Global Futures Academy General Policies

These General Policies apply to courses, workshops, meet-ups, field trips, and other learning experiences offered by Global Futures Academy. Additional policies may apply depending on whether an offering is virtual, in person, or connected with travel. Families should also review the Global Futures Academy Privacy Policy and any course- or event-specific information provided during registration.

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Registration and Enrollment

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• Registration must be completed by a parent or legal guardian.

• Registration is not complete until all required forms, agreements, consents, and payments have been received.

• Enrollment is for the student named during registration and may not be transferred to another student or family without prior written approval.

• Parents and legal guardians are responsible for providing complete and accurate information and notifying Global Futures Academy if relevant information changes.

• Global Futures Academy may contact a family before confirming enrollment if additional information is needed to determine whether an offering is an appropriate fit.

• Enrollment may be limited based on age, grade, readiness, maturity, group composition, available space, or other requirements stated in the offering description.

• Global Futures Academy may decline an enrollment before the offering begins.

• If Global Futures Academy declines an enrollment before the offering begins, payments made directly by the family will be refunded. Scholarship payments will be returned or reversed according to the requirements of the applicable scholarship program.

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Tuition and Payment

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• Tuition and fees must be paid according to the terms provided during registration.

• A student’s place is not secured until payment has been received or an approved scholarship-payment arrangement has been confirmed.

• Families are responsible for reviewing tuition, payment deadlines, and any additional costs before registering.

• Unless otherwise stated, tuition covers only the services and materials listed in the offering description.

• Families remain responsible for additional expenses identified in advance, such as admission fees, transportation, food, supplies, or venue charges.

• Families using scholarship funds are responsible for completing any authorizations, reimbursements, approvals, or other steps required by the scholarship program.

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Refunds and Withdrawals

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• Tuition and registration payments are non-refundable except in the limited circumstances stated in these policies or in course- or event-specific terms.

• No refund, credit, transfer, or reduction in tuition will ordinarily be provided because a student:

  • withdraws after registering;

  • changes their mind;

  • misses part or all of an offering;

  • chooses not to participate;

  • is unable to attend because of illness, travel, a scheduling conflict, or another personal circumstance; or

  • is removed because of serious or repeated policy violations.

• A family wishing to withdraw should notify Global Futures Academy in writing.

• Any exception to the refund policy is at the discretion of Global Futures Academy, to the extent permitted by law and any applicable scholarship requirements.

• An exception made in one situation does not require the same exception in another.

• Scholarship-funded refunds or reversals will be handled according to the requirements of the applicable scholarship program. Scholarship funds will not be paid directly to the family unless the program expressly permits it.

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Changes, Postponements, and Cancellations

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• Global Futures Academy may make reasonable changes to an offering when necessary, including changes to the schedule, location, format, instructor, content, or delivery arrangements.

• Families will be notified of material changes as soon as reasonably possible.

• If Global Futures Academy cancels or postpones a class, event, or part of an offering, it may provide:

  • a replacement date;

  • a rescheduled class or event;

  • an alternative delivery arrangement;

  • a comparable activity; or

  • a credit toward another Global Futures Academy offering.

• A replacement or rescheduled offering may take place on a different day, at a different time, or in a different format.

• If Global Futures Academy cancels an entire offering and cannot provide a suitable replacement or alternative, payments made directly by the family will be refunded.

• Scholarship payments will be returned or reversed according to the requirements of the applicable scholarship program.

• Global Futures Academy is not responsible for additional costs incurred by a family because of a cancellation, postponement, or change, including travel, lodging, childcare, or third-party booking costs.

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Minimum Enrollment

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• Courses and events may require a minimum number of registrations to proceed.

• If minimum enrollment is not reached, Global Futures Academy may cancel, postpone, combine, or restructure the offering.

• Families may be offered a suitable alternative.

• If the offering is canceled and no suitable alternative is accepted, payments made directly by the family will be refunded.

• Scholarship payments will be returned or reversed according to the requirements of the applicable scholarship program.

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Attendance and Participation

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• Students are expected to attend regularly, arrive on time, and be prepared to participate.

