Rules and Policies (School Year 2022 – 2023)

This document lays out academic rules and guidelines and defines practical operational procedures of the SchoolNova at Stony Brook, an academic enrichment program for PreK-12 students. These rules are based upon the recommendations of the SchoolNova Advisory Committee and are approved by the Board of Directors.

Documents you will sign during the registration:

• Financial Contract
• Consent to Photograph, Film, or Videorecord.
• Internet Use Consent form

Table of Contents

I. Operation of SchoolNova

II. Registration and Admission

III. Tuition and Fees

IV. Enrollment and Placement

V. Academic performance

VI. General Guidelines

I. Operation of SchoolNova at Stony Brook

The SchoolNova’s academic year begins in September and ends in May of the following year.

SchoolNova's in-person classes are held on the premises of Stony Brook University. Stony Brook University provides a Revocable Permit to SchoolNova every year, which determines all rules and policies of using SBU premises. All SchoolNova families and staff should take proper care of the facilities and premises made available for their use and keep them in good condition. SchoolNova shall comply with SUNY and university regulations and policies and all applicable state, federal, and local laws, rules, orders, regulations, and requirements. All the classrooms are programmed to open only during the dates/times for which they are reserved. University Police may be reached on campus phones by dialing 333 or calling outside the campus system at 632-3333.

Obligatory Supervision

Students under 15 years old may not leave the school under any circumstances without adult supervision. Supervision is enacted through a parent or guardian. This may also be a teacher or other individual entrusted with supervision. Parents may not drop off or pick up their children anywhere outside the school - a parent or guardian must accompany the child directly to the classroom. If a student must leave the school early for any reason, the student's parent or guardian must pick up their child in his/her classroom. The school is obligated to supervise the student during class time.

Equal Opportunity and Diversity.

SchoolNova at Stony Brook, Inc. admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students. It does not discriminate based on race, color, national, or ethnic origin in administering its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and other school-administered programs. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission, and access to/treatment in all programs and activities, including, but not limited to, academic admissions, financial aid, educational services, and employment.

II. Admission and Registration

All applications should be submitted online.

New families:

Before applying to our program, we encourage parents to read through our rules and policies, check the assignments posted online, and visit our faculty’s homepages. It will give you a better understanding of what we expect from families who decide to join our program. All new families must register to attend the SchoolNova program. Please follow the Registration link on the top horizontal menu on the SchoolNova web page. Choose the registration process for NEW students and follow all directions provided there.

When registering, please remember to fill out ALL information requested on the registration page.

• Placement in the class is carried out on a FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS.
• Each class has age and other prerequisites. While choosing a class for your child, please make sure that they meet all the requirements.
• There is a strict limit on the number of students per class.

PLEASE NOTE: You will receive two email confirmations:

• 1st – Registration Acknowledgement: Automatic email confirming a successful opening of a family profile and a receipt of payment. This email does not guarantee your child’s placement as there is a strict limit of students per class. You may be contacted regarding your placement request in case there is a low enrollment in the class you are signing up for or that the class has already reached capacity.
• 2nd – Program Confirmation: This email will confirm your child’s placement in the classes of their request. The email will be sent about one week before the start of the program. You may check the status of the placement yourself after you login to the family account, you have created during the registration

To be admitted to the SchoolNova Enrichment program, you

• Must be at least 3 years of age on the first day of classes
• Need to take a math assessment placement test (for a new student applying for math classes), offered during the first two weeks of September.
• Pay $50 registration/test fee (per student, only for new students)
• Sign a Financial agreement with SchoolNova at Stony Brook
• Sign a “Rules and Policies” document
• Sign a “Internet consent form” if you plan to take online classes

Returning families:

All returning students have a right to a Priority Registration. Those students have a guaranteed placement in the classes of their choice, and the application fee is waived. However, if the returning family doesn't not renew their registration by August 3, this privilege will be lost, and the family will have to go through the regular application process. Re-registering online is quick and easy, and it will ensure your child has a spot at classes of their choice next year. The re-registration process also ensures your child’s information is most current.

Who is eligible for Priority Registration?

• Returning students with no outstanding balance and their siblings.
• Students from the previous year’s waiting list.

The application form must be completed before midnight of August 3.

III. Tuition and Fees

Tuition:

Recognizing the economic challenges that many families face due to COVID-19 and the rising costs, SchoolNova’s Board of Directors decided not to increase the tuition rate for the upcoming year. In the 2022-2023 school year, the cost of attending SchoolNova at Stony Brook will remain unchanged from 2021-2022.

Tuition Payment:    2022-2023 Tuition Payment Calendar

SchoolNova offers two payment options:

One-time Payment: a single, non-recurring payment — tuition is paid once for the entire academic year (28 – 30 days of classes) and is due by the end of the 3rd week of the 1st quarter. There is no enrollment deposit with this option.

