Policies

Absences

If you know are going to be absent and unable to do your parent job, please find a substitute (a list of floating substitutes for each period will be given to parents at the start of term and will be available in the binder at the front desk) and email the jobs coordinator (jobs.PALS.enrichment@gmail.com) to let her know the day/time and name of your substitute as soon as possible.  If you are unexpectedly absent (such as due to illness) please also email (jobs.PALS.enrichment@gmail.com) as soon as possible so that we can arrange a substitute.

Addressing Concerns

Concerns or questions that arise during Enrichment should be taken to the appropriate parent or teacher involved.  If you feel as if your concerns or questions during Enrichment have not been heard by the family or teacher, they can be raised by email or personal conversation with any Board Member.  (See Contact Us for Board Member email addresses).

Behavior Policy

Parents are responsible for their children’s behavior at all times.  Please treat each other and the facility with respect and courtesy. 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.  PALS has a zero tolerance policy for taunting, teasing, disruptive or disrespectful behavior, physical aggression or threats, and bullying.

Class Cancellations:  At the end of the registration period, classes with insufficient enrollment may be cancelled. If a class for which you have registered is cancelled, the registrar will notify you and give you the opportunity to choose another class for that time period.

Closings and Delays

If Pittsburgh Public Schools have a delay or a cancellation we do not hold enrichment classes.  School closings are listed on various local media, including the KDKA website.

Facility Care/Clean-up

In order to be good stewards of our rental facility and to demonstrate respect for our fellow Enrichment families, the responsibility for cleaning our Enrichment space rests with everyone. Food is permitted in the cafeteria/gym and 202, the quiet lunch room. No food or drinks are allowed in any carpeted classroom. Please clean up food and other debris after eating. Tables and desks in the quiet lunch room must be wiped down after you are finished; cleaning supplies can be found in the closet of room 202.  Please note that dirty diapers MUST be placed in the mezzanine bathroom trashcan ONLY. Before leaving Enrichment, please spend some time cleaning up after yourself or straightening an area that is messy.

Lost and Found

Where possible items found at the end of the PALS day will be placed in a Lost and Found.  Items not claimed by the end of the term will be donated.

No Discrimination

PALS Enrichment does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff if any, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

Outside Teacher Policy

PALS classes are proposed and taught by parents of PALS students. In a few cases we invite specialized teachers to operate as independent contractors during PALS hours at the PALS site. These teachers must present certification in the area of teaching, acceptable certifications are subject to Board discretion. Additionally any teacher who teaches professionally is required to carry insurance to cover their liability.

Parent Directory 

During the registration process, parents will be asked if they wish to have their contact information (including children’s names and ages) published in a directory that will be distributed to other families registered this term, as well as available securely on this site.

Parent Jobs

 PALS relies on parental participation to maintain the quality of our programs.  Parents teach, run clubs, plan events, and assist with other functional and administrative needs. We try to match people and their availability with the jobs that need to be done.  

Parent Responsibility for their Children

PALS is NOT a drop-off program.  Parents are expected to attend and remain at PALS with their children.   You are responsible for your child at all times. If you feel that your child is not able to get from class to class on their own, please meet them at the end of the period and bring them to their next class. PALS is not responsible for the safety, well-being, or behavior of your child.  If you must leave the building, your children must be signed over to another adult in attendance who knows and can manage them.  Parents are responsible for any property damage caused by their child.

Parking

There is ample street parking available around the church building.

Sick Policy

We urge you to use good judgment about attending Enrichment classes if your child is ill. Please do not come within 24 hours of your child having severe cold symptoms, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Sign In

Families are not permitted inside the facility until 9:30am.  Each person must sign in and out upon entering and leaving the building, including infants and children.  We need to know everyone inside the building in case of an emergency.

Smoking

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

Solicitation

PALS is to be solicitation free. While many parents have their own businesses please respect our sales free policies and conduct any business outside of PALS time and not on PALS site. Fundraising by students for their extra curricular activities is permitted but must be approved by the board.

Three-year olds. 

PALS provides programming beginning at age 4 in preschool. We are unable to allow those younger than 4 to participate in preschool, unless their parent is either the teacher or a registered teaching assistant.

