FMAA Policies and Procedures

Schedule:

• FMAA is a year round arts academy
• We bill monthly and schedule on a three semester basis
• Fall Semester (18 Weeks, Sept – Jan), Spring Semester (18 Weeks, Feb – June), Summer Semester (10 Weeks, June – August)
• Students enroll each semester and choose a monthly tuition package

Communication:

• TeacherZone (TZ) is our main way of communicating with students and families. Information and announcements will be sent out via text and email to everyone enrolled.  
• Students can communicate directly with their instructors throughout the week through the TZ chat icon when logged into their accounts.
• The TZ chat icon is a great place for Teachers and Students to share audio files, lyrics, chord charts, sheet music, and helpful video tutorials. 
• For cancellations please see our make-up policy.
• Parents/Students are expected to cancel their lessons online through their TeacherZone account, as well as text, email, or call their teacher.  Please see our makeup policy regarding rescheduling options and procedures. 

Tuition:

• Private Lessons (ages 4-Adult): Monthly tuition is based on an 10 week Summer, 18 week Fall, or 18 week Spring semester-long commitment level.  
• Lesson Duration: We offer 30, 45, and 60, 75, & 90 minute weekly lessons based on age, level, and the needs / goals of the student.  
• Discounts: Tuition is reduced for families enrolling three or more students, homeschooled children, students with weekday lesson times before 3pm, single income families, and for families from any of our instructor’s or affiliate churches.
• Semester Billing: Tuition is based on 18 or 10 week semesters
  • Each semester (Summer, Fall, Spring) Students / Families will enroll and agree on a monthly tuition plan
  • monthly tuition amount is based on length, frequency of the lessons, the options to enroll in our performance program, and lessons location. We offer lessons at various locations including in your home for convenience.
• Scholarship funds, based on the donation funds available, can be applied for and will be awarded to families in need.
• Each semester, based on enrollment and expenses, the FMAA board will allocate a percentage of profit to be added to the student scholarship fund, along with any donations received.
• Students are able to sign up at any time during any semester and are agreeing to enroll until the end of each semester.
• Holidays and planned breaks/days off are built into each semester calendar.  You are not charged for these days or weeks off.  

Re-scheduling and Makeup Policy:

• 24-Hour Notice: ​We ask that if you cannot make it to your lesson time that you let us know 24 hours in advance (or by 7pm the night before your lesson). Failure to do so will result in a forfeited lesson that cannot be made up.
• All cancellations, rescheduling, and makeups (recorded as banked lessons) will be managed online through TeacherZone (TZ)
• Make-ups: ​FMAA offers makeup opportunities. FMAA does not offer refunds for missed lessons. Your lesson time is reserved exclusively for you. FMAA does not assume any responsibility for missed lessons for any reason. 
  • All instructors will use TZ to track attendance, cancellations, no shows, and will bank missed lesson time eligible for makeups
  • Eligible make-up time banked in TZ can be made up in one of three ways provided.
  • The maximum number of “In Person” or “Live Video Lesson” make-up opportunities and/or rescheduled lessons allowed per student is two (2) total per 18-week semester period, or one (1) total per 10-week summer semester period. Students will only be eligible for make-up opportunities if the lesson qualifies for a make-up (see below).
  • If you schedule a makeup lesson and then miss that for any reason, without giving 24-hour notice, it still counts as your makeup lesson. Make-up lessons are a courtesy for registered/active students only and expire two weeks after each semester’s calendar is completed.
  • Make-up opportunities are provided on the terms of the academy and subject to the teacher’s availability and convenience. FMAA provides make-up options and the opportunity to reschedule lessons as a courtesy.  

• Lessons that Qualify for Make-ups: The following instances qualify for a lesson to be made-up. No exceptions will be made.
  • Teacher Cancel: ​When a teacher is sick or cannot teach for any reason, we will notify you as soon as possible if this happens. All teacher cancellations will be banked in TeacherZone and are eligible to be made up.  If you are unable to make-up all teacher cancellations within two weeks of a semester’s end, FMAA will apply a credit to your next semester’s tuition. 
  • Traveling Instructor Delays: If any traveling FMAA instructor arrives more than 15 minutes late due to unforeseen travel delays, all missed lesson time will be banked and made up. The instructor may opt to cancel and bank the entire lesson if they determine they will arrive late due to travel delays.
  • Emergency Student Cancel: ​We understand that life happens. We allow one emergency-cancel per student per semester. An Emergency-Cancel is considered such when you give us less than 24-hours notice. If you do not let us know of the absence until after the lesson, it will be considered a no-show and will not be eligible for a make-up.
  • 24 Hour Cancel: if you give us 24-hours notice (or by 7pm the previous day), you may be eligible to makeup the lesson time (subject to the maximum “In Person” or “Live Video Lesson” make-ups per semester)
  • TeacherZone conveniently tracks all missed lesson time eligible for make-up.  These are referred to as banked lessons. 

• Make-up Lesson Options: Eligible lessons can be made up in one of three ways:
  • In Person
  • Live Video Lesson Online (Zoom/Facetime/Skype/Google)

• (both In Person and Live Video makeup lessons are subject to the maximum allowed of 1 or 2 per semester)

• Recorded Video Makeup Lesson:  These are great opportunities for our instructors to video record detailed tutorials, examples of custom exercises, and custom arrangements for students when a live makeup is not an option. students often prefer recorded video makeups as they can view the new material over and over again, on their own time, and at their own pace. The video lesson and your new assignment will be posted on TZ by your instructor typically within 24 hours. 

