School Policies and Regulations/Terms & Conditions

(Updated 9/16/23)

FLAM San Diego is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose objective is to provide French classes and extra-curricular activities for children ages 3-18 at the most reasonable price possible without sacrificing the quality of the lessons and endangering the perennially of our association.

As a nonprofit organization, we rely on the support of the entire FLAM San Diego community in order to reach these objectives. We encourage you, therefore, to be as active as you can in our association.

Enrollment

In order to validate your child’s enrollment, we request a payment to cover the registration costs.

This registration fee is due every year and applies to students joining us at any time during the year.

We remind you that enrollment is annual. Our financial set-up and our nonprofit status mean that we are not able to provide “à la carte” lessons.

Classes

A new class will be created at a specific location (online or on site) only if and when a sufficient number of students can be grouped together. If you wish to create a new class at a specific location, please contact us. IMPORTANT: A class may be canceled if there are not a sufficient number of students enrolled.

Trial lessons

You are entitled to ask that your child take part in a trial lesson before making the decision to enroll him/her for the year. If you wish to organize a trial class, please contact us. Note that there is a cost of $20 per trial class.

Tuition Fees

Fees vary from site to site / online vs. in-person. Our fees are annual, and each school year is due in full regardless of the payment structure you have chosen (payment in two installments or annually).  

These fees have been calculated to ensure the most advantageous prices possible while maintaining the highest teaching standards. Fees are calculated on an annual basis and therefore no price reduction can be accorded for lessons missed due to individual scheduling conflicts.

We offer the possibility of payment either in 2 installments or once yearly. We ask that you pay your fees in a timely manner, that is, within 7 days of receipt of your bill, or as otherwise specified. A penalty of $100 will automatically be charged to you if the due dates are not respected. This penalty will also be charged for any bad checks received. In the case of any financial difficulty, please contact us and we will assist you in finding a solution.

Payments can be made online or by check and checks must be made out to “FLAM San Diego”.  If you have enrolled more than one child at FLAM San Diego, you can use a single check but please remember to indicate the name or names of all students on your checks.

In case of enrollment during the school year, the fees due will of course be prorated according to the number of lessons your child will be attending. In this case, the enrollment fee (registration costs and insurance) will still be due in its entirety.

Change in linguistic level

At the beginning of the year, the students are evaluated by the teachers and grouped in classes as it is deemed most appropriate according to their linguistic level and skills. This does not preclude the possibility that a teacher may ask for a student to be moved to another level during the year if they deem it necessary. In this case, the teacher will discuss the move with the student’s parents first. If your child does not correspond to the FLAM (French as a mother / native language) level, other options may be suggested which could include a different class or alternatives.

Attendance

Regular attendance to class is essential in the acquisition of a language, and we encourage our students to attend all classes during the year as far as possible.If your child will be absent, we ask that you inform his/her teacher directly. If you are not able to do this, please contact FLAM San Diego instead. A missed class will not be reimbursed.

For private lessons only:

  • There is a 24h cancelation policy. If the parent cancels the class less than 24 hours before class, the class will still be charged to the parent and the teacher will get full compensation. 
  • If the student does not show up to class, the teacher will stay connected for 15 minutes, and then leave. In this case, the parent will also be charged, and the teacher compensated. 
  • Changes regarding the class schedule are allowed but it needs to be discussed with the teacher at least 48h prior to the class and both parties need to agree to the new schedule before it takes place. No class schedule changes can be made without prior approval.

Behavior

Students must follow the rules of each establishment where classes are held as well as those of their individual teacher. Respect, courtesy, following instructions, cooperativeness and auto-discipline are expected. The teachers will be in regular contact with parents in order to communicate on academic progress and any disciplinary issues which may arise. 
FLAM San Diego reserves the right to exclude on a temporary or permanent basis any child whose behavior either negatively impacts the other students or the smooth running of the class. In this case, all fees already paid (including the enrollment fee) will not be reimbursed.

Accidents / Illness

If during class time a child has an accident that requires medical intervention, the teacher will contact the parents immediately. If neither parent can be reached, a teacher will call 911 and have the child transported to the nearest emergency facility (unless the parents have expressly indicated otherwise on their emergency contact form).

Any child who has an infectious illness will not be permitted in class. Parents are required to inform their child’s teacher if their child has contracted an infectious illness so that a warning letter can be sent out to the other parents. 

