Policies

Attendance and Make-Up Policies for Lessons, Classes, and Ensembles

Instructors commit to a set schedule of NMS teaching days based upon student registration. To honor the commitments of our instructors and families, we follow the policies outlined below:

Teacher Absence: Lessons, classes, and ensembles missed due to teacher absence are rescheduled at the earliest mutually convenient date possible. If the instructor is not able to make up the missed activity by the end of the term, NMS will issue a credit to the family’s account.
Student Absence: As a courtesy to the instructor, student absences may be called in to 203-624-5189. Notification does not exempt the student from payment as contracted. Neighborhood Music School does not make up lessons, classes, or ensembles missed due to student absences or cancellations. There are no refunds for activities missed due to student absence. Please make every effort to attend at your scheduled time.
Tardiness: Students who are late for a lesson, class, or ensemble cannot be guaranteed their full time. Missed lesson, class, or ensemble time due to faculty tardiness will be made up at a mutually convenient time.
Religious Holidays: With at least one week's notice to the teacher and Student Services, one regularly scheduled individual lesson that will be missed due to a religious holiday will be rescheduled as a make-up or credited to the student’s account. For group classes and ensembles, we will prorate fees for one religious holiday.

Withdrawal and Refund Policies for Lessons, Classes, and Ensembles

General Policies

Notification must be delivered to Student Services in writing (by hand, postal mail, or email to registration@nmsnewhaven.org) by the deadlines noted below.
Verbal notification or absence from scheduled meetings is not an acceptable form of notification.
Registration fees are non-refundable, unless a class is cancelled by NMS.
Custom ensembles, joint lessons, and short-run classes are non-refundable.
Payment plan fees will be prorated at the time of withdrawal so only the months used will be charged.

Academic Year Withdrawal Deadlines

For registrations prior to December 31:

If withdrawal notification is received at least 24 hours prior to the 1st scheduled meeting, all tuition payments will be refunded.
If withdrawal notification is received less than 24 hours prior to the 1st scheduled meeting, students are responsible for the cost of the first lesson/class/ensemble; any other tuition payments will be refunded.
If withdrawal notification is received after the 1st scheduled meeting and before the 2nd scheduled meeting, students are responsible for the cost of the first lesson/class/ensemble; any other tuition payments will be refunded.
If withdrawal notification is received after the 2nd scheduled meeting and before the 3rd scheduled meeting, students are responsible for the cost of the first two lessons/classes/ensembles; any other tuition payments will be refunded.
After the 3rd scheduled meeting, students wishing to discontinue for the 2nd half of the year should notify NMS by December 31. Students are responsible for the cost of all lessons/classes/ensembles through January 31.
After the December 31 notification deadline, students are responsible for the cost of all lessons/class/ensembles through the end of the academic year.

For registrations after January 1:

If withdrawal notification is received at least 24 hours prior to the 1st scheduled meeting, all tuition payments will be refunded.
If withdrawal notification is received less than 24 hours prior to the 1st scheduled meeting, students are responsible for the cost of the first lesson/class/ensemble; any other tuition payments will be refunded.
If withdrawal notification is received after the 1st scheduled meeting and before the 2nd scheduled meeting, students are responsible for the cost of the first lesson/class/ensemble; any other tuition payments will be refunded.
If withdrawal notification is received after the 2nd scheduled meeting and before the 3rd scheduled meeting, students are responsible for the cost of the first two lessons/classes/ensembles; any other tuition payments will be refunded.
After the third scheduled meeting, students are responsible for the cost of all lessons/classes/ensembles through the end of the academic year.

Summer Term

Tuition and registration fees for one-on-one lessons, classes, ensembles, and summer intensives are non-refundable and non-transferable, with two exceptions: (1) for one-on-one lessons that an instructor is unable to give, and (2) for a class that is cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.

Tuition and fees for all summer classes and lessons (except Audubon Arts) must be paid in full at the time of registration. No student or family with an outstanding tuition balance is permitted to register until the balance has been paid.

