Band/Choir Florida Trip postponed until June 2022
Due to the current situation with COVID-19, we are postponing the Band/Choir Florida Trip until June of 2022. The trip cycle will start over and students 9-12 grade at the end of the 2021-2022 school year will go in summer of 2022.
I hate to write this email, as I know it is going to leave another group of seniors missing out on yet another experience after years of hard work in both Band and Choir. I’m sorry - again.
Much thought and consideration has gone into this decision:
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Student Health and Safety -
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If we get to Florida, and a student or adult displays symptoms of COVID, that student/adult would have to be tested and quarantined in Florida, and would not be able to be with the group or ride home with the group. It would be the parent’s responsibility to provide transportation for the student to get home.
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The group would not be able to go to Disney after the exposure.
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When we get home, all students/adults on the trip would have to be quarantined because of exposure (which affects other summer activities like Baseball/Softball).
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No Vaccine for HS Students at this time.
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No chance of students being vaccinated before the trip.
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Performing Arts workshops
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Disney is not offering Performing Arts Workshops for students in June of this year. The earliest they are offering them is October.
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The sole purpose for this trip is to attend the Disney Performing Arts Workshop with a Disney performer.
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Mask-wearing
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While traveling to Florida, students will be required to wear a mask at ALL TIMES. This includes a 26-hour bus ride (even while students are sleeping on the bus).
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In the Disney parks, employees monitor mask-wearing by all guests and will remove people from the park that are not wearing masks as requested (employees are instructed to remove visitors after one warning- they communicate and have people employed for this purpose only).
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Cost of the Trip
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Many of the attractions at Disney are closed because they happen in big-group settings (musicals, firework shows each night, parades, character viewing). For students that don’t enjoy rides, there is not much else to experience.
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This trip is expensive, and the experience we would be paying for is not the total experience students should be getting. I am uncomfortable with asking parents to spend money on a trip that is not the total package.
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Any senior that is missing out on the trip will have any money they have personally paid in refunded. If you wish to have your money refunded, please email Mrs. Zavadil (nzavadil@sidney.k12.ia.us) the following information:
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The total amount of money your family has personally paid in to the Sidney Music Alliance (I will match that amount to my records, just to make sure we are getting the correct amount back to you).
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Please include the person you would like the check made out to, as well as the address where you would like it sent.
All fundraiser money raised by individual students stays in the Music Alliance account.
Please contact me with any questions. Again, I am so sorry this happened - we held on to the very last possible moment to make this decision to ensure we were making the best decision for the group.