ARMSTRONG
SCHOOL OF DANCE
Staying One Step Ahead
POLICIES & PRACTICES
Studio Courtesy
Please be aware and understand that dancing while fun and upbeat, is generally a calm and gentle recreational activity. And while students do participate within a class as a whole, students are expected to maintain their composure especially when it comes to putting ones hands on someone else. We will not allow rough housing, climbing on barres, running, etc. within the studio. Our floors are not suitable for that type of play. If you child is unable to abide by the rules of the studio and participate in a fashion that is appropriate, they will be asked to leave. We will not allow any one student to endanger the happiness or health of another student or class.
Basic to our continued growth and successful operation are the general Policies and Practices. We urge you to continue your suggestions and recommendations for further improvements. The teamwork we build between teachers, dancers, and parents is necessary not only to become an accomplished dancer but also to foster the growth of self-esteem and confidence in our young ladies. Please become thoroughly familiar with this information, since it will directly affect your dancer and their future at Armstrong School of Dance. Thank you for helping us stay one step ahead.
Sincerely, Studio Staff
Below you will find .... Code of Conduct and Policies & Practices
Code of Conduct The following rules will apply to all studio classes, rehearsal practices & Shows during recital week. If I am unable to follow or should choose to disobey these rules, I understand that by signing this I will be asked to immediately gather my belongings and leave. Please read . . . 3. I will refrain from talking over the teacher while she is teaching. 4. I will not sass, give lip or be disrespectful when I am corrected at practice. 6. I will arrive to class on time and ready to go, students missing 2 classes back to back will be dropped from class, students missing recital practices will be dealt with individually and at the discretion of the teacher. 7. I will wear the correct shoes and attire to class/practice or I will be asked to call home and leave. 8. I will not enter the studio or locker room area with any food or drinks, outside of a small water. I will pick up after myself or I will be charge a locker room cleaning fee. 9. I will take care of my costume avoiding food and drinks at all cost, understanding I will be billed should I damage or stain. 10. I will leave my cell phone with a parent or turn it in at the beginning of class/practice. Absolutely NO cell phones in the locker rooms. Parents can call the 11. No cameras or video device (of any sort) will be allowed in the locker rooms!! (“Memories” will be allowed on show night) The Tuesday Night show is a great time to bring your cameras for pictures pre- or post show. 15. I will turn in my costume & props on the night of the show, right side out and neatly placed under the sign in sheet. I will assist with costume processing if I return my costume wadded or inside out. 16. I understand I am not allowed to leave the show with a rental costume or I will be charged a late return fee. 17. Absolutely NO BOYS or MEN (DAD’s) in locker rooms anytime! 19. No Jumping from the front of the stage in the gym at any time... practice or show!!!
1. Dancing is an activity that is fun yet athletic and challenging at times I know I will be both corrected and praised, and I agree to give it my all every time I am at a class, practice or show. Treat others as you want to be treated!!
2. I will attend with a positive attitude and respect for my teachers, class assistants, civic center staff and classmates.
5. I will not chew gum during class, practice or SHOWS!!
emergencies during recital week. Cell phones will be returned at the end each day.
12. I will remove all jewelry (ear, neck, wrist, nose, belly button) for every show.
13. I am expected to wear tights NOT HOSE during shows.
14. I am responsible for my costume and accessories until it is return at the end of the show. I will pay for any missing pieces or props that were assigned to me.
If you needs to meet with Miss Sarah, Miss Leslie or any of the teachers for any concerns or issues, please contact Miss Sarah and set up a time outside of class, practice or shows.
The attitudes and disrepect will not be tolerated... come ready to dance!
Policies & Practices
Section I – Registration
Students of Armstrong School of Dance are allowed to pre-register for the following year during the months of April and May. During Early Registration students are required to complete a form to verify information on file and pay a $30 fee. A place in class is not secure until the registration fee and signed form is received. Open Registration will be scheduled during the summer prior to fall classes. New and returning students registering during open registration will be required to complete a form and pay a $40 fee. Open registration will be held in the Studio at the Civic Center with dates announced through local news media. All classes have limited space; therefore registration is conducted on a first come, first serve basis. The registration fee will not be applied until a space is confirmed for your student.
Section II – Tuition Rates & Fees
Tuition is due at the first class your student attends each month. Tuition is considered late if it has not been paid by the 10th of each month and at that time a $5.00 late fee will be assessed to the account. NO monthly bills will be sent. It is your responsibility to note your payment and the due date. Students with a 25-day balance on their account will not be allowed to participate in classes or performances. If a check is returned to Armstrong School of Dance, due to insufficient funds, it is required to be covered with a money order, cashiers check or cash plus a $25 returned check fee, within 3 days of notification. Accounts with a NSF check will have to make payments by another method, checks will no longer be accepted. Each class averages four sessions per month. More in some months and less in others, therefore we charge a constant fee from Fall to Spring. This average includes extra work we do to prepare for community events, dress rehearsals, recitals and choreography. Many hours go into these projects both by instructors and management.
