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HANDBOOK FOR ENROLLED FAMILIES

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Welcome!

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Welcome to The Curious Pianist / Deborah's Piano Lessons!

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This handbook contains the practical information enrolled students and families are likely to need throughout the year—scheduling, missed lessons, online lessons, illness, payments, studio etiquette, recitals, summer scheduling, and communication.

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Please keep it handy for reference during the teaching year.

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The studio's current Tuition & Studio Policies and your annual Enrollment Agreement contain the complete financial and enrollment policies. This handbook supplements those documents with everyday procedures and reminders.

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LESSONS & SCHEDULING

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YOUR REGULAR LESSON TIME

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Students are assigned a regular weekly lesson day, time, and location during the September–May teaching year.

Your lesson time is reserved specifically for you. Because the studio schedule is built around these recurring appointments, lesson times cannot routinely be moved from week to week.

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Please check the studio calendar for holidays, vacation periods, recital dates, and other scheduled breaks.

 

ARRIVING FOR LESSONS

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Please arrive as close as possible to your scheduled lesson time.

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Students arriving early should wait until their appointed time so the previous student's lesson is not interrupted.

If a student arrives late, the lesson will begin upon arrival but will still end at the regularly scheduled time. Students arriving more than 15 minutes late will generally forfeit the lesson because the lesson structure is organized around the full reserved time.

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Parents and caregivers should arrive promptly when picking up students at the end of their lessons.

If a student will be absent or late, please let the teacher know as soon as possible as a courtesy.

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MISSED LESSONS

 

WHEN A STUDENT MISSES A LESSON

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Tuition reserves the student's recurring lesson time and is not based on attendance. Student absences are therefore not credited, refunded, or made up by the teacher.

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When sufficient advance notice is given, however, one of the following alternatives may be available:

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• Online lesson: The student may take the lesson online during the regularly scheduled lesson time.

• Sibling lesson: A sibling may use the student's reserved lesson time.

• Video lesson/feedback: The student may submit a video of assigned pieces or other material for teacher review and feedback.

 

These are alternatives to a missed in-person lesson rather than makeup lessons and are offered when practical at the teacher's discretion.

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Whenever possible, please provide at least 24 hours' notice if you would like to arrange an alternative.

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WHEN THE TEACHER CANCELS

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If the teacher must cancel a scheduled lesson, the lesson will be rescheduled or an appropriate tuition credit will be provided.

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ONLINE LESSONS

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Online lessons can be useful when a student cannot attend in person but is well enough to participate, during certain scheduling disruptions, or when circumstances make an in-person lesson impractical.

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Whenever possible, an online lesson takes place during the student's regularly scheduled lesson time.

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For the best experience:

• Position the device so the teacher can see the student's hands and keyboard.

• Use the largest available screen when possible.

• Make sure the device is adequately charged or plugged in.

• Have books, assignments, a pencil, and other lesson materials ready.

• Minimize background noise and interruptions.

• Join a few minutes before the scheduled lesson so any technical problems can be addressed.

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Specific connection information will be provided by the teacher.

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ILLNESS

 

Please do not bring a student to an in-person lesson when the student is ill, too sick to attend school, clearly coming down with an illness, or showing signs of a contagious condition.

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If the student feels well enough to participate, an online lesson may be possible during the regularly scheduled lesson time.

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The teacher may end an in-person lesson if a student appears too ill to participate safely or comfortably.

These precautions help protect the teacher, other students, and studio families while allowing instruction to continue when an online lesson is practical.

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STUDIO ETIQUETTE

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BEFORE THE LESSON

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Students should wash their hands before beginning their lesson to help reduce the spread of illness and to protect the instruments.

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Piano students should keep their fingernails clean and trimmed short enough that they do not interfere with proper hand position or technique.

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FOOD & DRINK

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Food, drinks, water bottles, and gum should remain outside the piano studio.

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PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS & SIBLINGS

 

Parents and grandparents are welcome to observe lessons.

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Because a quiet environment helps students concentrate, arrangements should be made for siblings who are not participating in the lesson to remain outside the studio whenever possible.

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PRACTICE & LESSON PREPARATION

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Regular practice between lessons is an essential part of learning to play the piano.

Students should:

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• Practice regularly according to the teacher's recommendations.

• Follow assignments and instructions from the previous lesson.

• Bring required books and materials to lessons.

• Have access to an appropriate instrument and practice environment at home.

• Ask questions when an assignment or concept is unclear.

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For younger students, parent or caregiver involvement and encouragement can make an enormous difference in establishing productive practice habits.