Audubon Arts

The required deposit of $300 and all other tuition fees paid are fully refundable through April 30. All fees minus the $300 deposit are refundable through May 14. All fees become fully non-refundable and non-transferable after May 14.

Course Cancellation

Course cancellation occurs occasionally, usually due to insufficient enrollment. Students or parents of students will be notified immediately of any cancellation. We will make every effort to reschedule the student for another session of the same course, if one is available at a convenient time. If no such course is available, we will issue a refund.

School Closing Notifications

NMS delayed openings, cancellations, and early closing notices are posted:

On the home page of our website
On our Facebook page
On our Instagram feed
Via recorded message: call 203-624-5189
Via email

Cancellations and delayed openings will be posted by 7:00 a.m. Monday-Friday, by 6:45 a.m. on Saturdays, and by 9:15 a.m. on Sundays. Early closing decisions will be posted around 12:00 p.m. Monday-Sunday.

If it is snowing, yet there is no weather-related posting by the above noted times, NMS will be open as usual. Since we serve over 80 towns and cities, please do not assume that NMS will be closed based on your local public school cancellation.

The decision to delay opening or close NMS is determined by safety conditions in Greater New Haven and state highway advisories. In the event of a closing, the missed lesson is treated as a teacher absence and will either be made up or issued as a credit shortly after the end of the academic year.

During snow emergencies, the City of New Haven issues temporary parking bans on city streets and will ticket and tow violators. You may wish to use the parking garage on Audubon Street. For information on New Haven city rules, call 203-946-SNOW.

Payment Plans

We offer students the option of paying tuition in monthly installments. A 3% payment plan fee helps us defray processing costs. At the time of enrollment, a deposit of 10% of the total tuition and fees is due. There is no payment plan fee when tuition is paid in full at the time of enrollment.

Past Due Balances

All past due balances must be paid in full prior to registering for a new activity. A $25 fee will be added to accounts when payments are overdue by 30 days. An additional $25 fee will be applied every 30 days thereafter.

Child Supervision Policy

Neighborhood Music School (NMS) welcomes students of all ages. Children and their safety are of special concern to NMS.

NMS staff and teachers supervise children only while they are participating in scheduled activities at NMS. At all other times, parents/caregivers are responsible for their children while the children are at NMS facilities.

NMS permits unaccompanied children who are independent enough to navigate NMS on their own to be at NMS facilities. Parents and caregivers must note, however, that staff and teachers cannot supervise unaccompanied children before or after their activities, nor can staff and teachers provide supervision if a child exits the studio/classroom in the middle of an activity to use the restroom, or for any other reason.

In addition, staff and teachers cannot prevent unaccompanied children from exiting our facilities. If a parent/caregiver feels that it is unsafe for a child to leave our facilities without adult supervision, the child should not be at NMS unattended by a parent or caregiver.

‍Children Under Age 6:
‍Parents/caregivers of children under age 6 are strongly encouraged to stay at NMS while their children are participating in a lesson, class, or ensemble. Young children may need to use the restroom unexpectedly, or may require other assistance, and NMS staff and teachers are not able to escort children to the restroom or assist them outside of the studio/classroom.

Media Release

Unless NMS is given advance written notice to the contrary, students, upon registration, give consent for NMS to take photos, audio recordings, or video footage of classes, lessons, and/or concerts without notice and to publish such photos, audio, and video footage royalty free in its print, audio, and electronic promotional efforts, including its website and social media. This consent also authorizes releases from any expectation of confidentiality for minor children of a parent or legal guardian.

Liability Release

Playing a musical instrument and/or engaging in dance or wellness activities may place stress on the body and carry the possible risk of physical injury. By enrolling in Neighborhood Music School (NMS) programming, students agree that NMS, its teaching artists and staff, and the NMS facilities shall not be held liable in any way for injuries sustained during participation in our programs.

Instrument Rental

NMS does not rent instruments. We have limited instruments available for use during introductory lessons only. Our teaching artists and staff are happy to provide information on instrument rental or purchase options.