I. Student Responsibilities

A. Practice each day, preferably at regular times. Minimum requirement is 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Practice time will increase as student advances.

B. Write down questions or problems that arise while practicing and bring them to the lesson.

C. Bring all the proper books and materials to lessons. This includes all music books, the assignment notebook for lessons, and any other assigned material.

II. Parent Responsibilities

An important part of the students progress is encouragement and support from his/her family.

A. Parental encouragement might include some or all of the following:

1. Parental attendance at lessons

2. Practicing with younger students or at least hearing the assignments periodically to show interest

3. Talking with your child regularly about his/her musical activities

4. Attendance at performances

5. Taking students to concerts and recitals in area

B. Students should be provided with suitable practice conditions including:

1. A time and place without distractions or interruptions

2. A piano or keyboard with a bench set at the proper height along with proper lighting

3. The piano must be tuned and in proper working condition 

C. It is recommended that practice time be built into the students regular schedule so that it becomes part of his/her daily routine

III. WCMU-FM (89.5) broadcasts from Mt. Pleasant and is a fine, 24-hour public radio station that plays classical music. It furnishes a wonderful opportunity for your family to become familiar with a variety of composers and compositions. Listening to a variety of composers and styles is excellent for a student’s advancement.

IV. Attendance Policy

A. Regular attendance at private lessons is essential to every student’s progress. Students need the goal lessons provide and the new ideas built into each lesson. 

B. If a student must miss a lesson, please notify me as soon as possible. Although tuition cannot be refunded, I will assist the student in “making up” occasional missed lessons. This will be done in the following cases only:

1. Illness of the student

2. A death in the immediate family

3. Vacation notified a month in advance

4. When I am unable to teach for any reason

5. In an extended illness of two weeks or more, special arrangements can be made regarding tuition.

C. Students are expected to arrive for lessons in time to have coats off and music ready to play at the time their lesson is scheduled to begin. Using the full allotted time for his/her lesson is for the student’s benefit

V. Tuition and Payments

For private lessons: $140-175 per month.  This depends on if there are four or five lessons in one month. It equals $35 per lesson.  Piano lessons are 45 minutes while voice are 30 minutes. In the lesson they will be taught theory, technique, ear-training, sight-reading, composing, transposing, improvisation, a wide variety of music, music appreciation and many practice techniques. Tuition is due no later than the 3rd of each month.  I accept cash, check, Venmo (@Tracy-Montgomery-45) and Apple Cash. 

See below for further information on what your yearly tuition covers.

VI. Communication between Parents and Teacher 

I appreciate working with you and your children. Please feel free to contact me about any concern or suggestion you may have regarding your child’s response to piano lessons. My phone number is 989-492-4861. (Texting is also available.) You can also contact me by e-mail at tracysmontgomery@yahoo.com.

VII. Summer Policy

I require that my students continue lessons through the summer. Just let me know vacation times at least a month in advance. If you decide to take the summer off, your time slot may be taken by another student unless you pay tuition to reserve your lesson time. If you are on a vacation for more than two weeks in a month, you will still be responsible to pay for the remaining weeks during that month. If a summer camp is offered, the student is required to attend unless other arrangements have been made. This camp will replace the private lessons for that month.

VIII. Dismissal

If any of the above policy statements are continually not being followed by a student, I reserve the right to dismiss that student.