Expertise • Enthusiasm • Excellence

WSM Policies, 2023-24

Private Lessons
Group Classes
Chamber Music & PTG
Summer Day Programs
Media Release
For Health/COVID policies, see here.

Please note: By enrolling for private lessons, ensembles or classes you are agreeing to these Policies.

Please also note: All Wayland Recreation classes register at their website, and are subject to their policies.

Private Lesson Policies

WSM Private Lesson Policies are standard for professional music schools with high-quality faculty, and reflect the following principles:

1. Enrollment commitment:
   

   Enrolling for private lessons is by the semester, and indicates that the student is committed for the current semester (or summer session), at the agreed-upon lesson time. 
   
   Spring semester rollover:
   Students enrolled for fall semester automatically roll over to spring semester at the same lesson time, unless notice to withdraw is given by Jan 15th 2024.
   Semester dates, school year 2023-24:
   Fall semester: Sept 6th 2023 - Jan 28th 2024. Spring 2024 semester: Jan 29th 2024 - Jun 16th 2024
   
   
2. Scheduling: 
   Private lesson times, once confirmed, are considered permanent for the semester (or summer session), and subject to the policies below.
   Revised lesson times are not guaranteed and are subject to availability. No refunds will be given if teachers are not able to meet time change requests subsequent to confirmation, but families are welcome to try to switch with another family in that teacher's studio via the swap list.
   
   
3. Payment methods and schedule:
   Payment for lessons will be linked to the Opus1 system.
   
   Payment must be made in full, or a payment plan initiated:
      - by Sept 1st for fall semester
      - by January 22nd for spring semester
      - upon enrollment for new students
   Enrollment is not complete, and your lesson time is not reserved, until payment is made according to one of the payment options listed below.
   

   i)  Full payment by either Credit Card or Bank Account Transfer (ACH), initiated by you within 5 days of receving confirmation of your timeslot
   
   ii) Full payment by paper check, by Sept 1st (Jan 22nd for spring semester). 
   Please note that WE CANNOT ACCEPT PAPER CHECKS after Sept 1st (Jan 22nd for spring semester). 
   To ensure timely delivery, we recommend that you click the folder icon in your Opus1 account to upload a scan of the check, rather than mailing it
   
   iii) Split payment by either credit card or bank account transfer (ACH). Please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. stating that you select this option 3, which authorizes us to charge the credit card or bank account you have entered at Opus1 as follows:
   
   - Sept 1st - 50% of your semester invoice, plus $10 administration fee
   (spring semester: Jan 22nd)
   
   - Oct 1st  - the  remaining 50% of your semester invoice
   (spring semester: Feb 26th)

New students only:

• Last date to enroll with 50/50 split plan: October 1st (spring semester:  March 1st)
  
  First 50% of prorated amount will be withdrawn at enrollment.
  Second 50% of prorated amount will be withdrawn 4 weeks after enrollment, or no later than November 1st (spring semester: April 1st).
  There will be an administrative fee of $10.

Please contact us if the above payment schedule is a hardship. Depending on the date of enrollment, we may be able to create an individualized payment plan. Credit card or ACH authorization will be required, and there will be an administrative fee of $20.

Late fees

If a payment is late, due to a declined payment or other reason, a late fee of $20 will be assessed. Overdue balances beyond 30 days will be subject to an interest charge of 1.5% per month overdue.

4. Termination of lessons, payments, and refunds:

Once enrolled as in (1) & (2) above, written notification is required for termination.
Failure to attend lessons does not qualify as notification of termination, and does not release a student from his/her financial obligations as hereunder, whether previously paid in full or with payments still outstanding.

Once written notification of termination is received by email, or delivered to us by regular mail, refunds are available under the following schedule:

Written notice:

i) Received before first day of semester, or before date of first lesson if enrolling later: full refund of payments made, minus registration ("sign-up") fee

ii) On date of first lesson of semester (or your first scheduled lesson if joining thereafter): Refund of lesson fees paid, minus one lesson fee

iii) Received after date of first scheduled lesson, but within one calendar month of first day of the semester (or your first scheduled lesson if enrolling thereafter:
     If paid in full: 50% of lesson fees will be refunded
     If using the 50/50 split option: second payment will not be withdrawn

iv) Received at any time thereafter: no refunds; semester payment is due in full.

v) Registration ("sign-up") fees are not refundable.

