Policies

• Location: Set up for your virtual lessons must occur 10 minutes prior to the lesson so students are ready to join the lessons at lesson time. Test equipment prior to the first lesson, and consult with your teacher as needed. Set up for your virtual lesson should be in a common area of your house and if under 19, should have your parents within the vicinity of your lesson. If you are in your bedroom or other private areas of your house, the instructor reserves the right to end the lesson and ask the student to call back after an appropriate set up has been made. 


• Attire: please wear clothes that you would normally wear in public to school or a lesson. Pajamas are not allowed.  If a student is in their pajamas or other inappropriate clothing, the instructor has the right to end the lesson and ask the student to log back after they have changed clothing.


• Online Etiquette: Be respectful. Be courteous. Be professional. The rules for etiquette in a virtual lesson are very similar to the etiquette for an in-person lesson.


• Offensive Group Class Behavior: Offensive behavior of any kind will not be tolerated. Report offensive behavior directly to the instructor via e-mail or by phone. Do not use the message boards in the virtual lesson window for this purpose.


• Technology requirements: 
  • Broadband or high-speed connection
  • Access to a desktop, laptop or smart phone with a built-in camera and microphone - headphones are suggested for clean audio reception.
  • If on desktop or laptop - a browser, such as Firefox or Chrome, will work with Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc. See zoom’s web client recommendations here.
  • In the event OCM’s technology prevents the lesson from occurring, OCM Artist-Faculty will reschedule the lesson.  In the event the student’s technology is not functional, the lesson will follow OCM’s make-up policy.  



• Missed Lessons & Make-up Policies: In the event of any student absence, please notify your instructor in advance. If students miss a lesson due to conflicts, travel, or illness, they will receive one makeup lesson per semester in a group setting. If students miss their group makeup lesson, it will not be rescheduled. If a teacher misses a lesson, it will be made up as a private lesson at a mutually agreed upon time. 

• Purchasing Virtual Lessons: Virtual lessons can be purchased directly at omahacm.org. Invoices may also be emailed upon request. Please note that your payment authorizes only one person to access and participate in the virtual lesson or virtual group class. 


• Cost: For the 2019-2020 academic year, Lesson Bundles must be purchased in 3 hour increments at $64 per hour. Families may only purchase one three hour Lesson Bundle per student at a time. There is no registration fee.  These lessons must be used before Saturday, August 15, 2020 and are non-refundable.  Lesson Bundles cannot be combined for multiple instruments.


• Recording: Students are strictly prohibited from recording lessons. Instructors cannot record a session without consent of the student (if over 19) or their guardian. Occasionally recording lessons and classes facilitates the educational nature of our mission. By participating in a group class, you have the option to turn off your video if you do not wish to be recorded. Sharing course content with others or publishing it is strictly prohibited. Should you share your course content with another person, your access to the lesson and all its material may be immediately revoked for violating these policies.


• Photo Release: You grant and give to Omaha Conservatory of Music [“OCM”] the absolute and irrevocable right and permission with respect to the photographs and video footage that OCM or its agents or employees have taken or will take of you or my child in which he/she may be included with others during virtual lessons. You waive all rights you or your child may have to such photographs and video footage. The Conservatory will not use the student’s full name in relation to any video or photographs obtained during lessons or classes. You understand and acknowledge that since your child’s participation is completely voluntary, neither you nor your child will receive any financial compensation or remuneration for OCM’s use of the photographs or video footage. You hereby relinquish any right that you or your minor child may have to examine or approve the completed product or products or the promotional copy or printed matter that may be used in conjunction therewith or the use to which it may be applied.

Lessons and classes will not be rescheduled and tuition will not be credited in the event of any emergency school closing due to weather or other circumstance beyond the control of the Omaha Conservatory of Music, unless:

• There are multiple closings on the same day of the week during the year.

For example: 

If there is an emergency school closing on only one Monday during the year, lessons will not be rescheduled for that missed lesson.

• If there is an emergency school closing that occurs on any subsequent Monday during the year, the subsequent missed lesson (or lessons) will be rescheduled.
• OCM recommends that make-up lessons be scheduled during the last two weeks of May, prior to scheduling the six summer lessons which are included in the annual tuition.

In the interest of faculty and student safety, the Conservatory follows the Omaha Public Schools weather cancellations and will be officially closed when OPS is closed except for in the event of closure due to sub zero temperatures.  As we do not bus our students, this is not applicable to the Conservatory. Cancellations will be posted on our website, Facebook, and local news stations. For weekend weather cancellations and the most updated information, please check our website and the Conservatory's Facebook page and Twitter feed.

If a student is wanting to change the lesson length after lessons have begun, written (or email) notification must be given to Diane Owens, Education Advisor and Admissions Manager: dianeowens@omahacm.org.  Verbal notice or text message from students or parents cannot be accepted. Families who instigate the change must discuss it with the private instructor prior to submitting written notification to ensure the instructor can accommodate a change. The original lesson length will be maintained for 8 days from written notification to allow for changes in billing and teacher schedules.

There is a $25 withdrawal fee. A student who wishes to withdraw from private lessons must give Diane Owens at least two weeks written notice: dianeowens@omahacm.org. Verbal notice or text message from students, parents or faculty cannot be accepted. The date on which the written withdrawal is received by the Conservatory, not the last date of attendance, will be considered the official date of withdrawal. The student is responsible for payment for the two lessons following the official date of withdrawal and may attend them if he or she chooses.

If a student experiences a serious health issue that prevents them from taking lessons, they have a few options: 

• Students may withdraw per OCM Withdrawal Policy for the duration of their illness, and OCM will send the teacher a new student in their place. Students may re-enroll during the same Academic Year if their teacher has availability, or else be assigned to another teacher. Should the $25 Withdrawal Fee present a hardship for the student, OCM reserves the right to waive it on a case by case basis.
• Students may continue to pay tuition during their recovery period, in order to hold a spot on their teacher's roster at the same day/time as current lessons, resuming lessons as soon as possible. Students may also work with their teacher to explore alternative musical explorations, if they are willing and able (focus on theory, or bowings only, or play only the left hand piano part, etc.).

Omaha Conservatory of Music continues its firm commitment to the principle of equal employment opportunity. We provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, age, sex, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation or any other prohibited basis of discrimination under applicable local, state or federal law. We make employment decisions consistent with this principle of equal opportunity. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.