Policies

By participating in our programs and classes, you agree to abide by our code of conduct as expressed in our Core Values, and other policies:

Registration & Tuition

Course enrollments are limited and classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Payment is due at the time of registration; space will not be held without payment. 

Once registration and payment have been submitted, you will be contacted for changes in scheduling or cancellations. 

We accept major credit cards, checks, money orders, or cash. 

Please register early, as some classes fill early and others may be canceled if enrollment is too low. 

Registrations may be accepted after a class begins if space is available and with the instructor's permission. The student is responsible for paying the full cost of the class.  

 

Private Lessons

Students can request private lessons with an instructor to make up for missed class hours or to have more individual instruction around a specific project. To request a private lesson, please contact our Education and Engagement Coordinator. Private lessons should be booked at least two weeks out to allow our staff to coordinate the lesson. The private lesson is confirmed when the student completes payment for the lesson. Any private lesson cancellations with at least seven days of lead time may receive a refund, minus a $20 processing fee. Private lessons booked with less than a week of lead time are not eligible for refunds. Private lessons canceled with less than seven days of notice are not eligible for refunds.  

 

Cancellations 

Classes may be canceled due to: 

• Under-enrollment of Students - All our classes require a minimum of four participants. In the event that a class has not reached minimum enrollment seven calendar days before its scheduled start, it will be canceled.  
• Instructor Withdrawal - Unforeseen circumstances happen, and instructors may withdraw from offering a class.  
• Unforeseen Circumstances - Unexpected incidents may occur, such as a power outage or inclement weather. 

The Eliot School may reschedule the class at a later date or suggest another class with available space. All enrolled students will receive notification by email and phone from an Eliot School staff member within 24 hours of class cancellation. In the event of any Eliot School-initiated cancellation, students will receive a 100% refund within 5-10 business days. 

 

Weather Cancellations

Students and parents are notified of weather cancellations via email or by phone. Announcements will also be posted on the home page of our website. 

We will try to offer one make-up session for each class, each class will include the designated make-up date in its description if one is scheduled. Most make-up dates will extend the length of a class by one week. These make-up sessions are only utilized if the Eliot School needs to cancel a class, not for individual use. 

 

Discounts

A 10% discount is available to: 

• any student age 60 or older, use code SENIOR
• any additional family member living in the same household, enrolling in the same class, use code FAMILY 
• active-duty military or veterans, use code MILITARY

Discounts may not overlap. Only one discount can be applied to each enrollment. 

Discounts do not apply to material fees. Materials fees must be paid in full to the instructor in class.  

 

Refunds & Credit

We reserve the right to cancel or discontinue any course. When possible, we will schedule a make-up date for your canceled class.  

If you withdraw two weeks (14 days) or more before a class begins, we will refund 100% of the tuition paid, minus the $20 processing fee charged by our payment processor.

Please note that Youth Vacation Programs have different withdrawal deadlines. You can view the individual withdrawal deadlines for each program here.

We do not issue a refund if you withdraw less than two weeks before your class begins. 

It is not possible to withdraw directly through our website. Please contact our Education and Engagement Coordinator to withdraw. 

We do not refund tuition or offer make-up sessions for classes students miss due to their circumstances. You may request a private lesson from the instructor at your cost and at the instructor's discretion. To request a private lesson, please contact our Education and Engagement Coordinator. 

If a serious illness, major injury, or death in the family means you need to withdraw from a class outside of our normal time allowance, please speak with our Education and Engagement Coordinator to make special arrangements. 

 

Holidays

We don’t host classes on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Most classes are also suspended on New Year's Eve, the day before Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve. Certain classes may skip other holidays; these are noted in individual class listings. 

 

Dropping in on Single Classes

Students are not permitted to drop into classes a session at a time, except for classes specifically listed as "drop-in." 

Please attend the course and section for which you are registered. Crossing to other sections can create record-keeping problems, crowding, and even health & safety hazards. 

Students are not permitted to use the school's classroom or equipment outside of scheduled course hours. You must schedule/register for a private lesson with an instructor to access classrooms outside of course hours. To request a private lesson, please contact our Education and Engagement Coordinator.

 

Make-Up Classes

We schedule one make-up date per course to prevent missing any session we may cancel due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Some courses may not have a make-up date, and that will be specified in the description. 

