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DOLPHIN ACADEMY GUIDELINES
Welcome to Dolphin Academy! The Sleepy Hollow Elementary School PTA is pleased to offer a variety of fun and educational after school enrichment classes. These classes are available to all students on a first-come, first-served basis, and are designed to support school work, enrich interests and talents, and, most importantly, encourage fun! Programs will be offered three times per year:
Fall: October 13, 2009 to December 18, 2009 (registration deadline: September 30, 2009)
Winter: January 11, 2010 to March 26, 2010 (registration deadline: December 16, 2009)
Spring: April 5, 2010 to June 11, 2010 (registration deadline: March 10, 2010)
Unless otherwise noted, class times are as follows:
Morning classes: 8am to 9am
Monday afternoon classes: 1:45pm to 2:45pm
Tuesday – Friday afternoon classes: 4:15pm to 5:15pm
The class schedule and registration form for each session will be released approximately two (2) weeks BEFORE the Registration Deadline for each session. The information will be posted on the PTA’s website at www.shespta.org, and will be sent home with your student(s) in their Wednesday folders. Please return registration forms along with payment in your student’s Wednesday folder on or before the registration deadline.
Please look for the class schedule and registration forms on the following dates:
Fall: September 16, 2009
Winter: December 2, 2009
Spring: February 24, 2010
The following guidelines apply to participation in all Dolphin Academy classes
• Enrollment is limited, so please register on or before the registration deadline for each session. Registration forms will not be accepted after the deadline.
• All classes must be paid for in full before the registration is accepted. There are a limited number of scholarships available. Please indicate on your registration form if you wish to seek financial assistance.
• Dolphin Academy (DA) instructors are not responsible for supervision of students after scheduled class time. Please pick up your student promptly at the end of the class.
• DA instructors reserve the right to request that a student be withdrawn from a class if his/her behavior is disruptive or inappropriate.
• There are no refunds after the first class.
• For a complete list of policies and procedures related to participation in all Dolphin Academy classes please read the Policies and Procedures section.
NOTE: All classes will be filled on a first come, first served basis, and in accordance with the minimum/maximum number of students per class. If a class does not reach the minimum number of students required, the class will be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment. You will be contacted if a class you have selected is cancelled and every effort will be made to enroll your student in another class of your choice.
If a class exceeds the maximum number of students allowed, a lottery system will be used to determine enrollment. Please refer to the Policies and Procedures section for specific information related to the class cancellation and lottery system.
Policies and Procedures
In order to ensure your student’s safety before, during, and after all Dolphin Academy classes, please observe the policies and procedures outlined below. Failure to comply with these policies and procedures will result in your student’s removal from all Dolphin Academy classes.
DROP OFF AND PICK UP PROCEDURES:
Monday Morning Classes: Parents/guardians must provide transportation to Monday morning Dolphin Academy classes. Students should enter the building through the main entrance and report to the main office. The DA instructor and/or the Daily Administrator will meet students in the main lobby between 7:55am and 8:00am and will escort students to their assigned classroom/location. After class, the DA instructor will dismiss students and escort them to the cafeteria for breakfast, or directly to their assigned classroom as appropriate. There is NO SUPERVISION before Monday morning DA classes. Students who repeatedly arrive more than five (5) minutes before the DA class begins at 8:00am will be withdrawn from the class.
Monday Afternoon Classes: Students enrolled in a DA class on Monday afternoons will be directed to the appropriate DA classroom/location upon dismissal from school. Sleepy Hollow teachers will have a list of students enrolled in all DA classes and will help younger students get to the appropriate location. After the DA class, the instructor will escort students to the cafeteria to meet the Daily Administrator who will escort SACC students to SACC, and bring the remaining students to the Kiss ‘N Ride entrance for prompt pick-up by a parent/guardian. Students who are repeatedly picked up from the DA class more than five (5) minutes late will be withdrawn from the class.
