Classes
Classes are 45 minutes long. The fall, winter and spring sessions are nine weeks; summer session is six weeks; and June and December mini sessions are three weeks.

Priority Registration
Makeups registration is on a first come first serve basis. One week priority is given to families returning from fall to winter and winter to spring. One week priority is also given to families enrolled in the session prior to the winter, spring and summer mini sessions.

Refunds
Refunds (less the registration fee) are available only before the first day of class unless the class is cancelled.

Cancellation
Classes must have six to twelve children in them. There are a few extra spaces for siblings under nine months at no tuition--please register them. IF a class is cancelled your tuition will be refunded in full, including the registration fee.

Safety Policy
We reserve the right to dismiss a family when, in the sole discretion of Music and Movement of Newton, the family cannot be served with safety and with respect for the rights of other class-members. Dismissal is accompanied by a pro-rated refund for the remainder of the semester less the semester's registration fee and $35.

Holidays: Classes meet on all holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas unless we notify you otherwise. If you cannot make a holiday class, please schedule a makeup. If you wish to bring a sib to a holiday class, please schedule with us.

Inclement Weather Policy
When the Newton Public Schools close, Music Together of Newton classes are cancelled. When Newton schools open on a delayed schedule, all Music Together^® classes will meet as usual. Please check thebostonchannel.com before you leave the house for up-to-the-minute information. In case of inclement weather on Saturday or Sunday, you may check our home page or call (617) 928-0190 for an outgoing message.

Makeups
Makeups must be completed within the semester and do not carry to the next semester. You must register for a makeup slot using our online makeup scheduler, and give a printout of your confirmation email to your teacher at the makeup. You may do a makeup with any of our teachers at any of our Newton locations, seven days a week; maximum of three makeups per nine-week semester, or one makeup per three-week mini-session, and two makeups per six-week summer session. The makeup password is "Newton."

Sibling/Guest Visits
For safety reasons all sibling visits must be scheduled. Please do not bring a sibling to class without scheduling in advance. Sibling visits are limited to 2 per semester and the fee is $15 per visit. Each family will receive one free guest pass per 9 week semester however if you have a friend that would like to try the class with the intention of possibly enrolling have them call the office to arrange for a free trial class.

Health Policy:It is not correct to assume a clear runny nose is OK and green is not. The color of the runny nose does not help to determine how contagious a child is. It is more reliable to make a judgment call by the way the child is acting. If your child has slept poorly and is acting tired and grouchy along with the runny nose, assume he is sick enough to stay home. If the runny nose is a week old and your child is acting playful and active, she is likely healthy enough to attend. If your child's nose is runny enough that the mucus is being wiped on sleeves and/or classroom equipment it is best to keep him at home! Some children can have persistent runny noses of any color for weeks or months, which is often caused by allergies, and should not be contagious. Please check with the child's mother or your teacher if you are concerned about a child with a consistently runny nose in your class.

Coughs: We usually give our hands a quick wash before class. Washing hands ahead of time makes sure that the things we are sharing are the things we want to share. We disinfect instruments with a nontoxic, plant-based spray. Check out this great H1N1 Rap! Please keep in mind the following points suggested by pediatrician and Music Together dad Ben Kruskal MD of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, based on the medical literature.Runny noses:A child with a frequent deep moist cough of less than 3 weeks' duration should stay home, especially if he is too young to cover his own mouth when he coughs. An occasional cough in an otherwise healthy-appearing energetic child is of no more concern than the cold that causes it. A persistent cough for more than 3 weeks in the absence of other symptoms is unlikely to be due to a contagious infection.Antibiotics:

While ear infections are not contagious, the colds that often lead to them are. Even if your child has been put on antibiotics for some other infection occurring together with a cold, this does not make the cold any less contagious. Please use the same criteria listed here based on your child's symptoms if your child has a cold and is on antibiotics. If your child has been put on antibiotics for a strep throat, she may return to class after taking antibiotics for 24 hours.

Diarrhea or vomiting: While these symptoms are most commonly caused by viruses rather than bacteria, they can have serious consequences, especially for infants and toddlers. Your child should not return to class until he has been free of both diarrhea and vomiting for at least 24 hours. If your child has a more significant infection such as chickenpox, measles, German measles (rubella) or whooping cough (pertussis), please check with your pediatrician about when she will no longer be contagious. The germs which cause most common infections can be transmitted by close airborne contact (face to face within roughly 3 feet) OR passed through hand to hand contact, as well as carried on clothes, toys, etc. Please wash your hands and those of your child before and after class or avail yourself of a waterless hand disinfectant such as Purell. If you are not sure if your child is contagious or not, please err on the side of caution and stay at home. People are often contagious for 24-48 hours before showing any symptoms. Therefore a child who appeared perfectly healthy in class could come down with a fever two hours later and may have unwittingly exposed the class. Obviously, this is unavoidable.

Fevers: Please keep your child at home until it has been at least 24 hours since her last fever without the assistance of fever reducer medicines. Your child is the most contagious during the time she is feverish.

Eyes: Pinkness, redness, or “bloodshot” appearance is usually due to conjunctivitis, which may be infectious or allergic. Please keep these cases home until your doctor determines that they are not contagious. Gooey yellow-green goop on lashes without redness is not a reason to exclude children from class.

Rashes: The majority of rash illnesses in children of this age range are not contagious; the majority of contagious rashes are preceded or accompanied by fever. If your child has a rash WITHOUT prior or co-existing fever or other symptoms, the rash is unlikely to be transmissible, so it is fine to come to class.

In summary: there is going to be exposure to germs no matter how careful anyone is or what the policies are. Any communal activity (for example storytime at the library, playgroup, new moms' group, church, etc.) lays us open to catching germs, which is not always bad. There is reasonable evidence suggesting that humans need to be exposed to germs at an early age to develop their immune systems. By following these guidelines, you can minimize the risk of infection being transmitted at our classes while also minimizing the need for unnecessary absences.