Welcome to Brookline School of the Arts! We pride ourselves on consistently offering a full array of classes in a safe, nurturing environment with age-appropriate choreography, music, movement and costuming for all ages and abilities. Whether you want to dance for fun and recreation or are committed to taking your skills and passions to the highest levels by joining our Performance Companies (The Company & Brookline Breakers), BSA will help you reach your goals and unlock your fullest potential. All of our educators are committed to the emotional and physical safety of our dancers, are CPR certified and background checked. We strive for accountability and integrity in all aspects of dance education. Thank you for choosing us and we look forward to having you be part of the BSA family!
Communication
Brookline School of the Arts keeps families informed through monthly newsletters, email, Facebook, the studio website and on your parent portal. We suggest that everyone provide us with their email address, "like" the studio Facebook & Instagram public page and to stay informed. This handbook has been created to outline our policies and answer many of your questions and acts as a great resource throughout the year. Please feel free to email or call us throughout the year with any questions or concerns.
Important: Although this is optional, please complete the medical form on our online parent portal. Informing us of any physical, mental, or conditional learning that may be present so that instructors may adapt the learning environment to ensure a safer and happier dance experience.
Tuition
Tuition is due the first week of each Session (FALL, WINTER, SPRING). Tuition is based on 10-month season from September to June and is not affected by how many times the class meets in any one calendar month (5-class month is not extra and a 2-class month is not less) Costumes for our annual June recital are included in your SPRING Session tuition. This fee is separate from the tuition.
Tuition is due regardless of attendance and is not affected by absence, holiday, vacation, cancellation, or modification.
Registration, costume, & recital fees are non-refundable.
Prorated Tuition refunds will only be honored after a formal withdrawal written request.
Payments accepted are checks, cash and credit or bank cards through the online parent portal.
You can view your balance/payment history and pay online any time in your parent portal.
We do not send out monthly statements (you will only receive a reminder notice if your tuition has not been paid)
No costumes, recital accessories for recital or tickets will be issued until all balances are paid in full.
Students will not be able to participate with tuition in arrears for 2 or more months. Tuition must be current for your child to participate in extra activities or performances. If special circumstances arise, please contact Erin J. Washington - Owner/Artistic Director.
Written Notification Withdrawal Clause:
Anyone that signs up for classes is financially responsible for all costs associated with the class from the date the contracts are signed until the date of the written notification that a person will no longer be involved in the class. If your child wishes to discontinue a class, written notification is required to release her/him from the program as you will continue to be charged for all costs until written notification is received. Acceptable written notifications are letters signed by a parent /guardian or an email sent from a parent/guardian email account. The letter/email must state the students name, class enrolled in, and reason for discontinuing the class.
Class Cancellation/Modification Policy:
All cancellations will be posted on the cancellation page of the studio website, Facebook, Instagram. We will also send a message of closings via email. The safety of our students, teachers and parents is of utmost concern. If the weather is bad (snow, ice) we may cancel classes. Generally, we follow school weather closures. Sometimes, however, the weather and roads may clear in time for our afternoon classes. Classes missed because of weather closures can be made up in a similar class according to our make-up policy.
Community Health Restrictions: In the event that large groups cannot assemble, we will modify our class offerings to abide by community health standards and continue offering services to our clients. These modifications may include:
closing the lobby (drop off/pick up only), offering live-streamed classes for students to take at home, and other appropriate modifications.
Natural Disaster/Facility Closure: If our facility is unable to hold classes due to a natural disaster or other event requiring closure, we will modify our class offerings to continue offering services to our clients. These modifications may include live-streamed classes for students to take at home and other appropriate modifications.
Any canceled classes may be made up by attending another class from our regular schedule. We do not schedule additional makeup classes or refund for classes canceled due to weather, pandemics, natural disasters, or other facility closures. Private lessons (at clients expense in addition to standard tuition) may also be used for class makeups.
Refunds/Credits on Account
Refunds are only issued when BSA cancels a class due to low enrollment. Account credit will be issued when the student initiates the change. Credit may be applied to any BSA tuition or fees due within one year.
Private Lesson Cancellation Policy
All private lessons canceled with more than 24 hours notice will receive a full refund or not be charged. No-show lessons or lessons canceled with less than 24 hours notice will be charged the full amount. Lessons must be paid for when scheduled.
Student-Teacher Interaction
Classes at BSA are designed to challenge students in body awareness, activity, and artistry. This involves physical contact. Instructors will often need to make hands-on contact to adjust students alignment and to demonstrate proper motion. BSA Faculty will always ask students before making any physical adjustments. If this makes students uncomfortable, please contact Erin J. Washington- Owner/Artistic Director.
Attendance/Absences & Illness Policy
Dance is a progressive program that builds from week to week. Class warm-ups are crucial for the safety of the students so please make sure dancers are on time for class. Please inform the studio of any absence. We understand that conflicts or illness may cause dancers to miss a class and we have established a make-up policy to address this situation. Any dancer may make up any class in a comparable level in person if class size allows. Please inform the studio prior to attending makeup class for approval.
Individuals will not be allowed to enter if they have had any of the follow symptoms in the last 24 hours: Starting antibiotics/medications, temperature above 100*, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing, gastrointestinal symptoms, abdominal pain, unexplained rash, fatigue, headache, new loss of smell/taste, new muscle aches, any other sign of illness.
Please do not attend classes if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 5 days. On the 6th day you may return to class masked for the following 5 days.
Please do not attend class if you have had contact with someone with confirmed or presumptive diagnosis of COVID-19 or someone who is ill with a respiratory illness in the last 5 days.
Open Viewing Policy
The Waiting Rooms/Lobby is open for viewing but please be mindful of current policies as they may change.
