IT’S TIME TO VOTE for the Best of Grand Rapids (Grandtastic) Awards at Grand Rapids Kids. Everyone at the Academy of Music would appreciate your vote. It’s super easy! Just click. on the LESSONS category and find Academy of Music. Anyone who votes is also entered to win a $200 gift card to a business of their choice. Voting is open until Friday, March 12.
As most of you know, we launched our online Student Resource Center (SRC) almost a year ago. Can you believe it’s been that long already!? We can’t either. At the time, the SRC was meant to be temporary. However, we have received such wonderful feedback on it, we decided not only to keep it, but to make it even better!
Introducing the online STUDENT PORTAL! Check out the video below for a quick overview and tutorial on how you’ll sign in and what you’ll be able to access – Spoiler alert! The new student portal will be accessible from both the Grand Rapids and Jenison Academy websites!
Other features include:
Seeing your lesson schedule online
Email and/or text reminders for lessons
Signing up for Group Make-up Classes
Registering for recitals
Accessing additional lesson content
Automated emails to let you know when new content has been uploaded to student folders
Direct access to recorded video lessons. No more YouTube links!
The new portal will be available for access starting Monday, March 1st. However, we will keep the SRC online until April 1. This will allow everyone to download and/or print any lesson content they’d like before it is disabled. We are not able to transfer content from the SRC to the new Student Portal.
Please watch for an email on March 1 that will contain your username and link to set up a password for the new Student Portal. We’re so excited to share this new benefit with you!
Matt Camp
Director
MARCH PHOTO MADNESS!
Are you photogenic? Love to smile and/or be silly? Never shy away from a camera? Then we want to take your photo!
We believe the best way to showcase the Academy is to highlight our students and their families. After all, you’re the reason the Academy is so great in the first place.
Our goal is to take over 1,000 photos during the month of March. These will be used across various social media platforms and in new marketing campaigns for 2021. Headshots. Posed photos with instruments. Silly photos with siblings, family, or friends. Lesson photos. And, more!
We are also planning a photoshoot with a professional photographer for student photos. DATE AND TIME TBD. Keep an eye out for an email with more information as it becomes available.
If you especially love getting your photo taken, the month of March is your chance to strike a pose and say cheese… AS MUCH AS YOU WANT! Just let the Academy staff or your teacher know that you want your photo taken and we’ll get out the camera! Together, let’s share over 1,000 smiles.
WE LOVE OUR STUDENTS!
PRACTICE PAYS!
UPDATE: STARTING MARCH 1, ALL ONLINE PRACTICE SESSIONS WILL BE ACCESSIBLE VIA THE NEW STUDENT PORTAL. JUST USE THE THE SAME LINK YOU WOULD FOR YOUR LESSONS!
We know how much our students love to earn awards, and how much we all love to see our students practicing. So we are excited to launch a new benefit for our students – a series of Practice Challenge wristbands!
Students will still be able to earn the regular MLS wristbands, such as Apprentice, Songbird, etc. – Think of the Practice Challenge levels as Extra Credit!
There will be multiple opportunities to earn the wristbands. Just earn 20 practice points for practicing at home or on Zoom with a Practice Proctor. Earn 20 more for the next wristband, up to 120 points.
In addition, after earning a wristband, students can also earn a chance to “Spin the Wheel” for another prize. Students can spin the wheel after completing teacher challenges, performing for friends, family or a pet, or learning a seasonal/holiday piece. Students are eligible for a maximum of one “Spin the Wheel” prize after earning each individual wristband.
As an added incentive, anyone who earns all SIX of the 2021 Practice Challenge (Pat. Pend.) wristbands, will be eligible to receive the 2021 Practice Trophy at the end of the year!
PRACTICE WRISTBANDS 1-6. Each wristband can be earned with 20 practice points.
To earn Practice Points:
One practice session (as determined parents or teachers) at home will equal 1 point.
Attending a Zoom Practice Session will equal 2 points.
Practicing on any holiday will double your points!
Zoom Practice Sessions will be monitored by Practice Proctors and available 5-7 pm Monday-Friday, 10-noon Saturday, and 2-4 pm on Sundays.
SPIN THE WHEEL FOR PRIZES. These can be earned after earning each individual wristband.
Performance Challenge. Perform for a friend, family member, or pet.
Teacher Challenge. Fulfill a challenge set by your teacher.
Season/Holiday Challenge. Learn a seasonal themed or holiday themed piece. Or share a video of yourself practicing while on vacation.
Practice logs will be available for each student to track home practice. These will need a parent signature.
We are excited to give our students an opportunity to participate in new challenges, and most importantly – have fun practicing!
RECITAL RECAP
Congratulations to all the students that performed as part of our online Winter Recitals! There were so many wonderful performances, and it was so great to see so many new and familiar faces sharing their talents.
2021 ACADEMY CALENDAR
Spring Break – NO LESSONS
Sunday April 4, 2021 – Saturday April 10, 2021
(Lessons resume Sunday April 11, 2021)
Spring Recitals
Saturday May 8, 2021
Saturday May 15, 2021
Sunday May 16, 2021
4th of July Break – NO LESSONS
Saturday July 3, 2021 – Monday July 5, 2021
(Lessons resume Tuesday July 6, 2021)
Click HERE to download our complete calendar
MUSICAL LADDER CELEBRATIONS
Congratulations to everyone who continues reaching their musical goals and keeps climbing higher on the Musical Ladder!
Aakash K.
Angelus C.
Arin G.
Asmitha R.
Caroline D.
Claire C.
Clark C.
Deeher S.
Juliet R.
Lia S.
Paulina M.
Ryan B.
Samantha F.
Stella V.
Swaraa B.
Charlie K.
Jacob S.
Lucas C.
Olivia H.
Tiernan R.
Danny P.
WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!
GRAND RAPIDS
Anna B.
Avery B.
Emmanuel H.
Enoch H.
Jacob A.
Jessica G.
Yuvleen K.
Kristine K.
Sarah J.
Matthew P.
Arlee V.
Sara G.
Vivien E.
Rogan S.
Shana W.
JENISON
Sophie J.
Audrey K.
Emmerson W.
Nala P.
Phenix B.
Ximena N.
Breslin C.
Brynley C.
Rylan C.
Kevin C.
Eleni B.
Jack B.
Uriel B.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Meet Jacob
Jacob has been a student at the Academy for about 2 years, and currently takes Piano and Violin from Ms. Alex. Outside of his music lessons, Jacob also enjoys speed cubing, card magic, math, and juggling. His favorite food is Mahi Mahi and some of his favorite musicians are Lang Lang, Julia Fischer, Sophie Oui Oui, Alex (his teacher), Vladamir Ashkenazy, and Vladamir Horrowitz. In school, Jacob’s favorite subject is math, and the coolest thing he has learned at the Academy is how to properly phrase music. If he were to give other music students one piece of advise it would be “if you are struggling to learn a piece/ song keep practicing and working hard and you will get through it”.
REFERRAL CONTEST
FALL REFERRAL CONTEST WINNER!
Congratulations to Academy parent Tonisha Jones for winning our FALL iPad Referral Drawing! Many thanks to all of the families for their referrals this past fall.
NEW WINTER REFERRAL CONTEST
Refer a new student to the Academy, between now and April 1, and you could win FOUR $50 FAMILY RESTAURANT GIFT CARDS (VALUE $200). Plus, for every new family you refer that registers, you’ll receive a $25 gift card to Target, Amazon, or DoorDash! Not to mention, they will too!
March 2021 Newsletter