Studio Policies – Stafford Dance Academy

Our Studio Culture
At Stafford Dance Academy, we believe every dancer deserves to feel welcomed, encouraged, and celebrated. We ask all students, parents, and guests to contribute to a positive environment by treating fellow dancers, families, instructors, and staff with kindness, respect, and sportsmanship. Together, we create a place where every child can grow in confidence, character, and a love of dance.

BE PREPARED
Dancers should arrive to class on time, in proper dress code, and with appropriate hair secured. Students should arrive approximately 5 minutes before class begins.
Students arriving more than 15 minutes late or not in proper dress code may not be permitted to participate at the instructor’s discretion.

STUDIO COMMUNICATION
Studio announcements, reminders, and important updates will primarily sent through the SDA FB group. Occasionally information will be sent through Studio Pro and email. It is the responsibility of each family to keep their contact information current and read all studio communications. Failure to receive or read a communication does not exempt families from studio policies, deadlines, or financial obligations.

ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is essential for dancer progress and class consistency. Students are expected to be present and engaged for all classes.
Please notify the studio in advance if a dancer will be absent. Make-up classes may be offered at the discretion of the studio but are not guaranteed and will not be granted for absences due to illness, vacation, or other personal scheduling conflicts.
No refunds or prorated tuition are issued for missed classes.
Perfect Attendance recognition requires attendance at all scheduled classes (no exceptions). Students must be registered by October 1st to qualify.
Frequent absences or tardiness may impact class progress.

PICK-UP & DROP-OFF
Dancers should be dropped off and picked up promptly. Students should arrive no more than 5–10 minutes before class time.
Parents must remain with younger dancers until they are called into class.
All dancers under age 11 must be picked up inside the building.
A late pick-up fee may be charged for families who are consistently more than 15 minutes late.

SAFETY
Only students and staff are permitted beyond the lobby.
Please park and come inside to pick up your dancer to ensure proper supervision.
Any medical conditions or limitations that may affect participation should be communicated to SDA as soon as possible.

CLASS OBSERVATION
Parents, siblings, and visitors are not permitted inside classrooms during instruction to maintain a focused learning environment.

TUITION & PAYMENTS
Tuition is due by the 10th of each month. A $15 late fee will be added to all accounts not received by the due date.
Tuition is collected in 10 monthly installments from August through May and is based on total instructional hours for the season, not the number of classes in a given month. Tuition is consistent each month and is not prorated for holidays, studio closures, or varying month lengths.
If a student’s account becomes overdue, the dancer will not be permitted to participate in class until the balance is brought current.
Performance fees are not included in the monthly dance class tuition.

CLASS ENROLLMENT
Stafford Dance Academy reserves the right to cancel, combine, or reschedule classes due to low enrollment or instructor availability. Families will be notified promptly if changes become necessary.

RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE
Stafford Dance Academy reserves the right to refuse enrollment or discontinue instruction for any student or family whose behavior is disruptive, abusive, threatening, or repeatedly violates studio policies.

GENERAL ETIQUETTE & BEHAVIOR
SDA maintains a respectful, encouraging, and focused learning environment.
Dancers must remain in the lobby until called to class.
Respect for staff, students, and studio property is required at all times.
No gossiping, profanity, or disrespectful behavior will be tolerated.
Conversation should be minimal during instruction.
Full attention and cooperation are expected in class.
Students may not enter studios without instructor permission.
No running, shouting, or disruptive behavior in common areas.
No gum or food in studios (water only permitted). Please be responsible for any food/trash you bring into the studio.
Siblings must remain supervised at all times.
Teachers reserve the right to remove any student who is consistently disruptive. A parent conference may be required before returning to class.
If a dancer becomes ill or injured during class, parents will be contacted if not present.
All communication with instructors must be scheduled through the office to protect instructional time.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
I understand that all curriculum, choreography, music, written materials, images, video, and related content created by Stafford Dance Academy LLC are proprietary and protected by copyright law.
I agree not to record, reproduce, distribute, share, or publicly display any SDA materials without written permission.
I understand unauthorized use of SDA content may result in legal action.

PARTICIPATION WAIVER
I understand participation in all Stafford Dance Academy programs is voluntary and at my own risk.
I accept full responsibility for any injury or harm that may occur during participation and release Stafford Dance Academy LLC from any and all claims, liabilities, or causes of action.
I understand dance training should only be practiced under proper supervision of a qualified instructor or studio program.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I confirm that I have read, understand, and agree to all Stafford Dance Academy policies, tuition terms, attendance policies, intellectual property protections, and participation waiver.