Academic Year Studio Policy
2 September 2025 through 26 June 2026 

Lessons are available from Monday through Friday, generally during the afternoon and evening.

Attendance and Billing Structure

• The Studio functions as a private music school on its own 10-month calendar, independent of any public or private school district calendars. The academic year is divided into two 5-month semesters: Fall/Winter (2 September 2025 - 31 January 2026) and Winter/Spring (1 February 2026 - 26 June 2026).
• The Academic Year Calendar is posted throughout the year on the Mallimo Piano Studio website and lists all recital dates as well as days when the Studio will be closed.
• Students are required to take weekly lessons.  Regular attendance is expected for all other dates not marked on the calendar.
• As with other private academic or arts schools, monthly tuition payments will be billed as a consistent, uniform, flat fee. The amount due each month will remain the same, independent of planned or unplanned absences, as well as any days where the Studio is closed.
• Tuition is not billed based on monthly attendance and does not simply reflect time spent with students during lessons.  Aside from tending to the regular administrative responsibilities of running a business, much of the time and effort we invest in our students occurs outside of weekly lessons.  Before or after a full day of teaching, and on weekends, time is spent preparing material to be taught, choosing appropriate repertoire to be studied, planning a student’s curriculum, looking for resources to help learning, searching for or preparing arrangements of songs a student wants to learn, and providing or looking for performance opportunities.  Additionally, tuition reflects our expertise, education, years of performing experience, years of teaching experience, and the decades of practice that we’ve invested in our own training.​
• Tuition may be paid through Chase QuickPay with Zelle, with Venmo, by check (in person or by mail), or in person by credit or debit card.  Checks should be made payable to: Mallimo Piano Studio. Chase QuickPay with Zelle payments should be addressed to: [email protected], Venmo payments should be addressed to: @Mallimo-Piano-Studio.
• ​Tuition payments are due upon receipt of an invoice, but must be paid by no later than the 10th day of the month. If tuition is past due, then a $15 late fee will be added.  As a courtesy, one month's late fees will be waived once per calendar year.  However, all other late fees must be paid. If tuition is more than 2 months past due, a student will be removed from the schedule and placed on the waiting list.  Once the balance is settled, the student will be reinstated on the schedule, provided there is an available opening. 

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Registration Plans and Tuition Costs

• Students may choose to enroll in a Semester Plan or a Month-to-Month Plan.
• Students on a Semester Plan will pay a lower monthly tuition, but must commit to an entire 5-month semester.  Students will not be allowed to withdraw between September and January, or between February and June.  If a student withdraws mid-semester, they will be billed for the remaining portion of the semester.
• Students on a Month-to-Month Plan will pay a higher monthly tuition, but are not required to commit to an entire 5-month semester of study.  However, in order to avoid being billed for the next month, we must have 1-month's advance notice that you will be stopping.
• It is our preference that students enroll in a Semester Plan, as we can better structure their curriculum if we know they will attend for an extended period of time. It shows us a higher level of commitment on the student’s part. However, we understand if a student must choose the Month-to-Month option.

Lesson Length	Semester Plan Monthly Tuition ​Payment	​Month-to-Month Plan Monthly Tuition Payment
​30 minutes (5 and 6 year-old beginners only)	$200	$225
45 minutes	$272	$296
60 minutes	$360	$380

New Student Trial Period

• Regardless of whether a student chooses the Semester Plan or the Month-to-Month plan, the first month for new students is always considered a trial period; that is, we won’t expect a commitment to the entire semester or continued month-to-month study until after the first month.  At the end of the first month, either we or the student may decide whether to continue our work together.

Studio Expectations

• A student putting their best effort into their work as often as possible, both in a lesson and at home during practice 
• Consistently paying tuition promptly
• Consistent weekly attendance
• Participation in annual recitals

Student Absences

• Consistent weekly attendance must be a priority to ensure a student’s progress.  Except for a legitimate emergency (death in the family, unexpected injury/illness, ER visits, etc.), cancellations are highly discouraged.
• All cancellations are made at the risk of a lost lesson.  Make-up lessons for student absences are not guaranteed, nor are they easily arranged.
  • Make-ups will be scheduled only if possible.
  • While we cannot make up every missed lesson, we will give serious consideration to making up lessons missed due to a legitimate emergency (death in the family, unexpected injury/illness, ER visits, etc.).
  • Monthly tuition payments will not be adjusted to account for student absences.
• Same-day cancellations not due to an emergency will result in a lost lesson.
• The majority of scheduling conflicts are known of before they occur: medical or dental appointments planned far in advance, school events, commitments to other activities, playdates, parties, sports, field trips, or vacations/family outings.
  • If you need to miss for one of these reasons and do not want to chance forfeiting the lesson, you must contact someone in the studio directory and temporarily exchange times with them for the week in question.
• An asynchronous lesson is always the easiest way to make up for a student’s absence that was not a same-day cancellation.
  • A student will record a video of themselves performing the assigned work for the week.
  • We will review that video and send back comments/guidance/instruction in either written or video form.
• It is the student’s decision to attend, or not attend, any lessons that fall on religious holidays during which the studio is open.  If they choose to miss in observance, the absence will be given the same consideration as an emergency.

