Welcome to an experience that I hope you and your family will always cherish! Here are detailed specifications on what I expect and what you can expect to make this experience as rewarding as possible for everyone involved.

Payment:

Payment for all lessons for the month is due during the first week of the month.  Have your payment ready to hand in before or after a lesson, since I often have other lessons waiting immediately after yours.  Payment should cover either 4 or 5 lessons for that month, unless you foresee a need for cancellation.  In that case, you need to give me written notice with your payment, or by phone, or by email so that I have a record of the cancellation.  You do not have to pay for the precancelled lesson.  If need should arise for you to cancel a lesson in the middle of the month, just let me know by written notice, phone, or email at least 12 hours before lesson time.  I will give you a credit toward a lesson for the following month.  If unforeseen conflicts occur because of school, sports, traffic, sickness, you may call up until the time of the lesson to cancel, and I will still give you a credit.  If you do not show up for a scheduled lesson, you must forfeit payment for that lesson.  I will not be giving any more FREE makeup lessons as I have been doing in the past.  If you want a makeup lesson, you may schedule one and bring additional payment for that lesson. 

Because of past experience, I cannot be lenient about payment for skipped lessons.  Please do not put pressure on me to let a missed lesson go unpaid.  I do not know how to be any more explicit about this ongoing problem.

Rates and Frequency of Lessons: Lessons must be once a week at the following rates                                                                   (effective January 2010):

1 student

• 1/2 hour: $25
• 45 min: $36
• 1 hour: $47

2 Family members

• 1/2 hour: $24 each lesson
• 45 min: $35 each lesson
• 1 hour: $46 each lesson

3 Family members

• 1/2 hour: $23 each lesson
• 45 min: $34 each lesson
• 1 hour: $45 each lesson

Group lesson for early beginners: $13/person, 2 people/half hour

Tardiness: If you are late for a lesson, I am usually very understanding and will give you extra time if I do not have another student immediately following you or if I do not have other plans.  If you are more than 10 minutes late without notice, I will assume you are absent, and you will have to pay for that lesson.

Behavior: Please do not bring food, drink, or gum to lessons.  Do not wear rings, excessively loose bracelets, or excessively long sleeves to lessons.  Trim nails and wash hands before coming to a lesson.  Please, please, wash hands after using my restroom.  When you arrive for a lesson and hear that I’m teaching someone else, please enter and sit quietly until your lesson time.  If you do not hear me teaching someone else, enter and begin practicing.  I avoid answering the door or the phone when I’m teaching, so parents, please enter quietly when dropping off or picking up students.  Do not wait at the door for me to come answer it!  Doing so disrupts my current lesson, cuts into lesson time for the rest of the day’s lessons, and extends your waiting time.

Rewards Program: As an incentive for you to practice more, I give out detailed report cards after each lesson listing everything you should have practiced and should practice for the following week.  You will receive a letter grade ranging from A+ to B-, based on performance, effort, and preparation.  If I think you earned less than a B-, I won’t write the grade down. You will also receive deductions for not bringing books, for not completing work, and for not practicing items.  After you accumulate at least 50 points you are eligible for claiming a reward. The person who earns the most points from the date of the last recital will win the Most Improved Student award and 50 more points during the next recital.  A parent needs to sign the report card each week (located in the back of the exercise notebook) at the bottom of the page.  Absence of a signature will result in the loss of a point. I will award points as follows:

A+: 10 points

A: 9 points

A-: 8 points

B+: 5 points

B: 1 point

B-: 0 points

Holidays: Except for New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Independence Holiday, Thanksgiving Holiday, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and all weekends, lessons will be year round unless you notify me.  You must notify me of your absence on all other days.  Failure to contact me of your absence during other holidays and days off from school will result in my charging for an unexcused absence.

Recitals: Recitals occur at least twice a year.  I expect all students to participate.  If you cannot participate in a recital, you must give me ample notice before the recital stating the reason for your absence so that I can prepare programs, certificates, awards, seating, and food accommodations.