Workshops FAQ

General Lunch Information

• Participants will get a 45-minute lunch break from 12:00-12:45 (noted on the agenda). We will eat in the classroom or outdoors (weather permitting) unless otherwise specified.
• There will NOT be the option to purchase lunch with cash from the retail food courts. We ask parents to send a packed lunch with their child.

Packed Lunch Information

• We recommend labeling your child’s lunch box or bag with their first and last name.
• Due to airborne allergies to nut products, UNC Charlotte’s Youth Programs do not permit any food items to be purchased that contain any kind of nut.
• We encourage guardians to pack 1-2 snacks with their students in addition to lunch (no nut products).
• We won’t be able to refrigerate lunches, so please pack them in a small cooler with an ice pack or frozen water bottle.

How are students grouped at UNC Charlotte’s Youth Programs?

Students are grouped according to rising grade level NOT by age. In order to be fair to all our valued students and parents, we ask all families to honor this policy. Under unique circumstances, we will consider an appeal. However, there is no guarantee that your appeal will be granted.

• Rising 1st-4th grade
• Rising 5th-8th grade
• Rising 9th-12th grade

The following documents will be emailed a week prior to class. These include:

• agenda/activities/classroom locations
• check out placard (print for student pick-up)
• Maps to classrooms and parking
• Photos from the classroom throughout the week

Note: Make sure to check your spam box!

Need to get in touch with our instructional staff? Do you have a question regarding logistics?

We are a mobile program meaning the staff directly supervising students typically are not in an office during the day with a landline phone. Additionally, cell service on campus is not always reliable in all class locations. All staff are equipped with 2-way radios with constant connection to our main office. For that reason, the best way to reach instructional staff is through our Registration/Customer Service office in the School of Professional Studies. Staff members are equipped with 2-way radios that immediately reach all instructional staff on the main campus.

Phone: 704-687-8900
Email: youthprograms@charlotte.edu (multiple people monitor this email account)

Need assistance with payment or registration?

Contact our Registration/Customer Service office by phone or email during the business hours of 8:00 am-5:00 pm

Phone: 704-687-8900
Email: ceregistration@charlotte.edu (multiple people monitor this email account)

Do you have questions that are specific to your child’s class for the week? Need to share a concern or important information about your child?

We recommend contacting your instructor directly via email. You can find your instructor’s contact information in the guardian portal. Email addresses are located in the class agenda.

COVID-19 Information per UNC Charlotte Emergency Management Website. Face masks are optional on UNC Charlotte’s campus. This includes classrooms and other academic spaces. All medications and conditions affecting the student (either medical or learning-based) should be documented so that we can provide the best experience for each student. All medicines must remain with the student at all times. We want to ensure that no matter which adult is accompanying the student, they have access to the medicine. If you have updates for the student’s profile, please call 704-687-8900 to have that updated prior to class.

• Go over the Niner Character Promise with your student and be sure they know the expectations and consequences.
• Be on time for drop-off and pick-up.
• Communicate information with other designated adults/family members.
• Be accessible by phone (incoming #s from class staff may vary).
• Communicate the needs of your student on the class application (call 704-687-8900 or email youthprograms@charlotte.edu with updates).
• Label all belongings and leave valuables not needed for class at home.
• Be sure the student is registered under student name; not parent name. If you registered online, some parents list their own name on the profile and that is the name that will appear on our roster. Contact us prior to class if you are unsure.
• Remember to pay remaining balances at least two weeks (14 days) prior to class to retain your registration. No exceptions can be made.
• Check your Online Resources prior to class. If you registered via a family account, keep an eye on your email and spam box 7 and 3 days prior to class for a link to these resources.
• View Registered student Information for additional resources.
• Download LiveSafe — a free, downloadable app that provides communication channels to Police and Public Safety and links to emergency contacts and evacuation plans.
  • LiveSafe website
  • UNC Charlotte Mobile Apps

• Comfortable Clothing
• Athletic Shoes or sandals with backs
• Refillable water bottle (with name)
• Snacks (no nuts) 
• Lunch bag (with name)
• Backpack/bag
• Umbrella/rain gear
• Change of clothes (for younger students)
• Medications/EpiPen if applicable (remains with student)
• Positive Attitude

Drop-off

8:30 am-8:55 am *Class begins promptly at 9:00 AM*

Pick-up

2:30 pm-3:00 pm *Starting at 3:05 pm, there will be an additional supervision charge of $2.50/minute*

To drop off and pick up your child, parents are required to park their vehicles and walk to the classroom for check-in and check-out procedures. Please check your child’s classroom location provided on the workshop agenda (included in parent materials). In most cases, the student union deck located at: 8755 Student Union Ln, Charlotte, NC 28262 will be the closest parking deck available to classrooms. We recommend parking in the upper entrance for the easiest access to the pedestrian walkways. Review the Interactive Map prior to your first day.  Parking is free on weekends.  It is essential that parents have their check out placard and or ID with them for identification and security purposes. Thank you for coming prepared, this procedure helps maintain the safety and well-being of all children in our care.

