Registration & Policies

Registration

Current Students: Students currently attending Powers Music School will be eligible for pre-registration, which begins on May 1st and ends on June 15th. During this time, returning students are given the opportunity to reclaim their usual lesson time by either paying their tuition in full or enrolling in a monthly payment plan through a pre-registration email sent to the primary account holder. Current students who elect to be on monthly payment plans must pay the registration fee, payment plan fee, and deposit amount by June 15th.

Returning students receive priority registration through June 15th, after which registration is open to the public. Students whose tuition payments are not received by June 15th may forfeit their regular lesson time and incur a late registration fee of $25.

New Students: A new student is considered to be enrolled when receipt of the registration fee, full tuition payment, and any applicable materials fees have been received and successfully processed, unless a monthly payment plan has been established. Registration without payment does not secure a student’s enrollment in private lessons and/or classes.

Assessments with a music therapist are $75 for 30 minutes. All fees for music therapy must be paid before the assessment takes place.

Private lesson times arranged at registration are considered permanent for the academic year. Students can submit time change requests in writing to the Registrar’s office at any time, but revised lesson times are not guaranteed and are subject to availability. No refunds will be given in the event that lesson time change requests cannot be processed due to lack of availability on the part of the instructor.

Payment

Registration fees are charged per student per semester and cannot be waived.

Full payment for the semester’s tuition and registration fee are due at the time of pre-registration, new registration, or roll-over to spring, unless a payment plan is set up.

Spring invoices will be sent to the primary account holder on November 1. Payment for spring semester is due in mid-December. If you have a card on file and have given us prior authorization to use it, your card will be charged in mid-December.

Payments can be made in-person at the Powers office or online on the ASAP registration site. To make a payment online, access your ASAP account by clicking on “My Account” at the top of this website or by using the link in the pre-registration invoice emailed to the primary account holder, logging in, and clicking on the Invoice tab in your account.

All credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX) are accepted. Powers can only accept credit cards issued by a U.S. bank. Personal checks and e-checks are accepted, but must be received prior to the payment due date.

Private Lesson Trial Period

In lieu of single trial lessons, Powers offers all new private lesson students (and current students starting new instruments) a four lesson trial period. After registration, students may choose to withdraw anytime through the end of the fourth lesson and receive a refund on their tuition, minus any lessons already taken and the registration fee. If students do decide to withdraw at the end of the trial period, they must notify the office no later than 24 hours after the end of the fourth lesson in order to receive a refund. Students may elect to only pay for the four lessons included in the trial period, but if they decide to continue through the rest of the semester they must handle payment for any outstanding balance after the trial period ends.

Payment Plans

Families who would like to enroll in a monthly payment plan can elect to do so online.

Payment plans will take place over the course of the semester in 25% installments. To create a custom payment plan, please contact the office.

For current students during the pre-registration period, all registration fees, payment plan fees, and a deposit amount will be due at the time of pre-registration. A payment plan fee of $15 will be applied to all invoices.

A credit card number must be kept on file for all payment plans; check payments will not be accepted for monthly payments. By setting up a payment plan you are authorizing Powers to charge your card on file for each installment. During the rollover period from fall to spring semester, we will create a new payment plan for spring and your card on file will be charged for the first installment.

Monthly payments that are not paid by their due date will incur a $10 late fee; payments that fall behind two months or more will be subject to having the Payment Plan revoked, whereby the full account balance will be due. Powers reserves the right to suspend lessons due to late or non-payment.

Discounts

One discount will apply per program per student.

A 10% senior discount for those age 65 and older is available upon request.

Additional siblings in The Music Class® program receive a discount.

A 10% discount on electives (ensembles and theory) is available for private lesson students. This discount will be forfeited if the student withdraws from spring semester lessons.

A 10% discount is available for private lessons for a second instrument.

Fees

Registration Fees

Fall Semester Registration Fee: $20 per student*

Spring Semester Registration Fee: $20 per student*

Summer Semester Registration Fee: $15 per student*

*Registration fees not to exceed $100 per family, per year

Late Registration Fee

Late registration fee (continuing students): $25

Payment Plan Fees

Payment Plan Fee: $15 per invoice (waived for May and June 2020)

Payment Plan Late / Declined Payment Fee: $10

Materials Fees

The Music Class® (Digital Download): $35

Piano Powers: $25

Returned Check Fee

Any returned checks will incur a $35 fee that will be added to your account.

