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Flash, Flash, Flash! You can contact us by snail mail at:
AYSPA
POB 50475
ABQ 87181
Coming soon (I promise):
1. "Turkey Pizza" -- Bag Folding Party on Thanksgiving Weekend (Saturday): food (leftover turkey -- yecch!), music (Brazilian), movies (same), Brazilians (in the flesh???), fun ... and darn, LUMINARIA BAGS (20,000 left). Save the day! Have some fun! Oh, and did we tell you? DOOR PRIZES!
2. Mr Kats' report on his Conductor's Tour of Brazil
3. Making some Brazilian friends in Albuquerque
Have a question you would like us to address? Contact Mike Kruchoski, Terri Pribyl, or any of the AYSPA officers, to see an answer here. (Check your AYSPA Handbook for contact info.)
If you haven't already read this about important deadlines, please do so now. We are within a month of Luminaria Day (December 3rd).
If you haven't read this about workhouse assignments, find out where you were assigned.
Other important stuff:
1. Mark your folded bags before you turn them in. If your name is not on them, your work will not be credited to your account.
2. Put your name on any NEW orders that were not preprinted. If your name is not on them, we won't be able to guess who turned them in, and your sales will not be credited to your account.
3. Please ASK for a RECEIPT if you are turning in CASH with your orders. This is an important way to double check our accounting system. (The geezers in charge are honest but occasionally forgetful.)
4. Call all your assigned customers, even if it's only for half credit. Write a note on the bottom of your order form if they say they've already ordered through the AYS office or me (Mike Kruchoski).
5. Keep a record of how many bags you folded and how many luminarias you sold (and to whom). Being able to double-check this information ensures that all our customers are happy (because they get what they ordered & paid for) and you're happy (because you get the proper credit to your tour account).
The annual concert tour is an important part of the AYS experience for all our students. It is no more "optional" than, for example, playing in the state championship finals would be for all players on a sports team. Occasionally, parents and students are surprised to hear this, especially when they face the "sticker shock" (and time commitment) of fully participating in AYS throughout the year. However, this is the reality for a high achieving musical group that must pull together and work together as a single organization from beginning to end.
Both the AYS Program Board and AYS Parents Association Board work diligently to ensure that classical music, in general -- and AYS, in particular -- is not a pursuit reserved solely for a few privileged families and students. This commitment to provide musical and cultural opportunities for all students recognizes that talent and potential are not granted according to a student's social or economic standing.
Even so, it is still the responsibility of every family to determine how important AYS is for the student, decide what its financial priorities are, assess its own family resources, and commit fully to AYS if AYS is truly a top priority. This means:
1. Every family must pay regularly, within its capabilities, toward the cost of the tour -- every month.
2. Requests for financial assistance are strictly confidential. Only the AYSPA co-presidents will know the circumstances underlying a request.
3. There are no automatic scholarships or "merit" scholarships. You must make a request; it is not enough to simply choose to not make payments, assuming AYSPA will cover all tour costs. An AYS program scholarship does not guarantee assistance for the tour.
4. You will be expected to actively support our efforts to build the scholarship fund. The Board has already put considerable time and effort into several initiatives, but we will need your help (translate: work) to make those efforts successful.
5. Nothing is impossible with a positive, cooperative attitude and your commitment to hard work.
(There is still more important information to come, including a worksheet for requesting financial assistance, but it is under revision and will be posted soon. Please check back later tonight.)
Virginia Yen reports that she'll have the CDs from Kristine Purrington soon to sort them for distribution. CDs will be passed out to our students at rehearsal Monday, Nov. 14 (next week).
Parents: we want to avoid any losses like we did last year. (Two mothers reported they didn't get a CD last year.) We ordered only the exact number paid for, so make sure your student brings your CD home next week.
When you see Virginia, please convey your thanks for all her help. Her willingness to step in where needed makes our organization run more smoothly -- and ensures you have a lifetime memento of your student's performances.
Two things in the "easier-said-than-done" department:
-- Ensuring that every student is able to go on tour, and
-- Remembering to make that tour payment on time every month.
The first (No AYS Student Left Behind) depends, in large part, on second (Regular Monthly Payments). Remember: tour payments of $250 are due by the 15th of every month, starting in July, until your student's account balance reaches $2500. That means another payment is due next week.
The good news is that four out of five AYS families are current on their student's tour accounts. And several of the families in greatest need of assistance are actively supporting our efforts to raise more "scholarships" funds.
The bad news: 20% of student accounts are not current. This jeopardizes our ability to fulfill the contractual requirement for regular tour deposits to Ambassador Tours. If we miss a payment, we face the possibility of a late payment penalty.
The AYSPA Board and AYS Program have worked very hard to garner the best possible travel value for our historic 50th Anniversary concert tour. Our trip to Brazil next summer promises to be an incredible musical, educational, and intercultural experience of a lifetime for our young musicians. We will continue to work hard to keep tour costs from creeping upward due to late payment penalties. That means, of course, everyone's account must be current.
If you've fallen behind -- or expect to be late on your next payment -- please call Mike Kruchoski (480-5000) or Jill Hartman (268-5260) to tell us how you plan to catch up.
Remember, luminaria credits cannot count toward your account balance until the final reconciliation sometime later in the winter or early spring.
(Revised 11-06-2005)
Tim Bowen and Mike Kruchoski met earlier this week to make the initial assignments to workhouses (click here for lists by workhouse or by student name). It was a challenge for two reasons, so you should expect to see some minor changes as we approach Luminaria Day.
These initial assignments were based on last year's sales patterns, which may shift as our luminaria sales are tabulated this year. As a result, workhouse assignments will change as neccesary.
Hint: The more help we get with data entry, the quicker we can make the necessary adjustments. Translation: We still need volunteers for this critical job. Volunteer help also ensures that sales entries are accurate, that we get the right delivery information about our valued customers, and that full credit is given to the correct student accounts. You don't need to be a "computer wiz" to help with data entry! There is plenty of non-computer work that requires your help.
Besides sales patterns, another factor that may dictate changes is delivery capability. Because there are no workhouses in the Highland, Nob Hill, University, Downtown, and Old Town neighborhoods, we will all face some long delivery distances. If necessary, we may reassign some families to help balance those delivery workloads.
Try as we might, it simply wasn't possible to assign everyone to the very closest workhouse. Nor was it possible to consider preferences about being assigned to a friend's workhouse. Our overriding goal is to ensure, as best we can, a smooth & successful luminaria day at every workhouse and our organization as a whole. With your help and cooperation, we should be able to easily achieve that goal.
Please give your workhouse hosts the utmost support when they get in touch with you soon.
As always, feel free to call or email Mike Kruchoski or any of the AYSPA officers if you have questions, comments, or suggestions -- and even offers of help!