Student Application

Please note: A parent or guardian should complete this application unless student is age 18+.

There is no fee for private lessons, instruments or supplies for students of 240 Strings who are enrolled in MaineCare. We request contributions from families of students not enrolled in MaineCare. Outside of 240 Strings, the full cost of an academic year of private lessons, instrument rental, supplies, recitals is at least $2500. We feel it is important that students and parents understand this value and treat the experience as if they were paying full price.

*****************************************************************

Lesson Policies: Instrument: Students MUST treat their instruments with respect. It is important to note that the instrument and case your student receives may be worth up to $5000, and you will be responsible for loss, damage or theft. Instruments must be cared for in a gentle manner, away from food, drink, and younger siblings. It is the responsibility of the student to protect their borrowed instruments from damage. They cannot be left in the car for any reason.

Practice: Students are expected to practice their instrument every day. If possible, a parent or other adult should be available to help and guide them as much as possible.

Attendance: Students must attend every lesson, both for in-person lessons and during periods of online lessons. For online lessons, make sure you know the instructions for meeting your teacher, and be ready 5 minutes before your lesson time with your instrument and music out, and a pencil nearby. Instructors will wait 10 minutes after lesson time. If you must miss a lesson, please let your teacher know 24 hours ahead of time. If you miss one lesson, you will receive a warning. If you miss two lessons, you will be placed on probation and 240 Strings staff will meet with your family. If you miss three lessons, you will no longer be allowed to take lessons.

Illness: If you stayed home from school or left early due to illness, DO NOT COME TO YOUR LESSON. We will make every effort to reschedule any lessons missed because of illness or weather.

Student Name

First Name

Last Name

Student Pronouns

Parent/Guardian Name(s)

Email Address

Address

Address 1

Address 2

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal Code

Country

Phone

(###)

###

####

Emergency Contact Name

First Name

Last Name

Emergency Contact Phone

(###)

###

####

School

Grade

Please select student's grade level below.

T Shirt Size

Name of school Music Teacher

What is your yearly household income?

What is your family size?

I understand the following: 240 Strings works to build community for youth by providing music lessons to students who otherwise couldn't afford them. If your family is able to afford regular private music lessons, please contact one of the local music teachers. Please initial to indicate your understanding:

Is the student enrolled in MaineCare?

Please provide their MaineCare ID number:

If the student is not enrolled in MaineCare, 240 Strings requests an annual contribution towards lessons in the range of $500 - $1200. Payment can be made by check mailed to us; cash or check delivered at the September parent/student meeting; or by Venmo “@Maine_240_Strings” or Paypal “@240strings.org” (please note however that these methods may involve fees that reduce what we actually receive). Please initial if applicable to you:

Which instrument would you like to study? Violin, cello, or piano?

New Students: Please tell us why you would like to take private music lessons (you must answer this question in order to be considered for our program).

Returning Students: Please tell us what you love about music lessons or how music has helped you in some way. Consider speaking your thoughts on a short video, and encourage a parent to say some words too!

PARENT/GUARDIAN EXPECTATIONS: Learning to play an instrument is a wonderful experience, but it can also be challenging. 240 Strings is about not only making music, but also building a strong community, and making sure all of our children and their families feel loved, supported, and respected. As a parent or guardian, your role in this is critical. Without your support, your child won’t have the kind of rewarding musical experience he or she deserves. They need to get to lessons, practice every day, and have familiar faces in the audience when they play. These sound like simple things, but we know they can sometimes be difficult. Not everyone has a car or a job that lets them leave early to pick up a child; kids will say they don’t feel like practicing; life can get busy and it’s hard to make time for attending concerts and recitals. No parent or guardian can do it alone, and we recognize that for some families, the obstacles are even more challenging. Nonetheless, in order for your child to participate in 240 Strings, you MUST make the following three commitments:

