Terms & Conditions

Important Disclaimer:

The Little Way Readers should only be used to supplement quality, at-home reading instruction. The Little Way Readers SHOULD NOT replace the homeschool reading/literacy curriculum and instead, be only used in addition to the reading instruction already being provided by the home educator. It is to be used as a way to further progress a child’s reading growth and capabilities rather than to serve as their main source of explicit literacy instruction.

Parent/Guardian Support

1. SUPERVISION: Students should be under the supervision and control of their parent/guardian or a responsible adult caregiver during their Little Way Readers group session.

2. STUDENT MATERIALS: Parents/ guardians or a responsible adult caregiver should ensure that their child has the necessary equipment and internet access to participate in their session. Necessary equipment includes: a charged device, working microphone, webcam, headphones, Word Study Set, pencil, and paper. Students should also be logged into their Digital Reader account prior to the start of their session.

3. STUDENT WORKSPACE: To the greatest extent possible, parents/guardians should provide their child with a safe and appropriate work area that is conducive to learning, reasonably quiet, free of distractions and capable of supervision at all times by a parent/guardian or responsible adult caregiver.

*We would greatly appreciate parent/guardian cooperation in helping to keep all pets, siblings not engaging in learning, cell phones or personal electronic devices away from the learning area.

4. GROUP SCHEDULE: Parents/guardians should ensure that their child is ready to tune in to the distance learning session at the times scheduled by the teacher. Please Note: We are committed to ensuring that students’ reading progress is continuously assessed and monitored. To ensure that students are receiving instruction at their targeted reading level, their group placement is subject to change, which may lead to a change to their original meeting time.

5. STUDENT DRESS CODE: Parents/ guardians and responsible adult caregivers must ensure that students are dressed appropriately at all times during distance learning instruction. Appropriate dress includes clothes that cover the student’s torso from their shoulders through to their knees. Clothing should be day clothes (no pajamas) and free of any violent or offensive language or pictures.

6. PARENT ENGAGEMENT IN INSTRUCTION: Parents/guardians and responsible adult caregivers should not interfere, disrupt or directly participate in virtual distance learning sessions unless requested by the teacher or without teacher written permission. Parents/guardians and responsible adult caregivers are not permitted to log into or attend online/virtual distance learning instruction unless specifically requested by a teacher. If parents have concerns about their child’s instruction during a session, please reach out to the teacher outside of class time. This allows for the flow of teaching to be uninterrupted and allows the teacher’s focus to remain on the students with whom they are working.

7. CONFIDENTIALITY: There is no expectation of privacy in virtual classrooms. When a student logs in to any virtual learning session, parents/guardians/caregivers/students are acknowledging their understanding that anything that they say, write, or do while on video or audio might be viewed/heard by others.

Parents/guardians and responsible adult caregivers must maintain strict confidentiality of any information they obtain or observe regarding other students (e.g., academic performance, medical conditions, disabilities, behavior, etc.) while supervising a student’s online session.
Students, parents/guardians, responsible adult caregivers and any other individual who may be in or around a student’s work area are not permitted to photograph, video or audio record, or screenshot any distance learning instruction.
Teachers may record one to one student communications, but only with parent/guardian consent.

8. STUDENT LOGIN/ PARENT TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Students will be provided with personal login credentials for their Digital Reader account. Students are not to share their login information with any other person except their parents/guardians or responsible adult caregivers as necessary for the parent/guardian or responsible adult caregiver to assist the student in troubleshooting login issues or other technical difficulties.. A parent/guardian or responsible adult caregiver must be available to assist the student with any login processes and troubleshooting of technical challenges. If a parent/guardian, responsible adult caregiver or the student experiences technical difficulties while participating in school related activities, please contact: rferullo@thelittlewayreaders.com.

9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Parents/guardians fully acknowledge that success is largely dependent upon the work and effort put forth by the student. Parents/guardians understand that as home educators they are responsible for the training of their child/children and will not hold The Little Way Readers responsible for any lack of academic achievement or progress. Parents/guardians understand that The Little Way Readers is a supplemental reading program and SHOULD NOT replace in-home reading instruction

Student Expectations:

STUDENT PREPARATION:

