COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL

MUSIC DEPARTMENT

SPRING TRIP TO WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA

APRIL 15, 16, 17 & 18, 2010

April 9, 2010 - Email to Parents

First of all, thanks to everyone for your patience.  Only today were some of our final details finished and I appreciate your understanding as we prepare for our trip to Williamsburg.  

Attached to this email you will find two documents.  The first is our itinerary for the trip.  Please read it carefully and thoroughly as it will be our guide as we progress through our trip.  The second document is the Information, Packing, and Behavior Guidelines.  This pretty much spells-out in writing all of the expectations for student conduct on the trip and also provides other detailed information you will need.  Please read this document carefully and thoroughly as well.  Please print, sign, and return the last page of this document to me at CHS with your final payment.  

And lastly, for the final payment.  The total final cost per student is $435.00.  I know this is over the $400.00 estimate I gave initially, but this includes $40.00 which the students will receive back in the form of cash (4 x $10.00) for meals while we are traveling (see the itinerary for details).  We do this to ensure that students always have money available to eat at all times during the trip.  Essentially, the "cost" of the trip is $395.00 per student, and this is thanks to the our travel agent and the fundraising efforts of our band council.  This cost covers transportation, hotel stays for 3 nights, festival and adjudication fees, all meals outlined in the itinerary that are not part of the "$40.00 plan," admission to Busch Gardens, security in the hotel, and all taxes and gratuities.  In comparison to other trips we have taken and to those being taken by other schools this is a very cost-efficient trip.  

I will be sending individual emails tonight to everyone detailing your outstanding balances owed for the trip.  Please click on the following link to see your CHSMPA balance available which can be applied towards this final payment in part or in full. http://www.chsmpa.org/StudentAcctBalance.htm

If you are planning to use CHSMPA funds please email me that information directly, and please indicate the amount to be used.  The balance of this payment must be sent to me at CHS in the form of a check or money order payable to Columbia High School.  This is important - I can't tell you how many deposit checks I had to return because they were issued incorrectly.   I think that's it.  As always if you have any questions about our trip please feel free to email me at any time.  

Sincerely,   Mr. Bauer

 

All forms and payments are to be hand delivered to

Mr. Bauer at CHS or mailed to Mr. Bauer at CHS

NO CASH! 

Check or Money order only made out to:

Columbia High School.

Spring Trip Cover Letter:

To all music department students and parents,

We are pleased to announce that this year’s music department spring trip will be to Williamsburg, Virginia. The trip is centered around an adjudication festival sponsored by Heritage Festivals and will include performance opportunities for our bands, choirs, and orchestras. Many of the final details are still being organized but the basic outline of the trip is as follows:

Thursday, April 15

Depart for Williamsburg; possible stop at George Mason University in Fairfax for a tour and/or master classes with GMU faculty; continue to Williamsburg; dinner; check in to hotel

Friday April 16

Visit to Colonial Williamsburg; Heritage Festival adjudication performances

Saturday, April 17

Heritage Festival performances (if necessary); balance of the day in Busch Gardens theme park with dinner and awards ceremony in the park

Sunday, April 18

Depart for home; US Marine Band concert in Fairfax on the way

The trip is open to students in all of the CHS music performing ensembles, AP Music Theory, Music Fundamentals, and Musician’s Workshop classes:

Choir:

Women’s Chamber Choir

Excelsior Singers

Concert Chorale

Band:

Wind Ensemble

Symphonic Band

Concert Band

Jazz Band

Marching Band

Orchestra:

Honors Chamber Orchestra

String Orchestra

 

Classes:

AP Music Theory

Musician's Worskshop

Music Fundamentals

The cost of the trip, which is projected to be approximately $400.00, includes all transportation, 3 nights at a hotel, 3 meals per day, and all admissions and gratuities. Specific details such as times, locations, etc. are still being planned, but we wanted to get as much information as we had out to everyone this week.

The cost of this trip is based on the number of participants and we hope that most if not all of our students will be able to join us for this great experience. CHSMPA has offered some great fundraising opportunities throughout the year to help students raise money towards the cost of the trip, and the music department students have been doing their part with the Holiday Trolley, bake sales, and so forth. We still have to pay the bills, however, so we ask that the following payment schedule be adhered to:

Deposit due February 26

  • Complete the Participation Form
  • Complete the Medical and Emergency Information form
  • Hand deliver or mail the forms along with your                        NON-REFUNDABLE $250 deposit payment to Mr. Bauer by  Friday February 26.

Balance due March 19

  • You will receive a follow-up letter in March including the following forms to be completed:
    • Student Contract (Must be signed by both Parent/Guardian and Student)
    • Instrument Identification Form
    • Personal Accounting Sheet (including fees paid, available CHSMPA account balance available, and balance cost of the trip)

Hand deliver or mail forms and payment to Mr. Bauer by Friday March 19th.

ALL FORMS AND PAYMENTS should be in the form of check or money order (NO CASH) and payable to Columbia High School.

A current CHSMPA student account information list is posted in the music suite so that each student can check his or her current account balance. If you currently have funds in your student account and wish to use that money to cover all or part of the trip costs please indicate that amount on the participation form.

Thank you all for your continued support of the CHS music program and our 2010 spring trip. It should be a memorable time for everyone and a chance to make some great music together. If you have any questions regarding the trip please direct them to Mr. Bauer.

Sincerely,

Mr. Bauer, Director of Bands 

Mr. Russell, Director of Choral Activities 

Mr. Van Beveren, Orchestra Director

 

PDF DOWNLOADS

SPRING TRIP FORMS & Info:

Spring Trip Cover Letter

Participation Form

Emergency Form

Heritage Festivals Online Registration

Trip Itinerary

Trip Guidelines

 

Need to know your Student Account Balance?

Click here

PAYMENT DEADLINES:

Fri. February 26th:

$250 Non-refundable Deposit and Participation Form

DUE IMMEDIATELY:

Final Balance Payment due was emailed by Mr. Bauer to all families.

Mail or deliver Forms and Payments to:

Mr. Peter F. Bauer

Director of Bands

Columbia HS

17 Parker Avenue

Maplewood, NJ  07040