5. Absences, makeups, holidays, etc.

i) Lessons missed by teachers:
Any lessons missed by teachers, for any reason, will be made up at a mutually convenient time or credited to you. 

ii) Excused absences:
All students are permitted one excused absence per semester for sickness or true emergency only.
An excused absence is defined as:
Absence for illness or serious emergency, notified electronically by 10am for a weekday lesson, and 8am for weekend lessons.

An excused absence will be either made up, or credited to you if we can’t find a mutually agreeable time. A rescheduled lesson for an excused makeup is subject to the usual policies.

For all other absences, please see below.

iii) Holiday weekends:
Although we follow the Wayland Public Schools calendar, for the sake of continuity we generally teach private lessons on holiday weekends and holiday Mondays.

If you have a Sat/Sun/Mon lesson and will be traveling out of town on a holiday weekend or holiday Monday, you will receive a makeup or credit as long as you give us seven days' written notice so that your teacher can consolidate their schedule. 

This does not “use up” your excused absence as in (6) above.

iv) Unexcused absences:
Unexcused absences are those you may decide to take for sports, parties, school events/trips, non-emergency dentist/doctor appointments, family events/trips when school is in session, etc. etc.
These lessons are forfeit, and will not be made up or credited.

v) Discretionary makeups:
We may sometimes be able to offer you a makeup at our discretion, in the following circumstances only: 

Your child is sick more than once in the semester and you notify us by 10am weekday/8am weekend

Your child is sick when arriving from school on the lesson day and you notify us immediately

Your family is traveling out of town, you notify us of this in writing at least a week before the missed lesson, and we fill the spot with someone to whom we already owe an excused absence makeup.

Please note:

Discretionary makeups will be handled via other students' cancellation slots only.
We will not ask teachers to add extra time to their schedules for a discretionary makeup. 
Missed or canceled discretionary makeups cannot be rescheduled.

vi) No-shows: under no circumstances will makeups be offered for “no-shows”.

6. Zoom lessons:

Both students and teachers may request to pivot their lesson to our zoom platform at their usual time for any reason, including "walking sickness", transport problems, or to avoid a lesson forfeit.

Students should give teachers and admin at least two hours’ notice so that devices can be ready. Your teacher's contact info and zoom link can be found on the studio contact list.

If your teacher is on zoom and you are unable to stop at home between activities for the zoom lesson, you are welcome to log in from your teacher's usual studio at your lesson time.

Please DO NOT come to the building if you are sick or getting sick, as this puts others at risk. For full Health Policies, see here. 

7. Snow days:
Snow days and other weather emergencies will be handled via the regular schedule on our dedicated Zoom platform. If this is prevented by widespread power outages, there will a maximum of one weather reschedule per semester. 

8. Non-solicitation/non-compete:
Please note that WSM teachers are under contract that they may not take students from WSM families into their private studios for the period of a family's enrollment at WSM, and/or the period of a teacher's contract with WSM, and for 12 months thereafter.

Chamber Music/PlayTogether Go Policies

Our Chamber Music/PlayTogether Go Policies reflect the need to:

create a satisfying experience for all ensemble members

maintain a reasonably smooth administrative process

Assignment to ensembles:
We will put together chamber music ensembles based on age range and playing level. Ensembles may be for any combination of instruments.

Students may be asked to schedule a brief “get-to-know-you” evaluation first, so we can hear you play something you’re comfortable with and find you appropriate partners.

Enrollment and payment:
Once you have been assigned to an ensemble and all members have confirmed the coaching schedule, we will invoice you for the session. At that point payment is due in full. We reserve the right to give your spot to someone else if payment is delayed.

