Almanar Modern School
Parent/Guardian Handbook
2007-2008
1. Student Arrival and Departure Times
Classes will begin promptly at 9:10 a.m. and will end at 12:30 p.m. Please ensure that your child will be at School on time to ensure that classes are not disrupted once the session begins and the children maximize their learning time while at the School.
Almanar Modern School is not a day care center. It does not and cannot provide childcare services. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to pick up the child on time. “ON TIME” means immediately after the child’s class ends. A late pick-up charge will apply and must be paid by the parent/guardian upon pick-up. The charge is as follows:
$5 for the first five minutes
$1 for each additional minute
2. Parent/Guardian Sign In/Out Sheets
A document containing a list of student names can be found in each classroom. This document is a sign in/out sheet for parents/guardians. All parents/guardians, please be sure to sign IN and sign OUT each of your children each time you bring them to School and pick them up. For legal purposes, it is extremely important for the School to have everyone follow this process every School day.
3. Parent/Guardian Liability
The parent/guardian shall be liable for any damages or injuries caused by their child to other persons, the Almanar Modern School, or to the premises in which the School is located. The Almanar Modern School and its employees are not liable for any School’s student outside the School’s facility, after the student leaves the School or inside the school after school hours.
4. Registration, Textbook and Materials Fee
There is a non-refundable registration fee of $60 per child for MCC members and $80 per child for non-members. This fee will cover the cost of the textbooks and materials needed for the School year. In order to receive the membership discounts on registration and tuition, all MCC membership dues must be up to date and proof of membership will be required.
5. Tuition Payment (Updated)!
The monthly tuition for MCC members is $60 per child and $80 per child for non-members. Tuition for each month is due on the last week of the previous month (e.g. October’s tuition would be due during the last week in September). If the tuition payment is not received by the first week of the month for which it is due, it will be considered late (e.g. October’s payment would be considered late if not paid by the first week of October). A late fee of $20 will be added to the tuition amount for every month the tuition is paid late.
Please note that if there is a long waiting list at the School, priority registration will be given to the children whose parents are MCC members and are up to date on their membership dues.
6. Returned Check Policy
A processing fee of $20 will be charged every time a check is returned.
7. Student Absences or Illness
Refunds to the tuition will not be given if a child misses classes during the School year due to illness, vacation, or for any other voluntary reason. If a child will be absent for greater than 1 week, the parent/guardian is responsible for contacting the teacher for the missed work so that the child makes up the work missed and avoids falling behind in the classroom. If a child is excessively absent during the School year, he/she may be required to repeat the class again.
8. Updated Contact Information
When there is a change in a student’s personal situation (e.g. name change, address/phone change, change in emergency contact, etc.), an updated form must be completed by the parent/guardian and provided to the School Administration immediately. This will ensure that accurate contact information is on file in case of an emergency situation.
9. Report Cards
Teachers are responsible for tracking the performance of each student and keeping accurate records of each student’s grades. Students will be issued report cards twice a year (once in January and once at the end of the School year), which will be prepared by the teacher. A copy of the report cards will be provided to the School Administration for retention in the student’s file.
10. Communication
It is the teachers’ responsibility to keep parents/guardians aware of the progress of their child in the classroom. If a student is having any problems, the teacher will document the problem in a written format, whether it is academic or behavioral, and inform the parent/guardian as well as the principal and/or vice principal. A copy of the written document outlining the student’s problem must be provided to the principal for retention in the student’s file.
It is extremely important to keep an open line of communication with School Administration. Any concerns related to issues outside of the classroom should be addressed with the principal and/or vice principal. Any concerns related to issues inside the classroom should be addressed with the relevant teacher first.
School updates will be communicated to the parents/guardians via memos and via the School newsletter that is published on a monthly basis. Also, the School Administration will be conducting surveys to get crucial feedback from parents/guardians on the progress of the School. Parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to participate in the surveys and provide their comments.
11. Snack Requirements (NEW)
Parents/guardians are responsible for packing their child a healthy snack in a lunch bag. Please don’t send sweets cookies, candy or donuts with your children to the school. Water will be provided at the school.
Periodically, the school will offer snacks to be purchased as a fund raising event.
12. School Holidays/Breaks
The School observes four holidays or breaks during the year. Students will observe two holidays for Eid (one for Eid Al’ Fitr and one for Eid Al’ Adha). The remaining holidays will be finalized by the School staff each year and will be communicated to all parents/guardians via the School holiday calendar distributed at the beginning of the School year. Full tuition is required during the observance of these four breaks.
13. School Rules and Disciplinary Action
In order to ensure the safety of our students, we have compiled a formal list of School Rules that all students will need to abide by. Below is a summary of the rules:
1. Running will not be allowed in the School at any time (including break time)
2. Hitting, threatening, harassing or bullying others, and acts of physical violence will not be tolerated
3. Name calling or inappropriate language in or out of the classroom will not be allowed
4. Students must demonstrate acts of honesty at all times
5. Students must respect each other and all staff members
6. Students must demonstrate good Islamic behavior at all times
If a student breaks the rules the 1st time, he/she will be issued a verbal warning. If a student breaks the rules the 2nd time, he/she will be given a written warning, a note will be sent home to the parents, and the principal and/or vice principal will be notified. Should the student break the rules the 3rd time, he/she will be sent to the office and his/her parents will be contacted.
14. Emergency Procedures
In case of an emergency, the School staff will take the following steps quickly and efficiently:
Medical Emergency: The School staff will dial 911 for medical assistance and contact the parents/guardians of the student immediately. The staff will refer to the emergency first aid box and materials if necessary.
Fire: The School staff will dial 911 for fire assistance. Each student will be evacuated from the building and relocated to a safe location. The designated safe location where a parent/guardian can pick up their child, in case of an emergency, is at the International House of Pancakes Restaurant that is across the street from MCC. The teachers will be responsible for taking role call and ensuring that all of their students have gotten out of the building safely. The School Administration staff will be responsible for taking the First Aid Kit and a contact list of information for all of the students when the School is evacuated.
CPR/First Aid: The following individuals are currently licensed in CPR and First Aid by the American Red Cross: Nazima Sherif.
15. Exceptions to the Policy
If a parent or guardian would like the School to make an exception to the policy outlined in this handbook, the parent or guardian must provide the principal with a written request. In the written request, the parent or guardian must detail why they believe an exception to the policy should be made. Both the principal of the school and the Education Director must jointly approve the request for an exception to the policy. If the principal and the Education Director deny a request to make an exception to the policy, the parent or guardian will be notified in writing.
15. Parents’ contacts (New)!
Parents’ contacts are personal information that we will keep private. The school directory is meant to be used by parents who would like to plan play dates for their children with other Muslim kids. Please do not share the information in them and do not send out any mass emails or communications to parents.
16. Special Needs (New)!
Parents with children who have special needs are required to disclose that information prior to enrolling them in the school. The AlManar School is currently unequipped to offer services to children diagnosed with autism, emotional and behavioral disorders.
17. Classroom Visits (New)!
Parents are welcome to visit and observe their children while in the classrooms, however, they need to take an appointment before hand from the teacher and inform the school office as well. It is our job to keep the distractions at a minimum in a space as small as ours.