FEES AND POLICIES
--
TUITION --
Regular monthly tuition during the school year (September - June) includes 36
lessons and two recitals:
$80.00 / month for half-hour lessons
$115.00 / month for forty-five minute lessons
$145.00 / month for sixty-minute lessons
Tuition payments are due at your first lesson of the month. Checks may be
written to "Sara Dickson Piano."
A $40 fee will be charged for late payments or for a returned check.
This is to cover the returned check fee that the bank will charge me.
--
SUMMER LESSONS --
Summer lessons for July and August are flexible (you do not necessarily need a single time slot)
and I am available to teach morning lessons. I prefer Tuesday through
Thursday for summer lesson times, but if you can't find a time that works
for you on one of those days, I'm happy to teach Monday, Friday or Saturday
as I am available.
I offer two alternate payment options for summer lessons. The first is a "pay as you go" plan, where lessons are scheduled and paid for one at a time. Rates for "pay as you go" summer lessons are:
$19.00 for a half-hour lesson
$28.00 for a forty-five minute lesson
$36.00 for an hour lesson
I also offer a "Summer Six Pack" plan for summer lessons.
With this plan, you pay a
reduced rate all at once for six lessons, which you can schedule any time
during July and August. Payment is non-refundable, cannot be pro-rated, and
unused lessons cannot be transferred to other months, so please make sure
you use all six of your lessons. Rates for the “summer six pack” lessons
are:
$100
for six half-hour lessons
$150 for six forty-five minute lessons
$200 for six hour lessons
-- EARN FREE LESSONS --
If you refer a friend or family member who commits to at least two months of
piano lessons, you will earn 50% off of your monthly tuition for one month.
-- SCHEDULE --
Schedule follows the traditional Charlotte-Mecklenburg County School calendar. Lessons
are not taught during Thanksgiving and Christmas break. Arrangements for
other holidays (Memorial Day, etc.) will be made on an individual basis.
Students must take at least 4 summer lessons to be guaranteed a spot in the fall.
-- ATTENDANCE --
Piano lessons require a serious commitment from the student and their family
if the student is to be successful, and I am dependent on teaching lessons
for my livelihood. Therefore, attendance is very important.
Your time-slot is reserved and I do not give refunds, with the only
exception of severe inclement weather. For other absences such as illness,
family emergency, etc., each student is allowed one makeup lesson each
month, which will be arranged on an individual basis.
Make-up lessons will be held on Friday afternoons, or I can arrange a
make-up time on an individual basis depending on time-slot availability.
I request 30 days notice if you wish to discontinue lessons with me.
-- BOOKS AND MATERIALS --
Lesson books and materials may be purchased from me at cover price. If
materials are borrowed from the studio, you are financially responsible for
lost or damaged items. You may also choose to buy your own materials.
-- PRACTICE EXPECTATIONS --
Students are asked to commit to a minimum amount of practice time agreed
upon. Parents are encouraged to assist children in finding a regular time to
practice. Students are expected to record their practice time, and that
record should be signed by the parent prior to the next week’s lesson.
-- AGES --
I teach students of all ages, from young children to adults. However, children who are not yet reading are
usually not ready for the reading skills required for traditional piano
lessons. Children younger than five or six can usually benefit much more
from either an intense, more aurally focused Suzuki-style teacher, or a more
relaxed introductory music program such as Kindermusik, depending on the
child’s level of interest in music and attention span and the parent’s level
of commitment.
I do teach beginning adults and adults who want to revisit piano playing
after having had lessons as children.