The sample pack

Okay so. Birch Lane Piano Studio, that's me, Dana Merrit, I teach out of my home studio on Birch Lane in Fair Oaks, the entrance is the side door on the driveway, parents wait in the mudroom or in the car, there's a bench. Piano mostly, some beginner voice. Lessons are 30, 45 or 60 minutes, weekly, same day same time, that slot is theirs for the school year. Rates, and I raised these in August so they're current: $140 a month for weekly 30s, $195 for 45s, $250 for 60s, billed on the 1st by card on file through my studio software, I'm done with checks in backpacks and I'm done chasing, if we're two weeks late lessons pause until we're square, I hate saying that but it's the rule now. The makeup thing is what's killing me and why I'm doing this. The rule IS 24 hours notice, one makeup per term, makeups happen in the swap weeks I publish, same-day is just used, sick with fever obviously stay home and that counts as the notice if you text me by 8am. But I keep caving when a parent texts at 8:05 all sad and then I resent it all week. If I cancel, my fault, their makeup is free and doesn't count against the term. Siblings, I have four sibling pairs, honestly not sure if they share the one makeup or get one each, I go back and forth. Summer: June through August is its own flexible term, book 8 lessons any weeks you want, pay for the 8 up front, no monthly billing, returning students keep their fall slot if they do at least 6. Recitals twice a year, December and June, at the Fair Oaks community hall, $15 recital fee per family covers the hall and the tuner, performing is expected but never forced, duets welcome. Practice: beginners 20 minutes five days, intermediate 30, I'd rather have five short honest days than one panicked hour Sunday night, parents of under-10s sit in for the last five minutes of the lesson so they know what home practice is. What to bring, their own books every week, a notebook, I write the week's assignment in it, nails short for piano, water bottle fine, no gum. Weather: snow days we move online same time, lesson's never lost, I'll text by 2pm. Stopping lessons: two weeks notice any time, no guilt, kids change, but no refunds on the month already billed. Communication, text me, not email, I check email like twice a week, never after 8pm please, I answer between students next day. Phones go in the basket during lessons. And don't print my home address on anything public please, the studio name and 'Fair Oaks' is enough, directions go out after the first lesson is booked.

1 · Welcome to Birch Lane Piano Studio

I'm Dana Merrit, and I teach piano and beginner voice from my home studio on Birch Lane in Fair Oaks. Your lesson time is yours for the school year — same day, same time, every week. Come to the side door on the driveway; parents are welcome to wait in the mudroom or the car. Directions go out once your first lesson is booked: the studio name and “Fair Oaks” is all that ever appears in public, by design.

2 · Lessons

Lessons are 30, 45 or 60 minutes, weekly. Bring your own books every week, plus a notebook — the week's assignment is written in it. Nails short for piano. A water bottle is fine; gum isn't. Phones live in the basket during lessons. For students under ten, a parent sits in for the last five minutes, so home practice looks like studio practice.

Practice. Beginners: 20 minutes, five days a week. Intermediate: 30. Five short honest days beat one panicked hour on Sunday night.

3 · Tuition

$140 a month for weekly 30-minute lessons, $195 for 45, $250 for 60 — billed on the 1st by card on file through the studio software. Your monthly fee reserves your weekly time for the school year. If an account runs two weeks late, lessons pause until it's square — said once here so it never has to be said in person.

4 · Missed lessons & policies

Makeups. With 24 hours' notice you get one makeup per term, scheduled in the published swap weeks. Same-day cancellations use the lesson. Fever? Stay home — a text by 8am counts as notice. If I cancel, your makeup is free and never counts against your term.

Weather. Snow days move online at your usual time — a lesson is never lost. I'll text by 2pm.

Stopping lessons. Two weeks' notice, any time, no guilt — kids change. No refunds on the month already billed.

5 · The studio year

Recitals happen twice a year, December and June, at the Fair Oaks community hall; the $15 recital fee per family covers the hall and the tuner. Performing is expected but never forced, and duets are welcome. Summer (June–August) is its own flexible term: book eight lessons across any weeks, paid up front, no monthly billing — returning students who take at least six keep their fall slot.

6 · Reaching Dana

Text, don't email — email gets read about twice a week. No texts after 8pm, please; I answer between students the next day.

The tidy list

• “I keep caving at 8:05” stayed out — the pack states the rule she chose, not the exceptions she regrets.
• The home address stayed out everywhere, as she asked; “Fair Oaks” only.
• “I hate saying that” (late-payment pause) became the plain rule with no apology — her words, firm where she's firm.
• The fair flip sides she named went in next to the firm rules: her cancellation = free makeup; snow day = lesson moved, never lost.
• Nothing was added: no registration fee, no photo policy, no waitlist language — she didn't name them.

Open questions (returned with the pack, never guessed)

• Siblings: do the four pairs share the one makeup per term, or get one each? One line either way.
• Swap weeks: which weeks? The pack says “published swap weeks” — send the dates and they go in.
• Voice students: do the piano practice minutes apply as written, or a different expectation?