Policies and FAQ
We are excited to have you join us this year! Please familiarize yourself with the following guidelines for UCCMA 2023-24 Classes. Guidelines may change throughout the year; please watch your email for updates.
UCCMA reserves the right to amend these guidelines at anytime and will notify families of any changes via personal email and our website. Please check your email regularly for any changes that may need to be made.
- General Guidelines
- Arriving at Class
- Parking and Entrance
- In-Class Guidelines
- Make-Up Class/Absence Policy
- Teacher Absence Policy
- Cleaning and Other Policy
- Illness Policy
- Cancellation Policy
- Toddler Behavior
- Yelling and loud play in the Gathering Space/waiting area can be heard inside the classrooms, and can be very distracting! Please keep play to a moderate level and voices to inside voices.
- Due to space constraints, we request no more than two caregivers per family in all caregiver/child classes. Please inquire about special visitors or circumstances, as we can usually accommodate.
- Be mindful that we share space in a wonderful facility that have their own requirements. Please do not enter any area of the church that is blocked off, including upstairs areas.
- UCCMA will clean small instruments and manipulatives after each class, and clean other items as needed.
- An infant feeding/nursing chair and screen is available at the end of the hallway by Room C. Please prioritize this space for those needing to nurse, pump, or feed an infant. (You are welcome to do these in any of our spaces; this comfortable chair and optional screen is provided for those preferring either or both.)
- Classrooms will be open up to 15 minutes before your class start time to allow families to settle in.
- For an optimal educational experience, we ask that children not arrive rushed and be given time to settle themselves in the classroom ahead of class. Parents of younger children may read to their child using books provided; older children are invited to engage in pre-class activities with teachers. For older children, we ask that you give your child time to get to class, take off outerwear, and make a bathroom stop. Your teacher will open the classroom door when ready for the children.
- Food, toys or other "distractions" often cause problems rather than provide comfort when brought into music class. Since another child might want your child’s drink or stuffed animal, please leave those things at home or in the car. (Also, singing and moving with food and drink can be a choking hazard.)
- Parking and entrance to UCCMA will be by the North East parking lot and doors, across from NCMC. There are two doors: one at street level right off of the parking lot (look for our sign), and one down the ramp next to that door.
- Attendance: We encourage regular attendance to allow your child the best musical experience. Excitement towards music and music activities is built through repetition and expectations set over weeks of regular class.
- Tuition takes into account the fact that children get sick and may have to miss a class or two from time to time. We do offer opportunities to makeup classes missed; please visit our website for makeup class sign ups. Drop-in make-ups are not available at this time.
- If UCCMA cancels classes, we will schedule a makeup class for the missed class. If possible, we will schedule the make-up class during the same weekday and time as the missed class, but may schedule during the same weekday at a similar time or the same time on a similar day (MWF, or TTH).
- If you or your student have a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, severe congestion or runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, or any other illnessmsymptoms, please stay at home and schedule a make-up class.
- Students are enrolled continuously through the school year or summer, to allow parents a dependable schedule. Please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance of withdrawing from future 4 week sessions.
- We regret that no refunds will be given during a 4 week session.
- Are they safe? Our rooms are generally safe for supervised toddlers and babies, however, there are a few things that are unsafe. Please keep your children from climbing onto or under any table, and from using drawers, drums, or stools to reach higher. Also, be mindful that drawers are not child-locked, and could pop open suddenly if pulled on.
- Are they distracting other children? Generally, a child who is exploring the room or wandering around the outside of the circle is not a distraction to the class or to other children. Many children learn best absorbing from observation and from moving. Occasionally, however, it’s necessary to pull them back into the circle for a little lap sitting! If your child is touching other children, other parents’ things, or is drawing excessive attention to themselves, please bring them back to your lap for a little cuddle and music play time to reset.
- Are they learning? Observe the child - toddlers often just watch, absorbing and thinking. You may see bits of music class in independent play, in requests for the home CD, in dancing or moving, but only see a wandering child during class. It’s okay! As with language, music can be understood long before the child is ready to produce it independently, and music class is one of the great ways to create that aural and musical immersion so critical for developing musicality.
UCCMA reserves the right to amend these guidelines at anytime and will notify families of any changes via personal email and our website. Please check your email regularly for any changes that may need to be made.