• Payment must be received to ensure a place in class.

• RSM admits students of any race, religion, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the school.

Tuition and Fees:

• New Students: Your registration fee, session processing fee, registration form submission and tuition payment is due 3 days prior to your first scheduled lesson/class. Tuition is prorated for new students entering after the session has started. Please note: The registration fee and session processing fee is non-refundable.

• Current/Continuing Students: We follow a quarterly billing schedule, covering approximately 12 lessons/classes per session/quarter. Your bill for the session/quarter will be reflected in three invoices. 

Please note: Payment for the three invoices issued for the session/quarter are due on the session due date to cover all lessons and classes for the quarter. Students who only pay one of the three invoices for the session will automatically be opting in for monthly payments and will be considered to be on a payment plan, incurring a $10 payment plan fee per month/invoice.

Payment Methods:

• Students/Families can include a debit/credit card or ACH Bank Information on file upon registration. One-time card transactions, personal checks and cash payments are also accepted. There is a $15 session processing fee applied to debit/credit card or ACH Bank payments, applied once each session/quarter (which equates to $5 a month/per invoice). Check, money order, or cash payments are fee-free and do not include a processing fee.

• For continuing students, payments are due by or before the Session payment due date. Please refer to the Session payment due date calendar. 

• RSM reserves the right to cancel any class due to insufficient enrollment. In such cases, all unused tuition fees will be refunded. 

• Online Payments: It is optional to include a debit/credit card or ACH Bank Information in your registration or RSM/Opus1.io portal account. Adding your your debit/credit card or ACH Bank Information to the RSM/Opus1.io portal account allows you to make your session payment with your chosen online payment method as well as enroll in autopay/payment plan (if needed). Opt-out anytime by sending a 30-day written notice of intent to cancel lessons. If added, the Richardson School of Music reserves the right to process your balance with your online payment method once your registration for an Intro Package or session is confirmed. Future session balances will be processed automatically unless we receive a written notice of intent to cancel lessons (see our Withdrawal/Refunds policy for more information).

• Payment Plans: Payment plans are available, and each payment includes a $10 payment plan fee per installment. All students enrolled in a payment plan with RSM must have a valid credit card or bank information on file. Payments on the monthly autopay payment plan are processed on the 1st or 15th of the month. For students in need of other payment arrangements, your payment will be processed on the agreed payment due dates set up by RSM administration and account holder.

Please note: Payment for the three invoices issued for the session/quarter are due on the session due date to cover all lessons and classes for the quarter. Students who only pay one of the three invoices for the session will automatically be opting in for monthly payments and will be considered to be on a payment plan, incurring a $10 payment plan fee per month/invoice.

• Payment Issues: A $15 late fee will be applied to statement balances not received by the payment due date. A $15 fee is applied for declined payments. A $35 fee is applied for returned checks.

• The school office must be notified at least 24 hours in advance of any absence in order to receive a make-up lesson. Informing a teacher of intent to cancel or make-up a lesson does not constitute notice to RSM.

• Students are allotted ONE make-up lesson per session/quarter. 

• "Day of" cancellations for any reason are not subject to receive a make-up lesson and will be charged. The lesson will be forfeited and your teacher will need to be paid for their time. 

• Richardson School of Music is not obligated to make-up lessons or classes due to inclement weather, student non-attendance, illness, vacation, etc.

• Monetary credits or refunds are not issued for missed lessons.

• Students are expected to attend and be punctual to all classes. Students who are late for a lesson cannot be guaranteed their full lesson time. Students arriving late by more than half of their lesson period will be considered absent (no show), and their instructor will be dismissed and paid for their time. Student no shows are not eligible to receive a make-up lesson. 

• No students should attend lessons when sick (ie fever, nausea, vomiting, constant runny nose, etc.) out of respect for our teachers and other music students.  

• Richardson School of Music reserves the right to dismiss a student from a scheduled lessons if the student arrives at their lesson exhibiting possible symptoms of illness.  We do not offer make-ups for sick-related absences.

• Each student is allotted ONE make-up lesson per session (the office must be notified at least 24 hours in advance of your absence in order to use your one allotted make-up lesson for the session).

• A sub is provided for teacher absences. If we are unable to provide a sub for your lesson, the office will contact you to schedule a make-up lesson.

