Policies

Welcome to joyful music making!
Our classes foster a love of music in a family context that forms a lifetime appreciation of music.  We strive to create a loving, community atmosphere that fosters a rich learning environment.  Our studio has developed a set of policies in order to reach these goals – for our children, our families, and our teachers.

CHURCH LOCATION/ENTRANCE

Our Early Childhood Music classes are centrally located at Trinity United Methodist Church at 18th and Broadway in downtown Denver.  You can access the building from Broadway Street.  Go down the stairs and through the double doors to your left.  Classes are held on the first floor.  Please ask the office on the second floor for assistance if needed.

PARKING/LIGHTRAIL

Parking is free after 5:00 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays in the lot north of the church on Broadway.  Wednesday morning participants will need to find parking.  There are many lots and meters around the church.  Please note that parking is tight during the weekdays.  If you are attending a Wednesday morning music class, please allow extra time to park and get settled before class begins. 
Light rail has two good stops close to Trinity: 20th & Welton or 18th & California.  Both stops are only two blocks away from the church.  Children love the ride and enjoy having it as part of their music class routine.

REGISTRATION

Our program year begins in September and ends in May.  Registration for the year begins in August.  All participants are required to fill out a registration form to enroll their children in class and to submit this with the required registration fee to the director.  This fee and your form reserve your space in the class requested.  Students are enrolled in class in the order that registration materials are received.  In the event of a full class or a cancelled class, the deposit is fully refundable. 

WELCOME NIGHT/WELCOME DAY

We believe that you and your child will get much more out of your music experiences with us if you attend our Welcome Night/Day.  This is the only formal opportunity during the year for you to learn about the theory and research underpinning our instruction, receive information about how you can reinforce this learning at home, and hear directly about various policies that will impact you during your time with us.

WAITING LIST

Waiting lists are created in the event that a class fills up.  Those on a waiting list will be called when there is an opening.

TUITION PAYMENT POLICY

Tuition for the first semester is due on Sept. 15th.  The deadline for the 2nd semester is Jan. 15th.  Tuition received after these dates will be considered late and you will be asked to include a $15.00 late fee charge with your payment.  If you are paying on a monthly basis, tuition is due on the first class of each month.  The late fee also applies.

TUITION COLLECTION

An invoice will be mailed to you several weeks before the due date.  Please mail your payment directly to the director at 2050 Lake Circle Dr., Thornton, CO 80241.

HOME MATERIALS

It is essential that music making be a part of your everyday life at home in order for your family to maximize the experiences in music class.  Therefore, we require that our families purchase the music kits required for each class. These are truly wonderful tools to use with your child at home and include top-notch CDs that provide a good model of the singing voice.

If you have music kits from an older sibling, you are welcome to re-use those kits again, except in the case of the keyboard materials.  You must bring your kit to orientation so that we can be sure that you have everything you need.

Music for Baby & Me, Musical Discoveries, and Exploring Music & Movement classes are required to have the CDs only from your respective curricula.  They are:

• Music for Baby & Me - Baby Music Volumes 1 & 2
• Musical Discoveries - Dance and Play with Me
• Exploring Music & Movement – Wind Dancers and Sun Catchers

Music Makers 1 & 2 classes are required to have the CDs and the essential parts for each kit, typically the folder, notation cards, and handouts.  The kits are:

• Music Makers 1:  At Home – My Home Place, Woodlands, Cattail Marsh, & Meadow
• Music Makers 2:  Around the World – British Isles, Amerindian, Africa-American, & Germany

Students in the Music Makers at the Piano classes are required to have a new kit.  There is a sibling book available to students who already have the CDs.  Please contact the director if you would like to order one of these rather than a new kit.

• Music Makers at the Piano:  Year 1 - Student Books 1 & 2
• Music Makers at the Piano:  Year 2 - Student Books 3 & 4
• Music Makers at the Piano:  Year 3 - Student Books 5 & 6 

CHILDCARE

ECM provides a unique childcare service through Trinity United Methodist Church nursery.  Childcare is available free of charge for families enrolled in our program.  The nursery is open to ECM families on the days/times music classes are held.  Parents have the option of placing one child in the nursery while attending class with a sibling.

Childcare procedures are as follows:

• Please sign your child in and out of the nursery, indicating that you are participating in Early Childhood Music on the form.
• Childcare should only be used when you are in class.  Once you are out of class, we ask that you pick up your other children from childcare.  This is a service paid for out of our Early Childhood Music budget.  Please do not take advantage of the availability of childcare by leaving your children with our caregivers once you are out of class.

ATTENDANCE/MAKE-UP POLICY

It is important that you are consistent in your attendance of classes in order to provide the most benefit for your child.  It also is beneficial for the class to have as many parents and children present as possible.  However, we do understand that kids get sick and other emergencies arise in our busy lives.  If you are not going to be able to be at class, please call or e-mail the teacher ahead of time.  If your child does miss a class due to illness or vacation, you have the opportunity to attend a different class as a supplementary lesson.  Music for Baby & Me, Musical Discoveries, and Exploring Music & Movement classes meet at least two class times per week.

While we understand the occasional absence due to illness or an extended absence due to vacations, we reserve the right to remove your child from a class if you have 4 or more unexcused absences.  We often have other children on our waiting lists for classes, and it is unfair to keep a child on the roster who does not attend class regularly.

SNOW-DAY POLICY

Music classes will be cancelled for snow according to the cancellation of Denver Public Schools.  Lessons cancelled due to snow will not be made up.  If you are attending an evening class, the cancellation will be made by 2:00pm that day.  If you are attending a morning class, the cancellation will be made the night before or early that morning.  You will receive a phone call notifying you of the cancellation.

ARRIVAL/PRECLASS TIME

We request that you do your best to arrive at class 5-10 minutes early.  It is important for the learning of your child and other children in the classroom that everyone be settled before class begins.  Age appropriate books will be placed in each room before class begins.  Please use this opportunity to spend a few minutes of focused activity with your child before class begins.

TEACHER CONFERENCES

Teachers will be available to speak with you or answer questions after your weekly class.  If you have a question or concern that will need more than a few minutes to discuss, please schedule a conference for another time. All of our teachers are eager to work with our families to create a positive learning environment, and communication is a key factor in achieving this goal.  Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher by phone or e-mail. You can also leave a message for your child’s teacher by way of the director.  A complete staff directory may be found in this handbook on page 3. 

FOOD & TOYS IN CLASS

We understand that babies may need to be fed during class or soothed with a pacifier.  However, toys are a big distraction to your child and to others.  They will not be allowed in class.  Please leave them at home.  There are highchairs/tables in the nursery and in the lobby for feedings.

Special points of interest:
Please make sure you and your child are dressed in a way that allows for movement.

We work on the floor with the children.  Grandparents may want a chair to sit on.

Please use the nursery for diaper changes.

Your teacher is available for questions AFTER class.  Sometimes our educators teach two classes in a row.  Be aware that she will need time to prepare for the next class.  If you need more than a few minutes of her time, please schedule an appointment or call her at a later time.

Focus on your child during class!