Registration & Parent Manual 2025-2026

 

Mission:

The mission of Vertical Thinking (VT) is to move each scholar beyond their level of academic mastery to build an intrinsic desire to become lifelong thinkers, learners,  and readers.  Our belief is that there is no ceiling of academic success and ALL scholars should be pushed to their maximum potential. 

 

Logistics:

Who:  Scholars grades Kindergarten-8th

 

What: Scholars will be immersed in small groups that focus on Homework Assistance as well as enrichment activities.

 

When: Monday-Friday from until 6:30 pm (including early release days)

***There is a $5 per minute fee for each minute late for pickup beyond 6:30 pm***

 

Before Care:  6:45 am-7:45 am

 

Where:  On campus after school provider

 

How:  VT is staffed by experienced professionals, CERTIFIED teachers, student mentors, and rising education professionals who are pursuing their studies to become educators. The ratio of Team Leaders to students will not exceed 1:20.  All students will be grouped according to their age and grade level.

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Program Rates:

 

• Registration Fee= $80 one time fee for After Care and/or $40 one time fee for before care (each scholar)

             (includes program  materials, special occasions,  & in-program field trips)

 

• After Care= $80 per week (single child)

 

• Before Care= $40 per week (single child)

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• Program Cancellation Fee= $50

 

**Siblings Discount of 30% for each additional sibling**

 

Please Note: At the time of registration you are charged the registration fee and the first installment payment.  Tuition will be processed on the Thursday before the week begins of the installment schedule you choose.  Please save your selected payment plan at checkout so that you can manage your automatic draft dates. 

Our tuition and communication platform is HiSawyer.  Families will create their family profile and register via the website link on our homepage.  Tuition is automatically drafted the Thursday before each week from the family account created during registration.  The only payment option is automatic payments.  We do not accept cash, checks, or money orders.  The tuition schedule can be chosen at registration as biweekly or monthly as well.  Sensitive financial information will never be disclosed.  Non-payment will result in non-attendance. Please be sure to check your account weekly to make sure the payments are being processed.  

 

**We do not process refunds or prorate for days we are not in session. If your child is absent a full week for extenuating circumstances, you will be offered a credit upon request.**

 

HiSawyer Fast Facts: 

 

• Families create their own login and user profile.

• Siblings are registered together.

• Tuition is automatically charged the Thursday before the week begins.

• Tuition is populated by the yearly price but you can choose weekly, biweekly, or monthly payment plans but will always be processed on Thursdays.

• Families can change the card they want to use for payment via their profile..

• More than one family member can have access to your family profile by adding them at registration.

• Please save the email address from HiSawyer upon registration to your email contacts to avoid important messages going to spam.

• We do not have the capacity to individually call or text about missed/declined payments to families.  HiSawyer will notify you via email if payment is not complete.

• If payment is not made successfully, you can log in to Sawyer  to update your card information.

• Unfortunately, if payment is not processed by midnight on Thursday, registration for the following week will be canceled and your scholar will not attend programming.

• Families can cancel programming at any time during the year if they no longer need the service by emailing our team. 

 

Attendance Policy

 

During the Vertical Thinking enrollment process, the parent or guardian registers for our program full time.  We will not hold seats for scholars who do not attend weekly.  Your scholar can miss up to two weeks of programming related to a medical situation or extenuating circumstances.  After your scholar has missed two weeks of programming, their seat will be forfeited.  Please let us know via email when your scholar will be absent by Wednesday of the week prior if possible. Please note that we do not refund tuition for weeks the scholar is absent if we are not notified in time to cancel that week's payment.  However, you can receive a credit for the week the scholar was absent.  This important information assists the School Administration and the VT staff to ensure that scholars are not being dismissed to their regular mode of transportation and returning to an unsupervised situation at home.  If the scholar is involved in other enrichment activities on specified days, it is the parent’s responsibility to communicate that to the VT Staff.  The VT Staff is working together to create a safe transition from school to our program and, therefore, attendance by scholars and communication with parents is very important.  The VT Staff  will not be held responsible for scholars and families who neglect to follow the attendance procedures in place.  As a result of our need to ensure the safety of scholars, the following policies must be followed:

 

1. Parents of Scholars enrolled in VT communicate any and all schedule changes.

2. If your child is not going to be attending on a regularly scheduled day, we ask that the School administration and the VT Team be notified by 1:00 pm  that day or in writing, prior to the absence.

3. Non-payment or declined payment will result in the student’s name being removed from the attendance roster and withdrawn from the program.  The program tuition platform sends notification for non-payment or declined charges via email.

