Fall 2022: Policies

REGISTRATION PROCESSING FEE
TO REGISTER
CLASS MATERIALS
TUITION
REFUND POLICY
COVID PROCEDURES
CLASS SWITCHING
LATE PICK-UP FEES
CLASS CANCELLATION
COMPOSITION OF CLASS
ATTENDANCE
MEDICAL CONDITIONS
LIABILITY and MEDIA RELEASES
CLASS ETIQUETTE
NO CHILDREN UNDER AGE 4 ADMITTED TO PEROFRMANCES
LATE PICK-UP POLICY


By enrolling your child you are agreeing to these policies.
Please read carefully.

 

REGISTRATION PROCESSING FEE: add $10 per child.
Waived if you register before Sept 13

TO REGISTER: (If you do not receive a confirmation email, your child is not yet enrolled.)
Email the form on our website:
Copy and Paste into an email, or Save and Email as an attachment. We will email confirmation, or inform you if your selected class is full. Class space is very competitive and sending a registration does not necessarily guarantee a space. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and space will not be reserved until registration form is received, and payment is received and processed. Make sure your computer allows email from EssexYouthTheater@comcast.net.

CLASS MATERIALS:
Students will get the scripts and music emailed to them the first day of each show. Please print out the script and have a method of playing an mp3 music track for classes and homework.

TUITION:
By Visa or MasterCard, Zelle or Venmo.
Venmo handle is www.venmo.com/EssexYouthTheater. (phone 7080)
Zelle account is EssexYouthTheater@comcast.net.
We will not process your payment unless you get a space. Confirmation is via email. Withdrawals must follow our Refund Policy. $30 fee for bounced checks. Proof of payment may be required to enter first class.

REFUND POLICY:
Since Essex Youth Theater provides custom-written scripts that guarantee equal roles for all students and limits class size, there are no “extra” roles or “ensemble” parts. Every student gets a starring role. Therefore, there is a Holding Fee to hold your child’s space, which increases in a tiered manner as we approach the first day of class.

Withdrawals must be in writing (email okay). Withdrawals before August 17: 80% 80% refund (20% Holding Fee); Withdrawals from August 17-Sept 19: 50% refund (50% Holding Fee). No refund after Sept 14. You may not use your credit card's “Dispute-A-Payment” or chargeback process for withdrawals. Refund Policy is firm with no exceptions - please do not ask.

COVID PROCEDURES:
We will abide by the protocols outlined by New Jersey government guidelines in place at the time of our program. We may, at our sole discretion, implement additional safety procedures. If we are required to close, all classes will continue virtually. There will be no refunds. Details will be emailed to the parents of enrolled students prior to the start of classes.

CLASS SWITCHING:
In some instances, scheduling conflicts can be remedied by switching your child's class within the same semester. We will do everything we can to accommodate you, but if other classes are full you will be committed to your original choice.

LATE PICK-UP FEES:
$5 per child after the first 10 minutes and an add’l $1 per child for every minute after until child is picked up. Invoice by email. Due upon child’s next class. An add’l $5 added if we must re-invoice you. See below for full Late Pick-Up Policy details.

CLASS CANCELLATION:
Should a previously-scheduled class ever need to be cancelled by EYT, all tuition will be promptly refunded to you in full.

COMPOSITION OF CLASS:
Classes are all multi-age. Composition of each class is random and EYT cannot make any guarantees regarding the ages or gender of the students in each class.

ATTENDANCE:
Absences of three or more may jeopardize your child’s ability to participate in the Recital.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS:
If your child has any medical or behavioral condition you must indicate it on the Registration Form. Subsequent discovery of a behavioral or medical condition that parent has failed to disclose will be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program with no refund. If a student shows a high temperature at check-in, student will be sent home. Please do not send your child if they have a fever or show any symptoms of illness.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY:
As the legal parent or guardian, you release, absolve, indemnify and hold harmless Essex Youth Theater (EYT), its owners and operators, from any and all liability, claims, demands, and causes of action whatsoever, arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by the participant while in or upon the premises or any premises under the control and supervision of EYT. For anyone attending the school, you agree and disclose that you are carrying your own medical insurance and assume all risks and hazards incidental to the conduct of EYT activities.

