Richardson School of Music understands that schedules can change. However, instructors reserve specific lesson times for their students and must be compensated for that time.

To qualify for a make-up opportunity, an eligible lesson or class must be cancelled through the Opus student/parent portal at least 24 hours before its scheduled start time.

Official Cancellation Procedure

• Cancellations must be submitted through the Opus student/parent portal.

• The cancellation must be completed at least 24 hours before the scheduled lesson or class.

• Informing an instructor of an absence does not constitute an official cancellation.

• Emailing or verbally informing the school office does not replace the required Opus cancellation unless the family is experiencing a documented portal-access problem and receives assistance from the office.

• Day-of cancellations and cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice are not eligible for a make-up, regardless of the reason.

• No refunds or monetary credits are provided for missed lessons or classes.

Make-Up Credit Limit

Private-lesson membership students may receive one make-up credit for an eligible student cancellation during each rolling 90-day period.

To qualify:

• The membership must be active.

• The lesson must be cancelled through Opus at least 24 hours in advance.

• The student must not have already received a student-cancellation make-up credit during the preceding rolling 90-day period.

Make-up credits issued because RSM could not provide the scheduled instructor or a substitute do not count toward the student’s one-credit-per-90-days limit.

Make-Up Credit Expiration

• A make-up credit issued because of an eligible student cancellation expires 60 days after the date of the missed lesson.

• A make-up credit issued because RSM could not provide the scheduled instructor or a substitute does not expire while the student’s membership remains active.

• When a membership ends, all unused make-up credits—regardless of why they were issued—expire 30 days after the membership end date.

• Make-up credits have no cash value.

• Make-up credits are nonrefundable and cannot be exchanged for tuition, account credit, or another monetary benefit.

Instructor Absences

RSM reserves the right to provide a substitute instructor when necessary.

If the scheduled instructor is absent:

• RSM may assign a substitute instructor.

• If RSM cannot provide a substitute, an eligible make-up credit will be added to the student’s account.

• A refund or monetary credit will not be issued.

• A make-up with the student’s primary instructor is not guaranteed.

Scheduling a Make-Up Lesson

Eligible make-up credits can be viewed and self-booked through the Opus student/parent portal. A make-up with the student’s primary instructor is not guaranteed. Depending on availability, a make-up credit may be used for:

• A lesson with another RSM instructor

• A lesson on another instrument

• A music theory lesson

• A songwriting, production, digital music, or other eligible RSM class

• A designated school make-up day

• An eligible studio master class

• Additional instructional time before or after a regular lesson, when scheduling permits

All make-up appointments are subject to instructor, program, room, and schedule availability.

Cancelling a Scheduled Make-Up

A scheduled make-up lesson must be cancelled through Opus at least 24 hours in advance.

A make-up lesson cancelled or missed with less than 24 hours’ notice is forfeited and will not be rescheduled or reissued.

Group-class students must cancel through the Opus student/parent portal at least 24 hours before the scheduled class to qualify for an available make-up opportunity.

Non-Private Group Classes

Students enrolled in a non-private group class may attend an available comparable class as a make-up.

• The alternate class must be appropriate for the student’s age, level, instrument, and program

• Placement is subject to availability

• A specific alternate class or date is not guaranteed

• No refunds or monetary credits are provided for missed group classes

Private Groups, Duos, Sibling Lessons, Couples, and Parent/Child Lessons

Individual make-up classes are not provided when only one participant in a private duo, sibling, couple, parent/child, or private-group lesson is absent.

When eligible and available, the absent participant may:

• Attend a comparable non-private group class

• Attend a designated group-class make-up day

• Use another make-up option approved by RSM

The regularly scheduled private-group lesson continues for the attending participants.

RSM-Cancelled Group Classes

If RSM cancels a group class because of an instructor absence, RSM may:

• Provide a substitute instructor

• Add instructional time to a future class

• Offer a make-up class on a designated school make-up day

• Provide another comparable make-up opportunity

No refund or monetary credit is provided for the cancelled class.

Students are expected to arrive on time for all scheduled lessons and classes.

• A student who arrives late is not guaranteed the full scheduled lesson time.

• The lesson will still end at its originally scheduled time so the instructor’s remaining schedule is not disrupted.

• A student arriving after more than half of the scheduled lesson period has passed will be considered absent and recorded as a no-show.

• The instructor may be dismissed after more than half of the lesson period has passed.

• The instructor will be compensated for the reserved time.

• A late arrival or no-show is not eligible for a make-up lesson, refund, or monetary credit.

Recurring weekly lessons are offered through a flat-rate monthly membership.

Membership provides:

• A reserved weekly lesson time

• Consistent instruction

• Preferred membership pricing

Membership tuition is billed automatically each month in accordance with RSM’s membership terms.

• Memberships renew automatically until the required withdrawal process is completed.

• Tuition is not prorated for scheduled holidays or school closures.

• Tuition is not prorated because a calendar month contains fewer scheduled lessons.

• No refund or monetary credit is provided for unused membership lessons.

• Membership tuition is not prorated during the student’s final month.

Non-membership single-lesson and lesson-package options are available separately at flexible-plan pricing for students who prefer greater scheduling flexibility. Flex plans do not guarantee a recurring instructor, day, or time.

To end a membership, the RSM office must receive both:

1. An email notification sent to rsmstudents@richardsonschoolofmusic.com; and

2. A completed Membership Withdrawal Form.

Both must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. on the 10th of the student’s final month.

