What's new next week?
What's new this week?
Instrumental Solo & Ensemble
Signups are over. If you are planning to participate, head to https://www.wmhfa.org/solo--ensemble.html to make sure your information on the participant list is correct. Any changes or additions need to be sent to office@wmhfa.org right away.
Spring Break
We do not take a Spring Break at WMHFA. Classes will meet every week until concerts are over. You can submit absences at your parent portal.
Signups are over. If you are planning to participate, head to https://www.wmhfa.org/solo--ensemble.html to make sure your information on the participant list is correct. Any changes or additions need to be sent to office@wmhfa.org right away.
Spring Break
We do not take a Spring Break at WMHFA. Classes will meet every week until concerts are over. You can submit absences at your parent portal.
Important Information
Christmas Concert
DVDs are available for purchase at the desk for $15 each. Why should you consider purchasing one?
1. The DVD has chapters so you can go straight to your kids' groups.
2. You didn't have to buy concert tickets, so you can spend the money on a DVD instead.
3. The Internet version may not always be available.
4. It makes a great keepsake!
5. The money goes straight into the program.
Tentative Dates for Spring Concerts
As you know, we are unable to set anything in stone during this season, but we do have tentative dates for our Spring Concert!
Grand Rapids - Band concert on Monday, April 12, a choir concert on Monday, April 19, and an orchestra concert on Tuesday, April 20. These would all be evening concerts starting at 7pm. Arrival times for students would be staggered, averaging around 6pm.
Kalamazoo - Tuesday evening, April 13. Orchestras may be meeting at a different time.
We will definitely keep you posted as things firm up or change. Classes will not meet after the concert is over.
COVID-19
To limit the spread of the virus, we ask everyone to continue observing all recommended precautions:
Bad Weather Policy – When Do We Cancel Classes?
- Kalamazoo – When Kalamazoo Public Schools close due to weather - Please note, with Kalamazoo Public Schools meeting virtually right now, we may not be able to use them as a guideline. Please watch your email and use your discretion.
- Grand Rapids – When Grand Rapids Public Schools close due to weather
An email will be sent out shortly after 6am to announce cancellation of classes. WMHFA families come from all over West Michigan, therefore the weather in one area may be fine while another area may have hazardous roads. If classes are not cancelled, please use your discretion in deciding to make the drive. We want everyone to arrive safely!
Important Worker Information
Instrumental Solo & Ensemble – Saturday, March 27
The instrumental Solo & Ensemble (S&E) Festival is available to all instrumental students in Intermediate classes and above. This is an awesome opportunity for our students, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of it. It’s never too early to begin to prepare for this exciting event. To learn more about the S&E Festival, see the FAQ or get more information HERE. The deadline for signing up for Solo & Ensemble is February 27. We found some typos in the scales for the Instrumental Solo & Ensemble proficiencies, so those have been updated. The instruments affected are strings and Bassoon.
Piano Accompanists Needed for Solo & Ensemble Festival
If you are interested in accompanying students at the WMHFA Solo & Ensemble and want your contact information listed, CLICK HERE to submit your information.
Piano Accompanists List for Solo & Ensemble Festival
Looking for a piano accompanist for Solo & Ensemble? We have a list where accompanists can sign up to let you know they are available. Keep checking the list HERE as more accompanists will be signing up over the next few weeks.
Prayer for the Huizingas
Hello! Cole Huizinga, a WMHFA student, is heading to D.C. to meet with a neurologist for another hopefully productive opinion and more answers. If you’d like more information and updates you can visit this link: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/colehuizinga
As the Huizinga family searches for answers for Cole, it would be great if we could have a prayer hour for him. They will be on their trip to D.C., February 23-25. On Tuesday (February 23, the beginning of their trip) from 3-4pm if everyone would be willing to say a prayer for the Huizinga family for answers and safe travels, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all!
Kalamazoo News
PRE-ORDER your 2020-2021 Kalamazoo Yearbook now!
$25 each until Feb. 16. Price goes up to $30 on Feb. 17, while supplies last.
Hardcover Yearbook, 52 pages (same style as last year)
Order and pay online at ybpay.lifetouch.com with the ID below:
West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts-Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo Yearbook ID:12430821
OR order from Lori Staufer through the Yearbook Committee at the Fundraising Table in the Lobby at West K. May be paid with Fundraising/Scrip earnings, cash or checks payable to "WMHFA."
