Registration Information
Summary of Fees, Discounts & Policies
Registration
Registration forms with your payment option indicated MUST be received by June 15. If we do not receive the form by this date then we cannot guarantee availability of your current time slot.
If you wish to change your time the registration form must also be received by June 15. You will be notified by June 25 if that spot has become available.
When you register, you register for the full school year, both Fall & Spring semesters. It is not necessary to contact us to secure your slot for the Spring semester. Please do contact us if you wish to make any changes.
The academic year has 2 semesters. The Fall semester consists of 17 weeks of private lessons, the Spring semester consists of 16 weeks of private lessons and 1 Workshop Week.
IMPORTANT FOR 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR – Due to the number of holidays falling on Mondays, we will have only 16 teaching Mondays in the Fall semester. Tuition will be prorated to reflect this.
Fees
Registration fee – there is an annual fee of $25 individual/$40 family.
Deferred payment – if you choose not to pay in full for the year or pay for the semester, you will automatically be assessed a $25 deferred payment plan fee which will be charged with the first payment. A credit card number is required to participate in this plan.
Returned check fee – $25.
Discounts
If you pay in full for the year before the first lesson, you will receive a Pay-In-Full Year Discount of $50 per student. This applies only to those students registering for the full year and paying the entire year’s tuition in full prior to the first lesson. Students receiving financial aid are not eligible for this discount. If you pay in full by June 15, the Registration fee will also be waived.
10% Senior Discounts are available to those over 62 years for both lessons and group classes. This discount does not apply to tickets for events, fundraisers.
Any student taking Private Lessons will receive a 10% discount on all group programs and classes. Not applicable to Music Together or summer programs. Private lesson students participating in BaYS will receive $25 discount.
No registration fee for summer programs.
Makeups & Attendance
Since faculty members reserve a weekly teaching slot for each student, they are not required to make up lessons missed due to student absence. We encourage you to go to the weekly performance workshops every week, but especially if you have to miss your private lesson. Here, students get the opportunity to practice their performance skills, build confidence and receive recommendations for improvement by a faculty member other than their regular private instructor. This is a great benefit of studying at SSC and is open to all students. Weekly performance workshops are scheduled as follows:
Hingham, Tuesdays, 7pm
Duxbury, Thursdays, 7pm
One lesson per semester may be made-up if the teacher receives at least 6 hours notice and if a time should become available during the teacher’s regularly scheduled hours. If your lesson is cancelled due to teacher absence or weather related school closures that lesson will be made-up as a private lesson by the teacher.
Refunds & Credit
If it becomes necessary for a student to withdraw from private lessons, the Conservatory will refund a percentage of the tuition provided that a withdrawal request has been signed and returned to the office. Withdrawal: Prior to 1st lesson – 100%, prior to 2nd lesson - 80%, prior to 3rd lesson – 60 %, prior to 4th lesson – 40%, prior to 5th lesson – 20%. In the event that a student has enrolled and paid for an entire year's worth of lessons, and withdraws during the first semester, the above schedule is followed along with a refund of the entire second semester tuition. If the student withdraws during the 2nd semester the above schedule applies. The full balance may, at the discretion of the Vice President of Finance and Administration, be left as a credit on the account.
There are no refunds on classes, chamber groups or ensembles.
No refunds on Competition fees after the Competition application deadline has passed.
Credit Balance – any credit balance on your account is valid for ONE YEAR only from date of issue.
Weather Related Closings
Each campus, Hingham and Duxbury, will determine, based on the weather conditions, whether that particular campus will be open and whether classes will be held. This is a change to existing policy; we will no longer be following the public school closings in the respective communities. A decision to close either campus for morning classes (including pre-school) will be made by 7:30 am, and there will be a message on the telephone greeting announcing the conditions. Staff, faculty members and students may call in after 7:30 am on weekdays and Saturdays to find out if school is cancelled. All weather announcements will also be posted on our website, and, in the event of closings/delays, notification shall also be on WATD, 95.9 FM radio. In the event of an early closing after school has begun for the day, or if classes are cancelled in the morning and we subsequently open in the afternoon, we will post the closing message on the telephone greeting and on our website between 12:00 noon and 1:00 PM. Teachers will be notified by the office and will in turn contact their students.
Miscellaneous
South Shore Conservatory admits students and families of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, religion, marital status, political belief, sexual orientation, and disability to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, religion, marital status, political belief, sexual orientation, and disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.
Students may not participate in any Conservatory competitions or festivals with an outstanding balance on their account.
Scholarships awarded at competitions are valid for the following school year beginning in the Summer after the competition was held.
The Conservatory reserves the right to cancel courses if enrollment is below an acceptable minimum. In this case, ALL fees will be refunded.
Tuition for classes, chamber groups and ensembles is for the complete session and cannot be prorated if a student cannot attend all coachings.
In accordance with Massachusetts General Law, we do provide signing services at SSC sponsored events upon request. Please call SSC directly to request this service at least 5 business days before the event.
Financial Aid
Available for children whose families can document financial need. Application forms are available in the office and as a downloadable Word Document and must be filled out and returned by the due dates below. All applications will be considered by the Scholarship Committee, which meets before each semester to grant assistance. Recipients of scholarship aid must reapply each semester. Aid will not be given to families with an outstanding balance on their account.
Financial Aid deadlines are as follows:
Regular Tuition:
Summer semester – June 10
Fall semester – August 10
Spring semester – January 10
Chamber Ensemble only:
Fall - October 20
Spring – February 20