School Policies

Leave of Absence and Make-up Classes

All absences and makeup classes need to be scheduled through the RMS website by parents. If you do not report your absences ahead of time, you cannot make up the class.
Makeup classes need to be completed by the end of each semester the absence is made in.
No makeup classes are allowed after your registration has ended. Refer to your registration form/payment receipt to see the last registered day.
No missed classes from a previous term can be carried over to the next term.
Holidays: Please refer to US Arts School Calendar or check website. No need to schedule a makeup class for holidays.

Class Closure by School

If US Arts Center is closed due to inclement weather, the missed class will need to be made up. Your child's absence will be entered by office staff into the RMS website app. You can then schedule a make-up class when you are able.
Class closures will be posted on our website. An email notification will be sent to our parent email group (for new parents, please notify the office if you have not received any email from US Arts 3 weeks after your child starts class). Make sure we have an active email address on file.
No credit or refund for school closure. The class needs to be made up.

Class Cancellation by Parents

Parents can cancel their child's class registration at any time.
Each cancellation will incur a $70 cancellation processing fee.
The $70 registration fee is non-refundable.
A full refund will be given after the processing fee and class fees. The class fees will be prorated based on the number of classes taken.For example, if you sign up for 38 classes but cancel after 2 classes, those 2 classes will be charged at our regular short term (16 class) rate instead of our school year (38 class) rate which includes long term discounts.
No refund for absences, school pickup fees, or registration fee. Any reported absences can be made up.

Copyright

Unless otherwise noted, all information from US Arts Center, including images, textbooks, graphics, video and audio, is the property of US Arts Center.
US Arts Center (the headquarters and all the branch schools) has the right to post, print, and publish all the collected artworks, which are created at US Arts Center.

Facility Destruction

Obscene, offensive, and hateful language and physical injury towards anyone is strictly prohibited.
Bringing dangerous and hazardous materials to US Arts is strictly prohibited.
Students are expected to respect and take good care of all materials, supplies, and furniture in the classroom. Parents/guardians will be liable for any damage caused by their child.
Students who intentionally waste art materials are required to compensate the school for them.

Notes for Parents

Drop-off and Pick-up of Students

For accountability and safety reasons, parents need to accompany their child to their classroom before leaving. If a student arrives before class starts, parents need to stay with their child until they enter and settle into the classroom.
Please follow our driving directions to get in and get out of the parking lot with safety and ease (i.e. do not drive up to the entrance of the school and stop in the middle of the road--this causes traffic. Park your vehicle in a parking spot and walk with your child to his/her classroom).
Please arrive before the end of class to be ready to pick up your child on time.US Arts Center is not liable for any accidents if parents drop off early or pick up late.
If a student is waiting to be picked up, the student must wait for parents inside the studio on the 2nd floor (red bench or blue wall areas only) at the Chantilly studio, or on the first floor at the Vienna location.

Only students in rooms 5 and 6 will be permitted to leave the studio once they receive a phone call/text (to their personal cell phone) from their parents about their arrival. For all other students, they will only be permitted to leave the studio under the following circumstances:

Their parents or guardian physically enters the studio to pick them up.
The student receives a call or text from their parents to their personal cell phone once they've arrived and confirms with a front desk staff member that they've been contacted by their parents before they will be permitted to leave the studio.
The parent can sign a special student class dismissal release form (available at the front desk) which will permit the students and any of their younger siblings to wait until their parents' arrival without having to notify US Arts staff.

Late Pickup Policy

If your child is picked up past the last class of the day, you will be charged a fee which is due on the late pickup day:

No charge for the first 5 minutes
$15 for the 6 - 15 minutes
$1 for each additional minute after 15 minutes

We need to respect our staff member's after-office hours and provide them with some compensation for the unexpected delay of their departure from the studio as our staff is required to arrive early for the next day.

Thank you for your cooperation!

During Class Time

In order not to distract the class, we ask parents to leave the classroom once class starts. Go to the front desk, not your child's classroom, if you need to pick up your child early.

Homework

Please allow your child to complete their homework independently. Parents should NOT help with their homework.
Homework completion is highly recommended for Rooms 1-3. We do not have mandatory homework in Room 4 or 5.The student can let the teacher know or bring a note if they are/were unable to do the homework.
If your child has any trouble with the homework assigned, please have him/her talk to their teacher first. Parents may also speak to any office staff about it.

Snack Policy

We ask that students do not bring food to the center. Please have them eat before/after class outside of the center. If students are staying for two classes, they can ask the office where they can eat.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

During Class

Please do not bring any toys or hazardous materials to the school.
Be respectful and follow class rules. Do not use loud voices; do not harass or hurt other students or their artwork; do not use offensive or hateful language towards anyone.
If you need to leave class early, please have your parents notify the teacher.
Do not damage school property (i.e. respect and keep school materials, supplies, furniture, and rooms in good condition). If you observe vandalism, let your teacher know immediately.
Follow your teacher's instructions for properart material usage and cleaning.
If your parents are late picking up, stay INSIDE to wait. All students must wait for parents at the red bench or by the blue wall.

Alternatively, if you take class in rooms 5 or 6, you may leave the studio (along with any younger siblings) once parents have called or texted you saying they have arrived outside the building to pick you up. In this case, you must notify US Arts office staff of your parents’ arrival before leaving the studio.

If your parents have signed a special class dismissal release form for you, then you (and your siblings) may wait for your parents on the first floor of the studio and not have to notify US Arts office staff of your parents' arrival before leaving.

Restroom Usage

Students in rooms 1-3 need to get teacher’s permission and a hallway pass to go to the restroom.Drop off pass at front desk and tell office staff you are going to the restroom. Once done with the restroom, pick up hallway pass from front desk and return it to your teacher.
DO NOT pour dirty water (from painting/art) into the toilet, restroom sinks, or trash can.
DO NOT toss paper towels into the toilet.
DO NOT waste paper towels. Use no more than 2 paper towels to dry hands.
If you get the floor wet, please mop/wipe it dry to prevent slipping injuries.
Flush the toilet after use. If you observe someone leaving a mess or vandalism, please notify your teacher or an office staff member immediately.

Drinking Water

Use your class time efficiently by drinking water before class, during break, and after class.
Always ask your teacher for permission before getting water. Please drink water before class, during break time, and/or after class.
If you have a disposable cup, do not throw it into a trash can with water or other liquid in it.