Quick Reference
●Lessons are scheduled after-school, Monday through Friday. Schedules are arranged with the teachers in person, by phone, or by email. Scheduling will depend on the availability of each teacher at a mutually agreed upon time. Lessons are not taught during school holidays.
●Lessons are taught at a Wellesley Public Schools’ building. IVEP teachers may not arrange for lessons to take place off site; lessons may not take place in your home or any offsite location.
●Students register for two semesters of fifteen-weekly private lessons each school year. The semester of lessons begins and ends on variable dates. ●Lessons must be paid in full prior to starting lessons for the semester. All payments should be made online at wellesleyps.org > Fee Payment, or send a check to the Performing Arts Department. Please, do not give cash or checks to your lesson teacher.
●Students should come prepared with their instrument, music, and required accessories (e.g. reeds, valve oil, rosin) to lessons.
●Students are expected to report promptly to weekly lessons. Tardiness will result in a shortened lesson and the time will not be made up.
●Students who are in school but incapacitated in some way (broken arm, etc.) or students who have forgotten their instruments on lesson day should report for their lesson as usual.
●Daily home practice is critical to achievement and progress. It is recommended that children maintain a daily schedule of at least 20 minutes of practice time, or more as recommended by their teacher.
●When school is canceled due to snow or for any reason, IVEP lessons are also canceled. If, at the end of the school day, after-school activities are canceled due to inclement weather, music lessons will also be canceled.
●There are no make-up lessons for students who simply do not appear at lesson time. Teachers should be given a minimum of a 24-hours notice in order to allow a teacher to attempt to offer an alternate time during the same week. There are no make-up lessons for sport events, social activities, illness, or family vacations.
●If a student knows in advance that they must miss a lesson, that student may pre-arrange with another student of the same teacher to swap lesson days/times. If a swap is not possible that week’s lesson will not be made up.
●If your child participates in a stage show in Middle or High School, please communicate with your teacher about the rehearsal schedule. Please see full details in the Handbook regarding Stage Shows.
●Please see the attendance policy in the Handbook for complete details.
●If your child stays home from school, is dismissed early because of illness, or if they are running a fever they should not participate in their lesson for that day. The same guidelines for school attendance apply to after school activities regarding illness.
●There will be no refund of tuition or registration fees after the first lesson or coaching.
●Students are not allowed in any WPS building unattended after school hours, unless they are walking to or from their lesson. Elementary students should be accompanied to and from their lesson by an adult.
●If a rented instrument needs to be repaired, please inquire about a “loaner” instrument so that lessons and ensemble participation are not disrupted. Typically, a repair is not a valid reason to not have your weekly private lesson.
●Students studying an instrument or voice are encouraged to participate in a performing ensemble (i.e. band, orchestra, or chorus). Guitar students are encouraged to audition for Jazz Band in Middle and High School. Piano students are encouraged to join the chorus. Voice students are encouraged to participate in drama or acting class, in addition to chorus.
●Students who fail to attend 5 or more lessons, or are without their instrument, music, and required accessories may not be allowed to enroll in IVEP in future semesters.