Update on Thursday!

Sometimes we get thrown "curve balls" and we have no choice but to deal with it! I'm sorry that I have to keep posting updates regarding the event on Thursday, but the information keeps changing and I it's my responsibility to get the information out to you. I have no explanation or answers as to why things have changed, but the fact is they have, and we have to adjust.

Here is what we found out today when we did our "walk thru" down at the Convention Center:

• This event is NOT open to the public! This is a special event for invited guests and dignitaries only. I know several of you were hoping to attend, but I was told there will be plenty of media coverage and for parents to "tune in" to your local news. I'm sorry!
• They are NOT providing lunch free to the band students. Cornerstone will have extra meals ready if the band students would like to purchase them, as the some of the student body does on Thursdays. The cost is $3.00.

The band students will be dismissed at 10:30 a.m. to load the equipment truck, change and eat lunch. Then they will be transported in two groups (since we only have one bus available) down to the convention center by 12:15 - 12:30 p.m.

They should be back at the school by the end of the day dismissal.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me in the high school office.

Time Change in Thursday's Performance!

UPDATE!!!

ACA Marching Band to perform at
Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center
Grand Opening!
Thursday, January 31st
1:00 p.m. (NOTE NEW TIME!!!)

The Band will be dismissed around 11:20 a.m. and directed to the M.P.R. to pick up lunch provided by Cornerstone. The kids will eat in the Band Room and change and be ready for departure by 12:15 p.m.

The band will be performing "pep rally" style (high energy, playing stand tunes) for the Grand Opening of the Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center. They will need to wear their marching uniforms (bring them to school and change before departure), so MAKE SURE they are CLEAN! We will be transporting the students in the ACA school buses. The kids should be back at the school in time for 3:15 p.m. dismissal.

Band Announcements

ACA Marching Band to perform at

Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center

Grand Opening!

Thursday, January 31st

10:00 a.m.

The band will be performing "pep rally" style (high energy, playing stand tunes) for the Grand Opening of the Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center. They will need to wear their marching uniforms (bring them to school and change before departure), so MAKE SURE they are CLEAN! We will be transporting the students in the ACA school buses and lunch will be provided. More details will be announced as they are received.

It's time for CANDY GRAMS!

We will be selling Candy Grams for $1.00 each and Flower Grams for $2.00 each. Order forms are available in the school lobby. Orders will be taken from February 4th - 8th and the Candy Grams will be delivered during 7th period on February 13th.

1st Deposit Due!

Don't forget that your first payment of $150 is due tomorrow, January 10th! (This is the payment that originally was due in December, but the deadline was extended). If you made the payment in December, your next payment is not due until February 8th.

The payment can be placed in the metal deposit box in the band room, or given to me in the High School Office. I will be there from 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. this Thursday and Friday.

Payment Schedule:

$150 first payment due January 10th

$150 second payment due February 8th

$150 third payment due March 10th

Please email me at traceykirksey@knology.net with any questions!

Spring Trip Chaperone Information

Just a few more things I failed to mention in the previous post/email...

The chaperone rate is based on "double occupancy", meaning two in a room. Obviously, husbands and wives going together would share a room. If you are attending without your spouse, you will be paired up with another chaperone attending "solo".

There will not be chaperones staying in the student rooms!

However, when we arrive at the hotel and assign rooms, we will place the chaperone rooms near the student rooms. For example: three or four student rooms, then a chaperone room, and so on.

IMPORTANT!!!

Do not call the travel company handling this trip for us. They only handle groups and CANNOT book your individual trips. I received a call about this today from the Trip Coordinator regarding a phone call she received. She asked me to politely remind parents who are not designated chaperones as part of our group to make their own travel arrangements. As I mentioned in the previous post/email, you can contact the hotel directly by going to their web site http://www.regalsunresort.com/.

Reminder:

If you have any questions regarding the trip, please direct them to Gary or myself. Mr. Stough is focusing his time and effort on the performance aspect of this trip (preparing the band), and we are handling the trip details. We will be glad to assist you with any questions or concerns.

Spring Trip Information

We finally have some more information for you regarding the Spring Trip to Disney! We received our information packets with preliminary itineraries yesterday afternoon, and Mr. Stough and I have been studying the information and planning diligently!