WANTED:
The yearbook committee takes snapshots of WMHFA in action, but we would love to include your photos, too! Have some good ones of classes, social hall, lunchtime, etc? Please submit them in case we can use them in the yearbook by sending them to wmhfayearbook@gmail.com
Thank you!
The Kalamazoo Yearbook Committee
Lunch
For your convenience, WMHFA makes a pizza lunch available every week for a very reasonable price. The pizza is from Costco and the side items will be pre-packaged, commercially prepared items.
Lunch may be purchased as follows:
$3.50 Meal Deal (Pizza, 2 sides, and beverage)
$1.25 per slice of pizza
$0.50 per side, snack, or beverage
A Ten Meal Punch Card may be purchased for $32.50
Grand Rapids News
Important Changes to the Special Olympics Building Continue to Be In Place
Thank you so much for your cooperation! Masks or face coverings are mandatory in the hallways, and there are no social hall or nursery options. Please continue to communicate any difficulties with us at office@wmhfa.org as we try to find ways to make this continue to work.
If you have ideas to share with other families or if you want to try to coordinate rides or places to hang out, our Facebook group would be a great place to post that. If you are not yet a member at https://www.facebook.com/groups/WMHFAMembers you can request to join so you can communicate with other families.
Grand Rapids Scrip hours
The Scrip table will be open from 9:30 to 10:15, and from 11:30 to 12:30. If you need to pick up orders outside of those hours, please email scrip@wmhfa.org to make arrangements.
Snacks in Grand Rapids
Snacks will be available for sale in room 38. Students are not to eat in that room, but they may take food back to their classrooms to eat during lunch or between classes (no food during class!) Also, no eating in the hallways. Finally, as with all food, students must clean up after themselves.
Parking Lot Ettiquette for GR
Please follow the entrance and exit signs for the parking lot and do not go against traffic. This will keep traffic flowing smoothly. Thanks!
Fundraising News
CONCERT ADVERTISING: Want to earn credit on your account for marching band or for next year? You can sell ads for our Spring Concert Program! Half of the money received is credited directly to your account. Ask around at your local businesses or medical offices to see if they would like to advertise. You can send them to our Advertising Options page or you can pick up a flyer at the desk.
SILENT AUCTION UPDATE:Thank you to all of you for supporting WMHFA’s recent Silent Auction. Through your support, and our donors, we raised all the needed funds and are in the process of purchasing a cello bow! The viola and violin bows are currently being used by students in our Kalamazoo orchestras.
Interested in donating items for the next auction? Start ideas now! Plans are in the works for another Silent Auction coming up in March, so be on the lookout for announcements!
SCRIP:
Did you know that you can begin earning Tuition Credit or Cash Rebates for your family through the WMHFA Scrip program? Retailers pay you a percentage back to use Scrip cards to shop at their stores! You receive 80% of your earnings using these gift cards; there are almost 800 retailers! Use your cash rebate money for anything you like (yearbooks, clothing, tickets) or let your tuition credit accumulate each semester.
Check http://www.shopwithscrip.com to see the specials that are running this week or longer!
Sign up for Scrip TODAY by visiting shopwithscrip.com, selecting "Register" and using Enrollment Code: 9D8AF44A1551 Complete your profile and you are ready to start ordering! Or stop by the Scrip Table and we will help you sign up. Weekly Scrip hours 9:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.Start earning money for your family while you shop! Check Scrip for periodic bonus specials!! If you link your bank account you can purchase eGift Cards and Reload physical cards all week long.
Amazon Smile
The AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible AmazonSmile items and there is no cap on how much they will donate. If you shop at Amazon be sure to shop through Amazon Smile! To participate in this easy opportunity to support WMHFA go to http://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-0626181
DVDs are available for purchase at the desk for $15 each. Why should you consider purchasing one?
1. The DVD has chapters so you can go straight to your kids' groups.
2. You didn't have to buy concert tickets, so you can spend the money on a DVD instead.
3. The Internet version may not always be available.
4. It makes a great keepsake!
5. The money goes straight into the program.
Tentative Dates for Spring Concerts
As you know, we are unable to set anything in stone during this season, but we do have tentative dates for our Spring Concert!
