*BEFORE*
signing up for a class, please read the text below. By signing up,
you are confirming that you understand the information below (including
our cancellation policy).
Questions? You can reach us at email@thenovastudio.com or by
calling 510-234-5700.
PAYMENT
OPTIONS
• Checks - Accepted in person or via mail.
Be sure to include the Registration
Form with your payment.
• Cash - Accepted in person only at The
Nova Studio (please do not mail cash) - use
the Registration Form.
• Credit Cards Online - Processed through
PayPal (links are on class description pages, via
the Calendar Page).
HOW
TO REGISTER
• Check or Cash: If you would like to register
for a class and pay by check or cash, check the class description page (linked on the Calendar Page) to see if the class still has openings. As long as you don't see "Class Full" or "Registration Closed", print out the Registration
Form and follow the instructions.
If a class fills before we receive your payment, we will call immediately to let you know. If you write a check that is returned by your bank for
any reason, you will be responsible to pay a $20 fee
to cover bank fees and inconvenience (in addition to
the class fee).
• Credit Cards: We accept credit card payments
on-line only (through our website) using PayPal, a secure
site used for safely transferring money on-line.
There is no cost to you for using this service. To pay
on-line using your credit card, visit the individual
class description page (linked on the Calendar
Page) and click on the Visa/Mastercard "Add to Cart" button associated with the date you want.
You will be taken to the PayPal website where further
instructions will be given. You can make an instant
payment using your credit card without creating a PayPal
account. Once your payment goes through, you should receive
an instantaneous e-mail from PayPal confirming
that your payment went through. This is your confirmation of registration. If you do not receive an e-mail confirmation,
or if you sign-up for a class with less than five days
notice, please call 510-234-5700 to confirm your enrollment.
REGISTRATION
MISCELLANEOUS
•
Sign-ups are on a first-come, first-served basis.
•
Prepayment of class fees in full is required at the time you sign-up to reserve your space.
•
All materials fees are due IN CASH and are collected at the beginning of the class by the teacher.
• Many classes fill up in advance, so early registration is strongly recommended.
• To give personal attention, class size is limited
to 7 - 18 students, depending on the class.
• The following contact information is required for all students:
Name, Phone Number(s) and E-mail Address.
• By signing up, you are saying that you have read this entire
page, including our refund policy directly below.
CANCELLATION
POLICY
If you are coming from out of town, contact us BEFORE MAKING any non-refundable travel arrangements so we can verify the class has met the minimum and is definitely a go.
All payments are non-refundable, but we do offer partial class credit depending on how much advance notice you give us. If you cannot attend a class, you can always send someone in your place. Alternatively, you can receive partial credit as described below. Note: We do not offer refunds, only future class credits.
Single Day Cancellation Policy
•
At Least 7 Days' Notice: If you cannot attend (for any reason) and you call us at 510-234-5700 with 7 or more days' notice, you will be able to transfer your class fee, minus a $15 change fee, to any future class.
•
At Least 48 Hours' Notice: If you cannot attend (for any reason) and you call us with at least 48 hours' notice (but less than 7 days before the class) you will be able to transfer 50% of your class fee to any future class.
•
Less than 48 Hours' Notice: If you give us less than 48 hours' notice than you cannot attend a class, you forfeit your class fee. We are happy to send the class handouts to you. Simply email us a request.
Multi-Day AND Visiting Teacher Cancellation Policy
• At Least 60 Days' Notice: If you cannot attend (for any reason) and you call us with at least 60 days' notice, you will be able to transfer 75% of your class fee to any future class.
• At Least 30 Days' Notice: If you cannot attend (for any reason) and you call us with at least 30 days' notice (but less than 60 days before the class) you will be able to transfer 50% of your class fee to any future class.
• At Least 7 Days' Notice: If you cannot attend (for any reason) and you call us with at least 7 days' notice (but less than 30 days before the class) you will be able to transfer 25% of your class fee to any future class.
• Less than 7 Days' Notice: If you give us less than 7 days' notice that you cannot attend a class, you forfeit your class fee. We are happy to send the class handouts to you. Simply email us a request.
Class Cancellations (if we cancel): If enrollment is below the studio minimum of
5 students, the teacher has the right to cancel a class one
week prior to the class. If a class is cancelled you will be contacted
using the phone number and/or e-mail address that you gave when signing up. You will have a choice of a full refund or a credit for any future class.
