Piano Studio of Diana Scott
Studio Policy 2023-2024 School Year
PLEASE KEEP FOR A REFERENCE!
Ways to contact me
Feel free to call, text, or email. I check them all equally as often. If you text please do so only for short or last-minute communication that involves no long-term planning.
Lessons
Private lessons are given weekly in sessions of 35 or 45 minutes. In addition to regular lessons, there will be approximately four or five group lessons scheduled throughout the year. The group lesson takes the place of the normal lesson for the week. If a group lesson is missed it will not be made up. All class and group fees are included in tuition.
Practice expectations
Students who establish good practice habits from the beginning will progress more rapidly and find piano practice and lessons more enjoyable. The amount of time required for good-quality practice will vary depending on the student's age and playing level. More importantly, however, is that practice is done on a consistent daily basis with a clear goal in mind. Specific practice assignments are given each week and should be followed each day. The teacher will work with the student on their practice expectation and the parents will be contacted if this expectation is not met.
Tuition
Tuition is the same amount every month August/September through May, and is to be paid at the first lesson of the month by cash, check, or through WAVE. If payment does not arrive with the student the parents have three days to drop off or mail the tuition. If it is received after three days there will be a $10 late fee applied to the next month. It is understood that a student is committing themselves to a full year of study except for a move out of the area, sickness, financial reasons, or if the teacher recommends ceasing. No refund will be given for lessons stopped early for other reasons. The monthly tuition covers: planning and preparing for individual and group lessons, recitals, special events like KeyboardFest and SAT, keeping financial records, scheduling lessons, time spent purchasing music and supplies, communication with parents, preparing studio documents, continuing education for the teacher which includes attending local, state, and national meetings and conferences, reading books/blogs, learning new repertoire, and of course, the weekly time set aside for lessons.
Books and materials
Please make sure each student arrives with all needed books. All students should have a 3-ring binder (1” works well, with pockets on the inside) with lined paper in it. This will be where all the student’s assignments and announcements will be put. Parents, please check the binder for announcements and as a chance to see what your child is learning. Each student should have a metronome (an app is fine) readily available for their use. The teacher will purchase any needed music for the student and this cost will be added to the month’s tuition.
Performance opportunities
Students are given many opportunities to participate in recitals and other performance venues. Two recitals will be offered during the year as well as the opportunity to perform in group lessons. Other performance opportunities include KeyboardFest and the state of Michigan’s Student Achievement Testing (SAT). Please check the box at the bottom if you are interested in SAT. More information will be given as these events get closer.
Absences and Cancellations
There will be no adjustment made in tuition for missed lessons. Up to two lessons that are missed for sickness are built into the schedule, one for the teacher and one for the student. These do not need to be made up. To accommodate when a student must miss a lesson the teacher will be providing a swap list to all students who wish to participate. Please consider the swap list your first resource if a student has to miss a lesson for any reason. If a student knows in advance that they need to miss a lesson please use the swap list to call another student and trade lesson times with the other student, and then let the teacher know the change.
If a lesson has to be canceled please give at least 24 hours notice. If a lesson has to be missed due to inclement weather or illness it will be made up as time allows.
If schools are closed because of weather, lessons will not automatically be canceled. If the roads are bad then an online lesson will most likely be given that day before 5 pm. Road conditions often improve dramatically throughout the day so please contact me if you are not sure or to discuss your options. Lessons missed by the teacher will be rescheduled or refunded.
Miscellaneous
Prompt arrival at lessons ensures that the student receives their full lesson time. Time will not be taken from the next student’s lesson to make up for late arrivals. The teacher makes it a priority to start and end on time so please respect this by arriving no more than five minutes early and by picking up the student promptly after the lesson (within five minutes).
Please let yourself in quietly without knocking. Upon entering the home students should remove shoes, wash hands, and wait in the living room until their lesson. Please make sure the student’s nails are trimmed and gum is spit out. Food and drink should not be brought into the house except a water bottle is allowed in the living room.
Parents are expected to have their piano tuned at least once a year.
Parents are an important part of a student’s learning. Please contact me if you see a change in your child in regards to attitude or motivation. The sooner I know about it the sooner we can work on how to improve it!
Thank you and I look forward to working with you or your children!
After reading the policy, please sign, date, and return this portion to the teacher at the first fall lesson.
