It is the policy of New Hope SDA Learning Center to enroll children based on a first come first serve basis. The only exception to this is enrolling staff children and siblings of currently enrolled children as openings become available. The process is as follows:
All children from one through four years of age, on or before September 1 of the current year, are enrolled in classes according to their age. Before students can begin classes, they must have their immunization up-to-date.
A registration form must be filled out in full, accompanied by a non-refundable registration and application fee. This form is a Department of Children’s and Families (DCF) requirement.
The physical examination form 3040, along with immunization form 680 signed by your physician. These must be kept current.
A copy of your child’s birth certificate must also be included in their file.
Forms that must be filled out and/or signed before a child can begin school:
● The Child Enrollment form● The Parent Agreement form ● The Age Appropriate Discipline statement● The School Calendar / Holidays form● The Health Policy form● Photo/Video Release form● Nutrition and Snack form● Flu Form● Swim Central● Know Your Child Care Facility
In order to ensure the safety and security of your child, photos and videos are only used for New Hope SDA Learning Center programs and the sole purpose of promoting the development and growth of the New Hope SDA Learning Center children. To include your child in above opportunities, you must sign the release included in your enrollment papers.
Enrollment at New Hope Learning Center is for an entire calendar year (July 1st to June 30th). To meet our financial obligations through the year, we must keep classes fully enrolled, therefore, if you withdraw your child for the summer, you risk losing that spot for your child for the next school year.
New Hope SDA Learning Center will not release any child to anyone other than the person listed on the pick-up form. Persons not known to the staff will be asked to show proper identification. If anyone other than the parent or regular pick up person is to pick up the child, the center has to receive a note or a phone call from the parent giving the center permission to release the child to them and they must know the secret password. Florida state law requires that the center be given a copy of divorce or guardianship documents to allow enforcement of parental rights. These are to be provided by the parent or guardian. The parent is expected to honor this policy.

Registration

Our registration for fall 2025 will begin the first week of July. An annual non-refundable registration fee of $100.

Orientation and Open House

Orientation and Open House are held annually, the first week in August. Orientation always includes time for the child to visit their room and meet their classmates. This time is also used for the director to go over the handbook and answer any questions that parents may have.

Tuition

New Hope SDA Learning Center is a year-round school. Tuition rates remain the same for that school year unless the Board of Directors feels it is necessary to make an increase in order to meet financial obligations. Tuition is billed weekly and payment is due each Monday. You may pay more than one week at a time. We will credit your account for each week you pay ahead. Please remember that some months may have a fifth week and you will need to include that fifth week in your check if you are paying for the month.
Families with two or more children enrolled on a Monday through Friday childcare schedule (6:30am-6:00pm M-Thurs, 6:30am-4pm Fri) will receive a 10% discount on the lesser tuition rate and a third child will receive an additional 10% discount. The discounts will be taken off the lower fees. Tuition rates for the school year are given to each family at the time of registration and copies are available at the front office throughout the year.

Late Tuition

If tuition is not received in the front office by the Tuesday of each week after payment is due, a late fee of $25 will be added to your account. If payment is not made by the following Friday, we will send a letter asking you to contact our office to schedule a payment plan. If we do not hear from you by the Wednesday (during the third week), you will receive a letter explaining the procedure for withdrawing your child on the fourth week. We can no longer allow accounts to go unpaid for more than 2 weeks. Below is a calendar example of how this procedure works.
Example:Friday January 2, 2025 - account billedTuesday January 7, 2025 - payment due to all families Wednesday January 8, 2025 - late fee assess on unpaid tuition balance Friday January 10, 2025 - letter to contact office for payment arrangementsTuesday January 14, 2025 - letter home about child to be withdrawn due to unpaid balance and no contact from payee Monday January 20, 2025 - child/children may not attend or be accepted in school due to unattended balance
If we do not keep up with our tuition collection in a timely manner, we cannot meet our financial obligations and move New Hope Learning Center forward to excellence.

Payment

PLEASE PAY BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER if you are not able to make online payment. Make check out to New Hope SDA Learning Center. If a check is returned there will be $35.00 return check fee. After two returned checks, all future payments will only be accepted in the form of a money order.

Vacations, Absences & Holidays

Fees are consistent and must be paid regardless of whether or not your child is in attendance. There will be no reduction in tuition for absences, vacations, or school holidays. However, each family is allowed two weeks of vacation, during the school year (July through June), where we will waive the tuition. One week’s time frame must be 5 consecutive days - Monday through Friday. Please give 2 weeks notice by filling out the vacation credit form in the office.

Withdrawal

Withdrawing a child from school requires two weeks written notice. A full month’s tuition is due if a parent fails to give written notice in advance. We require this time in order to fill that spot and meet the financial obligations of the classroom. If a child is to be out of school for an entire month, tuition must be paid or the child must be withdrawn and then re-enrolled at a later date, if space is available. There is a $20 re-enrollment fee.

Dismissal

If a child’s behavior is found to consistently disrupt the class and the learning process by hurting themselves or hurt others or their teachers, he/she will be subject to dismissal. If a conference, which will include parent, teacher, aide and school director, does not produce a satisfactory change in behavior, a second conference will be scheduled. Two weeks written notice will be given to the parent if we recommend withdrawal actions.