Friday, April 3, 2020 by Averil Spence-Clarke | Uncategorized

To All ASC Music Students & Parents:

First and foremost, I would like to send out a “BIG THANK YOU” to all our parents & community frontline and essential workers!!  Without your caring, generous contributions to our community, we would be in a much worse position.

The news today certainly underlines the fact that we are in this crisis mode for the foreseeable future.  Life style changes are now mandatory.I know that I am still struggling with the “many” day to day changes that I have to deal with and I am certain that you must all be in the same position.

For those who were able to attend the “Meet & Greet” – I appreciate your attendance and input.Following that meeting, a couple of outcomes were decided:

• This will be my final email for a while.  Instead, I will post updates including this message to the portal by 5:00 pm every Friday unless there is a message of sufficient and major import to warrant an urgent email.
• I am available to accept any calls/texts/emails or arranged Zoom/FaceTime calls to discuss any challenges or concerns
• Students will receive lesson notes on an ongoing basis through the portal notes.
• If you are interested in intermittent or regular ON-LINE lessons, I have transitioned to the Zoom platform.  I know there are concerns with security, but it is the best one available for this type of lessons.  Lesson days are currently: Mondays & Thursdays from 9:30 AM – 7:30 PM.  I will add extra hours/days when needed. Once a lesson has been booked, I will send you a ZOOM invitation (a url address) that will allow you to meet me for the lesson(s) and will confirm whether the timeslot will be regular/irregular.  For recurring lessons, you will be able to use the same URL for each lesson.
• Scheduled Lessons to date have worked well with just a few glitches along the way. For the most part, those have been from the learning curve of (you guessed it….. the not too technically oriented music teacher) namely, myself!!J

Upcoming:  I am working on some support models for students unable to schedule lessons or uncomfortable with the technology.  This would enable some interaction and hopefully, minimize any loss to music learning to date.  More to follow.   If students or parents have ideas for continued learning, please contact me, I would love to hear from you. 

Until then, please take care of yourselves & be safe.

Mrs. A.

Sunday, March 15, 2020 by Averil Spence-Clarke | Uncategorized

To All ASC Music Students & Parents:

There is a quote which says “May one live in interesting times”.  Like it or not, we are living in interesting times.  Today it is a time of uncertainty with the advent of COVID 19 and its surrounding challenges.  Unprecedented is the closure of schools across the board and its subsequent ramifications.  Balancing work/life/safety issues has had to become the focus for everyone. 

I know that I have had many enquiries from parents and students about lessons in studio, safety, especially with air vectored instruments such as the flute and just basic safety for every person that passes through the studio.  I have been giving the subject a lot of thought as to how best to proceed in order to keep everyone safe and still deliver an uninterrupted schedule of lessons towards planned outcomes.

I have decided to follow a two pronged approach until further modifications have to take place.  For those who are currently reasonably comfortable, in-studio lessons will still be offered with changes to how a lesson will be conducted.  If not wanting/willing to have in-person lesson, then I am able to offer on-line lessons (details below).  I will continue to monitor changes to the status/impacts of the virus and modify lesson delivery as needed.

In-Studio Lessons beginning Tuesday, March 17 ^th :

• On entry, each student will be asked to wash their hands for at minimum of 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to ensure that you have washed long enough) before coming into the studio area
• I will be sanitizing the keyboard between students; please make sure to remind students to wait until I have done so before getting seated at the keyboard
• Each student will be requested to bring their own pencils, binders, music etc. to minimize the amount of shared material contact
• If a student has a cough/sniffles/or other sign of a cold, please make sure to keep them at home.  No problems with cancelling on short notice (better to be safe).
• If there are any other precautions that you would like to see instituted, please notify me at your earliest convenience.

On-Line Lessons beginning Tuesday, March 17 ^th :

• The vehicle that I use for On-line lessons is Skype.  In order to access an on-line lesson, you will have to have a Skype account. If you have an account and would like to book on-line lessons, all you need to do is forward your Skye username to me. If you do not have an account, then you would need to download Skype, create a username and then forward that username to me.
• You will also need a device (computer, laptop or other device) that can be close to the keyboard or to the standing flute player with video/audio capabilities.
• Once you have determined that you would like on-line lessons and have sent me the information, then I will forward detailed instructions as to how the lesson will be conducted using the on-line method.

Working towards safety while retaining forward momentum is the current goal!  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mrs. A.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 by Averil Spence-Clarke | Uncategorized

To All ASC Students & Parents:

Good afternoon! I hope you are all enjoying this delightfully sunny sometimes overcast, warm sometimes chilly or rainy but always unpredictable weather!  I am reserving my “Hoorah’s” until after Easter – there always seems to be rain/sleet/snow over my Easter weekend.

March Break is here with many students planning to be away for some fun in the sun or snow during the week of March15 ^th – 21 ^st .

April  will also see us having a Break for the Easter weekend from April 10 ^th – April 13th   (Studio Closed)

I will also be unavailable for lesson the weekend of April 24 ^th -26 ^th : I will be attending Christopher’s Graduation Recital in Kitchener!! J

The balance of March, April, May & June with the exception of Victoria Day (May 21 ^st -  Studio Closed) should be uninterrupted for the most part. 

Please note – March Break Lesson Schedule – no scheduled lessons on: Monday March 16 ^th; Friday, March 20 ^th; Saturday, March 21st 

March Break Week, March 16th – 21st Lessons are available on 

•  Tuesday (Mar. 17 ^th ) from 3:30 pm – 8:00 pm & Happy St. Paddy’s Day
•  Wednesday (Mar. 18 ^th ) from 1:00 – 7:00 pm
•  Thursday (Mar. 19 ^th )  from 12:00 – 8:00 pm

If you would like to maintain your regular lesson and it falls in the available scheduled times, then you do not have to make any changes.  Iif you would like to cancel your scheduled lesson or reserve a different timeslot, please call or visit the portal as soon as possible.  I am available by phone, text or email if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks again to everyone for your patience when I have to cancel/reschedule lessons on short notice.

Wishing everyone an enjoyable, relaxing & energizing March Break if I don’t see you!!

Cheers

Mrs. A.