Currently viewing: Enrichment Classes » Policies

Menu

Calendar Registration Instructions Fall 2010 Registration Form Parent Jobs Directions and Parking Policies Teachers' Biographies and Experience PALS Orientation Contacts Class Schedule Fall 2010 Back to top

Policies

General Policies

Snow Policy

If Pittsburgh Public Schools have a 1-hour delay or a cancellation, we cancel Enrichment classes.  Any missed days will be made up at the end of the session.  Please check your PALS-News announcements for cancellation information.

 

 

Fire/Emergency Policy

Teachers and parents should be familiar with the location of alarms, extinguishers and fire exits.  In the event of a fire (or evacuation), parents will gather any children in their immediate vicinity and exit the building.  Teachers will check the bathrooms nearest their classroom and escort their classes to the nearest exit.  Upon exiting, everyone will meet at the playground.  A current list of all PALS students, parents, and teachers will be maintained by Coordinators and brought to the outdoor meeting place. Teachers will hav their rosters and bring them when evacuating the building.

 

Sick Policy 

We urge you to use good judgment about attending Enrichment classes if your child is ill.  Please do not come if within the last 24 hours your child has severe cold symptoms (obvious nasal drainage or wet cough not due to allergies/asthma), fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.

 

Facility Care/Clean-up 

In order to be great stewards of our rental facility and to demonstrate respect for our fellow Enrichment families, the responsibility for cleaning our Enrichment space rests with everyone.  We ask that prior to leaving Enrichment you spend some time cleaning up after yourself or straightening an area that is messy. 

 

Non-smoking Policy

Our rental facility does have a non-smoking policy in both the building and on their grounds.

 

 

Participant Policies

 

Cooperative Acknowledgement

PEP programs are completely volunteer driven.  Enrichment classes are made possible through the cooperative effort of families who have agreed to share the responsibility of making this program available for everyone.

 

Parent Jobs

Many different parent jobs are available that fulfill this cooperative agreement, such as set-up, clean-up, class assisting, teaching, or coordinating events.  We encourage those with limited abilities to volunteer request jobs that can be done at home or during their child’s class time.   

Respect

Treating each other respectfully is paramount in a cooperative community.  Taunting, teasing, disruptive or disrespectful behavior, physical aggression or threats will not be permitted.  PALS has a zero tolerance for bullying. Bullying is defined in the following terms. Repeated acts over time that involve a real or perceived imbalance of power with the more powerful individual or group abusing those who are less powerful. The power imbalance may be social power and/or physical power.  Bullying consists of three basic types of abuse - emotional, verbal and physical. It typically involves subtle methods of coercion such as psychological manipulation. It can also involve more overt forms of abuse such as: threats, physical damage to one person or belongings, actual or implied aggressive behavior. 

 

Suggestions and Feedback

In keeping with the spirit of a volunteer-run organization, we ask that comments be framed as suggestions rather than criticisms, and that whenever possible you also offer a potential solution.  Feedback regarding Enrichment classes can be provided in the suggestion box on the registration table or by contacting a member of the Enrichment Committee or a PEP Board member.  Remember, we are all in this together!

 

Addressing Concerns

Concerns or questions that arise during Enrichment should be taken to the appropriate parent or teacher involved.  Open, engaged and appropriate dialog and resolution is the community expectation.  If you feel as if your concerns or questions during Enrichment have not been heard by the family or teacher involved, they should be taken to the appropriate Enrichment Class Committee or Board member.    A list of both committee members and PEP Board members are included on the Contact Information page at the end of the document.

 

Class Participation

• Whenever possible, please let teachers know in advance of planned absences so they may prepare appropriately for their classes.
  
• Parents are responsible for helping their children get to their classrooms on time.
• Students are expected to remain in their classes until the end of the period.  If they must leave, children 8 years and under will be returned to their parents by the teacher or class assistant.
• To ensure an environment conducive to learning, repeated disruptive behavior in class may require that special conditions be imposed, such as: 

• removal of a child from a class for the remainder of the period
• a parent’s attendance in class with their child, or throughout the day,
• or in extreme cases, removal from Enrichment classes all together.

The parent will be informed of problems at the earliest possible opportunity.  All possible attempts will be made to resolve problems, including efforts at mediation.

•  Physical disciplining of children is not permitted during PEP sponsored programs.

 

Financial Information

• Your enrollment in Enrichment classes prompts teachers to buy materials. 
• Payment in full for Enrichment classes is due when you send your registration
• There are no guaranteed refunds.  Once classes are in session, refunds in any amount will only be considered at the end of the term, finances permitted.

Ensuring Safety (and Maintaining Sanity)

• Drop-offs are not permitted unless another adult knowingly assumes responsibility for your child.  If you leave the premises, you must make a notation on the sign-out sheet at the front indicating who is responsible for your child.
• Please help maintain a sense of order and relative quiet. We must be respectful of the WSCC. There is no running or rough play allowed in the building. The only exception will be in the all-purpose room during inclement weather or at specified times. No gross motor play inside.  Running, ball play, hockey, tumbling, etc. will have to take place outside.
• Stairs should be used to go to and from classes. The stairways are not for free play and running up and down; the handrails are not for sliding.
• Please use the main door of the building. Use of side doors is specfically for going to the playground and blacktop areas.We want to be able to keep track of children and the site is a rather "public" building in a busy area. Teachers or anyone delivering or dropping off many things or large, cumbersome/ heavy items can pull down the side drive on the west side of the building down to the blacktop and drop the items off on the blacktop or into the all purpose room, then go up to the street to park.
• There is no parking in the drive that goes down the side of the building. This is a loading area only. 
• PALS is only permitted into the rooms that have been specified for our use. There are other groups and individuals (instructors, artists-in-residence) that rent space at WSCC and we cannot have unlimited run of the site. Please be sure to remind children of this rule.
• Please be aware of our fire/evacuation plan and review this with your children. Familiarize yourself with the location of building exits and our outdoor meeting area, and periodically remind your children of this information.
• During the lunch period, we can eat in the all-purpose room or kitchen for ease of clean-up. Weather permitting we can eat on the playground. Please be sure to pick up your area after eating.
• WSCC has separate cans to recycle. Please be mindful when throwing things away to  place them in the appropriate trash.
• Parents are responsible for any items their children damage in the building.

 

End of Day

From 3:30-4:00 there will be a play/social time outside or in the all purpose room. If you would like to bring a game to play or share, please do! At 3:30 p.m., parent volunteers with end of the day clean-up duties must return the site to its original state, and that is nearly impossible with books, projects, lunch bags and excess people in the building.  After the last class of the day, please be sure to neatly gather your things in the front vestibule so that straightening and sweeping can occur in the kitchen, all purpose room and classrooms.  Weather permitting, this is a great time for the kids to play outside.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to top