I received my licensing confirmation today in the mail and wanted to share some of this information with those of you who might not have received theirs yet.
Updated “Active” Educator Requirements
1) Purchase of five or more sets of Kindermusik At Home Materials within a specific curriculum, minus returns, in the past rolling eight months
2) Purchase of three or more sets of Family Time At Home Materials, minus returns, in the past rolling eight months
3) Purchase of 20 or more sets of ABC Music & Me At Home Materials, minus returns, in the past rolling eight months
********************************************************************
April 1st marks the beginning of KI’s first online national advertising co-op campaign, designed, tested, and tweaked based on feedback from Kindermusik educators. During testing, it has proven to bring educators more enrollments. For every 10 leads sent to an educator, 17% turns into an enrollment. Kindermusik listened to our requests for help in filling our classes, and believes that this is one proven way to accomplish that goal.
**************************************************************
2007 Convention News
The Kindermusik National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, October 17 – 20, 2007 will feature Daniel Levitin, Ph.D., author of This is Your Brain on Music, who will share his findings, beliefs, and applications of his life’s work on how music touches the mind, body, and soul. There are also soon-to-be announced Grammy-award winning guests as well.
You can read more general information about Daniel Levitin here as well as on his home page. You can read his bio here. (Interesting background!) I loved skimming through the listing of his tracks on his iPod. He had some really *good* stuff on there. That’s an interesting idea – what tracks (besides Kindermusik tracks!) are on *your* iPod? 
*******************************************************************
In talking with Erin Mazzeo this week, she expressed to me that we will all be excited at the news for convention that is slated to be in our email on Monday, April 16th. Registration opens this Monday, April 16th, so check your email on Monday!
****************************************************************
Another part of my conversation with Erin was about some feedback she was looking for on a project that Kindermusik is hard at work on for the KM educators in developing even *better* ways for us to use their website. I can’t go into details just now, as they are still in the planning and developing stages, but all I could say was “*WOW!* That will be *fabulous*!“ over and over and over again. And if it does turn out half as well as she thinks it will, it will be *wonderful* for us all.
And, oh, yes, Erin’s busy at work on not only this project and October’s convention, but she’s also getting married on May 12th. Talk about “Superwoman”!
Congratulations, Erin!
********************************************************************
Last but not least, the new silver medallion in our licensing information does *not* have “2008” printed on it. Instead, it reads “Licensed Educator“. According to Michael Dougherty’s letter, this is done so that future renewals can be done in a more environmentally responsible manner beginning in March of 2008. So, no, you’re not missing a “2008″ sticker in this year’s licensing materials!
I hope you all have a terrific year ahead in 2007-08!
Blessings,
Merri Williams
State Representative for Georgia,
Partnership of Kindermusik Educators