• Inclement Weather: FMAA reserves the right to cancel in the case of inclement weather. These lessons will be banked in TZ and can be made up at another time. Students can opt to have a live online lesson, or receive a recorded video makeup lesson / custom tutorial in its place.  If we are able, and multiple days of the week are cancelled due to weather, we may extend the semester to makeup missed time. You will be notified if this happens. All lessons cancelled due to weather will be banked in TZ for make-up. 
• No Refunds:​ No refunds will be made for missed lessons, including  lessons that qualify for make-ups. FMAA conveniently offers three makeup options. Tuition credits are only available if a Teacher Cancellation cannot be made up within two weeks of a semester’s end.
• Summer Camps:​ No make-up classes will be offered if an enrolled student misses any of our optional summer camp programs. 
• Group Classes: No make-up classes will be offered if an enrolled student misses any group class time during a semester
• Jam Sessions and Band Rehearsals: No make-up time will be offered for students missing open jam sessions or student band rehearsals

Practice Guidelines

• All students are expected to time their practice sessions. This can be conveniently done on TeacherZone.com or by using the TZ app. 
• Instructors will assign clear time goals for each practice session.  Students will be expected to meet or exceed their time goals four (4) times per week between lessons. 
• Practicing should incorporate all assignments given by the teacher at their weekly lessons. If you, as the parent, have questions about what or how your student should be practicing, please ask their teacher. It is important to instill good practice habits from the beginning.

Practice Expectations:

• Young Children and Beginner Students: ​Younger pupils will gradually work into a routine, with the help of their parents, siblings, or guardians at home. By the end of their first year of study, they should be practicing at least 15-20 minutes minimum per session, four (4) times per week.  Our most successful beginner students spend 60-80 minutes per week on their instrument and make consistent progress.
• Intermediate Students: ​Depending the goals and age of the student, these students should be practicing 25-35 minutes minimum per session, four (4) times a week. This amount of time is essential for progress. Some students may find they need more time per day as they advance through their repertoire or prepare for performances.  Intermediate students should spend 100-140 minutes per week playing their instrument to progress consistently and quickly.

Advanced Students: Depending the goals and age of the student, advanced students should be practicing 40-70 minutes minimum per session, four to five (4) times a week. Some students may find they need more time per day as they advance through their repertoire.  Advanced students should spend 140-300 minutes per week playing their instrument.  Top performing students typically practice a minimum of 3 hours per week. College music students are expected to practice a minimum of 7-10 hours per week.

Encouragement / Rewards / Awards:

• Young students under the age of 10 may be rewarded each week and each month they meet or exceed their time goals (stickers or prizes)

* practice rewards are optional and may vary per independent instructor or affiliate *

• All students who meet or exceed their average weekly practice time goal for a semester will be rewarded with a “Practice Warrior Award” upon the completion of each semester
• Each semester FMAA also awards a “Top Practicer Award” to the beginner, intermediate, and advanced/adult student who averages the most practice time logged in TZ per week during that semester. 
• We recommend including practice time as part of your daily routine or written schedule.  It is best to find a time that is consistent day-to-day. 

We understand that playing a musical instrument is often one activity of many, but in order to develop musical skills and reach a proficient level in order to apply them to real world applications (or other instruments), dedicated, regular practice at home is essential.  Structured, scheduled practice time along with positive parental/guardian/family support and consistency at home makes a big difference in achieving practice goals. We ask our parents/guardians to partner with our instructors to help establish good practice habits by creating routines, encouraging them, and rewarding students that achieve their goals. 

Discontinuing Lessons

All Programs: ​ If you wish to stop lessons, please call us or notify in writing at fellowshipmusicarts@gmail.com. Thirty-days notice is required to discontinue any lessons/classes/bands. Early withdrawal is not allowed during the last 30 days of each term. If you wish to discontinue at the end of a term, please notify us in writing. 

• Please keep in mind that early withdrawal will make the student un-eligible to receive awards, it can negatively affect performance events, and it can also affect the availability of our student scholarship funds.
• If a student decides to withdraw, and then wishes to resume lessons again during the same semester, a $30 reinstatement fee will be charged. 
• FMAA reserves the right to terminate lessons for any student at any time for any reason, including but not limited to failure to abide by the FMAA code of conduct policy.  In such a case a refund for unused lessons will be given.

Parent and Adult Student’s Responsibility:​  It is the parent’s responsibility to be aware of dates and events, cancellations, and changes of schedule. We will communicate significant events via TZ emails, TZ texts, updates on our website, and sometimes handouts, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the parents or adult students to know and keep track of events and changes.  

• Student’s schedules along with any changes will always be reported on TZ.
• It is the parent’s/adult student’s responsibility to notify the school of any changes of address, telephone number, email changes, or other contact information.
• Parents/Guardians/Adult Students are required to keep payment sources up to date in the TZ billing system.
• No food or drinks, except water, are allowed during lessons, classes, or rehearsals.
• No children, whether FMAA students or otherwise, may be left unattended without consent of the instructor or the FMAA executive director.
• FMAA requires an additional adult to be on the premises during all private lessons.
• Parents are allowed in all lessons but agree to not interfere or disrupt them
• Parents shall remain courteous at all times and should direct concerns to the FMAA executive director or vice president, and not at teachers during lessons, at other students, or other parents.   
• Students and families Enrolling shall read through, agree, and adhere to FMAA’s Code of Conduct Agreement at all times.

Parents/Guardians/Adults Enrolling shall read through and sign the Liability and Release Waiver prior to their first paid session