Policies

Updated on July 1, 2026

STUDENT ABSENCES

Make-up lessons, credits, or refunds are not provided if a student misses their lesson. Some teachers may wish to provide flexibility, discussed and formalized on a case-by-case basis, no fewer than 24 hours in advance. For teacher absences, make-up lessons are provided. Please contact the Pakachoag office for more information or further clarification.

Students are expected to be available to attend all school year lessons from their first lesson date through the week of June 12th.

Flipping lessons to remote is regular practice if either party cannot attend in-person but are otherwise available.

TARDINESS

Lesson time lost due to student tardiness will not be made up, credited, or refunded.

With Advanced Notice of Late Arrival: The teacher will remain for the duration of the scheduled lesson time.

Without Advanced Notice of Late Arrival: The teacher reserves the right not to teach or leave the School for the day if the student does not arrive within the first 15 minutes of the scheduled lesson time.

TEACHER ABSENCES

Make-up lessons are provided for teacher absences and tardiness until the number of lessons registered, with absence and other adjustments, have been met. Outstanding make ups that the teacher cannot meet by the end of the session – June 12, 2027 for the school year and August 22, 2027 for the summer session – will be credited or refunded. Refunds will only be issued for balances of $15 or more.

WEATHER CANCELLATIONS

One make-up lesson is provided for a weather-related School closure annually. The office does not call or email students/families directly to inform of weather cancellations. Closures are posted on the School’s Weather page and office phone greeting (508) 791-8159.

Decisions around School closures are made according to weather conditions anticipated after 1 PM and proceeding into the evening. If public schools are closed, the School may not necessarily be closed, as weather conditions may improve later in the day.

If the School is open, the teacher is present, and the student does not attend their lesson, it is considered a student absence and will follow the above student absence policy.

Flipping lessons to remote is regular practice and strongly encouraged if attending a lesson in-person is not possible. If a remote lesson is mutually agreed upon, the teacher is present, and the student does not attend, it is considered a student absence and will follow the above student absence policy.

FEBRUARY & APRIL PUBLIC SCHOOL VACATION WEEKS

February and April public school vacation weeks are not part of the 35-week calendar. Lessons may be scheduled by mutual agreement between the student and teacher in coordination with office schedules. Using these two weeks as an attendance ‘catch up’ is strongly encouraged. It also helps provide consistency of week-to-week learning.

While students are not required to schedule make-ups during public school vacation weeks, if a lesson is scheduled by mutual agreement between the student and teacher and subsequently cancelled less than one week prior by the student, it is considered a student absence.

HOLIDAYS

The School is OPEN for lessons on:

  • Columbus/Indigenous Peoples' Day & Weekend: Saturday, October 10th – Monday, October 12th, 2026

  • Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11th, 2026

  • Good Friday: Friday, March 26th, 2027

  • Juneteenth: Saturday, June 19th, 2027

If the teacher is present and the student does not attend their lesson on any of these days, it is considered a student absence and cannot be made up. If the teacher is not present/available to teach on one of these holidays, it will be communicated in advance, and be considered a teacher absence.

The School is CLOSED for lessons on:

  • Labor Day: Monday, September 7th, 2026

  • Thanksgiving Break: Wednesday, November 25th – Saturday, November 28th, 2026

  • Holiday Break: Monday, December 21st – Friday, January 1st, 2027

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Monday, January 18th, 2027

  • Memorial Day & Weekend: Saturday, May 29th – Monday, May 31st, 2027

  • Summer Break I: Monday, June 28th – Saturday, July 3rd, 2027

  • Summer Break II: Monday, August 30th – Saturday, September 4th, 2027

WITHDRAWALS

If a student withdraws at any point, all lesson and weather cancellation make ups outstanding are forfeited. Families will not be charged for teacher absences.

Every-week students – full school year: Four-lesson written notice to the office is required. The student may choose whether to attend the final four lessons. Billing is adjusted based on the number of lessons transpired at the point of withdrawal notification plus four.

Alternating-week students – full school year: Two-lesson written notice to the office is required. The student may choose whether to attend the final two lessons. Billing is adjusted based on the number of lessons transpired at the point of withdrawal notification plus two.

Pre-approved term students: Two-lesson written notice to the office is requested. Credits or refunds are only provided for teacher absences.

Summer session students: Two-lesson written notice to the office is requested. Credits or refunds are only provided for teacher absences.

A refund is provided for any lessons paid beyond the adjusted lesson count. These are issued by check in late-June for the school year and late-August for the summer session.

Any inquiries regarding school year attendance records must be made in writing to the office, admin@pakmusic.org, by May 28, 2027. The directors will work to resolve any questions prior to the new program year.

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