Is My Lesson Excused - A guide to absences for Liz Elliot Music Students - Revised February 2019
Regular weekly lessons are required for successful musical studies. Therefore I have strict absence policies.
I define an excused absence as one that cannot be avoided. An unexcused absence can be avoided.
Here are some examples of each:
Excused absences – Illness, pre-scheduled school, church or community functions, vacations (week 1 only-see below regarding multiple week vacations), etc. Excused absences are always eligible for make-up lessons if the student desires it and I have room in the schedule. Quite often, the make-up will need to be at my home studio because I am only in each neighborhood once a week.
If your home is not available for a lesson (for example, you are having work done on your home), you are expected to bring your child to my home in Pasadena for the lesson.
The dates immediately surrounding any major holiday (New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas) are NOT automatically excused. You are to treat these as any other day in regards to absences. If you are in town and you do not actually have a legitimate conflict with your lesson time, the absence is unexcused. The actual holiday dates are excused automatically and do not count against your 1 excused absence which is allowed per month. This also applies to Monday "minor" holidays (President's Day, MLK Day, etc.)
Unexcused absences that will be billed, but which may be made up – Excessive homework, trips to Magic Mountain, Disneyland, etc., birthday parties, company in town, sports conflicts (when 24 hrs notice is given). If you do not elect to make-up these types of absences, you will still have to pay for the missed lesson.
Unexcused absences that will be billed, but which may not be made up - Appointments (do not schedule them during your lesson time), any non-emergency where 24 hours notice is not given, play dates (do not schedule them during your lesson time), can't afford it this week or there are 5 weeks this month and we only budget for 4 (there are plenty of months when you only have 3 lessons, which makes up for the very infrequent 5-week months), it's the first or last day of school, sports conflicts (where 24-hours notice is not given).
There is a conflict with the lesson time, something came up, we can't make it, we're not available, etc. If these type of ambiguous excuses are made, I will assume the reason is private and that you are willing to pay for the missed lesson in order to protect the reason you are missing the lesson. Also, if no excuse is given at all, it will be considered an automatically unexcused lesson without make-up. When you are contacting me to reschedule, you must give a reason for your missed lesson.
24 hours notice is required for all non-emergency cancellations. If your child is unexpectedly ill or you have a legitimate emergency within 24 hours of your lesson, I need to be notified by noon the day of the lesson or 7pm the evening before a morning lesson.
Students are allowed one excused absence per month. Any additional lessons missed must be paid for, but may be made up. This also applies to multi-week vacations, which are excused only for the first week. Unexcused absences must be paid for but make-ups are sometimes available (see above).
Each monthly payment constitutes a commitment to lessons for that month. Should the student discontinue lessons mid-month, no refund is issued unless arrangements have been made at the time of payment. A refund will be made if I discontinue the lessons.
No make-up lessons will be offered for a make-up lesson. If you miss a lesson and its’ make-up lesson, you will be charged for both, regardless of the reason for either.
I tend to make exceptions for students who regularly complete assignments!