Please ensure you are aware of the latest pickup time for the program. Parents are responsible for timely pick-up as supervision extends until the end of class. Minors are not permitted to be alone on the campus of UNC Charlotte. Phone calls home will occur if participants are not picked up at the end of the session. We encourage families to determine whether that time is feasible for their daily commute and work/residence location prior to enrollment in our program. We also encourage families to have an alternate authorized adult arranged in advance who they may call if they are ever unable to arrive by the program conclusion. All authorized adults must be documented on the student’s application. Please note that starting at 3:05 pm, there will be an additional supervision charge of $2.50/minute which will be sent via electronic invoice. Parents must pay the additional supervision charge/balance within two business days of receiving the digital invoice to retain enrollment in any future programs.

My student will be driving themself to campus each day. Where should they park and how do they check in?

You can find parking options via the PATS website ».

Parking is free on weekends. After checking in with the Youth Programs staff, all minors, including our high school participants, must abide by UNC Charlotte Youth Program’s policies until they are checked out by their guardian or after they complete self check-out if they drive to campus. At the time that students check out with program staff, they are no longer under our program supervision. Guardians may choose to allow their child to perform self check out at 2:30PM from the classroom. Please be sure to opt for this at registration. We also encourage communicating this with your child’s instructor.

If Arriving Late (after 9:00 am)

Please proceed to park and walk your child to the classroom. We ask that you complete drop off with minimal disruptions as instruction begins at 9:00 am. Thank you for your cooperation.

If Picking Up Early (before 2:30 pm)

• Please make staff aware of the time you wish to pick up your child. 
• Bring your check out placard as the quickest form of secure check-out. You will be asked for identification if you forget your check out placard.

Reasonable and appropriate accommodations will be made available upon request for persons with disabilities. Accommodation requests must be specifically relayed at least two weeks prior to the start of the program. 

You must notify both the Office of Continuing Education and the UNC Charlotte Office of Disability Services with accommodation requests and notify them of your status as a Continuing Education student. 

School of Professional Contact: The Registration Center
Email: ceregistration@charlotte.edu
Phone: 704-687-8900

Disability Services Contact: Kristin Kolin
Email: kjkolin@charlotte.edu
Phone: 704-687-0039

When calling the Office of Disability Services, please indicate the School of Professional Studies course you are taking.

For evacuation information, please visit the Disabilities Services website.

UNC Charlotte’s Youth Programs is committed to offering a safe educational environment for all students, including students with food allergies. Food allergies can be life-threatening. Please refrain from your student bringing anything with nuts or containing nut-derived ingredients. This includes the purchase of any items containing nuts.

One of our top priorities is safety and that includes preventing communicable illnesses between students. If your student has a communicable illness, please keep them home. If a student is dropped off at class and a communicable illness is suspected (symptoms may include a fever, pink eye, vomiting, diarrhea, head lice, etc.), you will be notified to pick up your student immediately. Youth Programs adheres to North Carolina state recommendations for childcare facilities that guardians (or other authorized adults) must pick up their sick student within 30 minutes of notification. No full or partial refunds are available for incidences of illness including a positive COVID test the week of class. Please see the Niner Nation Cares website at ninernationcares.charlotte.edu as it serves as an informational resource for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to understand ways to stay safe along with health protocols in place on campus. This website is continually updated and should be checked regularly.

Workshop deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable and will hold your child’s space in the class until 14 days before the start of the class when the balance is due. If the remaining balance is not paid in full by the invoice deadline, your child’s seat in the class will be canceled and offered to another student on the waiting list.

In order to be fair to all our valued students and parents, no exceptions can be made to this policy.

Payment refunds (except for the non-refundable deposit) will be made up to 14 days before the start of a class for cancellations. After that time, no refunds can be made. When classes are full, we can put you on a waiting list. We occasionally have drops, so sometimes a space opens up in a “full” class. Please be sure we have your current email address, so you will receive updates from us.

Spring 2024

$95/workshop for a full Saturday, $45 nonrefundable, nontransferable deposit which will be put towards the registration fee.

