Teacher's Responsibility:

I will provide a fun, safe, and positive learning environment for your student. Together we will work on developing musical fluency through various methods including games and activities chosen specifically to address the present needs of your student. My desire is to instill a love for music in each student and also to nurture them as they learn to develop effective practice skills and habit. Each person learns at his/her own pace and in different ways. I hold a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University and taught preschool for 3 years, volunteered as a Cubmaster for 5 years and an activity leader for girls ages 7-11 for 7 years, volunteered for the PTA Reflections program for 10 years and have served as the state Reflections specialist since 2018. I have 29 years of experience accompanying soloists, small groups, and choirs, 11 years of private lessons from the age of 7-17, and have taught private piano lessons since 2013 . My studio utilizes the Wunderkeys Method, but I also bring in other music to address the interests of students as they advance past the beginner level. Learn more about Wunderkeys here: https://wunderkeys.com/
Wunderkeys students are happy students!

Piano Lesson Content:

*Thirty-minute weekly piano lessons. Please be aware that lessons are often scheduled back to back. I strive to start and end lessons on time, but you should expect a 1-2 minute transition period between students.
*We will be studying musical creativity through various methods including listening, composition, theory, playing with lead sheets, sight-reading, basic music literature, and of course lots and lots of piano playing. Each lesson will be catered to the individual student’s goals and desires.
*Each student is required to pay for their own piano books and is responsible to bring them to each lesson. I will send links for books to be purchased from Amazon, and, after the first two supplementary books I provide(each year), will occassionally offer additional books for purchase, printed and bound by me, from my selection of studio licensed Wunderkeys book club books. I purchase the rights to a book each month and offer them to students throughout the year as they fit a need/desire. Most students use 2-3 of these per year, but highly motivated students might use more. I occasionally loan studio music as well.

Practice:

I require all students to practice consistently throughout each week. If a student continually lacks the discipline to practice, I reserve the right to let go of that student. It is my desire to teach people who are committed to advancing their musical training. Students who do not practice for two weeks in a row, without extenuating circumstances, such as severe illness or travel, will be put on probation and expected to practice consistently for one month to be removed from my probation list. If a student remains on the probation list after one month, I will meet with the parent to discuss ending piano lessons.

Because every student learns differently and at differing paces, it is my goal to sculpt each student’s learning experience to meet their needs. Weekly practice requirements will differ with each student based upon age and level of understanding. This will be discussed within the first couple of lessons and will be adjusted as needed.
I will set clear expectations for practice with each student.

Tuition:

Tuition for the 1st and 2nd term covers 17 weekly private lessons each. During the 3rd term (summertime), tuition includes 6 private lessons. Dates of lessons will be posted before the start of each term. Lessons will not be held on holidays, but each student is guaranteed to be offered a full allotment of 17 lessons each per terms 1 and 2 and 6 lessons per term 3. Tuition also includes the other supplementary items listed below:

Thirty-minute private piano lessons with an individualized plan per student.
Up to 2 teacher provided/printed supplementary books per year. Additional supplementary books can be purchased for a small fee.
Teacher pre-lesson preparation and continuing education
1-2 yearly recitals (preparation, programs, refreshments, etc.).
Studio expenses (copying, tunings, repairs, electronic use).

Billing:

Tuition is billed per studio year (40 weeks total) and divided into 3 terms. Payments can be made online through Zelle, by cash, or check payable to Piano Pittstop, LLC.

1st Term: August-December (17 weeks)
2nd Term: January-May (17 weeks)
3rd Term: June-July (6 weeks)
There is a ONE time new student registration fee for $25. This payment reserves your piano lesson time slot and will need to be paid upfront as soon as you sign up for piano lessons.

Students who opt out of 3rd term lessons will lose their time slot for the following school year and be placed at the end of my waiting list for the start of the next term.

Payment Options:

Monthly Payments: $100
Since your monthly tuition is divided equally for the whole studio year, it will always stay the same regardless of whether it is a longer or shorter month of lessons.
Tuition statements are sent via email by the 25th of the month, and are due by the 1st lesson of the following month.
Full Term Payments: must pay the full cost by the 1st lesson of each term.
1st Term Payment: $500
2nd Term Payment: $500
Summer Term Payment: $200
There are 3 ways to pay:
Cash
Check (payable to Piano Pittstop, LLC)
Online Payment (Zelle) Pianopittstop@gmail.com

Missed Lessons, Make-Ups, and Refunds:

If a student is late for his/her 30-minute lesson time period, they are still required to pay for the full-length piano lesson and will not be given additional time.
If a student misses a lesson, regardless of the reason, there will be no refund or make-up lesson available. Just like dance classes, you are paying for my scheduled time slot whether you use it or not.
If a student is unable to attend a lesson due to bad weather or sickness, an online lesson will be available during the normal lesson time slot. If a lesson needs to be cancelled due to sickness, I need a 2-hour notice to prepare for an online lesson. If you do not let me know 2 hours in advance, I may be unable to provide an online lesson for the student.
I follow the local school’s weather cancellations. I will contact you the morning of your lesson to let you know if there will be an in-person lesson cancellation. I will instead provide an online lesson during your normal lesson time period.
It is the parent’s responsibility to notify the teacher as soon as possible that he or she is canceling a lesson for the child.
If I am unable to teach in person, I will contact you asap to let you know there will be an online lesson during your normal lesson time period. If I cancel a lesson completely, I will either offer a makeup lesson or a credit for the following month.
If you decide to discontinue your child’s piano lessons, you will not receive a refund for any installment that has already been paid for or is due (whether you chose the monthly payment plan or the full-term payment plan).

Media Release:

Photos and videos of students may be posted online on Facebook, Instagram, or other platforms. Parents wishing to exempt their students from any published media may do so by providing a written exclusion request.

I have read, understood, and agree to abide by the piano lesson policies above for my child. I also understand that I am responsible to pay for piano lessons on their due date. If I continue to miss the payment deadline for three consecutive weeks, Mrs.Pitts will begin looking for another student to fill my child’s piano lesson slot.