Policies and Procedures
Thank you for choosing First Protestant Music School for your music lessons!
We look forward to helping you develop your skills and further your love of music. Following are a few guidelines to ensure that you/your child have a positive and fulfilling experience with us.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
A positive learning environment and successful use of time are key to a student’s musical development. Students are expected to:
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Be respectful and attentive to instructors at all times.
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Bring all necessary materials (instruments, music, assignment books, etc.) to every lesson.
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Follow daily practice expectations established by their instructor.
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Parental involvement in practice routines is strongly recommended. Please consult with your teacher about the appropriate level of involvement if you have any questions.
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Families in waiting areas should be mindful and respectful of other lessons that may be happening nearby as sound travels easily into the lesson rooms.
BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS
Participation in the Music School at First Protestant should be a rewarding, positive experience. Any student’s action or behavior that compromises his or her safety or the safety of others will not be tolerated. Bullying, violence, and threats are unacceptable as are the use of profane language or gestures. Engaging in willful conduct that significantly interferes with the normal operation of classes is unacceptable.
If the behavior expectations are not met, First Protestant Music School will give a verbal warning to students and/or parents. Should behavior continue or escalate, a meeting will be scheduled between student/parents and the program director. Continued disruptive behavior may result in dismissal from the program without refund
SCHEDULING LESSONS
Our calendar for private lessons approximately follows a Fall/Spring/Summer I/Summer II semester, or semester as outlined each year by the Music School Director. Students will register at the start of each semester for a specific lesson day and time agreed upon with their instructor. The Fall Semester usually begins the week after Labor Day and runs until the second week of December, and the Spring Semester begins after New Years Day and goes until the end of May. Summer will run in two sessions, with options for families on vacation.
When scheduling lessons for any semester, students/parents are committing to a weekly lesson for the entire semester. See “Student Withdrawal” section for further details. Payment must be received before lessons can begin for any semester. Please call the office to register and pay before your first lesson.
MISSED LESSON POLICIES
Weekly lessons and daily practice are the path to improvement in skills and technique! We encourage all students to attend each lesson. In order to have the best lesson experience possible, students must adhere to the following policies regarding missed lessons:
MISSED TRIAL LESSONS
There are no make-ups for missed trial lessons. ALL makeup lessons will be held on a time and day offered by the instructor.
MAKE-UP LESSONS
Due to space limitations and respect for our faculty’s schedules, missed lessons are not eligible for refunds. Make-up lessons are offered as a courtesy and are limited to absences caused by illness or pre-approved planned events that follow the procedures outlined below.
Each student is allowed a maximum of two make-up absences per semester, total, whether for illness or planned absences. Once these two absences have been used, no additional make-up lessons or refunds will be offered until the next semester. Please use these absences carefully.
PLANNED ABSENCES
Planned absences may qualify for a make-up lesson only if advance notice is provided.
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Written notice must be given to both the instructor and the Music School Coordinator at least two weeks in advance.
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Requests made with shorter notice — including requests made 24 hours in advance — will not qualify for a make-up lesson or refund.
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Schedule changes due to vacations, engagements, or other known conflicts must be arranged before the first day of the month with the Music School Coordinator.
Please plan outside activities carefully and be respectful of your teacher’s schedule.
ILLNESS ABSENCES
Absences due to illness count toward the two allotted make-up absences per semester.
ADDITIONAL MISSED LESSON POLICIES
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If a student misses a scheduled make-up lesson, no additional make-up lesson or refund will be provided.
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Lessons canceled by First Protestant Music School or by the instructor will always be made up and do not count toward the student’s make-up limit.
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Students arriving late may use the remaining lesson time, but no refund or make-up lesson will be given for missed time.
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Instructors are not required to teach students who arrive more than 15 minutes late.
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Students must be available at their scheduled lesson time each week as instructed by their teacher. If a student cannot be reached, the lesson will be treated as an unexcused absence
INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY
First Protestant Music School follows NBISD closure decisions. In any closure event, we will contact registered students by email and will post closure announcements on our website and social media. To receive text message notifications on weather related closures, contact musicschool@firstprotestant.com
STUDENT-TEACHER COMMUNICATION
A positive, trusting relationship between student and instructor is key to your student’s musical and artistic success. Parents are encouraged to communicate with the teacher regularly in order to understand expectations for learning and track their child’s progress. Parents should also encourage a daily practice routine for the student and be able to assist with practice as needed. Parents should also feel free to contact their teachers directly with any questions or concerns they may have. Please consult with your student’s instructor about their preferred means of contact. Healthy communication promotes clear understanding and helps to avoid disagreements. However, if you ever have concerns about the way that you or your child’s lessons are progressing, please do not hesitate to contact the teacher to work toward an agreeable solution. Most problems are the result of simple misunderstandings and can be quickly and easily resolved with a phone call or a meeting. In the event that an issue is not easily resolved, a meeting between the parent, student, teacher and a Music School staff member can be held to find the best solution. First Protestant Music School instructors are at liberty to remove students from their studio if necessary. If it is determined that the student and teacher are no longer a good match, the Private Lesson Coordinator will be in touch with options for a new instructor.
STUDENT WITHDRAWAL
If a student is having problems with their lessons or their instructor, again we encourage them to speak directly with their instructor and express their concerns. However, if after following the process above (see Student Teacher Communication) the student still wishes to withdraw, they should notify their instructor and follow the policies outlined below. Notice of withdrawal from instruction and all requests for refunds must be made in writing to First Protestant Music School. Verbal notice or requests from students or parents cannot be accepted. A registration fee of $50 for all scheduled lessons is non-refundable. Refunds will only be made according to the following schedule:
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Before the first lesson a 100% refund, less the registration fee, will be issued.
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Before the third lesson a 50% refund, less the registration fee, will be issued.
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No refunds will be issued after the third lesson.
*Please note: Trial lessons are not refundable or reschedulable.
RECITALS
We encourage all of our students to participate in the fall and/or spring recitals at First Protestant Church. It is very motivating to participate and prepare for a recital and is a fun experience as well. We hope you will take advantage of this great opportunity to perform for an enthusiastic audience of parents, friends and fellow students in our beautiful sanctuary equipped with a Steinway concert grand piano. A pianist is available to accompany all vocal and (non-piano) instrumental students. All students are strongly encouraged to work with one of our accompanists for the enriching musical experience it offers.
*Please note that individual instructors may have their own policies about performances. Please speak to them before registering for the recital to choose your repertoire and determine if you should perform with an accompanist.
NON-COMPETE
Our Music School Instructors are required to sign a non-compete agreement. Instructors are not able to instruct FPC Music School students and their family members outside of FPC Music School for a period of one year after termination of association with FPC Music School, or at any time during association with FPC Music School.
LIABILITY WAIVER You must sign and turn in a FPC Music School Liability Waiver.
LOCATION
In-person lessons will take place in The Well (first floor of the Church Office Building behind the main Sanctuary) at First Protestant Church, 172 W. Coll Street, New Braunfels, TX 78130. Instructors are NOT permitted to teach lessons in a student’s home or in their own home.