Policies

Tuition

• Tuition for lessons is due at the 1st lesson of September either by CHEQUE, MASTERCARD, VISA, and DEBIT, or CASH.
• When paying by credit card, please be sure to come in at the beginning of the month. I WILL NOT keep your number on file for automatic payments.
• When paying by cheque: ten post-dated cheques are required. (September through June.) Amount will be determined by the office and provided in the registration confirmation letter.
• The cheques shall be dated for the first or fifteenth day of each month from September through June inclusive. It is school policy that fees are payable in advance unless other arrangements are made with management.
• Cheques should be made payable to JAM.
• Should a cheque be returned from the bank for any reason, JAM will charge the payer $20.00.
• Theory Group Classes: cheques of equal amounts need to be submitted during the semester the class is attended (notice of amount will be provided by the office)

Registration

An annual registration fee of $30.00 per individual or $60.00 per family is required at time of submission of registration form. A form without the fee fails to secure a lesson time. The registration fees are used for the following services:

• use of extensive printed music library
• photocopied materials
• administrative costs

Theory classes require an additional $30.00 registration fee. The fee provides for all photocopied materials and CDs required to complete the course.

Summer Registration Form

2011-2012 Registration Form

Studio Courtesy

• Please wait quietly in the waiting area and make your way to the lesson at your scheduled time.
• To maintain the service of provided magazines and books, please return materials to the rack or box.
• Please wash your hands before approaching the piano.

Books

Books will be ordered through the office and must be paid for prior to being released to the student.

Missed Lessons

• Make-up lessons will ONLY BE GIVEN FOR SICKNESS! This notice must be provided in advance by the PARENT, NOT THE STUDENT. NOTICE GIVEN AT THE ONSET OF THE LESSON IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO REARRANGE LESSONS AND WILL NOT BE MADE UP. FAILURE TO PROVIDE NOTICE, RESULTS IN A FORFEITED LESSON.

• 1 makeup day is provided on the JAM calendar. It is your responsibility to make lesson arrangements for that day. School Pro-D days could potentially provide an alternate time. Again, you are required to contact me should a makeup lesson be needed.

• IF FAMILY VACATIONS ARE PLANNED FOR TIMES OTHER THAN THE SCHEDULED BREAKS, LESSONS WILL BE FORFEITED.

• If a student cannot attend the lesson for reasons other than sickness, the lesson is forfeited unless a "swap" with another student can be arranged.

• If I cannot attend a lesson and am unable to arrange an alternate time or substitute, I will refund the fee for that lesson.

• When a theory class is missed, the student is required to complete all assigned material prior to attending the next class. As in college or a private school, missed classes will not be refunded. If you request a make-up lesson, it will be billed at the rate of a private lesson.

Group Activities

• There will be one recital. Participation is recommended.
• A Christmas concert is presented at a seniors' home in December.
• Up to four group activities may occur during the year. These might include Technique Olympics, "JAM" exams, ensemble classes, and Master Classes. The individual lessons for that week will be replaced by these activities.
• Monday students have their regular lessons that week as well as the group event.

Summer Lessons

• Students are not expected to continue lessons throughout the summer, however, 3 lessons available on a flexible basis are highly recommended. (Without practice or maintenance of some kind, students generally spend from September through November getting to the same position they were at in June.)
• Most courses of study will be offered.

Parents' Involvement

• I wish to work in conjunction with parents in educating their children. Unless specific arrangements are made, I request that parents only attend lessons on the 1st lesson of the month. This applies to private study lessons.
• To avoid unnecessary disruption, I request that younger siblings not attend the lessons.
• I appreciate and encourage communication from clients. All comments and concerns will be addressed.
• You are invited to discuss the progress of the student privately at regular intervals at a mutually convenient time.

General Information

• All students are required to have a well-maintained instrument.
• It is vital for the student to have a metronome.
• All students must have short fingernails, cut as short as possible, flush with the end of the finger. Students who arrive for their lessons with long fingernails will use lesson time to cut their nails.
• Students are expected to complete the year of study, but if withdrawal is necessary, one month's notice or one month's fee in lieu of notice is required in most circumstances. It is best that the termination of lessons be made under comfortable circumstances, so please use all possible discretion when such an event is unavoidable. To facilitate this transition, care must be taken to observe: respect, courtesy, and honesty.
• Reasonable practice is required for each student. A student not applying him or her self will be given a period of probation. If the situation has not improved after that time, and a thorough review has taken place, the student will be asked to find a new instructor. The parents will be contacted before the period of probation is set.
• Reasonable study time is required for each of the courses. Homework will be assigned weekly and will always be due the following lesson.
• Notification of exam application deadlines will be given well in advance. Students should make their application online by visiting www.rcmexaminations.org.
• Information regarding the group lessons will be on the website and will be sent home in a notice a month prior to the event if it is not specifically marked on the 2011/2012 "JAM" calendar.
• Student handbooks will be prepared for each student. All pertinent information, including the JAM calendar, policy, group lessons, technical requirements, and their weekly assignment pages will be included. This will be billed at my cost.

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