All students must be dropped off at the front door (82 Boylston St, Brookline, MA 02445) and picked up at the same location. Parents must be prompt when picking up children.
Restroom
We ask parents to remind children to use the restroom PRIOR to class time. If a visit to the restroom is necessary during class, students need to ask permission before leaving the teaching area. All students who need assistance with the restroom must have a parent/guardian present. No instructor or BSA staff member will assist with bathroom visits unless it is an emergency.
Injuries
If your dancer is injured and unable to participate, they are expected to attend class in the studio to take notes and observe. Dancers learn and retain information by observing classes. Please bring a doctors note confirming the injury with dates of non-participation. No tuition will be reimbursed due to an injury but make up classes and opportunities will be offered for time missed.
RECITAL
As the season progresses additional information or updates will be posted on the studio website recital page. A detailed Performance Memo will be emailed and passed out at the top of May. Costumes & recital accessories will be issued to all in May when the year's tuition has been paid in full. The recital will take place on Sunday, June 15, 2025.
Rescheduling and Substitution
Brookline School of the Arts reserves the right to provide a substitute teacher if the regular
teacher is ill or otherwise unable to teach. BSA reserves the right to reschedule or combine classes.
Dress Code
Students must be in proper dancewear & shoes to participate in class:
Ballet: Leotard (any color), pink/tan tights, ballet slippers, skirt/shorts, warm-ups of choice, hair pulled back (ponytail, bun, headbands)
Jazz: Leotard, tights, shorts, leggings, athleisure wear, jazz shoes, character heels (classical jazz only), hair pulled back (ponytail, bun, headbands)
Contemporary/Modern: Leotard, tights, shorts, leggings, tank tops, athleisure wear, socks or barefoot, hair pulled back (ponytail, bun, headbands)
Street Dance Hip Hop: Sweatpants/Leggings/T-Shirts/Tanks/Sneakers
No excessive jewelry is to be worn (Stud earrings are allowed)
Skin tone leotard (body liner will be required for females ages 8+ for Performance)
Please bring all your dance shoes. Please do not wear your dance shoes to class, this includes sneakers. Sneakers must be for dance class only.
Code Of Conduct
To ensure the smooth, safe running of Brookline School of the Arts and an enjoyable experience by all, below you will find our code of conduct. As always, we are open to feedback, so if any of the requirements outlined below are unclear or concerning, please give us a call to discuss further. Following a formal meeting, we do reserve the right to dismiss or take disciplinary action on any students or parents who breach our studios code of conduct.
No classes (including private lessons) or teachers are to be disturbed unless it is an emergency. All parents, siblings & friends must wait in the waiting areas (if permissible) or outside of the studios until classes have been dismissed.
We are unable to take responsibility for our students before or after their scheduled classes and it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure their child is picked up and dropped off on time. In the case of an emergency or unavoidable delay, please contact the studio immediately to inform us of the situation so we can keep your child calm and safe until they can be collected.
Choreography, costuming, and studio policies remain the intellectual property of Brookline School of the Arts and may not be reproduced or sold by any students, parents or staff without permission of the Artistic Director.
Please show respect for your teachers and fellow dancers. No talking, touching, hanging on Ballet barres or gum chewing will be allowed in the classroom. Cell phones are not allowed inside the classroom and must be set to silent in the lobby or in dancers bags.
Please be a good role model and keep it positive! Negative or inappropriate language and/or behavior will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal of both parent/guardian and/or student from Brookline School of the Arts.
In the rare case of a parent/guardian or student showing disrespect or defamation to any parent/guardian, staff member or student, a meeting will be called immediately, and dismissal may be considered at the discretion of the Director. Physical, mental, emotional, or cyber bullying by parents/guardians, staff or students will not be tolerated and will result in dismissal from the studio.
Any questions or complaints must go through the Owner/Artistic Director parents/guardians and students are not permitted to contact Brookline School of the Arts faculty via phone, in person, email or social networking with studio issues unless it has been broached with the Director first. Personal meetings with the studio Director can happily be arranged via email, phone, or zoom.
Social Media Policy
Use of Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube blogging and other social-media vehicles is commonplace. Please remember that your anonymity on Social Media is never guaranteed and to exercise caution when posts, images or videos identify children in your care. Remain mindful that your behavior on Social Media remains in keeping with BSA's code of conduct. Any comments or posts perceived to be obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, discriminatory or hateful towards BSA staff, students or families may subject the owner to disciplinary or legal action. Should you wish to engage on Social Media while identifying as a studio volunteer or employee, you may only do so with integrity, respect, and adhere to privacy and confidentiality policy. Any content revealing or referring to sensitive studio information is not allowed to be shared online.
While affiliated with our studio, (for example, images of your child in BSA attire) we will not tolerate any posts that are racially, sexually, physically, or religiously offensive.
All matters pertaining directly to the studio - whether it be fees, scheduling, placements, or performance opportunities - may not be communicated via Social Media. We have an open-door policy and encourage all communication, complaints, and feedback to be communicated via email, phone or in person.
We discourage parents/guardians, students, and teachers from becoming friends or followers on Social Media, unless there is an existing relationship. We consider all studio members to be family and as such feel the obligation to respect and monitor personal boundaries.
You may not post photographs / videos that feature BSA dancers other than your own online without the proven consent of their parent/guardian.
Identifying information of any featured minors - including names, ages, or location - must be removed when posting on Social Media.
Please email Ms. Erin Owner/Artistic Director via the website if you have questions or comments concerning your child's dance classes. Monthly newsletters will be emailed to you. All newsletters will be posted on the website on the first day of each month and posted on our family FB page. For the fastest response email: erinjw@brooklineschoolofthearts.
Registration and participation in classes and events at or produced by Brookline School of the Arts LLC constitutes acknowledgement and agreement to these policies.