Lesson Policies
Tuition
Tuition includes a private lesson once a week during the academic year (August 1st - May 31st). Private lessons are in 30-, 45-, or 60-minute blocks. Young beginners are advised to start with 30 minute lessons.* As students advance, they are encouraged to increase lesson time to match their playing ability and cover a broader scope of technique, music reading, and repertoire.
*For students younger than 10, a parent must be present at all lessons. Please see parental involvement expectations below.
Tuition may be paid either in full at the start of each semester (in August and January) or divided into 10 equal monthly payments. Monthly payments are due at the first lesson of each month either via cash, check, or PayPal. There will be a $10.00 late fee for tuition not paid within 5 days of the first lesson of the month.
Tuition will be prorated for students who register after the start of the semester/month.
Parental Involvement
For students younger than 10, a parent must be present at all lessons. Until the student has reached an age and maturity where they can take full responsibility for their daily practice, the parent is expected to take notes at the private lessons and assist with daily home practice as the “home teacher.” The parent will learn alongside their child in the lessons and will play an active role in the learning process. The parent, teacher, and student will work together as a team with open communication to ensure the student is able to learn in a nurturing and supportive environment.
For students older than 10, parents are always welcome to observe, attend lessons, and communicate any concerns to the teacher about progress or home practice. Though the level of direct involvement in the learning process will shift as students become more independent, parental support remains vital regardless of age.
Holidays
Lessons will follow the WFISD calendar for holidays. No lessons will occur on school holidays. Please note that the monthly tuition fee has been calculated to account for holidays and will be the same each month regardless of the number of lessons. Holidays for the 2021-2022 school year are as follows:
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Thanksgiving Break: November 22nd - 26th
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Fall Make-Up Week: December 13th - 17th*
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Winter Break: December 20th - 31st
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Spring Break: March 14th - 18th
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Spring Make-Up Week: May 23rd - 27th
*No lessons will occur during make-up weeks unless the student has arranged in advance for a make-up lesson to occur. (See make-up policy below).
Tardiness & Make-Up Policy
Students are expected to arrive promptly for lessons with all the necessary materials. Should tardiness occur, the student cannot expect the teacher to teach past the scheduled lesson time.
For virtual lessons, the teacher is responsible for contacting the student to begin the lesson at the appointed lesson time. (For Zoom lessons, students should be in the virtual “waiting-room” at the scheduled lesson time). The student is responsible for having all materials (instrument, lesson journal, pencil, metronome/tuner) ready beforehand with the camera positioned so that the student and instrument are in full view.
Lessons missed by the teacher at any time for any reason will be made-up at a mutually convenient time for the student and teacher. The teacher will take due care to inform the student of any conflicts one month in advance in order to arrange an alternate lesson time.
One make-up lesson per semester is offered for lessons missed by the student and is to be made up during the appointed make-up week after the semester has finished.
In order for a student to use their one make-up lesson, a 24 hour notice must be given to the teacher (or as soon as possible in the event of illness). If no notice is given, that lesson time will be forfeited.
No tuition will be refunded or make-up lessons scheduled beyond the one allotted make-up lesson per semester. Should more than one conflict arise, students may switch lesson times with another student (using the swap list on google docs) and then both families must notify me of the change as soon as possible. Alternatively, lessons via Skype or FaceTime during the student's regular lesson time may be scheduled with advanced notice.
Fall Semester 2020 Make-Up Week: December 13th - 17th
Spring Semester 2021 Make-Up Week: May 23rd - 27th
Summer Lessons
Summer lessons will continue through June and July at the regular monthly rate. Should a student wish to put a hold on lessons over the summer, they should notify the teacher as least two weeks in advance. During the summer, the teacher will take one week’s vacation and will notify the student of the exact date prior to the beginning of the summer months. The last week of July will serve as make-up week and the make-up policy is the same as the academic year.
Though summer lessons are not required, they are strongly encouraged in order to keep up consistency and to prevent remedial work in the fall. Priority scheduling for the fall semester will be given to students who participate in summer lessons.
Cancellation Policy
Learning to play a musical instrument is a long-term commitment that is as challenging as it is rewarding. I make every effort to equip parents with the necessary tools to make practice a daily habit so that their child approaches the violin with a sense of pride and enjoyment. Maintaining a steady stream of communication between parent and teacher is the easiest way to ensure that the child remains motivated and engaged in the learning process. I have a deep respect for every Suzuki parent and do my best to make myself available to find solutions to any struggles encountered along the way. In the interest of consistency for the child and respect for each student's rate of learning, I strongly advise all parents to consider committing to one full year of lessons before opting out.
However, in the event that the student is unable to continue lessons, a two weeks notice must be given. Only tuition paid towards lessons after the two weeks notice will be refunded (regardless of whether the student is able to attend the final two lessons).