PIANO LESSON NEWS AND UPDATES
JUNE 2021
May 2021
1485 S. COLORADO BLVD. SUITE 130
720-708-3251
admin@denverama.org
SEPTEMBER 2024
NEWSLETTER
CURRENT STUDENTS
We need for current students to register for the 2024-205 school year if they would like to continue taking private music lessons. This is because a lot can change from one school year to the next. New students who registered between June -August 2024 do not need to re-register unless their contact info has changed or if there are any other changes regarding their child that would affect their music lessons. Please read through our new POLICIES / PROCEDURES for the 2024/2025 school year. There are some very important changes. We need this form completed by September 21, 2024.
WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!
AIDEN B.
ALICE L.
CHARLOTTE L.
CHRISTINE F.
ELI F-R.
ELOISE M.
HENRY P.
ISABELLA L.
JULIE D.
MARIN W.
NIKO G.
PETULA P-W.
ROWEN M.
ZOE S.
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT OF THE SUMMER 2024
ELEA G.
Our student of the summer is Elea G. Elea has been working with Miss Abby since January 2024. She has progressed very quickly because she practices a lot. She continued to keep her practice schedule all throughout the summer. Elea is smart, kind, respectful and very well-spoken. Watch the video to learn more about Elea and to hear her perform.
PLEASE NOTE: We fired our sound guy. Jk. We apologize that there are some technical difficulties for a small part of the video.
It’s time for incentives again! YAY! We believe that rewarding good behavior is the key to motivation. That’s why students can earn coins after their lessons. If they do a great job staying focused and they are respectful to their teacher, they earn a coin. Once they collect 5 coins, they can shop in the DAMA Treasure Box or Treat Box (with parent’s permission).
Another DAMA incentive is our monthly raffle. Students can earn a raffle ticket for every 30 minutes that they practice. (Students under 8 years old earn a ticket for every 15 minutes of practice). On the last day of the month, 3 tickets are drawn. The first ticket wins $25, the 2nd wins $15 and the 3rd wins $5. Parents must sign their child's assignment sheet or verbally confirm with their child's teacher the amount of time they practiced or the minutes will not count towards tickets.
We count all tickets at the end of the month and the student with the most tickets wins a prize. We use a chart to show how many tickets each student earned that month. We call this the "Practice Derby" because each student has a horse that runs as far as the number of tickets they earned.
Our newest incentive for 2024 is like karate belts for musicians, except with wristbands. Every 3 months or so, students will take a test based on the material that they have been working on. Once they pass the test, they will receive a color coded wristband and a certificate. Trophies will also be awarded for certain milestones.
Each student is unique and so these will not be standardized tests, but rather, teachers will customize tests based on material that each student has learned at their own pace. The best part is that parents will have a login to our tracking software so they can see exactly when tests will be and what needs to be studied.
ALSO NEW FOR 2024
HOW TO SCHEDULE MAKE UP LESSONS
When students register for private lessons, they are reserving a specific time and day with their teacher. If a student reserves every Tuesday at 3:30pm and there are 4 Tuesdays in the month, they have reserved those 4 Tuesdays. However, if they cannot come to a lesson on their regular day and time and they must cancel, they are not owed 1 lesson. They are not reserving 4 lessons in the month, they are reserving 4 Tuesdays at 3:30 in the month.
We understand that kids have other activities that interfere with their lesson day/time. We can't always accommodate schedule changes but we try. Since we are expanding and new students are joining our DAMA family, we hope this means there will be more opportunities for make-up lessons.
In order to make this possible, we have added a "Reschedule Calendar" to our website. Parents can reschedule make up lessons based on what days/times are available because of other students'' cancellations. The calendar will be updated every night so if there's no day/time that works for you, please keep checking back.
Available days/times will show on the calendar with the name of the teacher and which instruments they are qualified to teach. When rescheduling, you may choose a different teacher if your teacher is not available.
We require make up lessons to be scheduled within 30 days of cancellations. If this isn't possible, we also offer a group class once per month that you can register for on the calendar as well.
Group classes are great because students can dive deeper into topics that we don't have time to discuss during a private lesson, such as: Music theory, music history, composition and performance techniques. We create lessons based on the attendees' level of understanding. You may schedule a group class at anytime before or after your missed lesson. There is no expiration date.
Giving plenty of notice when your child will miss their lesson, will give others the opportunity to reschedule their make up lessons and vice versa. We need for you to cancel your lesson BEFORE registering for a make-up lesson. You can do that my emailing Ms. Michele at:
Your child's teacher does not have the ability to change the schedule, therefore, just telling your teacher that your child will be out does not allow them to open up that day/time to other students.
