Late Pick-Up Policy:

After 6 p.m., a late pick-up fee of $10/child will be added for the first 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the late fee increases to $10/child per minute. Families who are late more than three times in one term will be charged $10/minute/child on subsequent late pick-ups. Charges will be added to the end of term bill.

Absences:

To maintain proper records and ensure the safety of our students and staff, there will be no refunds or pro-rated fees for missed days/time at SSA After School programs. This includes, but is not limited to, due to illness/injury (including COVID-19), vacation or early dismissal. 

Billing & Payment:  

Starting this Fall, all After School fees will no longer be applied to, or paid through, your Shady Side Academy student billing account. All After School billing will go through the Camp Brain software and Auxiliary Programs Department. After School programs must be paid for using a debit or credit card. All enrollment requires a 20% deposit, of the term total, on credit card at the time of enrollment. If you wish to pay by check, you must pay the deposit online via credit card, select a payment plan, and then contact us at explorers@shadysideacademy.org for the Junior School or adventurers@shadysideacademy.org at Country Day to pay the remaining balance by check. Once we deposit the check we will remove the subsequent installments.  Any leftover balances for Drop-Ins, enrollment adjustments, etc, will be billed to the card(s) on file the last day of term.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Full Pay: Simply pay the full amount owed at time of submitting registration via credit or debit card. 

Deposit + Term Installments: Separate your After School term bill into term installments using the “deposit + installments” payment option. The deposit will be one fifth (20%) of the total term bill and will be due immediately upon registration to secure the enrollment. Please note that this application deposit is subtracted from the total balance and is not in addition to program fees. The 20% deposit required for enrollment is non-refundable. 

All Installments are automatically billed via Camp Brain to the enrollment credit card on file and the household balance must be paid in full by the last installment date of the term. Installment dates for the 2024 Winter Term will be December 16, January 15, and February 17.  Missed installment payments, including declined credit cards, will incur an additional 10% fee of that installment’s total. Failure to meet installment payment schedules will result in loss of any discounts and possible disqualification from the programs registered at any payment date threshold, without any previous paid fees returned. All unpaid balances will be charged to the card on file during the last payment date of the term.

Enrollment Options:

All enrichment programs are in addition to the Daily Care fees. Enrichment classes are only eligible to those enrolled in Daily Care. Each enrichment class requires a minimum number of students enrolled to conduct the class, and cancellations cannot be made after enrichment classes begin. All Drop-in Daily care attendees must enroll formally via the Camp Brain system at least one time per term. If attending cross country or any non-ASA clubs and needing after care, families must enroll in the Drop-In Daily Care or the appropriate Daily Care day of the week. Please note, there will be no billing adjustments for any cancellations following the first week of After School per term start.  

Waiting List:

Due to staff limits and enrollment caps, waiting lists are available for specific days and programs. If a program and/or day is sold out online please make sure to formally enroll in the specific waiting list. If space becomes available we will be in contact immediately for a seamless transition into the program. Being waitlisted does not guarantee a spot. 

Drop-Ins:

Due to limited staffing, we can only accept a small number of emergency drop ins per day. If you are in need please contact adventurers@shadysideacademy.org immediately so we can assist! Each new enrollment, per term, requires a one-time online registration.

Enrollment Changes/Late Registrations:

You are only permitted to make changes to your schedule during the first week of the new term. Changes requested after the first week of a new term are not guaranteed, and a change fee of $50 will apply to any registrations submitted after the first day of the new after school term.

Rules: 

SSA After School subscribes to the Guiding Principles of Shady Side Academy: Honesty, Kindness, Responsibility, Respect and Safety. It’s paramount that children act accordingly and participate as good citizens in the SSA Summer community.

Things that are never okay to do at After School:

• Hitting, shoving, pushing or physical violence
• Verbal abuse, offensive language or bullying
• Lying or manipulating the truth
• Stealing or taking things without asking
• Destroying property
• Possessing, using or distributing drugs or alcohol
• Bringing weapons of any kind to school
• Ignoring staff or staff directions

Consequences at After School:

We expect all children to follow the "Shady Side Way" and demonstrate care, respect and responsibility at all times; children must also exhibit self-control, kindness and follow instructions. Children who do not follow the rules will be asked to take responsibility for their actions. 

If a student breaks a rule, they will receive a verbal warning from a counselor and will talk through their choices and come up with a plan to rejoin the group after they have taken some time to calm down and reflect on their actions. 

If the child ignores the verbal warning and continues with poor behavior, both the child and a parent/guardian may be asked to meet with the Director or Site-Coordinator to help the child make a constructive plan for improved behavior.

