ActonArt Policies
TUITION, DISCOUNTS & REFUNDS
Upon submitting the registration online you will be emailed a receipt confirmation which contains a copy of the class information you submitted. You can use our Tuition Calculator (below) to figure out total tuition due including pro-rating, discounts and registration fees. IF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS please email us or call 978-266-1600. If there is any problem placing a student in the requested class we will contact you soon after we receive your registration. We will confirm all students approximately 3 to 5 days before classes begin. It is not possible to do this earlier because we routinely have to shift students around to accommodate change-of-class requests, other program conflicts, etc.
We will hold your registration while waiting to receive payment. Online registration is time/dated and WILL TEMPORARILY SECURE a student's place in class in the order of receipt. Fall class payment is due within 7 calendar days of registration and no later than the first class if less than a week remains before the first class. It can be paid via Square, sent via U.S. Postal Service (see address below) or hand-delivered to the studio as a check or cash payment. Upon receipt of payment we will complete your registration. Pending registrations NOT PAID within 7 days (or prior to the first class if less than 7 days remain) may be canceled. Please call us at 978-266-1600 if you have any questions. We will contact you if there are any questions or problems with your registration request.
Tuition —2024/2025 trimester tuition rates are indicated on the Schedule/Tuition pages. Tuition is due no later than seven (7) calendar days after registration is submitted and can be paid via Square (invoices are sent via email) or by cash or check, personally delivered to the studio or mailed to: ActonArt, P.O. Box 2743, Acton, MA 01720.
Late Tuition Payments —Once tuition is past due an additional Late Fee charge of $25 may be required to complete your registration.
Discounts — Discounts are available for families with multiple students, home-schoolers and senior citizens. Discounts are available only on full trimester, or complete class series. Discounts cannot be applied to any pro-rated classes.
Refunds & withdrawals — ActonArt does not provide tuition refunds for classes missed by students, or as a result of student withdrawal. Refunds will be granted only when a class/program is cancelled by the school and not rescheduled, or if a student registration that includes the tuition payment is received for a class which is full. If other circumstances do warrant a refund, ActonArt may retain registration fees if there are costs associated with the withdrawal or refund that we must pay.
Right to cancel — ActonArt reserves the right to cancel any class or workshop that does not meet a minimum number of students. Appropriate refunds will be provided if payments have been received in advance.
ADDITIONAL FEES
Returned check fee — Tuition paid via checking accounts with insufficient funds will require a fee equal to the fees we incur from our bank.
TUITION CALCULATOR
DISCOUNTS MAY BE TAKEN FOR:
• MULTIPLE students in one family
(2 or more)
• ONE student taking MULTIPLE classes (2 or more)
• SENIOR Students (62+)
Seniors may apply discount to individual registrations.
TO CALCULATE DISCOUNTS
1 hour class: $15.00
1.5 hour class: $19.50
2 hour class: $20.50
2.5 hour class: $22.00
3 hour class: $22.00
MULTIPLE STUDENTS DISCOUNT EXAMPLE
STUDENT A — 1 hour class +$330.00
STUDENT B — 1.5 hour class +$430.00
Discount for 1 hour class -$15.00
Discount for 1.5 hour class -$19.50
One time per year, per family registration fee +$35.00
Grand Total = $760.50
CLASS CHANGE REQUESTS & WITHDRAWALS
Class Change Requests — Families may request a class change for any reason. If we are able to place their student as requested we will do so. There is no charge for a single class change per trimester. Any additional class change requests in a trimester may incur a charge of $25.
TRIMESTER WITHDRAWALS - Students who withdraw from classes prior to a trimester class start date will be refunded tuition according to the following schedule:
100% refund minus reg. fee if written notice of withdrawal is given more than two weeks prior to class start date;
50% refund minus reg. fee if written notice of withdrawal is given between 1 to 14 days prior to class start date;
0% refund if written notice of withdrawal is provided on or after the class start date.
Full refunds may be offered if the withdrawal vacancy can be filled immediately.
