Please refer to the COVID-19 Information page to learn how we're currently making music education safe at BMS. This information is subject to revision as necessary.

• Registration and payment are required prior to any lessons or classes taking place. Lessons and classes will be delivered either in person or remote, as conditions permit.
• There is a once per school year non-refundable $40 registration fee per family.
• There is a non-refundable $20 fee per term for payment plans.
• Multiple Lesson Discount: If there are 3 or more full-term (16) private lesson or class enrollments in the same term in a family account, a discount of 5% will be applied to the lesser priced registrations.
• Senior Citizen Discount: For students 65 years and older, a discount of 5% will be given for any private lesson, class or ensemble.

For the fall term (Term I), private lessons for new and continuing students may be terminated for any reason before the fourth scheduled lesson. Students will receive a prorated refund or credit less registration and payment plan fees, which are non-refundable. Absence after the third scheduled lesson with or without notification does not release students from the obligation to pay for the term.

Students registered for private lessons and shared lessons in Term I are automatically enrolled in Term II (spring). The withdrawal deadline for the spring term FOR STUDENTS CONTINUING FROM TERM I is three weeks before Term II start date. Please note that a student’s spot will not be held if payment is not received by the deadline. New students starting private lessons in Term II, as well as continuing students changing teacher or instrument, may withdraw for any reason before the fourth scheduled lesson and receive a prorated refund.

Students may withdraw three weeks prior to the class start date and receive a 100% refund less registration and payment plan fees, which are non-refundable. Students may receive a 50% refund less the non-refundable registration and payment plan fees if withdrawing less than three weeks before the scheduled start date. No refunds, credits, or switching classes will be allowed one week before the start date of a class. Students registered for Group classes and ensembles in Term I are automatically enrolled in Term II (spring).

Payment in full is required at time of registration. There is a $25 withdrawal fee per class until the withdrawal deadline, which is three weeks before the start date of each class, after which there will be no refund or credits for summer programs or classes. There is no registration fee for the Summer Term.

Brookline Music School reserves the right to suspend or discontinue instruction of any student who is delinquent in fulfilling financial obligations. An additional billing charge of $20 will be added to overdue accounts, which includes declined installments for payment plans. Delinquent accounts referred for collection will be liable for all collection fees and costs. There is a fee of $20 for any returned checks.

Students taking private lessons are permitted one excused absence per term. For lessons scheduled at or after 2:00pm, an absence is excused if the teacher or office is notified no later than 10:00am on the day of the missed lesson. For lessons scheduled before 2:00pm, the teacher must be directly notified of the absence by 9:00pm the previous night. The excused student absence will be made up at the end of the term on designated make-up dates. All private lesson teacher absences will be made up or a refund will be issued. In addition, one snow day per term will be made up for private lesson students. Missed make-up lessons will not be made up.

For group classes, shared lessons, and ensembles, students should notify the teacher or office as soon as possible if they will be absent. Missed sessions will not be made up unless due to teacher absences. If a teacher absence cannot be made up, a refund will be issued. In addition, one snow day per term will be made up for group classes, shared lessons, and ensembles. Missed make-up classes will not be made up. In all cases, if a student withdraws prior to the end of the term, he/she forfeits any make-ups owed.

There are no make-ups for classes or ensembles unless the cancellation is due to a teacher absence. For private lessons, excused absences may be made up at a time mutually convenient to the teacher and the student. For lessons scheduled at or after 2:00pm, an absence is excused if the teacher or office is notified no later than 10:00am on the day of the missed lesson. For lessons scheduled before 2:00pm, the teacher must be directly notified of the absence by 9:00pm the previous night. Any lesson missed due to teacher absence will be made up or a refund will be issued.

Students and family members who stayed home sick from school or work should not attend in-person lessons/classes. Any person who is sick will be sent home. Please also refer to BMS COVID policy for additional information.

Because of the faculty members’ full schedules, students who are late for a lesson cannot be guaranteed their full lesson time. Faculty will wait ten minutes for a student, after which it becomes an unexcused absence.

Please notify the office immediately of any prolonged illness or injury, which might affect lessons. Partial credit may be issued in cases of prolonged illness or injury. If a credit is issued, it is valid for one year from date of issue.

Brookline Music School reserves the right to cancel any group classes or ensembles due to insufficient enrollment or any unforeseen circumstances.