WHAT
TO BRING
You'll need to bring the materials fees (CASH only please) and the amount is listed on the individual class description pages. We provide just about everything else you need - simply show up and we'll do the rest! In rare cases where an
instructor wants you to bring something, that will be indicated in the
on-line class description (all class descriptions are viewable from the Calendar
Page) and also in the e-mail confirmation that we send you. Please
be sure to provide your correct contact information, phone number(s) & e-mail address, when signing
up.
CLASS
LOCATION
Unless otherwise specified, all classes are held at The
Nova Studio located at 24 West Richmond Ave. in Point Richmond,
CA 94801. If you've never been to The Nova Studio,
please visit our Location Page with
a map and detailed driving directions. Please research & print out
directions before the day of the class, as you may not
be able to reach someone by phone on the day of class. Students
can normally find non-metered parking within one block of the studio.
Although Point Richmond is generally considered very safe, as a common
sense reminder, please don't leave any valuables in view in your car.
WHAT
NOT TO BRING TO CLASS
As much as we love pets, some people are allergic to them, so
we have to ask that you leave them at home. Also, please do not show
up for the class with any additional people (that includes husbands, babies
or small children). Unexpected guests often cause distractions
that are not appreciated by paying customers. We wouldn't even think
to mention this, but we once had a dog, a baby, and a five-year-old all
show up unexpectedly in the same sold-out class! Please also do not wear synthetic fragrances to class. Many people are allergic to synthetic fragrances, & they can disrupt our classes which largely use natural fragrances only.
PHOTO & VIDEO POLICY
We DO allow photos to be taken during classes, but unfortunately NOT any videotaping (on phones, cameras or video cameras). It's the only real way for us to protect our intellectual property. Any photos that you wish to take must be as unobtrusive as possible, as we have had complaints from students in the past about people taking too many photos or interrupting class because of their intrusive photo taking. Please make sure you know how to turn off your flash & any sounds your camera makes before you arrive at the studio. And please try to be inconspicuous as you take pictures - not taking shots of any other students without their permission or getting in the way of anyone's "class experience." And if you end up with any great shots, we’d love it if you would email them to us! Thank you for understanding.
MINIMUM
AGE & KIDS CLASSES
Although our classes are designed for adults, we have had young people
as young as 6 attend with an adult. If you feel your child is mature
enough to attend a class with or without you, please discuss it with
us before signing up (as some classes are better for young people
than others). We occasionally offer classes specifically for those under
18. Check the current Calendar to
find out if any are coming up. We do offer private parties if you have
a group of young people (or adults) who want to do a class for a special
occasion. If interested, contact us with as much advance notice as
possible (3 months is ideal, but less time might work if we have an
available dates).
LOST HANDOUTS / REPRINTS
We could be kept busy at least one day per week responding to email and filling requests to replace lost handouts. So, due to the large number of requests we receive, here is our handout reprint policy: If you have taken a class within the last 12 months and lost your handout (your dog ate them, they flew out of your convertible, etc.) we will send you a replacement copy for a $20 processing fee. Please submit all requests in writing and mail it to us (at 24 W. Richmond Ave., Point Richmond, CA 94801) with your $20 check (per class) along with your name, class title, approximate date you took the class (sorry but we can only fulfill requests for classes taken within the last year), your mailing address, and your $20 check made out to "The Nova Studio." At this time, we do not send handouts via e-mail. Once we verify that you have taken the class, we will send a copy of the class handouts. If you are requesting handouts for a class you have not yet taken or for a class you took more than 1 year ago, the price for what we call the eClass handouts is $39 each. These are the most current and up to date class handouts that we have. More information on purchasing eClass handouts can be found on this page.
TEACHER INFORMATION
On each class description page, the teacher's name is listed under the
title of each class. The majority of the classes (soapmaking, candle
making, and bath & body product making classes) are taught by the
owner, Lori Nova. Other classes are taught by talented and creative
individuals and artists from all over the Bay Area. You can find each
instructor's bio on the same page as their class description as well
as on our Teacher Page. If you have
teaching experience and a unique/creative class idea you think would
work at The Nova Studio, please contact us at: email@thenovastudio.com with a class proposal, your resume & references.
