STUDIO ADDRESS
Ingram School of Dance
1307 West Cypress Avenue
Orange, Texas  77630




STUDIO PHONE NUMBER
409.886.8226




INTERNET INFORMATION
E-mail Address:    ingram@pnx.com
Website Address:    www.ingramschoolofdance.com




STUDIO HOURS     (September 2, 2008 through June 5, 2009, except holidays)
Monday        4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Tuesday        3:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Wednesday        3:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Thursday        3:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday            3:30 pm - 6:45 pm




MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENTS
Ballet             3 years of age by December 31, 2008
Tap             4 years of age by December 31, 2008
Acro-Gym        4 years of age by December 31, 2008
Jazz/HipHop    6 years of age by December 31, 2008
    
Pointe  -      student must be at least 10 years old, currently in 5th grade or higher, approved by an ISD         instructor to begin pointe work, and concurrently enrolled and attending a ballet class at ISD.
    
Lyrical  -      must be in 5th Grade or higher, concurrently enrolled and attending a ballet class at ISD.




STUDENT PLACEMENT
Students with little or no experience may be placed in a class one level below their listed age group for the first year of study.

ISD reserves the right to place exceptional students in a higher level class than age dictates. Such placement is based solely on the recommendation of the ISD staff.

TUITION POLICIES
Monthly tuition fees are due on the 1st of each month in advance.  Tuition not received by the 10th of the month is considered late, although ISD does not charge a "late fee"  during the regular dance year.  A reminder note will be sent home with students whose accounts are overdue.     

When paying by check, please write your child's name on the "memo" line.

A $25.00 charge will be added to your child's account if we receive a second returned check.  This is the amount the bank charges us for your returned check plus a reprocessing fee.

No reductions in monthly tuition fees are made due to absences.  If class was held as scheduled and your child was not there, a place was still being reserved for your child.

No reductions in monthly tuition fees are made due to months with holidays.  Your child's tuition is calculated on a 30 week basis and that total is divided into 9 equal payments which you make each month.  Your child's class will meet a minimum of 30 times per dance year.  Most classes, however, usually meet more than 30 times in the dance year.  These additional classes are considered "free bonus" classes.

Discounted tuition rates are charged for siblings and students enrolled in more than one class.




DRESS  CODE  POLICY
1.    All students must wear the proper dance attire for each class.  A dress code handout is given out at registration.

2.    All students must enter the classroom ready to dance.  Do not come into the classroom with your street clothes and street shoes.  The dressing rooms are for dressing, the studio classroom is for dancing.

3.    Do not go outside without something over your leotard and tights.

4.    Do not wear your dance shoes outside.  Always carry them to and from the studio.

5.    Hair must be neat and fixed securely out of the face.  A bun for ballet and pointe classes is preferred, but not required (however, you will be glad you had the extra practice of making a bun when recital comes, because then it IS a requirement).

6.    Please do not put large, ornate bows, headbands or barrettes in your child's hair for class.  They interfere with much of the work done in class and many children inevitably take them out and leave them.  They are especially bothersome in acro-gym when the student executes rolls or headstands.

7.    No t-shirts, sweats, or gym shorts may be worn over your leotard or tights in class.

8.    Do not wear panties with your leotard or tights.

9.    Do not wear jewelry to class.  It can injure you or your instructor, and when she asks you to take it off, you might misplace it or forget to take it home with you when class is over.  We are not responsible for lost items.

10.    No water or drinks of any kind in the studio, and no gum, candy, cough drops, etc. in class.









DRESS CODE VIOLATIONS
All sections of the dress code policy will be enforced unless ISD has been notified by the parent as to why the student is not properly dressed.

Habitual unexcused violations will be handled in the following manner:
The student will be loaned proper dancewear from the "studio leotard basket."   Studio dancewear is secondhand, but always freshly laundered.  It consists of all the unclaimed dancewear that is collected each year from Lost and Found.


    
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE
We encourage a feeling of mutual respect between our students and instructors, as well as between our students and each other.  A good working relationship based on mutual respect is necessary for the well-being and progress of the student.  Courtesy and good manners are expected and encouraged.

During class time, students are expected to pay attention to the instructor and maintain suitable composure for their age.  A student who fails to do so will be dealt with in a manner consistent with his or her age and maturity.  For the little ones, we have a "time out" spot in the corner of the studio.  Older students may be sent out of the room to sit in the front office.  For a student who continually disrupts class, parental involvement may be called upon.  We cannot have unruly children hampering the learning process of others who are there to learn and who are trying to do so.



ATTENDANCE
All students are encouraged to attend class regularly.  Only regular and punctual attendance can ensure the student's maximum growth during the course of the dance year.  Excessive absences greatly hinder the individual student, as well as the rest of the class.  It is not fair for the students who do attend class regularly to unnecessarily repeat things over and over in order to get the habitually absent student caught up.