Section III – Methods of Payment
Monthly tuition payments can be made by cash, check or ACH withdrawal. To sign up for the ACH withdrawal, please contact the Studio for an ACH form for the Bank of Upson, attach a canceled check (not deposit slip) and return to the studio by the first class of the month. Participants of the ACH monthly draft will receive a discount of $2.00 off per student per month. Tuition may also be paid semi-annually or annually. Semi-annual payments need to made by the first class in the Fall and the first class in January. Students paying semi-annually will receive a 5% discount per tuition payment. Annual payments need to be made by the first class in the Fall and those student will receive a 10% discount on tuition. Make all check payable to Armstrong School of Dance. Tuition checks can be placed in the tuition box in the Studio office or can be mailed to the School of Dance, 105 Teton Place, Thomaston, GA 30286. If there is an issue with payment please contact Sarah Armstrong as soon as possible, to keep the account from accumulating late fees.
Section IV –Withdrawal & Refunds
A one-month notification in writing that a student will not longer be attending Armstrong School of Dance is necessary to stop charges from being made to the account. If a student is absent for four (4) consecutive weeks, and tuition not paid for that month, the student will be automatically de-enrolled and a final statement will be mailed. A $15 re-enrollment fee will be charged in order to re-register the student. Refund request must be made in writing. In the event of a prolonged illness or injury that requires medical care, a prorated refund will be made (up to, but not exceeding 50% of tuition paid during illness) provided that written medical verification is presented to the studio. There will be no refunds made for voluntary withdrawal, missed classes, sports seasons, holidays, vacations, or lack of interest.
Section V – Attendance
Regular attendance is essential for classroom progress to be made. Students need to arrive at the Civic Center no more than 10 minutes prior to class and are to wait in the hallways outside of their classroom, using good manners and respectful behavior towards waiting parents, other students and Civic Center staff. At the end of class, students will be release into the hallway, where an assistant will supervise them until they are picked up. Students need to be picked up promptly after class. IF there happens to be a problem or change with pick up, please let us know as soon as possible. Middle School and High School dancers need to be at the Civic Center and in class on time. Parents will be called after three (3) late entries into class. Proper preparation, which takes time, is the key to great performances. Attendance is mandatory during the Rehearsal week of our Christmas and Spring Recitals. We will be working with the school system to try and deter any conflicts as best we can, but please let us know of any ASAP. Our Calendar follows the Upson County School System calendar. If local schools are closed due to bad weather the School of Dance will also be closed. If severe weather occurs after school hours, class cancellations will be posted on the schools phone message.
Section VI – Attire & Appearance
Students are required to be correctly dress when they attend class. To properly execute turns, leaps, and routines, dancers must have on the appropriate attire. Required dancewear ranges from tights, leotards, biking shorts, tank tops and T-shirts, soffe shorts, leggings, athletic pants, pink ballet shoes, beige tap shoes, black jazz shoes, and high heel beige jazz shoes or other dance related attire. Baton classes need white tennis shoes and a properly fitted baton. Please refer to the “Class Attire” section at www.armstrongschoolofdance.com for exact class requirements. Dancewear should always be freshly laundered and a good deodorant is required. Hair needs to be pulled away from the face and out of the eyes. Jewelry will not be permitted in dance class except for small earrings. We will not allow blue jeans, tennis shoes, school clothes, etc. in class. Extra dance outfits will be available at the studio and students will be asked to change or to leave class. Proper attire will be mandatory for admittance into any class.
Section VII - Safety & Security
For safety purposes Students will not be permitted to wait outside the Civic Center for their rides. The parking lot is busy during the changing of classes and smaller children are hard to see. Parents please assure your child that they will be picked up from inside the building. Students should be picked up within 10 minutes after the class ends. No one, including students, will be allowed in the dance studios without a teacher present or without permission. To keep the studio in good working condition students are expected to refrain from hanging or leaning on the barres, putting feet on the walls and from touching the mirrors or stereo equipment. Students must respect the rules of the Civic Center at all times. When students are within the building but not in the Studio they are to be properly covered, to walk, not run, throughout the hallway, to keep noise levels down, and to eat and drink in designated areas. There is no food, drinks or GUM permitted within the studio, gym or dressing rooms.
Section VIII– Recital Information
Armstrong School of Dance is proud to present the Christmas Show and Spring Recital for our families and friends in the community. Each dancer does her part to help produce an evening full of toe tapping routines, great music, and festive costumes. It is very important to follow the directions on Recital evenings. Students in the 6th Grade and above know where their dressing rooms are and they know they are to report there by 6:30 and remain there throughout the show. However backstage with the younger students is very different and requires attention to every last detail. Please review this information before each recital. Students between the ages of 3 Years Old and 5th grade need to be dropped off through Rooms #3 and #4 (Tap Room) where a Backstage assistant will escort them to their seat in Room #5. NO ONE will be allowed to enter through Room #5. For security reasons students will not be allowed to leave during the show. To pick up students after the show, Parents of our 3, 4 and 5 year old students need to come back to Rooms #1 & #2 in an orderly fashion, where they will be walked through and be given their child. From there you will exit through the other door. NO ONE will be allowed to return back through the "in" door because of the traffic jam it will cause. Please make your post-show pictures and family plans according to this information. Parents of our 1st Grade ~ 5th Grade students need to come back to Rooms #3 & #4 in an orderly fashion, where they will be walked through and be given their child. From there you will exit through Room #5. NO ONE will be allowed to return back through the "in" door because of the traffic jam it will cause. Please follow the directions of our backstage volunteers and dancer daddies to help this flow well for everyone. Visit our Recital Information Page on this website for more indepth information regarding each recital.