Withdrawal:
Once enrolled as in (2) above, written notice is required for withdrawal. Failure to notify WSM does not release a student from his/her financial obligation. Once written notice is received by email, or delivered to us by regular mail, refunds are offered as follows. Written notice:

14 days or more before date of first class: 50% refund of tuition

13 days or less before first class: no refunds

In the case of withdrawal by one group member, we will find another musician for your group or adjust repertoire for the remaining players. However if we’re unable to do this for any reason, we will refund tuition and fees for remaining group members.

Scheduling and makeups:
Once we find you a weekly coaching time based on ensemble members’ input, regular attendance is expected, as small ensembles depend on attendance by all members to create a satisfying experience for all.

In general coaches will fill in for a missing player. There will be a maximum of one makeup per semester if:
i) all the players have to miss a coaching 
ii) and the coach is notified of this at least 24 hours in advance.

Lessons missed by coaches:
Any coaching sessions missed by coaches will be made up at a mutually agreeable time or credited to you.

Snow days: 
We offer one snow makeup per 10-week session for chamber music ensembles.

COVID-19: 
If it becomes necessary for any reason to stop meeting in person, instructors will adapt the curriculum to provide a rewarding online experience for students for the remainder of the session.

Because of the logistics of scheduling two or more students and a coach, we cannot guarantee chamber music class makeups for any other reason. In general, the coach will take the place of any missing student during a coaching session. However, if more than one student is absent from a particular coaching, we will attempt to schedule one makeup class for the group per 10-week session, if possible.

Group Class Policies*

1. Enrollment: Completed registration and full payment are required to hold your spot. There are no refunds for group classes once the student is officially registered.
   
   
2. Partial credit towards another class may be considered for extenuating circumstances such as prolonged, documented serious illness or injury. To be considered for such a credit, withdrawal notification must be submitted to WSM in writing. Failure to attend classes/lessons does not qualify as notification. Failure to notify WSM does not release a student from his/her financial obligation.
   
   
3. For snow days when travel is unsafe, we will generally teach the class at its scheduled time via our dedicated Zoom platform. In the case of a power outage, there will a maximum of one snow reschedule per session. This will generally be added on at the end of the session, on the regular day and time. However, in case of space limitations we reserve the right to make alternative day/time arrangements for a snow makeup.
   
   
4. Cancellation:
   WSM will cancel a class if there is insufficient enrollment. If a class is cancelled, full tuition and any applicable registration fees will be refunded to the student.

*Please note that group classes offered through Wayland Recreation register directly with them, and are subject to their policies.

Summer Half and Full Day Program Policies

1. Enrollment: Completed registration and full payment are required to hold your spot. There are no refunds for summer day programs within 6 weeks of the program start date, once the student is officially registered and paid.
   
   
2. Health and Safety: Participants agree to follow health and safety procedures as mandated by the Wayland Board of Health and State of Massachusetts, and provided to families by Wayland School of Music.
   
   
3. Full day: Participants enrolled for both morning and afternoon session may stay between sessions at no extra charge, and supervision will be provided.
   
   
4. Behavior policy: We aim to provide an enjoyable experience for all participants. Therefore, participants agree to follow directions of program counselors and staff. If after reasonable and appropriate redirection and help, a participant's behavior endangers self and/or others, or negatively impacts the camp experience of other participants, parent or caregiver will be called to remove the participants for the rest of the day. If this happens a second time, participants will be required to withdraw from camp and no refund will be given.
   
   
5. Cancellation: WSM will cancel a program if there is insufficient enrollment. If a program is cancelled, full tuition and any applicable registration fees will be refunded to the student.

Media Release

From time to time Wayland School of Music may use video, photos or audio of students and attending caregivers, taken at WSM sponsored events, for publicity or marketing purposes. Additionally, faculty may make video or audio recordings during classes, lessons, and performances for pedagogical reasons. 

Students are NEVER identified by name, only by activity and age (e.g. "Pianist age 10", "Age 6-7 violin group class").

By registering you consent that video, photos and audio taken during any WSM sponsored activity, including classes, lessons, performances and events, whether in person or online, may be used for publicity, marketing or pedagogical purposes, UNLESS a written request to opt out is submitted at the time of registration.