Studio Policies

Welcome to FM Piano Studio!

Thank you for choosing FM Piano Studio. These Studio Information & Family Guidelines are designed to help lessons remain organized, consistent, and enjoyable for every student and family. Thank you for your trust, and I look forward to making music together!

Enrollment

Enrollment Checklist

Before your first lesson, please complete all of the following:

• ✓ Submit the Enrollment Form.
• ✓ Review the Studio Information & Family Guidelines.
• ✓ Submit your first monthly tuition payment.
• ✓ Confirm your recurring weekly lesson schedule.

Enrollment is considered complete once all of the above requirements have been fulfilled.

Reserved Lesson Time

Each student is assigned a recurring weekly lesson time that is reserved exclusively for them.

Lesson requests are always subject to availability.

A student's lesson time is officially reserved only after enrollment has been completed.

What Tuition Includes

Monthly tuition reserves your student's recurring weekly lesson time and includes:

• • One private lesson each week
• • Individual lesson planning
• • Personalized instruction
• • Ongoing support throughout the school year

Tuition reserves a place in the studio rather than paying for individual lessons.

Tuition & Payments

Keeping tuition and scheduling consistent allows every student to have a dedicated lesson time and helps the studio provide a high-quality learning experience.

Monthly Tuition & Lesson Calendar

Tuition reserves the student's recurring weekly lesson time and is calculated according to the studio's annual teaching calendar, then divided into equal monthly payments for convenience. Tuition is not charged per individual lesson and does not guarantee an exact number of lessons in every calendar month.

• ✓ Tuition is paid monthly, not per individual lesson.
• ✓ Most months include four scheduled lessons. Some months include five, while occasionally a month may include fewer lessons when a studio-observed holiday or scheduled studio closure falls on the student's regular lesson day.
• ✓ Months containing a fifth lesson are included at no additional charge and help balance the teaching calendar throughout the year.
• ✓ Studio-observed holidays and scheduled studio closures are already built into the tuition structure and are not rescheduled, credited, refunded, or carried over to another month.
• ✓ Monthly tuition remains the same regardless of the number of scheduled lesson dates within an individual calendar month.
• ✓ Tuition is non-refundable once the month has begun.

Tuition Due Date

• ✓ Monthly tuition is due before the student's first scheduled lesson of each month.
• ✓ A $25 late fee applies to payments not received by the end of the 7th day of the month.
• ✓ Lessons may be paused until the account is brought current.

Payment Methods

The following payment methods are accepted:

• • Zelle
• • Credit or debit card
• • Cash
• • Check

Zelle Payments

Please send Zelle payments exclusively to: hello@fmpianostudio.com

Card Payments

• ✓ A 3.5% processing fee applies to manually entered credit or debit card payments.
• ✓ A 2.5% processing fee applies to tap-to-pay transactions.

Books & Materials

• ✓ Books, sheet music, and educational materials are purchased separately unless otherwise noted.
• ✓ Families will always be notified in advance before additional materials are required.

Attendance & Scheduling

Regular attendance plays an important role in each student's musical progress. These guidelines help keep the studio schedule organized and fair for every family.

Student Absences

• ✓ Please notify FM Piano Studio as soon as possible if the student will be absent.
• ✓ Missed lessons without prior notice are not eligible for a make-up lesson or tuition credit.

Make-Up Lessons

• ✓ A minimum of 24 hours' notice is required to be eligible for a make-up lesson.
• ✓ Make-up lessons are offered based on instructor availability and are not guaranteed.
• ✓ Make-up lessons must be completed within the same calendar month whenever possible.
• ✓ Unused make-up lessons expire at the end of the month.
• ✓ If the instructor cancels a lesson for a reason other than a published studio holiday or scheduled studio closure, an appropriate make-up lesson or credit will be provided.

Illness

If a student is feeling ill or has symptoms of a contagious illness, please stay home.

Whenever possible, the lesson may be taught online instead of in person.

Online Lessons

Online lessons may be available when appropriate, including illness, family travel, or other situations approved by the studio.

Students should have:

• • A piano or keyboard
• • A reliable internet connection
• • A device with a camera and microphone

Family Travel & Planned Absences

If your family will be away, please provide as much notice as possible.

Whenever scheduling allows, an online lesson or another reasonable arrangement may be offered.

Late Arrival

If a student arrives late, the lesson will still end at its scheduled time out of respect for the next student.

Late arrivals cannot be extended beyond the student's reserved lesson time.

Severe Weather

Student safety is always the priority.

When severe weather makes travel unsafe, lessons may be taught online, rescheduled, or otherwise adjusted at the studio's discretion.

Studio Schedule Changes

Families requesting a permanent lesson-time change are welcome to ask.

Schedule changes are based on availability and cannot be guaranteed.

Ending Lessons

If you decide to discontinue lessons, please provide at least 30 days' written notice by email.

Tuition already paid is non-refundable.

Parents & Students

A positive learning experience is built through communication, consistency, and mutual respect between students, families, and the studio.

Parent Attendance

• ✓ Parents are welcome to attend the student's first lesson.
• ✓ After the first lesson, students attend independently whenever appropriate for their age and development.

If you would like to discuss your child's progress or have questions about lessons, please send a text message or email to arrange a convenient time.

Since lessons are scheduled back-to-back, I am generally unable to have conversations between students without interrupting the next scheduled lesson.

Student Pick-Up & Supervision

Students are under the instructor's supervision only during their scheduled lesson time.

Because lessons are scheduled back-to-back, students are dismissed at the end of their lesson, but the instructor is generally unable to walk students to the waiting area.

Parents or guardians should be waiting in the designated waiting area before the lesson ends.

If preferred, parents are also welcome to walk to the studio door to pick up their child directly.

If a parent anticipates being delayed, please communicate with the studio in advance whenever possible.

When appropriate and previously arranged, a student may remain quietly inside the studio for a short period while the next lesson begins, until a parent or guardian arrives.

Parents and guardians remain responsible for their child immediately before and after the scheduled lesson.

Respectful Studio Environment

FM Piano Studio is committed to providing a welcoming, respectful, and positive learning environment for every student and family.

Everyone is expected to treat the instructor, other students, studio property, and the learning environment with kindness and respect.

Communication

Email and text message are the primary methods of communication for studio-related questions and updates.

Since lessons are scheduled back-to-back, messages will be answered as soon as reasonably possible outside of teaching hours.

Studio Life

Books & Materials

• ✓ Students are expected to bring their assigned books and materials to every lesson.
• ✓ Families will be notified in advance whenever additional books or educational materials are needed.

Home Practice

Consistent practice between lessons is one of the most important factors in a student's musical progress.

Parents of young beginners are encouraged to support and encourage regular home practice.

Recitals & Performance Opportunities

FM Piano Studio may offer recital and performance opportunities throughout the year.

Participation is encouraged but always optional.

Families will receive advance notice whenever a recital or studio event is planned.

Privacy & Media

FM Piano Studio may occasionally photograph or record lessons, recitals, or other studio activities for educational or promotional purposes.

Student photos or videos will never be shared publicly without permission from the parent or legal guardian, or from the adult student.

Acknowledgement & Agreement

By enrolling at FM Piano Studio, families acknowledge that they have reviewed and understood these Studio Information & Family Guidelines and agree to follow the policies and procedures described in this document.

These guidelines are designed to create a positive, organized, and enjoyable learning experience for every student and family.

Thank you for placing your trust in FM Piano Studio. I look forward to supporting each student's musical growth and celebrating every milestone together.