Deposits

Workshop deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable and will hold your child’s space in the class until 14 days before the start of the class when the balance is due. If the remaining balance is not paid in full by the invoice deadline, your child’s seat in the class will be canceled and offered to another student on the waiting list.

In order to be fair to all our valued students and parents, no exceptions can be made to this policy.

Refunds/Cancellations

Payment refunds (except for the non-refundable and non-transferable deposit) will be made up to 14 days before the start of a class for cancellations. After that time, no refunds can be made. When classes are full, we can put you on a waiting list. We occasionally have drops, so sometimes a space opens up in a “full” class. Please be sure we have your current email address, so you will receive updates from us.

Scholarship Opportunities

Currently, there are no designated scholarships or unit-based giving for Youth Programs through the UNC Charlotte Foundation; however, this is something we are exploring for the future. Several community-based organizations in the Charlotte area including Communities in Schools and the Bruce Irons Foundation have sponsored individual students in past years.

Our deposit option does allow parents to pay for registration in installments. Balances are not due until two weeks prior to each class week.

Don’t miss your opportunity to register before seats begin to fill for your class of choice.

• Online Registration will open to the public on December 4, 2023.

Save Time – Fill out your Student Safety and Medical Profile in Advance!

• You can get a head start on your student’s registration by creating a family account, adding your students, AND completing their emergency and medical information profile prior to registration. 
• When you create your student’s emergency and medical profile, you will be asked to provide required information to help us keep your child safe and healthy during their class experience.
  • This information includes emergency parent/guardian contacts, health concerns, and food allergies if applicable, medical contact information, date of birth, and any special needs or tips our staff should know in order to keep your child safe and provide an effective learning environment. Please be prepared to provide this information during the registration process, as we will be unable to register a child without this.

Registration Options

• Register online. This is the fastest, easiest registration option – no wait times and you can complete your student online profile and emergency medical information prior to registration opening.  Register by creating your family account and adding your students before selecting courses.
• Register by phone by calling our Registration Center at 704-687-8900.

University Policy – for security reasons we CAN NOT accept credit card/debit payments by fax, email or mail.

You can choose to pay the entire amount now or to pay just the non-refundable deposit now. Full payment for each class is due 14 days before the class starts.

Waitlist Information

Participants with family accounts are not able to join a waitlist. Instead, they must use the student’s individual account. Also, due to limitations in our system, we are unable to enroll waitlisted participants through a family account. It must be done through the individual participant’s account. As a general rule, we provide 24 hours for participants to enroll in an open spot. Once the window passes, the spot will be given to the next participant on the waitlist. Please ensure we have updated email addresses on file in order to receive notifications from us. Please call our Registration Center at 704-687-8900 for further assistance.

Studies have shown the social development benefits that take place when students “unplug” from technology during their class experience.

We understand the need for some of our students to carry a mobile device with them for safety and security purposes. While we do allow the use of mobile devices during specific times, we discourage students from bringing any valuables, including mobile devices. Our staff have mobile phones and contact information of all parents and guardians and we can arrange for contact with your student at any time.

If a student does choose to bring a mobile device, we require that all students adhere to the following technology guidelines as part of our Niner Character Promise.

1. As with any valuable brought to class, there is a risk assumed by the student and their family of theft or damage to the device. In bringing a mobile device to class, the student and family assume all liability.
2. The mobile device may only be used by the student during non-classroom hours/breaks such as lunchtime and at drop-off/pick-up. If a student needs to use their mobile device to contact a parent or for another emergency during classroom time, they must notify staff.
3. If a student is using a mobile device during classroom hours, the instructor has the authorization to hold the device until approved break times. Additionally, Instructors or staff have the discretion and authority to ask their students to place devices in a centralized area in the classroom during instructional time.

Please Note: For your student’s safety and their overall educational experience in class, it is necessary that they have the ability to converse in and understand English.

Please Note: High School-level classes are considered college-preparatory and/or career-readiness class programs for teens. Often through guest speakers and class or peer-driven discussion, we may discuss societal and social issues. Students’ opinions and perspectives may differ from those of their peers and/or guest speakers; we encourage open discussion during class. We seek to establish a class environment where all voices are heard and opinions are respected.

Please Note: We rely on guardian discretion to select class topics that are best suited for their child individually. Be sure to consider your child’s interests, personality, and developmental level when choosing the right class.

Please Note: We rely on guardian discretion for appropriate dress in class. We ask that our participants dress in a way that allows them to engage in class activities and remain safe while doing so. Please refrain from wearing discriminatory terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans. Specific dress requirements may occur depending on the class activity. This will be communicated in advance to guardians by our instructors.