Student Professional Development Guidelines

All students must commit to and follow the Student Professional Development Guidelines during their enrollment at Paul Mitchell The School Costa Mesa. 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 time clock and does not round hours. In order to ensure proper clock hours are credited, full-time students are required to clock in/out four times a day: when they arrive to 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 two times a day: when they arrive to 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.  
2. The school is open from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM for 5-day students and 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM for night students.
3. All courses require continuous attendance.
4. The prescribed attendance schedule must be maintained each week. Alternate schedules are available to those students who qualify.
5. Night students may not miss Mondays; day students may not miss Saturdays.
6. 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.
7. During the Enrollment Agreement period, student must maintain a 80% attendance average each month in order to complete the program within the scheduled program length.  If a students maximum amount of time under the contracted scheduled end date has expired and the student has not completed the required program clock hours, the student will be withdrawn from the program.  At that time the student can re-enroll in the program for the remaining clock hours under a new enrollment agreement and additional costs. The student may use the allowed absent hours of his or her scheduled hours for vacation, doctor appointments, illness, etc. 
   **Refer to the school enrollment agreement for the Enrollment Agreement Period definition. 
   Please note that if a student misses more than 14 consecutive calendar days, the student may be terminated from the program. 
8. Students attend the Core at the beginning of their education. The clock hours for Core vary based on the program. During this time the student must maintain a cumulative attendance of 80% . If at the conclusion of the Core phase, the student’s attendance percentage is not 80% and the student has not passed their academic exams with a 70% or higher, the student may be dropped from the program and asked to re-enroll in the next class start date.
9.  Students who are late or cannot attend school must contact the school and talk to the school service desk team immediately. Day students must call in by 8:00 AM; night students must call in by 1:30 PM. 
10. Students must request time off from school from the Future Professional Advisor.
11. Students are required to be in attendance a minimum of seven (7) hours per day, 35 hours per week for the full-time schedule; 20 hours per week for part-time students. Holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, 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. Refer to the make up hour policy.
12. Lunches and breaks are scheduled for all students. Day students will take 30 minutes for lunch between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM, if possible, according to their booking. 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: 

13. Documentation of time: Students may not leave the school premises during regular hours without an instructor’s permission.
    1. Students who leave the school premises for more than 10 minutes 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. Students who leave the school premises for less than 10 minutes must sign the sign-out sheet.
    3. Day students must clock out on the time clock for lunch for 30 minutes every day. Students will not receive credit for the hour if they fail to clock in/out for lunch.
14. Students may not clock in or out for another student.
15. 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 Cosmetology and Esthetics 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 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. Esthetics students may not have any nail enhancements such as polish, acrylic nails, nail warps, dips, etc.
9. The following is a list of acceptable dress: 
   1. Jeans or clothing made of jean material if they are black or gray in color. Any rips or tears must fall below the fingertips, when standing up.
   2. Tank tops with straps that are 2 inches or more wide.
   3. Sweatshirts, printed T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and/or jackets with the Paul Mitchell logo or the school logo may be worn. Plain black or gray is also acceptable.
   4. Stylish hats, scarves, and stylish head wraps.
   5. Skirts that fall below the fingertips.
   6. Clothing should be made of opaque material, and not expose under garments.
   7. Any dresses or skirts that fall above the knee should be accompanied with tights/leggings.
10. Tights or leggings should be worn with skirts or dresses that fall above the knees for all Future Professionals.
11. Name tag — as provided by the school. All Future Professionals are required to wear a name tag while in attendance.

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

1. Barbering Future Professionals may wear all black or gray.
2. Shoes should be professional, practical, and comfortable.
3. Accessories may be worn in black, gray, or white, which include: a belt, arm-garter, suspenders, jewelry, and/or ties.
4. A barbering Future Professional may wear a smock, in black only.
5. Sweatshirts, printed T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and/or jackets with the Paul Mitchell logo or the school logo may be worn.
6. Fedoras, flat hats, or ascot caps may be worn. Hats may not have a logo or branding on them.
7. The following is a list of acceptable dress:
   1. Jeans or clothing made of jean material if they are black or gray in color.  Any rips or  tears must fall below the fingertips, when standing up.
   2. Sweatshirts, printed T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and/or jackets with the Paul Mitchell logo or the school logo may be worn. Plain black or gray is also acceptable.
   3. Stylish hats, plain black beanies, scarves, and stylish head wraps.
   4. Skirts that fall below the fingertips.
   5. Any dresses or skirts that fall above the knee should be accompanied with tights/leggings.

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

1. Ugg boots, foot thongs, beach sandals, slippers, crocs, or any shoes without a back strap.
2. Strapless tops, spaghetti strap tops, or cropped shirts that do not meet the top of your bottoms (shirt and skirt, shirt and pants, etc)
3. Sweatpants that are cotton or pajamas material.
4. Sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, jackets and printed T-shirts other than those with the Paul Mitchell logo or the school logo.
5. Skirts that fall above fingertips, when standing up.
6. Clothing with imagery such as band shirts, political messages, or branding not related to Paul Mitchell or other industry-related brands.
7. Baseball hats, visors, bandanas, caps.
8. Spandex, biking shorts, skorts with visible shorts, or shorts of any material.
9. Headphones, headgear, and/or earphones are not permitted in the classroom or the clinic classroom.
10. Sunglasses are not permitted.
11. Blankets are not permitted.
12. Pants, skirts, or dresses made of transparent material such as mesh, causing under garments to be visible.
13. Corsets, bustiers, or bralette tops being worn as a shirt/top of outfit.
14. Aprons that are not black, gray, white or clear may not be worn at the school.

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 Tuesday through Thursday. To receive a service, students must do the following prior to starting the service: 
   1. Notify an Learning Leader.
   2. Be current in practical skill assessments, theory attendance and tests.
   3. Be scheduled off the service books by a Learning Leader.
   4. Pay for service supplies including perms, color, lightener, rinses, conditioning, treatments, manicures, nails, etc.
   5. Personal services are considered rewards and scheduled for Future Professionals who are up to date with all projects, tests, 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. Future Professionals may use the Future Professionals 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 Professionals 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. Paul Mitchell The School Costa Mesa 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 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 grounds for termination.
2. Future Professionals will be expected to maintain an average of 70% 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 CourseKey 
   2. Completion of theory review worksheets 
   3. Performing a service on another Future Professionals 
   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 Professionals 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 station. All kit, equipment, tools, and personal items must be secured in the students 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 Professionals have one week to get caught up before they receive a coaching advisory.
14. If a Future Professional 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.