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Enroll at The Joy of Music School

Thank you for your interest in enrolling at the Joy of Music School.

Please Review Before Applying

The Joy of Music School provides high-quality music instruction, instruments, and mentorship at no cost to children ages 4–18 who are underserved in our community.

Admission Requirements

Before completing the application below, please ensure that:

Your annual household income falls within the guidelines listed below.
Your student is between the ages of 4 and 18.
Your student is able to attend lessons or classes regularly.
Your family has reliable transportation to and from JOMS.
A parent or guardian can remain on campus during all lessons and classes.

Annual Household Gross Income Guidelines

Household Size	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Maximum Annual Income	$39,900	$54,100	$68,300	$82,500	$96,700	$110,900	$125,100	$139,300

For each additional household member, add $14,200.

*Households above the JOMS Income Guidelines are NOT automatically ineligible. These applications require additional review and must include one or more qualifying circumstances, such as:

Student attends a Title I school.
Student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch.
Household receives SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, WIC, SSI, housing assistance, or similar public benefits.
Student is in foster care, kinship care, or experiencing housing instability.
Family has significant medical, caregiving, transportation, or employment related hardship.
Family has multiple children seeking services and private instruction would create a significant financial burden.
Student has limited access to music education through school or community programs.
Other documented circumstances that create a meaningful barrier to private music instruction.

Required Documentation

Families must provide proof of income in one of the following forms:

Most recent IRS Form 1040, or
Proof of public assistance benefits

Please complete one application for each child applying to the Joy of Music School.

If your family meets these requirements, please complete the application below. We will contact you to schedule a family/student interview.

Once all required documentation has been received and approved, eligible students will be placed on our waiting list. Placement in private lessons is based on volunteer teacher availability.

By submitting your application, you agree to be placed on our email and/or postal mailing list. You will receive occasional newsletters and other communications (we don’t send out many). Thank you!

Registration Form

Step 1 of 4

Welcome to the Joy of Music School!

Please read the following Registration and Lesson Policies to better acquaint you with the procedures of the School. Kindly provide your signature at the end of the document stating that you have read and understand the following policies. A copy of this document that also includes the School Calendar will be provided for your records.

REGISTRATION

Students may register for enrollment at the Joy of Music Youth Music School by completing the current registration forms and providing proof of income. All students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

In order to provide instruction to the maximum number of children, students may only take lessons on one instrument at a time, unless through special arrangement with the staff. Participation in other non-public school programs should be discussed with the staff prior to registration. Students may enroll after the semester has begun if space permits. Placement in the program is contingent on Volunteer Teacher availability.

Admission – Title VI Statement

The School admits students of any race, color or national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs, and other school administered policies. No student will be denied admission because of lack of funds. Complaints should be directed to the Executive Director.

LESSON POLICIES

Attendance

Students are expected to meet lesson and rehearsal schedules promptly and regularly and to remain for the duration of these activities. Students are enrolled for the entire academic year, from the date of the first enrollment through the last scheduled lesson of the year. If you must miss your scheduled lesson, please contact us immediately, at least 3 hours in advance, so that we may have time to contact the teacher and make schedule changes as needed. If you fail to contact us, or you provide notice late, it will result in an unexcused absence. Being late twice or two unexcused absences in any semester will result in the child being placed on probation. Students are expected to attend a minimum of 80% of their scheduled lessons, even if their absences are excused. Probation will result if a student misses more than 20% of their lessons for any reason. Make-up lessons cannot be scheduled. Parents or guardians are responsible to notify the School of any change in contact information.

Volunteer Teacher Schedules

The volunteer teachers at the School are talented, busy members of our community who kindly donate their time. For each hour of lessons taught, a music teacher generally spends at least another hour preparing to teach. If a volunteer teacher schedule conflict occurs, students and their parents or guardians will be notified as soon as possible when it is necessary for a teacher to miss a lesson.

Lesson Schedules

All lesson scheduling is to be handled by the front office staff of the Joy of Music School.

Private and Small Group Lessons: Meet for 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 1 hour per week for instruction.

Ensembles: Meet for 45 minutes to one hour per week for instruction.

