Registration
In order to be processed, registrations must be received with all required components completed.
Returning students (registered for at least 1 class in previous year):
- Registration form
- Payment, at least 1st installment **
- We will print new copies of all other necessary forms with the student’s information (as supplied in previous year) entered. On or before the first day of classes we will have you review, update & sign these pre-printed forms.
- Registrations transmitted electronically require accompanying electronic payment. Registrations sent by USPS require an enclosed check. Registrations without accompanying payment will not be processed.
- All payments, including any applicable late fees, must be up-to-date before registration for a new session will be accepted.
New students:
- Registration form
- Payment, at least 1st installment **
- We will email additional forms to you. Class spots can be held for 10 days pending receipt of these completed additional forms from you.
- Registrations transmitted electronically require accompanying electronic payment. Registrations sent by USPS require an enclosed check. Registrations without accompanying payment will not be processed.
- There is a $20 service fee for returned checks.
Complete registrations will be processed first come, first served. E-mail received the same day will be processed in order of e-mail time mark. USPS-mail received the same day will be processed in order of postmark date. The mailing address for sending registration by USPS is at the end of the registration form.
Email confirmation will be sent for course placements.
Any course that does not register the minimum number of participants by the close of regular registration will be canceled and all fees returned. The minimum number of students typically needed for a class is 6.
Regular registration (without late fees) for each session ends 3 weeks before the first day of classes.
Late registrations will be accepted, pending teacher approval, until two days prior to the second class of each session but only when accompanied by a late registration fee of $20. No registrations will be accepted after 5 p.m., two days before the second class of the session.
Waiting lists for class enrollment will be maintained once a class fills. The maximum number of students typically accepted for each class is 10-14, depending on topic and teacher preference.
** Class fees may be paid in 5-week installments. The first payment is due at time of registration. The second installment will be due no later than the 5th week of the session.
A late payment fee ($20) will be added to any installment that is not paid on time.
Late fees support the scholarship fund for the next session.
Age Listings for Courses
In order to be registered for a course the student must turning the minimum age listed in the course description no later than the last regular class day of the session.
Lunch Supervision
Our lunch time is 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 N.
Lunch Supervision (limited space) is available for a small fee. Enrollment for this supervision is on the Registration Form.
All students, along with their families and friends, are welcome to join us for lunch and play (no fee) as long as they have parental supervision.
A student who is not enrolled in CHEC Lunch Supervision must be signed out for the lunch break by the adult who will be supervising him/her. That adult will sign the student back in to CHEC if the student is staying for afternoon classes. If the adult providing lunch supervision is someone other than the student’s parent, that adult must be listed on the student’s Alternate Sign-Out form.
If you are a new student, the appropriate forms will be emailed to you. The CHEC registrar will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have about the forms or our policies.
Emergency Information Form
- must list two phone numbers, one or the other of which is always guaranteed to connect with child’s parent
- · name and contact information for both parents must be listed if both parents are to be permitted to sign the child out
- must list two additional emergency contacts (not child’s parents)
- must specify allergies, medications in regular use, on-going health concerns and permission for emergency hospital treatment
Teachers may be given basic allergy and contact information (parent email & home telephone number). No other information on this form will be shared except in case of immediate health emergency.
Policy Acceptance Form
By signing this form, the parent acknowledges awareness and acceptance of the CHEC policies concerning late fees, sign-in/out, observation, illness, refunds, field trips, late pick-up and expected behavior of participants.
Off-Site Permission Form
This form gives permission for registrants in a particular course to participate in class activities happening at any location other than the primary CHEC class site. It is only needed for courses which include (in the course description) a planned or possible field trip or which are held wholly at a secondary site.
Alternate Sign-Out Form
This form enables a parent to list specifically who, other than the child’s parent(s) listed on the Emergency Information Form, may sign out and leave the premises with the child. For the child’s safety, absolutely no one else will be allowed to sign out the child. This form may be completed and filed with the CHEC Site Manager at any point in the session.
