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Families

At TCS, we love our families.  We strongly encourage parent and family involvement. Parents are encouraged to keep in touch with their child’s teacher. You can also stay involved by:

  • helping to organize events for the school
  • attending Parent Night
  • speaking to students about a topic of interest
  • participating in the Hot Lunch Program
  • volunteering to be a Homeroom Parent
  • volunteering to bake for a special event
  • assisting in the school “Literacy Link”
  • driving students to and from field trips

Remember to watch our Announcements page and visit our online calendar for additional events.  We believe that it is through this partnership that we can best meet your child’s needs.

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The College School student with mother

Forming responsible habits regarding attendance and promptness is important. Parents are expected to support the goal of punctuality by having their children arrive on time, remain in school for a full day, and schedule appointments after school hours as much as possible.

When a student is absent, parents must inform the main office as soon as possible.  Upon the student’s return to school, no later than the third day, a parental written note of explanation must be presented for the absence to be excused.  The following is a list of reasons for an excused absence:

  1. Illness of child – a physician’s note is required for an absence of three (3) or more days.
  2. Scheduled appointments to a physical or mental healthcare provider, including, but not limited to, a physician, dentist, orthodontist, psychologist (note required).
  3. Contagious disease within the home of a student.
  4. Death in the family or of a close friend.
  5. Observance of a religious holiday.
  6. Participation in other educational experiences (i.e. “Shadow Days” at prospective schools).
  7. Vacations- up to five (5) days per school year may be pre-approved by the school Director.  An email, requesting pre-approval and including the dates of the absence, should be sent to tcs-ud@udel.edu.  Any additional absences for vacations beyond five days will be considered unexcused.
  8. Emergency situations as determined by the school Director.

Following such absence(s), assignments provided in advance for a pre-approved vacation are expected to be turned in upon return to school.  Incomplete assignments will be marked as a zero.

In cases of excused or unexcused absences when assignments are not provided in advance, the student shall be allowed to make up all additional work missed, to take tests which were missed, and to submit any assignments which became due during the absence.  The time allowed for taking tests or turning in assignments shall be equal to the number of school days or number of class meetings missed due to the absence.  At their discretion, a teacher may extend the time for making up work missed if circumstances of the situation merit such action.

Ten (10) unexcused absences or more than twenty (20) combined excused/unexcused absences during a given academic year may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from The College School.

Arrival

Students should arrive to school in front of the outside play area at 8:00 a.m. Students should not be dropped off in the morning until a TCS staff member is clearly visible and on duty. Homeroom begins promptly at 8:20 am. Any student arriving after 8:20 am will be marked late.  Our late arrival procedure is to pull up the the crosswalk in front of the building and call the front desk (302.831.0222).  A staff member will greet your child on the sidewalk.

Dismissal

Dismissal is at 3:00 pm (Wednesday dismissal is 1:30 pm). TCS students should be picked up in the carpool line in the front of the building.  Teachers will wait outside with students until 3:10 pm (1:40 pm on Wednesdays). At 3:10, remaining students will be sent to After-Care and parents will be billed accordingly.

Students who leave school early (i.e. for medical or other appointments) should be signed-out in the main office by the parent. Please note that there are “15 Minute Drop Off” parking spaces in the parking lot.

If the school day has already started when weather becomes an issue, TCS will remain open as long as the University remains open. However, parents are welcome to pick up their children at any time they feel conditions warrant.

Dress Code Policy (Updated July 2023)

Dress Code:

The College School’s dress code is an outline of acceptable attire that is not limited to just one or two options. It provides guidelines rather than rigid rules, and offers some flexibility for all.  Students are expected to come to school with a neat appearance and good hygiene in mind.

On a daily basis, students should wear clean clothes that are weather-appropriate for the season.

Clothing should not display profanity or symbols that promote drug or alcohol abuse, violence, or hate speech.

  • Tops: Shirts, blouses, sweaters and sweatshirts (with or without hoods) must cover torso and shoulders completely.       
  • Bottoms:  Well-fitted bottoms that are free of rips and holes. Shorts, skirts, or dresses must be at least mid-thigh. Jeans are ONLY permitted on Fridays and designated “Dress Your Way” days.
  • Footwear: Students should wear comfortable, sturdy shoes.  Sneakers and socks are recommended.  No open-toe shoes (e.g. sandals, clogs, flip-flops) are permitted.

*Parents and students are expected to use conservative judgement when determining “school appropriate” attire.

Students are not permitted to use personal electronic devices (phones, iPads, handheld games, etc) during the school day.  If such a device is observed by a TCS staff member, it will be taken away from the student and given to the homeroom teacher.  On the first instance, the device will be returned to the student at the end of the school day and the parents will be notified.  In subsequent instances, the device will be sent to the director.

*This policy can be waived for academic purposes.