Sheffield Music Studio

Policies
2021 - 2022

Welcome to Sheffield Music Studio! I look forward to helping your child learn and enjoy music as they progress in their musical ability. Please, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to ask. You can always email, text, message or send a Marco Polo video. You can send a Marco Polo video anytime; like when your child plays a song well. or has questions about a song, or has questions on what to practice, etc.  

Tuition is a flat monthly rate and can easily be paid by cash, check, or online via PayPal. If you pay by cash, please put it in an envelope and mark it with your name and the amount. If you wish to pay by check, talk with the instructor first. If payment is made by check and the check is not honored by the bank for NSF or other reasons, there is a $10 fee plus the reimbursement of any bank fees charged to the studio. To pay on line, just log in to the website, from the menu on the left side of the screen choose "Accounts and Invoices," then click the tab "Make Payment" and follow the instructions. You also have the option to set up autopay on the website which makes it easy and convenient to remember tuition payments. There is a $5 early bird discount if the tuition is paid before the new month begins. The discount will be applied after payment is made and will apply to the next months tuition. If not used, the discount will expire after 90 days.

Tuition covers:

*Instruction time with the student

*Opportunity to send videos to instructor between lessons or when unable to attend lessons to show progress on songs/ask questions about songs/etc. and get video feedback from instructor using the Marco Polo app

*Flexibility to trade lesson times (within guidelines) on the website

*Option to choose between in person or video lessons depending on the circumstances.

*Preparation/planning time for the student. (lesson planning, bookkeeping, etc. It has been cited by professional music journals that for every hour a student is enrolled in piano lessons, the teacher is investing at least 2 hours of time)

*Access to studio licensed music, many are on the website.

*The opportunity to participate in recital/performance opportunities

*The extra time and effort required to plan and prepare for the performance opportunities.

*The planning, memberships, etc. required to be able to give students the opportunity to participate in various evaluations/competitions.

*Studio costs – things like rent, website, instruments, studio licensed music, loaner music, music games, rhythm instruments, etc.

*The instructors training, experience, professional memberships and continued professional development.

Tuition does not cover:

*Recital fees (usually less than $10)

*Fees charged by competitions/evaluations

*Music books – method books, theory books, other music as needed

*Fees if loaner music/games/etc. are lost or destroyed

If music or games are loaned to a student, they should be returned in basically the same condition as they were when loaned to the student. For lost or destroyed materials, the student/parent of student will need to repay the current replacement value of the music or games, there is a minimum charge of $5.

The calendar on the website tells you what weeks there are lessons and what weeks there are scheduled breaks. There is also 1 unscheduled break per 4 months to allow for teacher illness/emergency. Should there be a need to cancel more than one lesson in a 4 month period (Sept. - Dec., Jan. - Apr., and May - Aug) due to teacher illness/emergency, you will be issued a Make-Up Credit that you can use to reschedule.

In the event of a snowstorm, earthquake, other nature disaster, or civil unrest that is severe enough that the local public school district cancels in person school then in person lessons are also canceled. During the summer, the instructor will decide if the situation is severe enough to cancel lessons. If in person lessons are cancelled, there may be an option to switch to on line lessons, depending on the circumstances.

For private lessons - If you are unable to attend a scheduled lesson in person, you can check with the instructor about changing the lesson to online. If this will not work, please go to the website and click "Cancel Attendance" on the calendar. If you cancel your time slot at least 48 hours before your scheduled time then you will automatically be issued a Make-Up Credit, which can then be used to sign up for another time slot. Please cancel as soon as you know you are unable to attend to make it easier for people to trade time slots as needed. If you have a Make-Up Credit you are welcome to sign up for open spots on the calendar equal to the length of your normal lesson. Please schedule another time option within 30 days. If an online lessons during your regular time slot will not work, you are always welcome to do a Marco Polo video lesson. Marco Polo is a free app you can download. Just send videos of the songs/theory pages that you are working on and the teacher will respond with feedback and new assignments as appropriate.

If students are ill, please let the instructor know as soon as possible that the student will not be at lessons.