Recital for 12/3/21 has been rescheduled

 Hello families,

I am very sorry to get this message out so late-but I have been sick all week and I am, just to be frank, feeling even worse this evening than a day or two ago.. I took two Covid tests which came back negative, but still I have caught something that I feel is going to keep me from being able to participate tomorrow. I waited to try and see if things would improve and I am very sorry.

There is a bright spot, though, the church is willing to reschedule us to next Friday 12/10, all the same details including rehearsal times. Please know that this has never (in 25 plus years) happened to me before so I am truly sorry. But I want the kids to have a good experience.

Thanks,

Lauri Bernet

All groups, including band/strings, will not meet tomorrow. The directors will see you on December 10th.

Christmas Recital

Hello Encore Families,

We have a date and a location set for our Christmas Recital.  

Mark your calendar for Friday, December 3rd. The recital will be held at 

Christ Community Church - 1100 Kasold, at 7pm. Encore members will be 

asked to arrive earlier, to organize and warm up.

The last rehearsal of the semester, will be December 3rd as well. There will 

be a dress rehearsal held at Christ Community Church that day, in preparation 

for the recital that evening. There will be more information about what time to 

arrive for both the rehearsal and the recital, as the date gets closer. 

For new families - kids dress in concert black and white for the recitals. It typically 

means black pants or skirts, with a white shirt or top. In the past, we have had kids 

wear all black, or all white, as well. If your child doesn't have that type of outfit already, 

please don't buy new clothes. 

I am hearing glowing remarks about how well the semester is going, and how well the 

kids are doing. Thank you for sharing your kids with Encore, we love that your family is 

participating in our group. 

Martha Bachert

Founder and Executive Director

Encore Homeschool Fine Arts

Lawrence, Kansas 

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Announcement for this Friday - 9/17/21

This Friday, both beginning band, and intermediate band/strings, will meet in the church, and choir and guitar will meet in the house. 

IF enough room can be made in the house, that will allow the band to meet there again,  they can move back. The church is supposed to be moving furniture from the house, so once that has been done, both directors can look the situation over and come to a permanent decision. We appreciate your patience and being adaptable, as we navigate through this.

The directors were pleased with how the first rehearsal went and are looking forward to the rest of the semester. 

Thanks again for being apart of Encore - we are glad you joined our group.

 Hello Encore Families,

Welcome to our 19th year - we are excited to welcome new families, and to welcome back our Encore veterans. Now that groups are set, we are open for more enrollment. If you know of anyone interested in our program, please have them contact me.

Groups begin meeting on Friday, September 10th - 146 Indian Ave - Lawrence.

Beginning Band - 9am - 9:50 - in person

Intermediate Band/Strings - 10am - 10:50 - in person

Secondary Choir - 9am - 9:50 - in person

Elementary Choir - 10am - 10:50 - in person

Bitty Beats - 10am - 10:30 - online

World Percussion - 11am - 11:50 - online

Beginning Guitar - 11am - 11:30 - in person

Intermediate Guitar - 11:45 - 12:15 - in person

Guitar and Choir students have been sent a welcome/informational email, from Mrs. Bernet.

Bitty Beats and World Percussion - Emily has reached out to her groups, with links and information needed.

Band and Strings - Mr. Swisher will meet you all on the first day, and communicate with the group then.

Note this change: This year, band will meet in the parsonage (house) - right next door to the church. Walk up the ramp in the back of the house, to enter through the back door.

Choir and guitar will meet in the church - enter through the front door.

** We are guests in the church and parsonage (house) and need to clean up any messes made. It is best to bring personal water bottles, rather than use paper cups from the church.

** If your children play outside, please have them check shoes before entering the house or building. If it is muddy, please don't allow outside play. 

** The parking spots in the front of the church door, are for the directors, two spots need to be left vacant for the director's to park. There is a parking lot, east of the church for families to use.

** Student's need a folding music stand, brought to class each week. Director's may have other items that they would like students to have for class.

** Semester fees are due on the first day of classes. If you need an advance total for your fee payment, let me know. The directors will have a list of fees due for each family, on the first day. Checks should be made out to your child's director.

** Band/Strings music books - Mr.Swisher will have books for purchase on the first day. 

** Guitar and Choir - Mrs. Bernet will let you know what is needed for her groups.

It is important to communicate absences with your child's director. The groups are small and if too many will be absent on a Friday, it might be best to cancel the class. Text your child's director, if there will be an absence.  Tony Swisher - 913-687-2411   Lauri Bernet - 785-550-8564  

                                                   

                                                                  Emily Bachert - 785-840-7409  

As a group, we communicate mainly through this blog/site - https://encorehomeschoolfinearts.blogspot.com/

and Facebook. I try to post cancellations on both, but a director may contact you by text.  Please make sure that your child's director has your cell phone number. 

For a second year in a row, I will not be able to attend on Fridays, due to my husband's immune health concerns and risks. I will be running and organizing Encore from a distance, but my heart will be with you all on Fridays. There are some of you that I have not met, and I miss seeing those of you that I have known for years. 

Thank you for your support of Encore and your patience as we navigate through another year of change. 

Martha Bachert

Founder and Executive Director

Encore Homeschool Fine Arts

hsmom@sbcglobal.net

785-865-3422

Enrollment Update

Enrollment update - see information below regarding the groups you are enrolled in. Please note that we are still taking enrollment, to fill these groups out more, if possible We need everyone that has enrolled, to attend, in order to have these groups.

Beginning band enrollment was small, but it will meet at 9am.

Intermediate band/strings will meet at 10am.

All of Mrs Bernet's groups WILL meet - both choirs and guitar classes. Mrs. Bernet will be in touch with guitar students, about how she is dividing the group and about the music book needed.