Withdrawal and Tuition Refund Policies

Full and partial tuition refunds are provided through the following refund schedules. In all cases, a request to withdraw must be made to the Registrar’s Office in writing at registrar@powersmusic.org. Registration fees are not refundable.

Private Lessons – Continuing Students

Fall Semester:

• Prior to September 1 – full refund for fall semester tuition.
• Between September 1 and first lesson or class – 50% semester tuition.
• On the day of or after the first lesson – no refund.

Spring Semester:

• Prior to January 14 – full refund for spring semester tuition.
• Between January 14 and the first lesson or class – 50% semester tuition.
• On the day of, or after the first lesson or class – no refund.

Private Lessons – New Students

• Prior to the day of the first lesson: full refund for that semester’s tuition.
• The day of the first lesson through the 4th lesson: full refund, less the prorated amount of all lessons to that point.
• After the fourth lesson: No refund

In lieu of single trial lessons, Powers offers all new private lesson students (and current students starting new instruments) a four lesson trial period. After registration, students may choose to withdraw anytime through the end of the fourth lesson and receive a refund on their tuition, minus any lessons already taken and the registration fee. If students do decide to withdraw at the end of the trial period, they must notify the office no later than 24 hours after the end of the fourth lesson in order to receive a refund. Students may elect to only pay for the four lessons included in the trial period, but if they decide to continue through the rest of the semester they must handle payment for any outstanding balance after the trial period ends.

Group Classes

• More than 7 days prior to the first group class – 100% tuition refund.
• 1 to 7 days prior to the first group class – 50% tuition refund.
• On the day of or after the first group class – no refund.

Summer Day Programs

There are no refunds for summer day programs.

Additional Withdrawal Policies

Partial refunds will be considered for medical reasons that prevent continued study on the condition that documentation from a physician is submitted along with the written request to withdraw.

Withdrawal notification must be submitted to the office in writing. Failure to attend classes or lessons does not qualify as notification. Failure to notify the office does not release a student from his or her financial obligation.

Powers reserves the right to cancel a class due to insufficient enrollment. In the event that a class is canceled all tuition and registration fees will be refunded to the student.

Financial Aid Scholarships

Thank you to Watertown Savings Bank and Cambridge Savings Bank for their support of Powers’ financial aid program!

Financial aid is available for students who can document financial need. Aid is awarded for both private lessons and summer day programs.

All new students and those continuing from the previous academic year who are interested in applying for financial aid should start by filling out the Financial Aid Application Form and following the instructions at the top.

Our first round of aid decisions for continuing students will start on June 1. After this date, applications will be accepted for new and continuing students on a rolling basis and awarded until aid is exhausted. Please submit your application as soon as you are able!

Please reach out to office@powersmusic.org if you have any questions about the financial aid process.

Delinquent Accounts

Powers Music School reserves the right to stop a student’s instructional activities, and reserves the right to collect funds through a debt collection agency for all delinquent account balances.

Tardiness and Make-Up Lessons

Powers Music School’s policies have been developed to encourage and promote the joyful study of music in our students. Therefore, regular attendance by students is expected. Students who arrive late cannot be guaranteed a full class/lesson.

Private Lessons

Fall and Spring Student Absence: One make-up lesson per semester per student absence. Any lessons missed due to student absences beyond the first absence will be forfeited. As a courtesy to our faculty, please give as much advance notice as you can for any student absences by alerting your teacher.

Summer Student Absence: No make-ups for student absences.

Teacher Absence: Our faculty offers make-ups for all missed private lessons due to teacher absence(s).

Weather cancellations: ONE snow day per student, per year, will be made up. Please note that snow days occur only when the school closes due to inclement weather.

Make-up lessons for student/teacher absence or weather cancellation are given during the designated make-up weeks during the academic year unless a mutually agreeable time is arranged between the teacher and student.

When agreeable to both student and teacher, make-ups lessons can occur online.

