ADDED 7/1/09

EMAIL LISTSERV:  During the week of June 22 all Suzuki families with email addresses were added to a UNI email service called mailserv.  The first email from PMDF MAILSERV V6.2" notified families that their name had been added to the list.  A second email from PMDF MAILSERV V6.2 welcomed families and contained instructions about the list.  Subsequent emails will be sent through this service from UNI Suzuki.  This service will be used to send Suzuki announcements to our families.  The email will be from UNI Suzuki via the owner's email address cathy.craig@uni.edu.  It is not a public list serv so messages can only be sent out by the owner of the list.   You will not be able to reply to messages sent via this service.  Please respond to cathy.craig@uni.edu instead.

ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUP:  All currently enrolled families have been invited to join the private online discussion group.  Families were sent an invitation on June 22 or 23 from "noreply"  with "you've been invited to UNI Suzuki School" in the subject line.  This online discussion group is optional and will give families an opportunity to share information with other families.  If you are interested in joining the group, follow the instructions in the email.  You may receive a followup email from "accounts-noreply" that will ask you to verify your email adddress.

FALL, 2009 Bulletin (posted 6/15/09)

Welcome Back!

Schedule Forms:   Please fill in all the information requested on all pages of the registration form.  This form must be returned by August 10 to the Suzuki School. Please fill in scheduling info even if you have discussed scheduling options with your teacher.   DO NOT return the schedule to your teacher but to the Suzuki Office.  Please consider non-traditional lesson times such as early morning, lunch time and Saturday hours and include them on your schedule forms, if possible.  Note we are asking for you to list your employer.  We are going to pursue matching funds contributions from those area employers who offer such a program.

IMPORTANT: Schedules must be returned for students to be scheduled.  We cannot guarantee placement for any student whose forms are returned after August 10^th. Students who do not attend registration OR fail to pay by mail before registration may lose their spot on our lists.

Registration Day  (August 29):  PLEASE attend registration!  It is most important for us to collect fees, confirm your lesson and group time, and distribute other information.  We try to make it simple and hopefully not too time consuming.  Please remember to bring your check book or if paying with cash, bring correct change.  This is an open house style event.  You don’t need to arrive at 9:30.  Anytime between 9:30 and 12:30 will work.  We are the busiest during the first hour so you may want to attend a little later in the morning.  If you are unable to attend, include your registration  payment when you return your registration forms.  A note with your lesson time and group assignment will be emailed on Sunday following registration.  Individual lessons begin August 31. Group lessons begin the following week.  Click here for more information about registration day activities.

Fees:  Follow the links on the home page for the fee schedule and policy sheet.  Please note the billing policy for this year. There are again several options available to you for paying instructional fees.  Fees are figured on a school year basis.   Payment for the 33 weeks of instruction can be paid in full or paid in 2, 4, 8 or 10 equal installments. 

At registration, you must pay at least the registration fee.  Your first installment is due September 15 (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, or 1/10 of fees due) or it can be paid at registration.

NOTE: If you choose the 10 month plan, you will have a payment due on June 1, 2010 even though the semester will have ended on May 22, 2010. On the fee schedule, notice there are several fee tiers. One for Advanced Students (AS) for costs associated with advanced students, such as longer rehearsals for recitals, longer group lessons, and more advanced teacher training. The fees indicated for Master Teacher (MT) apply only to students of Therese Fetter and Julia Bullard. Please direct any questions to Cathy Craig regarding fees. Beginner Class fees apply only to new students in the beginning violin/viola class. 

Instrument Rent: Instrument rental fees for our  instruments will be $18 per month and can be included with your fee payments. Families who rented instruments and have not paid for the summer, 2009 will be billed for summer rent at $18 per month which can be paid with your registration fee.

Financial Aid Form-- Due July 15, 2009:  If your family is in need of financial assistance this year, please contact our office at  (273-2508) for an application.  Financial aid forms will be sent to families who requested assistance last year.  This form must be mailed before your registration materials.  If you wish to receive a form and haven’t, please contact us immediately.  Those who have applied will be contacted prior to registration.

 E-MAIL:  Please include your e-mail address on your registration form. We will use e-mail instead of phone calls especially for announcements between  bulletins and emergencies such as group announcements or cancellations. If you prefer a phone call for emergency notices, please put "no emergency" by your e-mail address.  To cut printing costs, we will send most of your monthly bulletins via your email.  You can insure that you receive our e-mailings by letting your email program accept emails from cathy.craig@uni.edu/   Bulletins and announcements will also be posted regularly on this page. THANKS! 

UNI Suzuki School Office:  The Suzuki School office is loacted in Russell Hall 177.  The office is closed this summer.  Our school phone is 273-2508.  Cathy’s office phone is the same number. Our e-mail address is cathy.craig@uni.edu and our mailing address is: UNI Suzuki School, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0246. 

Group Lessons:  Groups will be assigned after your schedule is returned to us in mid-August. For all  students:  Please be sure to fill in your child's current piece on the registration forms so we can place them in the appropriate group.  Be as specific as you can.  Group lists will be posted at registration.  Group lessons are held each week of individual lessons weekly except the first week of individual lessons, during special events weeks, during the weeks of recital rehearsals, Thanksgiving, Winter Holiday Break and Spring Break.  Group repertoire changes each year based on the number of students at each level.  It is not unusual for a student to remain in the same group.  This does not mean the student has not progressed but rather that the group's repertoire has been changed.  Group assignments are for the entire school year.  Some exceptions may be made when groups are evaluated mid-year. 

Questions:  If you have any questions leave a message on our voice mail, 273-2508 and we'll return your call or if it is an urgent matter, call Cathy Craig at home at 266-9283. 

PARKING FEES:  The Suzuki visitor tag price has been raised to $26.80.  The university must generate their own funds to maintain their parking lots (repairs, snow removal, etc.) so our small part toward this fund seems only fair.  Please note that faculty and staff pay over $100 to park in the some of the same lots that you are offered.  Purchasing a tag does not guarantee a parking place. Please read the parking regulations carefully.   

Theory :  The UNI Suzuki School will continue with the theory series “Theory Time” as our official theory curriculum.   If a student is not already working in the book, their individual lesson teacher will recommend the appropriate theory book level. Students are responsible for purchasing their own workbooks. Students may progress through the levels at their own pace. 

UNISA News:  Parents interested in participating on the UNI Suzuki Association board should indicate so on the 3rd page of the registration form.  

Teacher Assignment Changes: Your individual lesson teacher will remain the same unless you've requested a change of teacher.  All changes in teaching assignments have not been made at this time.  Some of them will be made after this letter has been posted..  Some will be made based on your schedule information. If you have concerns about your teacher assignment, please note them in writing addressed to director Julia Bullard on a separate piece of paper and send them along with your registration/schedule form.   

Outreach Performances:  We will perform at various events this fall and next semester.  Remember to participate in these as much as your schedule allows.  Sign-up for these will be posted at registration or on the door of room 177 in Russell Hall.    Performance is one important aspect of music lessons that we encourage!  A balanced study of music includes daily practice, individual and group lessons, solo and group performances, and attending recitals, concerts, and other music events.  UNI Suzuki School includes all of these opportunities for our students plus additional activities designed to add interest to their studies.  Remember to support all activities …don't miss a beat!!! 

Thank you to

* room parents and other volunteers for the spring concert assistance

* UNI Suzuki Association Board members for their continued support. 

Your help is most appreciated!!!!!!!!

 CALENDAR  Click here for 2009-2010 full calendar