There is a 40$ registration fee for all students for the fall and summer programs. These fees are applied to new supplies for the children and will automatically be added to the fill. For additional siblings the registration fee is 30$ per child. Parents may choose to volunteer some of their time at RSA in lieu of paying this twice-a-year fee. The tuition will be waived for all parents attending one parent work day that are scheduled periodically.

Private pay tuition is to be paid each week and are due on Monday of the week they are due. Monthly payments must be made by the first of the month. Payments made after the fifth will be charged an additional twenty dollars for a late payment. Any monthly account that is not paid in full by the end of the month will be converted back to a weekly payment schedule. Early Learning Coalition fees are due in the weekly pay as well. Discounts for Private Pay parents are available when two or more children are enrolled.

Voucher Forms for Early Learning Coalition are attached to this handbook as well as applications for free and reduced lunch programs. Simply fill them out and return them as indicated on the forms.

**RSA accepts children referred by the Early Learning Coalition (ELC). We do not charge added tuition payments above what the ELC requires. WE do, however, require ELC parents to pay registration and activity fees or volunteer at parent work days.

**Respite care is charged at $35.00 per day and requires 24 hour notice.

RSA offers after school programs for children ages 5-11 years of age. Transportation from the school can be arranged. The fees are 40$ for registration and 55$ a month thereafter. Payment can be made via the website, in person onsite, or via the mail:

Rising Star Academy

1930 NE Waldo Road

Gainesville, Fl 32609

Rising Star Educational and Therapeutic Preschool Program

Infants from 6 weeks up to 3 years of age can be enrolled in our full staffed, licensed, and accredited preschool program. A full range of therapeutic and diagnostic services are available as well as focused Christ-centered instruction so that children are ready for entering the VPK programs.

Rising Star Accredited VPK Program

Rising Star Academy is proud to be one of the ONLY accredited Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Programs (VPK) serving Alachua County. If your child is 4 years of age as of September 1st, then he/she may qualify to enter the program. Space is limited so as to provide individualized attention and needed structure. If you think that you would like to enroll your child for the upcoming year, please enroll early as these spaces fill up quickly.

Rising Star Kindergarten Program

Coming soon! In the Fall of 2014 Rising Star Academy will open its doors for its inaugural Kindergarten Program. The first of its kind in Alachua County, students will experience a return to traditional curriculum that includes common core academics, as well as Technology, Art, PE, and Music. Also included are agricultural science, field trips, and environmental labs. Following the Finland Educational Method, RSA will be assigning three teachers to each child to ensure their educational and developmental success.

Rising Star Academy After-school Programs

Rising Star Academy is please to present its exclusive 3+ hours of after-school programming for residents of Alachua County (school ages 5-11). Students are treated to state of the art computer labs with a licensed and accredited teacher on hand for questions and study sessions, as well as martial arts training, music, arts and crafts, and educational field trips. Extended hours are also available for late night (ages 1-4). Students need not be attending Rising Star Academy in order to partake of the rich offerings for afterschool programs.

The Rising Star Educational and Therapeutic Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, marital status, sex, disability, or age.

Late Pick Ups

Children who are not picked up by 6:00pm will be charged $1.00 a minute. This charge must be paid before the child is allowed to return to school or the late fee will be applied to the next bill. Any parent/guardian leaving a child past 7:00pm will be reported to the police.

After-school Program Pick-Up Policy

Our drivers are not allowed to leave a pick-up point until all children are accounted for. If your child is absent and we have not been informed, that driver is required to notify the academy. The Academy must then call the parent and notify him/her that the child has not been located. This holds a lot of children up and throws off our schedule. Therefore, we have had to institute a $5.00 charge for every time you do not notify us that your child does not need to be picked up

Vacations

Each account may take advantage of one week’s vacation credit. Vacation days may be taken individually or weekly, but can only be used for days when the child is not in school. You may begin to take your vacation from the first day your child is enrolled until the first anniversary, when you will be given an additional week. However, vacation days cannot be accumulated from year to year.

Admissions Policies

The Rising Star Educational and Therapeutic Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, marital status, sex, disability, or age.

The following information must be provided for every enrolled child:

• Current immunization and physical records (must be submitted before children can attend).
• Registration and tuition fees (due at enrollment).