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School Closure & Tuition

  • 1.  School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-12-2020 11:28 PM
    Hello, we are preparing for the possible school closure, and I am curious how other private, tution-based, all day, year-around preschools manage to refund the tuitions (or do they?) while paying non-exempt employees/teachers while the school is closed. Thanks for your inputs.

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    YM
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  • 2.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-13-2020 07:33 AM

    Hi Yoshie,

    Our center is closing for two weeks as of 6:00 PM 3/13. We intend to reopen on 3/30 pending any additional information regarding COVID-19. 

    We will issue all of our staff their regular pay and we will not reimburse tuition. If parents reach out to me on a case by case basis due to hardship I will work with them.  Should we remain closed longer than two weeks we will need to re-evaluate the situation.  

    I am also interested in learning about what other private schools will be doing. We are a private religious non-profit. My staff does not qualify for unemployment. Should our shutdown last longer than two weeks I will need to make difficult decisions. 


    I hope this information is helpful and I look forward to reading additional replies. 

    Be well,



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    Andrea Bernard
    Director
    Shirat Hayam Center for Early Education
    Swampscott MA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-13-2020 10:15 AM
    Thank you, Andrea, for replying.  I am glad to hear that there are schools that are on the same boat! We have not communicated the 'tuition refund' part yet, though we did mention we are exploring options to make up lost days. Any push back from parents about your decision regarding non-refund? 
    Yoshie

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    Yoshie Matsubara
    Fisher Early Learning Center
    Boulder CO
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-13-2020 11:42 AM
    ​We have one family so far who feels they should be reimbursed.  I also have a family who has stepped up and offered to pay tuition for families who will struggle without a refund.  I have parents who are angry we are closed and parents who are grateful.  I wish you the best of luck!  I am happy to update you as things progress.


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    Andrea Bernard, M.Ed.
    Director, Center for Early Education
    Congregation Shirat Hayam of the North Shore
    Swampscott, MA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-13-2020 11:13 AM
    Do you have a provision for school closures due to health and safety concerns in your parent handbook?  I am trying to figure out if, legally we can charge tuition if we don't mention our policy in the handbook?

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    Barbara Campbell
    Director
    COV Preschool
    Van Nuys CA
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-13-2020 11:37 AM
    ​We have a clause in our handbook that states we do not reimburse for school closures.  After this experience I will add more to the clause to be specific.

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    Andrea Bernard, M.Ed.
    Director, Center for Early Education
    Congregation Shirat Hayam of the North Shore
    Swampscott, MA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-14-2020 11:20 AM
    I'm in a similar situation, though not a center but a Preschool. We follow the local school district calendar with some flexibility. I am hoping it only goes for 2 weeks, and we can use a couple of make up days and our policy allows for a Preschool week (M,T,W,F am) without out making them up. I am hoping that no refunds or cut pay will be necessary. 


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    Robin Chiavetta
    Director
    Kids Central Preschool
    Downingtown PA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-14-2020 01:36 PM
    Below is the message we sent to our families.  We have some precedent for closures in the past and their is a section of our handbook regarding a force majeur clause.  We have previously had two closures (both before my time at the school).  Once when we had a significant number of H1N1 cases in the school.  And once when a driver drove into our school property, causing damage to the building.  Both times staff were paid their normal hours throughout.  We expect to continue paying our teachers during this trying time.
    All the Best,
    Sherrie Rose

    Dear CPPP Community, 
    We are writing to share that we have made the decision to temporarily close our school starting Monday, March 16th.  We tentatively plan to reopen on April 13th which is through the end of Spring Break.  The board and our teachers will be in frequent contact as we reassess the situation regularly.  Our goal is reopen the school as soon as feels appropriate as soon as it is safe for the broader community.  
    We invite you to read below for more information on our decisions and the logistics that will follow:
    Why are we closing?
     
    We are following the lead of the Santa Clara County public schools on this decision as we address the COVID-19 pandemic. 
    Will I be refunded my tuition?
    We are a community and hope to do our part in sharing the economic burden of this situation. March tuition was already billed and will not be refunded. However, regardless of how the year plays out, we have decided that this year we will make an exception and not bill April tuition, instead using your last month's tuition deposit to cover this month.  Our hope is absolutely to reopen and to welcome you back with open arms as soon as safely possible!  If we are able to return in mid-April and will be in operation during the month of May, we will bill you at that time.
    Our operating costs are annual operating costs and our staff will continue to work throughout the school year.  Please stay tuned for another email on how our teachers will be providing some interim offerings for you!
    We know this virus is affecting many businesses and families.  Is there a way we can support you?  If so, please reach out.  We know this takes as much as a mental health toll on families as it does a physical one.  Should your family be experiencing financial hardship (job loss, decreased income, etc.) as a result of COVID-19, please do not hesitate to reach out immediately to our Treasurer at treasurer@cppp.com to get your March tuition reimbursed.
    We know this is hard.  We are here to support our families in any way we can.  We appreciate your understanding, and know that together as a community we will get through these uncertain times and come out stronger.
    Sincerely, 
    Sherrie Rose and the Executive Board


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    Sherrie Rose Mayle
    Director/Teacher
    Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
    Campbell, CA
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-13-2020 10:30 AM
    Our school is closing for two weeks; one is for Spring Break and the other due to the university going online for a few weeks and us scrambling to find coverage (we are staffed in part by students and many of them will have to go home).   We are going to try to re-open the week of the 30th and have worked out tuition reimbursements for our families, since they will have to find childcare elsewhere.  We are salaried so pay continue, but it won't for the college students, who are hourly workers.

