School Guidelines

Tuition

The Center for Living Ethics is a tuition-based school rather than a month-to-month institution. However, for the convenience of families we can divide the yearly tuition into 10 monthly installments. Payments are due regardless of early withdrawal and prepaid tuition is not refunded. If tuition is paid by installment, it is due the first of each month. If you pay after the 5th, add $25. Please submit tuition checks separate from other money in an envelope addressed “Bookkeeping”. Remember to write your child’s name and “tuition”, “field trip”, “cookbook”, etc., on the outside of the envelope. Please be sure to put these in the mailbox, rather than handing the envelope to a teacher. Using the mailbox ensures your tuition is received in a timely manner.

Field trips

A signed permission slip is mandatory for participation in all field trips. Field trips include the whole class, including students not registered on days the outings are scheduled. If your child does not attend the field trip there is not an option for your child to remain at school on that day as classrooms are closed during field trips.

Communication

Please direct all written notices, tuition payments, and correspondences in the mailbox by the outdoor daily message board until we have new arrangements. Be sure to clearly address all correspondences with a name or purpose (Directory fee, Tuition, or Teacher name).

Weapons

Guns, swords, knives, or other hurtful weapons (toy or real) are not permitted on the school property.

Parent – Teacher Conferences

Formal parent-teacher conferences are held twice a year. This is an important time to discuss the growth and development of your child. Both parents are encouraged to attend. Although only two formal conferences are set up during the school year, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher at any time to set up additional meetings. Let us know immediately of any problems at school or personal stresses in your child’s life that require our special love and focused attention.

Telephone Calls

We will attempt to answer the phone during school hours. We will retrieve messages if we are temporarily away from the office, so please leave a message. For time urgent situations, however, the answering machine is monitored, and will be picked up for parents who need an immediate response. If you have an emergency, continue talking and stay on the line until someone picks up the receiver. If you simply need to get a message to your child’s teacher, you may leave a message on the answering machine. Whenever possible, however, a written note is more effective.

Written Messages and Communicating with Your Child’s Teacher

Written suggestions, comments, and questions are welcome and encouraged at any time. Teachers can better tend to your child’s need when you let us know immediately of any problems at school or personal stresses in your child’s life that require our special love and focused attention. You may place written messages in the mailbox by the message board. If you need to speak with your child’s teacher, even briefly, please schedule an appointment. Unscheduled conferences interrupt classroom activities and effect your child’s education. You may write a note requesting a conference or call the school and leave a message for your child’s teacher to call you.

Drop Offs and Pickups

Any variations in the transportation of your child must be communicated to your child’s teacher in writing. Teachers will not release your child to relatives, neighbors, or friends, unless we have written communication stating who will be picking up your child.

School Notes and Student Mailboxes/Folders

Your child’s teacher(s) periodically need to send notes home with information about upcoming school or classroom activities, field trips, or general information. Please check regularly for important notices.

Classroom Visitation

We have an open door policy and parents are always welcome in the class. If you would like to observe class in session, advance written notice is requested. We ask that you remain unobtrusive and allow the regular flow of the day to proceed. Please refrain from adult conversation and simply write down any questions or concerns you may have. These may be discussed with a representative of the school or a lead teacher at a later time. It has been our experience that siblings disrupt the classroom and detract from the parent’s ability to observe. For these reasons, we suggest the parent observe alone.

When at the school, please switch cell phones off, or to vibrate mode. Please limit cell phone conversations to outside areas away from school activities (in your car or the parking lot).

Illnesses

If your child shows signs of illness or has a fever, please keep him/her home until they are fever-free and without medication for at least 24 HOURS! For all major illnesses (i.e. chicken pox, strep etc.) please allow plenty of recovery time for your child (3-4 days are suggested by most doctors.) When a child becomes ill during the day, the school will call the home or emergency number on your Enrollment Form.

Peaceful Problem Solving

When conflicts between children occur, teachers help the children solve their differences by using a peaceful problem solving process. Over time, the children learn to use these skills to resolve disagreements independently and peacefully. Using this same process at home will further enhance the children’s problem-solving abilities.

The peaceful problem solving process is taught at the required relationship skills workshop, “How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk”. Attending this workshop is a requirement for parents of children at the Center for Living Ethics. Children learn most effectively when they receive consistent messages at school and at home. The workshop is offered twice a year (fall and spring) so parents have multiple opportunities to fulfill this requirement.

Dress

To maintain a peaceful environment, children should wear comfortable play clothes, free from violent or disrespectful pictures and words. It is important that children be allowed to get dirty and not fear doing so. Their clothes will be exposed to paint, water, mud, chalk, pastels, glitter, etc. Bring a pair of mud boots to leave at the school to avoid muddy shoes at pickup time. Easy on/off shoes are preferable, especially for the younger children.

Home activities

We encourage parents to spend time with their children reading, gardening and doing other outdoor activities, creating art, or doing handwork or craftwork, rather than allowing children to watch television and play computer games. Research has shown that violent behavior increases with the amount of time spent watching shows and cartoons with violence, or playing violent computer games.

Nutritious Foods

Diet has a profound effect on children’s health, behavior, and academic proficiency. How closely you can adhere to these guidelines will directly impact your child’s learning and development:

1. Provide a nutritious breakfast and lunch every day. Children who eat breakfast can interact and learn much more effectively.
2. Offer a lot of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nutritious proteins (nuts, seeds, nut butters, cheeses, and stuffed eggs are all good choices).
3. Always read labels! Avoid refined sugars (sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup; this eliminates sodas, candies, and many packaged yogurts). Avoid artificial colors or flavors (MSG, red dye, blue dye, etc). Avoid artificial sweeteners (aspartame, saccharine). Avoid processed, packaged foods and bleached flour (no Lunchables, please). Items with these ingredients will be sent home.

We ask that lunches not be shared between children so you can feel comfortable knowing that your child is eating what you packed. If you are providing goodies for a gathering, special occasion, or snack, please make sure they meet these criteria as well. Please involve your child in the preparation and selection of what you bring. When purchasing fruits or vegetables for school use – please choose only organic.