ART LEAGUE school POLICies


HEALTH + SAFETY

These policies are implemented to prioritize the health and safety of our community during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Your cooperation and adherence to these measures are greatly appreciated.

  • Our COVID-19 safety guidelines are designed to adapt to changing circumstances based on evolving recommendations from local, state, and federal health authorities. We commit to promptly communicating any policy amendments or updates through our organization's website, and these changes will take effect as of their publication date.

    Given the highly contagious nature of COVID-19, there is an inherent risk of exposure in any public space. When you visit ALH, you voluntarily assume all risks associated with COVID-19 exposure.

    Non-compliance with our health and safety policies may result in dismissal from the school, as detailed in the discipline policy.

  • For the safety of all, please refrain from visiting Art League Houston if you are feeling unwell or have exhibited any of the following symptoms in the past 10 days: cough, fever, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19, illness and/or other respiratory infections.

    All students and staff are strongly encouraged to practice proper hygiene measures at all times. This includes covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, regularly washing hands with soap and water, and using hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.

  • Masks are not obligatory for all individuals within the ALH building. However, this policy is subject to change in response to public safety concerns, particularly if the positivity rate significantly increases. We are committed to preventing harassment related to an individual's choice to wear a mask, and this applies to students, visitors, instructors, and staff.

    Students or staff members who are experiencing symptoms of illness, such as coughing, sneezing, or fever, are required to wear a face mask while in class to prevent the spread of germs to others. Face masks must be worn properly, covering both the nose and mouth.

  • Social distancing is recommended at all times, which means maintaining approximately 6 feet distance from others

  • In-person class sizes will be restricted to a maximum of 10 students to ensure a safe and secure learning environment.

STUDIO SAFETY + ETIQUETTE

As we operate with limited staff capacity and a short transition period between courses, we kindly ask for your cooperation in maintaining a clean and safe environment for all. Please adhere to the following guidelines:

  • To facilitate a smooth transition between classes, we request that you wait for instructors and fellow students to gather their belongings and vacate the studio before entering. Course setups may vary, so please take a foldout chair and find a seat while our staff or instructor prepares the studio.

  • By registering for a course, you acknowledge your consent to participate in the activity and your awareness that participation may entail the risk of serious injury. This risk may result not only from your own actions but also from the actions, inactions, or negligence of others, the condition of the facilities, equipment, or areas where the activity takes place, and/or the instructions provided for the activity.

    We recommend discussing any associated risks with our staff before you register.

    For your safety, please take precautions such as avoiding inhaling particles and dust, preventing contact with acrylic or oil paints on your skin or clothing, and using safety gear like masks and gloves.

    It is advisable to wear closed-toe shoes or boots for added safety.

  • To prevent accidental damage to our school property and the belongings of instructors and fellow students, we kindly request that you wipe down surfaces (e.g., chairs, tables, easels, etc.) at the end of your course session.

    When stacking chairs and easels, please note: To fold your easels, unscrew the bolt on the back leg and slide it upwards. Tighten the bolt to secure it, and the easel should resemble an upside-down "Y" when done correctly.

  • Please refrain from pouring any hazardous waste, such as paint (oil, acrylic, watercolor, etc.) or ceramic materials, into the studio sinks. Our sinks cannot sustainably filter these substances, and they may lead to plumbing issues. Instead, use paper towels to wipe off any residue and dispose of them in the provided trash receptacles.

    (Oil Painting courses): Mineral Spirits should not be poured down the drains. Bring only what you will use to class in a labeled glass container and cap on when not in use. There is no solvent storage in the studios. Do not leave your solvent containers in the building. Bring an extra glass jar with a lid to collect used mineral spirits and take this home with you.

  • In every classroom, you'll find blue bins clearly marked as "RECYCLE." After emptying and rinsing your items, you are encouraged to place the following recyclables in these bins: metal and cans, cartons, glass, paper, flattened cardboard (excluding packing material), and plastic.