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    Mary Porter
    Lead Teacher
    Macfeat Laboratory School
    Rock Hill SC
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-13-2020 06:03 PM
    We too are preparing for possible closures and I've been tasked with figuring out if we want to give any discounts, reimbursements or not.  Unfortunately there are no examples of this type of situation for us to piggy back ideas, however, since we live in a winter mountainous region and have snow days...there was one year that we had 11 consecutive snow days in one month.  We understood how hard this was for families, especially those that had to work and so had to hire babysitters/use other daycares.  We did end up giving a discount.  Here's the communication: 

    Hi Preschool Families,
    I've received inquires concerning any possible monetary relief for all the snow days we've had this month.  Our standard policy is that we do not refund for snow days as we still need to pay all the employees and still maintain many of the regular expenses.
    However, after meeting with administration, we have decided that we can make an exception this month considering the excessive amount of snow days.  Looking through our budget we are able to give a 15% credit to all families for the month of January.  
    We will continue to maintain our no refund policy for any additional snow days this season.  Should there be another round of excessive snow days we will reassess the impact at that time.
    The 15% credit will be reflected in your February invoices.  If you have any further questions, let me know!-Lorelei


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    Lorelei van Peborgh
    Preschool Director
    BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF NORTH LAKE TAHOE
    Kings Beach CA
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-13-2020 06:15 PM
     Hello! Just an FYI.... I have been in touch with the Public Counsel of Los Angeles. Unless you have a written provision in your handbook that states no refunds will be given due to missed days for health and safety concerns or emergency closures, you cannot legally charge during closures. Hope this helps. Best, Barbara Campbell 
    --
    Barbara Campbell, Director
    COV Developmental Preschool
    6565 Vesper Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91411
    818-786-2120



    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-14-2020 10:50 PM
    Is this specific to LA/CA or is it nationwide?

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    Paula Hance
    director
    Zion Early Childhood Center
    Hopkins MN
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    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-16-2020 12:16 AM
    Actually it is planet-wide, as news channels can confirm. www.worldometer.com.  Please inform yourselves via local city/state announcements, the CDC, and /or newssites such as CNN or NY Times. Educators have a responsibility to be informed and  be able to share current accurate news that immediately affects families to their base.

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    Mars April Caulton
    Education Coordinator,
    Mary Crane Centers
    Chicago IL
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    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-16-2020 02:58 AM
    Mars April Caulton,
    That link didn't help me.  Also, I was asking about the charging during closures...

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    Paula Hance
    director
    Zion Early Childhood Center
    Hopkins MN
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    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-14-2020 08:28 PM
    We are now on a 3 week closure (along with all the schools in our district).  Our staff will be paid and will be working at home on things like curriculum, developmental assessments, online trainings, making teaching videos to email out to families ("How to make playdough", "Songs we sing at preschool", "Storytime", etc).  We will be crediting tuition to our families.  We are year round and offer families the option to make 1 annual payment or 12 payments, so we will need to prorate the amount that will be credited since it's not a full month.  Yes we'll be facing a huge loss.  It is what it is.

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    Lorelei van Peborgh
    Preschool Director
    BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF NORTH LAKE TAHOE
    Kings Beach CA
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    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-14-2020 12:37 AM
    We are a private center associated with a school.  Our district advised us to check with our insurance carrier to see if we have "continuity of business coverage" which may provide some reimbursement for the loss of revenue.

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    Toni Nuelk
    St John's Lutheran Church, School & Childcare
    Glendale WI
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    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-18-2020 07:18 AM
    Most insurance has an exclusion clause for virus or bacteria unfortunately.

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    Nicole Grube
    Owner/Director
    Inspire Dreams Learning Center
    Chilton WI
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    Original Message


  • 18.  RE: School Closure & Tuition

    Posted 03-16-2020 03:38 PM
    As of 3/16/20 we are closed until 3/30/20, though we shall see if the closure is extended, depending on how the situation progresses in our county and state. This is a mandated closure in our county in PA. We are a private non-profit preschool/kindergarten and we follow an academic year calendar. We collect all tuition for the school year by December, so families have paid in full for 2019-20. We have a clause written into our enrollment agreement that includes the following statement: "There will be no refunds and no deductions for withdrawal, absence, vacation, force majeure, or reasons other than outlined above, whether voluntary or involuntary."  I think it is important to have this statement in both your written agreement that is signed by the parent/guardian, as well as in your family handbook. I have seen one law firm online confirm that this pandemic could be considered force majeure. Our board will be discussing the refund issue this evening. So far, we have not heard of any requests from families, but that could change if the closure is prolonged further. We have had weather-related closures in the past up to 7 days, but nothing this long. For weather-related closures we did not issue refunds.
    Good luck to all!

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    Marie Conti
    Head of School
    The Wetherill School
    Gladwyne PA
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    Original Message