SUMMER PROGRAMS 
 
 
 

Château des Enfants Minnows

Handbook
Summer 2020
 

 
 

  

  

 
This is an interactive document. Click on a topic to jump straight to the page you need. 

Welcome to Minnows! 2 

Summer Programs Portal 2 

Tuition Payment 2 

Opening Day Registration 2 

Arrival and Departure Procedure 3 

Arrivals 3 

Departures 3 

Weekends 3 

Academics 3 

Minnows Open House and TASIS Summer Arts Festival 4 

Daily Contact with Parents 4 

Illness 5 

Clothing & Personal Items 5 

Forbidden Items 5 

Rainy Days 6 

Minnows Community Expectations 7 

Student Protection 7 

Code of Conduct and Grievance Procedure 8 

 

Château des Enfants Minnows 2020 Handbook 

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 Welcome to Minnows!
 

This Handbook includes a wealth of information about academics, activities, travel, and 
daily life. 

Summer Programs Portal

You can find the answers to most of your questions in our ​Summer Programs Portal​.  

Tuition Payment

Please pay the balance of your tuition as soon as possible. You will have received the 
amount from the TASIS Business Office. Contact the ​Business Office​ for more 
information. The balance of tuition is due by ​May 15​ (1st Session) or by ​June 15 ​(2nd 
Session). If a student enrolls for either session after these dates, the full tuition payment 
is due within seven days of the date the invoice is received. 

Tuition Payment Information 

Opening Day Registration

Registration for Minnows is from 10:00-15:00 on Opening Day (June 27 or July 26). 
Families should come to campus to pick up t-shirts, name tags, security badges, and 
other important information. Our Minnows Coordinator (Elena Clark), Student Life 
Coordinator (Elizabeth Wright), Nurse, and Director (Shane Harvey) will be available to 
answer any questions you may have. 

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Arrival and Departure Procedure

Arrivals 

● Minnows should arrive Monday to Friday between 8:45 and 9:00 at Focolare, the 
Minnows building, and sign in with a staff member. 
● Minnows staff accompany children into the building where their day begins. 
● Because of morning traffic, parents are unable to stop or park outside Focolare. 
Parking is available in the public lot directly behind Focolare. 

Departures 

● 15:00 departure:​ Please pick your children up at Focolare. Minnows staff release 
children to their caregivers at the gate. 
● 18:00 departure:​ Please pick up your children at the TASIS main gate (up the hill). 
CDE and Minnows staff release children to their caregivers at the main gate. 

Once children are dismissed, we ask that caregivers leave campus as soon as possible. 
This limits disruption to other programs and ensures the safety and security of all 
students. 

Please note that traffic may become heavy in Lugano around the 18:00 departure time. 
Allow for ample travel time to ensure you arrive on time to pick up your child. Contact the 
CDE office​ if you will be late picking up your child. 

Weekends

The Minnows program is a 5-day program. On Saturdays and Sundays, children do not 
come on campus. 

Academics

The Minnows program focuses on active learning and teaches language through 
multidisciplinary activities including drama, art, and music. The Minnows often spend time 

Château des Enfants Minnows 2020 Handbook 

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outdoors, enjoying excursions in Lugano and giving them the opportunity to enjoy this 
remarkable place. 

Minnows Open House and TASIS Summer Arts Festival

Please join the Minnows for an Open House to kick off the Summer Arts Festival! We will 
be serving coffee and snacks before touring Al Focolare to view art projects, learning 
stations, and photographs from our Minnows summer. Meet your child’s teachers and 
hear the children sing some songs, too! We welcome you from 9:00-10:00 on ​Monday, 
July 20 ​(1st session) or ​Monday, August 10 ​(2nd session). 

On​ Wednesday, July 22 ​(1st session) and ​Friday, August 14​ (2nd session), families are 
welcome to join us on campus for the Summer Arts Festival. Features include a gallery 
space showcasing student art, design, sculpture, robots, photos, and other creative 
pieces. Performances include the CDE musical and a special event featuring all CDE 
children, including our Minnows. The Arts Festival also includes a special closing night 
buffet dinner. During the session, Mr. Harvey will send an invitation by email with more 
information about Final Night times. 

  

Daily Contact with Parents

All notifications and announcements will be emailed to you. Please ensure we have a 
current email address on file, and check in regularly to ensure you’ve received all 
notices. 

Ms. Wright sees day student parents or caregivers each day. Ms. Clarke, the Minnows 
Coordinator, is also available to speak with you about any concerns or questions. 

Our local families have always been a wonderful resource for us. If you know of an 
interesting event or excursion, please share this information with us. 

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Illness

Please inform Ms. Wright if your child is unwell and will not be attending that day. If your 
child becomes ill during the day, our nurse or a staff member will telephone you 
immediately. Note that each child must provide a copy of the family’s international health 
insurance. Students not resident in Switzerland can apply for TASIS Health Insurance. No 
child may begin the program until his or her medical form has been filled out and 
returned. 

  

Clothing & Personal Items

Each student receives five red CDE t-shirts at the opening meeting. These t-shirts must 
be worn daily. Please return the t-shirts on the last day, and feel free to keep one as a 
souvenir for your child. 

All of your children’s clothing and possessions must be clearly marked with his or her 
name. Minnows misplace many items every summer because their clothes and 
possessions are not marked. 

Please pack a spare change of clothes in your child’s backpack.  

Forbidden Items 

The following items are not allowed at Minnows: 

● electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, gaming devices, and other 

internet-enabled devices 
● cell phones 
● chewing gum, candy 
● medicine (must be given to the nurse) 
● knives and other weapons 
● earrings or other jewellery 

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Rainy Days

Check the forecast each morning and if it predicts rain, be sure your child brings a 
raincoat marked clearly with their name and CDE in large letters. 

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 Minnows Community Expectations
Please read and review these rules with your child before the program begins.  

● Please help us create a community where everyone feels comfortable and 

welcome. Children are expected to be polite to one another and to the entire staff. 
● We wear name tags every day. 
● You may not go beyond the gates of Focolare without a counselor. Students 
should never be on public roads. 
● Shoes AND socks should be worn at all times. 
● Do not touch other people’s belongings. Always ask before using other people’s 
things. 
● If you feel sick, tell a counselor or the nurse. 
● Each day after lunch, the Minnows have a rest period. You may bring books, 
crayons, or other quiet activities, but we encourage children to sleep. 
● Please help us keep the school grounds as beautiful as possible. DO NOT leave 
trash around or drop garbage, such as papers and empty wrappers. Please pick 
up any litter and place it in the trash bin. 

Student Protection

Student protection is an important concern in schools throughout the world, and TASIS 
takes this matter very seriously. The School strives to maintain a safe environment for all 
students and takes appropriate actions to ensure that students are protected. 

The School embraces a comprehensive, proactive approach to student protection that 

includes but is not limited to the following: 

● adopting rules and procedures for student protection 

● screening and criminal background checks for all school staff 
● educating and training staff, students, and parents 
● conducting self-audits of student protection procedures 

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For more information on the School's policy, please contact TASIS Summer Programs 
Director and Headmaster, Christopher Nikoloff. 

Code of Conduct and Grievance Procedure

TASIS employs a fair, constructive process to address any concerns, complaints, and 
grievances that may arise in organizations. Informal proceedings include discussion and 
communication with the parties involved. Formal proceedings may extend to involvement 
by the Headmaster/Summer Programs Director and other administrators. Key to both 
informal and formal proceedings are three steps: Communication, Discovery, and 
Resolution. 

For more information on the school's policy, please contact Summer Programs Director 
and Headmaster, Christopher Nikoloff. 

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