Policies

Free Lesson Certificate Holders
Scheduling and Availability
Sign Up
Schedule Notification
Age Requirements
General Monthly Class Schedule
Prorates and Make-Up Lessons
Continuing/Stopping Lessons
New Students
Payment

Free Lesson Certificate Holders

If you received a certificate for a free month of group lessons after buying a guitar, please be advised that it can only be applied to the first month of your lessons. After the initial month you may continue with group lessons for $85/month if you wish. top

Scheduling and Availability

Schedules for each month are determined during the last week of the previous month (i.e. August schedule is determined during the last week of July.) Students are assigned in order of sign up - first come, first served. Signups take place the first three weeks of the month preceeding the month you take the lessons.

All potential students are asked to provide their availability in terms of the times that they could come to class from the following possibilities: Wednesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. Classes begin on each hour and last fifty minutes. Once students are assigned to a day/time they will keep that assignment for the entire month (i.e. 'every Tuesday at 5 p.m.')

Please let us know all the times you could possibly attend from the list above; the more flexible your schedule, the more likely you will be assigned for the coming month. Make sure, however, that you are definitely available at the times you indicate, because once assignments are made there will be no reassignment or chance for free lessons - you will have to wait for the following month for reassignment and pay the normal group lesson rate. If you are already a paying student, you will be responsible for paying for any month in which you were signed up. top

Sign Up

If you would like to be assigned to a class, SMI must receive the following information by the 22nd of the preceding month:

• your name
  
• your phone number(s)
  
• your email address (optional, highly recommended)
  
• your level (beginning, intermediate, or advanced)
  
• your age (minimum is 10)
  
• your availability (see above)
  
• your instrument (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, or bass)
• A $85.00 deposit on a credit card (this is strictly a deposit only in the event you commit to lessons and DON'T take them, thus depriving someone else the lesson time)
  
  

Email this information to norri@guitarshowcase.com, or call Norri Caplan at (408) 377-5864 (voice mail #4545) or, fax Norri at (408)377-3701. If you have any questions, please call Norri. top

Schedule Notification

New schedules will be emailed and posted in the student lounge by the last day of the preceding month (for example, the August schedule will be emailed/posted by July 31.) You can also call Norri Caplan at (408) 559-0882. top

Age Requirements

The minimum age is 10. If you have a child who is under 10 and desire guitar instruction you may also want to consider private lessons at SMI. top

General Monthly Class Schedule

Classes normally start during the first week of each month and occur thereafter on the designated day and time each week. If there are five occurrences of the designated class day in any month, the fifth will not be a lesson day, unless other notice is given by the instructor.

Mid-month admissions to any class are not permitted, except by special permission from the instructor. top

Prorates and Make-Up Lessons

There will be no prorates for missed lessons, and there are no guaranteed make-up lessons given. If you know in advance that you are going to miss a class, contact Norri Caplan at (408) 559-0882 to find out if there is another class at your level that meets at a time you could attend. Again, there is NO GUARANTEE of any make-up lessons being provided, but we will do our best to accommodate you. top

Continuing/Stopping Lessons

 

New Students

If you have signed up as a new student, and don't have a 'free lessons' certificate, you may audit (free of charge) the first class to determine if the group format and level is right for you. If you decide to continue, you must make payment for the entire month, including the initial lesson, by the end of the day of the audited lesson. After the initial month, payment will due by the first of each month, per standard SMI policy. top

Payment

The monthly rate for group lessons is $85, and is due by the first of each month. Please make checks out to Guitar Showcase. You may pay at the store, or to the instructor. After the tenth of the month you must pay at the store and a $10 late fee will be assessed. top