Lesson Policies at Horizon School of Music

We encourage you to review these policies carefully to ensure clarity on our procedures. We are committed to transparent communication and want to address any questions or concerns you may have.

1. Invoicing
2. Refundable Deposit
3. Payments
4. Lesson Pricing
5. Cancellation Policy
6. Makeup Credit Usage
7. Teacher Substitute Policy
8. Frequently Asked Questions

Invoicing

Invoices are sent out 7 days before month end, reflect lessons scheduled for the upcoming month, and are due by the 7th of that upcoming month (14 days after the invoice is sent).

Please ensure your full monthly payment is submitted BEFORE the 7th. This ensures your lesson time for that month will be reserved for you and cannot be booked by another student.

Refunds

If you’ve made a payment for an upcoming month and decide to discontinue lessons before receiving those lessons, we will promptly refund you the amount paid.

Refundable Deposit For New & Returning Students:

In addition to your initial monthly payment, we require a $65 lesson deposit upon registration.

If you choose to discontinue lessons, kindly inform us. We will refund the full deposit amount and close your account.

Payments

We accept payments via e-transfer and credit card.

1) E-transfer payments can be made to billing@horizonschoolofmusic.ca

Please add the first and last name of the student in the E-transfer Notes

2) You may pay via credit card through your student portal:https://mymusicstaff.mymusicstaff.com/Student-Portal-Login

Select ’login’ and enter your password to access your personal account

A small transaction fee of 3.2% from Stripe will be automatically applied to all credit card payments

Automatic payments can be set up from your student portal using this process:

1. Click on the circle with your initials near the top right side of your screen.
2. Select “Profile Settings”
3. Select “Manage Payment Options”
4. Select “Add New” from the pop-up window.
5. Once you’ve entered your card info, select the box below to activate auto-pay.

Lesson Pricing

Reserved weekly or bi-weekly lessons:

$65 per hour / $32.50 for 30 minutes

Drop-in Lessons:

$70 per hour/ $35 for 30 Minutes

Cancellation Policy

When a student reserves a weekly or bi-weekly slot, the reservation blocks other students from booking that time slot.

As such, we have designed our cancellation policy to protect our students and teachers from losing valuable instruction time while offering flexible makeup credits to those who provide sufficient notice.

Please note the three cancellation scenarios below:

1. Cancellation with Advance Notice:

• • • Cancelling with 30 or more days’ notice exempts you from charges. You will not receive a makeup credit. (maximum 1 per month)

2. Late Cancellation:

• • • Cancellations received with less than 24 hours’ notice will be fully charged, and no makeup will be provided.

3. 24-Hour Notice for Makeup Credit:

• • • If more than 24 hours’ notice is given, we will issue you a makeup credit.

Makeup Credit Usage

A makeup credit may be used to schedule an in-person or online lesson with any available teacher on any instrument of your choice.

Each Makeup credit may only be used once and cannot be rescheduled once it is booked. Once booked, it will be marked in advance as an attended lesson. Please ensure you plan to attend your makeup before confirming it.

Makeup Credit Limitations

Makeup credits are limited to 1 per month. Additional missed lessons will be billable, you will not receive additional makeup credits unless they are approved by your instructor.

Makeup credits cannot be applied toward a future invoice to reduce or waive lesson fees.

You must be an ‘Active Student’ to access your makeup credits. If you discontinue lessons, your unused makeup credits will be paused until you resume reserved lesson bookings.

Drop-in students are considered ‘Active Students’ ONLY when they have another scheduled, billable drop-in lesson booked. Drop-in students who cancel their only scheduled lesson are not considered active and are not eligible to use makeup credits.

Lesson Schedule Changes

Cancelling multiple lessons in a row will alert our system that your scheduling needs have changed. In these instances, we will follow up with a phone call to ensure your schedule is optimally booked for your needs.

Should you wish to change the frequency of your lessons (e.g., from biweekly to weekly) or alter your reserved time, please inform us. Changes can be made at any time.

Teacher Substitute Policy

On occasion, your teacher may require time off for live gigs, recordings, vacations, or other commitments.

If your teacher is absent, either your teacher or the administrative team will inform you. In such cases, we will arrange for a suitable substitute teacher who will be equipped with your detailed progress notes provided by your current instructor.

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand that questions may arise regarding our lesson policies. Here are some FAQs to help you better understand our teaching philosophy and policies:

Why do I need to provide a refundable deposit as a new or returning student?

The refundable deposit is essential for month-to-month billing. This safeguards against instances where students take a lesson in a new month and depart without paying.

When do I get my refund back if I decide to stop lessons?

Upon deciding to stop lessons, if you do not have an outstanding balance, we will happily refund your deposit via e-transfer. Please inform us of your decision via email, and we will send the transfer.

I am a shift worker and cannot commit to a regularly scheduled weekly or biweekly time. Do I still need to pay the drop-in fee?

No, we understand specialized booking needs. If you are booking 2-to-4 lessons a month, you are considered a regular student and exempt from extra drop-in fees.

This feature only applies to students who have let us know in advance about unique schedules, such as healthcare workers, pilots etc. Please email us to request specialized scheduling.

Why can’t I apply the payment for my missed lesson towards a future month or have it in my regular time?

Our current make-up policy is among the most flexible in the industry. We aim to avoid charging you for lessons you do not receive while safeguarding our teachers’ limited time. When you reserve a slot with a teacher, it prevents another student from using that time.

Rest assured, you can use your make-up credits at any time outside of your regularly scheduled slot, with any teacher on our team, and on any instrument. It’s a fantastic opportunity to explore a new instrument, meet a new teacher, and try something different.

I’m currently an in-person student and feeling unwell. Should I cancel my lesson or switch to online?

Feel free to switch to online if you cannot attend in person due to illness. That way, you won’t be charged for the missed lesson, and you still receive your scheduled lesson without putting others at risk of getting sick.

I have budget concerns. Is it better for me to take one lesson a month, or should I take a few lessons in a row before taking a break?

We strongly advise taking multiple lessons in a weekly or biweekly format for consistent learning. Spacing them out will hinder your progress and reinforce bad habits.

I’m going on vacation and can provide more than 30 days’ notice. Will I be charged?

There will be no charge for up to one week of missed lessons with more than 30 days’ notice. However, if you will miss more than two weeks, charges will apply with makeup credits provided.

I cannot attend my regularly scheduled lesson and would like to donate it to a friend or family member. Can I do this?

Absolutely! If you’ve paid for the slot, feel free to share it with anyone in your life. Let us know when you’d like this to happen, and we’ll inform your teacher.

I’d like to study at the same time as a friend or family member. Is it possible for two or more of us to study at the same time?

Yes, we offer group lessons. Pricing may vary, and we will need to discuss your specific needs over the phone to ensure we have adequate space and consent from your instructor.

What do I get for my monthly tuition at Horizon School Of Music?

In addition to customized lesson plans and one-on-one lessons from our outstanding instructors, your monthly tuition includes complimentary access to a variety of group events such as open mics, beginner jams, songwriting sessions, choirs, and more.

This extended value is provided at no extra cost for all weekly and bi-weekly students who have reserved at least two lessons in the current month. Please note that Drop-in, inactive, and guest students are welcome to attend our group sessions but must pay the admission fee of $15.

We’re always here to help, so please email us if you have any further questions.

inquiries@horizonschoolofmusic.ca