SUMMER LESSONS FAQ
Dear parents and students,
Each Spring, we often get asked these questions:
Q. How do lessons work in the summer?
A. Pittsburgh School of the Arts is open year round and we do not close during the summer.
Q. Do a lot of students quit during the summer?
A. For the past 3 years, we have grown in enrollment by 150% each year. A few students may withdraw, but we get an influx of new students in the summer and many continue into the fall. With the current recession and fall sport demands starting early, the number of students traveling for vacations has lessened.
Q. How full is Pittsburgh School of the Arts?
A. As of today, we are nearing capacity at certain times and many of our teachers are full between the prime time hours of 4:00 - 8:00pm on weeknights.
Q. If we pause lessons for the summer, can we keep our spot for the fall?
A. Lessons are first come first serve, so if you withdraw for the summer, we cannot guarantee that we will have a spot for you in the fall as we will open the spot to new students.
The big question for all parents and students to consider as we look to summer is:
Do you want to stay with the same teacher & keep your prime spot for the Fall?
If the answer is YES there are 2 ways to do this:
1. Take advantage of our Summer Specials (this year we are offering 27 complimentary make-up lesson options for you).
We realize that some of you will go on vacation or do all day activities this summer. If you cannot make your regularly scheduled day/time with your teacher due to a summer vacation or conflict, we will NOT be scheduling private one-on-one make-up lessons for any of our students this summer. With more than 200 weekly students now, it gets to be an administrative nightmare for everyone (our staff, teachers & families). Instead, we feel that our Summer Special Offerings will be a better alternative.
For the first time ever, we have put together an all-star line up of more than 20 special topics taught by our incredible teachers that will serve as make up lesson options for you. These will begin in May and continue every week until August. By signing up for the Summer Specials, you can make up any missed private lessons and keep the same teacher and time spot for the fall. For every student that remains enrolled through the summer months, we are offering access to ALL of these special topics for FREE. They will add value to our students & provide convenience for private lessons missed. As a bonus, students may explore as many Summer Specials as they want, they do not have to be tied to missing a private lesson. All you have to do is RSVP so we know how many students to plan for.
It’s very easy to do:
Register on our Google Form (now or later) to let us know which Summer Special options your student(s) would like to attend. If you don’t know your schedule yet, that’s okay! You may register at any point during the summer as long as there is room in the group and it’s within 3 days of the class. Again, Summer Specials will run May through August. Remember that virtual lessons (on FaceTime or Zoom) are also an option for your normally scheduled lesson which can be done from anywhere!
2. Sublease your spot to a family member or friend.
You also can send a family member or friend in your place for the dates you will miss. Just let the office know who is coming in your place and when. Make sure they reimburse you directly for the lessons. If you are taking summer lessons and need a specific time for fall, please contact me by late July and I will do my best to accommodate you.
If you LOVE your teacher, keep your spot by taking advantage of our Summer Specials or sublease your spot.