Good morning and Happy Wednesday!
We’re now into November, the home stretch before the recital, and inching closer and closer to the holidays. Not too many items to dive into today, but what is being covered is highly important, so please make sure you read through with care.
First off…TODAY, 11/1/2023, IS THE DEADLINE FOR RECITAL ENROLLMENT, STUDENT INFORMATION ON OPUS, AND TRACKS!
You must have your tracks submitted to the office email by the end of the day today. When submitting them, please include student name, track link, and any special instructions (I.e., fade at 2:30, start at :25, etc.). If these are not submitted today, your student WILL NOT have a track. Laura is doing all of the information transfer from the signup page into Opus, so all you will need to do is enter song titles, artists, duration, if they need a stand/track/accompanist, and confirm all is correct. You do not need to worry about enrolling students on Opus. If you are submitting/using a track with any questionable language/references, please do your due diligence and find a clean edit that censors these items. The last thing we need to endure is complaints or outcry from parents over inappropriate content in a song, and that will make its way down the ladder to you. I’d rather not have any of us exposed to that, so be mindful of the content you are using. Again, all of these items MUST be done TODAY. If you have questions, please email, text, call, or visit my room to clear up any confusion. If you are attending/participating in the recital, we will have a small job for you to help facilitate the day(s) and keep the event moving smoothly and efficiently.
Secondly, this is just as, if not more important than the recital. There has unfortunately been an influx of punctuality issues recently, and parents, students, and office staff have taken notice. We racked up 8 instances of teachers showing up late over the past week, leading to last minute subbing, cancelled lessons, or private makeups. We understand that life happens and emergencies arise sometimes, but we have to be more conscious and aware of our timeliness and attendance in general. With our goal of providing excellent service in mind, it begins with us walking through the door early/on time. We have had a few parents inquire about teacher changes due to repeated tardies/call outs, so be aware that you are at serious risk of losing students/days off of your schedule if you are habitually late/absent. If we need to make adjustments to your schedule or figure out a way to set you up with a more manageable time layout, please let us know. We would rather change your days/times than have you face consequences for attendance problems.
As we enter the final 2 and a half weeks before the recital, it is imperative to clean up any problem spots in performance pieces, to emulate the performance setting, and to discuss etiquette with your students. The next 16 days are going to fly by, so let’s make this experience as memorable and fun as possible for our students! As always, PLEASE reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns. Some of you have been amazing with asking questions, bouncing ideas, or seeking help. I am happy to be of assistance and I am here to provide the support for PMA admin as well as for our teachers. I appreciate the work you all put in each week and thank you for your efforts every day. I look forward to a great few weeks, recital, and end of year with you all.