Example

To end lessons and membership on May 31, the completed withdrawal form and email notification must be received by 11:59 p.m. on May 10.

A withdrawal request received on or after May 11 will take effect on June 30. The membership will remain active and billable through June.

Additional Withdrawal Terms

• Membership tuition is not prorated for the final month.

• Verbal notice to an instructor does not terminate a membership.

• Discontinuing attendance does not terminate a membership.

• Cancelling recurring lessons in Opus does not replace the required Membership Withdrawal Form.

• Make-up credits are nonrefundable and cannot be converted to monetary credit.

• All unused make-up credits expire 30 days after the membership end date.

• A family may withdraw its cancellation request before the withdrawal takes effect.

• If a withdrawal request is reversed, the previous instructor, lesson day, and lesson time cannot be guaranteed.

Membership Withdrawal Form: https://forms.gle/17D8Dk8G1wB839iX9

RSM makes weather-related closure decisions independently of local public and private school districts.

Families should monitor:

• Email and text notifications from RSM

• https://www.richardsonschoolofmusic.com

• 301-660-4455

Announcement Times

When possible, closure announcements will be sent:

• By 8:00 a.m. for morning lessons and classes

• By 1:00 p.m. for afternoon and evening lessons and classes

• By 12:00 p.m. for Sunday events

If weather conditions develop or worsen later in the day, RSM reserves the right to make and communicate a closure decision at a later time.

Weather-Related Lesson Format and Make-Ups

• RSM reserves the right to close the school because of inclement weather or unsafe conditions.

• RSM reserves the right to move lessons or classes to an online format when necessary.

• Instructors may offer online lessons during a weather-related closure.

• Families should monitor RSM communications for instructions regarding online access.

• RSM is not obligated to provide make-up lessons, refunds, or monetary credits for lessons or classes affected by inclement weather.

Families may place a student’s recurring lesson membership on Summer Hold for up to two months during June, July, and August.

Summer Hold is intended for students who plan to return to their recurring lessons after the hold period.

All students using Summer Hold must resume lessons no later than September 1.

Summer Hold Request Deadlines

The completed Summer Hold form must be received by 11:59 p.m. on:

• May 10 for a Summer Hold beginning in June

• June 10 for a Summer Hold beginning in July

• July 10 for a Summer Hold beginning in August

Requests received after the applicable deadline may not be accommodated.

Summer Hold Deposit

A deposit equal to one month of the student’s membership tuition is required to reserve the student’s lesson placement during Summer Hold.

• The card on file will be charged automatically on the Summer Hold start date.

• Submission of the Summer Hold form authorizes RSM to process this charge.

• Families who want to use a different payment method must notify the RSM office before the hold begins.

• The deposit will be applied to the student’s September membership invoice.

• The deposit is nonrefundable except when RSM cannot provide the original placement or a suitable alternative after a teacher or schedule change.

• If the required deposit cannot be processed or is not received, the lesson time may be released and offered to another student.

Reserved Instructor and Lesson Time

RSM will make every reasonable effort to preserve the student’s existing instructor, lesson day, and lesson time. However:

• Instructor schedules may change.

• The original instructor or time cannot be guaranteed.

• If the original placement becomes unavailable, the returning student will receive priority scheduling to select another available time.

• If RSM cannot provide the original placement or a suitable alternative, the Summer Hold deposit will be refunded.

Lessons During Summer Hold

While on Summer Hold, students may:

• Schedule individual lessons at the applicable non-membership rate, subject to availability

• Schedule eligible unused make-up lessons

• Participate in other available RSM programs

Summer Hold does not guarantee the availability of additional individual lessons.

Families Unsure About Returning

Families should submit a Membership Withdrawal Form instead of a Summer Hold request if they:

• Are unsure about their fall availability

• Do not plan to continue recurring lessons

• Do not want to pay the required Summer Hold deposit

RSM will be happy to help the student find a new instructor, day, or time if the family decides to return later. Availability cannot be guaranteed.

If No Form Is Submitted

If RSM does not receive either:

• A completed Summer Hold Request; or

• A completed Membership Withdrawal Form,

the student’s recurring lessons and regular monthly tuition will continue throughout the summer as scheduled.

The Opus student/parent portal is RSM’s primary system for managing schedules, cancellations, make-ups, account information, and lesson communication.

Families are responsible for:

• Maintaining access to their Opus account

• Keeping contact information current

• Keeping the payment method current

• Reviewing upcoming lesson and class schedules

• Cancelling eligible lessons through Opus

• Reviewing available make-up credits

• Scheduling eligible make-up lessons

• Monitoring RSM email and text communications

• Reviewing instructor comments or lesson messages

Telling an instructor about a cancellation, withdrawal, billing change, or membership change does not replace the required Opus or office procedure.

If a family cannot access Opus or believes account information is incorrect, contact:

rsmstudents@richardsonschoolofmusic.com

Contact the Instructor About:

• Lesson assignments

• Practice questions

• Books and materials

• Musical goals

• Lesson-specific instructional questions

Contact RSM Student Services About:

• Membership and billing

• Schedule changes

• Instructor changes

• Opus access

• Cancellations and make-ups

• Summer Hold

• Membership withdrawal

• Policy questions

Student Services Email:
rsmstudents@richardsonschoolofmusic.com

Informing an instructor of an administrative request does not constitute official notice to the RSM office.