Good evening parents,
As you all know by now, our Spring Choir tour was approved almost 2 weeks ago, so we need to get some things moving here right away to get some deadlines secured. As you know, at the tour meeting I gave out an agenda with dates and deposit deadlines, so I have some updates and reminders below that may help in some tour and financial planning.
TOUR DEPOSIT DEADLINE!
Our first tour deposit and commitment letter deadline is coming soon (Wed. Sept. 17)! As of now I have received about 10 commitment letters, so I am encouraging families and students to move ahead and turn in their forms to commit to the trip as soon as possible. This deposit goes toward our plane seats and our tour company needs as close to the number as possible we are hoping to travel with us. If we don’t have enough commitment letters signed and deposits turned in, we will not be able to travel. Thank you for getting these forms turned in early next week (even at our Sept. 16th Booster meeting night!). I have attached a list here of all the students who have enough money in their accounts right now to cover their deposit if you wish to use their account now for that purpose.
COMPANION TOUR OPTIONS
Some of our parents expressed interest in a program that was offered to the Band last year on their tour. It is called the Companion Tour option. Here is what is being offered to our families if they choose to try this!
The companion trip would include various sites like Disneyland 2-day Park Hopper (what choir is doing) and tickets to Motown the Musical. Katie, our rep from Bob Rogers Travel, would put together a sheet (similar to the Band trip) and parents would need to turn in their check for those venues/sheet to me by a certain date. We would make the deadline right after the first of the year (January something). We would want an ‘estimate’ before then though, so Katie hold’s enough
tickets, especially for Motown. Please start e-mailing me number of family members (and names) and I will start a Google Doc and put their names on it. Please get me a number and name estimate by our Oct. 15th deposit deadline if you are interested.
TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR STUDENTS
1)Students traveling with their school or educational program on a future trip with Bob Rogers Travel may apply for BRT’s Moments That Matter Grants, which award up to $500 each to a limited number of deserving students with financial need. The application deadline is October 24; students must complete an essay, application and receive a signature from their teacher. View complete rules and download an application at: http://bobrogerstravel.com/grant.
2)Students are also eligible for the SYTA Youth Foundation’s Road Scholarship Program, which awards funds to youth who are unable to afford the cost of their group’s travel. Students must be nominated by their teacher through a brief web-based form. View complete rules and access the application here at:
http://sytayouthfoundation.org/grantsscholarships/silver-lining-second-article1#
The SYTA Youth Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Student and Youth Travel Association, of which BRT is a proud member and benefactor.
CHAPERONES
Lastly, parents who are interested in chaperoning choir tour…due to the delay of trip approval and the fact that our fingerprinting form was not found on any of our MCHS information, I have extended the chaperone deadline to Sept. 30th. I have attached the CBI Fingerprint form for you take to the Grundy-Kendall County Regional Office of Education to have your fingerprinting done so the school can receive those results by the deadline. I have attached another Chaperone
Survey, as well, if you need another, as all chaperone candidates need to fill this out and return to me by the end of the month to to be considered. Thanks so much!
Please e-mail me any questions you may have and I will be happy to help!
Thanks! Enjoy you weekend! I hope you enjoyed Blast-of! The students sang and competed so well!
Mr. Benware