Program Policies

Policies, Terms, & Waivers

By payment of any sum to Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, you are confirming your registration for an HPNC program and are acknowledging your agreement to the terms and conditions of HPNC as described herein.

Cancellation, withdrawal, reduced enrollment and refund policies

HPNC cancellation
HPNC may cancel classes, sessions, workshops and events when enrollment minimums are not reached. In this case, full refunds or credits for future enrollments will be available. HPNC reserves the right to change instructors or class structure, or to discontinue any class without incurring obligations.

HPNC may temporarily suspend programs and close the facility due to inclement weather, communicable disease exposure, or other emergencies. If HPNC is responsible for cancellation, HPNC may offer a make-up day. If a make-up day is not offered, you may request that prorated fees for cancelled days/programs be credited to your account.

Communication: HPNC will communicate cancellations through the following channels as soon as we are able. Please add “info@trn.hellosawyer.com” to your email address book to avoid messages from HPNC ending up in your spam folder. For OST and Athletics & Enrichment Programs, HPNC will send an email to notify all registered families. HPNC will also post notice of cancellation on the HPNC website and Facebook page.

Client withdrawals and cancellations

Advanced written notice is required for all cancellations and withdrawals. Email HPNC at info@hpnclub.org (or your primary HPNC representative) with cancellation notice and to determine eligibility for credit/refund. Please allow up to 2 weeks for processing.

All Registration Fees, Deposits, and Transaction Fees are non-refundable.
If we receive notice at least 30 days prior to the session start date HPNC may provide a refund or credit of the Program Fee, less the deposit or 10% of the full program fee. The deposit and all other fees are non-refundable.
If we receive notice at least 14 days prior to the session start date HPNC may provide a 50% refund of the remaining Program Fee after the deposit. The deposit and all other fees are non-refundable.
Program Fees are non-refundable within 14 days of the session start date.
Medical Cancellation/Withdrawal: In the event of a child’s medical condition preventing attendance for more than one program week, written notification of cancellation or withdrawal is required. A doctor’s note indicating attendance restriction must accompany written notification. In this instance, registrants may request a 50% credit prorated for each missed day, not including the first missed week.
Failure to attend does not constitute an official withdrawal from any course, session, class, workshop, program, activity, or rental agreement and will not be grounds for refund.
HPNC does not offer make-ups or refunds for missed days.
HPNC does not offer pauses on accounts. Appeals may be considered on a case-by-case basis for verifiable hardships only.
Cancellations and withdrawals may lead to the reversal of Special Discounts (sibling discount, bundle discount, etc.) and could result in a balance due.
Membership, class-pass, monthly-pass, and season-pass purchases are non-refundable and non-transferable. Passes may not be returned for cash value, nor account credit.

Rental cancellations

Cancellation and Refund Policy for Single-use and/or Recurring Rental Fees: A $50 non-refundable processing fee applies to all rentals. Rental fees, minus the non-refundable $50 processing fee, may be refunded if written notification of cancellation is received by HPNC at least 30 days prior to the scheduled date of rental use.

Non-appearance does not constitute cancellation of the rental agreement, and in such an instance, the renter will remain responsible for full payment of rental fees. HPNC does not offer deferred, reduced, or pro-rated space rental fees.

Parent/guardian emergency care consent

As a parent/legal guardian, you hereby give consent for your child to receive first aid by HPNC staff and, if necessary, transported to receive emergency medical care. You give consent for the HPNC staff to act for you in the event that my child needs emergency medical care. You understand that you will be responsible for all medical emergency charges.

For OST programs (After School Program and Summer Camp), a copy of child’s birth certificate and most recent Child Health Examination Form with immunization records will be required prior to first day of program start.

Covid-19 release and waiver of claims and policy acknowledgment

Waiver of Liability: In your capacity as parent or legal guardian of your child(ren), you hereby acknowledge the health risks and dangers associated with the transmission of the Covid-19 virus, and other communicable diseases, and recognize that exposure to the Covid-19 virus, or other communicable diseases, could occur while your child is the care of Hyde Park Neighborhood Club (HPNC) during the course of this program.

As such, and in consideration for child care services to be provided by HPNC for yourself and your minor children enrolled in the Program, you fully assume all of the risks associated with participation in the Program, including the possibility of Covid-19 community spread.

Your registration and payment of any amount is confirmation that you have read and fully understand and acknowledge the contents of this release and agree that you are voluntarily waiving, releasing, indemnifying, and discharging HPNC and its officers, directors, and employees from any and all liability, damages, and each and every action (collectively, "claims") by participation in and/or association with the program including but not limited to exposure or transmission of the Covid-19 virus.

You represent that you have full authority to sign on behalf of your child(ren) and that agreement binds each other person having authority to make decisions on behalf of the child(ren).

Participation Permission: You give permission for your child(ren) to participate in all program activities, both indoors and outdoors, including those held in the HPNC gym, HPNC playground and garden, and off-site at local parks and off-site field trips.

NOTE: Vaccinations keep people safe and allow young people to participate in programs without interruption. If your child is not vaccinated and a quarantine notice is given, HPNC will not issue a refund for the quarantine period.