Make-up lessons missed by a student for any reason will not be rescheduled or refunded.

Students who withdraw forfeit any make-up lessons they are owed.

Group Programs

Student Absence: No make-ups for student absences, with the exception of Music Pups.

Music Pups: Three make-ups are allowed per session. If you must miss your regular class time, you may notify the office in advance and request to attend a different class day/time, provided there is space available in that particular class. Make-ups cannot be carried over into a subsequent session.

Teacher Absence: Our faculty offers make-ups for all missed group classes due to teacher absence(s).

Weather Cancellation: ONE snow day per class/ensemble, per session/semester, will be made up. Please note that snow days occur only when the school closes due to inclement weather.

Group program make-ups due to teacher absence or weather cancellation will be given during the designated make-up week.

School Cancellation

Please consult the Powers’ academic calendar for holidays and vacation weeks during the year. Weather cancellations will be communicated by email and/or text and listed on the Powers’ website homepage. Please note that Powers Music School does not follow the cancellation or vacation dates of any one school system.

SMS/Text Alerts

By registering for a Powers program, your primary phone number will be opted in to our emergency and weather cancellation SMS / Text alert system. We’ll only use your phone number for messages from Powers, and will never share or sell your personal information.

Opting in means you agree to receive text messages from Powers – message and data rates apply.

Opt in to text alerts by texting ALERTS, REMINDERS, SUBSCRIBE, or GO to 65015

You can always opt out of SMS/text alerts at any time by texting STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, STOPALL, END, QUIT, or CANCEL to 65015

Photo, Audio, and Video Permission

By registering for instruction through Powers, you consent that photographs, audio, and video taken of students during any Powers sponsored activity, including classes, lessons and performances, whether in person or online, may be used for publication and marketing purposes, unless a written request to opt out is submitted at the time of registration. Additionally, faculty may make video or audio recordings during classes, lessons, and performances, whether in person or online, for pedagogical reasons. Student recording of lessons with a recording device is permitted with the consent of the instructor.

Nondiscrimination Policy

Powers Music School does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, religious belief, gender, or sexual orientation in its employment practices or in the administration of its educational policies.

Additional Policies

Powers does not accept responsibility for lost or undeliverable mail, including email. A parent or a student is responsible for notifying the Registrar’s Office with changes in billing and account information (name change, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, etc.). Students are responsible for meeting all published deadlines regardless of any inefficiency of mail or email delivery.

Powers reserves the right to modify the delivery of course content including, but not limited to, a change in teacher, location, curriculum, or medium of delivery (e.g. in-person, technology-enabled remote teaching, etc.)

Participation in a class or lesson at Powers Music School or at Powers’ sponsored activities, may require extensive and rigorous physical exertion and activity and there are a wide variety of risks that could result in serious injury or death. Participation may expose students to illnesses including, but not limited to, the flu, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and other infectious diseases that could result in serious injury or death. Powers requires students to be covered throughout the program by a policy of comprehensive health and accident insurance, which provides coverage for illnesses or injuries that may be sustained as a result of participation in a Powers class/lesson. Students assume all risks associated with participation in a Powers class/lesson and release Powers Music School and their representatives, agents, faculty and employees from any responsibility and liability for injuries, illness, medical bills, charges or other expenses incurred through participation in the program, except if the danger or losses are caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the agents or employees of Powers Music School.

Sexual harassment is inimical to an appropriate working and learning environment and will not be tolerated. Sexual favors may not be required either explicitly or implicitly as a term or condition of an individual’s academic or work performance. Such behavior which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive learning or working environment is prohibited. Powers will promptly investigate complaints of sexual harassment and, when necessary, institute disciplinary proceedings against the offending individual. Complaints of sexual harassment may be brought to the Executive Director or President of the Board of Directors. Complainants are assured that problems of this nature will be treated in a confidential manner.

Criminal activity by a student or accompanying family member, while under Powers jurisdiction, is grounds for immediate and unconditional expulsion and forfeiture of tuition and fees.

Out of necessity, Powers Music School reserves the freedom to change any programs, policies, requirements or regulations published on the website or any printed or digital materials.