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Following policies are in effect as per the Participation Agreement signed by all participants.

Discipline

Vidyalaya’s objective is to maintain an environment which encourages mutual respect and promotes congenial relationships between students, teachers, volunteers and parents. We strive to provide an environment which is free from all forms of harassment of any student or teacher, by anyone. In enforcing the discipline, Vidyalaya follows a three-strike policy. Upon receiving three verbal and/or written warnings, student will be asked to leave the school immediately and may be denied registration for the following year. No registration refund will be issued.

Homework

In order to help retain the knowledge learned in language class, practice at home is essential. Students will be expected to complete weekly Hindi, Gujarati or Telugu homework assignments (not to exceed 30 minutes per week). Expectations will be clearly communicated to students and their parents within the first two weeks of classes. All students should complete their assigned homework thoroughly and ontime. Parents will be asked to initial all homework assignments. It will be helpful to review your child's work. Your child and the teachers will appreciate your support!

In order to allow students to focus on their language homework, no regular culture class homework will be assigned. Occasionally, your child may be asked to complete a fun assignment or project for culture class. They will also be asked to practice their lines for the prayer presentation or review their notes for an upcoming quiz or test. However, in general, culture class homework will be kept to a minimum in order to allow students to focus on their language class homework.

Attendance

In order to maintain the highest levels of school quality, efficient use of our resources, effective communication, curriculum management, student participation and mutual respect, Vidyalaya considers attendance and on-time arrival to be of high priority. We expect that parents will not sign up their child for activities on Sunday morning that will regularly conflict with any portion of Sunday School. Children should be seated in the prayer hall before 9:25 AM so that we can start the prayers sharply at 9:30 AM.

Teachers will take attendance so that we may track student absences. While we realize that there will be times when your child cannot attend school, the expectation is that every effort will be made to bring the child to the school. Please note that we will be using this information to assess whether or not a currently enrolled student should be given the same preference in the 2011/2012 registration process.

Since classes only meet once a week, the continuity of what is being taught will be lost if a child misses a series of classes. Students who miss multiple classes tend to slow the progress of other students, especially if they are playing “catch-up” on missed lessons. It is also disruptive and discouraging to see children walking in late to school. As such, Vidyalaya requires that students attend the school at least 75 percent of the time, including the prayer session. This means that there should be no more than 7 absences during the year.

Class Room

  1. Each student must maintain an atmosphere of discipline and be respectful of the contents of the classrooms.
  2. Please take all your debris and belongings when leaving the classroom and the school premises.
  3. Students are responsible for putting back the chairs in their original positions after each class. Teachers will remind the students.
  4. Nothing may be removed or moved from the walls.
  5. School teachers’ desks may not be disturbed in any fashion.
  6. The contents of students’ desks must remain untouched.
  7. Whiteboards may be used; Kindly DO NOT ERASE anything that the School teacher already has on the board and DO NOT use permanent markers.
  8. Vidyalaya teachers should erase their own writing on the boards after their classes.
  9. All Vidyalaya materials must be removed from the classrooms at the end of each class.
  10. Students must come to class prepared with notebook, pencils/pens, and all homework assignments completed.
  11. Teasing and harassment in any form will not be tolerated.
  12. During fire drills, students must leave the building in an orderly manner from the nearest exit and follow the instructions from the teachers.
  13. Cell phone use is not permitted during class.
  14. Students may not run in the hallways or chew gum on the premises.
  15. A hall monitor will accompany any student in grades three and under if they need to leave the classroom and ensure their safe return. When older students leave their classroom, the teacher will make note to ensure that students return safely.
  16. If a child needs to leave early, the parent/guardian must come and excuse the child from the classroom.
  17. Do not use projectors or any other equipment present in the classes.

In general, we expect behavior from our students that at a minimum mirrors their behavior in their weekday school.

Wellness

Kids should be 24 hr fever free before they come to school.

Teacher will not leave the child unattended. We will create a contact list of any parents who can provide any immediate assistance (any healthcare professionals who would like to volunteer for minor findings mail to SPA@vidyalaya.org e.g., headache, lose tooth etc).

Finally, if needed a SPA member will notify the parent/s for early pick-up of child.

Grievance

  1. All informal complaints shall be filed with class teacher.
  2. If an informal complaint is not related to a teacher/student/class or if the solution to an informal complaint is unsatisfactory then please file a formal complaint with the Principal or Vice Principal.
  3. The administration will review the matter and provide a formal response about the matter.