Pay-by-Quarter Plan: Our school offers families an option of paying tuition in three installments over the year. Three payments plan — tuition is paid for each quarter separately and is due by the end of each quarter's 3rd week. Enrollment Deposit is collected along with the first payment and applied towards the last third payment.

• Enrollment deposit: Per family The enrollment deposit for both returning and new students should be paid along with the 1st tuition payment (starting the 2nd week of the 1st quarter). The deposit is held and credited during the final quarter's tuition collection. It is not returned to students who drop out of SchoolNova classes before the end of the year. The enrollment deposit from families with one child - $75 two children - $150, three or more children - $225.

In 2022-2023 school year the cost of tuition is:

• 45 minutes class: $25/class
• 60 minutes class: $29/class
• 90 minutes class: $46/class

Information about the individual balance of tuition and fees can be found in the family’s online account, which is created by each family at the time of registration.

Fees:    

1. Registration Fee: Per Student (Non-Refundable) The $50 Registration Fee is a one time fee required to be paid at the time of a new student's registration. This fee is waived for returning students reactivating their family account for the upcoming school year during Priority Registration period. The registration fee assures your child a place in our program. If for any reason you withdraw your child that fee is non-refundable.
2. Administration fee: Per family, collected only once a year (Non-Refundable)
   • $35 from families with one child and
   • $50 from families with two or more children.

   The fee is non-refundable and is required to be paid by all returning and new students along with the 1st tuition payment. This fee covers administrative and processing costs, onsite assistance, and informational service.

3. Material Fee: Per student (Non-Refundable) This fee will only be charged for classes requiring printed homework and classwork assignments, buying books, educational materials, and art supplies. Each class/subject has a different material fee carefully calculated based on previous years' spending. Fees should be paid in full for the entire year during the 1st tuition collection. Some teachers collect additional material fees for specific courses. The teachers will notify you if this is the case.

Late Fees:   

If payment of tuition and fees is not received within a week after the specified dates, late fees will be incurred. Late fees are assessed on any outstanding balances and will be accrued on a progressing scale. Reminder emails will be sent — before the collection period and before each Sunday when tuition is collected onsite. Last reminder email will be sent a few days before a deadline. If payment of tuition and fees is not received within a week after the deadline, late fees will be incurred.

• A $30 late fee will be assessed on all outstanding balances left unpaid after the seven-day grace period (the time required to receive checks which were mailed to the school's PO box BEFORE the deadline).
• Payments received beyond three weeks of an official deadline will incur an additional $60 late fee ($90 total).
• PAYMENTS MADE BEYOND FOUR WEEKS OF THE OFFICIAL DEADLINE WILL INCUR AN ADDITIONAL FEE OF $90, BRINGING TOTAL LATE FEES TO $180.

2022-2023 Tuition Payment Calendar

Discounts:

SchoolNova offers 2 types of discounts:

• Siblings discount: if a family has two children, a 10% sibling discount is taken off tuition for the second child (the student enrolled in the highest grade level within SchoolNova is considered the first child). For families with 3 or more children, each child gets a 10% discount. For the discount to apply, all children must be legal dependents of the same parent(s)/legal guardian and all children should have an active enrollment in at least one class (clubs are not counted).
• Multiple Classes discount: If your child takes 3 or more classes a 10% discount will be applied to all classes.

Both discounts can be combined.

Financial Aid:

There is a limited number of full and/or partial scholarships available to applicants who are eligible. Your eligibility for a Federal Free or Reduced Meals Program qualifies you to receive financial aid at SchoolNova. Please submit a proof that you are eligible for the free or reduced lunch program in order to be considered for a scholarship. The documents MUST be submitted by September.

Payment Methods:

You can pay your bill online using Zelle App, your bank online/mobile payment system. We also accept personal checks, cash payments, or payments made through our website via PayPal. Please see Financial Contract for details.

IV. Enrollment and Placement

Maximum and minimum enrollment

We try to maintain a class size of 5-15 students depending on the age of the students and the nature of the course. When enrollment reaches the capacity for a particular class, a waiting list is formed. If the class enrollment drops below the minimum enrollment (5 students), the class may be closed unless the parents agree to pay higher tuition to bring the total tuition to the minimum level. If there is no such agreement, the class can remain open at the principal's discretion or by the Board's decision.

Classes Add/Drop Period: Any course may be dropped anytime within 10 days from the beginning of the school year for a full refund of the course tuition, enrollment deposit and admin fees. The registration fee is NOT refundable. No fees are refunded after the above-stated drop date. If the student remains in the class, the parents pay for all classes, including the first two. Students may only add a course with permission from the program's director by sending a request to Marina Polonskaia, SchoolNova director at director@schoolnova.org. SchoolNova classes are NOT "walk-in" classes. 

Cannot attend the first class? If a student cannot participate in the first two classes, parents must inform the school in advance. If parents fail to notify the school, the student's name will be moved to the end of the waiting list to give students from the waiting list the opportunity to attend the program.

