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The Academy

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Registration and Student Placement

For all class and registration information, please contact:


Eric Caruthers, Registrar
Phone - 512.476.9051 ext. 138
E-mail - eric.caruthers@balletaustin.org
Fax - 512.472.3073

CLICK HERE for a 2009/10 Registration form

Payment Schedules

All tuition fees and payment schedules are listed on the individual class schedules enclosed.

Policies and Procedures

Before registering, please read all policies and procedures

Tuition Payments

Annual Tuition is for the entire 33-week school year and is not a monthly tuition. Tuition may be paid out in nine interest-free installments. If a student withdraws (see Withdrawal/Refund Policy) before the end of the school year, tuition will be prorated accordingly.

    • First payment
      • Must be submitted at the time of registration to secure a place in a class.
      • Must be no less than the first installment.
      • May be made with cash, check or credit/debit card (All automatic billing begins with the second payment).
    • Second payment
      • Is due October 1, 2009.
      • The remaining 7 installments are DUE on the 1st of each month through May, 2010.
        • Tuition is LATE on the 5th of each month that tuition is due. A $15.00 late fee will be charged to your account on the 5th of each month if the tuition payment has not been made.
        • Returned checks and insufficient funds will result in a $20.00 fee being added to your account.
        • MISSED PAYMENTS - If two tuition installments are missed without contacting the Managing Director of Schools, your child will not be able to take class until tuition is up to date.
        • Ballet Austin sends email tuition reminders but does not send invoices. You may want to consider one of the Automatic Tuition Payments below:

Automatic Tuition Payments

Ballet Austin offers several options for setting up payments for tuition to be automatically charged, debited, or drafted from a bank account. Please sign and return a Payment Options Form indicating how you will take care of tuition for the 2009/10 school year. If Bank, Credit Card or Debit Card information changes during the year, please contact the Schools Office immediately. Recurring declines will be subject to a $15.00 late fee.

    • ACH DIRECT PAYMENT – BANK DRAFT
      • PLEASE CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX ON THE PAYMENT OPTIONS FORM, SIGN AND RETURN WITH THE DIRECT PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT.
      • Drafting your tuition payment from your bank account eliminates check and postage costs and reduces the potential of being charged the $15.00 late fee.
      • With the Direct Payment Service, Ballet Austin will debit your bank account between the 1st and the 5th of each month an installment is due.
      • Draft will begin 10/1/2009.
    • AUTOMATIC CREDIT/DEBIT CARD PAYMENT
      • PLEASE CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX ON THE PAYMENT OPTIONS FORM, SIGN AND RETURN WITH THE AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT FORM
      • You may provide Ballet Austin with a credit card or debit card number to be charged on the first of each month that tuition is due.  This will be done automatically and will prevent the possibility of late fees.
      • If using a DEBIT card please consider ACH Direct Payment – Draft.
      • Auto Credit/Debit will begin 10/1/2009.
    • STANDARD PAYMENT PLAN
      • PLEASE NOTE THAT INVOICES FOR TUITION WILL NOT BE MAILED. You will be expected to follow the above payment schedule.
      • Please keep this schedule for future reference.
      • Tuition is DUE on the 1st of each month an installment is due and late on the 5th of each month an installment is due.
      • When a tuition payment is due there are several ways to make your payment if you are on the Standard payment Plan:
        • Mail a check. Ballet Austin, 501 W. 3rd Street, Austin Texas 78701
        • Make a payment in person. Payments may be dropped off at the Schools Office between 8:30am and 5:30pm Monday through Friday. There is also a Schools Receptionist at the Patron Services desk in the front lobby Monday through Thursday until 8:00 pm and on Saturdays between the hours of 8:30 am and 3:30 pm. If you are unsure of your balance due, please call during business hours and speak with Registrar Eric Caruthers at 512.476.9051, ext. 138.
        • Call in a payment. Credit/debit card payments may be made over the phone by calling 512.476.9051, ext. 138 Monday through Friday during business hours and speaking with Registrar Eric Caruthers.

Discounts

Ballet Austin offers several discounts towards Academy tuition. All discounts will be applied after the first payment and deducted from the total. Your discount will be reflected on your Confirmation/Invoice.

    • EARLY Discount
      • A discount is offered for paying the annual tuition in full if paid by August 28, 2009.
      • The EARLY discount may be applied in conjunction with only one of the other discounts listed below.
    • SIBLING Discount
      • If you have two or more students enrolled in Ballet Austin Academy for the 2009/10 school year, the total amount due will be reduced by 10%. 
      • If a sibling withdraws during the year, the 10% SIBLING discount will be forfeited for the child remaining in the Academy. 
      • The SIBLING discount may be applied in conjunction with the early payment discount only, but not with the Kids Corps discount. 
      • The SIBLING discount does not apply to Community School classes or to the Pilates Studio.
    • Kids Corps Discount
      • By becoming a Children’s Series subscriber (purchasing season tickets to Ballet Austin for one or more adult and one or more Academy student), children 12 and under are eligible to become a member of Ballet Austin’s Kids Corps and will receive a 10% discount applied toward the 2009/10 school year tuition only. 
      • The Kids Corps discount may be applied in conjunction with the early payment discount only but not with the SIBLING discount. 
      • For more information regarding the benefits of becoming a subscriber and a member of Kids Corps, contact Sales Director, Sandra Krempasky at 512.476.2163 or (sandra.krempasky@balletaustin.org).