Students are expected to log into their sessions at their scheduled time.
Student workspaces are expected to be reasonably quiet, free of distractions (preferably at a table/desk while sitting in a chair), away from–pets, siblings not currently engaged in learning, and cell phones & other personal devices or toys. Workspaces must also be capable of supervision at all times by a parent/guardian or responsible adult caregiver.
Students should turn off cell phones, TVs, etc. and exit other applications on their device prior to joining the session.
The student’s distance learning background must be the student’s workspace setting and not a virtual image. This setting must be appropriate to the other participants and offer enough light for their face and work to be visible.
Students are expected to dress appropriately. Appropriate dress includes clothes that cover the student’s torso from their shoulders through to their knees. Clothing should be day clothes (no pajamas) and free of any violent or offensive language or pictures.
Students are expected to have reliable WIFI connection, a fully charged electronic device with a functioning web camera and microphone, as well as, earbuds or headphones with a microphone. Students are also expected to have their Word Study Sets and be logged into their Digital Reader accounts by the start of the session.
Students should make sure to enable both audio and video at the start of the session. To do so: Students can click “Start Video” and “Join Audio” in the bottom menu.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION:

Students must arrive on time for each distance learning session. Students may be sent to the “waiting room” before being admitted to the session.
Student’s name must be their first name.
Student’s posture before the camera must be conducive to active learning and participation (e.g., no reclining, resting head on desk, etc.).
The student’s full face must be visible in the camera frame and cameras must remain on throughout the session.

STUDENT BEHAVIOR:

Students are expected to remain unmuted unless requested to mute by the teacher.
Students should stay focused on the teacher’s lesson and activity and stay off of other websites and away from any distractions during their session.
Whenever possible, students should plan meals, snacks, and bathroom breaks around their group session time. Students are expected to avoid eating, drinking, and chewing gum during their sessions. If a student does need a restroom break, they should request permission from the teacher and plan to return as quickly as possible.
Students should stay in their designated workspace for the duration of the session and refrain from moving to any other area of their home.
When students have a question or comment, they should raise their hand and wait to be called on.
Students must promptly comply with any teacher request to mute or unmute their microphone or remove an item, individual, or pet from their workspace.
Students are expected to keep facial expressions, verbal and chat comments respectful at all times.
Students are expected to respectfully listen to the other participants when they are sharing an idea, opinion, answering a question or reading out loud.
When interacting with or providing feedback to peers, students are expected to use kind words and constructive criticism.
Students should only use chat when given permission by the teacher.
Students should demonstrate respect of the Catholic faith as well as any differing religious peer beliefs.
Students should avoid participating in any side conversations. This includes privately texting, chatting, or engaging in other electronic or in-person communication during sessions.
Students should not record any session using their computer or another recording device.
Classroom meeting links & passwords are never to be shared.
Students must log off of the video-call when the teacher ends the session.
Students must fully acknowledge that academic success is largely dependent upon the work and effort put forth by them. ,

Consequences for Unacceptable Behavior

Because of the remote delivery of this instruction, by necessity, The Little Way Readers has the ultimate responsibility for monitoring the students’ behavior and assuring their compliance with the above-stated behavior standards. The following disciplinary action will be taken for students who violate the above rules:

The teacher may privately message the student in chat and ask him/her to stop the disruptive behavior.
The teacher may politely and publicly ask the student to stop whatever behavior is disrupting the class during the session.
The teacher may put the student on hold so his/her audio and video connections are disabled for a brief period of time until the student is willing to rejoin the session and behave appropriately. Parents/ guardians may be notified.
If the behavior continues, the teacher may expel the student from the session and parents will be notified.
In some cases, the student may be suspended from the next session without a refund or opportunity for a make-up session. Parents/guardians will be notified.
Severe misconduct may result in immediate dismissal from The Little Way Readers.

Absences

COMMUNICATION OF ABSENCES: If a student will be unable to participate in their guided reading session for any reason, parents/guardians or responsible adult caregivers are expected to contact the teacher via email before their child’s session is scheduled to begin. Please use the email rferullo@thelittlewayreaders.com.

MAKE-UP SESSIONS: Students will receive 2 free make-up sessions per semester. These sessions will be held the day after the absence (unless the student missed a Thursday session, in which case they will have their make-up the following week). The sessions will be a 15 minute private session with the teacher to go over what was missed. These sessions are up to the parent to schedule by contacting the teacher and requesting a make-up. If a student cannot make-up a class, students will receive a credit for the missed day when they enroll in the next semester. When it is time to re-enroll, parents are responsible for contacting rferullo@thelittlewayreaders.com to request a coupon code that will provide the credit for the number of absences accrued during the semester that surpassed the number of free make-up sessions allowed (as described above). Please note, monetary refunds will not be given for absences except in extreme instances of serious illness or injury that leads to multiple days/weeks of missed classes.