• If your make-up availability does not match your instructor's schedule, additional lesson time may be added to your lesson(s)/classes in order to make-up the missed lesson/class. You may also be scheduled for a make-up lesson with another instructor that matches your make-up availability.  

• The Richardson School of Music reserves the right to substitute faculty when necessary.

• In the event you miss a group class, you may attend a comparable class (please ask the office for assistance if you're interested in this make-up option) or you may attend the designated session make-up day (if applicable). If your instructor is absent and a sub is not available, additional class time may be added to several classes in order to make-up the class time missed by your instructor or a class make-up day may be offered instead. 

• All make-up lessons and classes are held the Session they are missed and must be scheduled within 30 days of the missed lesson. 

• Credits or refunds are not issued for missed lessons.

• RSM assigns private instructors in order to make the best possible match before studies begin. If a change is desired please contact or call office at 301-660-4455

• Richardson School of Music reserves the right to substitute faculty when necessary.

• Two-weeks' notice must be given for withdrawal of a student.

• 30 day notice must be provided to withdrawal from auto pay. 

• Cancellation/withdrawal must be made in writing.

• There is a withdrawal fee equal to two weeks of tuition. If a student has given RSM the proper notification and all tuition payments are up-to-date, the School will issue a refund for any lessons remaining beyond the 2-week notification period.

• Registration and material fees are not refundable.

At Richardson School of Music, we value your privacy and make every effort to respect your wishes and personal information. In line with this commitment, we have established the following policy for the use of our SMS service. Please read it carefully to understand how we collect, use, and manage your phone numbers.

Collection Of Phone Numbers

We collect your phone numbers only when you voluntarily provide them to us, for example, during transactions, inquiries, or when you register for lessons or classes. You can opt in to receive these SMS messages when you enroll or by accepting SMS service through the Richardson School of Music Opus 1.io portal.

Use Of Phone Numbers For SMS

Your phone numbers are used to provide you with our services, updates, school news and reminders. These text messages may relate to any related services you receive at Richardson School of Music. SMS messaging charges may be applied by your carrier. We will only share your phone number with our SMS provider. We use Opus1.io to send all SMS communications to users who have opted in. Please view Opus1.io policy here for information on how they use user information.

Opting Out Of Marketing Messages

If at any time you wish to stop receiving SMS from us, you can opt out by

• Texting STOP to opt-out

• Texting UNSUBSCRIBE to opt-out

• Texting CANCEL to opt-out

• Texting QUIT to opt-out

• Disabling SMS services from the Opus1.io platform.

Please note that the opt-out process may take up to 10 business days to become effective. During this period, you may still receive some messages from us.

Changes to This Policy

If any changes are made to this policy you will be notified through the Opus1.io platform. Updated policy information will also be posted on our website.

• In the event of inclement weather, The Richardson School of Music makes decisions regarding closures independently of local school districts.

• RSM reserves the right to cancel classes due to inclement weather and holidays.

• RSM is not obligated to make-up lessons or classes due to inclement weather.

• For school closure information please go to our website at www.richardsonschoolofmusic.com or call 301-660-4455.

• School Closing Announcement: An official announcement will be placed on RSM’s voicemail greeting at 301-660-4455 and on our website by 7:00 AM for morning lessons and classes, and by 1:00 PM for afternoon lessons and classes. If inclement weather conditions occur later in the day, RSM  reserves the right to make a decision at a later time.

• Sunday events: An official announcement will be placed on RSM’s  voicemail greeting by 12:00 PM.

• To ensure your child’s safety, please be sure to pick him/her/them up promptly after each class/lesson time.

• Faculty and staff do not supervise children waiting before or after classes.

• Children are under supervision during their instruction time only. Neither instructors or administrators are responsible for supervising children outside of teaching time.

• Students are not allowed in classrooms other than instruction or scheduled studio time.

• Photographs and video of students may be taken for Richardson School of Music publications and/or news releases.

• No compensation is provided to individuals who appear in the publications.

• If you do not wish for you or your child to appear in our publications, please e-mail us directly to let us know of your preference or write your preference in the comment section of your registration form.

• No food or drinks are permitted in RSM. 

• Be respectful of others at all times.

• Payment of class fees or beginning lessons implies acceptance of all policies above.

Please Note: Policies are subject to change. Official announcements will be made if such changes occur.