In order for a family to participate at ASA, at least one parent must be a Parent Member in good standing.
To be in good standing, a Parent Member must do the following:
Agree to uphold the ASA Bylaws, Principles, and ASA policies.
Sign the ASA liability waivers, which can be reviewed in Section 13. The liability waivers are signed at registration.
Agree to serve in a volunteer capacity. Every family contributes one mentor for a class, but parents often also serve on a committee or the Board of Directors.
Agree to attend four parent meetings. Parent meetings can include Park Days, Fall and Spring meetings, mentor trainings, and Spark Nights.
Agree to join the ASA communication channels and turn on notifications so they are aware when things are announced. The current communication channels include a group.io email server and an ASA Slack workspace.
Each year, agree to review the cornerstone information that ASA is built on. These can be found in Section 1.
Link to related
Joining a new community can sometimes feel overwhelming. Every returning Parent Member should strive to help new families feel welcome. The Family Support Committee, in particular, ensures that new families receive all necessary orientation to feel successful and connected to the ASA community.
The New Parent Orientation Document provides a quick overview of ASA and is specifically written to highlight how ASA works for new and interested families. This document should be reviewed once a year by the Family Support Committee to ensure that all links and information align with current ASA policies and procedures.
The New Parent Orientation Document can be referenced here.
Parent Information Meetings are administrative meetings to help new and returning families know how ASA works. Usually there is one meeting held each semester.
7.3.1.1 Fall Orientation Meeting
The purpose of the Fall Orientation Meeting is to gather as families at ASA after the school year begins, explain school-wide information as well as information related to specific classes, and share the vision and mission of ASA.
In addition to any agenda items relevant to the current year, the Fall Orientation Meeting usually includes the following agenda items:
Introduction of members of the Board of Directors
History and Vision of ASA
Building Rules and Code of Conduct
Review of any major policy changes
Explanation of student cleaning jobs
School calendar and upcoming events
Parent Q&A
Both parents are invited to attend the Fall Orientation Meeting, but at least one parent from each family should attend the Fall Orientation Meeting if at all possible. (Article V.1)
Notes and sometimes a recording of the meeting are sent out following the meeting and are also posted on the ASA website.
7.3.1.2 Spring Meeting
The purpose of the Spring Meeting is to inform current families of plans for the next school year, to meet and answer questions for new families considering ASA for the following year, and to take care of several administrative details required by the ASA bylaws.
The Spring Meeting is usually held the second week of April. A notice of the time and place of the meeting must be sent a minimum of 10 days in advance.
The following agenda items (which are required by the bylaws to be covered at an annual ASA meeting) are usually shared during the Spring Meeting:
A financial report for the previous 12 months. (Article V.1)
Vote on amendments to the bylaws (if necessary). (Article XIII.1)
The following agenda items can also covered during the Spring Meeting:
Overview of ASA, including vision and mission
Announcement of the new Board of Directors
A tentative draft of the class schedule for the next school year
School calendar for the next school year
Dates for registration
Volunteer positions that still need to be filled
Family Fee and Student Fee amounts
It is strongly encouraged that at least one Parent Member from each family attend the Spring Meeting. (Article V.1) If attendance is not possible, the Parent Member vote is forfeited for that meeting.
Parent Education Meetings are provided throughout the year to inspire and educate parents. They include Park Days and Spark Nights.
All parents are invited and encouraged to attend Parent Education meetings, and Parent Education meetings can fulfill the four-meeting attendance expectation to be a Parent Member at ASA. (Article V.1)
Sometimes youth may be invited to Parent Education meetings as well.
At least one Board member must attend each Parent Education Meeting.
7.3.2.1 Park Days
Prior to the start of the school year, a weekly park day is held each Thursday in August to build community, introduce new families to the ASA vision, mission, and principles, and to discuss topics relevant to ASA families.
Park Days are held at centrally located parks throughout Utah Valley to be sensitive to driving time. Children and students are invited so they can play and socialize while parents are talking. Spending this time together helps children and teens make connections before the beginning of the school year.
The Family Support Committee determines the topic and materials that should be discussed at Park Days. The Family Support Committee then oversees choosing the location(s) and announcing Park Days, especially to new families who may not yet be in the regular ASA communication channels. A member of the Family Support Committee facilitates the discussion each week.
The ASA founding documents are a good resource to pull from when choosing material. The FSC also has a folder in the Google drive that contains a sampling of some of the material that has been chosen in the past.
7.3.2.2 Spark Nights
Spark Nights are designed to create community and connection with the Parent Family members at ASA with inspiring and informative topics.
Spark Nights are usually held once a semester. The Family Support Committee determines what type of event will be best for the ASA community. The Board may recommend topics for the Family Support Committee to cover. The Family Support Committee coordinates all details related to putting on the event.
Previous Spark Nights have included guest speakers, panel discussions, and service activities.
If the Board of Directors sees a need, they can create additional meetings or trainings. All meetings should be announced far enough in advance that members can reasonably plan to attend.