Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum How far in advance should one roll out their new policies?

Just wondering how many days or weeks in advance you handed your students the new policy for the fall.

I have mine ready to go but am just nervous (making some big changes) and putting it off. Also waiting on a few trusted people to help me proofread and make sure I'm not being unreasonable.

My new policy starts the last week of August. Should I send it out like, already? Or is it ok to give it another week or so....

ps New policy includes price increase in case that makes a dif in your suggestions.

My students re-enroll for the coming September by the end of May prior. At that time I give them any policy changes, tuition increases, etc... By enrolling for the new school year they are acknowledging that they understand the terms.

In your case, I would send out new policy info as soon as possible. This way, if parents object and choose not to continue lessons with you, they will have some time to find another teacher. It's not really fair to them if you put a bunch of new policies in motion and don't let them know about it until it's almost September... and then too late for them to find another teacher.

Thank you.

Since I can't remedy that now, what do you think if I said that if anyone needed to look for a dif teacher, that I would keep them on at the old rate through the end of September just while they search for a new teacher?

Mmmm... I personally wouldn't do that. Just send out your new policy sheet as soon as possible and see what happens.

Maybe others have suggestions for an easy transition...

I have been giving one month's notice. I agree with dumdumdiddle in that you can send out your policy ASAP. You could also change the effective date to the first week of September instead of last of August.

Send it out right away, of course. But even with less than 30 days there's till plenty of time to find another teacher should they not agree with the changes. I am always making changes of some kind, usually both in increased rates and policy changes before the school year begins, so most of my students are prepared for that.

Thanks, guys! I really appreciate it.

I re-wrote my new policy and began using it with summer students in June, and put it on my website then. I mailed it to all current students on July 15 and asked that they have their fall registrations in by August 2nd. I was surprised that no one even mentioned the changes, yet they all signed my registration form saying that they had read it and agreed to it. My fall lessons start August 23.

You'd be lucky if half of them even read it .

Many people don't really care so much about such things, and most of the rules in policies are there for a small percentage of students that may take advantage.

Thank you :-)

I did make some big changes (price and no more rescheduling) so that's the main thing I was nervous about.

So far everybody but one is coming back, I haven't heard from a couple of others but am not too worried about them, and the one who isn't coming back is really sad about it but there is no way their schedule can match mine this year. I feel bad but I had to do what I had to do.