RULES AND REGULATIONS

We have essential rules in place at Zeynep Okçu Ballet School for the purpose of providing all enrolled students with maximum educational efficiency, to protect their rights and to ensure proper operation of our school. By enrolling in our school, all parents agree to accept these rules:

1.  Before and During Class

•  Our school has a specific dress code  for each and every class and no other clothing is allowed:

Beginning and Preparatory Classes: Pink leotard, white tights, pink slippers

Elementary Department (1st, 2nd and 3rd Grades): Lilac leotard, white tights, pink slippers

Secondary Department (4th, 5th and 6th Grades): Based on the course day: Black or burdungy leotard, white tights, pink slippers

Final Department (7th and 8th Grades): Based on the course day: Black or purple leotard, white tights, pink slippers

•  Hair must be fastened securely in a tight bun on the back of the head for all classes. This is mandatory in terms of both ease of activities and discipline.

•  No jewelry is allowed in the classrooms as this may impose danger during class.

•  Students who come late to the class more then 10 minutes after the beginning of the class are not allowed in the classroom. This is mandatory because it may harm concentration of students inside the classroom and also due to the fact that exercising without first warm-up may cause serious injury to the students. Please make sure student is prepared within 15 minutes before class.

•  It is strictly forbidden to enter in classroom or knock on the door while the lesson is in session. Students must wait until the end of class to ask any questions or get any items left in the classroom.

•  Parents are not allowed to watch the lessons except for the first day. However, parents are invited to the “open class” at the end of each semester where they can observe the progress that their children have made. Dates of the open class will be announced on the boards beforehand. Parents must turn their cell phones off when watching the class. No food and drinks are allowed in the classroom.

2. Exams

•  Upgrading exams are made at the end of each educational year. Students that miss or fail this exam in the summer due to a valid reason will be subjected to a make up exam in October. Students that miss both exams will repeat the same grade.

•  Each class takes all mandatory courses within the scope of a predetermined program. (Please click for courses.)  Evaluation is considered on the basis of each course separately for intermediate classes and in case of failing, it is allowed to take lessons from the lower grade. For graduation classes, it is mandatory to pass from all courses in the syllabus in order to be entitled to graduate.

•  The educational year is 11 months and August is the only official holiday. Attendance is mandatory because regular attendance is critical to the progress and development of each student. Students that fail to attend 1/5 of all classes during an educational year also fail in that class due to absenteeism pursuant to regulations of Ministry of Education. Accordingly, students with more than 26 days of absenteeism (except August) are not entitled to attend in end of year exams and liable to repeat the same class.

3. Performances

A performance is staged at the end of each educational year. As a general rule, students at 3-6 age class, prep classes, and students at their first year cannot attend the performance of that year. Performing is not mandatory. Students participating in the performance accept the following conditions:

•  Casting is made by the ballet instructor and the choreographer on the basis of many factors including attendance, grade, technical and artistic ability, age, talent, tendency, style, fitness and characteristics of students and their ability and willingness to follow intense rehearsal schedule. It is not allowed to argue with the instructor about casting.

•  Rehearsals are intense applications performed after class hours. Students that fail to attend rehearsals without a valid excuse will be dismissed from their roles rehearsed on that day.

•  Dress Rehearsals and General Rehearsals are essential to stage performance. These rehearsals can be made in limited days and times; late attendance in or absenteeism from these rehearsals without valid excuses are not allowed. Students that fail to attend the general rehearsal will not be allowed on stage.

All these rules are intended for the good health and proper education of your children and for continuance of activities of our school that provides them with this opportunity. Nevertheless, our school believes in importance of dialogue and communication above all. Therefore, please do not hesitate to contact us for all your questions and problems. We believe that all problems can be solved through dialogue and communication.