OPTION 1: Cash Due at the 1st lesson of the month, thank you in advance.
OPTION 2: Monthly E-Transfer/EMT Due the within the week of receiving the dates email mentioned above. Please send this to stephaniedeciantis@gmail.com
Absences
48 Hours Notice Lessons canceled with forty-eight (48) hours advance notice will be rescheduled, schedule permitting. Students are responsible for paying for lessons canceled without forty-eight hours notice. No refunds will be given for no-shows or tardiness. Texting, email, or in-person notice are all great ways to get in touch with me!
Illness In the case of illness, the 48-hour rule does not apply - I always have a zoom lesson in the back pocket for a last-minute alternative! Please email, call, or text to cancel and we will try our best to reschedule, have a virtual lesson at our regular spot, or roll over the fee to the next month.
Teacher Cancellation For a cancellation on my end, I will try my best to provide a few makeup options. If we can’t make up the lesson, then your fee will be taken off the total for the next month.
Arriving Late Because I have a full studio, it is rare that I can add on 5 or 10 minutes to the end of a lesson because of the lateness of the student - please be on time!
Vacation or Other Conflicts Because I have a full studio, it is very difficult to change times during the year and it is not something that usually can be accommodated. I can always ask another student to swap times, but that's about all I can do. So, if you require three or more consecutive non-illness absences (whether for an amazing long vacation or if you schedule a second activity for our usual time) a holding fee of 50% of the lesson cost will be required to hold your spot. In the case of a conflict where you decide to leave the studio instead, the 3-week notice rule applies. Any make-ups scheduled will minus the holding fee of the lesson made-up. This does not include weeks canceled in the studio calendar: the holiday break in December and January and March Break.
Stopping Lessons
All students stop taking lessons at some point. Ideally, this decision is made thoughtfully with plenty of discussion between the teacher, parent (if applicable), and student so we can complete the year with a positive sense of closure. If a situation arises in which a family must discontinue lessons mid-year (for example moving), I require written notice from the parent and three weeks of paid notice.
When you register for lessons, please be prepared to make the commitment from September through June, as it can be difficult to fill your reserved lesson time mid-year. If there is a problem at any time, please talk to me so I can help make necessary changes. The journey of music study is full of ups and downs, which I have navigated many times. Please keep me in the conversation and let's enjoy the journey from beginning to end.
A student may also be deregistered from the studio for the following reasons:
- unpaid tuition - inappropriate amount of absences - frequently unprepared for lessons
Snow Days
If the school is cancelled for a storm or snow day, you may still assume that lessons will take place as usual since the roads are generally clear by afternoon. Because I teach in the same building as my home, I will always be available for lessons on snowy days. You can let me know if you feel unsafe driving or walking and we'll reschedule. Please email or text to cancel if you feel uncomfortable with transportation and check with me for rescheduling options.
Instrument
All piano students are required to have a piano at home for daily practicing. I recommend a tuned acoustic piano, however a digital piano with 88 weighted and “touch sensitive” keys plus a proper foot pedal is acceptable for early levels. All students should have access to a metronome or metronome App. For voice-only students, a keyboard of some kind is encouraged!
