Koinonia Family Group Bylaws

ARTICLE I. - Organization Name

These are the Bylaws for the Koinonia Family Group Co-op, aka “the Co-op”

ARTICLE II. - Mission Statement

The co-op’s mission is to intentionally encourage, support and build-up our intimate group of homeschool families in a Christ honoring, safe atmosphere through a Biblical worldview and accountability in education and fellowship.  

ARTICLE III. – Statement of Faith

See Exhibit 1 to these bylaws as approved by its Voting Members.

ARTICLE IV. – Co-op Manager

The Co-op Manager, (aka General Manager) is the general manager of the co-op and is responsible for day-to-day management activities.  The Co-op manager must be a Voting Member of the Co-op.  The Co-op Manager’s term is one year beginning on September 1.  The Co-op Manager is elected by a majority vote of its Voting Members.  The vote shall be held at the Co-op’s annual meeting on or about June 15 of each year.  In addition to general management authority, the Co-op Manager is authorized to:

1. Preside over all meetings of its members.

2. Act as the building use liaison and holds responsibility for building key as well as regularly checking for basic safety in the building (to include inspection of exits and presence of fire extinguisher). 

3. Negotiate building lease terms at the Voting Members’ direction and guidance.

4. Collect dues as directed by the Voting Members for specific purposes and submit check with cover letter to facility host.  Example, rent/donation for Co-op space.

5. The Co-op Manager must circulate the polices and procedures at least annually and immediately after any changes.

6. Appoint Coordinators at the Co-op Manager’s discretion to aid in general management activities.

7. Provide official Invitation Agreement (see Exhibit 3) to new potential members, and review documents with Invited Mom. 

8. In the event of a tie vote when a majority is necessary to make a decision, a recess will be called followed by a re-vote.  If a majority cannot be reached, a decision will be made by drawing lots. 

ARTICLE V. – Discipline Coordinator

The Discipline Coordinator is a part of the Co-op Manager’s management team.  Once the Voting Members decide on a Co-op Manager, the Co-op Manager presents her choice for Discipline Coordinator.  If the member so chosen is willing to accept that role, then a majority vote of the Voting Members will appoint that member as Discipline Coordinator for a 1 year term beginning September 1.  The Discipline Coordinator is authorized to:

1. Hold all members and member children accountable to the Co-op’ rules under Policies and Procedures, (see Exhibit 2).

2. Address specific issues with the presence of the General Manager to a parent or parents.

3. Call a special meeting of the Voting Members and if necessary, fathers, to address critical issues.

4. Record incidents in a log book for said purpose.

ARTICLE VI. - Membership

1. The number of families admitted into the Co-op is capped at ten.

2. Any future change to the cap on the number of families will require a unanimous vote of the Voting Members of the Co-op.

3. To admit a new family into the Co-op requires a unanimous vote of the Voting Members of the Co-op.

4. The vote to change the cap on the total number of families is conducted anonymously.

5. The vote to admit new members is conducted anonymously.

6. There is one vote per family and the moms are the Voting Members.

7. Voting Member.  A new member becomes a Voting Member 18 months after the date her Co-op Invitation Agreement is accepted by the Co-op Manager.

ARTICLE VII. – Adding New Members and the School Year

1. The School Year begins on September 1 and ends on June 15.

2. The period from June 16 to August 31 is the Recess Period.

3. New member recommendations for the next school year ought to be submitted to the Voting Members on or before June 15 of the current school year.

4. The new member vote as stipulated in Article V is the Voting Members’ decision to admit the new member provided that the new member agrees to abide by the Co-op’s Bylaws, Statement of Faith (see Exhibit 1), and Policies and Procedures (see Exhibit 2).  To accomplish this, following an approval vote, the Co-op Manager will present the new member candidate with a “Co-op Invitation Agreement” (see Exhibit 3).  The new member candidate becomes a member, but not a Voting Member upon signing and returning the Co-op Invitation Agreement to the Co-op Manager.

5. At the Co-op Manager’s discretion, a vote for a new member candidate may take place at any time during the year.

ARTICLE VIII. – Voluntary and Involuntary Membership Termination

1. Any member may resign from the Co-op at any time, however, since all members are dependent on one another in their joint efforts, we ask that members who wish to resign do so i) effective for the end of the School Year, ii) provide the Co-op Manager with 90 days’ notice of the member’s intent to resign, and iii) satisfy any financial obligations that may be due from the resigning member to the Co-op for the full school year.

2. Involuntary Termination – If any member consistently neglects her obligations to the Co-op and its members, with regard to Co-op bylaws, Policies and Procedures (see Exhibit 2) and abiding by the operating rules set by the Co-op Manager, then:

   1. The Co-op Manager and at least one other Voting Member will meet with the offending member and seek to restore that member back to the fellowship.

   2. If that meeting does not resolve the problem, the Co-op Manager will give the offending member the option of either resigning or presenting her disagreement at a meeting of all of the Voting Members.

   3. If the offending member does not respond to the Co-op Manager with a decision to either resign or meet with all the Voting Members, then the Voting Members will conduct a vote to expel the offending member.  This vote is decided by majority of the voting members excluding the vote of the offending member.

   4. If the offending member decides to present her case to the voting members, in that situation, the vote to expel the offending member must be unanimous excluding the offending member’s vote. 

ARTICLE IX. – Sabbatical

1. Any Voting Member may request a Sabbatical for up to 1 year from all Co-op activity.  The approval is to be decided by unanimous vote of the voting members.  During the Sabbatical period, the Co-op will hold open that member’s membership slot until the end of the Sabbatical period.  During the Sabbatical period, that member’s voting rights are suspended. Mid-year re-entry is subject to approval of the Voting Members and must be decided by majority.  

ARTICLE X. - Meetings

The Co-op should require a least one meeting per year of all of its members.  The purpose is to:

1. Vote in the Manager for the new year.

2. Vote in the Discipline Coordinator.

3. Discuss new member candidates.

4. Review previous meeting minutes.

5. Any other items as required.

ARTICLE XI. – Amendments to the bylaws

The bylaws of this Co-op can only be amended by a unanimous vote of the voting members.