If there is a school-wide closing or an event cancellation, information will be posted on the website (BMSmusic.org), on BMS social media, and on TV Channels 5, 7, and 25. You may also call the school and listen to our automated message which will be updated in the event of a school closing.

• Storms during office hours: Please call the office for information or check the website.
• Storms after the office has closed: Your teacher will contact you directly regarding lesson status.

ONE snow day per private lesson student, per semester will be made up at the end of the term. If a group class or ensemble is canceled due to snow, one make-up group class or ensemble will be offered at the end of the term. Snow day make-ups are only offered for days when BMS has officially closed or canceled lessons or classes due to inclement weather. If mutually agreed upon by faculty and student, a remote/virtual lesson may take place on a snow day to avoid a missed lesson.

Street parking is available on Kennard Road, all adjacent streets, and during non-school hours, behind Lincoln School via Hedge Road. Parking is not allowed in the Lincoln School traffic circle during public school hours (Monday - Friday 7:30am-3:30pm). Parking is NEVER allowed in the spaces behind the brick wall next to Kennard House or on the inner circle at Lincoln School.

Brookline Music School may photograph/videotape lessons, group classes or events for educational purposes or to share BMS music online or in print. We are very proud of the accomplishments and talents of our faculty and students, however if you do not wish your child or yourself to be photographed or videotaped, please select "no" to photo/video consent under your account profile in your online registration account.

Brookline Music School takes your privacy seriously and will take all measures to protect personal information. Any personal information received will only be used to process your registration. Brookline Music School will not sell or redistribute your information to anyone.

Brookline Music School does not discriminate on the basis of a person's race, color, religion, disability, pregnancy or condition related to the pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, protected genetic information, veteran status, military service or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local laws.

Brookline Music School takes allegations of harassment seriously and will respond promptly to complaints of sexual or other harassment and, where it is determined that such inappropriate conduct has occurred, we will act promptly to eliminate the conduct and impose such corrective action as is necessary, including disciplinary action where appropriate.

For lessons, classes and ensembles offered virtually, the following policies also apply:

At the beginning of each term a BMS faculty or staff member will confirm the day and time of each lesson, class, ensemble. For students under the age of 18, an adult must acknowledge this lesson time and a plan for the physical space in which the student will take his/her lesson with the BMS faculty member. If possible, we recommend that lessons occur in an open space in the student’s home, or in a room with an open door.

If the BMS teacher believes an adult presence for some or all of a private lesson is necessary to achieve the goals set out at the beginning of the term, the faculty member will notify the parent and make arrangements with them. For classes where a parent is required to participate (usually with the youngest learners), this will be clearly outlined on the BMS website and reinforced by the teacher in the welcome email at the beginning of the term.

All BMS faculty members can be reached via their @bmsmusic.org email address. Faculty and teaching artists will not directly call or text students who are under the age of 18 without receiving consent from a parent or guardian. Personal contact information (personal phone number, personal email, etc.) will not be shared directly with students who are under the age of 18 without receiving consent from a parent or guardian.

• Lessons will be synchronous (live).
• Please act responsibly and with respect for our community at all times. Students should prepare for online lessons as they would in-person lessons, with appropriate attire for school and a space suitable for learning.
• Inappropriate conduct such as use of profane/inappropriate/discriminatory language or images during BMS activities will not be tolerated.

For virtual events, if you or your child(ren) are to be part of a school-wide recital or other event, by agreeing to participate and/or submitting a video, you are providing permission for Brookline Music School to use your image, video, and audio for public broadcast (website, social media, etc.). For departmental events or studio recitals, in advance of the online performance, the Department Coordinator and/or your teacher will provide the plan for the video recording. If you do not wish your child or yourself to be photographed or videotaped, please select "no" to photo/video consent under your account profile in your online registration account.

For private lessons, the BMS faculty member must give written consent before you or your child record any part of a lesson. For group classes, BMS must give prior written consent before you or your child may record any part of a lesson or group class, so that BMS may advise the faculty member, alert other students, and ensure that appropriate permissions and rules are in place for compliance with BMS policies and applicable laws. Please contact the office at info@bmsmusic.org to obtain recording permission for group classes. Similarly, BMS faculty will not record any part of a lesson or class without receiving consent from students and/or parents.