About SLCHA

The motives for deciding to homeschool are many. The St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association exists to support and connect Catholic families who have made the decision to homeschool, as well as those families who may be contemplating homeschooling. Over 180 families participate regularly in St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association events. These families live in and around the St. Louis area, some as far away as Jefferson City.

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Our Co-ops

The St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association sponsors the St. John Bosco Co-op for students in 7th – 12th grades. SLCHA policy requires that families attending these co-ops be SLCHA members.

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The St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association Charter

I. PURPOSE

A. The purposes of the St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association are:

1. To give glory to Our Lord Jesus Christ by word and deed; to maintain faithful loyalty to our Holy Father Francis and his successors, and to all bishops in union with him; and to follow the teaching authority (magisterium) of the Catholic Church.

2. To support Catholic parents in their homeschooling endeavor;

3. To provide general homeschooling information and information about Catholic homeschooling resources;

4. To provide Catholic parents and children opportunities to engage in group activities, particularly on feast days, during the liturgical seasons, and in the sacramental life of the Church;

5. To form networks with other homeschooling groups to maintain our inalienable homeschooling rights and freedoms.

6. To remain independent of other local, state, and national homeschool organizations such as NACHE and TORCH and their affiliates. (Members of the St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association need not be restricted by this and are welcome to join any other group that suits their needs.)

II. SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

A. The St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association will have a spiritual director who is a Catholic priest in good standing.

B. The spiritual director at the time of adoption of this Charter was Fr. Kevin Horrigan. Our current spiritual director is Fr. Timothy Elliott.

C. The spiritual director shall arbitrate any disputes or disagreements concerning group activities and governance that the steering committee is unable to resolve. His decision will be final and binding.

D. If the spiritual director for whatever reason is unable to carry out his responsibilities, he will name his successor. If for some reason he is unable to name a successor, the steering committee will select a new spiritual director by a simple majority vote.

III. STEERING COMMITTEE

A. A steering committee will manage the organizational affairs of the St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association.

B. The function of the steering committee will be:

1. To encourage, promote, and endorse group activities;

2. To coordinate scheduling of group activities;

3. To inform group participants of upcoming scheduled events and activities;

4. To provide and distribute Catholic information or resources suggested or provided by the spiritual director;

5. To make general homeschooling information and Catholic homeschooling information resources available to group participants;

6. To form networks with other homeschooling groups.

7. To determine the membership of persons in SLCHA and the terms and conditions thereof, in accordance with Section V hereof.

C. The steering committee members shall be selected as follows:

1. The Charter Spiritual Director Father Horrigan will select and appoint five people at his discretion, and with their consent, to serve as a steering committee for the group.

2. The steering committee will, with the approval of the spiritual director, select replacements for those members who resign.

3. Steering committee participation is reserved to lay Catholics in good standing who are currently homeschooling their children.

4. The steering committee may, at its discretion, select from within itself a chairman, whose function shall be to moderate steering committee meetings.

5. When retiring from a position on the steering committee that person may be offered emerita/emeritus status. Those with emerita/emeritus status do not have a vote in steering committee decisions, but may attend meetings as needed, providing valuable knowledge and experience.

D. To fulfill its functions as specified in Section B above, the steering committee shall meet as needed.

1. The steering committee will meet, as needed, as determined by the committee or its spiritual director. Steering committee members may meet in person or electronically (conference calls, email, web conferences, etc.)

2. A quorum of three is required to conduct business.

3. Steering committee meetings will be open to an interested person (with children limited to nursing babies only) with the following exceptions:

a. those meetings closed by request of the spiritual director or steering committee;

b. those meetings devoted to choosing replacement steering committee members,

E. The steering committee will operate under these guidelines and limitations:

1. The steering committe will not attempt to “speak for” or “represent” Catholic homeschoolers as a whole.

2. The steering committee will not form a legal corporation.

3. The steering committee will not officially affiliate as a chapter or satellite of any regional, state, national, or international organization.

4. The steering committee will limit its networking efforts with other groups to those involved in homeschooling only. Steering committe members and group participants are free as individuals to pursue associations with any other groups they wish.

5. Participants are free to make announcements, circulate petitions, distribute literature, etc. at Association functions, but such announcements etc. do not imply endorsement by the steering committee. The spiritual director, or the steering committee, may restrict announcements or circulation of material that in his judgement is contrary to the group’s purpose.

IV. CHARTER AMMENDMENTS

A. This Charter may be ammended with a simple majority of the steering committee and approval of the spritual director.

V. MEMBERSHIP

A. Membership in the St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association includes email notifications via our e-tree and is renewable yearly. The steering committee may commence, terminate or modify the membership of any person, at any time and for any reason whatsoever.

VI. GROUP ACTIVITIES

A. All participants who wish to organize an Association activity should consult with and receive approval from at least two steering committee members before proceeding, if their activity is to be endorsed by the group. Participants are strongly encouraged to work closely with the steering committee on projects and activities of interest and of use to Catholic homeschoolers.

B. All sponsors of Catholic activities or announcements must be Catholics in good standing in union with Rome.

VII. CONFORMITY TO CANON LAW

A. If any discrepancy is found between this charter and the Canon Law of the Catholic Church (the 1983 Code, as of the adoption of this charter), canon law shall supersede it.

Last revision July 2018 — approved by SLCHA Spiritual Director Rev. Timothy P. Elliott.