Student Professional Development Guidelines

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All students must commit to and follow the Student Professional Development Guidelines during their enrollment at Paul Mitchell The School Merrillville. These guidelines were established to assist in creating a safe, focused, and enjoyable learning experience.

Attendance and Documentation of Time

  1. The school records attendance in clock hours and gives appropriate attendance credit for all hours attended. The school does not add or deduct attendance hours as a penalty. Attendance is calculated using a computerized timeclock. This device may consist of an app that can be used on your phone, a biometric scanner in the school, or similar device. To ensure proper credit for clock hours, full-time students are required to clock in/out 4 times a day: when they arrive at school, when they leave for lunch, when they return from lunch, and when they leave at the end of the day. Part-time students are required to clock in/out 2 times a day: when they arrive at school and when they leave at the end of the day. If a student fails to clock in or out for their schedule on the student time clock, the student will not receive hours. If the student wishes to dispute any hours they feel earned, the student must provide documentation to verify attendance on the missing time form. The documentation would include the student sign in sheet, the specialty class attendance role, and/or the guest service summary.
  2. The school is open from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm.
  3. All courses require continuous attendance.
  4. The prescribed attendance schedule must be maintained each week. The school does not offer alternate schedules.
  5. Students may not miss Fridays.
  6. Students are required to clock in by 8:00 am.
  7. Students not clocked in by 8:05:59 will not be allowed to attend school for the day.
  8. Students must be on time, as tardiness inhibits the learning process. Students who are late for theory, a specialty class or a guest artist class may attend the class, but must be accompanied into the classroom by a learning leader. Students are never excused from mandatory theory class to work in the clinic classroom.
  9. Students attend Core the first 7 weeks (250 clock hours) of enrollment. During this time the student must maintain a monthly attendance of 80%. If at the conclusion of the month, the student’s progress report is not 80% attendance, the student may be dropped from the program and asked to re-enroll in the next class start date.
  10. Students who are late or cannot attend school must contact the school and talk to the school service desk immediately. Day students must call in by 8:00 AM.
  11. Students must request time off from school from the Future Professional Advisor.
  12. Students are required to be in attendance a minimum of 8.75 hours per day, 35 hours per week for the full-time schedule; Holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day and New Year’s Day will be set according to the calendar each year. Students cannot bank hours and attend over 35 hours per week to make up for missing hours. If a student will miss hours during the week, arrangements must be made with the Director to make up those hours within the same week, or the hours missed will count against the hours allowed to miss and overtime charges can occur. These make-up hours do not count as additional program hours.
  13. Lunches and breaks are scheduled for all students. All students will take 45 minutes for lunch between 12:00 noon and 1:30 PM. Students should communicate with their instructor if they have not had lunch by 1:30 PM.

    Observe the appropriate breaks for your school schedule. Breaks are as follows:
    Student Schedule Breaks Lunch
    8.75 hr/day 15 min. in the morning & 15 min. in the afternoon 45 min.
  14. Documentation of Time: Students may not leave the school premises during regular hours without an instructor’s permission.
    1. Students who leave school premises for more than 15 min. or those who leave early must document their time by clocking out on the time clock, signing the sign-out sheet, and having an instructor book them out.
    2. Day students must clock out on the time clock for lunch for 45 minutes every day. Students will not receive credit for the hours if they fail to clock in/out for lunch.
  15. Students may not clock in or out for another student.
  16. Students must keep a record of all services each day on the “service tracking sheet,” which must be completed daily and turned in every month.

Professional Image

All Future Professionals must adhere to the following professional dress code while in attendance:

  1. Future Professionals may wear black or gray in any combination.
  2. Phase Two Future Professionals may wear black, gray, or white in any combination.
  3. A minimal print in clothing is acceptable if it is a black and white print.
  4. Clothing should be professional and clean.
  5. Shoes should be black, professional, practical, and comfortable.
  6. Hair should be styled prior to arriving at the school.
  7. Any cosmetics should be applied prior to arriving at the school.
  8. The following is a list of acceptable dress:
    1. Sleeveless tops.
    2. Sweatshirts, printed T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and/or jackets with the Paul Mitchell logo or the school logo may be worn.
    3. Stylish hats, scarves, and stylish head wraps.
    4. Skirts that fall below the fingertips.
  9. Tights or leggings should be worn with skirts or dresses that fall above the knees for all Future Professionals.
  10. Name tag — as provided by the school. All Future Professionals are required to wear a name tag while in attendance.

The following is a list of unacceptable dress for all Future Professionals in attendance:

  1. Gym workout shoes, foot thongs, or beach sandals.
  2. Tank tops, spaghetti string tops, or belly shirts.
  3. Jeans or clothing made of jean material.
  4. Sweatpants.
  5. Sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, jackets and printed T-shirts other than those with the Paul Mitchell logo or the school logo.
  6. Shorts and/or skirts that fall above fingertips, when standing up.
  7. Baseball hats, visors, bandanas, caps, or beanies.
  8. Spandex or biking shorts.
  9. Headphones, headgear, and/or earphones are not permitted in the classroom or the clinic classroom.
  10. Sunglasses.

Future Professionals who fail to comply with the Future Professional dress code may be coached and may receive an advisory.

Professional Image: Effective August 1, 2024

Each Future Professional will be issued, in their student kit, (2) two pairs of black scrubs. The scrubs are required to be worn during enrollment at Paul Mitchell The School Merrillville.