We have had several meetings regarding chaperones, and due to a limited number of rooms available in our package, we had to limit the amount of chaperones we can take as part of the group. We are trying to average 1 adult per 4 students.

As a chaperone, you are entitled to the same $450 student rate which includes:

3 nights hotel stay

3-day Park Hopper ticket

3 breakfast vouchers

3 dinner vouchers (includes 1 evening at the Rainforest Cafe)

If you would like to go on the trip as a non-chaperoning adult, you would be responsible for making your own hotel reservations, providing your own transportation and taking care of your park tickets and meals.

The hotel we are staying in is a Disney Resort called the Regal Sun Resort. This hotel is located near Downtown Disney. The web site is http://www.regalsunresort.com/. If you would like to stay in the same hotel, I would suggest making your reservations as soon as possible, as accommodations are quickly filling up.

The chaperones are as follows:

Mr. Stough (Director)

Rachel Phillips (Color Guard Coordinator)

Gary & Tracey Kirksey

Tommy & Diane Patterson

Randy & Cecilia Porterfield
Tony & Elizabeth Staten

Roger & Vicki Riley

Jerry & Michele Hensley

David & Melanie Beasley

Philip & Julia Edwards

Carl & Gail Head

Janet Morrison

Judy Rittenour

Lori Toste

Lori Aehnlich

Kim Pair

Karen Easley

Tammy Tolliver

Michelle Bush

Vicki Faulk

Melissa Petrey

The first payment of $150 is due by January 10th (for students and chaperones).

The preliminary itinerary is as follows (may change as needed):

Wednesday:

Depart ACA approximately 9:00 a.m.

Travel day

Check into the hotel in the early evening

Dinner at various eateries either in the hotel or Downtown Disney

(all meals this day are on your own and not part of the dining package)

Thursday:

Disney Dining Card can be used for breakfast

Enjoy day 1 of the 3-day Park Hopper to Disney World Theme Parks

Disney Dining Card can be used for lunch or dinner

Friday:

Disney Dining Card can be used for breakfast

Enjoy day 2 of the 3-day Park Hopper to Disney World Theme Parks

(Festival Disney Performance may take place either Friday or Saturday. We are awaiting word from Disney on scheduling).

Group dinner at the Rainforest Cafe (located at the entrance to Animal Kingdom)

Saturday:

Disney Dining Card can be used for breakfast

Check out of the hotel

Enjoy day 3 of the 3-day Park Hopper to Disney World Theme Parks

(Festival Disney Performance may take place either Friday or Saturday. We are awaiting word from Disney on scheduling).

Disney Dining Card can be used for lunch or dinner

Depart for home Saturday evening (time TBA)

Please remember that this a preliminary itinerary and some details could change.

If your child eats 3 meals a day, you will need to send extra money as only breakfast and one additional meal is provided through dining cards each day.

Important Reminder: If you have any questions regarding the trip, please direct them to Gary or myself. Mr. Stough is focusing his time and effort on the performance aspect of this trip (preparing the band), and we are handling the trip details. We will be glad to assist you with any questions or concerns.

As always, I will post more information as soon as it becomes available.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas season and are looking forward to many great things in the new year!

First, we want to apologize to Mike Bush, who is our Staging, Maintenance, and Performance officer. In my haste to post Mr. Stough's letter on Christmas Eve, I inadvertantly left him off the list of officers. Mike, we absolutely could NOT have gotten through each performance without the assistance of you and your wonderful crew! So, thank you, to each person who carried band equipment, lugged speakers, flags, etc. You all made it possible!

Secondly, we will hit the ground running in the new year! The first Spring Trip payment of $150 is due January 10th. We found out right before the Christmas break that our paperwork/registration fee was sent to the wrong office, so that has held us up some in getting information, but we hope to have more details within the next week. We also will be able to post those that are going as chaperones, as well as provide information for those that would like to travel along as non-chaperones. Please be patient! We provide and post information as quickly as we receive it!

Lastly, we want to thank you for your selfless service to the Band Program at ACA and supporting the Band through the Booster program. We look forward to working together in 2008!

Gary & Tracey Kirksey
ACA Band Booster Presidents