Grand Rapids - Band concert on Monday, April 12, a choir concert on Monday, April 19, and an orchestra concert on Tuesday, April 20. These would all be evening concerts starting at 7pm. Arrival times for students would be staggered, averaging around 6pm.
Kalamazoo - Tuesday evening, April 13. Orchestras may be meeting at a different time.
We will definitely keep you posted as things firm up or change. Classes will not meet after the concert is over.
COVID-19
To limit the spread of the virus, we ask everyone to continue observing all recommended precautions:
- Wear a mask
- Observe social distancing
- Wash your hands regularly
- Cover your cough and sneezes
- Stay home if you are sick
- Stay home if you had contact with someone with COVID-19 in the past 10 days
Bad Weather Policy – When Do We Cancel Classes?
- Kalamazoo – When Kalamazoo Public Schools close due to weather - Please note, with Kalamazoo Public Schools meeting virtually right now, we may not be able to use them as a guideline. Please watch your email and use your discretion.
- Grand Rapids – When Grand Rapids Public Schools close due to weather
An email will be sent out shortly after 6am to announce cancellation of classes. WMHFA families come from all over West Michigan, therefore the weather in one area may be fine while another area may have hazardous roads. If classes are not cancelled, please use your discretion in deciding to make the drive. We want everyone to arrive safely!
Important Worker Information
- Sign in at the Information Center when you arrive to work your assignment. If you do not sign in, it will be assumed that you did not show up for your assignment and you will be charged $20.
- Call if you are scheduled to work and are not able to make your scheduled assignment.
- KALAMAZOO WORKERS: Contact Sandy Rose at (269) 657-2186 to let her know. She will contact someone to fill in for you.
- GRAND RAPIDS WORKERS: Contact Sharon Jonker at 616-227-0426 to let her know. She will contact someone to fill in for you.
- Give at least a 24-hour notice if you are going to miss, unless it is an emergency or unexpected,
- Be aware that you may be called to fill in for someone during a semester you are not scheduled to work.
- There is a $20 charge for not calling in.
Instrumental Solo & Ensemble – Saturday, March 27
The instrumental Solo & Ensemble (S&E) Festival is available to all instrumental students in Intermediate classes and above. This is an awesome opportunity for our students, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of it. It’s never too early to begin to prepare for this exciting event. To learn more about the S&E Festival, see the FAQ or get more information HERE. The deadline for signing up for Solo & Ensemble is February 27. We found some typos in the scales for the Instrumental Solo & Ensemble proficiencies, so those have been updated. The instruments affected are strings and Bassoon.
Piano Accompanists Needed for Solo & Ensemble Festival
If you are interested in accompanying students at the WMHFA Solo & Ensemble and want your contact information listed, CLICK HERE to submit your information.
Piano Accompanists List for Solo & Ensemble Festival
Looking for a piano accompanist for Solo & Ensemble? We have a list where accompanists can sign up to let you know they are available. Keep checking the list HERE as more accompanists will be signing up over the next few weeks.
Prayer for the Huizingas
Hello! Cole Huizinga, a WMHFA student, is heading to D.C. to meet with a neurologist for another hopefully productive opinion and more answers. If you’d like more information and updates you can visit this link: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/colehuizinga
As the Huizinga family searches for answers for Cole, it would be great if we could have a prayer hour for him. They will be on their trip to D.C., February 23-25. On Tuesday (February 23, the beginning of their trip) from 3-4pm if everyone would be willing to say a prayer for the Huizinga family for answers and safe travels, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all!
Kalamazoo News
PRE-ORDER your 2020-2021 Kalamazoo Yearbook now!
$25 each until Feb. 16. Price goes up to $30 on Feb. 17, while supplies last.
Hardcover Yearbook, 52 pages (same style as last year)
Order and pay online at ybpay.lifetouch.com with the ID below:
West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts-Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo Yearbook ID:12430821
OR order from Lori Staufer through the Yearbook Committee at the Fundraising Table in the Lobby at West K. May be paid with Fundraising/Scrip earnings, cash or checks payable to "WMHFA."
WANTED:
The yearbook committee takes snapshots of WMHFA in action, but we would love to include your photos, too! Have some good ones of classes, social hall, lunchtime, etc? Please submit them in case we can use them in the yearbook by sending them to wmhfayearbook@gmail.com
Thank you!