Early withdrawal: The add/drop period begins on the first day of classes and lasts 10 days till 11:59 pm on Tuesday of the 2nd week of school year. If a student drops a program before the end of the quarter, money paid for that quarter will NOT be returned. If a student drops a program after the current quarter is complete, he or she will NOT be charged for the remaining quarter(s). However, an enrollment deposit will not be returned in such a case. Tuition for the courses is collected quarterly (10+10+10 weeks). If a class is dropped in the middle of any quarter, the tuition for that quarter will not be refunded. SchoolNova doesn't charge any withdrawal fee.

Joining in the middle of the term If your child joins the school in the middle of the year, the tuition will be prorated accordingly based on the remaining number of lessons. Material and other fees should be paid in full and will not be prorated.

Waiting List: The enrollment process begins with the re-enrollment of returning students. Re-enrollment informs the school of available openings in each level for each subject for the upcoming school year. Once capacity is reached, additional applicants will be placed on the Waiting List in the order that their applications were received. As spaces become available during the first two weeks of the school year through withdrawal, the school will offer these spaces to the next students from the waiting list. After the two-week trial period, some classes will stop accepting new students (math, physics, chemistry, biology, and some foreign languages classes).

Placement: Returning students are placed in classes based on academic performance and teacher recommendations. Initial placement into language classes is based on information provided by the parents. Teachers have the right to move students to a different level within the first three weeks of student attendance. New students' placement into math classes is based on the results of a placement test administered 1-2 weeks before the beginning of the school year (usually the first week of September). The placement test criteria and the list of topics covered in each level can be found on the school's website.

To participate in the program and to take a placement test, students MUST be registered on our website and the $50 registration fee must be paid.

V. Academic performance

SchoolNova has set up more stringent requirements for advancing students to the next level. Moving students up to the next level will be based on the teacher’s recommendations, attendance, and homework assignment submission.

Students will automatically be transferred to the next level if they attended more than 80% of the classes, submitted more than 80% of the homework assignments, and have the teacher’s approval.

All graduating students can request a detailed transcript of classes they took at SchoolNova, as well as the content of those classes (please allow 2 weeks for preparation). The transcript will also contain all students’ achievements, participation in competitions, and in other school activities.

Academic Calendar:  SchoolNova operates on the quarter calendar system. The school year is divided into three (3) academic quarters, 10 weeks for each quarter. School usually begins on the third Sunday of September and ends before the Memorial Day weekend. SchoolNova follows the Three Village Central School District calendar and observes all major holidays and school vacations. The calendar is available on the SchoolNova website.

VI. General Guidelines

Attendance: Students should make any effort to attend all classes regularly. To be transferred to the next level, students should attend more than 80% of all classes, submit more than 80% of the homework assignments, and have the teacher's approval.

Tardiness: It is essential that students arrive on time to make the most of their time spent at school and not disrupt their punctual classmates' work and concentration. Classrooms open at 8.45 a.m.

Homework: Our classes meet only once a week; therefore, homework is an essential part of our teaching process. We require that each student do the homework on time and hand it over to the teacher at the beginning of each class. One of the criteria for successfully advancing to the next level is submitting more than 80% of the homework assignments throughout the year.

Missed classes: We are committed to providing the highest quality of services. To accomplish this goal, the school must maintain financial stability. Staffing and other operational expenses are determined each semester, depending on student enrollment for the whole semester. If a child is absent for a day, the operating costs cannot be adjusted accordingly. Therefore we cannot provide a discount for the missed class. Refunds after the 2nd week of classes are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Teacher-parent communication Our program is highly intensive; we cover a great deal of material quickly, and we sometimes depend on the parents to help their children with homework. Parents are expected to cooperate as much as possible with the teachers to help them reach their educational goals. All teachers will provide their email addresses to parents to contact them directly. Teachers meet the parents of students in their class at least once a year after the first 3-4 weeks of school. Parents are welcome to observe a class with the teacher's permission if they sit in the back of the classroom. The teacher of each particular class has a right to decide what is best for the class atmosphere and may ask the parents to leave the classroom. While present in the classroom, parents may not interrupt the class in any way, including going and entering the room or talking on the phone. Repeated interruptions will result in the parent losing the privilege to be in the classroom during the lesson.

Behavior Expectations

• Students are expected to be in class on time and demonstrate courteous behavior to respect each individual’s rights, and everyone can learn in an orderly environment.
• Students are expected to be prepared with all necessary materials for learning, including homework assignments. The same level of respectful behavior shown in the classroom is expected in the corridors and help room.
• Students are responsible for their behavior at all times.
• Parents are responsible for explaining the school rules to their children to facilitate understanding and show their accord with the faculty.
• Parents are responsible for their children whenever the children are outside of the classroom.

Drafting and Revision

The rules and regulations may be revised each year. Revised version should be presented to the School’s Board of Directors.

Last name:

First name:

I hereby acknowledge having read the Rules and Regulations of SchoolNova at Stony Brook and by signing below,

I hereby agree to abide by and respect these rules.