Indemnity release

Waiver of Liability: You agree that participation in this program at HPNC is without assumption or responsibility of any kind by HPNC, In consideration of the acceptance of this registration, you do hereby release and forever discharge the HPNC, their officers, directors, employees, agents, and assigns, of and from any and all injuries, damages, claims, and demands, of any kind which may be suffered or sustained in connection with program activities. All claims of any kind or nature whatsoever are hereby waived, and you covenant not to sue. For good and valuable consideration, the Participant releases HPNC, their officers, directors, employees, and agents, and assigns permission to license and use all images and sound recordings in any media and for any purpose. The Participant agrees that, if your permission was granted, HPNC has all rights to images and sound recordings for perpetuity. This Contract shall be construed under the laws of the State of Illinois. If any provision of the Contract is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. This Contract may only be modified in writing with approval of an authorized representative of HPNC. Otherwise, this Contract shall serve as the full understanding of parties.

Basic requirements of all students

For the safety of all students, basic self-sufficiency is required for all students in the program. There is 1 teacher and 1 group, and they must be trusted to stick together and follow directions as a regular course of program operation. If one student deviates from this basic premise, it puts all students at risk because it diverts the limited attention of the responsible adult to a single child, to the exclusion of all of the other children. This means that all students must be able, willing, and trusted to:

Communicate respectfully with others, including teachers, administrators, and students.
Stay with teacher and/or group indoors and outdoors during program activities and transitions.
Listen for and follow rules and instructions.
Seek and wait for permission to leave the group if necessary.
Walk to bathroom and return to classroom alone.
Use restroom without assistance.
Dress/clean self without assistance.
Refrain from unsafe/harmful behaviors to self and others.

Statement of inclusion

HPNC aims to be inclusive. Please note that we are not staffed with special education instructors, IEP specialists, or school nurses. We will work with families to the best of our ability, however, may not be equipped to satisfy all needs. Please reach out to us directly if you have specific concerns.

Gender affirmation policy

HPNC affirms that all persons (youth, staff, community members) have the right to be addressed by the name, pronouns, and other terms that correspond to their personal gender identity.
HPNC affirms that gender identity is not predicated on an individual’s physical anatomy.
HPNC affirms that individuals have the right to the use of affirming and appropriate restrooms. Individuals have the right to access the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity, regardless of sex assigned at birth.
Youth, staff, and community members are expected to respect an individual’s name and pronouns once they have been made aware of the individual’s gender identity.
Youth, staff, and community members should always use the pronoun and name as indicated by the individual.
Individuals may choose how, when, with whom, and whether to disclose their gender identity, and others should not share this information without consent.
Parents of youth under age 12 may request information about their child’s gender identity and HPNC staff should provide clear information to the parent. For youth ages 12+, the youth should give consent before this information is shared with their parent.

Guidance and discipline policy

Philosophy: We believe in guidance and discipline, rather than punishment. Guidance and discipline are positive ways to help a child develop self-control and confidence in handling their needs in a socially acceptable way. This is an on-going process, not a single act. We are here to teach each child skills to manage their own behavior.

Guidance & Discipline Techniques Used HPNC Staff:

Offer a stimulating, organized, well equipped, and well-designed classroom to avoid problems.
Set rules with the children at the beginning of camp, set clear limits and be consistent.
Redirect children whenever possible; include the children in the problem-solving process.
Model socially acceptable behavior and manners along with positive reinforcement and acknowledgement of good behavior.
If a child hurts another child, the teacher will attend to the injured child immediately. The child that did the injuring will stay with the injured child and the staff member looking after the injured child, until the injured child is ready to return to the classroom activities.

If the teachers see a continuing pattern of misbehavior, the following steps will be initiated:

Phone call from the teacher/counselor informing the parents of the concerning behavior observed.
Implementation of corrective behavior plan.
Conference with parents, teachers/counselors, and director to discuss goals, implementation of goals, and measuring progress.
Follow-up meetings (face to face or phone) to discuss progress.

Prohibited Guidance and Discipline Techniques:

Any form of corporal punishment, ridiculing a child or the child’s family, blaming, teasing, insulting, name-calling, or threatening the child with punishment.
Withholding food, affection, or positive attention.

Parent’s Role in the Guidance Process:

Share any relevant information with the teachers to help understand any underlying issues. Be open when the teacher gives notification of a concern or if a continuing pattern of misbehavior is observed
Follow through on any recommendations made by the staff.
Work as a team with the staff so everyone can be consistent in expectations and help the child understand what behavior is acceptable and not acceptable.

Discharge
After attempts have been made to meet the individual needs of the child, any child that has demonstrated an inability to benefit from the type of care offered by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club or whose needs exceed the capacity of HPNC staff, or whose presence is detrimental to the group or endangers the group, shall be discharged from the program.

Acknowledgment of receipt of the Parent/Guardian Handbook

Click here to download the current Parent/Guardian Handbook

You acknowledge receipt of the HPNC Parent/Guardian Handbook and understand that you are responsible for reading and understanding the information herein.