Tuesday through Friday Afternoon Classes: Students enrolled in a DA class on Tuesday through Friday afternoons will be directed to the cafeteria upon dismissal from school. Sleepy Hollow teachers will have a list of students enrolled in all DA classes and will help younger students get to the cafeteria. Students will be given a snack provided by the PTA before their DA class begins. After class, the instructor will escort students to the cafeteria to meet the Daily Administrator who will escort SACC students to SACC, and bring the remaining students to the Kiss ‘N Ride entrance for prompt pick-up by a parent/guardian. Students who are repeatedly picked up from the DA class more than five (5) minutes late will be withdrawn from the class.
CLASS CAPACITY, CANCELLATION, AND LOTTERY SYSTEM:
All DA classes have a minimum number of students required to make the class feasible, and a maximum number of students allowed to participate in the class.
If a class does not meet the minimum number of students required by the registration deadline, the class will be cancelled and registrants will be notified by phone or email. In this event, every effort will be made to enroll your student in another class of your choice.
If a class exceeds the maximum number of students allowed, the PTA’s After School Programs committee will institute a lottery system to determine enrollment. The lottery system will operate as follows: 1) only registration forms received on or before the registration deadline will be considered; 2) only registration forms accompanied by payment in full for all of the classes selected will be considered; 3) registration forms meeting these criteria will be placed in a pool and the appropriate number of forms will be selected randomly to fill the class. You will be notified by phone or email of your student’s status in the class.
ATTENDANCE:
Students should attend only the DA classes for which they are registered and have paid. Students not registered (including siblings or friends) may not accompany DA students. Please advise the DA instructor of any planned absences. To report an unexpected absence (not otherwise reported to school), please call the Sleepy Hollow main office at (703) 237-7000 and ask that the Daily Administrator be notified. Repeated unreported absences from DA classes could result in withdrawal of the student from the class.
STUDENT CONDUCT:
All DA students are expected to behave appropriately at all times during class. Disruptive and/or inappropriate behavior will be dealt with at the instructor’s discretion, and any incidents of such behavior will be reported to the student’s parent/guardian. Repeated incidents of disruptive and/or inappropriate behavior could result in the student’s withdrawal from the class.
PAYMENT / FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
Payment in full for each DA class is expected at the time of registration. Checks should be made payable to the SHES PTA and should be submitted with your student’s registration form.
The SHES PTA has a limited number of scholarships available to assist deserving students who want to participate in a DA class. Please indicate on the registration form if you are interested in more information about scholarships/financial assistance, or contact the DA Finance contact, Sue Kampschror at (703) 642-2280 or kampschror@hotmail.com.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS:
DA classes will not meet:
• When school is closed for holidays
• On teacher workdays
• If school is cancelled due to hazardous weather
• If school is closed early
• In the morning or on Monday afternoons if there is a delayed school opening
If hazardous weather develops while school is in session, but school does not close early, or if a DA instructor is unavailable, parents/guardians will be notified and an announcement will be made at school. Parents should be prepared to pick up their student early if necessary.
If any DA class has to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control (such as inclement weather, instructor emergency, etc.), the class WILL NOT be rescheduled. Also, there will be NO make-up classes. Refunds are generally not available once a session begins.
VOLUNTEERS:
DA classes are meant to be fun and educational for students, but they are also meant to be a service to parents/guardians. If you are available to and/or interested in helping to run the DA program, we welcome your assistance! There are many opportunities to help including escorting students from their classroom to the DA class location, assisting with snacks on Tuesday through Friday afternoons, escorting students from their DA class to SACC or the Kiss ‘N Ride entrance for pick up, or providing transportation for students without a ride home from class or coordinating carpools. If you have any questions about how you can help, please contact:
Jill Beres (703) 536-7055 jillandtimberes@verizon.net
Debbie Ratliff (703) 532-2852 Debbie.ratliff@gmail.com
DOLPHIN ACADEMY CONTACTS:
Questions or comments about the Dolphin Academy program?
Jill Beres, Chairperson: (703) 536-7055 jillandtimberes@verizon.net
Debbie Ratliff, Co-Chair, Planning & Scheduling: (703) 532-2852 debbie.ratliff@gmail.com
Pam Ernest, Registration: (703) ) 2237-6963 pam@rivergroup.com
TBD, Daily Administrator:
Sue Kampschror, Finance: (703) 642-2280 kampschror@hotmail.com