Beauvoir - The National Cathedral Elem. School ~ FAQ's

FAQ's

Are classes only for educators in the D.C. area?

Voices for Learning provides year-round professional development courses mainly geared towards early childhood, elementary, and middle school educators. In addition, several parent and caregiver seminars are offered throughout the year. We provide a wide array of classes for educators from schools nationwide. Since the institute was launched in 2002, we have welcomed over 3200 public, charter, independent and parochial educators from schools as nearby as Washington, D.C., and as far away as India and China. Please check our schedule for current offerings.

When and where are classes held?

Classes are held at Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School on the beautiful grounds of the Washington National Cathedral. We are located at 3500 Woodley Road, NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 and are metro/bus accessible. Two sessions for educators are offered throughout the year. The winter/spring session runs from January through May, and the summer session runs from June through August. Special institutes are offered in the Fall. Summer offerings vary from half day to full day, depending upon the content.

Q.	Can Voices for Learning travel to my school?
A.	Yes! We do provide professional development courses to schools and districts who are interested in training faculty on site. If you are interested in having us consult with you, please contact us at 202-537-5253 or send an email to Pat Luce pluce@cathedral.org.

What if I am interested in teaching a course at Voices for Learning?

All consultants who teach for Voices for Learning are experts in their field. To insure and maintain the integrity of the program, we make careful decisions regarding course content and hire our consultants based on many factors. We do, however, value your suggestions and feedback. If you are interested in, or have a suggestion for future courses, please correspond with us by emailing Pat Luce pluce@cathedral.org.

Q.	Do you offer graduate credit or CEUs for courses?
A.	Voices for Learning currently has relationships with Catholic University/Projects in Education in Washington, D.C. and Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Both partnerships allow us to provide, for a nominal fee, both graduate credit and continuing education units (CEUs) for courses offered throughout the year. Please visit our current course listing for more information.

Where do I park?

Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School, is on the grounds of the Washington Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Close. Access to the School is located on Woodley Road, at the 35^th Street intersection. Parking spaces can be found directly below the entrance to Beauvoir, as well around the Cathedral grounds and the underground Cathedral parking garage.

In an effort to be a good neighbor, please attempt to find a legal parking space on the Cathedral Close before searching in the neighborhood that surrounds Beauvoir and the Cathedral. The Cathedral parking garage can be accessed from Wisconsin Avenue or Woodley Road. We will validate your parking stub for three hours.

Are meals provided to course participants?

We provide a continental breakfast to participants taking morning courses, and catered lunches are provided to participants taking any class that runs past the noon hour. If a class dismisses before noon, lunches are generally not provided. For classes that occur during the late afternoon and/or evening hours, light hors d'ouevres are served. If you have special dietary restrictions, you are welcome to bring your own meals, and refrigeration is available. Voices for Learning provides both vegetarian and non-vegetarian menu items.

Q.	What if I have suggestions for courses I'd like to see in the future?
A.	We greatly value your suggestions and feedback! If you have a suggestion for future courses, please correspond with us by emailing Pat Luce pluce@cathedral.org.

How much do courses cost?

Fees may vary depending on course content, materials, class hours, and speaker fees.

Continuing Education Units are available for most courses through Old Dominion University, and can be obtained by paying a nominal fee to Voices for Learning. A select number of courses provide optional graduate credit through Catholic University/Projects in Education, and require an additional fee of $200-400, depending on credit hours obtained.

Are there any courses appropriate for parents or caregivers?

A separate parent series is offered during the year, and provides parents and caregivers with tools to help extend and enrich learning at home with young children. In addition, topics covering issues such as childhood development, healthy habits, and homework may also be presented. Most parent classes are 1-2 hours in length, and parents may choose from a morning or evening session. Parent/Child classes are offered on Saturday during the winter and spring. Early registration is strongly suggested, as seating may be limited. Unless otherwise specified, parent/caregiver courses are for adults only.

Q.	Can I add my name to your mailing list?
A.	Please click here to be added to our mailing list so that you can receive our upcoming course schedule.

I've had to cancel my registration--can I get a refund?

Cancelations made at least thirty days (30) before the course date will receive a FULL REFUND, less a $30 handling fee. Cancelations made within 15-29 days prior to the course date will receive a handling fee of half (1/2) the course tuition. No refund will be issued if cancelation occurs fewer than 15 days before the course date.

Beauvoir reserves the right to cancel any program based on enrollment or other circumstances. Should Beauvoir cancel a program in which you are enrolled, you will receive a full refund.

Substitutions: Whenever possible, we will accommodate requests to substitute another attendee in your place if you are unable to attend. A substitute may attend any course that may still be open, but please call to confirm availability before registering (202 449 3234).

Q.	What payment methods do you accept?
A.	We accept the following payment methods: Mastercard/Visa/American Express School Purchase Orders Personal Check

Q.	Can you recommend any convenient hotels for out-of-towners?
A.	Our out-of-town guests have many lodging options to choose from when visiting the Washington, D.C. area. Click here for a list of hotels that are fairly close to Beauvoir. A few offer discounted rates to Beauvoir and Cathedral guests. If you need further assistance, please contact us at 202-449-3234.