Our calendar semesters are as follows:
Private Piano or Voice Lessons
Fall: August – December
Spring: January – May
Summer: June – July
Summer Camp: Group & Private Piano or Voice Lessons

JMA has a strict registration process to ensure Music Lessons begin as scheduled; this helps with efficient teacher preparation and allows students to promptly receive the appropriate learning materials, such as workbooks and keyboards.

We prefer parents submit their registration via the online registration form. A physical registration form is available upon request. Parents may be asked to fill out a printed registration form if they did not register online to confirm the information obtained over the phone. JMA administration will contact the parent to review the details submitted online. Once the form is reviewed, JMA will contact the parent with any questions. Once the new Student Packet is completed, the registration fee is paid, and a payment plan is set up, the student will be scheduled for Music Lessons.

Once a month, JMA will hold a Welcome Orientation for all registered students and parents who joined JMA the previous month. We will review essential processes and policies, including teaching parents how to use the Parent and Students Portal and reviewing the Basics of Piano Parent Workbook to help parents support the practice time.

We work with parents to create a reasonable lesson schedule. For Group lessons, we select a time that works best for most parents. However, we cannot always meet all parent’s requests. The schedule for the group lessons is set based on registration and class size. If a student’s schedule changes due to other extracurricular activities, please get in touch with us to request a schedule change. We will try to accommodate as much as possible. We cannot change the schedule for group lessons once it is set.

If a program is within a school setting, JMA will work with the school administration to determine student participation and to create a reasonable class schedule each semester. Parents’ feedback may be considered.

Delays or interruptions by the parents or students will not extend the scheduled lesson time. Parents are to respect the assigned day and time of their lessons. JMA will provide at least 24 hours if we need to cancel or reschedule a lesson.

The dates and times of the Lessons may be changed based on the federal holiday and academic calendar, and parent notice will be provided a week before any schedule change.

Please note that Jay’s Music Academy teachers will do their best to ensure students progress satisfactorily. However, this cannot be guaranteed.

Regular practice is a prerequisite for success on any musical instrument. It is a parent’s responsibility to ensure students practice at home. Regular exposure to practice sessions is far more critical than forcing infrequent practice hours. Students who benefit from 10-20 minutes daily (4-5 days a week) will advance far faster than those who practice for an hour once or twice a week. We provide a lot of support to parents such as:

• Parent info guide after parents register for the 4-week paid trial
• Parent Practice sheets and videos that give parents a guide on what to practice at home and daily/weekly activities ideas such as listening, drawing, and creating
• Basics of Piano Parents workbook help parents understand the basics of piano so they can help their children with their practice.
• Lesson Notes after each lesson: A high-level summary of what happened at the lesson in the Group section of My Music Staff. 2) Send individual student notes based on how the child does in the lesson.
• Parent evenings (Meet & Greet), networking, and social opportunities to encourage parents to socialize and get to know others in the program.
• Watching Week occurs at the end of each workbook when parents come into the lesson and listen to a performance of the whole workbook.
• Incentives for Practicing the Piano will be used as rewards to help children practice and learn.
• End-of-semester Progress Reports offer parents a glimpse of how their child is developing in their music learning semester by semester.

JMA does not offer private lessons to beginner students because we aim to nurture children’s musical interests in a collaborative and social-emotional learning approach. Research has shown that children learn better in groups where they can be socially motivated. Peer-to-peer learning and introducing musical concepts through games, songs, movement, composing, improvising, listening, and performing increase the child’s likelihood of retaining the information and enjoying the experience. The cyclical nature of our Intro to Group Piano Classes allows students to learn and progress at different rates without falling behind. We use a differentiated approach where every individual is nurtured.

Private lessons are recommended after the child has:

• Taken music lessons for at least six months, starting his/her journey as an intermediate musician. Exception applies, and JMA will determine based on engagement with the students
• Gain the foundation of music and learn essential musical skills/concepts: music theory, scales, sight-reading, chords, transposition and improvisation.
• Learned how to be disciplined and consistent in their practice
• Shown the ability to follow the teacher’s guidance and instructions correctly and timely
• Shown the ability to enjoy the private lessons experience and ultimately play/sing their favorite songs.

Suppose a student registers for Group Lessons without enough students to create a group. In that case, JMA will provide alternative options such as Private Music Lessons in the home or at our studio during after-school hours, evenings, or weekends, or parents can be placed on a waitlist for a new group music class.

Jay’s Music Academy will review the tuition regularly due to cost-of-living increases and/or expansion of services. Parents will be given a 30-day written notice of any rate increase.

The invoice is emailed on the first of each month and is due by the 15th. A 5-day grace period gives parents 20 days to pay before a late fee of $25 occurs.

