REGISTRATION & ATTENDANCE
Registration obligates the student to complete the semester (generally 17 weeks). Your registration reserves your teacher’s time during the year at that specific time period each week, regardless of student non-attendance, vacation, field trips, school music obligations, sports, etc. Cases of extended illness will be handled on an individual basis.
Students who are late for a lesson cannot be guaranteed their full lesson time. Faculty are instructed to wait for a student for one-third of the lesson time before starting another lesson or leaving.
As a courtesy to your instructor, please notify CMS in advance of any absence by calling 860-767-0026 ext. 2. There are NO REFUNDS OR CREDITS given for missed lessons. One student absence per semester may be made up by request and is dependent upon instructor availability. Prior notice does not exempt the student from paying as contracted, nor does it grant the student a make-up lesson at no charge. Instructors are under no obligation to make up student absences.
SINGLE LESSONS
Students may arrange up to three single trial lessons without committing to a full semester. Each 30-minute single lesson is $43, each 45-minute single lesson is $64, and each 60-minute single lesson is $84. Payment is due at registration.
INSTRUCTOR ABSENCE
An instructor’s absence or school closure requires that all missed lessons will be made up during the semester, or the student’s account will be credited. Missed lesson time due to faculty tardiness will be made up at a mutually convenient time.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
Requests for a change in timeslot during a semester must be made in writing. Availability of another timeslot is not guaranteed and there are no refunds for contracted lessons (see Registration & Attendance and Student Withdrawal).
STUDENT WITHDRAWAL
No refunds or in house credits are issued for student withdrawal except in extreme circumstances(i.e. medical conditions). Notice of withdrawal must be made in writing to the Business Office. The decision to grant a refund is at the discretion of the Executive Director and the Board of Trustees.
TERMINATION OF LESSONS
CMS reserves the right to dismiss any student because of frequent absences, tardiness, or disruptive or injurious behavior. CMS also reserves the right to postpone or cancel any program due to insufficient enrollment. In the event that a class is canceled, a full refund or credit of both the registration fee and advanced tuition deposit is issued.
ONLINE LESSONS & CLASSES
All CMS policies apply to online programming as well, including absences, schedule changes, withdrawals, and terminations as outlined above. Students age 17 or younger are required to have a parent or guardian in the home with them at the time of the lesson. Parents are encouraged to engage in and assist with lessons for young children. Instructors will likely need help keeping young children focused and on task, as well as with instrument tuning at the beginning of the lesson. CMS reserves the right to record any lesson/class to be used for supervisory or marketing purposes unless a parent notifies us otherwise in writing in advance.
MUSIC TOGETHER CLASSES
Refunds/makeups are not offered for student absences from Music Together classes. Due to space and safety considerations, we can accommodate only one parent/caregiver per enrolled child in each class session.
By enrolling in a Music Together class at Community Music School, a licensed Music Together center, you agree that any information you provide will be shared with Music Together Worldwide (MTW). For information about how MTW uses and stores your personal information, we encourage you to review the Music Together Worldwide Privacy Policy
PAYMENT POLICIES
Payments: We accept cash, check, money orders, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Please contact the Business Office to sign up for a Payment Plan (2-Pay carries a $10 fee; 3-Pay carries a $15 fee).
Late Fees: Payments not received by the due date are subject to a $25 late charge. Partial payments received on an account not enrolled in a Payment Plan will automatically be assessed a $15 fee.
Financial Aid: The CMS Scholarship Fund offers financial help to students who qualify for assistance. Click here to download an application.
Delinquent Accounts: CMS reserves the right to suspend or discontinue instruction of any student who is delinquent in fulfilling his/her financial obligations at any time during a semester. Students with delinquent accounts may not register for the next semester or summer programs until the account is paid in full.
Auto-Renewal: Fall Semester private lesson students will be automatically enrolled in the Spring Semester in the same time slot, with the opportunity to change their lesson time or opt-out by December 16th, 2022.
Group classes may not be prorated.
DISCOUNTS
A 5% discount is offered for the 2nd instrument or family member for private lessons only during the Fall and Spring semesters.
A 10% discount is offered to seniors, age 65 and over.
These discounts apply to tuition only (not class materials or registration fees).
EMERGENCY CLOSING
Notification for closure due to weather or other situations is provided by a message on 860-767-0026; email; the CMS website and Facebook. If an individual teacher cancels, he/she will contact students directly by phone and/or email. Do not assume that CMS is closed based on public and private school cancellations.
PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Parents are responsible for their child’s safe arrival at the school and for picking them up at the end of the lesson. Instructors and staff are not able to supervise children before and after lessons. Only students who are specifically attending a lesson should enter the building, with limited exceptions (i.e. one parent accompanying a student needing assistance).
RECITALS AND PERFORMANCES
Performing is an integral part of the musical experience. Recitals are held at the end of the Fall and Spring Semesters. These are optional, but all school-aged students are encouraged to participate, and our faculty members help to ensure that the performance is a positive experience. Intermediate and advanced students are typically invited to perform in two additional recitals each year, and CMS students often participate in community events as well. Other opportunities for performance usually include the annual holiday concert, and occasional showcases or open houses.
INSTRUMENT RENTAL
CMS does not sell or rent instruments to students but can offer a number of referral sources. Please contact the Business Office at 860-767-0026 or via email for more information.
These policies were last updated in September 2022 and remain valid through the 2022-2023 academic year.
