Policies and Calendar
Policies and Calendar
Important Dates
| First Day of Fall Semester Classes | Sep. 3, 2025 |
| Closed Thanksgiving Break | Nov. 25-30, 2025 |
| Last Day of Fall Semester Classes | Dec. 19, 2025 |
| Fall Semester Make-Up Lessons Available | Dec. 20-22 & Dec. 29-30, 2025; Jan. 2-4, 2026 |
| Holiday Break | Dec. 23 - Jan. 4 |
| First Day of Spring Semester Classes | Jan. 5, 2026 |
| Closed Spring Break | Mar. 7-14, 2026 |
| Last Day of Spring Semester | May 31, 2026 |
Lesson Policies
Please carefully read the following information. These policies are in effect to foster and promote the pursuit of musical excellence at the UNCSA Community Music School. When you establish a lesson time, you have reserved the time of a highly trained professional. Make every effort to attend your lessons on a regular basis. Your musical progress and enjoyment increase with regular instruction and consistent practice routine at home.
Studio Assignments
- Studio assignments are made based on the student’s preferred teacher and that teacher’s
availability.
- Students may begin lessons on a four week trial period before a permanent semester
lesson time is set.
- Students may transfer to another available teacher’s studio before the third lesson
of their semester’s study, but are encouraged to do so only at the start of a new
semester.
- If a CMS faculty member is absent for more than three consecutive weeks, students have the option of transferring to another studio. If the CMS faculty member is unable to continue semester lessons for any reason, a substitute teacher will be provided, or the student is eligible for pro-rated tuition.
Lesson Attendance
- Classes occur at the same day and time for the duration of the semester or trial period.
- Students arriving late may not extend the lesson beyond the scheduled end time.
- If a student is fifteen minutes late to a lesson and has not given notice, the teacher
may consider the lesson forfeit.
- Students are highly encouraged to attend applicable weekly group classes as their schedule allows, and are expected to participate in studio masterclasses and the semester-end recital.
Student Cancellations
- Students may request one rescheduled lesson a semester with at least 24 hours’ notice,
to take place with their teacher or a substitute teacher, within two weeks of the
intended missed lesson. If a lesson cannot be made up within two weeks, the lesson
is forfeit. Teachers are not required to make up subsequent lessons missed by the
student, whether or not notice is given.
- Student cancellations of regularly scheduled lessons with less than 24 hours’ notice
result in forfeited tuition and are not eligible for rescheduling.
- Students may arrange to exchange lesson times with another student within their studio.
Such arrangements must be approved by the teacher, and notice given to the CMS office.
- In the event of a family or medical emergency, the student may schedule a make-up
lesson with the teacher to take place within two weeks of the missed lesson. If a
lesson cannot be made up within two weeks, the lesson is forfeit.
- If there are multiple students within one family, each student’s attendance is treated
individually. Scheduling conflicts of one family member may not affect the lesson
attendance of the other.
- As a courtesy, students should inform both their teacher and the CMS office of an impending absence with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice, whether or not the lesson is eligible for rescheduling.
Group Class Cancellation Policy
- If an instructor cannot teach their scheduled class due to illness or unforeseen conflict, a qualified substitute teacher will be provided whenever possible.
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If a substitute cannot be arranged for a single canceled class, no refunds will be issued for that session. Should an instructor cancel more than one class in a semester and a substitute cannot be secured, pro-rated tuition for the additional canceled classes will be credited to the students’ accounts or the credit cards used for the original purchases.
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Instructors planning time away during the semester must communicate their intended absence at the start of the term. Any pre-planned vacation absences will be reflected in the class schedule or tuition at the time of enrollment.
Teacher Cancellations
- Teacher cancellations of regularly scheduled lessons are to be rescheduled within
two weeks of the missed lesson, to take place with the teacher or a substitute teacher,
within the student’s availability. Lessons that cannot be made up are eligible for
pro-rated tuition.
- If a teacher intends to take vacation during the semester, the student will receive notice at the beginning of the semester, and their tuition will be pro-rated to reflect the missed lesson(s).
Inclement Weather Policy
- Cancellations of Community Music School classes and lessons for inclement weather
are influenced by several factors, including UNCSA campus or hosting organization
closures and conditions on the ground. We will do our best to confirm closings via email and/or text by 12:00pm on the given
day. The UNCSA Community Music School reserves the right to hold classes or rehearsals
when other schools or businesses are closed for inclement weather. Attendance at regularly
scheduled private lessons will be at the discretion of the parent or guardian and
private lesson teacher in the event of a WSFCS district full-day closure. Any private
lesson absences requested during full-day WSFCS closures will be considered excused
and available for rescheduling.
- Lessons cancelled due to inclement weather may be rescheduled within two weeks of
the missed lesson, by the teacher or a substitute teacher. Lessons that cannot be
made up are eligible for pro-rated tuition.
- Group classes cancelled due to inclement weather are not eligible for rescheduling. Teachers may elect to send materials for at-home study or offer an online class at the regularly-scheduled time on a case-by-case basis.
Payment and Refunds
- Payments can be made online, over the phone, or by check mailed to 1533 S Main St,
Winston Salem, NC 27127, with the attention made to “Community and Summer Programs.”
Write the student’s name and program in the memo line.
- Payment should never be given to the teacher directly.
- A $25 service fee will be charged for returned checks.
- Payment for four-lesson trials must be made in full in advance of the first scheduled
lesson.
- Payment for the remainder of the semester is made at the beginning of the semester.
- No refunds are given to students who withdraw from lessons after the third lesson of the semester.
- No refunds are given to students who sign up for group classes and withdraw mid-semester.
- If due to a medical emergency or relocation, the student is unable to finish the semester,
CMS may, at its discretion, offer a refund credit for unused lessons.
- If a refund credit is ever due to a student, the student must provide information as to how the refund may be received. After the greater of 30 days and 3 attempts by CMS to contact the student using the contact information in the student’s registration, the refund credit is forfeit.
Requests for refunds/withdrawals must be made in writing to the director of the UNCSA Community Music School and the Community and Summer Programs Office.
