Nathan Jones Music Studio Policy
This document comprises all of the policies, tuition rates, and other information regarding music lessons taught by Nathan Jones. All students are required to agree to these policies and must sign a copy of this document prior to beginning lessons. Failure to comply with these policies may result in the termination of lessons.
Application Process
New students must complete the application form that can be found online at najonesmusiclessons.mymusicstaff.com/Application-Form. Lesson slots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Students for whom no suitable time slot is available will be placed on a waiting list and notified when a time slot becomes available. Once enrolled, students and/or their parents/guardians will be sent login information to access the student portal, where lesson schedules and other information can be accessed.
Lesson Times
Lessons are currently available from 2 pm to 8 pm on Thursdays and Fridays. Lessons may be either 30 minutes or 60 minutes long. All lessons must begin either at the beginning of the hour or the half-hour point (for example, a lesson may start at 5:00 or 5:30, but not 5:15).
Lesson Types
At the present, students of all skill levels may take lessons in piano and/or voice. In the future, organ lessons will also be available. Piano, organ, and voice lessons include education in basic music theory and other elements of musicianship. Additionally, lessons in Music Theory and Composition are available to intermediate and advanced students.
Student Eligibility
The only requirement for eligibility is that students be fluent readers before lessons begin. Otherwise, students of all ages and skill levels are invited to apply. The parents/guardians of students who are not yet fluent readers may still submit an application for their child to be placed on a waiting list until they become fluent readers.
As stated above, Music Theory and Composition lessons are available only to intermediate and advanced students.
Location
All lessons will take place at Winder First United Methodist Church, located at 280 North Broad Street, Winder GA 30680. Lessons will normally take place in the Sanctuary, though they may occasionally be moved to an alternative location in order to accommodate other events at the church. In accordance with church policies, no food or drink is permitted inside the Sanctuary. In addition, students and their family members are required to use the restrooms located in the main hallway outside of the Sanctuary rather than the restrooms located in the Narthex. When students arrive early for their lesson, they and their family members are required to wait quietly outside the Sanctuary near the door next to the grand piano and may not wander the church facilities. When lessons take place in a room other than the Sanctuary, an alternative waiting area will be arranged.
Child Students
All students under the age of 18 are required to be accompanied to their lessons by a parent/guardian or other mutually agreed-upon adult. The accompanying adult is required to be present in the Sanctuary (or alternative lesson location) for the entire duration of the lesson. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Tuition Rates and Payment Policies
The current tuition rates for all lesson types are $25 per each 30 minute lesson and $50 per each 60 minute lesson. A sibling discount of $5 per lesson is available for child students with one or more siblings from the same household already enrolled; this discount does not apply to the first child from the household enrolled in lessons. Tuition for all of the lessons scheduled for a given month is due on the 5th day of that month. If tuition remains unpaid by the 10th day of the month, a late fee of $5 will be applied to the student’s account. Payment may be made either with cash or with a credit card via the online student portal. Non-payment of tuition may result in the termination of lessons, at the sole discretion of Nathan Jones.
Each student is permitted one free 30 minute trial lesson prior to making their first payment.
Attendance and Tardiness Policies
As students are granted a reserved weekly time slot, they are expected to attend the majority of available lessons throughout the year. Students who miss a total of 6 or more lessons within a time period of three consecutive months may, at the sole discretion of Nathan Jones, lose their reserved time slot to another student, with the continuation of lessons contingent upon the availability of another suitable time slot. This includes both pre-planned absences and unexpected lesson cancellations; lessons that are cancelled by Nathan Jones for any reason do not count towards this total. Note, however, that certain times of year (listed below under Yearly Schedule) are considered optional, with no penalty for missed lessons. Since the entire months of June and July are considered optional, the months of May and August are considered to be “consecutive” with one another for the purposes of this attendance policy.
Students who arrive late to lessons forfeit the missed lesson time, with no make-up time or refunds offered for the missed time.
Lesson Cancellation Policies
Prior to the start of each month, students may notify Nathan Jones of pre-planned absences, and the tuition due for that month will be adjusted accordingly. After the start of each month, Nathan Jones must be notified of any unexpected absences more than 24 hours prior to the start of the scheduled lesson. In this case, a make-up credit for the lesson will be granted, but no refunds will be made for tuition that has already been paid. Make-up lessons may be scheduled either outside of the regularly scheduled lesson times noted above, when possible, or they may be scheduled during another student’s scheduled absence. When less than 24 hours notice for an absence is provided, students will generally not be granted a make-up credit, though exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances, at the sole discretion of Nathan Jones. All make-up credits expire after a period of 90 days.
Student Withdrawal and Refund Policies
Students may withdraw from lessons at any time. However, the following stipulations apply: There are no refunds for any remaining lessons for which tuition has already been paid. Students who withdraw after the tuition due date for a given month are still considered financially liable for that month’s tuition. Upon withdrawal, students forfeit their reserved lesson time and are not guaranteed a time slot when attempting to re-enroll.
In general, refunds are only available for lessons that are cancelled by Nathan Jones. This excludes lessons that are cancelled when a student’s enrollment is terminated due to non-compliance with the policies listed in this document, for which no refunds are available. However, at the sole discretion of Nathan Jones, refunds may be offered for other extenuating circumstances.
Sheet Music and Other Lesson Materials
New piano students are required to use the Alfred piano method, which they are responsible for purchasing themselves. There are multiple series of Alfred piano method books available, each optimized for certain age ranges and skill levels, so further information will be supplied upon application. Piano students with prior piano experience may optionally continue with whatever method book they have previously used instead.
All students may periodically be required to purchase sheet music or other supplementary materials depending on their interests and educational needs. Original materials by Nathan Jones will generally be provided free of charge.
Yearly Schedule
The main lesson cycle runs from August through May, during which time the mandatory attendance policy listed above applies. The months of June and July are considered optional, though continued lesson attendance is strongly recommended as a matter of optimal learning and skill retention. Please note that Nathan Jones must be notified of any planned absences during the months of June and July prior to the beginnings of each of those months in order to avoid being charged tuition for the missed lessons.
There are certain times of year that are considered optional, with no penalty for missed lessons. This is a complete list of those times:
-The entire months of June and July
-Fall and Spring Break of the Barrow County School System
There are certain times of year during which lessons will not be available for various reasons (e.g. performances, other work obligations, dates when the church building is unavailable, and so forth). This is a complete list of those times:
-The week of Thanksgiving
-Winter Break of the Barrow County School System
-Several additional dates that vary from year to year (whenever possible, students will be given advance notice of these dates)
Policy and Tuition Rate Changes
The policies and tuition rates listed in this document are subject to change at any time. In the event of a change, the new information will be posted online at najonesmusiclessons.mymusicstaff.com/Studio-Policies, and active students will be provided with a physical copy of the new document. When changes are substantial, students may be required to sign a copy of the new document in order to continue lessons.
By signing below, I agree to the policies set forth in this document. I understand that failure to comply with these policies may result in the termination of lessons.