• Families are responsible for reviewing the schedule before enrolling and ensuring that the student can reasonably meet the attendance expectations.

• Individual courses may have minimum attendance requirements.

• Unless otherwise stated, students enrolled in live virtual courses are expected to attend at least 75% of scheduled classes live.

• Students are expected to participate in a manner appropriate to their age, ability, and the nature of the offering.

• Global Futures Academy does not guarantee that every student will complete every activity, project, or assignment.

• Student outcomes depend partly on attendance, participation, effort, and any work completed outside scheduled class time.

• Additional attendance rules are contained in the Virtual Learning Policies and any course-specific information.

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Student Conduct

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• Students must treat instructors, other students, families, guests, and venue personnel respectfully.

• Students may not engage in behavior that is unsafe, disruptive, discriminatory, threatening, harassing, deliberately offensive, or otherwise inappropriate.

• Students must follow reasonable instructions relating to learning, technology, participation, conduct, and safety.

• Parents and legal guardians are expected to support appropriate behavior and cooperate if a concern arises.

• Depending on the circumstances, Global Futures Academy may:

  • redirect the student;

  • give a warning;

  • contact the parent or legal guardian;

  • ask the student to leave a class or activity;

  • require additional parent involvement;

  • place conditions on continued participation; or

  • end the student’s enrollment.

• Serious behavior may result in immediate removal without prior warning.

• No refund or credit will be provided when enrollment is ended because of serious or repeated conduct concerns.

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Appropriate Fit and Continued Enrollment

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• Global Futures Academy aims to enroll students in offerings appropriate to their age, readiness, maturity, learning needs, and ability to participate safely and meaningfully.

• Parents and legal guardians should provide information reasonably necessary to help Global Futures Academy understand and support the student’s participation.

• Global Futures Academy may contact a family if an offering does not appear to be an appropriate academic, developmental, behavioral, social, or practical fit.

• When reasonably possible, Global Futures Academy will discuss concerns with the parent or legal guardian and consider practical adjustments.

• Global Futures Academy may decline or end enrollment if:

  • the program cannot reasonably meet the student’s needs;

  • the student requires a level of support or supervision the program does not provide;

  • continued participation materially disrupts the experience of others;

  • participation creates a significant safety concern; or

  • the student or family repeatedly fails to follow applicable policies.

• If Global Futures Academy ends enrollment after an offering has begun because the program cannot reasonably meet the student’s needs, and the decision is not based on misconduct or a policy violation, Global Futures Academy may provide an appropriate partial refund or credit.

• Scholarship-funded amounts will be returned or reversed according to the requirements of the applicable scholarship program.

 

Accessibility and Accommodations

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• Global Futures Academy is committed to providing students with meaningful access to its programs.

• Parents and legal guardians should contact Global Futures Academy before registration or as early as possible if a student requires a disability-related accommodation or other support.

• Requests will be considered individually based on the student’s needs, the nature of the offering, available resources, safety, privacy, and the essential features of the program.

• Reasonable supports may include adjustments to communication, participation, pacing, technology, or the learning environment.

• Global Futures Academy is not required to provide an accommodation that would fundamentally alter the nature of the offering, remove an essential requirement, create a significant difficulty or expense, or require services outside the scope of the program.

• Global Futures Academy does not provide medical care, therapy, one-to-one aides, or specialized services unless expressly stated.

• Although reasonable efforts will be made, Global Futures Academy may not be able to accommodate every need within the structure, staffing, technology, resources, and scope of the program.

• If Global Futures Academy cannot reasonably support a student’s safe, meaningful, and successful participation, it may decline or end enrollment under these policies.

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Parent and Legal Guardian Responsibilities

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• A parent or legal guardian is responsible for completing registration and ensuring that an offering is suitable for the student.

• Parents and legal guardians must provide reliable contact information and notify Global Futures Academy if it changes.

• Parents and legal guardians are responsible for reading schedules, instructions, policies, and communications connected with the offering.

• Parents and legal guardians must provide information reasonably necessary to support the student’s safe and appropriate participation.