Teen Sign-Out Waiver Form
This form allows the parent of a child 13 years of age or older to waive the sign-in and sign-out requirement for that child. The parent must understand that if this form is filed with CHEC, no effort of supervision of that child before or after the stated hours of the child’s class will be provided, and the parent is agreeing that no such supervision is required from the CHEC staff.
Sign-In/Out Procedure
As a safety measure for our children CHEC uses a sign-in & sign-out procedure. The Site Manager will be managing sign-in and sign-out in the main lobby, near the entry door. Unless a teen sign-out waiver is on file, the adult bringing a child to CHEC must sign that child in with the Site Manager for the first class of the child’s day. At the end of the child’s last class for the day, a parent (or authorized alternate adult) must sign the child out and assume full responsibility for the child’s safety.
In addition, a student who is not enrolled in CHEC Lunch Supervision must be signed out for the lunch break by the adult who will be supervising him/her. That adult will sign the student back in to CHEC if the student is staying for afternoon classes. If the adult providing lunch supervision is someone other than the student’s parent, that adult must be listed on the student’s Alternate Sign-Out form.
Parking Lot Safety
Please be warned that cars sometimes inappropriately use the parking lot as a short cut down to buildings on Elliott Ave., sometimes at a much higher speed than is safe. Please do not let your children play in the parking area! They are welcome to use the adjacent, safety-fenced play park.
Fees
The total fee and the (optional) installment payment amount for each course are listed with the course description and on the schedule of classes.
A breakdown of the total fee for each course is also provided at the end of the course descriptions document, FYI:
- Tuition is the teacher’s fee for teaching the course.
- Supply fee (if any) covers materials the teacher will purchase for use by the participants in that course only. Typically, art & science courses will have the highest supply fees.
- The administrative fee covers class space rental, liability insurance policy, legal costs associated with running the programs, program coordinator’s fee, some of scholarship funds and general supplies.
Deposits are fully refundable until 5pm on the last day of regular registration for each session.
By CHEC policy, there is no discount of any kind on fees. With the one exception of a teacher’s child taking the course taught by his/her parent, all participants in any given class will be assessed exactly the same total fee.
Note: checks should be made out to “CHEC”
Refund Policy
Refunds will not be issued after 5pm on the last day of regular registration for each session unless a teacher has an emergency and is unable to teach all or part of a session. If a course is canceled in its entirety, all fees will be refunded. For single-class unplanned absences, the teacher will choose one of the following options:
The teacher may send a qualified substitute to cover either the planned material OR related material in the same general field (art, music, science, etc.)
The CHEC schedule will always include one day beyond the standard 8 or 12 weeks of classes per session. The priority use of these days is to make up whole CHEC program days that have been missed due to bad weather. If that use is not necessary, the extra day will be made available to individual teachers for making up unplanned absences. Make-up classes will be held at the same time the class was offered during the session. If a make-up class is offered, a refund for that class will not be available. Participants are cautioned to keep the make-up date available. Find the make-up date for each session on the CHEC calendar on our website.
If neither above option works for the teacher, then for each missed class CHEC will reimburse families 1/10 of their payment for tuition/supplies.
Please also see Behavior Policy and Inclement Weather Policy, below.
Inclement Weather Policy
The CHEC policy for inclement weather is as follows:
- if the Albemarle County Schools are open or are opening on a 2-hour delay or less, then CHEC classes will proceed as scheduled, in entirety
- if the Albemarle CountySchools are closed, then CHEC is closed for the whole day
- if the Albemarle County Schools are opening after a delay of more than 2 hours, then CHEC is closed for the whole day.
If a CHEC day of classes is cancelled due to inclement weather, that day will be made up in the week immediately following the regular 8 or 12-week session. Participants are cautioned to keep the make-up date available, as no refunds will be available for inclement weather days that are rescheduled to a planned make-up day.
Sign In/Out Policy
All children (under age 18) must be escorted into the building each day and signed in by a parent or other responsible adult, unless a Teen Sign-Out Waiver is on file with CHEC.
All children (under age 18) must be similarly signed out before leaving the CHEC class site, unless a Teen Sign-Out Waiver is on file with CHEC. If anyone other than a child’s own parent is signing the child out, that individual MUST be listed on the parents’ Alternate Sign-Out Form.