CODE OF CONDUCT

At the Art League School, our foremost priority is creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. Our mission is to nurture an artistic community where individuals can come together to learn, share their knowledge, and explore new ideas and techniques through the creative process.

  • We are dedicated to fostering an atmosphere that is characterized by courtesy, respect, and a warm welcome for all: instructors, students, members, volunteers, staff, and visitors.

    To uphold our mission and values, ALH strictly prohibits:

    Harassment: This includes all forms of harassment, whether it's sexual, physical, or verbal in nature.

    Disruptive Behavior: Conduct that disturbs the harmony of our community.

  • Physical Harassment is generally defined as unwanted physical contact without consent. It includes, but is not limited to:

    Touching, grabbing, or any form of physical contact without permission.

    Inappropriate hugging or kissing without mutual agreement.

    Unwanted and unwelcome advances or physical gestures of a sexual nature.

    Blocking someone's path, physical intimidation, or invasion of personal space.

    Any form of physical assault, including hitting, slapping, pinching, or any violent physical acts.

    Intentional and unlawful display of a firearm or deadly weapon to threaten, intimidate, or coerce someone.

    Verbal Harassment is generally defined as unwelcome verbal or non-verbal conduct. It includes, but is not limited to:

    Verbal abuse, insults, name-calling, or negative stereotyping

    Shouting and exhibiting aggressive behavior.

    Sending messages or making calls that are abusive, threatening, insulting, coercive, humiliating, or intimidating.

    Making suggestive remarks about a person's clothing, body, hairstyle, appearance, or any aspect of their person or personal possessions.

    Sexual Harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or any other form of verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Examples of sexual harassment include:

    Unwelcome or unsolicited sexual advances

    Displaying sexually suggestive material

    Unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions

    Suggestive comments

    Verbal abuse of a sexual nature

    Sexually oriented jokes

    Crude or vulgar language or gestures

    Graphic or verbal commentaries about an individual's body

    Display or distribution of obscene materials

    Physical contact, such as patting, pinching, or brushing against someone's body

    Physical assault of a sexual nature

    At ALH, we are committed to upholding these standards and ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all.

  • In an ALH School class or workshop setting, behaviors that are considered disruptive, disrespectful, and discriminatory can vary, and it's essential to maintain a safe and inclusive environment. Here is a detailed list of example behaviors that may fall into these categories:

    Disruptive Behaviors:

    Excessive Noise

    Playing excessively loud music or videos during class time without explicit instructor permission and class consensus. Students are always encouraged to use headphones at a respectful volume for personal devices.
    Intentionally talking loudly during class and attempting to disrupt the concentration of others.

    Electronic Distractions


    Using electronic devices in a way that distracts others (e.g., playing games, browsing social media).

    Failure to Follow Instructions


    Ignoring or consistently disregarding the instructor's guidance.

    Disrespectful Behaviors

    Insensitive Language


    Use of offensive or inappropriate language towards instructors, peers, or the subject matter.

    Disregard for Others' Space

    Invading personal space without permission.
    Touching or handling others' artwork without permission.

    Mocking or Ridiculing

    Making fun of others' artistic expressions or personal experiences.

    Interrupting Others

    Frequently interrupting classmates or the instructor during discussions.

    Refusal to Collaborate

    Resisting group activities and refusing to collaborate with peers.

    Discriminatory Behaviors

    Bias and Prejudice


    Expressing discriminatory comments or attitudes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics.

    Microaggressions


    Making subtle, indirect, or unintentional comments that marginalize or offend others.

    Exclusionary Behavior


    Purposefully excluding certain individuals from group activities or discussions.

    Stereotyping


    Using stereotypes or generalizations that perpetuate bias.

    Failure to Acknowledge Diversity


    Disregarding the diverse experiences and backgrounds of classmates.

    Consequences for Violation of Guidelines

    Anyone found in violation of these guidelines will be asked to leave ALH and may face restrictions on future access to ALH programs, events, and facilities.

  • Anyone found in violation of these guidelines will be asked to leave ALH and may face restrictions on future access to ALH programs, events, and facilities.