Please contact the Schools office at 512.476.9051, ext. 138 (eric.caruthers@balletaustin.org) after you have enrolled for the 2009/10 season to have the Kids Corp discount applied to your annual tuition.

Withdrawal/Refund Policy

Enrollment in the Academy is for the full 33-week school year. A student may withdraw at any time during the school year by submitting written or electronic (email) notification to the Managing Director of Schools Vicki Parsons.

    • WITHDRAWALS MUST BE IN WRITINGWritten notification of withdrawal may be received in person or by mail at 501 W. 3rd St., Austin, Texas 78701 or via email at vicki.parsons@balletaustin.org.
    • Do not stop attending classes without notification. Until a withdrawal notice is received in writing, you will be responsible for tuition in full.             
    • Informing an instructor is not a formal withdrawal.
    • Calling the Schools office is not a formal withdrawal.
      • Upon WRITTEN notification of withdrawal, the billing contact will be responsible for:
        • Payment in full, calculated quarterly from the start of the school year (or the start of the quarter in which a student enrolled) to the end of the quarter in which the written notification is received.
        • There will be no prorates in the last quarter of the school year.  If withdrawing after 3/13/10, you will be responsible for tuition for the remainder of the school year.
        • The minimum of a non-refundable deposit (equal to one installment payment – for those withdrawing at the beginning of the school year)
        • A $30.00 withdrawal fee. All withdrawals at any time during the year will be assessed the $30.00 fee.
        • Students in Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet who miss 5 consecutive classes without notifying the Schools Office will be automatically withdrawn from their class. You will be responsible for tuition calculated from the start of the school year to the end of the quarter in which the student is withdrawn by the Schools Office. In order to prevent unnecessary billing to your account, please notify the Schools Office when your child will be withdrawing from the class.
        • The full tuition early discount (if applicable) will be relinquished if the student withdraws before the completion of the school year.

Class Schedule Change Policy

To request a change to another class in the same level:

    • Please e-mail Registrar Eric Caruthers (eric.caruthers@balletaustin.org)
      • Mr. Caruthers will check class availability and process the class change.
      • Until you hear back from the Schools Office, please do not make the class change.
      • Only class changes that are approved through the Schools Office will be recognized.
      • You will be notified when the request has been processed.
        • Please do not request a class change with your child’s instructor.  

Attendance and Late Arrival 

It is very important for students to be consistent in their class attendance and to be on time.

    • ATTENDANCE
      • Please make every effort to meet level requirements for attendance.
      • Consistent attendance is required to master curriculum at each level.
      • Instructors will take attendance in each class
    • LATE ARRIVAL
      • The first part of class sets the tone and the focus for everything that follows.
      • If a student is not warmed up properly it can be dangerous when attempting the more demanding steps.
      • For that reason a student may be asked to sit and watch class if arriving more than 10 minutes late.
    • ILLNESS & INJURY
      • While attendance is important, we do not want others infected.
      • Please see Class Make-up Policy.
      • Injured dancers are encouraged to come observe class so they are familiar with the curriculum and combinations being taught when they return to class.

Absences and Make-up Policy

Please report all absences. Absences should be reported whether a student is ill, injured, on vacation, or is not able to attend class for any reason.

    • ABSENCE
      • If you know before a class when your student will be absent, or if a student has already missed a class, please email the absence date and excuse to Eric Caruthers at eric.caruthers@balletaustin.org.
      • The student’s absence will then be forwarded to the Principal and to your student’s teacher
    • MAKE-UP POLICY
      • Students may make-up missed classes by attending any class of the same level or any class of a level lower than their current level of study.
      • Students may make-up missed classes whenever it is convenient through the end of the school year.
      • Make-up classes do not need to be scheduled beforehand.
      • Tell the instructor you are there for a make-up class.
      • Class schedules are available by level on Ballet Austin Academy’s website, or you may call the School Office regarding appropriate classes for make-up.
      • Any missed classes remaining at the end of the school year are FORFEITED.  

Class Viewing

Two Watch Weeks are scheduled each school year (Please see enclosed schedule of important dates).

