Information and Policies
New students starting lessons at rmC
The studio address is 207 Center Street. We are located across the street from the Garwood Post Office just south of South Ave on Center Street. There is a small municipal parking lot right next door to our building. Parking is free. Some parents drop off students, but we recommend coming inside at least for the first lesson. Meet the instructor. Feel free to take whatever time is needed to talk to them about the lessons, your child’s needs and what your expectations are.
​
The back door is our main entrance and it opens into a lobby where you can wait if you want. You are always welcome to sit in with your child or check in as you see fit during the lesson. When you come in, have a seat and the instructor will come meet you in the lobby at your lesson time.
​
Also, please feel free to exchange contact information with the teacher if you would like to keep up with your child’s progress. Especially if you will not be waiting in the lobby or have someone else taking them to the lessons.
rmc holiday calendar
The RMC is a year-round school
We are closed on the following days only:
​
Labor Day - Thanksgiving Day - Christmas Eve - Christmas Day - New Year’s Eve - New Year’s Day - Easter Sunday - Memorial Day – 4th of July
​
Lessons on these days are automatically canceled. These holiday cancellations are already calculated into your pricing. It is not necessary to reschedule, but you are welcome to if you wish.
​
RMC Studios recognizes that there are many other important holidays and encourages our diverse student base to celebrate them in the way they are accustomed to. We are happy to reschedule any lesson to make this possible.
general information
Parking
For studio lessons, parking is available in the lot next door to the studio. Please do not pull in our driveway as we oftentimes have children playing outside.
​
Studio Care
We take a great deal of pride in our studio and have a number of costly instruments and equipment. Please take care not to damage our instruments, equipment, furniture, or facility.
​
Recording
If you wish to create a professional recording, arrangements can be made to schedule recording time with an engineer.
​
Books
Your teacher may recommend books or supplies for your child to use for their lessons and for practicing. RMC does not sell these materials.
​
Instruments
RMC does not have instruments to rent or loan. Students will need to bring their own instruments and supplies. (Studio is equipped with Pianos, Drum sets and Amplifiers)
​
Inclement Weather
Safety is always our #1 concern. For our students, their families, and our instructors. We do not cancel lessons based on weather forecasts, but if you feel strongly that you should cancel, please let us know and we can help you reschedule. If the weather does create travel concerns, we do not want to put our students or teachers in danger. We will communicate studio closures as quickly as possible. Lessons can be done virtually or rescheduled.
​
Substitution
If a teacher must cancel a lesson, we will attempt to schedule a qualified substitute and alert the student/parent whether the lesson will be covered or if a reschedule will be necessary.
​
In-Home Lessons
All In-Home lessons will be conducted in a common area of the home. A parent or guardian must be present at all times. In-Home lessons are subject to a monthly convenience charge.
​
Virtual Lessons
Virtual lessons are always available to anyone that would prefer distance-learning. They can also be used if a student is sick or to make-up a missed lesson.
scheduling
RMC Studios is a year-round school. Once scheduled, all lessons are scheduled to continue indefinitely until the studio is notified that you wish to stop.
​
All scheduling changes (cancellations, reschedule/make-up requests, lesson changes, drops, etc.) should be communicated directly to the studio. Notifying the instructor is not an adequate form of notice.
Contact us:
By phone: (908)280-0398, Ext 2
By email: scheduling@rmcstudios.com
​
Lesson times do not automatically restart after an extended break. If you have been away for more than a month, please contact the studio for scheduling options.
Schedules often change for both students and teachers when schools start in September. Even if you have an existing spot prior to September 1st you should contact the studio to ensure that spot is still available. The studio will typically alert you if there has been a change in your teacher’s schedule.
attendance/absence/rescheduling
At least 24 hours’ notice is required for any cancellation.
​
No call-no show absences or cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice are not eligible for make-up. In the event of an unforeseen illness or emergency, a cancellation made with less than 24 hours’ notice may be rescheduled at the studio’s discretion.