MEDIA RELEASE:
I understand that EYT occasionally uses group photos of students in local newspapers and on its website and social media for school-related publicity. EYT will never use a student’s full name online. Some names may be mentioned in local newspapers for publicity purposes.

CLASS ETIQUETTE:
Essex Youth Theater reserves the right to deny enrollment based on a student's past behavior. Inappropriate or disruptive conduct will be grounds for dismissal from the program with no refund.

NO CHILDREN UNDER AGE 4 ADMITTED TO PERFORMANCES:
We list here a handful of things younger children have done in the past (in all innocence) even though parents thought these pre-schoolers could be relied upon to behave:
1. Changed seats, tripped over a video wire, disconnected it, and ruined the DVD for the entire class.
2. Started crying noisily during a child’s quiet and beautiful scene or song.
3. “Escaped” from Mom’s arms and ran about happily (and loudly).
4. Called out “There’s Johnny!” when an older brother appeared, disturbing his concentration.
5. Our favorite: Ran up on stage during the show.

One of the most commonly heard “proposals” from dissenting parents is this: “Well, I’ll sit near the door and if s/he starts acting up, I’ll just sneak out.” Please consider this: From the time a child becomes unmanageable to the time s/he is actually removed from hearing distance, a full 30-60 seconds typically elapses. Most of the songs and scenes last 120 seconds only. That means that one half of a child’s song or scene is in effect ruined by the pre-schooler’s noisy exit. Chances are that the crying toddler is not related to the performing child. Despite our best efforts, some parents have tried to “smuggle in” children under 4. Therefore, we have found it necessary to become “Baby Bouncers”. Do not jeopardize your own ability to attend the show. Leave your infants, and 1, 2, and 3 year olds at home with a sitter. Thank you for your understanding.

LATE PICK-UP POLICY:
We here at Essex Youth Theater (EYT) have experienced an ever-increasing rash of late pick-ups by parents. While we understand that traffic, long lines at the Acme, or just plain life can sometimes make a person late, please keep in mind that with up to 18 students per class and 10 weeks in the semester, each parent being late only once has, in past semesters, resulted in the teacher being kept waiting every single week.

In addition to your child becoming upset if you do not arrive as usual, remember that our teachers are professionals in the theater industry and some have children of their own, with their own rehearsals and commitments to attend to after class. I think you will agree it is unfair that an unexpected delay you may encounter results in the teacher unable to get home on time to take her own child to a piano lesson, or that we have to pay staff overtime to wait. Because traffic and other outside factors are always unpredictable, allowing a margin in your travel time is key.

Since the primary responsibility of Essex Youth Theater is your child’s protection and well-being, the following policy has now been set in place in the event that you do not pick up or arrange to have someone pick up your child at the end of class:

1. EYT will attempt to reach all emergency contact numbers, including parents or guardians at home, work and cell phone numbers, as provided by parent/guardian on the child’s registration form.

2. It is your responsibility as parents or guardians to provide the number of any and all persons who you authorize to pick up your child and to keep EYT informed of any changes in these contact numbers.

3. If EYT is unable to reach anyone at any of the contact numbers provided by the parent/guardian, and one-half hour has elapsed, EYT will unfortunately need to call outside authorities such as the police.

4. A late fee of $5.00 per child will be assessed after the first 10 minutes and an additional $1.00 per child for every minute after that will be assessed until your child is picked up. Invoice will be sent via email. This fee must be paid in full upon your child’s next class. A past-due fee of $5 will be added each time we must re-invoice you. All fees not paid by the Recital Day will jeopardize your child’s participation in the show.

5. Under all circumstances, the staff of EYT shall not hold your child responsible in any way for the late pick up, and discussion of this issue will only be with the parent or guardian and never with your child.


While we make every effort, EYT’s calendar cannot always coincide with all school closings and/or all religious observances. Please consider this when choosing your child’s class day.








© 2004-2024, Essex Youth Theater, Upper Montclair NJ. All rights reserved.