The Laboratory’s Lesson Policy in Plain English
Overview of How our Program Works
The Laboratory charges by the month for lessons. This monthly charge is based upon $20 for each lesson. This guarantees you the same time every week for your lesson. This system allows us to pay our teachers for every scheduled lesson, which is fair because they will already be there. If you don't show up, the teacher still gets paid.
Signing Up
To sign up, you can stop in or call us. For students that want to start in the middle of the month, we'll pro-rate the monthly fee for you. Before your first lesson, you or your parent (someone over 18) has to sign a form stating you understand all of these policies. Also, payment in full for the first month (or part of remaining) is due at the moment you sign up. If you sign up over the phone, we can take a credit card. In person, we can take cash, check, credit card, debit card, or gift card.
Quitting
You need to let someone at the front desk know ahead of time so we don't bill you for the next month, and we can make your space available to someone else. If you decide to stop mid-month, we won't issue a credit for the remaining time. Make sure you tell someone at the desk, not just your teacher.
Payment Due Date
Monthly tuition payment is due on the last lesson each month, for the following month. We won't send you a bill in the mail, so you must remember to pay for the next month when you come for your last lesson each month. If you forget it, and don't make a payment before the next lesson begins, we reserve the right to remove you from the schedule and give your spot to someone else. We have a briskly growing enrollment volume, so it’s important to keep your time!
Missed Lessons
There are no make-ups or credits for lessons that you miss. Students that miss 2 weeks in a row and are not paid up for the month will be removed from the schedule. You are paying for the teacher’s time, so it’s up to you to take advantage of it.
Vacation Days and Scheduled Absences
If you've been taking lessons at The Lab for 2 months, your account is in good standing, and you give us 2 weeks notice, we'll give you up to two weeks per year for free to miss without penalty or risk of losing your lesson time. Let someone at the front desk know- not just your teacher. We’ll ensure that your time is held.
Substitute Teachers
If your regular teacher is ill or otherwise unable to teach your lesson, The Lab will arrange for a substitute to fill in. If we are unable to arrange for a sub, we'll give you a credit for that lesson. If you choose not to show up when a substitute is in, then that's the same as any other missed lesson.
Snow Days and Emergency Closures
If The Lab is going to be closed for a snow day or any other unexpected reason, we will do our best to let you know ahead of time. If you think that lessons might be cancelled but haven't heard from us, you should call ahead. Sometimes we're open even though your regular school was closed, because roads have had time to be cleared. If we have to cancel your lesson for weather or other emergency, we'll give you a credit for the lesson.
Holidays
If your lesson falls on a holiday that The Lab observes, we won't charge you for that lesson. We'll adjust your monthly fee ahead of time to reflect the missed day. The regularly observed holidays are New Years Eve and Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day. Sometimes we'll add days depending on how the calendar falls.
Care of Students and Their Behavior
The Laboratory and its staff are not responsible for providing supervision or care for students before or after lessons. Inappropriate behavior or language by students will result in removal from the schedule as well as other penalties allowable by law. We do provide a waiting area for the benefit of parents and siblings during lessons, and we ask that our showroom not be used as a waiting area. If a student or someone waiting for the student wants to try an instrument or amplifier, please ask a one of our staff for assistance.
