Judith Svalander School of Ballet

JSSB Policies

These policies are in place as part of our effort to provide you with the best possible training and atmosphere in which you receive this training, as well as facilitate the running of a large school with professional ideals. We ask that you read through the school policies and contact us if you have any questions about the commitment being made.

1. ADDRESSING STAFF - Students are kindly requested to refer to the teachers and staff at the J.S.S.B. as Miss, Mrs., or Mr. (last name). We ask that the parents encourage this. Teaching assistants are referred to as Miss (first name).

2. REGISTRATION - Registration is held twice a year. Registration in August is for all three trimesters with classes from September through June. Registration in May is for the six-week summer workshop. There is a $25 annual registration fee per family. Those paying for the year in full, by August 25th, will have the registration fee waived. Registration can not be accepted without payment.

No notices are mailed out, so please mark your calendar as to when tuition is due (see inside front cover). If we must bill you, a $10.00 late fee will be charged to your account. There is also a $25.00 fee for checks returned by the bank.

3. REFUND POLICY - If a student withdraws before classes begin, the $25.00 registration fee will be withheld. Otherwise, no refunds are given.

4. CLASS CHANGES AND ADDITIONS - If you wish to make a change in your schedule, which must be approved by Mrs. Svalander, please submit the change to the office in writing.

5. MAKE-UP CLASSES & STUDENT ABSENCES - Classes canceled by the instructor will be rescheduled for a make-up. If a student must miss a class, please notify the school and see the instructor for the best make-up class. Make-up classes are a privilege and will only by allowed if there is an opening in a similar class. All make-ups must be taken within the same trimester as the absence and are not allowed during Watching Weeks. There are no make-up classes for Character, Jazz, Modern or where there is not a comparable class.

6. ATTIRE - Students must wear cover-ups and street shoes to and from class. Changing of clothes and fixing of hair must be done in the dressing rooms. Males are not allowed in the female dressing areas and vice versa. Girls do not wear underwear under dance clothing.

For both classes and rehearsals, the school requires uniform leotards, tights, and character skirts; sold through the studio. Leather ballet shoes are required and also available here. Class attire varies by Level (see fees page for requirements).

Hair must be off the face and neck, and, if long enough, pulled back in a bun or pinned down so nothing is loose. Ponytails are acceptable for very young children, but buns are encouraged and, by the time a students enters Ballet I, buns are mandatory.

The only acceptable jewelry is small stud earrings for female dancers.

Dancers in Jazz/Modern wear their uniform and add black jazz pants and black jazz shoes. Starting at Level B dancers are expected to have black character heels.

 

7. PUNCTUALITY - Parents must be timely in dropping off and picking up children. Creative Dance children may not be left unattended before class. Continued tardiness is frowned upon, although we recognize that your child may arrive late at some point. Staff will take the tardy Creative Dance student to class. All other late students should open the studio door and stand inside until the teacher places them. Students who have missed certain warm-up exercise will be instructed to observe class rather than take it, if the instructor feels that the student may risk injury. Continued tardiness in the upper levels is reason for dismissal from the school.

8. LOST AND FOUND - Parents are welcome to check the dressing rooms for lost items. Names should be in all dance clothing, including shoes. All remaining articles are taken to the resale shop after each trimester and the Summer Workshop. The J.S.S.B. is not responsible for articles left in the dressing rooms. Personal items may not be left overnight. This includes Level A and Level B dressing rooms.

9. EMERGENCIES - Please notify the office if an emergency arises. Parents are asked to NEVER interrupt a class.

10. RECEPTION AREA - We appreciate your cooperation keeping the reception area as quiet as possible, so as not to interfere with classes or work being done in the office. The reception area is also our office space, so we kindly request that you do not wait there during your child’s class due to the personal nature of some of our work. When dropping off or picking up students, parents are asked to keep young children in hand and quiet while they are in the reception area. Please do not block halls or entrances. Please turn off cell phones. We suggest that you visit Two-A-Tea, Georgio’s, Olympic Café or many of the other fine downtown stores or restaurants. Strollers are not allowed in the building due to fire regulations. There is no gum chewing in the building.

11. SPEAKING WITH TEACHERS -If you wish to have a conference with a teacher, please inform the office and arrangements will be made. Do not attempt to talk to a teacher about your child’s progress, etc. before or after class. Generally, the teacher will have another class immediately following your child’s class and his/her time is limited to dismissing one class and taking attendance for the next.

12. WATCHING WEEKS - Watching Weeks, once scheduled, will be announced to the students and posted on the bulletin board. No food or drink, of any type, are allowed in the studios.

13. SCHOLARSHIPS - Scholarships are available for Company and Levels A and B. They must be asked for (in writing - through Mrs. Svalander or the office) before classes begin in August. The school has limited scholarship funds. Once those funds are allocated in the Fall, our scholarship fund is depleted for the year.

14. GENERAL - Parents should check the bulletin boards, signs in the windows, website and the desk for newsletter, announcements and other items of interest. All information about J.S.S.B and the J.S.D.T. is presented to the students and their parents in this manner. No mailings are sent out.

Students advance yearly unless faculty feels a change in level is necessary.
The usual progress is as a group level and classes are taught to the upper level of the class.

The school reserves the right to accept or reject students.