Learning to play an instrument is a wonderful experience, but it can also be challenging. 240 Strings is about not only making music, but also building a strong community, and making sure all of our children and their families feel loved, supported, and respected. As a parent or guardian, your role in this is critical. Without your support, your child won’t have the kind of rewarding musical experience he or she deserves. They need to get to lessons, practice every day, and have familiar faces in the audience when they play. These sound like simple things, but we know they can sometimes be difficult. Not everyone has a car or a job that lets them leave early to pick up a child; kids will say they don’t feel like practicing; life can get busy and it’s hard to make time for attending concerts and recitals. No parent or guardian can do it alone, and we recognize that for some families, the obstacles are even more challenging. Nonetheless, in order for your child to participate in 240 Strings, you MUST make the following three commitments:

1) Transportation and On-Time Drop-off and Pick-Up

I will make sure my child gets to lessons, classes, rehearsals, and events on time. Please initial:

We realize that transportation is an obstacle for some of our families, but for a child to participate in 240 Strings, s/he must be able to get to and from lessons, events, and concerts. If you do not have access to a car, and your child is unable to walk or take public transportation to 240 Strings programming, you must identify an adult friend or family member who can provide transportation for your child. We can provide a family directory and help arrange carpools.

2) Engagement and Participation in Your Child’s Success

I will make sure my child practices every day at home. I will attend my child’s concerts and recitals, and make sure that —if I can’t attend for reasons beyond my control—my child has another family member and/or family friend in the audience. I will provide my child with a quiet place to practice (even if that is just a quiet corner away from screens and other distractions). I will help them establish a practice routine, encouraging them to practice at the same time every day whether or not it is a day they come to 240 Strings. I will also fill out an online end-of-year comprehensive program evaluation at the end of the year for each participating child, and make sure my child(ren) does the same. Please initial:

Practicing: Our kids will only experience what it’s like to learn an instrument and play wonderful music if s/he practices in between lessons. They will often say they’re too tired / don’t feel like it / would rather watch TV / or don’t need to practice. It’s our job as parents and guardians to remind them that this whole thing won’t work if they don’t practice (and also, of course, that if they DO practice, they will be able to do amazing things). By listening to them practice, by being excited about and interested in their music, and by asking them to play for you a little bit every day, you will help them become great musicians, and also go through the experience of learning the instrument with them. Sometimes it won’t sound so great at first. Pretend it’s the most beautiful sound you’ve ever heard ... until suddenly, one day, it will be. NOTE: Teachers send home practice charts or lesson notes. Ask to see them! Ask your child to explain them to you, and to play things from the list. If they ask you to sign off on a practice chart, ask to hear what they have practiced!

Attending Concerts and Recitals: Dates for performances will be provided at the beginning of the year so you can write them on your calendar and make sure they are a priority for the whole family. If additional performance opportunities for your child arise, we make every effort to provide at least two weeks’ notice.

Completing Program Evaluations: We require that you and your child each complete an online evaluation survey at the end of the school year. This not only helps us constantly improve our programming with your feedback; it is also absolutely crucial to collecting the data and information we need for continued grant support. It is so important that you may not be permitted to schedule your first fall lesson until we have your completed survey! You must complete an online parent evaluation for each child enrolled, and each child must also complete the student evaluation. Each should take no more than 15 minutes.

3) Volunteer

We have many volunteer opportunities at events and concerts throughout the year. Volunteers help with event set-up, serve refreshments at intermission, stuff envelopes, hold bake sales, help other families with transportation — and other things we haven’t yet imagined. It is a great way to support 240 Strings and meet other families. We realize every family’s situation is different, but we expect every family to volunteer in some way at least one time throughout the year, whether at an event or concert or by helping provide transportation for a student/family in need of a ride. Please initial:

By initialing the three commitments detailed above you are acknowledging your understanding of our program requirements, and indicating that you understand your child’s continued participation in 240 Strings is dependent upon these requirements being met. Students will not be allowed to start lessons until their online application has been completed.