.

• Digestive system: children with vomiting and diarrhea symptoms 24-36h prior to activity day shouldn’t attend.

• Fever: children with fever should stay home!

• Skin infections: impetigo and skin fungus are contagious, children with these infections should stay home.

• Other infectious diseases: conjunctivitis, scarlet fever, measles, etc. should be checked with a professional and reported for awareness of other families.

• Mentors will call parents to pick up their child during the morning if any of the above symptoms are presented.

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Nutrition

• Respect healthy eating & send only healthy snacks and drinks such as fruit, dry fruits, tea

• Cook’s menu and rotation system provide fresh, seasonal, vegetarian, gluten and dairy free meals.  (Suggested menus for rotation cooking are available on the web page )

• In cases of allergies or special diets, children can bring a personal food box from home.

• Although we encourage sugar, gluten and dairy free foods, we open exceptions in celebration days and communal work days.

 

Arrival and pickup times

• Arrival and Pick up times should be respected, please be on time!

• Carpooling is essential to minimize traffic flow in the valleys!
  It is the parents' responsibility to organize it.

• Parents should not stay in personal conversation between themselves inside the activities spaces as not to interfere in the starting and closing flow of the day dynamics