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STUDIO POLICY

I. Schedule and Tuition.  

Each academic year is divided in two semesters, the fall semester is from September to January, and the spring semester is from February to June. There are from 17 to 19 lessons in each  semester. The schedule generally corresponds to schedules of Massachusetts public schools. - except for the snow days (see below), Veteran’s Day, and some religious holidays which may be teaching days in the studio while they are not teaching days in some public schools. With the exception of the fall semester of the first year class, the tuition should be paid in full for the semester. In case of financial hardships the arrangements can be made for paying tuition in several installments. Depending on the space availability in a certain class, the Studio may allow new students to have a trial period for one month.

 

II. Interruption of studies. Tuition Refunds.

1.Interruption of studies requested by parents.

If a student drops off from the studio before the end of a semester, the remainder of his/her semester tuition may or may not be refunded. Tuition refund can be made with two weeks advanced notice until October 1 for the fall semester and until February 28 for the spring semester - if no role in the spring drama performance has been assigned. Two weeks notice means that if you gave a notice on October 1st, you are responsible for payments up to October 15-th, i.e. for two more classes. The percentage of the tuition refunded will be proportional to the number of classes not taken minus $20 handling fee. Exception: if a student asked for a part in the spring drama performance, was subsequently granted a role, and then decided to quit the studio, an unused portion of his/her spring tuition is NOT refundable.

2. Interruption of studies requested by the Studio.

The Studio reserves the right to expel a student whose presence is disruptive for the educational process or is in any way harmful to other students or teachers, as well as for repeated violations of the studio rules. In this case, the Studio will refund the unused portion of the semester tuition minus $20 handling fee.

 

III. The Class Schedule and Attendance

Try to minimize absences. Even if a student does not plan to take a make-up, please give Nina an advanced notice about the absence. In case of a sudden illness, please, warn Nina as soon as possible.

 

IV. Making-up missed lessons. No tuition refunds are given for missed lessons. A student can take make-ups by attending a class with another group.

 

V. Arrivals and Pick-Ups. PLEASE DO NOT PARK YOUR CAR ON PELHAM STREET or ON CRESCENT STREET EVEN IF YOU ARE SITTING IN IT. The children should be dropped off at and picked up from the CVS parking lot at the beginning of Pelham street, they should walk alone or with you to/from my house. If you are very late to the class or if it is raining, you can drop the student off in front of the house.

 

VI. Early Arrivals/ Late Pick-ups. If you brought your child significantly earlier, please wait in the CVS parking lot in your car until 5 minutes before the class.  My neighbors complain if my students run around and yell. Running around on the street is dangerous. Also, if you arrive earlier, your child can enter the classroom and wait there together with you so that you “babysit” your child in my absence, Please pick up your child on time.

 

VII. Books and Materials

1) Often a story or a play is sent as an attachment or as a link to a web page. We do not charge for materials, instead the parents take responsibility for printing out a hard copy of each text or buying a book we read.

2) If a student reads some books in English translation, it is his/her responsibility to get a book from the library.

3) A text which we are currently reading must be brought to each class.             

 

VIII. Intellectual Property.

All teaching materials including the electronic home assignments (see below) and theater materials for the concerts including the studio’s own stage versions of Russian prose are the PROPERTY OF THE STUDIO. They cannot be copied, sold  or otherwise distributed to any teaching or theater program in the USA or abroad without Nina Goldmakher’s written permission.

                                                                                                      

IX. Home assignments.

Assignments are sent by e-mail. The students in each class have different speeds of reading in Russian. The size of home reading assignments is tailored to the speed of faster readers. The slower readers can use their parents’ help. The slow readers are also allowed to read a portion of difficult reading assignments in English translation.

                                                                       

X. Theater Component of the studies consists of dramatic readings of plays in class. The students practice their parts by reading them at home in advance.

 

XI. Performance Opportunity for the Studio’s Students*

The studio focuses on studying literature. However, some students are interested in performing opportunities which are offered to all students starting from their class’ second year in the studio**. Performances happen in the spring semester; the regular literature lessons will be interrupted for about 6 weeks to prepare the performance. A performance fee will be charged to cover costs. All students can recite poetry rehearsed by Nina. The students can apply for participating in a theater workshop with the stage director Michael Redko. The roles are distributed by audition with Michael. If a role is granted, staging of a scene takes 3 to 10 rehearsals with M. Redko on a special schedule. The drama performance is contingent upon having a group of parents who are willing to help with scheduling and managing rehearsals on a volunteer basis. The studio reserves the right to display any video/photographs of student performances on its website or on the web.

*) Sometimes, per request of our stage director, we invite our former students to participate in the drama performance. **) Since our theater depends on the work of our parents-volunteers, the roles in a drama performance may be offered to those first year or former students whose parents have had experience in stage management in the past and want to volunteer their time to help.

 

XII. Parent Conferences.

Since Nina teaches  in the late afternoons and evenings, the best time to reach her for discussing a student's performance is before 2 pm on a weekday (except Friday), best between 9:30 am and 11 am. You can also always leave a message (with your daytime phone number), and Nina will return your call promptly.

 

XIII. Snow Emergency.

In case of snow please check your e-mail before calling Nina. If the class is canceled, the cancellation message is sent by e-mail. We will follow in cancellation decisions some music or math schools (such Russian School of Mathematics). A make-up will be offered at the end of the year. A make-up class will be run as soon as we can have about 75% attendance. A lost class may be also made-up by extending several other lessons.

 

XIV. Liability. 

1. On behalf of our child and on our own behalf, we indemnify and hold harmless, and waive all claims against The Russian Literature and Drama Studio, its principals, agents, servants, and employees from and against any loss, cost, charge, claim, demand, liability, damage, medical expenses, arising directly or indirectly from any personal injury or property damage loss, including, but not limited to partial or total disability, serious illness, and such  which may occur to my child while on the premises of The Russian Literature and Drama Studio or any other location provided by The Russian Literature and Drama Studio and/or under instruction, supervision, or control of The Russian Literature and Drama Studio.

 

2. The Studio will not be held liable for its failure to provide any service if that failure is caused directly or indirectly by illness of teachers, City, State (or Government) policy and procedures, or natural disaster.