Piano Studio
Studio Policies
Teacher Responsibilities
⦁ To provide a positive and enthusiastic atmosphere for learning, offering performance and enriching activities.
⦁ To continue to further teaching skills and knowledge of music.
⦁ To encourage a feeling of success at each student's rate of learning and guide each student towards musical independence.
⦁ Will approach students as individuals and attempt to challenge each according to their own unique potential.
Student Responsibilities
⦁ Be helpful, interested, and attentive. Greeting each lesson with a good attitude.
⦁ Arrive well-prepared and with all necessary materials.
⦁ Daily, quality practice, is both necessary and required. (Have a cheerful attitude when Mom or Dad remind you to practice)
⦁ Ask questions! If questions arise, be sure to ask me during your lesson. I want you to completely understand your assignments.
Parent Responsibilities
⦁ Encourage and celebrate progress! You are a key player in the success of your child. One of the biggest differences between highly successful students and their struggling counterparts is the amount of parental support and encouragement.
⦁ Set aside a regular time for practice each day. Children are rarely self-motivated and lack the maturity (and self-discipline) to put in that all important practice session. Younger children especially need help with their practicing.
⦁ Provide a practice enviornment that is free from interruptions and distractions (family, friends, TV, computer, phone, etc).
⦁ Be financially responsible and pay tuition on time.
⦁ Provide the best piano you can afford and regularly tune it (once or twice a year is typical).
⦁ Be punctual. The lesson begins and ends at the scheduled time. If you are late, the lesson will still end at the scheduled time and will not go into the next student's time. You reserve the time slot, not the number of minutes.
⦁ Be prompt in picking up your child after his or her lesson if you must be absent during that time.
Commitment
When students enroll, they are reserving their placement in the studio for the entire year*. The enrollment is a firm, mutual commitment, and guarantees your place in the studio. Be sure to choose a lesson time that is one in which you feel confident that you will have no other conflicts.
Please complete and return the Agreement to Terms, Schedule of Fees, and Student Registration forms by August 1st to confirm your lesson time for the year.
*Extenuating circumstances are understandable, ie., job loss, relocation, extended illness, etc.
Tuition
Tuition is calculated annually, and divided into 12 monthly installments, or 4 quarterly installments. At this price the student is guaranteed I will be present and prepared to teach the amount of lessons stated in the Schedule of Fees. This is a yearly tuition plan and tuition will not change from month to month, nor quarter to quarter for any reason.
⦁ Tuition paid by the month is due the 1st of each month.
⦁ Tuition paid by the quarter is due September 1st, December 1st, March 1st, and June 1st.
⦁ No payments for individual lessons are accepted.
⦁ Tuition is not lowered nor credited to the next month for missed lessons and is non-refundable.
⦁ Returned checks are subject to a $25.00 Returned Check Fee. Subsequent payments will be accepted in cash only.
⦁ Families should expect tuition to potentially increase from year to year appropriate to cost of living increases, expenses, and services offered.
Summer Semester
Lessons continue through the summer months of June, July, and August. Students are expected to continue to attend in order to fulfill their year commitment.
Group lessons are 60 minutes, and students are grouped by age. Times and dates are set by the teacher.
The student flex week is a bonus week that you are not charged for. You may use this extra, free week at any time throughout the summer months to accomodate vacations and summertime activities.
⦁ Forseeable conflicts are managed in the same manner as the rest of the year (see below).
⦁ No private lessons are given the same week as group lessons.
⦁ There are no make-ups for missed group lessons.
⦁ Student flex week may be used only in the summer months of June, July, or August.
The summer months are a great time to explore new styles and genres of music, to focus on improvisation or composing, to learn new techniques, or to devote ones entire attention to a challenging piece. I strongly believe in the value of a student continuing their musical education throughout the summer months; so much is lost with an extended absence. Students not only cease progressing but in fact regress, costing months of skill, knowledge, time, and money.
Canceled Lessons and Make-up Lessons
Please understand that the tuition you pay reserves an exclusive weekly time in my schedule for you or your child. I have very limited space in my studio and my schedule is often at maximum capacity, at times necessitating a waiting list. Whether you are absent for 1 week or 4, there is no way for me to allow a prospective student to fill that hole in my schedule during your absence. I cannot re-sell that time, nor will I create extra teaching time in which to give lessons. Regular attendance of lessons is an issue of responsibility and choice on the part of parents and students.