ISD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DENY PARTICIPATION IN RECITAL TO ANY STUDENT WITH EXCESSIVE ABSENCES REGARDLESS OF FEES PAID OR COSTUMES PURCHASED.  NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE IN SUCH CASES.



CLASS PARTICIPATION
All students will participate in class unless the studio is notified by the parent with either a written note or a phone call excusing the student from activity.  Excused students may sit and observe class.  Observing class is far better than missing class altogether when a student does not feel well, as long as the student is not contagious.



PUNCTUALITY
All students should arrive on time for each class.  This does not mean they get to the studio at class time, it means they must enter the classroom completely ready to dance at class time.  Students who are late for class should enter the classroom quietly and quickly find their place so as not to disturb the class that is already in progress.  If you are having a hard time getting your child to class on time because of another activity, please notify the studio of your problem.  We will do our best to work around conflicting schedules, so please let us know if you are having a problem.






MAKE-UP CLASSES
Missed classes may be made up within 4 weeks of the absence.  Making up missed classes is an option, not a requirement.  Missed classes must be made up in a similar class.  For example, you cannot make up a missed ballet class in a jazz class.  Your child's instructor can best give you the day and time of an appropriate make-up class.



PERFECT ATTENDANCE AWARDS
Perfect Attendance Awards are given out at the end of the dance year.  They are awarded in class the last week before recital.  To receive an award, the student must have perfect attendance in ALL classes taken.  Made-up classes as well as observed classes apply toward perfect attendance.



CLASS OBSERVATION AREA
Parents are not allowed into the studio during class time to prevent distraction, however, observation from the office area is welcome and encouraged at all times.  We want you to be as proud of what you see your child accomplish as we are.

A toy box for little brothers and sisters is located in the girls dressing room.  Children are welcome to play, but  we do ask for your help in keeping the toys picked up when your child is through.  

Noise and activity in the observation area should be kept under control as it is very distracting to the dancers in the studio classroom.  



RECITAL       
ISD holds an annual recital each spring at the Lutcher Theater.  Recital involves one morning rehearsal and two performances.  Each student participates in rehearsal and both performances.

Full dress recitals are held every year.  Full dress recital means that full costumes are ordered for each student.

Full dress recital expenses involve a costume fee, usually $40 - $60 per child per class.   Notes will be sent home with the exact amounts when the time comes.   A down payment on costumes is due in November with the remaining balance to be paid in January.  

Every year, a theater rental fee of $45 - $50 per family is due in April.  

Partial payments toward any of these fees may be made at any time throughout the year if you wish.



SENIOR SOLOS
Graduating high school seniors who have danced with ISD for the past five (5) consecutive years have the option of performing a solo in recital.  Students who have attended ISD less than five (5) years or have missed one or more years along the way are NOT eligible.  Eligible students are not required to dance a "Senior Solo."   It is strictly optional.  Additional costs involve a costume and extra time spent after regular studio hours.










COMMUNICATION METHODS
The best way to stay informed is to visit the studio website, www.ingramschoolofdance.com, often throughout the year.  It is updated regularly and is the most convenient way to look up anything and everything you may need to know concerning the studio.  Periodic e-mail messages are sometimes sent throughout the year as well, provided we have your e-mail address.

Information is also sent home via notes handed out in class.  Please impress upon your child the importance of making sure any notes they have received during class get home to you.  It would be a good idea to occasionally inquire of your child if any notes have been handed out lately and check their dance bag often for any forgotten notes.  If your child is absent, please instruct them to ask, upon returning, if they missed any handouts, or, check the website at www.ingramschoolofdance.com/recenthandouts.htm.

The studio answering machine can also be a source of information.  By calling the studio number (886-8226) after or before business hours, you can keep up to date on important information that you may need to know.



WITHDRAWALS    
While we hope that you will not find it necessary to withdraw your child from ISD, we do ask that you please notify the studio by written note or phone call immediately if you find you must do so.  By not providing proper notice to us, we continue to reserve your child's place in class.  This means another child on a waiting list is kept waiting.  By not providing proper notice to us, your child's account will continue to be billed.   
Non-attendance is not considered proper notice.



LOST AND FOUND
A Lost and Found area is located under the counter in the girls dressing room.  Please check it often.  At the end of the dance year, all unclaimed items go to Good Will or the studio leotard basket.  If an item has a name in it, we will hold it for you.



PARKING
Please park on the correct side of the street, facing with the traffic.  This helps the congestion between classes when so many cars are coming and going.

Please do not sit in your car in the middle of the street and wait for your child to come out.  This blocks traffic.  We ask that if you do not want to park on the side of the street somewhere to wait, that you just keep circling the block until your child comes out.

Please be courteous of our neighbors.  Do not block their driveways, and always dispose of your trash responsibly.

Most importantly, please be aware of the children.  They do not always look out for themselves and may dart out in front of your car.  Please maintain a safe speed and keep a sharp eye out for our little ones.






Thank you for reading your handbook!