MakerSphere Policies
General Policies
Refunds & Cancellations
Afterschool &
Youth Policies
School Cancellations
Makeup Classes
Code of Behavior
Absences
Scholarships
Clay Studio Policies
Shelf Policy
Studio Protocols
General Policies
Payment and Refunds
All workshops, classes, and courses (hereafter referred to as ‘programs’) must be paid in full prior to the start of the program. Registered students may withdraw up to 10 days prior to a program start date and will receive a refund minus a 10% administrative fee. Withdrawal less than 10 days in advance is not refundable. However, your registration is transferrable or you may receive a credit toward a future class.
Program Cancellations by MakerSphere
Programs may be cancelled by MakerSphere at any time due to low enrollment, weather, illness, or any unforeseen circumstances. Students will be fully refunded within 2 days. Whenever possible, cancellation notification to students will occur 3 days in advance for workshops and 7 – 10 days for other programs.
Low Enrollment - all programs have minimum enrollment requirements in order to run. Programs that do not meet enrollment requirements will be cancelled.
Waitlist for Full Programs
If a program you wish to register for is already full, we encourage you to register to be added to the waitlist. Spaces often become available for a number of reasons. Waitlisted students will be offered seats for spaces that open up in the order in which they registered (by date).
Weather Related Cancellations for Adult Programs will be communicated to students in as timely a manner as possible via emai and/or text. Students should ensure that they check their email if weather and/or poor road conditions may be a factor.
Rescheduling Cancelled Adult Programs & Makeup Classes
Students will be contacted via email with the date(s) on which their program is to be rescheduled. Every effort will be made to reschedule the class as soon as possible.
Afterschool & Youth Program Policies
See also Parent Info here which includes bus info and FAQ's.
Late Pickup Policy
Please ensure that your child is picked up on time! There is a fee of $1/minute for late pickup. Repeated late pick ups become an issue for instructors, especially for those trying to prepare for a class that follows. We understand that situations do occur on occassion resulting in parents arriving late. However, these instances should only occur on rare occassion. It is also appreciated that you notify your instructor if you are going to be late.
Parents of students in K-4th grade should plan to come into the building to pick up your child. Students in this age group are not allowed to wait outside without an instructor present. If your child is not waiting outside with their instructor, then please enter the building for pickup.
Students in 5th – 9th grade - Parents are encouraged to come into the building if possible. However, students may be released when they visually confirm their parent has arrived.
Cancellations & Make-up Classes
Children's afterschool classes will not meet on any day that school is not in session (during vacations and holidays) or has been cancelled due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances as determined by the school system.
Children's After School Makeup Classes - If more than one school cancellation occurs during a session, a makeup class will be offered. Parents will be notified by email when the makeup is scheduled. Parents should make the necessary school bus arrangements for drop-off.
Children Absences
If your child will be absent from class, please contact the instructor directly. Please do not send an email to MakerSphere's general email, as instructors do not have access and may not receive your message in a timely manner. Knowing about your child’s absence is appreciated and will also avoid instructors having to attempt to reach parents.
Photos
Photos may be taken during classes and events and used for promotional purposes. Names of students and/or any personal information will never be used without explicit consent. If you do not wish for your child's photo to be taken regardless, please contact us.
Behavior Policy
Children are expected to exhibit acceptable behavior including: participation and cooperation, respectful treatment of fellow students and teachers, and general self-control so as not to be disruptive to the class.
Behavior that impedes another child’s emotional or physical well-being will not be tolerated. Unacceptable behaviors include:
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Uncooperative / refuses to participate in assigned activities and projects
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Intentional abuse of tools/equipment
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Intentional continued unsafe use of tools/equipment after being advised
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Verbal abuse to instructors or other students
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Physical contact or bullying
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Theft or damage to others’ belongings
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Is continually disruptive to the class
The instructor or a member of the MakerSphere staff will contact parents with any behavior concerns. If the behavior continues to be an issue, MakerSphere may request that the student withdraw from the class. Refunds will not be issued for withdrawals due to these circumstances.
Scholarships
MakerSphere offers full and partial scholarships for children’s summer camps and after school art programs to families who require financial assistance. To learn more or to apply for a scholarship click here.
Clay Studio Policy for Members & Students
Studio Protocols
Clay studio members and students are expected to use the studio and all equipment and tools in a safe and responsible manner. Students and members may NOT operate, open, load/unload or touch kilns for any reason. Use of the studio only during the hours of 8:00 am to 8:00 pm must be observed.
Purchasing Clay
Clay is not included in the cost of membership and classes. Clay must be purchased at the studio. Clay from outside sources may not be used to insure compatibility with our kilns. The cost of clay is $40/bag (specialty clay may vary). The clay that is available is in the main studio and is labeled. To purchase clay, you may select your clay type and then please record your purchase on the document posted in the studio with the required info. Payments are accepted via cash, check or Venmo. There is a box for payments in the studio where you may drop your check and there are envelopes for cash payments. Please write your name on the cash envelope.
Clay Shelf Use
All active and paid studio members and enrolled students are assigned a shelf for their tools and projects. Due to the high demand of shelf space, all non-active potters are required to remove all items and clear off shelf space within 7 days from the time in which they have become inactive (not enrolled in a class or membership). Items left after 7 days will be boxed up, labeled with owner's name, and left in the foyer for pickup.
Please see more detailed protocols on the clay page. (This is a private page for members and students; password required.)