2023 Junior Intensive
June 14–June 24, 2023
Student & Parent Handbook
Contact
OBT School Contact and Location Information
720 SW Bancroft St.
Portland, OR 97239
(503) 227-6890
OBT School hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. If you call outside of these hours we encourage you to leave a voice message and you will receive a call back as soon as possible.
General Email:
schoolofobt@obt.org
The general email address is to be used for absence reporting, absence requests, late pick-up, changes in pick-up/carpool, and for general information and questions.
OBT School Website: http://school.obt.org
OBT School Blog: http://schooloforegonballettheatre.blogspot.com
Attendance / Absences
Exemplary attendance is expected of all students and all absences are monitored. Excessive absences will result in a meeting with the School Director or School Administrator, and possible loss and/or reduction in a student’s scholarship.
Absence notification must be phoned in or e-mailed to OBT School. For Portland students please call (503) 227-6890 or e-mail schoolofobt@obt.org. Please do not send daily absence notifications directly to school administrative staff, as these may not be seen in a timely manner. Parents may call and leave a message on the day of the absence, although email notification is preferred. E-mail or phone messages should include the sender’s or caller’s name, student’s name, student’s level, date of absence(s), and the reason for the absence(s). The absence will be relayed to the school staff. Students under the age of 18 are required to have a parent or guardian report absences.
Notification of one-week is required for a pre-approved excused absence. For pre-approval, please call in or email your request. The request will be communicated to the school staff and an email reply will follow. Examples of absences requiring pre-approval include medical appointments, auditions, college-related visits/interviews, family vacations, academic school related activities, etc.
If a student is ill or injured, the absence will be excused if notification is received before the beginning of the student’s class time. Notification and a progress update is expected daily for a continuing illness or injury. All other same-day absences are considered unexcused.
School staff will contact the student or student’s family if the student misses class and the absence is not reported.
All students are expected to attend the entire duration of the session in which they are enrolled, except for reasons of documented illness, injury, or emergency. Barring documented long-term illness or injury, should a student become absent long-term or depart without notification/authorization before the end of the program, any and all tuition balances will be due immediately, and if a scholarship recipient the student and their family will forfeit the remainder of the scholarship received and owe the balance of the recalculated tuition. No pro-rating or credit toward future classes will be issued.
OBT School does not provide make-up classes for missed classes. Tuition credits and refunds are issued only in the event of long-term illness or injury.
Injury / Illness
Students who are unable to fully participate in class due to an injury, whether major, minor, chronic, or acute, will be required to observe class and take notes until recovered. It is expected that parents keep OBT School apprised of a student’s progress. If a student has a contagious illness (upper respiratory infection, influenza, conjunctivitis, etc.) or symptoms that include fever, nausea, diarrhea, and/or vomiting, we kindly ask that they not attend or observe classes. We request that you keep the student home for 24 hours after the last sign of symptoms to avoid the spread of disease.
Tuition
Tuition is payable either in full or four monthly auto-payments. To use the auto-payment plan, a credit or debit card must be provided, which will be securely stored in the electronic payment system. Please note that auto-payments will be charged any time after midnight on the date due. Please contact the school as soon as possible with any questions or concerns regarding your auto-payment. The auto-payment plan is not available for Pre-Ballet tuition.
If a student is advanced a level after the beginning of the program and there is a difference in cost of tuition, tuition for the student’s new level will be calculated based on the date of the advancement and due as determined by OBT School’s staff.
By registering for classes at OBT School, the student and/or student’s family agrees to pay the entirety of the tuition balance. If a student voluntarily withdraws, or is voluntarily withdrawn, regardless of reason, the balance of their tuition is due prior to their last day of class. Tuition balances will not be forgiven, and any unpaid balances will be sent to OBT’s Businesss office for collection.
