Policies & Tuition

HOW TO REGISTER (Private lessons at Ms. Colleen's Home):

· Call (251) 402-6262 for an appointment for a “Meet & Greet” with me.

PAYMENT & BILLING:

· Tuition is $140/ month, regardless of the number of weeks in a month. If there is a 5th lesson in the month, the 5th lesson will be free of charge. Tuition is due the first scheduled lesson of the month. 

· Lessons will NOT be held on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

· Please be aware that moneys paid for lessons are non-refundable.

· Payments can be made by: 

o Cash

o Check – payable to Colleen Stracener

o Ca$hApp: $ColleenStracener

o PayPal: colleen@colleenstracener.com

o Venmo: #CynthiaC-Stracener

o Zelle: 2514026262 Cynthia Colleen Stracener

SUMMER STUDY:

· Lessons are year-round. 

MUSIC & MATERIALS:

· EVERYONE: 

 o   Some sort of keyboard, can be 24 keys, 64 keys, 88 keys, can be weighted keyboard or piano...but something to put into practice what is discussed at lessons and weekly expectations of practice. (PREFERRED: Weighted 88 keys or piano but not required at a beginner level)

o Spiral notebook

o A Dozen A Day Mini Book 

o Complete Color-Coded Flash Cards

o Alfred's Basic Piano Library Hymn Book Complete, Bk 1

· NEW Student: K - 1st Grade

o John Thompson's Modern Course for the piano - Teaching Little Fingers to Play (Rote & Note)

· NEW Student: 2nd - 3rd Grade

o John Thompson's Easiest Piano Course Part 1

o John Thompson's Theory Drill Games

· NEW Student: 4th Grade +

o John W. Schaum Theory Lessons Book 1

o John Schaum Piano Course Pre A

· NEW Student: ADULT

o John Thompson's Adult Piano Course: Book 1

o Alfred's Basic Adult Theory Piano Book: Level One 

· For Students with Prior lesson experience

o We will use the books you were last working through, and we will review the material and decide on music choices based on where you are in your study.

ABSENCES & ILLNESS:

· Your tuition reserves your spot, ensuring that I do not schedule another student at that time. Regular attendance is expected and encouraged to gain maximum benefit from music instruction. Missed lessons are inevitable however, which is understandable. If a student misses a lesson, I cannot guarantee a make-up lesson. No credit or refunds are given for missed lessons. Tuition remains consistent regardless of number of lessons attended each month. Remember This: Unprepared lessons cost the same as prepared ones, ​but their value is substantially compromised.​

· If your child is sick enough to stay home from school, he/she will not benefit from a lesson in a constructive way.  Please do not send him/her for a piano lesson. 

· If your student is sick, you may take a video of the student playing the current assignment, I will send back my comments with a new assignment sheet, so the student does not miss a lesson.

· Students are encouraged to record a practice session every week in case of last-minute cancellation. 

· If I am informed 2 weeks in advance of an absence due to vacation, and the student will be away with no Internet/instrument access) I will give the student a special sightreading assignment to record and send before they leave in lieu of the scheduled lesson.
 

DISCONTINUING LESSONS:

· Students may stop taking lessons at some point. Please make this decision thoughtfully with plenty of discussion between the teacher, parent, and student so that lessons can cease with a positive sense of closure. 

· For this reason, one month's (paid tuition) notice is required in writing prior to discontinuing lessons. 

· Note: At the discretion of the teacher, students may be asked to discontinue lessons at any time if they have unpaid tuition, an excess number of absences/unprepared lessons, or if they show a lack of interest or refusal to cooperate during lessons.

· Parents are welcome to sit in on any lesson if they choose. The function of the parent in the lesson is to observe and take notes of the teacher’s practice suggestions to the student. The spiral notebook will be used to write your student’s lesson instructions for the week.

PRACTICE GUIDELINES:

· Students are expected to be prepared for each week’s lesson. All assignments are to be practiced each week.

· A regular time should be set aside each day for practice to establish a routine that will become a daily habit. Early beginners practice 15 minutes a day at first, then increase time as they learn more. Daily length of practice should be the same length as your weekly lesson times. 

· Important note: Sometime during your students piano lesson journey, your child may say something like, “I don’t want to practice,” or “I’m too tired to go to piano lessons,” or “I don’t want to go- I want to play with my friends,” “I want to quit,” etc… Just be aware that your child’s interest will probably not be consistent; but to be successful, you will need to be consistent in your encouragement and commitment to music instruction. In most cases, simply acknowledge your child’s comments, but then go on with your normal routine just as you would if you heard the comment, “I don’t want to brush my teeth,” “I don’t want to stop playing with my toys,” or “I don’t want to go to bed.”

NOTE: FOR LESSONS AT PICAYUNE MUSIC, ALL POLICIES, PROCEDURES, PAYMENTS, ETC. WILL BE DICTATED BY PICAYUNE MUSIC. THE INFORMATION FOUND ON THIS POLICIES & TUITION PAGE WILL NOT APPLY TO STUDENTS OF PICAYUNE MUSIC.