CLASS POLICIES

1.  Monthly payments are due on the first of each month. They can always be paid in advance.
2. Communicate via email any payments that will not meet the due date - we are happy to accommodate, but just need to know.
3. Adhere to withdrawal deadlines and prompt notification (see Withdrawals).
4. Complete the recital commitment form promptly (deadline in mid-January) and uphold stated commitment.

Auto-Pay is the ability to set tuition to be paid automatically each month.

1. Sign up for Auto-Pay in your Parent Portal account, saving a debit card, credit card, or ACH method.

2. Auto-Pay will be run on the 1st of each tuition month, September through April.

3. If your card or bank account info changes or expires, remember to update it in your portal.

Auto-Pay will not run if you do not have a dancer enrolled in an active class. At the end of the season, there is no reason to "stop" or remove your card information. However, you may remove or change the saved payment information at any time. We do not run Auto-Pay during the summer months, so camps, open classes, etc. need to be made by manual online payments, cash, or check.

Payments can be paid using:

• the Parent Portal system online (manually or auto-pay)
• by cash in an envelope labeled with the dancer's first and last name
• by check made out to Doxa Dance Ministry with the dancer's name on the memo line

Cards are not accepted in person - only online.

Please notify us promptly if your plans to participate change after registration. We often operate with waiting lists, and we want every interested dancer to be able to participate! All requests for dropped classes or cancelled registrations must be received by email to doxadanceministry@gmail.com.

If the Registration Fee has not been paid within two weeks of enrolling in a class, the spot may be forfeited to a dancer on the waiting list.

For season classes and summer camps:

• Cancellation requests received at least 2 weeks prior to the first class of the season will be fully refunded.
• Within the 2-week margin, but still prior to the first class, cancellations will be refunded minus the $15 registration fee.

Once classes have begun, even if a dancer's registered class has not yet met, all drops are considered Withdrawals.

Please promptly notify us if your dancer can no longer attend their enrolled class(es). Withdrawal requests must be received by email to doxadanceministry@gmail.com.

• CLASS WITHDRAWAL: Students can withdraw anytime in the Fall semester and in the Spring semester through January 30th. Tuition owed is through the month of the date on which the withdrawal request was received by email.
  • If a student stops attending without a written request to withdraw from a class, the student still owes tuition through the date that contact is successfully made and the intent to drop is confirmed, even if this date is several weeks after the last attended class. Please communicate promptly when plans change and affect enrollment.
• RECITAL WITHDRAWAL: If a student commits to the recital in January, but later must withdraw their participation (after February 15th), they will be charged a Performance-Drop Fee of $40. This fee will only be waived in cases of critical emergency or last-minute illness. Please take this commitment seriously when making it - withdrawals late in the season negatively affect performance preparations, classmates, and class dynamics.
  

We often operate with waiting lists prior to the start of classes, but once families' schedules are set and the year is in progress, it's much harder to add students into vacated spots. Please let us know as soon as possible if your dancer will not use their reserved spot.

We strongly believe children and teens benefit greatly from completing whatever task or activity they begin, and ask that parents encourage their dancers to push through challenges and ask for help when needed, rather than giving up. Please never hesitate to inform your dancer's teacher or one of the Artistic Directors (Brittanie or Laci) if you have concerns about your child's engagement level. We want to partner with you and ensure every dancer not only reaches their potential, but enjoys the process!

Families with three or more dancers receive a tuition discount for regular season classes.

• Oldest student = 100% tuition
• 2nd student = 100% tuition
• 3rd student = 75% tuition (25% discount)
• 4th student = 50% tuition (50% discount)
• 5th student = 25% tuition (75% discount)

Doxa charges one $15 registration fee per family for season classes.

Doxa is able to provide partial tuition scholarships based on need, and small merit-based scholarships for older dancers to pursue summer training and mission opportunities. While we strive to keep tuition very reasonably priced, we know every family's situation is different and we never want tuition to be cost-prohibitive.

If your family experiences a financial crisis while your dancer is enrolled in Doxa, please first talk with us prior to making any decision to withdraw (even with the intention to re-enroll the following season). We would much rather offer assistance and keep a dancer's training consistent and continuous if at all possible.

To Be Approved for a Tuition Scholarship:

• Complete this form online
• Receive confirmation by email of scholarship award and specified scholarship period
• Maintain 75% attendance throughout scholarship period
• Participate in the end-of-season dress rehearsal(s) and performance(s) - applicable to season tuition scholarships received for performing level classes
  

The process can be repeated as necessary, as long as the student meets the attendance requirement and completes each season/camp/session for which they receive a scholarship.

Costume Costs or Performance Participation Fees are generally not covered by scholarship.

To Provide a Scholarship for a Dancer:

• Write a check payable to Paramount Baptist Church and designate it "Doxa - Scholarship". Thank you in advance for helping make another dancer's training possible!
• Give online at paramount.org/give and choose Doxa in the drop-down menu. Specify Scholarship in the memo box.

