September News and Reminders

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome back! I hope you all had a happy and safe summer. We have been back at lessons for the past two weeks and I am so pleased with the progress many students made through the summer. Perhaps having Guild Auditions in the month of July helped :-) I am really looking forward to a wonderful year of making music together!

Below are a few reminders and some dates to remember.

1. The Calendar and Swap List is up online, as is the Studio Calendar. Please print them out to have on hand. Please contact me if you don't see your name on the list.

2. September Tuition (#1 of 10) is now due. We accept Venmo, checks made out to Klassically Cool Music School or cash.

3. We will continue to follow the CDC as well as state and local guidelines for reopening the studio for in- person lessons. Please stay tuned!

4. Benjamin Griswold and Jeffrey Drew will be participating in an online recital for the Broward County Music Teachers Association (BCMTA) Jazz Pop Rock Concert on Sunday, September 13. I will send the link out in a group email closer to the date.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend!

Love,

Mrs. Purchase 

JUNE JUNE JUNE!!!!

Dear Parents and Students,

It is hard to believe that this is the last week of lessons for the 2019-2020 school year!

The time has flown by and with it, came many challenges. I am proud to say, these were overcome with grace, a good sense of humor and thankfully in good health by all. I was so happy to see how families came together to make sure music studies continued, setting up cameras, microphones, making sure that practicing took place and particularly the Student Day Exams that could never have been so successfully completed without parental support!

I am pleased and very proud to report that every student received Honors (top marks-scoring 90 and above) in their Student Day Keyboard Skills and Performance Exams. Many 5 year medals, Level 7 and 10 plaques were awarded, along with gold medals for Honors. 

I will continue working on a complimentary basis to assist students in their preparation who are registered for the National Guild Auditions which will take place in late July. Guild Students and Parents, you will receive a separate email regarding the logistics of uploading videos and music for the evaluations.

This year there may be summer lessons offered for those enrolled in the conservatory track, scheduled around our travel. Please contact me individually as the time will be extremely limited.

Regarding online lessons, Klassically Cool Music School will follow the model of the Broward County Schools. When schools reopen for in-person classes, so will we.

For the consideration of all our students and families, if you or your child are exhibiting symptoms of illness, please let me know and we will have your lesson online until you are healthy again. Additionally, online lessons will continue to be offered as a matter of preference or convenience as a teaching medium for any family.

The Registration Deadline for the 2020-2021 school year is July 1, 2020. This unfortunately is strict deadline as there are several potential students that chose to remain on the waiting list for lessons. Any available spots will be filled on July 2. Please download the Registration forms which must be completely filled out each year. I know some of you have completed the same forms for many years in a row but it greatly helps me with my record keeping. Our business model is a school and I keep these records based the school year. Thank you for your help and understanding in this regard.

Please submit them with the Registration Fee. Registration forms submitted without the fee or with outstanding tuition due will not be considered valid. Please drop them off or mail them to:

Klassically Cool Music School 

720 NE 12 Ave

Pompano Beach, Fl

33060

We accept personal, bank and cashiers checks, Venmo (@MaryBeth-Purchase), Square and cash as forms of payment. Unfortunately our bank does not accept CashApp or Zelle.

In closing, please be on the lookout for an email with information concerning our June 19, 2020 Spring ZOOM recital. This is a first for us and it should be exciting as we all know that ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!!!

Love as always,

Mrs. Purchase

April 13 Updates

Dear Parents,

 Happy day after Easter! I hope this finds you well and recharged. I am looking forward to seeing you- via Skype or FaceTime this week. A few reminders prior to the lesson:

1. Please make sure you text me a picture of the notes from the last lesson and any completed theory pages.

2. Please make sure that the camera is set to show the students complete keyboard and their hands on the keys. Angling the camera, slightly above the keyboard and to either side of the piano is preferred.

3. Please have all materials ready and close at hand: notebook, pencil, music and theory books.

4. Please sit near by to take notes and assist in getting the correct materials, and books quickly up on the music stand. Obviously, teens may not need this assistance, but most appreciate your help with taking notes.

5. Please try very hard to eliminate any distractions, television, loud conversations, dog barking, music blaring, etc as that carries through to my speaker and then I can’t hear your child :-)

So, that’s it for this week and I will be emailing some good news regarding Student Day Exams later this week.

Love,

Mrs. Purchase

April News and Student Day Performance Plans

Dear Parents and Students,

I hope this finds you continuing to feel well and adjusting to the confines of sheltering in place. 

It is such a joy for me to be able to see your sweet faces each week at our regularly scheduled time and gives me renewed hope that this COVID situation isn't all hopeless and life can and does go on. I am so proud of all of you and your enthusiastic participation in these online lessons. 

Please read through to the end and take note of important info and calendar changes.

Our Spring break was scheduled for April 12. However, I am moving the Spring Break week up to April 6-9. (NEXT WEEK NO LESSONS!) Also, I have not used two of the extra weeks that were built into the calendar. Just a heads up; our daughter, Tori, is due to give birth to her first child on April 27. Depending upon when and how the delivery goes, I may be taking off one of those two weeks around that time with short notice.

1. Lessons will continue online until we are given an all clear on the virus threat declaration by the authorities

2. April tuition will be due at the first lesson of the month of April. My mailing address is 720 NE 12 Ave, Pompano Beach, Fl 33060.

3. The FSMTA Student Day Performance Exam has not been cancelled! It is postponed until (see number 1 above). Levels 7, 10 and 12 will do an online audition the weekend of April 24.

4. We will schedule Guild Auditions for Memorial Day Weekend, per usual. I doubt they will be cancelled, perhaps postponed, but not cancelled.

5. Our end of year recital may be pushed back into June, but that is fine! This will keep students engaged and practicing.

We have several health professionals and first responders among our studio families for whom I know we are all so grateful for their selfless service at this challenging time.Please join me in remembering them in your thoughts and prayers throughout this health event.

My love always,

Mrs. Purchase

A Musicthon Letter from Mrs. Purchase

Dear Students and Parents,

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your enthusiastic participation last evening in our annual BCMTA Musicthon. The students were joyful and all families supportively stayed throughout everyone's first performance, which is very thoughtful and respectful.  As many of you know, Musicthon and the Music Teachers National Association is very important to me. As a young teacher, I was lovingly mentored by talented pedagogues who loved their students as much as I love mine. I went on to become the President of Broward County Music Teachers Association (BCMTA) as well as District 6 and then the President of the FLorida State Music Teachers Association.

 

Musicthon is the only fundraising event that BCMTA holds to support their many programs for students and teachers. In addition, BCMTA gives 20% of donations received to another non-profit charitable entity that we choose to partner with. For several years now, that partner is 4Kids of South Florida. There were once four children that due to circumstances beyond their control, were placed into foster care. Through 4Kids, the two separate sets of siblings were kept together in the foster home and were adopted by their foster family three years ago.They are now my grandchildren! We have seen first hand, the effects of a broken system that is drowning under the weight of the epidemic of drug abuse, family tragedy, domestic violence and neglect. 4Kids is a beacon of hope and help for those who unfortunately find themselves in such a situation. It is very near and dear to my heart, as it brought four precious children into our family. 

As I witnessed your fellowship and performances unfold last night for this event that is so special to me, you all just blessed me more than I can express.

Thank you again for helping our studio give back to our community.

With my love,

Mrs. Purchase