Community Share Fee

All PALS Parents must pay a Community Share Fee each term in addition to the listed price for each class.   The Community Share Fee covers operating costs such as rent, insurance, and other overhead, which we believe is most fairly divided on a per family, rather than per child, basis.

The Community Share Fee may be paid on a per family basis of $120 per family per term or on a per class basis by paying an additional $40 over the listed class cost for each class.  The latter is encouraged for a family with only one child who is taking only 1 or 2 classes.

In addition, families receiving SNAP or cash assistance are eligible for a 50% reduction of the Community Share Fee for a total of $60 per family.  Please bring with you to the first day of classes a copy (for our records) of a printout of your DHS case or a letter from your caseworker indicating you currently qualify for either of these benefits on the basis of income.

Parent Jobs

See instructions for signing up for jobs as part of the registration process under the Registration menu.  If you have not chosen a job by the end of the sign up period, then you will be assigned a job from the jobs remaining to be filled at that time.

For questions about jobs, contact the PALS jobs coordinator at jobs.pals.enrichment@gmail.com.

As a cooperative, PALS relies on parental participation to maintain the quality of our programs.  Parents teach, run clubs, plan events, and assist with other functional and administrative needs.  If you are at PALS for one period, you must sign up for 1 parent job;  for two periods, you must sign up for 2 parents jobs; if you are at PALS for 3 or more periods, you must sign up for 3 jobs.

Jobs include but are not limited to:

Front Desk – (man the front desk, make sure people sign-in and out, direct questions to the appropriate person);

Teacher Assistant - Assist in classes as needed, teach the class if the teacher is absent (supplies and a plan are generally provided).

End of Day Clean-up Crew (end of day cleaning, such as making sure all toilets flushed, sweep any rooms not swept by teachers, erase any chalkboards not erased by teachers, turn off lights, remove garbage taken from classrooms and place in trash containers in hallway);

Lunch Time Clean up (sweep gym, wipe down and put away tables and chairs);

Event Volunteer – Help plan, arrange, and clean up after parties, share fair, and other PALS events during the PALS term;

With prior board approval: Club leader, Teacher.

Refunds; Withdrawal; Pro-rating

REFUNDS.  You may cancel a class registration and receive a full refund only until the end of the regular registration period, at which time teachers may be engaged and/or materials fees spent in reliance on your registration. For this reason refunds after the end of the regular registration will be minus any materials fees already spent by the teacher/s. Students transferring from one class to another after the end of regular registration period may be required to pay materials fees for both classes.  (The registration dates for each term are shown under Menu Item Calendar, but in general regular registration will end around 2 to 3 weeks before classes start.)

WITHDRAWAL and NO SHOWS.  If you have registered but not yet paid,  and change your mind about attending PALS, please notify the registrar as soon as possible so that we may release those seats to other families.  If you are registered and have not yet paid, and you fail to notify the Registrar directly before the end of the regular registration period of your intention to not attend PALS, then prior to registering the next term, you will need to pay the non-refundable Community Share Fee via PayPal before your registration will be complete.

PRO-RATING.  Families joining PALS during weeks 2 through 5 pay full price. Families joining PALS during weeks 6 through 10 may pay a pro-rated Community Share Fee of 1/2 normal price.   Whether or not a  class fee may be pro-rated will vary by class, depending in part on the way in which materials are purchased and used for that particular class. You may also be asked to source your own materials/textbook, etc., instead of paying some or all of the class fee.

NOTE: Ability to join a class during week 3 or later is at the discretion of the teacher and will depend on the nature of the class. Clubs may be joined at any time.

Terms and Conditions

By registering my child for classes at Pals Enrichment:

I have read and agree to abide by all Pals policies.

I hereby recognize and agree to assume the full risk and responsibility for any and all injuries, damages, or losses regardless of severity which I, my minor child/ward, or my guests may sustain as a result of participating in any and all activities connected with or associated with the Pals Enrichment program.

I agree to waive and relinquish all claims I, my minor child/ward, or my guests may have as a result of participating in the program against the officials, organizers, agents, associates and employees.

I have read and fully understand the above information, warning of risk, assumption of risk and responsibility, and waiver and release of all claims, to which I have affixed my signature by submitting the registration form.