OBT School grants tuition refunds only in the event of prolonged illness or injury which prevents the student from fully participating in classes. No tuition refunds will be issued due to early withdrawal. The official date used to determine the refund amount is the onset of illness or injury and will be calculated based on the number of weeks the student cannot participate. All tuition refunds require proper medical documentation, which is to be submitted to the School Administrator in writing from a certified medical doctor within 30 days of the injury or onset of the prolonged illness. OBT shall consider all refund requests in accordance with this policy, though approval of a refund shall be at the discretion of Oregon Ballet Theatre. All refunds are issued by check within 30 days less a $45 administrative fee and processing fees incurred if the tuition payment was made by credit card. Registration fees and tuition deposits are non-refundable.
OBT School refunds 100 percent of tuition fees for classes, workshops, masterclasses, and other fee-based instruction, canceled due to low enrollment. In the event of circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, earthquakes, fires, floods, inclement weather, civil disturbances, epidemics, and riots OBT School will do its best, if possible, to offer make up class options. Make up class schedules are at the sole discretion of OBT School and may not accommodate each student’s specific scheduling requirements. In the event OBT is not able to offer make up classes, the organization will consider all refund requests, though approval of a refund shall be at the discretion of OBT. Refunds exclude, but do not solely exclude, registration, finance, NSF, and audition fees.
Tardy
We ask that students arrive 5 to 10, though no more than 15 to 30 minutes before class. Students will be required to sit out of class and take notes if they are more than 5 minutes late. Excessive tardiness will result in a parent conference.
School Communication
In an effort to conserve resources all information, such as class schedules, schedule changes, important announcements, etc., will be posted directly to the OBT School Blog. All students and/or parents should access the OBT School Blog on a daily basis.
How to Access the OBT School Blog
Go to: www.schooloforegonballettheatre.blogspot.com
Parking
At our Portland location, the parking lot is reserved for OBT and OBT School employees, and short term transactions at our front desk. Additional street parking and street car access is available nearby.
At our West Linn location you are welcome to park in any available spot within the parking lot.
Drop-off and Pick-up
Drop-off and Pick-up Pre-Ballet Students
- Parking – Please park along Bancroft or another nearby street.
- Arrival - Please plan to arrive at least 5 minutes before class, though no earlier than 15 minutes. Late arrivals of 5 minutes or longer, regardless of reason, will not be admitted to class. Please consider traffic when scheduling your arrival time.
- We ask that all Pre-Ballet parents/guardians accompany their student into the building.
- Preparation for Class - Upon arrival please report to the lobby. Students should arrive already dressed in OBT School dress code, with street clothes on top. Students will prepare for class and leave their belongings with their parent/guardian. The OBT School dressing rooms are off-limits to Pre-Ballet students. Please be sure to read all of the Dress Code details, available on the OBT School web site and blog.
- Pre-Ballet students will be collected and led by the teacher or student assistant from the lobby to the studio at the appropriate time. Any late arrivals should report to the School Registrar’s desk and a OBT School staff person will escort the student to the correct studio.
- During Class – Parents/guardians may either wait in the lobby or leave the building for the duration of the class.
- After Class - At the conclusion of class the teacher will return students to the lobby. After preparing to leave, Pre-Ballet students will leave the building via the front door with their parent/guardian. Checking out with staff is not necessary.
Drop-off and Pick-up: Primary
Primary students are to be escorted and dropped off in OBT’s lobby by their parent/guardian. Parents/guardians are asked to wait outside the building after escorting students inside and during class. Students will proceed to prepare for class and wait in our lobby under staff supervision. Students are to arrive no earlier than 15 minutes and no later than 5 minutes prior to the beginning of their class. They are to be dressed in OBT School dress code, with street clothes on top, an article of clothing on both top and bottom. Students should put all of their belongings (street clothes, bag, water bottle, etc.) in one of the cubbies near the restrooms. All valuables should be left with the parent/guardian dropping the student off. After depositing their belongings in the cubbies, students will wait in the lobby where they will be under constant supervision of OBT School staff until their class begins.
Dismissal will be through the front door of the building. Once class is finished students are to redress in their street clothes and shoes and proceed to the front door where they will be met by a school staff person. We ask that parents wait outside the front door for students to be dismissed by our school staff.