SUMMER CLASS/PROGRAM WITHDRAWALS - There is a $50 non-refundable deposit built into summer tuition. Class/program participants who withdraw prior to June 15, 2024 will receive a tuition refund minus the $50 fee. NO refunds will be provided to participants who withdraw after June 15, 2024.
ARRIVALS, DEPARTURES & MISSED CLASSES (In-studio)
Arrivals and Departures — ActonArt classes ALWAYS START ON TIME and students need every minute of the class time to work on projects. We must take a strong stand on delivery and pick up of your children at the designated times of the class. It is essential to arrive on time. Late arrivals are disruptive to every other student and penalize them even though they arrived on time. Students who arrive late may be denied admission if the project has already been started.
STUDENTS WHO ARRIVE LATE SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT OR GUARDIAN. LATE ARRIVING STUDENTS MAY NOT BE DROPPED OFF AT THE DOOR. EACH STUDIO DOORWAY WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 5 MINUTES PAST THE PUBLISHED START-TIME OF THE CLASS. ONCE THE STUDIO DOORS ARE SHUT NO LATE STUDENTS WILL BE ADMITTED. Students must be picked up promptly at dismissal time. Parents of children age 8 and under should come into the studio at the time of dismissal and accompany their children. We have arranged for a limited number of drop-off /pick-up parking spaces at the rear of our studio building to facilitate a quick transition.
We do not wish to impose inflexible policies on our students or families but the impact from late arrivals is serious enough that we must enforce this consistently. Every week, the first minutes of class are important to introduce the project, explain the learning objectives and teach students how to organize their thinking around the "process" we will follow. To accomplish this the studio environment must stimulate and engage them, allow them to focus without distraction and integrate information about both the drawing and the process. Late arrivals can negate all of these desired results for the entire class. Timely arrivals will go a long way to help us maintain the quality of our classes and give students all their allotted time to finish up projects in class. Please allow adequate time to arrive at the studio on time for the beginning of the class.
Missed Classes & Make-ups —
ACTONART DOES NOT PROVIDE CREDITS OR REFUNDS FOR MISSED CLASSES.
STUDENTS MAY REQUEST AN IN-STUDIO OR RECORDED MAKE-UP CLASS VIA EMAIL. ACTONART WILL OFFER AN OPTIONAL IN-STUDIO MAKE UP CLASS IF THERE ARE OPEN SPOTS IN ANY IDENTICAL LEVEL CLASS DURING THE CURRENT PROJECT WEEK. THE MISSED PROJECT MUST MATCH THE CURRENT WEEKLY PROJECT. VIDEOS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE OR APPROPRIATE FOR ALL CLASSES. IN SUCH CASES MAKE-UPS WILL BE ARRANGED ON A PER REQUEST BASIS BUT CANNOT BE GUARANTEED.
IN-STUDIO MAKE-UPS ARE AVAILABLE ONLY IN CLASSES WHICH HAVE OPENINGS DUE TO AN ABSENCE OR ARE NOT FULLY ENROLLED, AND MUST BE IN THE SAME CLASS LEVEL. This is a limited, first-come, first-served arrangement and once a class is full it is closed for additional make up students. ALL FULLY ENROLLED CLASSES ARE CLOSED FOR MAKE-UPS.
We have surveyed a number of local organizations and know that our policy is among the most flexible. Many curriculum-based art or music organizations offering group classes simply state that there are NO make-ups available.
ACTONART WILL PROVIDE video make-ups for any recorded class to students who have missed a foundation class. Many students do not miss any classes during a trimester and a smaller number miss only one. In special circumstances (long term illness, injuries, etc.) ActonArt will attempt to accommodate on a per case basis.
During the winter months conditions may force ActonArt to cancel classes. ActonArt will provide all students who have classes cancelled with make up classes either in-studio or as online videos. In-studio make up classes will NOT be offered at the same time as the regular class and will likely be held on either a Friday or Sunday. Video classes will be recordings of the identical project that was missed. There will be a time delay to produce videos before they are available to students. Videos will be provided via emailed links even if the trimester has ended and students are not in class when the video becomes available.
All requests for make-up class videos must be submitted via email.
