The College School
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 on Career Day
- volunteering on PJs and Pancakes Day
- participating in the Hot Lunch Program
- volunteering to bake for a special event
- assisting in the school “Literacy Link”
- attending the Variety Show
- attending STEAM Night
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.
Helpful Links
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:
- Illness of child – a physician’s note is required for an absence of three (3) or more days.
- Scheduled appointments to a physical or mental healthcare provider, including, but not limited to, a physician, dentist, orthodontist, psychologist (note required).
- Contagious disease within the home of a student.
- Death in the family or of a close friend.
- Observance of a religious holiday.
- Participation in other educational experiences (i.e. “Shadow Days” at prospective schools).
- 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.
- 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 for 2024-2025 Academic Year
Recognizing the diverse needs of our student body, including those with sensory needs, The College School has established a dress code policy to ensure comfort, safety, and focus on learning.
Dress Code Guidelines
Acceptable Clothing: Solid-color or UD/TCS-branded polo shirts, khaki pants, sweatpants, t-shirts (long or short sleeve), button-down shirts, trousers, skirts/dresses/shorts that are of modest, appropriate length, sweatshirts, cargo pants, leggings, and hoodies are all acceptable attire for students in grades 1-8, provided that they are one color with no stripes, rips/holes, see-through material, beads/rhinestones, emblems, branding, or logos. This guideline helps maintain a neat and cohesive appearance across the student body while giving students plenty of choices in terms of comfort and self expression.
Excluded Clothing: Jeans, tank tops, crop tops, tights worn as leggings, and spandex athletic wear are not permitted as part of the school dress code. The College School dress code does not include multi-colored clothing or attire with stripes, rips/holes, see-through material, emblems, branding, or logos.
Footwear
Rubber-Soled Shoes: Students are required to wear rubber-soled shoes to ensure safety during various activities throughout the day. We also strongly recommend an extra pair of waterproof shoes or boots for outdoor play that can be kept at school.
Secure Fit: Shoes should fit securely and allow students to run and climb without the risk of falling off. Sneakers are highly recommended for their durability and support.
Socks: Students must wear socks at all times for hygiene and comfort.
Headwear
Hats may be worn outside only. A traditional custom that we practice at TCS is the removal of hats and hoods when indoors, unless a specific personal or cultural need for a head covering has been brought to the director’s attention. This policy is in place to promote a respectful atmosphere and minimize potential distractions in the classroom.
Dress-Code Exemptions
Spirit Days: On designated spirit days, students are encouraged to wear casual clothes or other stylish ensembles to showcase their school spirit and individuality. Clothing with profanity, provocative imagery, references to alcohol/substances, or subtext is never permitted.
Dress-Your-Way Fridays: If students consistently adhere to dress code guidelines on Mondays through Thursdays, then Fridays will be designated as “dress-your-way” days, allowing students to express themselves through their clothing choices within the bounds of modesty and respect for school values. Clothing with profanity, provocative imagery, references to alcohol/substances, or subtext is never permitted.
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.