School Policies

1. TUITION

• All payments are processed by pre-authorized credit or debit cards on or around the 25th of each month for the following month of lessons. ​

 

• Tuition does not include any retail teaching materials such as books or instruments.

 

• There is a $35 registration fee due only at time of registration.

 

• Tuition is never prorated for missed lessons. Only your first month will be prorated if you’re not starting at the beginning of the month.

 

• Late payments received after 7 days will incur a $15 late fee. If no payment is received before the first lesson of the month, your lessons may be subject to cancellation and removal from the schedule.​

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2. CANCELLATIONS AND MAKEUPS

We understand that life can be unpredictable, and sometimes, things come up that prevent you from attending your scheduled lesson. To ensure you never miss out on the joy of learning, we've created a flexible and student-friendly makeup policy.

 

For any lessons the student has to miss, we have FIVE makeup options!:

 

1. GROUP MAKE-UP Classes: The Academy holds unlimited one-hour group classes every weekend, for any lesson missed, for any reason, at any time, regardless of notice given. The classes are age and level appropriate. Contact the office and NOT the instructor to sign up for a makeup class. You may also self-enroll for a class by visiting: https://highlandsmusicacademy.opus1.io/w/group-makeup

 

2. Take an online lesson if you can’t attend in-person: Contact the office before your lesson (please give us at least 30-60 minutes notice or more if possible) and let us know that you need to go online and we’ll inform the teacher and send you their zoom link for the lesson.

 

3. Request a Video Pre-Recorded Lesson: If you know that you have to miss the lesson and can’t do an online lesson, please let us know the day before and your teacher will send you a recorded lesson. OR send us a video for your teacher to give feedback on!

 

4. Gift your lesson to a friend/family member to attend in your place: Do you have another family member or friend who is interested in trying out a lesson? Feel free to send them in your place if you can’t come! You could even trade places with another friend or family member who already takes lessons at the academy. Just let us know so we can give your teacher a heads up.

 

5. Private Makeup Lesson: Due to limited teacher availability, any private lessons missed by the STUDENT (with 24-hour prior notice) are currently limited to ONE reschedule PER MONTH. Unfortunately, no shows, or late cancellations/reschedules (less than 24 hours notice) will not be eligible for a PRIVATE make-up - but remember, you can attend as many group classes as you wish! Makeup credits must be used within 90 before they expire. Any lesson credit created from a TEACHER absence/cancellation does not expire.

• Note: Once scheduled, private makeup credits can not be rescheduled and are forfeited if canceled.

 

Teacher Absences: Our teachers are sometimes out due to illness, emergencies, gigs, or vacations. In this case, we try to limit any interruption to you lesson schedule by providing a guest teacher. If a guest teacher is unavailable or unsuitable for the student, a private makeup lesson with the student’s regular teacher will be scheduled promptly, just let us know (a no-show will forfeit a private makeup).

 

Inclement Weather: In the event of school closing due to severe weather, you will be notified and issued a private make-up lesson. In some cases, we may schedule makeups during a holiday break.

 

We are open during snow days, as typically the roads have cleared by the afternoon when most lessons start. You are welcome to request an online lesson on snow days.

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3. DISCONTINUING LESSONS

• Every student here is on a month-to-month basis.

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• To discontinue lessons and to discontinue charges to your account, fill out the withdrawal form on or before the 20th of your last month. We do not prorate tuition for your last month of lessons.​

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• Go to: www.highlandsmusicacademy.com/withdraw. (The withdrawal form can also be found on our website under "Current Students.")

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• Students will be responsible for their last month’s tuition whether or not they attend lessons.

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• Verbal notice given to the teacher will not be acted upon and is not considered sufficient unless confirmed in writing to Highlands Music Academy.

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4. AVERAGE OF FOUR LESSONS PER MONTH

• Monthly tuition is based on a 48 week year.

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• We are closed for four weeks for holidays. In the long months, you will get five lessons, short months such as November and December, you will get three lessons, and most months you will get four lessons.

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• The tuition is the SAME each month; i.e. we don’t charge you more when you have five lessons, and we don’t charge you less when you have three lessons in a month. This makes everyone’s accounting easier.

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• You may view our calendar anytime on our website: www.highlandsmusicacademy.com/calendar

 

5. SUMMER VACATION

• Highlands Music Academy operates year-round and does not close for the summer.

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• We are happy to offer unlimited makeups for our students. If you are taking a month off for vacation and want to resume the next month, your payment is still due on the 25th of the month to reserve your lesson time. If you choose to withdraw for the summer, we cannot guarantee your lesson time when you return.

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• The lessons for the month you miss can be made up when you return from vacation.

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6. CARE OF STUDENTS

• The school is not responsible for providing before or after care for students.

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• We advise parents/guardians with children under the age of six to remain in the school lobby or parking lot during the classes.

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• Students are not to be left at the school for excessive time periods before or after their lessons.

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7. OPEN DOOR POLICY

• Parents are always allowed to sit in on lessons. We have an open-door policy for lessons.

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8. INJURIES

• Parents, legal guardians of minors, students and adult students waive the right to any legal action for any injury sustained on school property resulting from normal lesson activity or any other activity conducted by the students or their siblings before, during, or after lesson time, including hearing loss or hearing damage.

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• Highlands Music Academy is not responsible for any damage done to vehicles or items stolen from vehicles.

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9. PICKING UP

• Children must wait for their parents to pick them up inside the Academy. Please do not ask them to meet you elsewhere.

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• Students are not to be dropped off on the street or curb. The Academy assumes no responsibility for children who leave unaccompanied.