Many music schools do not allow any make up lessons because it's such a difficult and time-consuming process. At DAMA, we want you to have options.
The calendar is located under the "Current Students" tab of the menu on the DAMA website.
Please read through our Policies/ Procedures for the 2024/2025 to learn more about our Cancellation Policy and the 6 options you have when you cancel your lesson.
MEET OUR NEW INSTRUCTORS
SCOTT ASKEW
Scott began taking piano lessons at the age of seven. Inspired by his dad, who played the Scottish bagpipes and his mother who played the oboe, he took up the saxophone in 5th grade and drums in 9th. Around that time, he fell in love with the guitar. Fast forward a few years and he began teaching guitar, bass guitar and drums in Olympia, WA. In 2014 he graduated with a Masters degree in teaching from St. Martin's University.
EIREEN MARGITTAI
Eireen has been studying and playing the violin for over a decade. She has won numerous competitions throughout Colorado and has transitioned towards teaching in the last few years. Eireen's approach to teaching is a highly individualized experience for each student taking into account their strengths and weaknesses as well as the student's unique personalities.
The Referral Contest
iPad Winner is...
In order for referrals to count towards the i-Pad contest, the referred students had to register by August 31, 2024. We had other families who also referred their friends but since their friends haven't registered for lessons yet, we couldn't count them in the contest.
Thank you all sincerely for your referrals. It is truly the greatest compliment and it means so much!!
Congratulations Joella and Grant!
The Fensler Family!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
DAMA students have been invited to perform at Brookdale Senior Living Center in Cherry Creek. Please email us if you’re interested in bringing a little musical sunshine to their residents. admin@denverama.org
Pencil in September 15th Time TBD.
SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS
ELEA G. 2nd
ZOE S. 10th
Students who started taking
lessons in SEPTEMBER
Emilio E. 2021
Lillie M. 2021
Robbie P. 2021
Sophie E. 2021
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
DAMA Closed
Labor Day
September 2
Costume Concert/Party
October 27
DAMA Closed
Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 28 - 30
Winter Holiday Recital
Dec. 15
DAMA Closed
Holiday Break
Dec. 24 - Jan. 1
School is back in session and, as usual, there's an adjustment period for students to get back into the routine of things. Some are moving to different schools and making new friends. Some are adjusting to new teachers and new teaching styles in the same school. Sometimes the prospect of change can cause more anxiety than the change itself.
Speaking of changes, we are making a lot of changes at DAMA in order to offer a musical education to more people in our area. I had to find some great teachers to help make that possible. I feel so honored to be working with Abby, Rich, Scott, Eireen and Alyssa. They are amazing musicians and we are fortunate that they have chosen to share their gifts by teaching at DAMA.
I have also been corresponding with other music school owners across the U.S. in order to learn what makes their schools great. That is how I found out about the Musical Ladder System (our new incentive program). I've heard from many teachers about how much students and parents love the program. The software we'll use to track the tests will be available to parents so they can log in and see what their child is working on, when their next test will be and what they need to study. Parents will get an email soon with login information. I'm still learning how to use the software so it may take a little more time to get everything set up and running the way it's supposed to. I'm anticipating an adjustment period.
Check out the sample trophies in the waiting area. They are much bigger than I thought they were going to be. The sample wristbands and are also displayed in the waiting area. I think our students are really going to like them!
I'm also on several piano teacher groups on Facebook and there's so many posts "venting" about negative experiences with parents. It's hard for me to relate to that because I feel like all of our students' parents (and grandparents) are just so kind and considerate and understanding. I feel like many parents are also my friends. Maybe it's because we have something very important in common. We both want what is best for their child.
I have heard several teachers talk about their students as their "kids". I can totally relate to that. When I hear about DAMA students' accomplishments in other areas, not just music, I feel so proud -even though I had nothing to do with it. When I see a bandaid on their knee, I have to know what happened. I ask how school is going, not because I'm trying to be nosey but because I want them to know that I care. I want to make them smile when they are having a bad day. I want to make them smile when they're having a good day.
I think the change at DAMA that I love the most is when I look out my window and see a room full of parents chatting or reading or putting a puzzle together or when little ones are playing with toys on the carpet or the smiles on their faces when they see Luther happily prancing towards them. That feeling is why I do what I do.
It's funny (not funny ha-ha) how when you do something to make others smile, it makes you smile too; and that is something that will never change.
Best,
From Ms. Michele's Bench
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