PICK-UP POLICY

Please note the NEW policy for dancer pick-up according to age/level:

• For Rosebuds, Sweet Peas, Buttercups, Daisies, Saplings -- Parents need to meet their dancer at the door of the studio when their class concludes. Dancers will be kept by the teacher in the studio until you pick them up. This is not only important from a security standpoint, but it also allows teachers to convey any important information directly to parents (which is especially helpful in recital season).
• For Bluebonnets & Lilies -- Parents are expected to meet the dancer at their studio. However, parents are allowed to arrange with their dancer an alternative place to meet after class, if desired, WITH NOTICE GIVEN. If you plan to meet your dancer anywhere other than in the hallway right by their studio door, please communicate this to us ahead of time, via email. Ideally, this would be a standing arrangement, not changing week to week. If there is a week where you need a change, email the new/changed information. We will make a small note on the teacher's roster so that they will know that an arrangement has been made between you and your dancer, and they can release them safely. This policy will allow us to offer some freedom in these intermediate/preteen levels but also have reasonable expectation that the dancer is not wandering off without a planned meeting place.
• For Lilacs, Irises, Poppies, & up -- Dancers will be released by the teacher following class. It is assumed they know where to meet their ride or that they drive themselves. If you have any concern about this level of independence for your dancer specifically, please communicate with us by email and we will treat it like the middle group above.

Dancers should not wait outside the building for a ride. They can view the curb where parents can pull up from INSIDE the building at entrance B2 or B4.

We welcome you to watch from any of the observation windows looking into the studios -- we want you to know what's happening in class and how your child is doing! We do have a few related requests though--

• • Your child CAN see you. Even on the windows that have tinting, dancers are great at recognizing their own caregivers in the window! Please be mindful that they might be distracted by you - it can help to stand back from the window a little bit, or only peek in occasionally.
  • Your dancer can HEAR you. If you are having a normal volume conversation right outside one of the studio doors, most of it travels right inside! Please either whisper, or if you'd like to have a full conversation with a friend, just walk a little distance away from the studios themselves.
  • Be sure to have your little dancer use the restroom right before class. This one habit can cut down on a lot of distraction and ensures all of class time is dancing and learning time!
  • And finally, in the case that you observe your child misbehaving, please DO NOT open the door to scold your child. We know that a parent is only trying to help by doing this, but it generally leads to greater distraction for the class as a whole. Let the teacher handle it, and if they need you, they will come out to you or discuss it with you after the class. However, after class, your child's teacher would be happy to hear from you if you have any particular strategies that help your child do their best, or for you to reinforce the need to listen and obey in the classroom. 

Our goal is to help every child succeed with a patient, grace-filled approach that supports an environment in which everyone can learn. We want to partner with you to make that happen!

From time to time teachers will substitute teach for one another when necessary. If a teacher is unable to teach and we do not have an available substitute, we may cancel the class. In such an instance, prorated tuition amount for the cancelled class would be posted to students' accounts as a credit, which can be applied to the next tuition payment, current balance, or upcoming season.

Because of capacity constraints, recital preparations, and other considerations, we do not offer arrangements for students to make up classes they miss. Absences do not affect tuition due. Upper School students can use Open Tech classes as make-up for their regular technique classes for occasional absences. Please be mindful of the attendance policy for performing students (under Performances below).

Students who are new to Doxa enroll in the Nurture Pathway their first season.

This pathway is determined by age at the start of the season in September. For example, the Daisies level would include students who are ages 7, 8, or 9 on September 1st.

Students can stay on the Nurture Pathway their entire time at Doxa, progressing to a new level when they age out of the prior one. The Nurture Pathway affords dancers the opportunity to dance for exercise and recreation, with a minimum time commitment of only one class per week.

Students in Daisies and up receive an evaluation from their instructor at the end of the season. Allow 4-6 weeks after the last spring performances for evaluations to be posted on the Parent Portal (Shared Files).

The evaluation provides individual feedback regarding a dancer's strengths and areas they can focus most on for additional improvement. It includes a personal note from their teacher.

Simultaneously, the teacher completes a more detailed analysis that scores three areas - Approach/Mindset, Attendance, and Technical Details - so that students can be accurately compared across all classes and teachers. They provide additional commentary as needed to support their scoring. The Executive Artistic Director and Associate Artistic Director consider these comments and quantitative results to determine level placements and invitations to the Cultivate Pathway.

Cultivate Pathway levels require recommendation by a Doxa Instructor and approval by the Executive Artistic Director. Work ethic, classroom etiquette including respect shown to teachers and others, the ability to pick up and retain choreography, technical execution, and mental fortitude are all elements that are considered when placing students.

Cultivate Pathway spots are limited based on the number of classes offered for each particular level. Higher levels have fewer spots available. Cultivate Pathway levels have specific requirements related to classes taken (number of hours weekly) -- read about each level here.

Level Placements will be posted in the Parent Portal (Shared Files) following each season, by June 15th. This is generally when the next season's schedule is made available, so that families can review their dancer's level placement and class options at the same time. This occurs roughly one month before registration opens for current families (mid-July).