After JMA has exhausted all attempts to collect payment within 60 days via all communications, past-due balances will be turned over to a collection agency for further attempts to collect payment. A collection agency notice will be mailed to the parent’s home before turning over the balance.

JMA encourages parents to share our Music Program with their friends and family only after they have experienced it. Once they see the value of our Music Program, we encourage parents to share it with their family and friends so they can participate as well. We thank parents via appreciation cards and gift cards only.

If a parent wishes to hold a student lesson slot at JMA due to an extended break, JMA will charge a fee equal to half of the Semester’s tuition. Parents can use the “Lesson Slot Hold Request Form” for extended family vacations and temporarily discontinue lessons. A 45-day advance notice is required. We encourage parents not to hold lessons for more than three months within a year (approximately one month per semester). 

Parents can discontinue lessons anytime with a 45-day written notice and completing the cancellation form. The cancellation notice will take effect 45 days from the day the notice is received. All planned lessons and fees within those 45 days will be charged. If a student is participating in a school program, parents may need to obtain the approval of their school principal to remove students from the assigned class.  If parents want to re-enroll after canceling, the parent is required to re-register the child and pay the current registration fee.  JMA reserves the right to discontinue lessons for excessive unpaid balance, lack of preparation for lessons, and no interest in studying the chosen instrument. 

Generally, students are allowed 2 missed lessons in the Fall and Spring semesters and 1 Missed lesson in the Summer without incurring the missed lesson fee. Regardless of advanced notice, all subsequent lessons missed throughout the semester will be charged to the student’s myJMA account. Students may not carry over their unused “missed lesson allowance” into the next semester.

48 hours’ notice is required when a student is going to be absent. The only exceptions are emergencies and illnesses, for which a written note is required. When the child does not attend because of illness, the parent must submit a physician’s note. Lesson fees remain payable without 48 hours’ notice, and no refund will be given.

Parents may be present during the lesson with Jay’s Music Academy’s permission. 48 hours courtesy notice is required.

Private Lessons: Jay’s Music Academy student portal will automatically account for make-up lessons when necessary. JMA will contact the parent to schedule any make-up lessons when appropriate. Make-up lesson times are not guaranteed and will be available based on the teacher’s availability on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Group Lessons: Regardless of absent notice, no make-up lesson will be provided due to missed Lessons because of the group setting.

Parents may request additional or make-up lessons, which can be scheduled for an additional fee at a scheduled time.

Jay’s Music Academy creates opportunities throughout the year for students to experience performing and showcase their learning objectives.

Lack of preparation and practice is not an excuse for not participating in recitals. However, JMA students may be seated out if they do not try. As directed, students should be able to dress appropriately for each recital.

JMA will work with the parents and students throughout the semester to prepare students and help them overcome any concerns, including anxieties and fears, as reasonably as possible. If a student is still unable to perform due to anxiety, we recommend various low-level performance settings, advice, and tools to help the student become comfortable over time. If, at any time, the student is ready to try public performance, we will make arrangements within our means to encourage the child’s interest in performance.

The Parent will pay for any performance entry fees.

All communication must be between the parent and Jay’s Music Academy Administrators and Teachers, especially regarding absent and cancellation notices. Under no circumstances should the student contact the assigned Teacher directly via their phone number. All communications must be done via JMA-approved business email and office number and must be recorded in the Student account.

Jay’s Music Academy may occasionally take photographs/videos of lessons and may use these in marketing materials and/or on social media, or – more commonly – use them for training purposes.  To Opt-Out, simply complete and sign the “Photo/Video Opt-Out Form” form if you prefer your child photographs/videos NOT be taken and used for these purposes.

For confidentiality and privacy, all communications will be via the business phone, email, text, or My Music Staff Portal. Your data will only be viewed by an approved JMA staff member. In order to book lessons with us, you will need to provide us with your e-mail address, name, child’s name, child’s date of birth and phone number. These details enable us to contact you regarding your lessons, add your child to class lists, and ensure that they are placed in the right class in accordance with their age. We upload the information that you provide to a portal, managed by My Music Staff. Having audited our data protection and security procedures, we know that we are GDPR-compliant. If you would like to view the privacy policy of My Music Staff, please contact us. Your data will never be passed onto anyone, ever. We will use your contact details in order to communicate with you about your JMA KeyNotes lessons and for no other reason.

Parents are responsible for informing Jay’s Music Academy of any medical, health, or other conditions (s) that may affect the learning experience and interaction. Any medical, health, or other such condition(s), including medication currently prescribed and emergency contact, is documented in the Parent Agreement Packet. All parents agree that Jay’s Music Academy can seek professional medical care in emergencies.