If after the meeting the child still does not follow the after school rules, they may be suspended and/or asked to leave the program. In this case, a refund will not be issued.

In extreme cases, to ensure the safety of the after school community, the Director or Site-Coordinator(s) reserve the right to expel a child at their own discretion. In this situation, refunds will not be provided.

How do I register?

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. At the beginning of each term, you will receive an email to let you know that registration is open. Visit the Register Now! tab above to find the link to our online registration site when registration is open.

Late Enrollment Fees of $50 are applied to any registrations submitted after the first day of the new after school term. 

Do I need to send payment with my registration?  

Yes. Starting this Fall, all After School fees will no longer be applied to, or paid through, your Shady Side Academy student billing account. All After School billing will go through the Camp Brain software and Auxiliary Programs Department. After School programs must be paid for using a debit or credit card. All enrollment requires a 20% deposit, of the term total, on credit card at the time of enrollment. If you wish to pay by check, you must pay the deposit online via credit card, select a payment plan, and then contact us at adventurers@shadysideacademy.org to pay the remaining balance by check. Once we deposit the check we will remove the subsequent installments.

How do I pick my child up from After School Adventurers?

For the safety of your child, all doors to the Country Day School are locked. Guardians will not be permitted to enter the building. You can reach us by texting our shared Google Voice number 412-517-6479 when you arrive, and an ASA staff member will bring your child to your vehicle. We strongly prefer texts rather than calls to this number to reserve the line for any emergencies. 

Who are the instructors for the program? Are students properly supervised?

Under the direction of After School Director Sarah Chedwick, Site Coordinator Terry Polczynski leads consistent group of qualified and experienced staff supervise students during daily ASE activities, enrichment classes, homework help and playtime. These adults can range from substitute teachers, SSA Faculty, members of the local community, or local college students. Please note that there is no school nurse available during after school hours. If a medical emergency arises we will contact the proper agencies and family immediately.

How do after school terms work?

Each year, we have 3 terms in after school. For the 2024-25 school year, the Fall term runs form Aug. 27- Nov. 22, Winter term is December 2nd-Feb 28, and Spring Term is from March 3rd to June 6th. Each term, you may pick a set of consistent days to enroll in and pick new enrichment classes for the term. 

Can I add or subtract the days I need or enrichment classes for after school? 

You are only permitted to make changes to your schedule during the first week of the new term. Changes requested after the first week of a new term are not guaranteed, and a late enrollment fee of $50 will apply. 

How do drop in days work? 

For all drop in days, please email adventurers@shadysideacademy.org and cdstransportation@shadysideacademy.org prior to 2pm on the day you require drop in care. This allows us to add your child to our rosters and inform their classroom teachers and Country Day administration of their change in plans. Drop in requests past 2 pm may not be able to be accommodated, unless it is a true emergency. Space for drop in's are limited, due to staffing availability. 

How does the 10 day drop in plan work? 

Each term, you may add 10 drop in days to your account for a flat fee. You must still follow the above procedure for informing the school on the days your require drop in care. Any days not used expire at the end of the term, with no monies adjusted, and do not carry over to the next term. 

How do I pay for after school?

You have a few options in how to pay for after school 

Full Pay: Simply pay the full amount owed at time of submitting registration via credit or debit card. 

Deposit + Term Installments: Separate your After School term bill into term installments using the “deposit + installments” payment option. The deposit will be one fifth (20%) of the total term bill and will be due immediately upon registration to secure the enrollment. Please note that this application deposit is subtracted from the total balance and is not in addition to program fees. The 20% deposit required for enrollment is non-refundable. 

All installments are automatically billed via Camp Brain to the enrollment credit card on file and the household balance must be paid in full by the last installment date of the term. Installment dates for the 2024 Fall Term will be September 13, October 15 and November 15.  Missed installment payments, including declined credit cards, will incur an additional 10% fee of that installment’s total. Failure to meet installment payment schedules will result in loss of any discounts and possible disqualification from the programs registered at any payment date threshold, without any previous paid fees returned.

Why do I need to enroll in Daily Care if I would just like my child to attend an enrichment class?

All enrichment classes are conducted under the guidance of the After School Director, ASA Site Coordinator and ASA Staff. Our ASA staff insures that children get to their assigned enrichment on time, and accompany them to class to assist the instructor and any student's individual needs. Therefore, all enrichments occur within our after school program, which is the daily care price plus enrichment cost. Our partners for enrichments come from other organizations in the community, and must be compensated for travel, material costs, time, etc. Some enrichment classes have extra fees applied to cover material costs like cooking ingredients, art supplies, dance costumes, etc.