Lake Tahoe School — Enrollment Contract Review

Zahra Auld (Kindergarten) & Mae Naghibzadeh (2nd Grade) · 2026-27 academic year · Two identical contracts, $31,670 each · School contact (775) 831-5828 · Reviewed 2026-07-24 (Zahra) and 2026-07-27 (Mae) from the online signing flow — the contracts are word-for-word identical apart from the student.

Overall read. Standard private-school boilerplate, one-sided in the school’s favor as these always are. Nothing unusual enough to walk away from — but the cancellation window is already closed, which makes the Tuition Refund Plan the one real decision on the form, and two date inconsistencies are worth a phone call before signing.

Status

• Zahra (K): fully signed — Jessica 7/23, Shapor 7/24. Enrolled.
• Mae (2nd): pending Shapor — Jessica signed 7/22; Shapor’s signature + deposit due by 7/31. Both parents jointly and severally liable on both contracts.
• Per-contract follow-ups: verify TRP shows as accepted on each receipt; confirm each tuition balance due date; check deposits weren’t double-charged (portal shows both “deposit paid” and “deposit due” on both); save executed PDFs to this folder.

Flags

1. The cancellation window is already closed

The Cancellation Date was April 30, 2026 — nearly three months ago. The moment the contract is finalized, the full $31,670 is owed for the year no matter what happens: withdrawal, dismissal, moving away, anything, “for any reason whatsoever,” framed as liquidated damages. There is no escape hatch left in the contract itself.

2. Tuition Refund Plan — accept it, for both kids

The TRP (A.W.G. Dewar) costs 3% of tuition (≈ $950/child, billed the first month of school) and is the only protection against owing full tuition on a mid-year withdrawal. The withdrawal risks for the two kids are perfectly correlated — the realistic scenario is the whole family relocating, which would strand $63,340 of prepaid tuition — so insuring one child but not the other makes no sense. ~$1,900 total premium against $63k of correlated exposure, in the family’s first, most uncertain year in a new town, is an easy yes. Gotchas to expect in the Dewar brochure: a minimum-attendance requirement before coverage applies, and percentage-based (not 100%) reimbursement that varies by withdrawal reason. Deposits ($3,167 each) are non-refundable regardless. TRP payouts go to the school’s account first; any excess is refunded to you.

3. Date inconsistencies — call the school before signing

• Payment Plan A says 100% of tuition is due “Wednesday, July 15” — already passed. Confirm whether the remaining ≈ $28,503 is due immediately on signing or on an adjusted date.
• The deposit-paid contradiction noted under Status above.
• Minor tell: venue is the “Court of Common Pleas for Washoe County, Nevada” — Nevada has no Court of Common Pleas (Ohio/Pennsylvania terminology). Harmless, but confirms recycled out-of-state boilerplate, consistent with the date sloppiness.

4. Parent cooperation clause is very broad

The school may dismiss the student if a parent’s (or “Affiliated Individual’s”) behavior — on campus, off campus, or online — “reflects a loss of confidence in or serious disagreement with the School… its decisions, strategies, policies… leadership or standards.” In practice: public criticism of the school puts enrollment, and the prepaid tuition, at risk. Keep disagreements private and direct.

5. Photo/likeness release is opt-out

By default the school may use the student’s name, photos, voice/video, and written work in publications, website, and social media — including granting them to third parties — surviving enrollment. Requires written notice to opt out. If you care, send the notice with the signed contract.

6. You pay their legal costs — broadly

Beyond normal collection costs, if the school or its staff is pulled into any legal dispute involving your family to which the school is not a party (e.g., a custody or civil matter requiring records or testimony), you owe the school its attorney’s fees, document costs, and even staff-coverage costs. Unusual and open-ended; one-way (no reciprocal right for parents).

7. Other terms you’re agreeing to

• $500 late fee on late tuition; nonpayment can bar the student from class, activities, records, and re-enrollment.
• Liability release for activities and field trips covers the school’s own ordinary negligence (gross negligence, willful injury, and fraud excluded; insurers not released).
• Medical authorization for emergency treatment; your health insurance is primary.
• Discipline reporting to other schools (suspensions and, at the school’s discretion, more) with a waiver of claims.
• No program guarantee: enrollment isn’t contingent on any particular curriculum, teacher, method of delivery, or enrollment level; force-majeure keeps tuition owed if delivery shifts (e.g., distance learning).
• Re-enrollment discretionary: current enrollment doesn’t ensure future enrollment; denial requires no advance notice.
• Divorce/custody: absent court documents on file, both parents get full access; provide any orders proactively.
• One-signer clause: a single parent’s signature represents authority to bind both.
• Nevada law governs; venue Washoe County (see flag 3).

Money (per child)

Before signing — checklist

• Call the school: real due date for the $28,503 balance, and whether the deposit is already recorded as paid.
• Select Accept on the Tuition Refund Plan.
• Pay by ACH/eCheck, not credit card.
• Optional: written likeness opt-out submitted with the contract.
• Immunization records ready (Nevada law requirement for attendance).
• Note the housing overlap: the 314 Ski Way lease ends 4/30/2027, two months before the school year ends — resolved (holdover fix), see that review.

Source: enrollment contract text from the school’s online signing portal, reviewed 2026-07-24/27. Save executed PDFs to this folder. Not legal advice.