Attendance
Private Lessons
Student Absences
Students attend regularly scheduled lessons. One makeup lesson per term will be granted to each student when 24-hour notice is given to the teacher and/or AFTA by email or phone call. Prior notification does not exempt students from payment. Students are charged for all the lessons for which they register, including those missed through student absence.
Excused absences include student illness, extreme emergency, and death in the family. Excused absences will be made up by the instructor. If a student commits to the rescheduled lesson and is absent for any reason, the lesson will be forfeited and not rescheduled by the instructor.
Unexcused absences will not be refunded nor made up by the teacher. They consist of but are not limited to, forgetting the lesson, choosing to do another activity during the scheduled lesson time, and unnotified absences. Lessons will not be made up if they are missed or denied due to late payment. Students are responsible for paying for all lessons.
If a lesson is canceled or forfeited by the student for any reason, the instructor may then schedule another lesson in the absentee time slot. The instructor is under no obligation to notify the parent or student who forfeits the lesson of the substitution. If the original student’s schedule changes and they are able to attend the canceled lesson, it is subject to the instructor’s schedule.
Any additional student absences will be made up at the discretion of the teacher.
It is important that students be on time for lessons. Students who are 10 minutes (or more) late for their lesson will be considered to have forfeited their lesson. This will be considered an unexcused absence and the instructor is under no obligation to make it up. If running late close to lesson time, please call the Academy for the Arts while in transit. Communication is of the utmost importance.
Teacher Absences
If the teacher is to be absent without a substitute, the student will be notified ahead of time and the lesson will be rescheduled at a mutually convenient time at no additional cost to the student. Students are charged for all the lessons for which they register, including those missed by teachers. Lessons not completed by the end of the semester due to teacher absence will be credited to the student.
Inclement Weather
If the Academy closes due to weather or church-wide closure events, the class will be rescheduled at no additional cost to the student. See our Inclement Weather page for more information on these policies.
Lesson Termination & Grievance
If a student wishes to discontinue lessons, a 30-day written notice will be required. The student will be financially responsible for the lessons that occur during those 30 days from the date notice is given, whether or not the student chooses to attend the lessons. A refund will be given for the remainder of lessons that occur after the 30 days if previously paid for. The program fee is non-refundable.
AFTA reserves the right to suspend instruction when students do not meet their financial obligations. Students are still liable for the full cost of instruction. Tuition credit or makeup lessons are not given as a result of lessons missed due to suspension.
Please feel free to discuss with your instructor any difficulties that you or your student might be experiencing with lessons. If you feel the situation is not being properly addressed, please contact us immediately. AFTA is dedicated to ensuring that your student has a quality and rewarding experience.
Program Cancellation
AFTA reserves the right to cancel classes or ensembles with insufficient enrollment. Classes or ensembles that do not meet minimum enrollment 24 hours before the first lessons may be canceled. If a class is canceled, students will be notified and given the opportunity to transfer to another class. If students do not enroll in another class, a full refund will be issued.
Holidays and Semester Breaks
The Academy for the Arts is closed for lessons on the following holidays:
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January)
Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
Independence Day (July 4)
Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
Thanksgiving Day and Friday after
Christmas Week (week between Christmas and New Year’s)