Music School: Policies & Procedures

SCHOOL YEAR: September 5, 2023 – June 24, 2024
An annual, non-refundable registration fee of $35 ($70 maximum per family) is due upon registration for Private Lessons (one-on-one instruction). Students who start at the beginning of the school year are registered for 32 weeks of private instruction. Students may add additional lessons if time and schedules allow. Students who begin at any other point in the school year will be registered for the maximum number of lessons possible between the start date and June 24th, allowing time for make-up lessons as needed.

New private lesson students are obligated to pay for their registration fee and their first four lessons at least five business days prior to the start of lessons, and all further lessons must be paid according to the agreed upon payment schedule or lessons may be suspended.

Continuing private lesson students who sign up through the annual Priority Re-enrollment period must pay the annual registration fee and deposit by the assigned deadline in order to reserve their existing lesson time. The remaining tuition balance must be paid according to the agreed upon payment schedule or lessons may be suspended. Continuing private lesson students who enroll after the deadline are obligated to pay their annual registration fee and tuition according to the agreed upon payment schedule or lessons may be suspended.

Classes and Ensembles (group instruction) which are scheduled for the full school year and with tuition amounts over $500 may be paid in full at time of registration, or in two installments (one at registration and one in November). All other Classes and Ensembles must be paid in full at registration.

SUMMER TERM: July 1 – August 30, 2024
A non-refundable registration fee of $10 ($20 maximum per family) is due upon registration for Private Lessons (one-on-one instruction). For Private Lessons, payment in full is due upon placement and scheduling, and at least five business days prior to the first lesson. For Classes and Ensembles, payment in full is due upon registration. 

PAYMENT METHODS
Groton Hill Music School accepts cash, checks, and Visa, MasterCard or Discover. There is a $25 fee for returned checks.

For private lesson tuition, we offer two payment options: full year payment and 4-payment plan (auto-debit required, 4 consecutive months). For the auto-debit on the 4-payment plan, you will be required to save your credit card on file and will be automatically charged for each payment on the due dates.

New students will initially be billed in two payments (first 4 lessons plus registration fee, and the tuition balance). New students will be asked to save a credit card on file for auto-debit. If a card is not saved on the account, the lessons will be automatically suspended after the fourth lesson until the full balance has been paid.

FAMILY DISCOUNT
If one family member registers for Private Lessons, immediate family members (defined as parent, guardian, or minor sibling of a student under age 21 who is living in the same household) receive a 10% discount on their Private Lessons. Students enrolling for more than one set of Private Lessons receive a 10% discount on the additional set of Private Lessons. The discount is taken on the least expensive lesson(s). This discount is for Private Lessons only during the school year, and is not applicable to Classes, Ensembles, or summer Private Lessons.

OUTSTANDING BALANCES
New registrations will not be processed until past due balances are paid in full. Groton Hill Music School reserves the right to suspend or discontinue instruction of any student who is delinquent in fulfilling their financial obligation; student benefits such as recital performance may also be withheld.

WITHDRAWALS & REFUNDS

• There are no refunds for a Class or Ensemble unless the course is canceled due to insufficient enrollment or if Groton Hill Music School or the student’s teacher determines that the student has been inappropriately placed.
• If a new private lesson student does not plan to continue lessons after the four-lesson introductory period, the student/family must inform the Music School Registrar in writing at any time during the introductory period (before the fourth lesson). After the fourth lesson, the placement becomes a commitment for the remainder of the school year and there are no refunds.
• Groton Hill Music School offers an opt-out period prior to the start of the second half of the school year. If you wish to withdraw from the second half of the school year, written notification must be made to the Music School placement staff during the opt-out period (January 2-13) in order to release you from your financial obligations.
• If you wish to withdraw at any other time, formal notification must be made in writing to the Music School placement staff, who must approve the withdrawal. A refund or credit may be granted due to special circumstances only. Teacher notification or non-attendance are not considered formal notices of withdrawal.

• Awards are considered based on total tuition for all of the music instruction for which a student is registered. Scholarship recipients will receive enrollment and payment plan options with notification of their scholarship award.
• Scholarship applications are submitted at the time of registration. Awards will depend upon remaining funds available and are based on tuition for the remainder of the school year.
• Scholarship students are expected to maintain good progress and attendance, and family co-payments of tuition must be made in a timely manner in order to be considered for future scholarship awards.

If you are applying for a scholarship, please complete our online scholarship form, and include a copy of your most recent 1040 form. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Please call the main office with any questions.