All lessons are scheduled through the Joy of Music School and are required to follow JoMS procedures, including on-site and on-line lessons and classes.

Practice

Daily practice is the mutual responsibility of the parent or guardian and the student. Be aware that students who do not regularly practice may be placed on probation and may not be accepted for lessons the following year. Regular practice at home is essential for all music students. Without daily practice, the student will be frustrated by a lack of progress and will be unable to take advantage of the teacher’s expertise. The muscles tend to “forget” faster than the brain does. It’s therefore necessary to have physical reinforcement of music skills every day. Students are required to document their daily practice times in their assignment folder and parents are required to sign the practice sheet weekly.

A successful music student rarely exists without a parent or guardian’s encouragement in practicing every day. It is a rare child that will practice without any supervision or prompting. The student’s practice time will be more productive, and their concentration will be better if the music area is free from interruptions. If the student is to respect the daily practice time, the rest of the family must also. Learning music skills is complex and, if taken as a serious activity, is physically and mentally taxing. The ultimate goal of music lessons is to prepare the student to be a competent, independent music reader and performer, and this requires perseverance.

Parents or guardians can help the students maintain a positive, productive attitude by showing interest in the student’s music, by listening to the student practice, by helping where needed, and by praising and encouraging the student at all levels of learning. In homes where music and music lessons are valued, students learn faster and maintain interest longer.

Students who practice at the same time each day usually make better progress than those who practice after all other activities are completed. Practice placed at the end of the day becomes a low priority, and the student is often too tired to accomplish a great deal. If practice is to become a daily part of life, it must be given an assigned time in the daily schedule. It is also better to practice for a short period each day, such as thirty minutes, than to skip several days and attempt to make up for this by a marathon practice period. It is recommended that a student work intensely on a troublesome section of music, even if it is just one measure, until the problem is resolved with that section. They can then continue by playing the entire piece with the troublesome section in the context of the whole piece.

Student Behavior and Attitude

Students are expected to treat each other, the staff and faculty, and the building with courtesy and respect. Any discourteous or disrespectful behavior will result in immediate dismissal from the school. If lessons are held on-site at the School, parents or guardians should remain at the school with their children. It is the parent or guardian’s responsibility to ensure the safety and behavior of their children both before and after lessons. If lessons are held on-line, parents or guardians are expected to take responsibility for the children’s behavior and will be notified if assistance is needed with a child’s unacceptable behavior.

Probation

When a student is placed on probation, all lesson and activities are suspended until the student and their parent or guardian meet with the Director. Probation can occur due to missed lessons or because a student fails to make satisfactory progress in lessons, especially due to lack of practice or effort. If progress or attendance does not improve to the satisfaction of the teacher and/or the Music Director, the student will be dismissed from the School.

Timeliness

If lessons are on-site, students should arrive just before their scheduled lesson time and depart as soon as their lessons are completed. Parents or guardians are required to remain at the school with their children. Students may not bring visitors to lessons with them, without the prior permission of their teacher. If lessons are held on-line, students should be prepared for their lessons before the designated start time, check the designated email for their Zoom Invite, and be on-time and prepared with their instrument and assignment.

Performance Evaluations and Recitals

Students are required to perform for Evaluations conducted by the Joy of Music School at the end of each semester. Additional performance opportunities (recitals) are also an important part of the student’s musical training and all students are encouraged participate. Recitals are an enjoyable time of learning and sharing. Winter and Spring Recital dates will be announced as arrangements are made and students must audition to perform.

Student’s Music Books

Students are responsible for having their music and their assignment folders at every lesson. Teachers do not maintain extra copies in case they are forgotten. Music and supplies are provided by the School.

Instrument Policy

Students who do not have access to the instrument they are studying may borrow an appropriate instrument, if available. Parents/ guardians and students are responsible for maintaining and caring for these instruments. Students should arrive for lessons with instruments in good working order. Please contact our office if you have any issues with these instruments during the week. If a student does not have their instrument, let us know and we can provide a substitute instrument for the lesson.