Grievance forms are available in pdf and word format.

Volunteering

The success of the Sunday School has been the culmination of cooperative effort of dedicated volunteers, teachers and helpful parents. The more hours that parents can give to our school, the more activities we can continue to support and the more efficiently our school can operate and continue to flourish. To this end, in order for each family's registration to be accepted, a parent(s) must volunteer for at least 15 hours over the course of the year.

Please see more details at Volunteering.

Conflict of Interest

Purpose

This policy recognizes that a “conflict of interest” may exist whenever the personal or professional interests of a director or officer are potentially at odds with Vidyalaya, Inc.’s (“Organization”) interests. The purpose of this policy is to put into place mechanisms by which relationships, financial interests or business affiliations that could result in conflicts of interest between Organization and an individual are identified and resolved in a manner that ensures that any such transactions are in the best interests of the of the Organization, over and above the interests of the Interested Party.

Definitions

  1. “Interested Party” means a director or officer, or an immediate family member of a director or officer.
  2. “Related Party” means any party, group or organization to which an Interested Party has an allegiance or affiliation.

Conflicts of Interest

A potential conflict of interest exists when actions, contracts, transactions or other dealings between the Organization and an Interested Party or a Related Party may result in a personal benefit to the Interested Party. A potential conflict of interest may also exist when an Interested Party serves as director, officer, or staff member of an organization which competes with the Organization or when an Interested Party or Related Party aids, financially or otherwise, such competing organization.

Although it is impossible to list every circumstance, the following activities by an Interested Party or a Related Party appear to involve a potential conflict and should be disclosed:

  1. Outside Interests
    1. To hold, directly or indirectly, a financial interest or any position in any concern with which the Organization does business (or is considering doing business) or that provides services in competition with the Organization.
    2. To compete, directly or indirectly, with the Organization in the purchase or sale of property or property rights, interests or services.
  2. Outside Activities
    1. To render services to any outside concern that does business with or competes with the Organization.
  3. Gifts, Gratuities, and Entertainment
    1. To accept gifts, entertainment, or other favors from any concern that does, or seeks to do, business with the Organization or is a competitor, under circumstances that might influence the performance of the individual’s duties for the Organization.
  4. Confidential or Proprietary Information.
    1. It is improper for an Interested Party or a Related Party to disclose or use confidential or proprietary information relating to the Organization for personal profit or advantage of the Interested Party or Related Party.

Disclosure Requirements

  1. Initial and Annual Disclosure of Relevant Interests.
  2. Immediately upon election or appointment as a director or officer, all trustees and officers shall disclose any relevant interest of an Interested Party or Related Party as they relate to such director or officer which may pose a potential conflict of interest. Said disclosure statements shall be updated at least annually.
  3. Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest
  4. If any question may arise in the mind of any director or officer of the Organization as to a potential conflict between his or her own individual interest, those of an immediate family member, or those of a Related Party and the interest of the Organization, full disclosure of all facts pertaining to such potential conflict shall be made to the Board of Trustees. Fact-gathering and subsequent review by the Board of Trustees will determine whether or not an actual conflict exists or would occur.

Procedures for Addressing Potential Conflicts of Interest

  1. The Board of Trustees of the Organization (or a duly appointed Committee of the Board) shall investigate the potential conflict of interest.
  2. The director or officer to whom the potential conflict of interest relates may offer factual information to the Board or Committee; but no such director or officer shall vote on such matter. The Board or Committee may, by majority vote, ask any such director or officer not to participate in any discussion relating to the conflict, or to leave the room in which such discussion is carried on; provided, however, that the interested Director may participate in any discussion regarding his or her exclusion.
  3. Trustees and officers to whom the potential conflict of interest relates shall not attempt to influence other Trustees regarding such matter.
  4. After conducting due diligence, the Board or Committee shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested trustees whether the transaction or arrangement is in the Organization’s best interest and for its own benefit and whether the transaction is fair and reasonable to the Organization and shall make its decision as to whether the enter into or allow the transaction or arrangement in conformity with such determination. As part of its due diligence efforts, the Board or Committee shall determine whether the Organization can obtain a more advantageous transaction or arrangement with reasonable efforts from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.
  5. The following information shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting of the Board or Committee:
    1. the names of the persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the financial interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest was present, and the Board's or Committee's decision as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed; and
    2. the names of the persons who were present for discussions and votes relating to the transaction or arrangement, the content of the discussion, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement, and a record of any votes taken in connection therewith.