PRIVATE LESSONS
Private Lesson students are allowed two excused absences per school year if the student begins lessons before January 15, or one excused absence if the student begins lessons on or after January 15. Twenty-four (24) hours advance notice must be given to qualify for an excused absence. If less than 24 hours’ notice is given for a student absence, the lesson is marked as an unexcused absence, and no credit will be issued for that lesson. Discretion may be granted by the teacher for cancellations for reasons of illness within 24 hours of a lesson if the student has excused absences remaining.

If a teacher is absent, the lesson will be made up or the student will receive a credit at the end of the year. If a student misses a make-up lesson, there is no credit and no additional make-up lesson (unless the missed make-up lesson qualifies as an excused absence). Student families and teachers are expected to work together to schedule make-ups. If a teacher offers a number of opportunities to schedule a make-up but the student is unavailable for any of those times, the lesson will be forfeited and no credit will be given.

Substitute teachers may be scheduled occasionally when a teacher is going to be absent for a number of weeks. Please inform your teacher or the Music School placement staff if you prefer not to work with a substitute.

Summer Lessons: Once scheduled and confirmed, there are no make-ups, refunds, or credits for Private Lessons canceled or missed by the student in the summer term.

Online Lessons: Students will be allowed to request online lessons if they prefer. Faculty may also offer an online lesson when no other options are available for a make-up lesson; student families are welcome to accept or decline this option.

CLASSES & ENSEMBLES
Individual absences for a Class or Ensemble cannot be made up. If a teacher is absent, the Class/Ensemble will be made up at the regular class day and time. Because our regional ensembles (Youth Orchestra, Youth Choruses, Youth Wind Ensemble, New Horizons Concert Band, Groton Hill Big Band, Flute Orchestra of Groton Hill, Collegium Musicum) operate on a pre-set rehearsal and concert schedule, we cannot offer make-up sessions for weather closings or emergencies. Substitutes will be enlisted whenever possible for a director’s absence.

TARDINESS
Students who are late for a lesson cannot be guaranteed their full lesson time. Faculty will wait for a student for one third of the lesson time before starting another lesson or leaving. Missed lesson time due to faculty tardiness will be made up at a mutually convenient time.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS
Please check your email, as well as our website and social media, for information regarding weather-related closures. Your teacher may offer optional online private lessons during weather closures. Only two make-ups per year will be offered for any lesson that cannot be taught online during a school closing. There are no credits or refunds for subsequent closings.

For classes and small ensembles canceled due to a school closing, meetings will be made-up as the calendar allows, with a maximum of two make-ups per class session for school closings. There are no credits or refunds for subsequent closings.

ACCESSIBILITY
Our facility at 122 Old Ayer Road in Groton, MA is fully handicapped accessible. Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations, only service dogs (not pets) are allowed inside the building or on the grounds.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Groton Hill Music Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, veteran status, or any other category protected under applicable law in its admissions, education programs, activities, or employment policies.

PHOTOGRAPHY & OTHER MEDIA
Groton Hill Music reserves the right to create photographs or audio/video recordings of classes, ensembles, recitals, or other group activities. These materials may appear in print, audio, livestream and recorded video, and other digital media, including Groton Hill Music Center’s website and social media platforms. Photographs or audio/video recordings taken during Groton Hill Music School private lessons are considered eligible for the above uses unless the school receives prior written notification as well as a photograph of the student (for internal identification purposes only). Groton Hill will not publish the names of students involved in any private lesson or group activity without parental consent.

FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG STUDENTS: SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN
To ensure your child’s safety, please be sure to pick them up promptly after their music instruction. Children are under supervision during their instruction time only. Neither teachers nor administrative staff are responsible for supervising children outside of teaching times. We also ask that young children wait quietly while in our common areas.

STUDENT ILLNESS 
Groton Hill Music Center is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all of our patrons and staff. For everyone’s safety, students and family members may not enter the facility if they are sick. In order to maintain this environment, we reserve the right to ask any patron who is ill to leave the facility if they are exhibiting symptoms of any illness.

OTHER POLICIES 
Smoking is prohibited inside or on the grounds of our building. No food or drink is allowed in any of the teaching studios, rehearsal rooms, or performance spaces. 

PRIVACY STATEMENT
Groton Hill Music School securely maintains personal information and does not release or sell student information to third parties. Our registration site is hosted and maintained by ASAP (Administrative Software Applications), Inc., and when a student enters any personal registration information, it constitutes consent on behalf of that party for Groton Hill Music School to use the data as appropriate for school operations and financial transactions. When using our registration site, children under 18 are not permitted to submit registration information directly without adult supervision (parent/guardian). Communications information (email, phone number) will be shared only with appropriate Groton Hill Music staff (administrators/faculty) as needed. By entering the information into our registration site, you are authorizing us to contact you or the student.

IMPORTANT DATES
See Music School calendar.