  • Art League Houston reserves the right to evaluate enrollment for individuals displaying inappropriate behavior that may jeopardize the safety and well-being of staff, instructors, students, and visitors. Unacceptable conduct includes acts like bullying, harassment, coercion, discrimination, and aggressive or abusive behavior.

    Furthermore, Art League Houston maintains the discretion to expel students from classes if their behavior is determined to be disruptive, inappropriate, dangerous, or in violation of health and safety regulations. Disruptive behavior encompasses any actions, whether by an individual or a group of students, that hinder the learning opportunities of fellow students or disrupt the effectiveness of an instructor, negatively affecting the learning environment.

    Students engaged in disruptive conduct within the classroom may face disciplinary measures, including warnings, removal from a class, or expulsion from the program or school. Individual instructors have the authority to dismiss a student from a class with a prior warning, and in cases of repeated offenses, they may permanently remove a student from a class. In instances of recurring behavioral issues, students may be dismissed without a refund and may be denied access to our programs in the future.

  • All online courses at ALH are programmed through Zoom only.

    You can access a short video guide on using Zoom by clicking here.

    Class meeting IDs are never to be shared with others outside of the class.

    Never enter, or attempt to enter, a Zoom session fraudulently using the name of another student, faculty or staff member.

    Zoom is a virtual classroom; therefore, all classroom terms & conditions apply.

    Offensive or inappropriate language is not to be used in any form of communication. This extends to emails, discussion postings, group projects, and submitted assignments which may be part of or an extension of the Zoom interaction.

    Use of any profanity - written, drawn, displayed or spoken - during a meeting is unacceptable.

    Taking screenshots or screen recordings of virtual classrooms without the explicit permission from the teacher and class members is unacceptable.

    Disruptions to a Zoom session may lead to the removal of the student from a remote learning session for part or the entire session.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION

  • Art League School offers adult studio courses exclusively for individuals aged 17 and above. For students below this age, participation requires consent from a parent or guardian, along with permission from the respective class/workshop instructor.

  • Enrollment in our courses does not necessitate any prerequisites.

  • Please note that Art League School courses are noncredit courses, and as such, the school does not provide student transcripts.

  • Art League Houston does not have the capacity to facilitate F1 student visas for international students.

  • In consideration of our limited studio space, students are required to transport their belongings, including classwork, materials, and personal items, at the conclusion of each course session.

  • Students who misplace personal items may inquire about Art League Houston's limited lost-and-found. Any classwork and materials left unattended in studio spaces may be subject to disposal after each class meeting. Art League Houston holds no responsibility for items that are lost or stolen.

  • Throughout class and workshop sessions, photographs may be captured of students, instructors, and their artwork for potential use in printed and digital publications, promotional materials, and archival records.

REGISTRATION POLICIES

  • Art League Houston offers three distinct registration phases: Early Registration, General Registration, and Late Registration.

    Early Registration: Exclusive to Art League School students who were enrolled in a course during the most recent school quarter.

    General Registration: Open for registration at the full tuition rate. The only applicable discount during General Registration is the Art League Houston members discount promo code.

    Late Registration: Students registering during the scheduled late registration period will be charged a non-refundable late registration fee of $15.00.

    Registration is conducted on a first-come, first-served basis, and Art League Houston is not obligated to hold or create additional class seats.

  • In case a course reaches full capacity, prospective students can contact us at 713-523-9530 ext. 2 or ext. 3 or email school@artleaguehouston.org to secure a spot on the course waiting list. While students can reach out for updates on class enrollment, Art League School does not guarantee seating for waiting list students in the current or future quarters.

  • Memberships remain valid for one year from the date of purchase.

    Memberships are non-refundable.

    Tuition discounts for classes and workshops are exclusively available to Art League Houston members.

    Membership discount codes for school registration are provided to new or renewing members via a downloadable PDF.

    Ongoing members will receive discount codes via email quarterly before the school registration period opens.

    Art League School students become members upon formal membership registration.

    The membership discount is not automatically applied during registration checkout; please refer to the "Membership" section for further instructions.