Parents are also responsible for indicating to the teacher and the staff any allergies that their child(ren) may have.

Arrivals and Departures

We ask all parents to accompany their children to their respective classrooms 5 minutes before the start of class. We remind you that the teachers often use the time before class begins to prepare their lesson/classroom and we therefore ask that you respect this timing and not leave your children earlier than requested.Late arrivals disturb the class. We therefore ask that you make sure your child arrives at class on time.

Likewise, we ask that you collect your child on time at the end of each lesson. The only persons authorized to pick up the students are their parents or adults designated to do so in writing at the beginning of the year. If exceptionally you wish that a different person picks up your child, we ask you to give a written note to your child’s teacher with the name of that person clearly marked.

In case of lateness at pick up time (for in person classes), the association relinquishes all responsibility for your child. Furthermore, the association may exact the payment of $5 per every 5 minutes as a waiting fine.

School Supplies

Each teacher is given a budget for school supplies. Nevertheless, the teacher may ask the parents to supply at the parents’ own cost certain supplies. The teachers will, however, make sure that any demand of this nature stays within a “reasonable” budget. FLAM San Diego already provides some learning platforms (included in course fees), such as Savio, Story Play’r and more.

Closing of sites and cancellation of lessons

In case of exceptional, unforeseen circumstances, an absent teacher, or problem with the premises, certain lessons may be cancelled. In this case, an email will be sent to the parents as soon as possible. It is your responsibility to check your emails.

FLAM San Diego will do its best to find a solution and to make up for the missed lesson(s), to this end several dates are set aside at the end of the school year in June in case it becomes necessary to make up missed classes.

If a teacher is unable to teach their class, we will do our best to find a substitute teacher on that same day. If this is not possible, we will propose a make-up lesson on another date.
In case of a problem with the premises during class time (in-person class only), the coordinator of that site will contact the parents as quickly as possible so that they can come and pick up their children before the end of class time.

Communication with the parents

Information about the association is usually passed on via email or on the association’s website. We ask you to ensure that the association always remains in possession of a valid email address.

Each teacher will be in contact with the parents of their students at least twice in the school year at dates and times which he or she has chosen at the beginning of the year.

Any parent who wishes, is permitted to watch their child’s class in progress once a year, on condition that they have made an appointment and asked the agreement of the teacher concerned to do so. This class observation can last for up to 20 minutes of class time and the parent will remain in the classroom as an observer only.

We ask that you refrain from using drop-off and pick-up times for unscheduled meetings with the teachers. If you wish to see a teacher, please make an appointment to do so.

Reimbursement/cancelation policy

Cancellation of enrollment

If you decide to cancel your enrollment before the start of lessons for the year or during the week following the first lesson of the year, you will be reimbursed for the remaining lessons (minus the first lesson) you have paid. However, the enrollment fee will not be reimbursed.

If you decide to cancel your enrollment during the school year, the rest of the year is still due.

Any cancellation of enrollment must be sent in writing to the association and addressed to the President/Executive Director of FLAM San Diego.

For private lessons, a 24h cancellation notice is required to cancel a specific class and not get charged.

Cancellation of lessons before the start of the school year

If your child’s class is cancelled due to lack of staff/students, or premises for the lessons, we will reimburse the totality of your enrollment fee. However, individual lesson cancellations during the year will not be reimbursed, instead the association will do its best to find a solution to make up for the lessons missed.

Disclaimer

The students’ parents understand that FLAM San Diego is in no way responsible in case of fire, catastrophe, attack on the premises, damage, accidents, especially caused by their own children. The parents approve and accept all emergency action taken by FLAM San Diego to ensure the evacuation, medical treatment, and/or transport home or to the nearest hospital (or clinic as specified by the parents). The parents agree to reimburse FLAM San Diego for all expenses incurred by these emergency measures.

The student’s parents understand that FLAM San Diego takes photos and videos of classes and activities, from time to time, to highlight students and have memories of the programs offered. As indicated on the enrollment form, parents grant FLAM San Diego the right and permission to use photographs and/or video recordings of their child(ren) on its website and other websites, as well as in publications, promotional flyers, educational materials, derivative works, including Internet, for educational, public relations or promotional purposes without compensation to them.

Claims

For all claims, please contact the site coordinator. If you do not obtain satisfaction, you may contact our Board by writing to us.

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