Policies

Creating A Safe, Open & Inclusive Place to Learn

At Music Box, it is our goal to ensure a safe, open, and inclusive environment for both our students and staff. To do this we regularly evaluate our policies and make changes to our studio, based on experience, expert advice, and community best practices.

This is a transparent, living document, the Policies outlined below are subject to change.

Year at a Glance.

The Music Box yearly calendar runs from September 1st to August 31st and aligns approximately with the New Westminster public school system. Each day of the week has 48 lessons throughout the year and the option for two recitals, supplementary workshops, masterclasses, and additional group lessons. Please note, to create an equal amount of days, Monday students will often have their lesson on a holiday.

Tuition Rates

Monthly Tuition is Based On 48 Classes A Year
Monthly Tuition rates are based on 48 classes a year and a monthly average of four (4x) classes a month (e.g. $32.5 x 4/classes = $130/month). Due to an average monthly price, tuition is the same each month, despite the number of lessons provided. Please note that some months will have more lessons than four (e.g. five), while other months will have fewer than four lessons (e.g. three). Tuition is never prorated or refunded for missed lessons (see Make-Up policy). Tuition does not include any instruments or retail teaching materials (e.g. books).

Single Drop-In Lessons can be purchased for $35 a lesson.

Payments

Credit Card | PayPal (Debit) | Cheque | E-Transfer
All tuition must be paid prior to your drop-in lesson or month’s first lesson, if payment is not received, Music Box has the right to cancel the lesson(s). Secure online payment by pre-authorized credit card (i.e. Visa, Mastercard, AMEX) is the preferred choice. All online pre-authorized payments are processed on the 28th of each month prior to your upcoming lessons (e.g. September’s monthly lesson fee is processed on August 28th).

If you would like to pay via Cheque, PayPal or E-Transfer. Payment must be received before your lesson. We encourage you to deliver payment 3-5 days before your lesson to eliminate any potential disruption.

If you would like to pay via Debit, you may create a PayPal account and pay for your lesson via a secure online payment portal. Please note, all debit payments are single purchases, Music Box does not offer reoccurring authorized debit payments at this time.

If paying by Cheque, a $50 fee will be charged for all NSF cheques (i.e. bounced, insufficient funds). This fee, along with the lesson fee must be paid prior to your next lesson. Cheques will be processed up to 10 business days after they are received or postdated.

Cancellations & Make-ups

4 Make-Up Lessons Per Academy-Year
Private lessons cancelled by a student are non-refundable. Music Box allows up to four (4x) private make-up lessons per Academy Year (September 1st - August 31st), per monthly paying student. The duration of the make-up lesson is based on the lesson missed. You cannot use a make-up lesson if you are not enrolled at Music Box. Once a make-up lesson is booked it is considered ‘made-up,’ regardless of attendance. To schedule a make-up lesson, contact the office, not your instructor, for a date and time. Music Box cannot guarantee a make-up lesson with your instructor but will provide options suited for the student’s level and instrument.

For any lessons missed by a teacher, Music Box will attempt to provide a substitute teacher for that class. If a substitute teacher is unavailable, a private make-up lesson will be scheduled promptly or a refund for the lesson will be issued.

In the case of an academy closure due to pandemics, extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances lessons are non-refundable but will be made up via live-online lessons or in-person lessons depending on the specific circumstances of the closure and teacher availability.

Attend Class Online
All lessons may be converted from in-person to online on any week. If you cannot physically attend but would still like to take your lesson at your regular time and avoid using a Make-Up lesson, please call or email our administration staff 30 min prior to your lesson and we will convert your class to an online setting using Zoom.

Teacher Illness & Online Classes
To prevent the spread of communicable diseases, in-person lessons may be moved online at the teacher's discretion if the teacher is feeling ill or recovering from an illness (and can conduct a lesson online). Please see our Sick Policy below for more details on make-ups and credits or refunds if a class is moved online.

Vacation Months

Take Up To Two Months Off Each Year
As an academy, Music Box operates year-round and remains open throughout the Summer. However, we recognize that throughout the year our students have planned holidays or personal reasons why they need to take a month or two off. Vacation Months are designed to give students the flexibility to take a month off while securing their day, time, and teacher for a small reservation fee.