Bitty Beats and World Percussion will be online only - it has been successfully done that way in the past, and due to circumstances, both groups will remain online this semester. Emily will be in touch with everyone about the format used and can answer any questions you may have. Both of these groups are still taking enrollment.

When we planned for this school year, we did not anticipate needing to make so many changes, and to have the struggle with enrollment numbers. For those who are new to Encore, we had 12 groups that met on Friday's, and then Covid came along. We appreciate all of you and your interest in Encore, and for your patience as we navigate forward.

Want to enroll? See online enrollment form, two posts below.

 

Enrollment Deadline Set for August 25th

 Enrollment deadline set - August 25th will be the last day to enroll in Encore groups. The directors need to prepare for their groups, but also it gives us the information we need to decide if a group will meet or be cancelled.

Presently, the only group that has enough enrollment is Intermediate Band/Strings - if your student is enrolled in this group - all you need to know is whether that group will meet at 9am or 10am - that will be announced after any cancellations are made.

Bitty Beats and World Percussion may have the option to meet virtually, as they did last year. If you would like to enroll your student, to meet virtually, please contact me ASAP at hsmom@sbcglobal.net

The online enrollment link is in the post below.

Enrollment Form

The online enrollment form is complete and can be accessed from this link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQOjrE05Rr_mYaFn5Iu6_USKTcQZ-tbDH_msueuILfqk7KxA/viewform?usp=sf_link

I can also send it our to individuals, via email, if that is helpful to families.

Please pass on our group information - that is how we grow.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Martha Bachert

hsmom@sbcglobal.net

Updates and Announcements for Fall 2021

We begin our 19th year, this fall. It doesn't seem possible that it has been that long since I reached out to a group of homeschooling families, to see what interest there was in getting a homeschool band together. It didn't take long before we added strings and two choirs. As the years went by, we added guitar, a preschool music class, and world percussion.  Covid brought a lot of changes and redirection for Encore. In addition to that, there is a change to announce in our choir and guitar program.

Mr. Gaskin will not be returning to Encore next year. He was offered a great opportunity to write a book, and needs to focus on that, as well as the many other things that keep him busy. Mr. Gaskin and his family, have been a part of Encore from the very beginning - so this is quite a change for me.

With the news of Mr. G leaving us, I began looking for someone that will be a good fit for our group. It gives me great pleasure to let you all know that Mrs. Bernet (Lauri) will be our new choir and guitar director. Change can be hard, but I know that Mrs. Bernet will make everyone feel very welcome. She has a lot of offer our group and I have enjoyed hearing some of her ideas for the upcoming semester. Read Mrs. Bernet's bio at the bottom.

So, will we ever see Mr. Gaskin again?  I sure hope so. After all, his office is in the main church and he is very likely to check in on how we are doing, from time to time. The decision to leave Encore, was not an easy one for him. In talking to him the other day, he is at peace with his decision. He is happy and positive about his new path. 

I am working on an updated enrollment form for the fall. The semester begins September 10th.The link will be on this site, as well as on facebook. Please share our information with families that would be interested in what Encore offers.

We will continue to meet at the Morris Baptist Center - 146 Indian Ave - in Lawrence, KS - on Friday mornings. We are a year long program, divided into semesters. Fees are $95 a semester, and we have a family discount for families with more than one student enrolled with the same director. We plan on having a Christmas and a spring recital. 

Due to the results from Covid, not all the groups mentioned in the sidebar (right side of this page) are being offered. Please refer to the new schedule that will be announced on the enrollment form, which is now included the link, in the post above..

Let me know if you have any questions - hsmom@sbcglobal.net - 785-841-6308. 

Watch this site, and our FB page, for updates and the link to the fall enrollment form.

Martha Bachert

Founder and Executive Director

Encore Homeschool Fine Arts

Lawrence, KS

*** Mrs. Bernet's bio:

My name is Lauri Bernet, and I am so excited to start a new venture with Encore Fine Arts program, to help train students to love music and do their best. I have 32 years experience as a private music teacher, and have been a music therapist for 27 years. I have operated Joyful Noise Music since Fall of 1994, and started a new business - Upward Tutoring, in Summer 2020.

A little about my education: I received my BA in Music (Percussion& Voice) in 1994, from Southeast Missouri State University, and completed Master's Coursework in Music Therapy at KU in 1997. I was blessed to teach music at Veritas Christian School from July 2013-July 2020, and established many new traditions there, and directed 5th and 6th Grade BAnd, 7-12th Grade Band, JH Choir, HS Choir, Class Guitar, Eagle Song Worship Team, and National Anthem Team.

I love being involved and working in local churches, and in other Christian organizations in our area. I especially love the Worship Ministry, and working with children of all ages, to pass along God's Word. The photo below was taken by Brad (husband). Ethan (son), myself, and Jeremy (brother), at Ethan's High School Graduation in 2020. Brand and I look forward to time with our family, traveling, and cheering for K-State (where Ethan will attend in the fall, even though the entire family cheers for KU) - we are trying new things!!!

Fall 2021 -

Encore will begin meeting on September 10th.

At this time, all groups will meet in person, at 146 Indian Ave - in Lawrence, KS  If there is a change in protocols, and changes need to be made, we will look at options.

If your student is not able to attend in-person classes, and wants to meet with the group online, please contact me - hsmom@sbcglobal.net. We are not sure if online will be an option, but want to hear from those that would like that to be offered. 

Enrollment will be done online, via a link that can be found on this site, as well as facebook. Once times have been solidified, the form will be available. We ask that only one form be filled out, per family. The enrollment form is for definite enrollment, so we can depend on the enrollment numbers turned in.

The schedule of groups and fees will be posted here, when available.

I hope you all enjoy your summer.