 

***PROGRAMMING IS CANCELED THE FOLLOWING DATES:

 

-Friday before Thanksgiving Break

-Friday before Christmas Break

-Friday before Spring Break

 

Program Expectations (Top Ten)

 

While enrolled in Vertical Thinking, all scholars are asked to comply with the already existing rules of the designated campus, as well as, the expectations of VT.  In order to maintain a safe environment, we ask that you please review them with your scholar.

 

1. Be respectful to other scholars, mentors, teachers and staff members.

2. Follow all the directions the first time they are given.

3. Stay in the assigned area.

4. You are only allowed to leave the assigned area with a mentor or staff member escort.

5. Keep hands, feet, inappropriate comments, and objects to yourself.

6. Walk appropriately on & off school property.

7. Use respectful language at all times, using ‘inside voices’.

8. Materials must be put away where they belong each day before dismissal.

9. You are not permitted to leave the VT designated area without being escorted by an adult. 

10.  Have FUN!!!!!

 

 

 Homework Policy

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We have a Focus 45 homework block at all campuses.  During this time scholars work in small groups to complete homework along with their after school coaches.  We in no way guarantee that homework will always be accurate or complete each day.  Every scholar has a different level of motivation and mastery.  We work to give them support but encourage parents to review homework daily.

 

 Discipline Policy

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Vertical Thinking is a means of providing additional educational support and opportunities to students beyond the formal school day in many areas.  Therefore, it must be recognized that inappropriate behavior by the students, especially in the form of not complying with the above stated rules and expectations, does not promote a favorable learning environment, and will not be tolerated.  The VT disciplinary policy is based on basic expectations that must be met to be a positive member of our program.

 

 

As with any other zero-tolerance policy, there will be consequences for the following types of misconduct:

 

1. Failure to follow rules, policies and procedures of the VT.

2. General misconduct, including loud or boisterous behavior that tends to disturb other scholars, and includes running in the classroom/halls, theft, minor defacement of property, and pushing or shoving others.

3. A scholar’s persistent refusal to follow the instructions of program staff, program administrators, or any school employee.  This shall also include a student’s refusal or failure to properly identify oneself on request. 

4. Use of obscene, vulgar, profane, disrespectful, demeaning or threatening words and/or actions or gestures directed to or in the presence of any scholar or school employee.

5. Mutual physical confrontations between scholars (fighting).

6. Possession and/or use of any tobacco or drug related items or ‘look alike’ items – this may include cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other tobacco-related products, lighters, alcoholic substances, drug-consumption devices, and any substance suspected of being a ‘drug’.

7. A behavior that may result in physical or mental abuse to one’s self.

8. Committing an act of indecent exposure in the presence of any other scholar, member of the staff, or school employee.

9. Cell phones are not permitted in programming for any reason.  If there is an emergency and you need to contact your scholar, please call your campus site director.  

 

Disciplinary Actions

 

1. Verbal reprimand

2. Special assignments or removal from classroom

3. Program staff/scholar behavioral contract

4. Parent Contact

5. Suspension from After School:

   1. First Offense – 1 day suspension

   2. Second Offense – 3 days suspension

   3. Third Offense – Parent/Staff conference to determine continued enrollment in the program

​                     a.  Permanent withdrawal of VT and  related privileges.

                     b.  Immediate notification of authorities if appropriate

 

*Note: The program staff is responsible for utilizing different intervention techniques before a student is removed from the program.

 

 

Inclement Weather Policy

 

*In the event of inclement weather, the VT follows KIPP Metro Atlanta’s  lead for school delays and cancellations. 

 

*If your school is delayed, the VT will be in session.

 

*If your school is canceled, the VT will be canceled. 

 

*In the event that the VT Program is in session, and the weather becomes dangerous, the parents are encouraged to arrive early to pick up their children from the program.  Please be sure to call ahead and make arrangements for someone to meet you at the door.  

 

Child Pickup Policy

 

*All parents shall pick up their child from the VT Program at the front lobby of the school.  If you pick up your scholar anytime between program beginning and ending, you will need to come into the lobby in order to have them dismissed.  Parents are reminded to drive slowly and follow Campus’ parking policies.  Please turn off your car’s ignition and take your key with you.  Siblings of  VT scholars should never be left unattended in the car.

 

 

*For the safety of your scholar, he/she will only be released to the parents or designated pickup person.  Should another adult be picking up your scholar, please send written notification and be advised that they may be asked for photo identification.  Once a scholar is released to his/her parent or designated pickup person, the scholar’s care and safety are the responsibility of the parent or designated adult.

 

 

*In order that your scholar is not left feeling confused or upset, we ask that you make every attempt to pick up your scholar on time.  You will be automatically charged $5.00 for each additional minute beyond 6:30pm.

 

*If there are special court orders regarding parental custody – please provide documentation.