We understand that there are many reasons students need to miss class now and then, including illness, travel, family commitments, and work. We do not allow students to make up missed time by attending other sections. 

Additionally, if you must miss a class session for your own reasons, we do not offer a refund/credit. 

Some classes require attending all classes to advance. Individual class listings will specify if full attendance is required to progress to the next level.  

 

Materials & Supplies

Each class has unique material considerations. Please discuss this with the instructor, as you may not be able to use any/all the materials you bring.  

Students are responsible for providing their own supplies and materials, according to the materials list given, unless otherwise noted. 

For courses where the instructor provides materials, fees must be paid to the instructor in full at the first class session. Discounts and scholarships do not apply to material fees. 

Woodshop students are welcome to bring their own tools, but the Eliot School is not responsible for their loss or damage. 

No tools or supplies belonging to the Eliot School may be removed from the building.

 

Project Storage

For certain classes only, we allow students to store one project at a time at the school during the span of the class. Our limited storage space is restricted to currently enrolled students. Instructors show students where their projects may be stored. Projects and materials must be clearly labeled with the student’s name, contact information, and date. 

All property must be removed at the end of the last class unless the student enrolls in the following term and receives permission from school staff. Property left without permission after a term ends will be disposed of by staff. 

Please do not leave projects or property in the foyer or classrooms. The building is open to the public, and many people pass through it every day. 

The Eliot School is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property. 

 

Illness and Exclusion

In registering for a course at the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts, students agree to abide by the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts' terms of Health & Safety, either on their own behalf or on behalf of their child. Non-compliance with these terms may lead to the termination of their registration.  

Students of the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts agree to: 

• Abstain from participation in any program held by the Eliot School should the student demonstrate symptoms of communicable illness including: fever/chills, persistent cough, shortness of breath/wheezing (unrelated to chronic illness), nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste/smell, congestion/runny nose (unrelated to chronic illness), or extreme fatigue/body aches. Symptoms should be resolved for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to the Eliot School.  
• Abstain from participation in any program held by the Eliot School for a minimum of 5 days following a positive COVID- 19 diagnosis. After 5 days, if the student tests negative and symptoms have been resolved for a minimum of 24 hours, they may return to programming.  
• Notify the Eliot School should the student become aware that they were positive with a communicable disease during their participation in an Eliot School program.  Communicable diseases include but are not limited to: COVID-19, Conjunctivitis, Strep Throat, Ringworm, Headlice, and Hand Foot and Mouth.

 

Safety First!

Safe, effective use of equipment is of paramount importance. We make every attempt to maintain a safe environment, but the final responsibility rests with each individual using tools, materials, and machines. 

Our instructors teach proper safety procedures to all students, and all students must read our safety rules. Students who fail to follow safety rules will be guided to the correct approach to protect themselves and others. Anyone may be asked to leave if proper safety procedures are not observed. 

Please fill out the emergency contact section fully on your registration form. In case of an emergency, we will want to be able to reach your emergency contact quickly and easily.

 

Children & Teens

Parents/guardians must pick up their children at the designated ending time of class.

Parents or guardians must thoroughly complete registration forms, including full contact and emergency contact information. 

Teens ages 13-17 are invited to participate in our "Teen" classes/workshops unless otherwise indicated. 

Admission to Adult (ages 18+) classes/workshops with parental consent may occur at the discretion of Eliot School staff. Please contact our Education and Engagement Coordinator to make a request. 

Lost & Found

Remember to take proper precautions to protect your valuables! The Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts is not responsible for any loss of personal property. 

Items with limited value, including water bottles, umbrellas, or articles of clothing, will be stored in the Lost and Found bin in the front lobby of the schoolhouse. People are welcome to come retrieve their items anytime the schoolhouse is open.  

Items of value, such as phones, laptops, or wallets, will be held in the office and can be picked up from the Education and Engagement Coordinator during office hours. Schoolhouse Office hours are from 9:30 AM-5:30 PM Monday through Friday. To check for any held lost items, you can email or call the Education and Engagement Coordinator at (617) 553-4684 or [email protected]. Owners will be required to confirm ownership by providing a description of the item at a minimum.  

The Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts will hold items of limited value until the first of each month, when items will then be donated, recycled, or properly disposed of. Lost items of value will be held in the office for a maximum of 3 months before being disposed of.