STUDENT BEHAVIOR, BATHROOMS & MORE
Student Behavior — ActonArt classes are designed to provide the best possible learning experience for every student. Our standards are high and we constantly measure our performance. To create and maintain this environment we must require appropriate behavior from our students. Any activity which distracts/disrupts other students in the class (including late arrival) is unacceptable. Students will always be given reasonable opportunities to modify unacceptable behavior and remain in a class. However, if students persist with classroom disruptions we have no choice but to remove them. We understand that many children have behavioral and/or learning disabilities which may influence their classroom behavior. The ActonArt experience can greatly benefit these children, and we will always try to be as flexible as possible, however we cannot allow any class to repeatedly be disrupted. Please help us to help your children by reinforcing these classroom requirements. If you have questions or concerns please speak with us.
Class Observation — We strive to create a quiet, non-judgemental, safe environment where students are free to explore and create their art. If you choose to remain at the studio during your child's class you are welcome to wait in our lobby/gallery. Our studios have been designed with windows to provide clear visibility to permit viewing both in and out. Please try to remain discreet, and do not allow siblings or other children to gather at, or peer in during class. If the class is distracted by outside activity we shall have to ask observers to leave.
Bathrooms — The bathrooms at ActonArt are public bathrooms in the hallway directly outside our studios. We encourage all parents to make sure that children use the bathroom prior to class. ActonArt staff cannot accompany any children to the bathroom in the event that they need to use the facilities.
Student Behavior — ActonArt classes are designed to provide the best possible learning experience for every student. Our standards are high and we constantly measure our performance. To create and maintain this environment we must require appropriate behavior from our students. Any activity which distracts/disrupts other students in the class (including late arrival) is unacceptable. Students will always be given reasonable opportunities to modify unacceptable behavior and remain in a class. However, if students persist with classroom disruptions we have no choice but to remove them. We understand that many children have behavioral and/or learning disabilities which may influence their classroom behavior. The ActonArt experience can greatly benefit these children, and we will always try to be as flexible as possible, however we cannot allow any class to repeatedly be disrupted. Please help us to help your children by reinforcing these classroom requirements. If you have questions or concerns please speak with us.
Class Observation — We strive to create a quiet, non-judgemental, safe environment where students are free to explore and create their art. If you choose to remain at the studio during your child's class you are welcome to wait in our lobby/gallery. Our studios have been designed with windows to provide clear visibility to permit viewing both in and out. Please try to remain discreet, and do not allow siblings or other children to gather at, or peer in during class. If the class is distracted by outside activity we shall have to ask observers to leave.
Bathrooms — The bathrooms at ActonArt are public bathrooms in the hallway directly outside our studios. We encourage all parents to make sure that children use the bathroom prior to class. ActonArt staff cannot accompany any children to the bathroom in the event that they need to use the facilities.
Masking & Covid-19 Protocols - 2024-2025
With the risks of Covid infection receding greatly over the past year ActonArt is changing its mask policy.
- Masking is currently optional for everyone in our building. Students, teachers, parents and guardians may continue to wear masks if they choose to, or feel ill. Anyone feeling ill should test prior to entering the studio and proceed only if negative.
- Parents and guardians are once again welcome to pick up and drop off children inside the studio and wait in the lobby while children are in class.
- Parents/guardians may be called to retrieve students exhibiting symptoms of illness who are presenting an exposure risk to other individuals in the studio.
- ActonArt reserves the right to reinstate mandatory masking at any time if conditions change and risks are increased.
Covid is much less hazardous today than previously, but we also acknowledge that it remains an illness that can—and will—be a serious threat to the health of some individuals. Influenza presents a similar threat to many people as well. This being the case we encourage anyone to wear a mask if they feel more comfortable.
Students who are coughing and/or sneezing during a class may be asked to wear a mask (provided by ActonArt) to prevent exposing others to the airborne spread of germs.
We ask that everyone consider the heightened sense of insecurity many people have experienced throughout the pandemic and respect their desire to wear masks when close contact increases their risk of exposure.
ActonArt will continue to follow CDC recommendations regarding individuals who have been exposed or test positive for Covid.