Information and Policies

Susan Searles Dance & Arts Center would like to welcome your child to the wonderful and exciting world of dance. Dance is a wonderful form of exercise and expression. It enhances your child’s sense of style, grace, rhythm, coordination, creativity, personality and exuberance. At Susan Searles Dance & Arts Center, children will receive the finest dance training as well as receive positive reinforcement for their accomplishments. They will be able to meet and interact with other children, and most of all, they will have FUN! We are committed to professionalism and excellence in our classes and faculty and are happy to be a part of your child’s artistic education.

Practice Wear : Practice wear is required for all classes, i.e., leotard, tights, unitard, dance pants, dance shorts (colors and styles optional) are acceptable. Absolutely no street clothes may be worn during classes. Hair must be pulled back off face. Classical Ballet students must wear a leotard and tights and hair must be up in a bun. Dance Shoes are as follows: pre-ballet students – full-sole ballet slippers – pink only; Intermediate/Advanced Ballet – split-sole ballet slippers (pink); pointe shoes (pink); Kinderdance – full-sole ballet slippers (pink), slip-on student tap shoes (black); Intermediate/advanced tap students – black oxford tap or jazz/tap (black); all jazzstudents – split-sole jazz shoes (black) or stretch jazz boot (black); hip hop – black jazz sneaker; Irish step - black Irish gillies. All shoes (except Irish step gillies); tights and dancewear may be purchased directly from us at a considerable savings. Please feel free to inquire about our high-quality line of dance shoes and dancewear.

Registration Fee : A $25.00 per child or $40.00 per family (nonrefundable) registration fee is required with the registration form in order to reserve class space.

Tuition : Tuition remains the same each month (whether or not it is a long or short month) and regardless of absences and vacation schedules. Tuition is not based on the number of weeks in a month, but rather on a yearly basis. Tuition prices are set on an annual (10-month—Sept. through and including June) fee and are divided into installments as follows:. You will be billed for the first two months together (Sept. and Oct. payments); monthly billing will be from Nov.- Apr. and last two payments will be collected together (May and June) All tuition payments are NONREFUNDABLE. We accept Mastercard, Visa, personal check or cash. Payments may be brought to class or mailed to 89 McLains Woods Road , Groton , MA 01450 . A $5.00 late fee will be imposed for any tuition RECEIVED after the 10 th of the billing month.. “Skipping” of months is not permitted. Please remember that a spot is being held for that student. Should a student wish to drop out of classes anytime during the year, there is a 30-day notice of withdrawal from the studio and the student will be responsible for payment for that last month that they are a member.

Recital : We hold an end-of-the-year recital in mid-June at the Littleton High School Performing Arts Center. There will be an admissions fee to attend this recital of approximately $15 - $18 per person for general admission.

Costumes : A costume or costumes must be purchased by parents for the June recital. A $40.00 deposit will be collected with your November payment. The balance will be collected in March. ALL DEPOSITS AND BALANCES ARE NONREFUNDABLE. Due to the costume companies’ strict policies of no returns or refunds, after costumes have been ordered, all balances on costumes must be paid regardless of whether you choose to withdraw from the school. Size exchanges may be permitted. Costumes generally cost between $80 - $100 (which includes shipping, handling and sales taxes). All costume payments are nonrefundable.

Attendance/Snow Days/Holidays and School Vacations : Attendance is taken at each class. Good attendance is important, as absences and tardiness can hold back an entire class. Parents should make every effort to have their child at class. We will follow the North Middlesex Regional School District ’s school cancellation policy for snow days as well as holidays and school vacations. When school is closed, the dance studio is closed. We will remain open on all ½ day school closings. There will be no classes on Halloween, the week of Thanksgiving (Wed-Sun.) or Memorial Day weekend (Sat. & Mon.)

Class Observation : Normally, parent observation during classes is discouraged as it may be extremely distracting for the children. A closed-circuit television will be on in the waiting area for parental viewing of classes.

Waiver of Liability : Susan Searles Dance & Arts Center , its agents, employees, owners, and/or affiliates and/or Susan J. Searles, individually, are not responsible for accidents or injuries incurred during classes or on dance studio premises. It is the responsibility of the student and/or parent to inform teachers of any physical or mental disabilities or health problems that may limit their ability and/or behavior to participate in classes.