While in attendance Future Professionals must insure the black scrubs adhere to the below criteria:

  1. Black Scrubs must be clean, without tears, holes, etc.
  2. Shoes should be professional, practical, and comfortable. Closed toe shoes are recommended to protect the feet from spilled chemicals, hair slivers, and overall cleanliness and foot health. Shoes may be any color.
  3. Hair should be styled prior to arriving at school. No hats may be worn, this includes baseball hats, stylish hats, caps, stylish head wraps, beanies, etc.
  4. Any cosmetics should be applied prior to arriving at the school.
  5. Long sleeve shirts may be warn under the scrubs, but should not have any political messages and/or branding, profanity, and/or other industry logos that are visible.
  6. Phase Two Future Professional may wear a long-sleeved shirt that is black, white, or gray in any combination that has no political messages and/or Branding, profanity, and/or other industry logos.
  7. Name tag - will be provided by the school and must be worn while in attendance.
  8. If a Future Professional’s scrubs or name tag is lost or need replacing, its will be the Future Professionals responsibility to purchase additional scrubs or name tag from the school. Future Professional who fail to comply with the Future Professional dress code will be coached and may receive an advisory.

The following is a list of unacceptable dress for all Future Professionals in attendance:

  1. Log-sleeve shirts with political messages, branding, profanity, and/or other industry logos that are visible.
  2. Shoes that are foot thongs, flip flops, beach sandals, slippers, and/or “croc” style.
  3. Baseball hats, visors, or bandanas.
  4. Headphones, headgear, and/or earphones are not permitted in the classroom or the clinic classroom.
  5. No Sunglasses may be worn, we want to see your beautiful eyes.

Future Professionals who fail to comply with the Future Professional dress code may be coached and may receive an advisory.

Sanitation and Personal Services

  1. Future Professionals must keep workstations and classroom areas clean, sanitary, and clutter-free at all times.
  2. Future Professionals must clean their stations in the clinic classroom, including the floor, after each service.
  3. Hair must be swept up immediately after a service is completed, before blow-drying.
  4. Clinic stations must be cleaned at the end of the day, prior to clocking out for the day.
  5. Future Professionals may receive services on Monday through Friday. To receive a service, students must do the following prior to starting the service:
    1. Seek approval from a Learning Leader according to criteria below:
      • Be maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress.
      • Be current in practical skill assessments, theory attendance and tests.
    2. Be scheduled off the service books by a Learning Leader.
    3. Pay for service supplies including perms, color, lightener, rinses, conditioning, treatments, manicures, nails, etc.

Personal services must be rescheduled when the student is scheduled to take a guest. Students must re-schedule their personal service and complete the service appointment assigned to them. Personal services are considered rewards and scheduled for students who are up to date with all projects, test and practical skill assessments. School assignments and successful learning are the priority.

Communication Guidelines and Professional Conduct

  1. Visitors are allowed in the service reception area only. Visitors are not allowed in the classrooms, student lounge, or clinic classroom area.
  2. Only emergency calls are permitted on the business phone. Students may use the student phones for a limited time. Please keep your calls to three (3) minutes or less.
  3. Cell phones are permitted in assigned areas of the school.
  4. Future Professionals may not visit with another Future Professional who is servicing a service guest.
  5. Future Professionals may not gather around the service desk, service reception area, or offices.
  6. Food, drinks, and water bottles are allowed only in the lunchroom.
  7. The school is a smoke-free campus.
  8. Stealing or taking school property or another’s personal property is unacceptable and grounds for termination.
  9. School administration has the right to access and inspect a Future Professionals locker at any time, refer to the locker policy.

Learning Participation Guidelines

  1. Peer teaching and tutoring are encouraged. Taking credit for another’s work or cheating during exams is unacceptable and is grounds for termination.
  2. Future Professionals will be expected to maintain an average of 85% on all theory tests and assignments.
  3. Future Professionals may not be released from required theory class to take a client.
  4. Only service desk personnel may schedule or change client service appointments.
  5. All services must be checked and the service ticket initialed by a Learning Leader.
  6. Future Professionals are expected to be continuously working on school-related projects, assignments, clinic practical worksheets, reading theory, or test preparation during school hours.
  7. Future Professionals will receive clock hours during the times they fully participate in their learning experience.
  8. When Future Professionals are not scheduled with service appointments or are not scheduled to attend theory or a specialty class, they may focus on the following:
    1. Completion of practical skill assessments through Course Key
    2. Completion of theory review worksheets
    3. Performing a service on another Future Professional
    4. Listening to or reading school resource center materials, including educational videos, audiotapes, and books
  9. Future Professionals must comply with school personnel and Learning Leader’s assignments and requests as required by the curriculum and Future Professional guidelines and rules.
  10. Future Professionals may not perform hair, skin, barber or nail services outside of school unless authorized to do so by school administration. Conducting unauthorized hair, skin, barber or nail services outside of school will be reported to the state board and may result in your inability to receive a professional license.
  11. Future Professionals are responsible for their own kit and equipment and may use a clinic station drawer only while working at that clinic station. All kit, equipment, tools, and personal items must be secured in the Future Professionals assigned locker. The school is not responsible for any lost or stolen articles.
  12. Parking is allowed in assigned parking areas only or cars may be towed at the owner’s expense.
  13. If a Future Professional fails to complete the practical skill assessments or required weekly theory hours they will be placed on the Back on Track List. Future Professional have one week to get caught up before they receive a coaching advisory.
  14. If a Future Professionals fails to pass the Core written and/or practical exam on their second attempt, they may be asked to withdraw from the program and re-start in the next Core class start date.
  15. Theory Class: The school requires a Future Professional to complete all theory hours as part of their graduation requirements. Refer to the graduation requirements.