Q: What is the mission of the School?

A: The purpose of Allen Academy is to educate young people - intellectually, aesthetically, socially, physically and morally - so they become responsible, contributing citizens and fulfilled human beings.

An Allen education is characterized by a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, a lively exchange of ideas, and supportive teaching. Its objective is to instruct students in the basic skills and subject matter of the humanities and sciences, to cultivate in them the habits and techniques of learning and to enable them to be curious, creative and independent. The moral vitality of the School depends upon the concern for the rights and needs of all its members. Accordingly, Allen strives to teach that honesty, tolerance, compassion, and responsibility are essential to the well being of the individual, the school, and society.

Q: What is a parent's responsibility to his/her child as a student at Allen?

A: Support, encouragement, and structure.

Parents and the Allen staff all have responsibilities to your child. Professionals in the field routinely counsel parents that young people need three essential building blocks: support, encouragement, and structure (i.e., clear boundary lines and significant outcomes for crossing the line). Periodically, assess the extent to which you are giving your child these three foundations and feel free to ask your child and the teacher for their assessments.

Allen agrees to provide these building blocks and to uphold the values and ideals stated in the Mission Statement and Family Handbook.

Q: What is a parent's contribution to the development of a child's moral values?

A: Modeling integrity and civility; listening; supervising; supporting consequences for behavior.

Be a role model when it comes to honesty and civil behavior at all times, but especially in behavior towards others at the School, on the sidelines at athletic events, and in conversations with and about the adults at School. Parents who fail to be civil and/or become disruptive in their relationship with the School place that relationship in jeopardy, including the possibility of the School insisting that they withdraw from the School. Engage your child in conversations around events that have moral overtones. Encourage participation in events that promote high standards (e.g., service) and actively discourage participation in events that can lead to immoral, unwise, or illegal behavior (e.g., do not permit children to have unsupervised parties, nor partake in alcohol or drugs). Help your child to capitalize upon successes and, even more importantly, learn from and adjust to setbacks and failures as a part of life that future growth is dependent upon. Attempting to make excuses or cover up mistakes on the part of your child is a disservice to your child and to the School.

Q: What is a parent's responsibility to a child's academics and activities?

A: Endorse the School's Mission and policies; attend Parents' Night conferences, school activities, and Parents' Organization events.

Show your support and encouragement by participating in school activities and attending school events, especially those in which your child has a role to play. Read the Family Handbook and discuss with your child the philosophy and policies contained therein. Maintain regular contact with your child's teachers.

Q: What is a parent's financial responsibility to the School?

A: Pay tuition; commit to the Allen Fund, fundraising events, and capital campaigns.

While contributions to the Allen Fund and other fundraising events are not mandatory, they are important for an independent school. It costs the School more than it charges in tuition to educate each child. Therefore, we are absolutely dependent upon the generosity of parents and patrons to make up that difference. Please be respectful and responsive when you are called upon for a gift. The School is thankful for all gifts.

Q: What is the Allen Fund?

A: The Allen Fund plays a very prominent role in the financial stability of Allen Academy. It is vital to the School's success in offering superior academic programs and competitive teaching salaries. Tuition revenues typically provide less than 80 percent of the school's operating budget. The Allen Fund, combined with income from other events, supplements the balance.

Like many leading independent schools across the country, Allen Academy supplements tuition revenues with tax-deductible contributions in an effort to keep tuition at a reasonable level. Since its inception in 2003, the Allen Fund has provided important revenue in unrestricted gifts for the school's operating needs.

Participation is vital to a successful campaign. A high level of participation from the School's Board, faculty, staff, parents, and grandparents has a major impact on the School's ability to procure funding from outside of the school community. Foundations, corporations, and other major donors want to know that our parents believe in Allen enough to contribute their charitable dollars. The frequently asked question, "What percent of parents have given?" is one that we must be able to answer with a very high percentage. If a family is not in a position to make a large gift, it is important that they understand that no gift is too small.

The Allen Fund offers parents and friends of the School the opportunity to donate monies to the general operating budget in order to provide additional programs and lower tuition expense. Memorial gifts can make possible many additions to our school in the form of equipment, library books, and building improvements. Contact the Development Officer or Head of School to arrange your special gift.

Q: What is a Capital Campaign?

A: Independent schools do not rely on public/state/federal money for the construction and maintenance of its buildings. It is dependent upon the generosity of all parents, board members, and friends of the School. Capital campaigns are instrumental and very significant to the life of Allen. Every family is solicited to participate in capital campaigns.

Q: What is a parent's role with the Board of Trustees?

A: Understand the governance structure and use proper channels.

As an independent school, Allen is governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees, whose job it is to secure the future of the School. It does so by setting basic policies, hiring and supporting the Head of School, undertaking strategic planning, evaluating the performance of the School, and leading the financial planning of the School. The Board entrusts the daily operations of the School to the Head of School, who supervises and evaluates all programs and personnel, and is the final arbiter of any disputes that may arise, including those of parent issues or student disciplinary issues. The Board does not sit in review of administrative decisions, so the Head of School is the "court of last resort" for any problem. For matters large and small, the proper channel is to go to the most direct level first: i.e., to the teacher or staff member most closely related to the issue and capable of addressing it. If not satisfied at that juncture, a parent should seek out the next level. If all else fails, one should then go to the Head of School. Parents are invited to contact any staff member for quick responses to questions or needs. We suggest avoiding the assumption that all you hear from your child or in the parking lot is an accurate description of any School activity or event.

Q: What can a parent expect from teacher conferences?

A: Professional assessment and respectful solicitation of parental perspectives.

Our teachers are professionals who will provide to you at teacher conferences a battery of indicators of a student's academic and behavioral profile.

Parents agree to treat all Allen staff with respect. The partnership with parents is that we expect our parents to treat our teachers as professionals who know what to teach and how to teach it, just as we expect our teachers to treat our parents as experts about their own children - experts who have something to contribute to the dialogue about maximizing effectiveness in working with the student.

Q: What can a parent expect if their child encounters academic difficulties?

A: Students experiencing academic difficulties may receive special attention through the School program.

Allen agrees to assist students having academic difficulties and keep parents informed. A teacher or administrator can request a meeting for any student at which the student's teachers meet to determine the causes for academic difficulties and to design a plan to ameliorate them. When appropriate, tutorials are arranged, and outside testing may be recommended.

Allen is a school that serves students of average to above average ability and achievement. Specific standards are expected for student work. At times, parents are counseled on appropriate school choice and placement of the student.

Q: What can a parent expect if a disciplinary event occurs?

A: School authorities will investigate thoroughly and adjudicate fairly.

The School authorities will inform parents at the earliest appropriate juncture of a disciplinary issue and its outcomes. If the event is dire, a conference with the parent, child, and school authorities may be required. The school handles all situations in an attempt to balance and maintain consistent rights, responsibilities, and outcomes within the School and the needs of the individual child.

Parents agree to trust that Allen will respond to disciplinary problems fairly and appropriately. They will support the policies and decisions of the School.

Q: What can a parent expect if his/her child reports behavior issues or a questionable situation at the School?

A: Ask, call, and trust that the School will address such issues.

Please know that Allen encourages a parent to notify the School to report any and all accounts of situations about which there is a concern. Rest assured that the School would investigate vigorously any reports, since it prizes and values the School as being a safe, secure, and welcoming environment. At the same time, be prepared to discount rumors: Remember the old adage, "If you only believe half of what your child tells you about school, we'll only believe half of what they tell us about home."

Acknowledgment to Source: Independent Schools Association of the Central States