To take a month off, just confirm with our administration staff by phone or email that you would like to take a Vacation Month on or before the 15th of the month prior to your Vacation and we will save your spot.

Vacation Month Details:

Music Box allows students to take up to two (2x) Vacation Months per Academy-Year (September 1 - August 31).

Vacation months can be taken in consecutive months (i.e. September & October) or spaced out during the year (i.e. December & March).

To be eligible, Vacation Months must be requested on or before the 15th of the month prior to your Vacation Month.

Make-up lessons can be taken during Vacation Months, but your regular lesson day and time are not guaranteed.

Drop-In lessons can be taken during Vacation Months, at a rate of $35 for a 30 min lesson. Vacation Holding Rates still apply.

Vacation Months renew on September 1st every year.

Example: Jessica wants to take August off. She needs to request a Vacation Month by July 15th to secure her spot throughout August. Jessica will be invoiced in August for $50. Jessica will then resume her normal lessons and have her same spot come September.

Discontinuing Lessons

To discontinue lessons and charges to your account, fill out the withdrawal form included in your welcome package or online at musicboxnw.ca/withdrawal before the 15th of your last month. Please note, we do not prorate tuition for the last month’s lessons. Students will be responsible for their last month’s tuition whether or not they attend lessons.

Care of Students

Rules for Picking Up & Dropping Off Your Child
The school is not responsible for providing before or aftercare for students. Parents with children under the age of eight must remain in the school during the classes. Students are not to be left at the school for excessive time periods before or after their lessons.

Children must wait for their parents to pick them up inside the Academy. Please do not ask them to meet you elsewhere. Music Box assumes no responsibility for children who leave unaccompanied.

Sick Policy

Students & Instructors May Not Attend Class if They are Sick
To prevent the spread of communicable diseases, students & instructors may not attend class if they are sick. Students or instructors will be sent home by staff if they display any symptoms of illness. Students can take classes online, via Zoom, or cancel and use a make-up lesson at a later date if they are feeling unwell.

If you or your child is sick, please contact the office for a link to your online lesson or to cancel a lesson and schedule a make-up lesson.

Teacher Illness & Online Classes
In-person lessons may be moved online at the teacher's discretion if the teacher is feeling ill or recovering from an illness (and can properly conduct a lesson online).

If you choose to cancel your lesson, due to a teacher moving a class online, you can opt to use a make-up lesson. Music Box cannot guarantee a make-up lesson with your same teacher at a preferred time. Payment or credit will not be issued if you opt-out of an online lesson due to teacher illness and our Sick Policy (Teacher Illness).

Injuries & Medical Emergency

Injuries
Parents, legal guardians of minors, students and adult students and respective heirs and successors waive the right to any legal action for any damages or injury sustained on school property resulting from participation in Music Box activities or any other activity conducted by the student or their siblings while in or upon the premises or any premises under the control and supervision of Music Box, or in route to or from any of said premises before, during, or after lesson time.

Medical Emergencies
The student and guardian, if applicable, give permission to and holds harmless Music Box, its owners, and operators from any and all liability if they seek to give medical treatment for the participant in the event they are not able to reach a parent or guardian. I hereby declare that all physical & mental restrictions or conditions are disclosed to Music Box staff, and the participant is fit to take lessons at Music Box.

Open Door & Video Policy

Each Lesson is Recorded for Transparency and to Promote a Safe Space
We have an open-door policy and parents are always allowed to sit in on lessons. If your lessons are taking place online, an adult from your family must be present to help supervise the lesson.

All classes in-person and online are recorded for security and transparency purposes. These videos are held securely, privately, and deleted over time.

Diversity & Inclusion

At Music Box, a diverse, inclusive, and equitable academy is one where all staff, students and volunteers, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability, feels valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment, education, and advancement in all of our departments, programs, and worksites. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are valued and heard.

We’re committed to modelling diversity and inclusion for the entire arts industry and to maintaining an inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all.