Attendance Policy:
Please notify the teacher as far in advance as possible if you must miss a scheduled lesson.
You will be offered a reschedule option, or given a make up credit good for the next 30 days.
If a mutually available time is not found to reschedule/make up the lesson within the next 30 days, the originally scheduled lesson will still be charged.
Lessons originally scheduled to be in person may have an online make up.
Please be on time:
For in person lessons arrive up to, but not more than, 5 minutes early.
For online lessons please join the Zoom meeting 1-2 minutes early, with your instrument and materials ready.
A reasonable attempt will be made to contact late students, including sending an invite to join the Zoom meeting and/or a text.
The lesson will be considered missed when ⅓ of the scheduled length has elapsed (ex: 10 minutes of a 30-minute lesson) and there has been no reply. At that time I may move on to another activity and no longer be available for the remainder of the lesson time.
Lessons that start late will still end at the scheduled time. The missed minutes will not be made up.
No reschedules/make up credit for missed groups or other non-lesson events.
You are welcome to visit another group class if there's room.
Tuition will not be adjusted for missed group classes.
Lesson Modalities:
Online:
For those that live at too great a distance to travel to lessons
Per studio policy, an adult must be present for all lessons of students age 17 and younger.
For older students you may just need to be where you can overhear what’s going on.
For younger students it really helps if the parent listens in and takes notes.
The very youngest will need parental help to manage and interact with technology, and the parent may need to assist as “teacher hands”
In case of inclement weather or illness, in person lessons will be converted to online
In person:
For those that live locally
Per studio policy, a parent or other responsible adult must be present in the studio during all lessons of students age 17 and younger
In case of inclement weather or illness, in person lessons will be converted to online
Hybrid:
For those that live locally, yet also appreciate the convenience of online lessons
We’ll work together to create a routine of which weeks online and which in person
Studio policies for parent/adult presence at all lessons of students age 17 or younger applies
Scheduling lessons can be a challenge! I will give you as many options as possible, and appreciate your flexibility as I work to accommodate everyone's scheduling needs. Once your time is set (for the school year, August-May) it is understood you are committing to that slot for the semester, if not the entire year. If your child adds an activity that conflicts with their lesson or group schedule there is no guarantee that a different time will be available.
Snow days: Strickland Suzuki Strings does NOT automatically cancel lessons when local school districts cancel for weather. When inclement weather makes travel to the studio difficult for student or teacher, in person lessons will be converted to online.
Alternate-weeks Policy: From time to time students inquire about scheduling lessons on alternate weeks, instead of weekly. For many reasons, this is usually not a good idea. In order for me to consider alternate weeks instead of weekly lessons, the student must meet ALL of the following criteria:
age 18 or older.
played for at least 3 years/skill level approximately book 3 or higher.
"hobbyist" just checking in on repertoire and maintaining skills, not working to advance technique.
lesson time scheduled "off peak", while most students are still in school or after 7:00 pm.
Website: I use MyMusicStaff.com to host my studio website. You will be given a personal username and login when signing up for lessons. Among other things, the website keeps a calendar of lessons and other events, sends automatic reminders, and facilitates invoicing and payment.
Grateful and Graceful Goodbyes
Goodbyes are rarely easy, but they are inevitable. Changing teachers and/or instruments is a common part of long term music study. Students also move away, or simply discover that they need to put their time and energy into other pursuits. No one takes lessons their entire life! However long or short our time together has been, please know that I am grateful that we shared this portion of your musical journey.
To make the transition out of Strickland Suzuki Strings studio the smoothest possible, please notify me at least a month in advance. (Ideally we'd know for longer!) Tuition packages run for a 12-month period, August-July. If leaving before completing the full package, the lessons you've received will be compared to the tuition you've paid so far. Typically, until near the end of the package, you'll have been receiving lessons in advance of what you were paying for, so an additional payment may be necessary for those leaving before the end of the package.
Updated June 8, 2023. Subject to edits as needed.