• When an offering requires adult attendance or supervision, the accompanying adult remains responsible for the student throughout the activity.

• Parents, legal guardians, and accompanying adults must treat instructors, students, families, and venue personnel respectfully.

 

Communication

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• Global Futures Academy will normally communicate with the parent or legal guardian using the contact details provided during registration.

• Families are responsible for checking messages and ensuring that communications are not blocked or sent to a spam folder.

• Course information, schedules, materials, updates, and notices may be provided electronically.

• Private student concerns should be raised directly with Global Futures Academy rather than discussed in group chats, public posts, or in front of other students and families.

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Family Privacy and Sharing Rules

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• Families must respect the privacy of students, parents, instructors, and other participants.

• Families may not photograph, record, screen-record, or take screenshots of a live class, meeting, restricted course or family space, or another student unless Global Futures Academy has expressly permitted it.

• Families may not copy, download, forward, repost, publish, or otherwise redistribute identifiable content involving another student without appropriate permission.

• Login details, class links, access codes, recordings, and access to restricted course or family spaces may not be shared with unauthorized individuals.

• Families may not disclose another student’s personal, health, accessibility, conduct, contact, or other private information outside the setting in which it was appropriately shared.

• Families should report suspected unauthorized access, recording, sharing, or other privacy concerns promptly.

• Global Futures Academy’s collection, use, sharing, retention, and protection of personal information is explained in the Global Futures Academy Privacy Policy.

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Course and Program Materials

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• Lessons, slides, worksheets, recordings, guides, activities, project instructions, and other resources provided by Global Futures Academy are protected materials.

• Materials are provided only for the personal educational use of the registered student or family.

• Materials may not be copied, reproduced, republished, taught, sold, uploaded, distributed, or shared without prior written permission.

• Registration does not transfer ownership of any curriculum, teaching materials, recordings, branding, or other intellectual property.

• Students may retain their own completed work unless otherwise stated.

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Personal Belongings

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• Students and families are responsible for their own devices, clothing, supplies, and personal belongings.

• Global Futures Academy is not responsible for property that is lost, stolen, damaged, or left behind, except where responsibility cannot legally be excluded.

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Third-Party Services and Venues

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• Some offerings may use third-party venues, websites, learning platforms, payment processors, travel suppliers, or other service providers.

• Families may be required to follow the rules, policies, waivers, or terms of those third parties.

• Participation in an activity operated by another organization may require separate registration, payment, identification, consent, or documentation.

• Global Futures Academy does not control the operations, availability, accessibility, or policies of independent third parties.

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Educational Scope

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• Global Futures Academy provides educational and enrichment experiences.

• Its programs do not provide medical care, mental health treatment, legal advice, or other regulated professional services.

• Discussion of health, well-being, identity, culture, current events, or other real-world subjects is educational in nature.

• Parents and legal guardians remain responsible for decisions concerning their child’s education, health, and welfare.

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Concerns and Complaints

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• Parents and legal guardians are encouraged to raise questions or concerns promptly so they can be addressed constructively.

• Concerns should be submitted privately to Global Futures Academy.

• Global Futures Academy may request that a concern be provided in writing when a clear record is needed.

• Families are expected to allow a reasonable opportunity for the concern to be reviewed and addressed.

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Policy Updates

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• Global Futures Academy may update these policies to reflect changes in its programs, procedures, technology, or legal obligations.

• The version in effect at registration will generally apply to that enrollment unless a later change is reasonably necessary for safety, privacy, legal compliance, or effective program operation.

• Material changes affecting current families will be communicated directly.

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Acceptance

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Registration and enrollment confirm that the parent or legal guardian has received or been given access to these General Policies and agrees to follow them. Privacy consent for a child’s participation in an online program is obtained separately through the Global Futures Academy Parent Enrollment Agreement. Electronic acceptance, including checking an agreement box or signing an electronic form, will be treated as acceptance of these policies.

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Contact

Questions about these policies may be sent to:

Global Futures Academy
Email: operations [at] globalfutures.academy
Website: globalfutures.academy