Drop-off and Pick-up Pre-Pointe Workshop Students
Parents should drop-off their student at the front door. If there is a traffic line, please wait until at the front door and then allow the student to exit the vehicle. The student must walk in front of the vehicle to the door, not behind the vehicle. Please use care and drive slowly while in the lot. No driver should ever allow the student to exit the vehicle before arriving at the door and then bypass the traffic line. Please note that drop-off is not monitored and the parking lot is shared with neighboring businesses. If you are uncomfortable dropping off the student in this manner, you will need to find off-site street parking and accompany your student to the door.
Students in Levels 1 and 2, and the Pre-Pointe Workshop are not permitted to use the OBT School locker rooms and should come dressed in OBT School dress code underneath their street clothes, with an article of clothing on both top and bottom.
Students, regardless of age and level, must verbally check out with the OBT School Registrar upon departure of the building. Staff will always make visual contact with the authorized pick-up person.
Unless the student’s OBT School registration form indicates they may depart the building unescorted, all students must be met in person or by vehicle by their parent/guardian or authorized driver. For their own safety unescorted students may not be called across the street, to the public sidewalk, or into the parking lot.
If a student is departing with a friend or being picked up by someone other than the normal parent/guardian or authorized driver, parents/guardians must send a dated and signed note with the student or an e-mail with the details. Please keep this in mind as your daily carpool or pick-up plans change. To make a permanent change to a student’s permission to leave premises or to the adults authorized to pick them up, please come into the building and speak with the School Registrar. Students will not be released to another driver, no matter how well known the driver is to OBT School staff, without prior notification. This rule is strictly enforced for safety and liability reasons.
Late Pick-up
Students are to be picked up no later than 15 minutes after class ends. Parents who are late will need to park in an appropriate location and enter the lobby. After 30 minutes, a $25.00 late fee may be assessed per 30 minute increment. If you experience a problem and are unable to pick up your student, please call the School at (503) 227-6890. Calling will not waive the late pick-up fee, but does alert staff to the situation. It is strongly recommended that this number be programmed into your mobile phone. The Late Pick-up policy applies to all SOBT classes, and OBT/OBT School rehearsals, and performances.
Dress Code
OBT School has specific dress code requirements. Students are required to conform to the dress code. Students not dressed properly may be asked to sit out of class as a reminder that we take our dress code seriously.
Dress Code Details for Female Identifying Students
- A tasteful, non-French-cut leotard of any color or pattern, pink tights, pink canvas flat shoes, and any brand pointe shoes.
- Tights may not be worn over your leotard.
- Watch the condition of your tights. Proper care (i.e., no dryer) is essential to longevity; they can easily last over a year. Holes in tights must be sewn or tights will need to be discarded.
- Warm-up shorts, pants, sweaters, shirts, skirts, or legwarmers may never be worn during OBT School class.
- A bun is required for all levels. Bangs must always be off the face. For those students with very short hair, a soft, fabric headband, matched to hair color, is permissible to hold hair off the face. Invisible (matched to hair color) hairnets wrapped around the bun are encouraged to control hair from falling out. Clips, matched to hair color, may be sparingly used to help hold hair. All students should use hairspray to control hair from coming loose. We do not provide extra hairnets, hair and bobby pins, hair elastics, or hair spray. Please stock your student’s dance bag accordingly and monitor the use of supplies. All students must arrive with their bun in place.
- No decorative bun covers, snoods, ribbons, barrettes, or other hair ornaments are allowed. No unnatural hair colors (purple, pink, blue, etc.) are allowed.
- No jewelry (necklaces, chokers, bracelets, watches, rings) in class. Braided/String “friendship bracelets” are not allowed. Only clear or pale pink fingernail polish is allowed.
- Students must have street clothes over their leotard when entering and exiting the building. Ballet shoes may not be worn outside.
Dress Code Details for Male Identifying Students
- Black tights (should be convertible), white socks, white T-shirt, tank-top or leotard, and white canvas ballet flat shoes.
Dress Code Details for Non-Binary Students
OBT Studios
Storage Cubbies
Storage cubbies are located across from the restrooms. Cubbies may be used to store dance bags and other personal items during classes, however cubbies are open and unsecured. All valuables, wallets, electronics, etc. should be left at home or with a family member. OBT School/OBT does not accept responsibility for damage, loss, or theft of personal belongings. Report any loss of personal belongings immediately to OBT School staff.
