School Policy
Attitude and Commitment: I take your music education seriously and expect you to do so as well. Adult students are expected to accept the responsibility that comes with enrolling in a course of study. That responsibility should include a commitment of at least six months of lessons and as near to daily practice as possible. Daily practice sessions should be considered required coursework. It is often helpful to schedule home practice sessions for a specific time each day.
Music education for a child requires a commitment on the part of both the student and the parent. Children are not naturally self-disciplined; this is a skill that comes only with training and maturity. While music lessons are a wonderful vehicle for teaching it, they cannot magically imbue a child with discipline. It is not realistic to expect a child to practice daily with no reminders or encouragement. Parents enrolling children in a course of study commit to supporting their child’s efforts by making daily practice a rule—not a choice. Music lessons should be viewed as part of your child’s education and daily practice sessions as required homework. It is often helpful to schedule home practice sessions for a specific time each day. Parents enrolling children in a course of music study are expected to commit to at least six months of lessons.
Scheduled Lesson Times: Students usually start with 30-minute lessons once each week and often move to 60-minute lessons as they progress. Twice-weekly lessons are also available and are especially helpful to very young children. Lessons are available on weekdays between 11:00 and 5:00. Saturday lessons are not available at this time. Choose your lesson time carefully to avoid the need to cancel or re-schedule often.
Cancellations and Make-up Lessons: Good attendance is very important to the learning process. Try to avoid canceling. Don’t cancel a lesson because of missed practice time. A lesson in that circumstance serves well as a guided practice session and is a good way to “get back on track.” If you must cancel because of scheduling conflicts or illness, please e-mail or call as far in advance of your lesson as possible. Decide if you want to schedule a make-up lesson, or if you would rather skip the lesson for that week (no tuition credit is given for skipped lessons). Lessons missed without advance notice are not eligible for make-up lessons. Make-up lessons are not guaranteed and are not cumulative. If you cannot make up a lesson within a week, you forfeit the lesson. Allowances are made for family vacations: please refer to the billing section of this policy statement.
To Start Lessons: Begin by scheduling a lesson time and a start date. Submit your completed enrollment form on or before your first scheduled lesson. A full month’s tuition and the price of assigned first music books are due in advance. If you begin mid-month, your second month’s statement will show a pro-rated tuition amount to reflect the short month in which you began lessons. Thereafter, tuition is due the first week of each month.
Books, Supplies, & Repairs:
Music books and basic supplies will be assigned and provided as needed. The cost of these books and supplies will be added to your account and should be paid with the following month’s statement. Optional additional books and supplies are available. Christmas books at appropriate levels are available in November. Please let me know whether or not you would like your student to be assigned a Christmas book. Instrument repairs are also available.
Student Performances
Recitals are an important part of each student’s musical training, and all students who have been taking lessons for six months or longer should plan to participate. Traditionally, the school offers two very different performance opportunities.
In December, our Holiday Open House offers students an opportunity for an informal performance experience. In a relaxed, party atmosphere, students, families, and friends enjoy singing and playing instruments together in various combinations.
April brings our Annual Spring Recital. In contrast to December’s gathering, the Spring Recital is a formal event offering students and their guests the opportunity to experience the decorum and respect of a traditional concert hall. Performers and guests alike are encouraged to dress up for this special occasion in celebratory recognition of the effort and accomplishment of the past year of study.
Billing: Tuition for all courses is $150.00 per month for weekly, 30 minute lessons, payable in advance and non-refundable. Tuition for sixty-minute lessons is $300.00 per month. Statements are generated the last week of each month, and payment is due the first week of each month. Tuition is a monthly payment for an ongoing course and not a per-lesson charge. Please expect to pay the full amount even if you miss a lesson. Tuition will be reduced for any time I am unavailable for scheduled lessons. Monthly Tuition is for a standard 4 week month. In any month where there are 5 weeks, the extra lesson will be considered a bonus lesson with no additional charge. However, I reserve the option to use that bonus lesson day as a vacation day without discounting that month’s tuition. Tuition allowance is made for family vacations in which the student will be unable to attend at least two consecutive lessons. Please let me know of your plans as far in advance as possible. Thirty days’ notice is required to discontinue lessons. Tuition for that thirty days will be charged even if the student opts to not attend those lessons. If you decide without advance notice to temporarily discontinue lessons, you will be expected to make payment for the 30 days’ notice time, and that payment will be applied to the month you return.
Delinquent Accounts: Tuition is due the first week of each month. If payment is not received by the 15th of the month, the school reserves the right to apply a $10 late fee to the account. Accounts that are more than 30 days delinquent begin to accrue finance charges at the rate of 10%, or $10.00 per month (whichever is greater). Accounts over three months past due will be turned over to a collection agency. There will be a $15.00 fee for returned checks, as my bank charges me for handling them.