2023 KOOL Summer Program Rules and Expectations
Please read and review with your child. You will receive a copy of these rules if accepted into the Program.
General Rules and Regulations
1. MASKS will be OPTIONAL.
2. If your child is sick during Program hours, staff will contact parents/emergency contacts immediately for the child to be picked up. Promptness is required when picking up a sick child in order to avoid any spread of illness.
3. Please do not allow your child to bring valuables or any other personal items to the Program (Cell phones, books, craft supplies, card games, etc.). The Human Services Center Corporation is not responsible if valuables are lost or stolen.
4. The only items children will be allowed to bring with them to the Program are a water bottle and lunchbox.
5. DO NOT send your child to the Program with an infectious disease or ailment. If your child has an infectious disease or ailment they will be sent home from the Program immediately and will NOT be allowed to return without a doctor’s note.
6. Children must be potty trained before start of the Program. No staff member is permitted to change and/or assist children with soiled pants under any circumstances. In the event of an accident, a parent must either pick up their child promptly or must bring clean clothes and assist the child with changing.
7. Participants are responsible for their own items at the Program. At no time will HSCMV staff bear responsibility by holding any child’s possessions.
8. Before your child leaves, an authorized adult (18 years or older only) must sign the child out with a staff member. Under no circumstances will your child be released to a sibling, while a parent waits in the car!!
9. If your child is absent for more than two weeks, a staff member will contact you and your child’s spot may be forfeited; there is a waiting list and this Summer Program is in high demand.
10. Each day, please dress your child appropriately for both indoor and outdoor activities.
11. Please read all papers and materials sent home. Hang up the calendar for you and your child to see as a reminder of special events, activities, and Friday events/trips.
12. Please provide CORRECT and UP-TO-DATE contact information (addresses and phone numbers). Emergency contacts listed in your application should not be the parent/guardian information.
13. Parents must support the Rules of the Program and act in a cooperative, respectful manner with KOOL participants and staff. Excessive and/or unrealistic complaints/requests by parents as well as negative behavior towards HSCMV staff are grounds for your child to be removed from the Program.
14. NO Cell Phones. Parents must call 412-829-7112 or Ms. Nikki (412-537-8826) if you need to get a hold of your child.
Behavioral Rules and Expectations:
1. Dangerous, disruptive, or disrespectful behavior towards children or staff will not be tolerated. Such behavior will be grounds for suspension or permanent expulsion!
2. Fighting will not be tolerated. You will be suspended and could be expelled from the Program if caught fighting! The very minimum penalty for hitting of any kind will be an automatic 30 points off and a two day suspension.
3. Children MUST stay with their class at all times. Children leaving the designated area without prior permission creates a safety hazard and will result in loss of points.
4. Classroom, courtyard, and hallways rules need to be followed at all times. These rules are detailed later in this packet, and are reviewed with all student when the program begins.
5. Use of inappropriate language will result in loss of points, and potential suspension. No cursing or abusive language of any kind will be tolerated.
6. Bullying, gossiping, and aggressive behavior will NOT be tolerated at the Program. It is unacceptable for students to name call, harass, intimidate, or make fun of another student. This type of behavior is taken very seriously by the staff and will result in the loss of points and the potential suspension or removal from HSCMV Youth Programs.
7. MUST attend 2-days (Monday-Thursday) in order to attend Friday! If something comes up, open communication from families is required and will be the only way for exceptions to possibly be made for being allowed to come Friday.
Point System Regulations
1. At the end of the week, your child MUST have 75 or more points to participate in the Friday activity scheduled. If your child does not have enough points, your child will not be permitted to attend that day, regardless of what day the field trip is scheduled, Friday or otherwise. The participant must attend at least two days during the week, not including Friday, to be eligible to participate in the Program on Friday.
2. If your child is ineligible to attend three Fridays due to behavior issues, the participant will be placed on probation for the remainder of the Program and a letter notifying you of this change will be mailed home. If the child is ineligible for a fourth Friday your child will automatically be removed from the KOOL Program.
3. If your child loses 30 points or more within a day they are subject to up to a two day suspension from the Program and will not be eligible for that Friday’s field trip OR Fun Activity. They WILL NOT be permitted to attend the Program at all that day.
4. The Human Services Center Mon Valley has the right to remove a child for severe behavioral problems at any time. If it is shown that a child needs excessive or special accommodations and/or cannot function safely in a group setting, the child will be removed from the Program.
Probationary Status
If a participant violates the rules and does not change his or her behavior, that student may be placed on probationary status for the remainder of the Program. Probationary status means that the student may be removed from the Program if the behavior persists, AND/OR he/she will not be accepted into future HSCMV Youth Programs.
Lunch Policies and Procedure
- Parents MUST pack a well-balanced lunch for their child daily. If a child does not have a lunch packed he/she will not be permitted to stay at the Program unless a parent brings a lunch right away. If a child comes without a lunch three times, the child will be removed from the Program.
- Children must bring their lunch with them daily when they come in the morning. Parents are not permitted to drop off lunches throughout the day.
- Lunches must be packed in a sturdy container and labeled with the child’s first and last name. Do not use paper or plastic bags.
- Please make sure ice packs are in the lunch if the meal needs to remain cold.
- Lunches will not be stored in a cooler or refrigerator.
- Do not pack glass bottles.
- Students must eat half of their lunch by the end of their lunch period.
- Students will eat lunch with their class in their classroom without coming into contact with other students or staff.
Late Fee Regulations
- Students must be DROPPED OFF no EARLIER than the opening time (9AM) and PICKED UP no LATER than the Program closing time (4:00PM). Failure to do so will result in a charge of $1.00/minute/child for each minute dropped off early or picked up late. The designated fee must be paid before your child is permitted to return.
- If a child is dropped off on a CLOSED Program day, or on an INELIGIBLE day, a $2.00/minute/child fee will be assessed for each minute an ineligible student is in our care (10 minutes = $20.00). You must pay the designated fee before your child is permitted to return.
- If your child is picked up late or dropped off early THREE times, the child will be removed from the Program – no exceptions.
Classroom Rules
- Enter the building quietly.
- Follow directions and raise your hand to ask/answer a question.
- Ask an adult if you need to be excused.
- Remain in your seat during classroom activities.
- Listen to the staff and volunteers.
- Be respectful and kind to other students, staff, and volunteers.
- Use appropriate language at all times (No swearing or abusive language).
- No standing or sitting on the picnic or classroom tables.
- No climbing up or on the slides. No hogging, twisting, or jumping off of the swings.
- No standing on the top of the playground railings and hanging over.
- No taking yours or anyone else’s shoes off.
- No bringing slime with you to the Program.
- Computer tablets are used daily at the program and they are not to be taken out of the classroom. They MUST remain at the Center.
- No viewing community Internet sites (Facebook, Tik Tok, youtube, etc.), send emails or chat while on the tablets or in the computer lab.
- No roaming the building, hallways, or on field trips by yourself, or run/make noise in the hallways.
- No stealing, destroying or touching things that are not yours. Vandalizing or destruction of HSCC or any other organizations’ property will be grounds for removal from the program.
- No food or drinks in the computer lab, in the gym, or on the bus.
- No using the vending machines.No hanging, swinging, leaning, shaking, or sitting on any parts of the basketball hoops.
- No gossiping about friends and others in the KOOL Program.
- No crossing the street at the Program or on field trips without an adult. If an attempt to cross the street without an adult is made, you will be removed from the Program.
- Clean up after yourself (classrooms, cafeteria, field trips, and outside).
- Keep your hands to yourself.
- Do your best on all activities, academic work, and Study Island. :)