Upon learning your dancer's level placement, families who are invited to or continuing in the Cultivate Pathway are asked to complete a brief Intent to Enroll form. This form does not enroll their dancer, but helps us know if a family is choosing to accept their Cultivate Pathway placement or selecting the Nurture Pathway instead.

Level Placements are something teachers agonize over, trying to make the absolute best decision for each dancer individually, while considering the make-up of each level as a whole and practicalities like overall capacity in the schedule. Regrettably, this process zeros in on one part of each dancer and "grades" that part of them in a way, but we firmly believe that who they are as a person is so much richer and fuller and more beautiful than just that one piece! We do consider their attitude and mindset and not just their dancing achievements, but they have so many gifts unrelated to dance, not to mention precious hearts and minds. We know that leveling surprises or disappointments can be interpreted in identity shaping ways, as being "not good enough," or convey a sense of lack as a person. We greatly rely on parents to help shape that internalization and encourage your dancers to press through disappointment, look for opportunities to grow, trust their teachers to have their best interest at heart, and be encouraging to their friends regardless of each others' placement.

If you have any questions about your dancer's placement, please let us know. We want to reiterate that level placements at Doxa have value insofar as they help us group dancers by similar skills and needs, so that teachers are able to best focus their efforts in the classroom and help dancers grow in their dance technique. We are excited to work with your dancer in their level and help them learn as much as possible.

We do not want to over-emphasize or over-prioritize the worth of level placements. A dancer in any level at any age can use their God-given gifts and learned skills to worship Him and share the truth of the gospel, and THAT is the most important part.

Dancers in all performing levels must maintain a minimum of 50% attendance at any given time during the current season to be eligible for performances. Please note, a dancer who attends only 50% of the time will not be well-prepared for their performance. But any dancer who cannot meet this minimum requirement will not be allowed to participate in the performance.

Beginning with the Sweet Peas level, all enrolled students perform in the end-of-year recital which typically falls on a weekend in mid-April. Poppies (ages 13-16) and Sunflowers (adults) must be enrolled in the "Perform +" segment following their technique class to participate in the recital. To opt-out of recital or other performances, parents must complete the recital "commitment form" by the deadline to avoid owing a performance-drop fee. All families complete the form to indicate yes or no regarding recital participation for their dancers in performing levels.

Dancers are divided across multiple performances on one weekend. Most dancers perform in one performance. Students generally perform one dance per leveled-technique class taken, which can fall either in the same performance or in different performances. Higher level students will usually perform in multiple performance times, though their roles may vary. They may also perform a separate weekend if Doxa is producing an original story ballet that year.

Siblings may end up in the same performance or in different performances. This is based on which classes they are in and is simply “luck of the draw.” We try to arrange the schedule so that siblings in Lower School classes who are taking class on the same day of the week also perform in the same performance. However, we cannot guarantee that siblings will perform at the same time.

We try to provide the specific performance schedule as early as possible, usually by the start of the season. You will be able to find the information at this link: Recital Details for Current Families

Current Families: View Recital Details →

Help from parents is necessary to make recitals successful. As a parent with a dancer in Doxa, your role for recital is to:
1. Provide required attire for your dancer (correct tights, shoes, and undergarment flesh-colored leotard)
2. Attend the mandatory dress rehearsal
3. Pay any tuition balance prior to dress rehearsal (if not already paid)
4. Arrive at call time with your dancer dressed and ready to go (30-45 mins early for recitals; up to 1 hr for larger production years)
5. Help your dancer off-stage during rehearsals as necessary
6. View this performance first and foremost as a worship and witness opportunity
7. Set a godly example for my child and other participants by treating others with respect, humility, and patience
8. Volunteer as able for various tasks. Requests are made several weeks prior to recital.

Specific recital date/time for each class as well as dress rehearsal information is made available as early as possible, usually by August. Please IMMEDIATELY reserve all given dates on your calendar and protect them against conflicts. With the exception of sudden illness, dancers are required to attend their dress rehearsal times and perform in ALL performances designated for their class.

The wholesale cost of your dancer's costume is factored into monthly tuition rates. 

This applies to Sweet Peas, Buttercups, Daisies, Bluebonnets, Lilies, Lilacs, and Irises.

Poppies and Sunflowers costumes are covered in a full season of Perform + tuition as well; if a dancer participates in only part of the season of this class, they may owe a partial costume fee.

Tulips, Violets, and Orchids costumes are often either reused from previous performances or purchased new but retained for reuse. Therefore costume costs have not been factored into tuition calculations for these levels. Costumes may be available for purchase if desired - please ask via email if interested.

Boys must purchase a pair of black dance pants and Doxa purchases a shirt. In most cases, this shirt is new and theirs to keep, but if we are using a shirt from our size/color inventory we will let you know. Boys shirts are one of the few items we can take back as a donation if you do not want to keep it.

Doxa dancers are given the opportunity to perform at other events during the year. This may include community events, mission trips, community outreach, or side projects.

These performances usually include the dancers in the highest levels and those invited to participate may vary depending upon the number of dancers needed. These opportunities are optional and involvement requirements are expressed at the onset of each commitment.