Health & Safety/Covid

As a part of the Newton Public Schools, we follow their health and safety practices and update our policies when they do. Please see the full details of Newton Public Schools’ new health and safety plan.

Access

Our classes are open to everyone from all communities.

Age Requirements

Age requirements for Kids classes are listed per class.

Self-Dismissal

Students in the 3rd grade and up can self-dismiss from NCE classes. Students younger than third grade can be picked up by adults on the authorized pickup list, or by a sibling who is in the 3rd grade and above.

Late Fees

Please respect our staff and pick your child up on time. A fee of $25 will be charged for each late pickup. After three late pickups, you will be asked to have a conversation with our office staff and action may be taken up to and including withdrawal of your child from the program with no refund.

Behavior Policy

NCE wants all children to be successful and safe in all of our classes. We ask our instructors to be clear with expectations and to deliver curriculum in an engaging way. We ask that students be respectful to their peers, instructors, class materials, and class space whether online or in-person. If your child is engaging in a challenging behavior, we will try to help your child re-engage appropriately. If we are unsuccessful in helping your child re-engage, we will strategize with you about the best way forward and hope to come up with a positive solution, which may include class withdrawal. Refunds are not given to families of children who need to leave a class due to an inability to engage appropriately. NCE asks students to follow Newton Public Schools’ online practices and guidelines which are found on the NPS website.

Special Needs

Please share any additional information that will help us support your child here and someone from our office will be in touch. We look forward to exploring how we can help.

Refunds/Withdrawals 

You may withdraw from a Kids school year class seven business days before the printed start date to receive either a refund minus a $15 processing fee or a credit-on-account (no fee). Beyond these dates, no credits or refunds will be given. The registration fee is not refundable. Email withdrawal requests to nce-staff@newton.k12.ma.us during business hours; requests that come outside of those hours will be considered on the next business day. There are no partial refunds for student absences or late arrivals.

Changes

We may cancel under-enrolled classes. Occasionally, we may need to change times, dates, or instructors as necessary. Any such change would be communicated with the class. We do not offer refunds for date or instructor changes beyond our control, e.g. rescheduled class dates due to instructor illness.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

NCE strives to make our classes accessible to all. Financial aid is available for all Newton residents and NPS students (regardless of residence) who qualify based on the Community Development Family Income Guidelines. A short online scholarship form is available on our website. Please apply by September 15 for Fall scholarships, January 15 for Winter scholarships, March 15 for Spring scholarships, and June 15 for Summer scholarships. We will give priority to those who apply by these deadlines. We’re eager to help. If you have questions, contact us at nce-scholarship@newton.k12.ma.us.

Format Change

Should COVID-19 or other circumstances necessitate, a limited number of sessions of your in-person class may be moved online. You will be notified of any such change and no refunds will be offered for temporary format changes. If circumstances necessitate a permanent move to online for your class, you will be offered the option for a refund.

Gift Certificates

Gift certificates are available in any amount and can be used for any class we offer. To purchase one please email nce-staff@newton.k12.ma.us.

Meeting Links & Supplies

For classes that meet online, we send links via email three days before class begins. If you did not receive your link or list of class materials, your email server may be blocking our messages. Please check your Spam and Promotions folders. You are responsible for notifying us at least a day in advance so we can send you all the information you need for a successful class experience.

One Person Per Computer 

Your registration in an online class is just for you. Please register individually if more than one person will be using your screen.

Permissions

We may occasionally post student work to our website or take pictures or videos of students in our classes for use in print and electronic promotional materials. Your enrollment in a class indicates your approval for this.

Recording

To preserve privacy, we do not allow students to take video or audio recordings of our classes.

Registration Fee

We charge a $9 registration fee per person per session unless registering for a single session class. Registration fees are non-refundable, unless a class is canceled by NCE.

Transfers

Transfers requested before the refund and withdrawal deadline will be honored, space permitting, and subject to a $15 transfer fee. Transfers may sometimes be possible after the refund and withdrawal deadline. These transfers must be between classes in the same session and are subject to a $15 processing fee. For NCE leveled classes, transfers between levels will be considered on a case by case basis within the first two class meetings and no transfer fee is charged.

Trial Classes

We do not offer trial classes at this time.

Troubleshooting Online Classes

We strongly recommend that you test your meeting platform in advance as we cannot offer refunds for last-minute technical difficulties or late arrivals. See tips under Quick Links for help using Zoom.

Waitlist Status

If the class you want is full, sign up for the waitlist! It’s free, and you can always turn down a spot if it’s offered to you.

Weather Cancellations

In inclement weather, call NCE's weather hotline at 617-559-6993 to find out if your class is running. Virtual classes will typically run in inclement weather. If your class is canceled, we will notify you of the makeup date as soon as possible. We cannot offer separate makeup dates for individual schedule conflicts. We do not provide refunds for weather-related date changes.

We are Inclusive

We welcome students of all races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, religions, abilities, statuses, and every other category protected by federal or state law. Our goal is to provide safe, accessible, and comfortable classes for all.