School Calendar and School Closings

The School calendar lists all the dates that the school will be closed for a given semester and school year. The School does NOT follow the public school calendar or federal holiday schedule. The School remains open despite public school holidays, in-service days or teacher planning days, except for those dates noted on the Joy of Music School Calendar as being closed. If students do not attend, they will receive an absence. If the school is closed for an emergency such as bad weather, notifications will be sent by email, text, and social media. During times of bad weather, please check to see if the School will be open before making the trip.

Parent/Guardian Participation

The involvement of parents or guardians is very important! Students and their teachers need your support. Your assistance is needed to be sure that:
1. The student is ready and/or arrives a bit early for their lesson.
2. The student is prepared for lessons by having their music, their assignment folder and their instrument.
3. The student is picked up promptly after their lesson if on-site.
4. The student practices at home.
Communication between parents or guardians and teachers is very valuable in helping the students maintain good progress and enjoy their study of music. Parents or guardians and/or students should feel free to ask questions of the teachers or staff as necessary.

Star Prizes

Stars are awarded at the discretion of the teacher. In order to earn a star for a lesson, a student must:
1. Be on time.
2. Bring their music, assignment folder and instrument.
3. Have practiced and met the teacher’s expectations.
4. Be polite to their teacher.
Complimentary Tickets for Special Events and Concerts

Complimentary tickets for concerts and special events are sometimes donated to the School for use by the students and immediate family members. Please only request tickets for those events you are certain you will attend. Failure to use the tickets we request for events could hinder our ability to obtain tickets for future events.

SUMMARY:
- If you must miss your scheduled lesson, please contact us immediately, at least 3 hours in advance, so that we may have time to contact the teacher and make schedule changes as needed.
- Parents or guardians are responsible to notify the School of any change in contact information.
- All lesson scheduling is to be handled by the front office staff of the Joy of Music School.
- All lessons must meet at the Joy of Music School, unless scheduled as a JoMS on-line Zoom lesson.
- Daily practice is the mutual responsibility of the parent or guardian and the student.
- Students are required to document their daily practice times in their assignment folder with a parent signature.
- Parents or guardians MUST remain at the school with their children if on-site.
- Students are required to perform for Evaluations conducted at the Joy of Music School at the end of each semester.
- Parents/ guardians and students are responsible for maintaining and caring for borrowed instruments.
- The School does NOT necessarily follow the public school calendar or federal holiday schedule.
I have read and understand the above Joy of Music School Registration and Lesson Policies.*
- Yes

The Joy of Music Youth Music School is founded on the belief that ALL young people should have the opportunity to experience and create music. The mission of the Joy of Music School is to provide high-quality music instruction, instruments, and mentorship at no cost to children who are underserved in our community.

By signing below you are acknowledging the mission of the school and the information listed on the four registration forms is completely accurate.

I request that my child be admitted for musical instruction in the Joy of Music Youth Music School. I will be responsible for any damage or destruction that his/her actions may incur.

I agree not to hold the Joy of Music Youth Music School or its representatives responsible for injuries or accidents in connection with the school’s activities and authorize the school to administer first aid in case of injury and/or secure or transport child for emergency medical treatment. (Every attempt will be made to contact parent. If any injury appears serious enough for hospitalization or medical care, such expenses will be borne by the parent or guardian.)

The Joy of Music Youth Music School has my permission to use my child’s image or my child’s quote or any music created or performed by my child – in whole or part, as it deems necessary – to convey its marketing message. It may edit, crop or otherwise alter the material to better communicate the message of the Joy of Music School. I do not expect any compensation from the Joy of Music School for the use of this material.
If you would prefer your child NOT be used in any marketing materials, i.e. brochures, newspaper articles, or television ads/stories, please check here:
- Yes
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Please check your entries above for accuracy before submitting. If you are enrolling more than one child, you will need to complete another form by clicking Student Registration button on the Success Page.

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Enroll at The Joy of Music School

Thank you for your interest in enrolling at the Joy of Music School.

Registration Form

Step 1 of 4

Please indicate when the student is available for lessons at the Joy of Music School (please list as many times as possible, both morning and afternoon):

Group Ensembles or Classes: Please indicate 1 for first choice; 2 for second; and 3 for third (group ensemble/class availability is not guaranteed):

Parent or Guardian Information

Financial Information

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