Membership Requirements for Homeschoolers United for Growth and Support (HUGS)
If you are planning a field trip and have to cancel it due to a lack of participation or if unforeseen circumstances arise, you will need to contact everyone who has signed up for the field trip personally to let them know that the field trip has been cancelled and you will need to contact the sub-group director to let them know that you will need to reschedule your field trip for a future date. If there is time, you can send an email through the HUGS email loop to notify members of the cancellation.
NOTE: Cancellations should be the rare “exception” and not the “rule.”
11. Prepayment:
Some events require a prepayment or reserved seating. If the Contact Person for an event is responsible for a head count or prepayment and you sign up, you are still responsible to pay whether you make it to the event or not. The only exception to this would be if you personally contact (not a message on the answering machine) the Contact Person prior to the date of the trip and she is able to find someone to take your place.
12. Expected Behavior:
We must remember that we are representatives of the homeschooling community, as well as of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we must behave accordingly. Parents and children are expected to show politeness, respect and self-control at all field trips and events. Parents are to maintain control of their children at all times. Consistent violation of this requirement may result in a member being asked not to attend functions.
13. Invited Guests:
You may invite a family that is not a member of H.U.G.S. to a field trip or event as long as they are fully aware of expected behavior and agree to sign the H.U.G.S. liability waiver. You can print the liability waiver from the website and have them sign and bring it to the event. The person planning the field trip or event must be notified of the number of guests and if there is a limited number able to participate in the field trip, H.U.G.S. members take precedence.
- To be a member, you must be currently homeschooling.
- To be a member, you must agree to plan at least one field trip or event for the school year and agree to serve as the Contact Person for this event. A Contact Person is responsible for planning all aspects of the field trip or event. After choosing an event or trip, be sure to confirm the date and negotiate a price with the place for the field trip (if applicable). Example: Field Trip Location is Ripley’s Aquarium. You will need to make the necessary arrangements for the group and negotiate a price per person before calling the Sub-group Director listed below with the details for the Newsletter.
- Contact the appropriate Sub-group Director (or Email Loop Coordinator) with all the details so that the field trip can be approved and the email information sent out to all members.
- Follow up and confirm the field trip. A few days before the event, call or email those who have signed up. If the response is large, please feel free to ask for assistance in contacting everyone. You can also request for a reminder to be sent through the email loop (contact Email Loop Coordinator).
- On the day of the event or trip, please arrive early and have name tags ready for each child. If you are hosting a field trip, please have a thank you note ready for everyone to sign for the person or place of business sponsoring your trip.
- Contact Person must determine a reasonable number of participants for each field trip and event. This maximum number must be included in the newsletter along with any other activity information.
- Contact Person must determine the appropriate age (if any) for the particular field trip or activity. Example: if the field trip will include information for older children only, please specify that in the field trip description and do not include younger children in the sign-up.
- Out of respect for the other members, everyone is expected to arrive on time at events and field trips.
- Parents may NOT leave the vicinity of an event/field trip without arranging for another adult to accept responsibility for their child(ren).
- Cancellations:
If you are planning a field trip and have to cancel it due to a lack of participation or if unforeseen circumstances arise, you will need to contact everyone who has signed up for the field trip personally to let them know that the field trip has been cancelled and you will need to contact the sub-group director to let them know that you will need to reschedule your field trip for a future date. If there is time, you can send an email through the HUGS email loop to notify members of the cancellation.
NOTE: Cancellations should be the rare “exception” and not the “rule.”
11. Prepayment:
Some events require a prepayment or reserved seating. If the Contact Person for an event is responsible for a head count or prepayment and you sign up, you are still responsible to pay whether you make it to the event or not. The only exception to this would be if you personally contact (not a message on the answering machine) the Contact Person prior to the date of the trip and she is able to find someone to take your place.
12. Expected Behavior:
We must remember that we are representatives of the homeschooling community, as well as of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we must behave accordingly. Parents and children are expected to show politeness, respect and self-control at all field trips and events. Parents are to maintain control of their children at all times. Consistent violation of this requirement may result in a member being asked not to attend functions.
13. Invited Guests:
You may invite a family that is not a member of H.U.G.S. to a field trip or event as long as they are fully aware of expected behavior and agree to sign the H.U.G.S. liability waiver. You can print the liability waiver from the website and have them sign and bring it to the event. The person planning the field trip or event must be notified of the number of guests and if there is a limited number able to participate in the field trip, H.U.G.S. members take precedence.