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MUSIC, BOOKS & MATERIALS

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The annual Studio & Materials Fee helps cover music books and sheet music supplied by the teacher, student materials and binders, licensed teaching games and resources, online music-enrichment resources, printing, studio supplies, and other materials used throughout the year.

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Please bring currently assigned books, music, and other requested materials to each lesson.

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Specialty or unusually expensive music, examination materials, and replacement books may be charged separately.

Please put the student's name on books and materials whenever practical.

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BILLING & MY MUSIC STAFF

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MONTHLY INVOICES

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Tuition invoices are issued through My Music Staff on the 1st of each month.

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Families can use the My Music Staff portal to review invoices, payments, and other studio information.

Tuition may be paid by cash, check, or credit card through the portal. Secure automatic payment is also available and is recommended for convenience and to help avoid missed payments.

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There is no additional credit-card processing fee for regular tuition payments.

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A $20 late fee is assessed on balances remaining unpaid after the 15th.

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If something on an invoice appears incorrect, please contact the teacher rather than attempting to resolve the matter through the billing system.

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STUDIO COMMUNICATIONS

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Most studio communication is sent by email or text.

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This may include:

• Scheduling information

• Studio calendar changes

• Billing notices

• Recital information

• Summer scheduling

• Special activities

• Weather or emergency changes

• Individual student information

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Please keep your email address and telephone number current and notify the teacher promptly when either changes.

Families are responsible for making sure studio emails and messages from the billing service are not being directed to spam or blocked by email filters.

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Please contact the teacher directly with questions concerning lessons, scheduling, billing, or other studio matters.

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RECITALS, SHOWCASES & STUDIO EVENTS

 

Performance is an important part of musical development, and students may have opportunities throughout the year to participate in recitals, informal showcases, piano parties, and other studio activities.

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Depending on interest and scheduling, these may include a smaller winter event and the studio's annual Grand Recital in May or June.

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Participation requirements, dates, repertoire deadlines, dress suggestions, arrival times, and other details will be distributed in advance of each event.

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A separate recital fee may be assessed for the annual Grand Recital to help cover venue and event expenses.

Not every student will necessarily participate in every event.

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SUMMER LESSONS

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Summer study is strongly encouraged because it helps students maintain skills, continue progress, and avoid spending the beginning of the next teaching year relearning material.

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June and July operate differently from the regular September–May teaching year.

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Summer scheduling is flexible to accommodate vacations, camps, travel, and other activities. Families select the weeks during which they would like lessons, and tuition is billed according to the number and length of lessons scheduled.

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Lesson days and times may differ from the student's regular teaching-year appointment.

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Detailed summer scheduling information and available dates are distributed in the spring.

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STUDIO LOCATIONS

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Lessons may be offered at the Saratoga Studio, the Los Gatos Mountains – Summit Southwest Studio, or online, according to the student's assigned schedule.

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Not every teaching day is necessarily available at both studio locations.

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Please use the location specified for your scheduled lesson and contact the teacher before assuming that a lesson can be moved from one location to another.

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CALENDAR & SCHOOL BREAKS

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The regular teaching year runs from September through May.

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The studio observes customary holiday and school vacation periods, including Thanksgiving, Winter Break, and Spring Break.

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Because annual tuition is calculated from the actual number of lessons scheduled for the teaching year, some calendar months naturally contain more lessons than others.

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Please refer to the current studio calendar rather than assuming that lessons follow an individual school district's calendar.

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WITHDRAWING FROM LESSONS

Occasionally circumstances change and a student needs to discontinue lessons during the teaching year.

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Please remember that 30 days' written notice by email or letter is required.

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Tuition remains due throughout the 30-day notice period whether or not the student attends lessons. Withdrawal does not cancel tuition or other charges that have already become due, and tuition and reserved lesson time are non-transferable.

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Please contact the teacher directly when circumstances arise rather than simply discontinuing attendance.

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CONTACT & INFORMATION CHANGES

 

Please notify the studio when important student or family information changes during the year, including:

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• Email address

• Telephone number

• Home address

• School

• Emergency contact

• Other information that may affect lessons or studio communication

 

Keeping this information current helps ensure that important studio communications reach you.

 

QUESTIONS?

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Policies cannot anticipate every circumstance.

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If you have a question about lessons, scheduling, billing, a student absence, an upcoming event, or anything else related to the studio, please contact the teacher directly.

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Thank you for helping make the studio a welcoming, organized, and productive place to learn!

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