Online Program Policy

updated on July 20th, 2020

By registering your child in any classes with Mandarin Seeds, you, as his or her parent or legal guardian, agree to abide by program policy, as well as General Terms and Conditions that apply to all Mandarin Seeds programs.

Technical Requirements:

Mandarin Seeds will use an appropriate technology platform to conduct all the classes. Current technology platform used by Mandarin Seeds is Zoom, but we reserve the rights to change the platform if deemed necessary.

To use Zoom and maximize optimal experience, we recommend the following:

Please download the Zoom package to run from your computer instead of running from the browser.
Please make sure to download the latest version for the application.
Running Zoom on a smartphone or a tablet device is not ideal for online classes and we highly recommend using a computer / laptop whenever possible.
You must change your screen name to your child’s name when you join our Zoom classes. For security reasons, we will only admit users with recognizable student names that are listed on the teacher’s student roster for that class.

Punctuality:

Attending class on time is very beneficial for your child to ensure a consistent routine. Your teacher will open the online waiting room / classroom about 5 minutes before your class time starts.

Make-up Policy:

In the event that the teacher is not available due to unexpected circumstances, Mandarin Seeds will provide a qualified substitute teacher for the class. If our teacher experiences connection / technical difficulties during the class, our admin will contact you to schedule a make-up class whenever possible.

Please read below for make-up policy rules that apply specifically to each type of program.

BaoBao Singalong: Up to 2 make-up classes will be accommodated for each semester, based on availability. The make-up class must be done during the current semester your child is registered for and it cannot be carried over to subsequent semesters. To schedule a make-up class, please email info@mandarinseeds.com within 24 hours of the missed class. Please understand that we will not be able to reschedule any missed make-up classes.

Laoshi & Me: Please understand that there will be NO MAKE-UP if the student misses the class without any prior notice, as we will honor our obligation to pay the teacher regardless of whether you show up or not for the class. Up to 2 make-up classes will be accommodated for each semester and the make-up class must be scheduled in the same semester that your child is registered for. A make-up class should be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance by emailing info@mandarinseeds.com. (*You cannot reschedule another make-up class if you miss the make-up class again.)

In the case when you may be experiencing connection or technical issues in getting online in time due to some unexpected emergency, please contact us within the first 10 minutes of the scheduled class time to qualify for make-up class. You can contact us via info@mandarinseeds.com or call/text 646-580-4769.

Ya-Ya: Consistent attendance in our Ya-Ya program is very important to ensure optimal learning experience for your child. It is very difficult to schedule a make-up class that will make up for the missed class. We will try our best to arrange a make-up class (up to 2 times per semester) based on very limited availability. The make-up class must also be scheduled within a 2-week time frame from the missed class.

Big Kids: As each Big Kids class is unique, there is no possible make-up class for any missed class. If Mandarin Seeds fails to deliver the class due to any reason, then we will issue a refund for that class.

Cancellation Policy:

30% of total tuition will be non-refundable after enrollment, regardless of any reason, including but not limited to, moving away or change of your family situation. Please understand that we cannot make any exception to this policy.

We hope very much that your child will enjoy our class! However, we understand that sometimes after a period of trying out, the class may not be a good fit, and this is why we offer a grace period to request a refund after the class has started. As per our policy, 30% tuition is non-refundable, but we can issue 70% of total tuition if you request a refund within the grace period. After the grace period, there will be no more refund regardless of whether your child has attended the class(es) or not, or for any other reason. Grace Period for each program is as follows:

Ya-Ya: 3 weeks from the first day of semester.

Big Kids: 1 week from the first day of semester.

BaoBao Singalong: No cancellation. A tryout class can be scheduled first if you are unsure.

Laoshi & Me: No cancellation. A tryout class can be scheduled first if you are unsure.

Mandarin Seeds reserves the right to cancel the class due to low enrollment. In the event of a cancelled class executed by Mandarin Seeds, registered students will receive a full refund of tuition paid.

Sibling Policy:

Babies 6 months and under are free when attending with a registered sibling. Two-way interactive communication between the teacher and the students is an integral part of every Mandarin Seeds online class curriculum. The teacher will only work and interact with the student who is registered on the class roster. Any sibling older than 6 months old should be registered separately in order to participate in the same class.

Quiet Environment:

Please choose a quiet place for your child to have the lesson and minimize distractions during lesson time. If two siblings are having class at the same time, please make sure they are in separate rooms in order to avoid audio echo.

Parent Login Mandarin Support:

We strongly believe in the importance of partnership between families and teachers! This is why we provide home support materials to our enrolled families for each different type of program offered by Mandarin Seeds. Learning language is all about repetition and exposure. The more frequent, the better. Each enrolled family will have access to a password-protected Parent Login section on our website to access all kinds of home support materials that may include songs, lyrics sheets, worksheets, videos or audio created by our teachers, photos of projects, external resources such links to videos or audios used in class. We truly hope families will enjoy creating bonding time at home with your children with our home support materials. Please be sure to check out the Parent Login page frequently to keep up with all the important communication from our Mandarin Seeds team!