Tuition Policy

• Tuition is invoiced on the last Friday of each month for the upcoming month, with tuition due by the first lesson of the month.
• Payments can be made with cash, check, or online by credit card or through PayPal.
• Students participating in the ACE program are still required to make tuition payments upfront, but will be provided with paid receipts to submit for reimbursement.
• Event registration fees and new books will be added to the next monthly invoice.
• Students should expect a yearly increase in tuition fees appropriate to cost of living increases and/or expansion of services offered.

Scheduling Policy

• Lessons are weekly with the exception of major national holidays. The studio is typically closed on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, during the week of Thanksgiving, and for a two-week break over Christmas and New Year's.  
• All students are assigned a regular day and time for their lesson. Students and parents are asked to respect this commitment once a regular lesson time is arranged.
• If a student’s schedule changes and they can no longer keep their regularly scheduled time, please contact me immediately to request a permanent change in lesson times. (Short term changes to lesson times to accommodate sports or other seasonal activities are usually not available.)
• The studio will be on break for up to 4 weeks per year for professional development, teacher vacation, or illness. These breaks are calculated into the tuition fee and will not be reflected in the monthly tuition invoice.

Attendance Policy

• Weekly attendance is expected from all students. 
• If a student is late for a lesson, they will only be taught for their remaining lesson time. 
• Students are expected to come prepared for their lesson with all assigned materials.
• A parent must attend lessons with younger children and is responsible for the supervision of their child at all times. 
• Students and parents accept that I cannot be held responsible for accidents or injuries which occur at the studio. 
• It is recommended that siblings or friends of students are not invited to attend lessons on a regular basis. Additional visitors can be a distraction to the student and result in a less productive lesson.

Cancellation Policy

• There are no refunds if you miss or cancel a lesson. Please let me know as soon as possible if a lesson must be cancelled for any reason. 
• Cancelled lessons may be rescheduled within 30 days if my schedule permits.  
• If there is inclement weather or illness, lessons may be moved online.  
• If a student needs to take an extended break from lessons but wishes to hold a lesson slot in the studio for when they return, a studio fee equaling half of the monthly tuition fee will be charged.  
• I will make every effort to provide students with at least 24 hours notice if I need to cancel or reschedule a lesson.
• If, for any reason, more than 4 lessons are cancelled within a calendar year due to Teacher Absence, those cancellations will be deducted from the next month's tuition fee.

Referral Policy

• Each time a referred student enrolls in my studio, the referring student will receive a credit for two free lessons toward their next monthly tuition payment payment.

Performance Dress Code

• Annual recitals and other performance opportunities are a chance for students to experience performing in a formal environment. For this reason, students should dress appropriately for the occasion and avoid wearing shorts, t-shirts, shirts with large logos or pictures, and flip-flops. 
• Slacks, collared shirts or blouses, or dresses are all encouraged. Jacket and tie are optional. 
• As some performances may take place on a raised stage, it is recommended that any skirts or dresses be knee-length.

Discontinuing Lessons

• The decision to stop taking lessons should be made with careful consideration, ideally after discussion between the teacher, student, and parent.
• Please notify me 30 days prior to discontinuing lessons so lessons can be ended in a positive manner.
• If a student chooses to end lessons with less than 30 days notice, no refunds will be issued and the student will be billed for one month's tuition.
• I reserve the right to discontinue a student's lessons at any time if they have excessive unpaid tuition fees, demonstrate an ongoing lack of preparedness for lessons or show no interest in continuing to study piano, or regularly exhibit severe behavioral issues that the parent is unwilling or unable to handle.