    • WATCH WEEK
      • Watch weeks are scheduled each fall and spring for parents and family members to attend class and observe the progress made by their students.
      • Because we respect that not all students have a signed photo/videotape release, there will be no photography or videotaping during Watch Week. No cameras in the studio please.
    • OTHER VIEWING & STUDIO ACCESS
      • Ballet Austin is an open environment. All studios are  designed with windows so that class can be viewed from outside the studio.
      • Parents and students are asked not to go into any studio without a teacher present.
      • Parents are asked not to go into the studio while class is in progress.

Communication of Information

One of our highest priorities is to provide open communication between parents, students and Ballet Austin.

  • COMMUNICATION FROM BALLET AUSTIN TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES:
    • Packet Information – Please keep information distributed in this packet and in the Confirmation Packet after enrollment, to ensure that you have Academy dates and policies and procedures.
    • Bulletin Boards – Schools’ bulletin boards are located upstairs in the parent waiting lounge (the Broaddus Patron Lounge) and downstairs in the hallway across from Studio D.
      • Parents are encouraged to check the bulletin boards for current postings.
      • Students in the Lower and Upper Schools should check the boards each time they come to class for any schedule/studio changes or important announcements.
      • It is especially important, and part of classical ballet training, for students in the Upper School to learn to check the board and assume responsibility for noting and communicating new information.
    • E-mail – E-mail is used to communicate to parents and students with reminders, helpful information and updates. 
      • It is important that we have a current email address for each family.
      • Upper School students may want to include their email as well.
      • If your e-mail address changes during the year please be sure to inform the office.
      • Please add vicki.parsons@balletaustin.org to your safe-sender’s list. 
      • Individual emails and specific communications may also be emailed from Director of Schools Bill Piner, bill.piner@balletaustin.org, Academy Principal Lynne Short, lynne.short@balletaustin.org, or Registrar Eric Caruthers, eric.caruthers@balletaustin.org.
      • Because we consider you a valuable part of our organization, Ballet Austin extends a 10% discount to Academy students and families off the price of tickets to performances by Ballet Austin’s professional company. Upcoming performance and event emails will be sent periodically throughout the year.
    • Website – www.balletaustin.org is the official website of Ballet Austin.
      • Up-to-date information about classes and registration may be found under the Academy tab.
    • Handouts – Letters and handouts are occasionally distributed by the teacher at the end of a class.
    • Patron Services – The Patron Services desk in the front lobby has up-to-date information about schedules and upcoming events that may be picked up.
  • COMMUNICATION FROM STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO BALLET AUSTIN:
    • Please direct any general communication to Managing Director of Schools Vicki Parsons at 512.476.9051, ext 126 or vicki.parsons@balletaustin.org.
    • Absences, registration requests, tuition questions, class change requests should be directed to Registrar Eric Caruthers are 512.476.9051, ext 138 or eric.caruthers@balletaustin.org.
    • Withdrawal from the Academy should be directed to Managing Director of Schools Vicki Parsons at vicki.parsons@balletaustin.org.
    • Questions about your student’s level, attendance concerns, student conferences, or other questions about curriculum or progression through the school should be directed to Academy Principal Lynne Short at 512.476.9051, ext. 158 or lynne.short@balletaustin.org.

Inclement Weather

Ballet Austin students come from school districts from all over Central Texas. Weather can vary greatly from one area to another, which might affect the ability of one student getting to class and not another.

    • Ballet Austin’s weather policy:
      • If the Austin Independent School District (AISD) cancels classes or after-school activities due to inclement weather, Ballet Austin Academy classes will be canceled as well.
      • If AISD classes are canceled on a Friday due to inclement weather, Ballet Austin’s Saturday classes will also be canceled.
      • If classes are not held due to inclement weather students may make up any of those classes during the remainder of the school year at any time that is convenient in the same level or a level lower.
      • If classes are not canceled but threatening weather conditions make it unsafe for you to drive to Ballet Austin, please use your discretion and stay home.  You may make up any missed class during the remainder of the school year.
      • Weather updates will be on a voicemail by calling 512.476.9051 ext. 126 (or press 2 for Schools after calling the main line). Weather updates will also be on local network television when possible.

Class Dates and Cancellations

The Ballet Austin Academy calendar of class dates and holidays is set at the beginning of each school year.

    • HOLIDAYS AND CLOSINGS
      • Ballet Austin Academy does not follow the calendar of any particular school district as we draw students from all over Central Texas.
      • Holidays and closings are listed on the enclosed calendar, posted on bulletin boards, listed on the website at www.balletaustin.org/academy/calendar.php and will be emailed out in a reminder before each date.
      • There may be unforeseen circumstances that require Ballet Austin Academy to cancel a class or change a class on any given day. Students will be given advance notice if this needs to happen when possible. Refunds are not given for classes not held, but the class Make-up Policy applies.

Ballet Austin Academy Student Policy

The Schools of Ballet Austin do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin.

 
 
 
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