If my schedule permits, I am more than happy to reschedule. However, because specific times are set aside for specific students make up lessons cannot be guaranteed. Below are some great alternatives if you cannot make your lesson. If you cannot, or will not use any of the several options below, the student will simply miss the benefit of that lesson. I will then use that time to plan for the student's progress, locate materials, etc. Please be assured that your tuition pays for far more than the time spent with your child (see "Where Does My Tuition Go?").
Skype/Facetime/Google Hangouts: Skype, Facetime, the telephone, and Google Hangouts are becoming very useful tools for teaching students who cannot make it to their lesson due to mild illness, inclement weather, etc. If you have a computer with a camera close to your piano or a laptop that you can set up near the piano, please create a free Skype account and add my name to your contacts. This will allow me to call you and have a lesson over the internet if need be. My Skype user name is diahill4. We can also have a lesson over the telephone.
Lesson Swaps: Families may swap their lesson time with another family to help avoid absences. Use these rules to make sure swaps go smoothly:
⦁ I must be informed prior to and after arranging a swap.
⦁ No make-up lessons will be given if any confusion from this arises.
⦁ Should 2 people arrive at once, I will teach the one whose lesson is normally at that time.
⦁ Swaps are limited to 3 swaps per year, per family (use them wisely).
⦁ Accept no for an answer.
⦁ Be willing to reciprocate when asking for a swap.
Sibling Bonus Time: If you have multiple children enrolled and one cannot make it to their lesson, we may extend the lesson time of the other student to include both lessons.
Group Lesson: Every November, February, and May there will be a 60 minute group lesson available specifically for those who missed any lessons during the preceding months. Specific dates and times are noted in the Lessons Schedule. Cancellation policy must have been followed to qualify to attend.
Performance Classes: A couple of weeks before each recital there will be a performance class. These may be viewed as a form of make up lesson.
Additional Guidelines:
⦁ Lessons canceled with less than 24 hours notice will not be rescheduled, nor made up.
⦁ If you miss or cancel the rescheduled lesson, it will not be rescheduled a second time.
⦁ Illness: Students who are ill should not come to piano lessons. If students are only mildly ill, please call me and we will do a phone or Skype lesson.
⦁ If you are a no-show, you will owe a $20 no-show fee per student, payable at the next lesson.
⦁ If I have need to cancel lessons, and rescheduling is not possible, I will use one of my flex weeks. If they've already been used, I will then make up the canceled lesson.
Flex Weeks
Flex weeks are scheduled lesson weeks that the student is not charged for. For example, if there are 35 scheduled lesson weeks, the tuition would be calculated and set for only 33. These extra weeks allow the teacher to cancel lessons in the event of illness or an emergency. If the teacher does not have need to use her flex weeks, then the student receives these weeks free of charge!
Practicing
With the commitment to learning the art of music, comes the choice to practice on a regular basis. Learning the necessary skills to become proficient at the piano will not happen simply by attending lessons. DAILY, SCHEDULED practice is expected of all students. Practice is defined as follows:
⦁ Practice at least 5 days a week.
⦁ Each day, complete ALL the assignments written in your notebook.
⦁ It is not enough to "run through" each song once. Practice each section or song slowly, counting out loud, playing it the number of times specified, and in the order specified.
Recitals
There are two recitals each year, the Winter recital in March, and the Back to School Summer Showcase in September. Recitals encourage the setting and reaching of goals, build memorization skills, encourage comradery among students, and give students experience performing in public.
All students are required to participate in at least 1 recital per year. Except in cases of family emergency or illness, students may not "drop out" from the program.
Performers must be at the recital location no later than 10 minutes prior to the start of the recital.
Performers and their families are expected to remain for the duration of the entire recital, thereby providing ample audience and respect for all perfomers.
If the student is not adequately prepared and performance ready, he or she will not have the privilege of participating in the recital.
Terminating Lessons
The time will always come when a student will discontinue lessons. Ideally it is a thoughtful and respectful process that leaves all parties grateful for having had the time together that they did.
If the student wishes to terminate lessons, a minimum of 1 month notice is appreciated.
If lessons are terminated before the year commitment is fulfilled you may owe a balance. See the Break Down Of Fees schedule.
All make up lessons owed are forfeited.
No refunds are given if the student chooses not to attend the last month's lessons.
Students may be dismissed without notice at the teacher's discretion for reasons including but not limited to: inappropriate behavior, excessive absence, failure to pay tuition, disrespect to the teacher or other students, and abuse of studio property.
Policy subject to change at any given time. Thirty days notice will be given prior to the effective date of any changes. If any part of this agreement is deemed to be unenforceable, the balance of the agreement shall remain in full force and effect.