School Policy

• Trial Lessons: We offer one free 20–30 minute trial lesson for all new prospective students.

• Invoicing: School fees are invoiced twice during the Fall and Spring semesters (at the beginning and halfway through). The Summer semester is invoiced once at the beginning of the term.

• Admin Fee: A non-refundable administrative fee of $70 is included on the first invoice of each Fall and Spring semester. This fee helps to cover program logistics and administrative processing.

• Payment Due Date: Fees are due in full by the first lesson of the invoiced term.

• Commitment: Fees are assessed for the entire term. The number of lessons or classes cannot be reduced during a semester. If a student needs to withdraw mid-semester, fees are not eligible for a refund.

• For All Students:

  • Be Prepared: Arrive 5 minutes before your lesson to unpack your instrument, prepare your materials, and be ready to begin on time.

  • Be Respectful: Treat your teacher, fellow students, and the studio space with respect and cooperation.

  • Practice: Consistent practice is the key to progress. All students are expected to practice a minimum of 5 days a week and complete the goals set by their teacher.

  • Bring Materials: Bring your instrument, books, and any other required items to every lesson.​​

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• For Parents of Students:

  • Be Present: For most students, we require a parent to be present during the lesson to understand the material and support at-home practice. As students mature, the teacher will determine, with the parents' agreement, when a transition to solo lessons is appropriate.

  • Take Notes: You are encouraged to take notes or recordings to help guide your child’s practice.

  • Minimize Distractions: Please keep cell phone use to a minimum. If using a device for notes, setting it to "Do Not Disturb" is recommended.

• Scheduling: Private lessons are scheduled for a recurring weekly day and time. A minimum of four lessons is required for the Summer semester.

  • The schedule for fall and spring is set at the time of enrollment.

  • Summer scheduling is set each May.

  • Long-term changes to the private lesson schedule are available, subject to availability. 

  • Your specific schedule can be found at any time via your My Music Staff student portal.

• Student Cancellations: If you cannot attend your scheduled lesson, please provide your teacher with as much notice as possible.

• Rescheduling: In all cases, rescheduling is not guaranteed and is subject to your teacher's availability. A rescheduled lesson must be completed within 21 days of the original date, unless the teacher offers otherwise.

• Refunds: There are no refunds or credits for lessons canceled by the student or for "no-shows"—defined as an absence of 15 minutes without communication.

• Late Arrivals: If you will be late, please message your teacher. Lessons will end at their regularly scheduled time and cannot be extended for late arrivals.

• Teacher Cancellations: If a teacher cancels a lesson for any reason, the lesson may be rescheduled at a mutually agreed-upon time, subject to availability.

• Service Continuity: If the weather or events beyond our control prevent safe travel, lessons will be held online at their regularly scheduled time.

• Communicable Disease: To protect our community, students are expected to cancel lessons for illness, including:

  • Fever of 100.0°F or higher (must be fever-free for 24 hours to return)

  • Excessive coughing/sneezing, vomiting, or diarrhea

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If a student is symptomatic, please contact your teacher to request an online lesson as an alternative. To keep Songbird Rising a healthy space for everyone, we reserve the right to conclude an in-person lesson if a student arrives symptomatic. In these cases, the lesson is considered completed and is not eligible for a refund or rescheduling.

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• Building Security:

  • Please report any suspicious activity to Laura Poyzer, School Director, immediately.

  • Building access codes are for your exclusive use. Please do not share them.

  • Ensure the door locks securely behind you every time you enter or exit.

• Pick-Up: For activities requiring pick-up, please collect the Student promptly. We are unable to provide supervision once a scheduled instruction or event has concluded.

• School Recitals: We hold a Spring and Fall solo recital and a Winter concert. Participation is a vital part of our curriculum and is strongly encouraged for all students. 

• Book Recitals: Suzuki book recitals are performed when a student completes each book in the series. Any additional fees for recital services provided through Songbird Rising will be added to your invoice once agreed upon.

• Parking: To be good neighbors, please use the church parking lot and refrain from parking on the street for drop-off or pick-up. 

• Dismissal: Songbird Rising reserves the right to discontinue enrollment if conduct or participation is no longer in alignment with the school’s values or safety standards. Should a dismissal occur, any remaining tuition is non-refundable, though a pro-rated credit may be applied at the School’s discretion, depending on the circumstances.

• Policy Changes: Songbird Rising reserves the right to update this policy at any time.