​
Lesson changes (adjustments to lesson schedule, length, instrument and/or teacher) may be requested at any point during the year given a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice.
​
Make-up lessons must be scheduled within 60 days of the cancellation.
​
We do not reschedule make-up lessons. If you are unable to attend a make-up lesson, it cannot be rescheduled again.
​
If a student is injured or seriously ill and cannot play or attend lessons for more than 1 week, we can suspend those lessons without penalty. A doctor’s note may be requested. Please contact the studio immediately to work out the details.
canceling/stopping lessons
Once scheduled, all lessons are assumed to continue indefinitely until you notify us that you are stopping. To stop lessons, you must contact the studio by email with a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice. If you wish to avoid charges for the following month, we must receive notice by the 20th.
​
Notifying the instructor is not an acceptable form of notice. The studio must be contacted directly.
Once scheduled lessons are stopped, all outstanding make-ups are void at that time. Cancelling lessons to schedule make-ups is not allowed. Make-up lessons are a courtesy we offer to active students only.
​
Outside of a student injury, we cannot temporarily suspend or pause lessons. If lessons need to be stopped for longer than a month, we cannot guarantee the lesson time or teacher will be available upon return. The spot is opened for new students.
billing
Lessons are billed monthly on the 1st of each month at a flat (fixed) monthly rate. They are set to automatically recur indefinitely until the studio is notified that you wish to stop.
​
A credit card is required for automatic payment withdrawal. The lesson fee is processed on the 1st of each month, for that month. Please alert us immediately if you are having any issues with your credit card or need to update due to a change.
​
Lesson fees 60 days past due may result in lesson suspension.
​
The flat (fixed) monthly rate will not vary due to the number days/weeks/lessons in a given month. Missed lessons for holidays are already calculated into the pricing. There are no credits for cancellations or missed lessons. Make-up lessons are encouraged but must be scheduled within 60 days.
​
We will prorate your first month if you started lessons midway through the month.
To stop payments, you must contact the studio by email with a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice and cancel the scheduled lessons. If you wish to avoid charges for the following month, we must receive notice by the 20th.
Notifying the instructor is not an acceptable form of notice. The studio must be contacted directly.
​
If you wish to stop lessons after the monthly fee has been paid, you can finish the remainder of the month paid or take a credit for the unused lessons and have it applied to future lessons. Otherwise the remaining lessons are forfeited.
student illness policy
If the student is not feeling well, do not bring them to the studio. Give us as much notice as possible but keep them home. We may be able to do the lesson virtually if the student is up to it, or we can reschedule. A sick child cannot learn effectively and is unable to participate in classes in a meaningful way. Keeping a sick child home prevents the spread of illness in the community and allows the child the opportunity to rest and recover.
​
“When should I keep my child home from lessons?”
​
· Fever – A child should remain at home with a fever greater than 100°F. A child may return to lessons after they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever reducing medications like acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen.
· Vomiting and/or Diarrhea - Vomiting and/or diarrhea are often the result of infection, food poisoning, or a side effect to medications like antibiotics. A child with diarrhea and/or vomiting should stay at home and return to lessons only after being symptom-free for 24 hours.
· Sore Throat – A sore throat can be a symptom of strep throat or a common cold. It is especially important to keep your child home if the sore throat is accompanied by a fever. If your child has been diagnosed with strep throat, keep them at home for at least 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
· Coughs and Colds – Consider keeping your child at home if he/she is experiencing discomfort from cold symptoms, such as nasal congestion and/or cough. A continuous yellow-green discharge from the nose or a severe cough may be a sign of infection and would indicate a need to be home from lessons.
photo/video agreement
Students that are enrolled at RMC are offered many opportunities to perform live. During these events we will be taking pictures and videos of the performances. We may use these photos/videos for marketing, advertisement, and promotional purposes. This includes our online and social media sites. If you have any issues or concerns about this, please let us know in advance.