Families will receive a full refund if they withdraw before the class begins. Families who withdraw after class begins will receive a prorated refund based on the time remaining in the class. (NOTE: Refunds made more than 30 days from purchase date will be docked a 10% administrative processing fee.)

I do not offer refunds for missed classes. Students will have access to written project instructions and background material. In some cases, video summaries may be available as well.

A class may be cancelled if it does not meet the minimum enrollment. If that occurs, I will let registered students know at least 48 hours before class begins and issue full refunds. 

If I must unexpectedly cancel an individual session, learners will have access to written instructions and background material for that session, and I will offer a live or pre-recorded make-up session if at all possible.

In the unlikely event that two or more sessions of a class must be cancelled, I will offer families the option to receive prorated refunds instead of live or pre-recorded make-up sessions.

My classes work best when students appear on camera and join the conversation via microphone! At the beginning of each session, students are invited to show off what they’ve worked on since the last time we met. During class, it allows us to share what we already know and discuss questions. 

Since we will be building a project in real time, it also makes it easier for me to keep track of how students are doing, help them figure out any problems they are having, and see how their creations come out! During coding classes, I’ve found it can be helpful for students to share their screen so we can see how they are working with the software.

That said, I recognize that students have different comfort levels participating in online class environments. I do not require you to be on camera for the entire class, but ask that you turn it on when we first sign in so I know you’re there and ready to work. I will try to respond to chat messages as quickly as possible, and I always love to see what you come up with at the end!

A note for parents and/or adult helpers: Please plan to stand by during class, especially if your child may need help with cutting, taping, etc. Also, please make sure that all supplies are ready before class begins. Most require basics like pencils, pens, heavy paper, clear tape, and a ruler. A week-by-week list of special materials such as motors, LEDs, or programmable microcontroller boards is provided, and I am happy to help you find whatever you need. Printable templates are provided for some classes. They save time measuring and drawing, but they are not required.  

It is important to me that all students have a safe and enjoyable classroom experience. My general behavioral guidelines are as follows, and will be announced to students as needed: 

• Please mute your microphone if there is excessive background noise. 
• Please be kind and polite to everyone in class.
• Please keep chat on-topic. 
• Please avoid disruptive behavior (changing background screens, silly screen names, using filters or making faces, etc.)
• Please wear appropriate clothing when on camera. 
• No unwanted private messaging.
• No sharing contact information without parental permission.

I want all learners to get the best experience they can out of the class. In general, I will try to address a specific behavior rather than remove a student from the classroom or limit their participation. Here are steps I may take to address student behavioral concerns: 

• Disable online classroom functions (for example, turn off private chat, manually mute microphones, turn off a video feed).
• Privately reach out to students to ask them to stop the behavior during class. 
• Reach out to students and their families to brainstorm a solution to a behavioral issue outside of class. 
• Require a parent/guardian to be present during live sessions in the event of repeat behavioral violations. 
• Remove a student from the class. 

In the very rare event that a student is removed from a class for behavioral concerns, a prorated refund will be given.

It is important to me that learners feel safe and supported in the classroom. It is also important that I have the ability to document and investigate any safety concerns. I record live sessions and store them for a period of 12 months. I do not share these recorded sessions publicly or with other learners in the class (any make-up sessions will include a video summary without learner participation to protect learner privacy).

I may share recordings with individuals (such as parents/guardians of involved participants) involved in the discussion of any classroom incident if necessary for a safety issue or a third-party (such as a charter school) as required by their safety protocols.

I believe respect is the foundation of a positive educational experience. I will do my best to adhere to the following policies. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 

• I will call learners by their preferred name and use their preferred pronouns. 
• I will try to make sure every learner in class is heard. 
• I will do my best to accommodate learner needs and make materials accessible. 
• I will try to respond to questions outside of class in a timely manner. 
• I will give feedback in a constructive way that respects the efforts learners have made.
• I will be understanding of learner differences and individual personalities and be as flexible as possible as I strike a balance between keeping the class productive for everyone and allowing room for everyone’s individual needs.