The Kalamazoo Yearbook Committee
Lunch
For your convenience, WMHFA makes a pizza lunch available every week for a very reasonable price. The pizza is from Costco and the side items will be pre-packaged, commercially prepared items.
Lunch may be purchased as follows:
$3.50 Meal Deal (Pizza, 2 sides, and beverage)
$1.25 per slice of pizza
$0.50 per side, snack, or beverage
A Ten Meal Punch Card may be purchased for $32.50
Grand Rapids News
Important Changes to the Special Olympics Building Continue to Be In Place
Thank you so much for your cooperation! Masks or face coverings are mandatory in the hallways, and there are no social hall or nursery options. Please continue to communicate any difficulties with us at office@wmhfa.org as we try to find ways to make this continue to work.
If you have ideas to share with other families or if you want to try to coordinate rides or places to hang out, our Facebook group would be a great place to post that. If you are not yet a member at https://www.facebook.com/groups/WMHFAMembers you can request to join so you can communicate with other families.
Grand Rapids Scrip hours
The Scrip table will be open from 9:30 to 10:15, and from 11:30 to 12:30. If you need to pick up orders outside of those hours, please email scrip@wmhfa.org to make arrangements.
Snacks in Grand Rapids
Snacks will be available for sale in room 38. Students are not to eat in that room, but they may take food back to their classrooms to eat during lunch or between classes (no food during class!) Also, no eating in the hallways. Finally, as with all food, students must clean up after themselves.
Parking Lot Ettiquette for GR
Please follow the entrance and exit signs for the parking lot and do not go against traffic. This will keep traffic flowing smoothly. Thanks!
Fundraising News
CONCERT ADVERTISING: Want to earn credit on your account for marching band or for next year? You can sell ads for our Spring Concert Program! Half of the money received is credited directly to your account. Ask around at your local businesses or medical offices to see if they would like to advertise. You can send them to our Advertising Options page or you can pick up a flyer at the desk.
SILENT AUCTION UPDATE:Thank you to all of you for supporting WMHFA’s recent Silent Auction. Through your support, and our donors, we raised all the needed funds and are in the process of purchasing a cello bow! The viola and violin bows are currently being used by students in our Kalamazoo orchestras.
Interested in donating items for the next auction? Start ideas now! Plans are in the works for another Silent Auction coming up in March, so be on the lookout for announcements!
SCRIP:
Did you know that you can begin earning Tuition Credit or Cash Rebates for your family through the WMHFA Scrip program? Retailers pay you a percentage back to use Scrip cards to shop at their stores! You receive 80% of your earnings using these gift cards; there are almost 800 retailers! Use your cash rebate money for anything you like (yearbooks, clothing, tickets) or let your tuition credit accumulate each semester.
Check http://www.shopwithscrip.com to see the specials that are running this week or longer!
Sign up for Scrip TODAY by visiting shopwithscrip.com, selecting "Register" and using Enrollment Code: 9D8AF44A1551 Complete your profile and you are ready to start ordering! Or stop by the Scrip Table and we will help you sign up. Weekly Scrip hours 9:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.Start earning money for your family while you shop! Check Scrip for periodic bonus specials!! If you link your bank account you can purchase eGift Cards and Reload physical cards all week long.
Amazon Smile
The AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible AmazonSmile items and there is no cap on how much they will donate. If you shop at Amazon be sure to shop through Amazon Smile! To participate in this easy opportunity to support WMHFA go to http://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-0626181
Thank you to our program sponsors!
These organizations support West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts. Let them know you appreciate that as you give them your business!
Grace Home School Association
The Homeschool Building - See what's new here!
HomeWorks by Precept Consultant Sharon Huizinga
Morton Family Chiropractic
Homeschool Performing Arts
Hallgren Orthodontics
Marshall Music
ServiceMaster of Kalamazoo
Higher Health Chiropractic
Grace Home School Association
The Homeschool Building - See what's new here!
HomeWorks by Precept Consultant Sharon Huizinga
Morton Family Chiropractic
Homeschool Performing Arts
Hallgren Orthodontics
Marshall Music
ServiceMaster of Kalamazoo
Higher Health Chiropractic