Schedule
Pre-Ballet and Primary:
All Pre-Ballet and Primary classes begin promptly at the scheduled time and last for one hour. Students are to arrive through the front door 5 minutes before class. Pre-Ballet students will leave their outer clothing with their parent or guardian, and Primary students will store their belongings in the hallway cubbies. Students will be escorted to class by their teacher at the scheduled time. Parents are required to be at the OBT building at the scheduled end time to collect their children at the conclusion of the class. Pre-Ballet students will be led by their teacher to the lobby where they will meet their parents, or appointed guardian, and collect their belongings. Primary Ballet students should redress and collect their belongings from the cubbies or changing room, and proceed to the lobby to be dismissed to their parent or guardian.
Levels 1 and 2
Students in Levels 1 and 2 should be dropped off at the front door of OBT at 8:45 AM and proceed directly to change at the cubbies and then to the lobby/stretching area. All students will have a ballet class from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM followed by a class in another dance form. Lunch will take place for 30 minutes in the lobby/stretching area of the OBT studios and dance videos will be shown. The remainder of the day will include a class, or classes, in another dance form. Students may be picked up beginning shortly after the program's scheduled end time, though no later than 15 minutes after the scheduled end time.
Lunch
Students in Levels 1 and 2 will need to bring a bagged lunch with them every day. Please note there are no refrigerators for students to use, so please pack easy to store, non-perishable items. We also ask that due to allergies students not bring lunches that include peanut butter. It is necessary that students bring a lunch with them when they arrive as staff will not be able to accept parents dropping off lunches to their children once classes begin. Students may also bring a small snack to eat between classes. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle. OBT School has no food or drink available for purchase and students cannot be permitted to leave the OBT building, so please plan accordingly.
Pre-Pointe Workshop
Pre-Pointe workshop students should be dropped off at the front door of OBT at 4:45 PM and proceed directly to change at the cubbies and then to the lobby/stretching area. All students will have a one hour and thirty minute technique class. Students may be picked up beginning shortly after the program's scheduled end time, though no later than 15 minutes after the scheduled end time.
Mutual Respect & Zero Tolerance Policy
Oregon Ballet Theatre School is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment where all students are valued and respected. To this end, all students are to interact with each other in a respectful manner.
OBT School is a safe and welcoming environment.
OBT School will not tolerate, nor support in any way, acts of bullying behavior.
OBT School staff will communicate with students to educate them about mutual respect, bullying behavior and its prevention.
Students are asked to immediately report instances of bullying or aggressive behavior to a teacher, the school administrator, school receptionist or school director.
Any student seen or proven to be in violation of the above will be dismissed from the school without any reimbursement of tuition.
Any of the following actions or behavior will not be tolerated and will be the basis for immediate dismissal from the program without tuition refund.
- Smoking or tobacco use of any kind on or near the premises.
- Consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages, drugs or any other illegal substances.
- Physical, sexual or emotional abuse, threats, intimidation, commission of any violent act, and/or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health, safety or emotional well-being of another.
- Harassment of another person, whether physical, sexual, verbal, written or via internet.
- Possession, use and/or display of weapons or harmful materials.
- Theft of any kind.
Non-Discrimination Policy
OBT School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, color, or national/ethnic origin in administration of its admission criteria, education policies, scholarship programs, or any other school-administered programs or activities.
Right to Refuse Service
OBT School reserves the right to deny service, enrollment, and/or revoke previously awarded privileges at the discretion of the School Director or School Administrator.
Oregon Ballet Theatre School's 2023 Junior Intensive Signature Page
I,, and
(Name of Student)
I,,
(Name of Parent/Guardian)
have read the 2023 Junior Intensive Parent Handbook in its entirety and have discussed the contents prior to the start of the program. We have had the opportunity to ask questions of the school and hereby agree to abide by all policies, regulations and protocols stated herein.
(Student's Initials Required Level 1 through OBT2) Date (MM/DD/YYYY)
(Parent/Guardian's Initials Required if Student is 17 Years or Younger) Date (MM/DD/YYYY)