Membership

Affiliated Support Group Application

The Oregon Christian Home Education Association Network, also known as OCEANetwork, is a state-wide volunteer service organization for Christian homeschoolers in Oregon. The primary thrust of our service is helping local support group leaders as they serve home school families in their area. We call the relationship we develop with local Christian homeschool support groups "affiliation," and your group would be an OCEANetwork Affiliated Support Group. As stated in the OCEANetwork by-laws, we believe that each group is autonomous. Though we are "affiliated" with your group, we do not intrude on the functioning of your group.

The OCEANetwork has a "distinctly and forthrightly Christian" approach to its services. Leaders that wish to affiliate with OCEANetwork need to be able to agree with OCEANetwork's statement of faith and statement of purpose. There are two main reasons for requiring a signed statement of faith from leaders. 1) We are instructed to seek counsel from those like-minded within the household of faith. OCEANetwork appreciates the input of godly counsel from Affiliated Support Group Leaders. 2) Christian families looking for Christian home education support can feel comfortable turning to OCEANetwork Affiliated Support Groups.

Services provided to Affiliated Support Groups:

Publications:
The Support Group primary contact, political action contact, and newsletter editor receive a monthly issue of OCEANetwork Currents. We encourage groups to copy Currents in its entirety into their local newsletters.

Political Alert System:
Leaders and members of the support group are welcome to subscribe to the OCEANetwork Information and Alert System.

Discounts:
15% Home School Legal Defense Association discounts for Affiliated Support Group members. To take advantage of the group discount, leaders must contact the Washburns at washburns@oceanetwork.org.

Discounts for Affiliated Support Group Leaders to events sponsored by OCEANetwork, including the annual Oregon Christian Home Education Conference and to publications produced by OCEANetwork.

Referrals:
If your group is open to referrals, first time homeschoolers seeking a Christian support group will be directed to your designated contact. (This information is provided by you on the affiliation form)

Counsel & Advice:
Leaders of Affiliated Support Groups have ready access to OCEANetwork board members for counsel, advice, or a shoulder to cry on.

OCEANetwork Board Members gladly travel to your support group to meet with leaders or to speak to members on a host of issues ranging from beginning homeschooling to current political action.

The OCEANetwork makes leadership training opportunities available to board members and potential board members of local support groups.

For over two decades OCEANetwork has attended the National Christian Home Education Leadership Conference bringing back information, godly counsel, and organizational insight to pass on to Oregon leaders and families.

Criteria for affiliation with the OCEANetwork:

1. Support group leaders agree with OCEANetwork's statement of faith and statement of purpose. (This requirement is not imposed on your support group membership.)

2. Support group leaders are not participating in government-funded education, including public school-at-home programs. (This requirement is not imposed on your support group membership.) *

3. A support group leader is asked to contact OCEANetwork with current leadership information annually.

4. Support group activities are conducted in a manner that would honor the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a matter between the support group leaders and the Lord. There will be no "Board of Inquiry" into the conduct of the group. This is important to OCEANetwork because the majority of those asking us for support share basic Biblical beliefs.

5. The Affiliated Support Group is asked to make a contribution to OCEANetwork. Support group services are financed by contributions from Affiliated Support Groups and individual contributors. Support groups that are unable to make the financial contribution are encouraged to submit their application. As God provides, the group may make a contribution at a later time. Affiliation is granted because the group leadership displays a desire to provide Christian leadership to local homeschoolers and not due to an ability to contribute financially.

6. Affiliation is not extended to charter schools, private schools, or public (government-funded) school-at-home programs. *

7. Either party has the right to terminate the relationship by providing notice in writing.

* The criteria of affiliation is not meant to limit educational choices of individual families. However, leaders do set the norm for the group. Thus the need to hold affiliated leaders to a high standard. With affiliation is an expectation that the leadership fully supports OCEANetwork's beliefs and philosophy of education reflecting who OCEANetwork is and why we exist.

OCEANetwork exists to support, encourage, defend and advance the rights of privately home educated students. Students participating in public government-funded, school-at-home programs are by law considered public, not private home educated students. (See Four Kinds of Education.)

Please complete this form, have the board member sign it and return it to OCEANetwork Affiliated Support Groups, 774 NW Calloway Dr., Corvallis, OR 97330.
(The form is in a PDF format. Hard copy forms can be requested at the above address.)