    Art League School students who are non-members can only access member discounts upon formal membership registration.

    Additional information on membership is available at www.artleaguehouston.org/membership

  • Payment for tuition and associated fees must be completed in full at the time of registration.

    Installment plans are not accepted.

    Accepted payment methods include checks, cash, credit cards (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa), and Art League Houston-issued gift certificates.

    Course tuition is not pro-rated.

  • Some courses may entail additional fees, either payable to Art League Houston or collected by the instructor on the first day of class. These fees, listed in the class schedule, may include, but are not limited to, supplies, model fees, and equipment maintenance. All additional fees are non-refundable.

    Students registering during the late registration period will incur a non-refundable late registration fee of $15.00.

  • Before filing a withdrawal, please note that ALH Staff and instructors invest significantly in course planning, and filling vacancies can be challenging, even with a waiting list. Thus, we must charge a $60.00 registration and processing fee when issuing check refunds to offset the cost.

    The $60.00 registration and processing fee is non-refundable unless Art League Houston officially cancels the course.

    Students must submit a course drop form to request withdrawal or transfer from a course. Drop forms can be filed HERE

    Art League School student drop forms must be submitted for each course withdrawal request.

    Class credits will only be issued for students who officially withdraw before the first scheduled class meeting. Class credits are non-transferable and must be used within one year from the date of issue. To redeem a class credit, please contact the school before registering.

    Students may also request to transfer from one course to another before the second session of the class, but students are responsible for any additional model or material fees involved in the course.

    No refunds will be granted after the start of the school quarter.

    Membership items are non-refundable.

    Refunds will be processed back to the student’s credit card used during the registration process and/or mailed to the registration address on file within 30 days (mailed checks are only applicable to charges made with cash, check, or PayPal).

    Failure to attend sessions or verbal notification will not be considered an official notice of withdrawal. Our drop form must be completed in full and returned to the office before the first scheduled day of class.

    Flexible Access courses are non-refundable due to the pay-what-you-can payment structure and limited seating.

  • All classes feature a recommended materials list, which students are responsible for procuring.

    Materials lists will be available for download two weeks before classes begin.

    Lab fees include shared materials or equipment provided by ALH or the instructor, along with equipment maintenance and supervision.

    However, lab fees do not cover materials intended to be purchased by students individually.

    Model fees are collected by the instructor on the first day of class or when a model is required for the designated session

    Materials lists can be viewed on the Art League Houston website at www.artleaguehouston.org/materials

  • Art League Houston retains the right to cancel courses that fail to meet minimum enrollment requirements. Students will be informed at least one to two weeks before the course start date regarding potential course cancellations.

    If Art League Houston finds it necessary to cancel a class for any reason, all registered participants will be notified promptly and offered the option to receive a credit or transfer to another class.

    Art League Houston reserves the right to change class instructors when required.

    Additionally, Art League Houston may relocate, combine, or reschedule classes, potentially impacting tuition and fees.

  • Each quarter-term reserves an extra week for make-up classes if a class is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Make-up classes will adhere to the same day and time as the scheduled class. Staff will reach out to instructors before the quarter's end to coordinate make-up sessions.

    Please note that Art League School does not offer make-up sessions beyond the scheduled make-up week for each course quarter.

    Instructors are generally not inclined to provide make-up sessions for individual student absences.

PARKING

  • Students must park in the main parking lot and exclusively utilize the patio entrance.

    Please be aware that parking within 30 feet of stop signs is a violation of the law, and such vehicles are subject to towing at the owner's expense. Art League Houston is not responsible for towed vehicles.

    Art League Houston recommends individuals not to leave valuable items unattended in their vehicles. If you require assistance or an escort from your vehicle to the Art League Houston building, please call 713-523-9530.

  • Car break-ins are a significant concern in Houston, so it's crucial to safeguard your belongings by not leaving any valuable items in your vehicle while attending class.

    Please note that Art League Houston cannot be held responsible for lost or stolen items.

    If you come across lost items, kindly get in touch with our reception.

Updated 11/7/2023