In addition, a student who is not enrolled in CHEC Lunch Supervision must be signed out for the lunch break by the adult who will be supervising him/her. That adult will sign the student back in to CHEC if the student is staying for afternoon classes. If the adult providing lunch supervision is someone other than the student’s parent, that adult must be listed on the student’s Alternate Sign-Out form.
No child (under age 18) will be allowed to exit the building unless accompanied by a teacher, the CHEC Site Manager or the child’s parent/alternate responsible adult unless a Teen Sign-Out Waiver is on file with CHEC.
Late Pick-up Policy
Promptness at pick-up time is essential. With rare exception and other than at lunchtime, it is the teacher who will be supervising your child. Several of our teachers need to leave promptly at the end of their class to get to other jobs. If you are late to pick up your child, you are interfering with the teacher’s livelihood. It stands to reason that this would also make a good teacher unable to teach for CHEC in subsequent sessions.
Child supervision that is needed beyond 15 minutes after the end of a child’s last class for the day (or the end of the lunch period, whichever is later) will be billed at a rate of $20 for every 15 minutes. Prior arrangements with the Site Manager, a Teen Sign-Out Waiver on file or true emergency (determined at discretion of Site Manager) will void this charge.
Illness Policy
Please do not bring your child to class if they have a fever (100’F or greater), a frequent cough, a sore throat, diarrhea, a constantly running nose or if they are vomiting.
Field Trip Policy
Some courses may include one or more field trips. These courses use the words “field trip” in the course description. Parents of students in these courses are responsible for transportation to and from the field trip site. Neither the CHEC nor the course teacher is in any way responsible for the student outside of the normal scheduled time frame of the class. Parents will not be required to be present for the field trip class time. An Off-Site Permission Form must be on file for students in these courses.
Observation Policy
The CHEC has a policy of allowing parents to observe classes. The teacher has the right to limit the number of non-students in the room during a class to two. No siblings of students will be allowed in the classes, unless it is for the purpose of considering having the sibling take the class in the next session. Any adult observing in a class is expected to refrain from talking with any other observer & cheerfully sit wherever the teacher requests. It might be workable to have you sit with your child, but you might also be asked to sit unobtrusively at the back of the room.
Behavior Policy
CHEC classes are group activities. Children develop “readiness” for group activities at very individualized times in their growth & development. It can be difficult (until ready) to understand why behaviors that are acceptable at home are not acceptable in another venue. Please consider your child’s readiness before signing him/her up for these classes. Read course descriptions carefully; ask questions for clarification if necessary. Many children who have behavior issues in groups are simply not matched well to the planned activities. As the person who knows your child best, the responsibility for a successful match is yours.
It is a clear expectation that all participants at CHEC functions demonstrate respect for each other and for the facility which gives our programs shelter.
Prompt compliance with requests made by teachers or staff is a crucial component of group safety, as well as an issue of respect.
Physical violence (any action which causes discomfort to another living being) will not be tolerated.
Verbal abuse (deliberate unkindness) will not be tolerated.
Destruction/damage to property, whether of the site or of someone’s personal possession, will not be tolerated.
The parent of a child who causes injury or damage is expected to assume financial responsibility for costs associated with treatment or repairs.
Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate a parent who is actively working at resolving behavior issues with their child. CHEC teachers and staff are not raising perfect children either! Ultimately, however, the teacher will decide if those efforts are effective. The safety, comfort and learning expectations of the class will be the greater priorities. In the rare event that behavior issues interfere with those priorities, the child will be barred from completing the session of that course. No refunds will be issued under such circumstances.
The Spirit of the CHEC
There is another, overarching expectation at CHEC – that teachers and students alike will feel free to explore, take some chances with their activities and generally enjoy each other’s company. Teachers have been encouraged to offer only what they truly love to teach. Please do encourage your child to try new areas of interest, and then help them to assess how their experiences inform their next choice. They can learn to be their own best judge of good matches. Our intent is to encourage students to initiate at least some of the learning projects we offer. The ideal to strive for is a place where teachers and their students have all freely chosen to be together.
Revised: 11/11
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