Studio Policy 2023-2024 School Year
PLEASE KEEP FOR A REFERENCE!
Ways to contact me
Feel free to call, text, or email. I check them all equally as often. If you text please do so only for short or last-minute communication that involves no long-term planning.
Lessons
Private lessons are given weekly in sessions of 35 or 45 minutes. In addition to regular lessons, there will be approximately four or five group lessons scheduled throughout the year. The group lesson takes the place of the normal lesson for the week. If a group lesson is missed it will not be made up. All class and group fees are included in tuition.
Practice expectations
Students who establish good practice habits from the beginning will progress more rapidly and find piano practice and lessons more enjoyable. The amount of time required for good-quality practice will vary depending on the student's age and playing level. More importantly, however, is that practice is done on a consistent daily basis with a clear goal in mind. Specific practice assignments are given each week and should be followed each day. The teacher will work with the student on their practice expectation and the parents will be contacted if this expectation is not met.
Tuition
Tuition is the same amount every month August/September through May, and is to be paid at the first lesson of the month by cash, check, or through WAVE. If payment does not arrive with the student the parents have three days to drop off or mail the tuition. If it is received after three days there will be a $10 late fee applied to the next month. It is understood that a student is committing themselves to a full year of study except for a move out of the area, sickness, financial reasons, or if the teacher recommends ceasing. No refund will be given for lessons stopped early for other reasons. The monthly tuition covers: planning and preparing for individual and group lessons, recitals, special events like KeyboardFest and SAT, keeping financial records, scheduling lessons, time spent purchasing music and supplies, communication with parents, preparing studio documents, continuing education for the teacher which includes attending local, state, and national meetings and conferences, reading books/blogs, learning new repertoire, and of course, the weekly time set aside for lessons.
Books and materials
Please make sure each student arrives with all needed books. All students should have a 3-ring binder (1” works well, with pockets on the inside) with lined paper in it. This will be where all the student’s assignments and announcements will be put. Parents, please check the binder for announcements and as a chance to see what your child is learning. Each student should have a metronome (an app is fine) readily available for their use. The teacher will purchase any needed music for the student and this cost will be added to the month’s tuition.
Performance opportunities
Students are given many opportunities to participate in recitals and other performance venues. Two recitals will be offered during the year as well as the opportunity to perform in group lessons. Other performance opportunities include KeyboardFest and the state of Michigan’s Student Achievement Testing (SAT). Please check the box at the bottom if you are interested in SAT. More information will be given as these events get closer.
Absences and Cancellations
There will be no adjustment made in tuition for missed lessons. Up to two lessons that are missed for sickness are built into the schedule, one for the teacher and one for the student. These do not need to be made up. To accommodate when a student must miss a lesson the teacher will be providing a swap list to all students who wish to participate. Please consider the swap list your first resource if a student has to miss a lesson for any reason. If a student knows in advance that they need to miss a lesson please use the swap list to call another student and trade lesson times with the other student, and then let the teacher know the change.
If a lesson has to be canceled please give at least 24 hours notice. If a lesson has to be missed due to inclement weather or illness it will be made up as time allows.
If schools are closed because of weather, lessons will not automatically be canceled. If the roads are bad then an online lesson will most likely be given that day before 5 pm. Road conditions often improve dramatically throughout the day so please contact me if you are not sure or to discuss your options. Lessons missed by the teacher will be rescheduled or refunded.
Miscellaneous
Prompt arrival at lessons ensures that the student receives their full lesson time. Time will not be taken from the next student’s lesson to make up for late arrivals. The teacher makes it a priority to start and end on time so please respect this by arriving no more than five minutes early and by picking up the student promptly after the lesson (within five minutes).
Please let yourself in quietly without knocking. Upon entering the home students should remove shoes, wash hands, and wait in the living room until their lesson. Please make sure the student’s nails are trimmed and gum is spit out. Food and drink should not be brought into the house except a water bottle is allowed in the living room.
Parents are expected to have their piano tuned at least once a year.
Parents are an important part of a student’s learning. Please contact me if you see a change in your child in regards to attitude or motivation. The sooner I know about it the sooner we can work on how to improve it!
Thank you and I look forward to working with you or your children!
After reading the policy, please sign, date, and return this portion to the teacher at the first fall lesson.