Policies and Procedures

Our Mission:

To offer quality academic opportunities to homeschooled teenagers in central New York, created with teens in mind.
To provide the most accessible and affordable programming possible.
To serve families with diverse perspectives and beliefs, so as to provide opportunities for all those that need them and an opportunity for new experiences and personal growth.

Payment and Registration

Your registration fee enrolls your student in TEEN DAY Ithaca.

For Tuesday participants, this includes 6.5 hrs of instruction each week for 32 weeks, weekly assignments, instructor feedback, additional learning resources, and all the nuts-and-bolts costs of a homeschool enrichment program (rent, administration, etc.). A deposit of $250 is required to hold your spot.
For Thursday participants, this includes 1 or more courses each week for 31 weeks for full-year classes/~16 weeks for half-year classes, weekly assignments, instructor feedback, additional learning resources, and all the nuts-and-bolts costs of a homeschool enrichment program (rent, administration, etc.).

Your materials fee will be calculated when you select your classes. Basic materials – such as copying costs and instructional materials – are included with your registration fee. Some classes require special items – such as textbooks, subscriptions, art supplies – which may request a nominal, additional fee. This fee will be indicated when you sign up for the class.

Your dual enrollment fees are associated with courses you have selected to take for college credit through Tompkins Cortland Community College. The additional $175 we charge for those opting for credit goes toward offsetting the costs associated with accreditation. Should you withdraw from a course or decide to no longer take the course for college credit by September 14, your dual enrollment fees will be refunded. After September 14, dual enrollment fees are nonrefundable.

All fees are due by June 30. Any requests for scholarships or payment plans must be made in advance of this deadline.

Payments on any invoice more than 5 days late will incur a $25 late fee. Payments more than 30 days late will incur additional charges calculated at 1% of the outstanding balance for each additional day late (beginning with day 31). Anyone foreseeing a difficulty paying their balance at TEEN DAY should contact the Administrator immediately to talk about payment options.

Student Drop Off and Pick Up

TEEN DAY will begin and end as timely as possible. In return, students and families are expected to arrive on time and ready to start the day and to be picked up/leave promptly at the end of the day. Participants will be asked to help in setting up and breaking down the space each day. If it is a student’s turn to setup or break down the rooms, please allow an additional 15 mins before/after classes to accommodate.

Participants should not plan to stay at TEEN DAY if they themselves do not have a class. Those waiting for their ride or for a sibling/friend to finish their courses should make a plan with their family as to where they will be during this time. Gimme Coffee, Ithaca Bakery, and the Tompkins County Public Library are all locations between 5 and 15 minutes walk from the building and are often locations participants visit with one another or meet their rides.

Setup and Cleanup

As part of TEEN DAY’s mission to build community and to keep costs down, all participants are assigned to Setup/Cleanup teams on the days they attend. Parents and participants will have access to a calendar of participants’ monthly rotation and will be responsible for keeping track of when it is their turn to setup or clean up. Participants who miss their assigned days without making other arrangements with their team will be charged $5 for each missed day.

Bad Weather and Holidays

We will follow the Ithaca City School District’s lead on bad weather cancellations. This does not include delayed opens. We do not follow their holiday schedule. In 2025-2026, we will observe a Thanksgiving Day break November 27, a winter break December 19, 2025—January 12, 2026, and a spring break March 13, 2026—March 23, 2026.

Illness and Absences

No person should attend classes if they have any of the following symptoms: fever of 100.3 or higher, body aches, cough, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, runny nose, unexplained rashes, or loss of taste and/or smell. If you are experiencing a symptom not listed here, please use your best judgement as to whether or not your attendance that day may put others at risk.

If you will be absent, whether because of disease or another reason, please alert the TEEN DAY Administrator as soon as possible. Participants are responsible for catching up on missed classwork and assignments during their absence so that they are prepared to fully participate when they return. Much of what was missed can be found on Google Classroom and through contacting your instructor and/or fellow classmates.

Those returning to TEEN DAY after an illness-related absence should ensure they have been asymptomatic for at least 24 hours and take any reasonable caution to ensure the health of other participants, instructors, and the Administrator. Mask wearing at TEEN DAY is optional for both participants and instructors. Anyone choosing to wear a mask while at TEEN DAY will be supported in doing so, regardless of the reason.

Withdrawing from Teen Day

If you decide to withdraw from TEEN DAY after registering, you may do so by contacting the TEEN DAY Administrator at admin@teendayithaca.org. If you withdraw by September 12, you will be refunded all of your registration fee and any applicable dual enrollment fees, minus your $250 deposit. If you withdraw after September 12, your registration fee and any applicable dual enrollment fees will not be refunded. (Materials fees are not refundable.)

Academic Policies

All those enrolled in TEEN DAY are expected to be active participants in their own learning. To this end, the following policies must be adhered to regarding class participation:

Participants should enter a classroom (whether physical or digital) prepared to participate in discussions, group work, labs, lectures, games, and any other learning opportunity presented in the class. (If there is something in which the participant is uncomfortable participating, they should make that known to the instructor.)
All cell phones must be put away for the duration of class time in all classes, including those online. “Put away” means placed in a backpack or pocket and not in view of the participant or instructor. Phones that keep finding their way out during class time will be held by the TEEN DAY Administrator until the end of the day.
Any and all reading assignments should be completed on time, when assigned.
Any and all homework assignments should be completed on time, when assigned.
Any and all projects should be completed on time, when assigned.

The first time a participant arrives without being prepared to participate in class, the leader of that class will talk with them about the need for preparedness and make a plan for the future. The second time, a parent will be incorporated into the conversation to ensure everyone is on the same page. The third time, a participant may be asked to withdraw from the program. (This type of withdrawal will not be accompanied by a refund of any fees.)

This may seem a little harsh. We found after our first year that the lack of a policy expressly indicating how and when poor class preparation would be addressed was stressful for instructors, students, and families. Stating program obligations clearly and helping parents know at what point they may be looped into an issue will hopefully help reduce the discomfort around this issue.

Additionally, we all have times when we find ourselves over-obligated or dealing with a family crisis. Students are invited to be in communication with their instructors and/or the TEEN DAY Administrator when anticipating or experiencing a time like this. Accommodations can be made when life requires them. This policy is not intended to address these kinds of circumstances.

Communications

To enable participants to take responsibility for their own learning, the TEEN DAY Administrator will direct most communication to participants and/or loop them into communications that relate to their own learning. Certainly, there are times when families may need to have private communication with the TEEN DAY Administrator or the Board of Directors. It is encouraged for general communication – absences, homework questions, etc. – that participants handle them, supported, of course, by their families when needed.

Code of Conduct

Unless the person leading the class indicates otherwise, assume you need to take turns when talking.
Food is allowed between classes and during the lunch break. You are expected to clean up your messes and pack out all trash.
Ideally, use the restroom before class. You are always welcome to use the restroom during class if necessary, but it’s best to wait for a logical break in the discussion or activity to minimize distractions.
Keep your hands to yourself, whether your intentions are friendly or unfriendly.
Respect your peers and instructors.
Limit profanity and/or other offensive language.
Making fun isn’t fun. Don’t do it.
Participate in class to the best of your abilities.
Turn in assignments on time.
Do not use cell phones or similar electronic devices during class.
Familiarize yourself with and follow TEEN DAY’s sexual harassment policy.