Student and Family Portals​

• All registered students and their families will receive an emailed invitation to set up a portal. 
• There are family portals and student portals, and except for really young students, it’s recommended to set up both.  The primary difference between the two is that the family portal will contain billing history records, whereas student portals do not (except for adult students).
• Families with multiple students will have a much easier time with each student accessing their assignment and logging their practice if they each have their own portal.
• The Studio Calendar and Directory are accessible in everyone’s family and student portals.  Regular use of the directory will ensure that almost no lessons are actually missed or lost.  If you are unable to arrange a switch, the absence will be made up only if possible.
• Student Assignments and Practice Logs are accessible in everyone’s family and student portals.  Regular use of these will help a student maintain a consistent practice schedule and ensure that they are working on everything correctly to achieve the best possible result.​
• Important Studio News and Announcements will be shared through and visible on the home pages of the student and family portals.
• Other Important Items available in student and family portals include: Helpful Articles and Suggestion Lists about practice for families and students, Billing History, Shared Files, Records of Borrowed Items, and Contact Information.   

Inclement Weather

• In case of inclement weather, we will have remote lessons in place of in-person lessons (if you usually come to the studio).
• Please do not assume that if school is cancelled, the studio will be closed.
• Monthly tuition payments will not be adjusted for cases of inclement weather.

Teacher Absences

• On the rare occasion that we should need to cancel (for either illnesses, emergencies, performances, etc.), students will be guaranteed a make-up lesson (arranged at a mutually convenient time and scheduled before the end of the semester during which we were absent) or an asynchronous lesson.
• An asynchronous lesson is always the easiest way to make up for a teacher’s absence.
  • A student will record a video of themselves performing the assigned work for the week.
  • We will review that video and send back comments/guidance/instruction in either written or video form.

Books, Materials, and Event Participation Fees

• We will provide you with a link to purchase all needed books or materials, or we can purchase them for you and provide you with an invoice so that you may reimburse us.
• Often, most organizations require a single check from the teacher for participation fees pertaining to any festivals, events, or competitions outside of the studio.  We will submit a check from the studio covering the costs and provide you with an invoice afterward, so you can reimburse us.

Summer Lesson Requirement

• Students who wish to return to the Studio in September 2026 must register for either the 8-week or 6-week session during the Summer Term, or the Place-Holding Fee/4-week plan.  Please refer to the Summer Policy & Calendar for additional information.
• Students not registered for the Summer Term will be placed on the waiting list with new students for the fall and run the risk of losing their place on the Studio roster. ​

Recitals and Performance Opportunities Outside of the Studio

• Unless it is too early in a student’s work, or for some reason they are not prepared, all students will have the opportunity to play in the Annual Spring Studio Recital and the themed Video Recitals.
  • Students performing in a recital are not allowed to miss any lessons within the last 3 weeks leading up to a recital, except for an emergency.
  • Students who are not prepared may be asked to wait until the following recital to perform.
• Students who are interested and willing to commit to adequately preparing also have the opportunity throughout the year to:
  • Perform in festivals sponsored by our teachers’ organizations
  • Perform in special events sponsored by our teachers’ organizations
  • Enter competitions sponsored by various organizations

Permanent and Semi-Permanent Schedule Changes During a Semester

• Don’t assume that there will always be an open slot in the schedule to move to should the need arise to change your regular lesson time. ​
  • If you do not want to take the chance of losing your place in the Studio Schedule, please consult us, or check the Studio Schedule in your Family/Student Portal, before making any commitments that would force you to give up your current time slot.
•  If you want to make a permanent or semi-permanent change, there are several options:
  • Move to an open spot in our schedules, provided one exists
  • Contact someone in the Studio Directory and arrange a permanent or semi-permanent switch with them
  • Continue with asynchronous lessons until the schedule issue is resolved (and try to have physical lesson whenever possible)
  • Continue paying tuition to hold your spot (without attending physically or doing asynchronous lessons) with the understanding that it may not be possible to make up every missed lesson
• If none of these options seem preferable, and you still wish to relinquish your place in the Studio Schedule, you will be added to the waiting list after anyone currently on it.

All policies are subject to change.