Your PKE Board (from left, Helen Peterson, Kathy Morrison, Julee Kowalis, Ginger Bennett and Katie Henderson) are already working away on a number of things that will have a positive impact on your business and you!
The PKE Board may be contacted at pkeboard@yahoogroups.com anytime you have a question or concern. Don’t sit and stew over a problem when these lovely ladies are willing to listen and help!
Welcome, ladies! We look forward with great anticipation to the days ahead under your guidance and leadership!
It has been the subject of much discussion on the loop and *off* the loop on how to get from the airports of Chicago to the hotel, since the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel doesn’t operate a shuttle itself. When I called the hotel previously and spoke with someone at the desk, she suggested I take a “local” taxi from the airport, not one of the national ones, because they were cheaper. When I called back a second time, I spoke with someone different who suggested checking out the airport website for transportation information, which I did do. Here’s what I found.
Continental Airport Express
Airport Express coaches and vans depart from each terminal for downtown Chicago. Information/booking counters are located in each terminal’s Arrivals area near baggage claim. Departures are every 5-10 minutes with first departure around 6am, last about 11.30pm.
Fare: $32 per one person, $5 for each additional person. Information may be found at 800 654-7871 or at the Airport Express web site. (Just click on the name or the image; either one will take you there.)
They also offer “Meet and Greet” as well as Charter services. And, most importantly, they do list the Renaissance Schaumburg on their list of hotels.
They also have two free-standing “Do It Yourself” kiosks at O’Hare Airport; ensuring passengers always have immediate access to ground transportation.
The stand-alone and countertop walkup kiosks are located in terminals two and five, and allow passengers to purchase one-way or round-trip ground transportation 24 hours a day. They also reduce dependency on manned stations and shorten waiting time during busy periods.
Wheelchair-equipped vehicles can be pre-booked on 800 654-7871
For a $2.00 discount coupon, please visit this page.
Thanks also to Nanci Schneidinger for her help clarifying fare prices.
*****
There are taxi ranks outside each terminal’s Arrivals area. Taxi dispatchers curbside ensure a reasonably smooth operation.
Journey time to downtown Chicago is 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. I’ve been told that the hotel is approximately 25-30 minutes from the airport, again depending on traffic.
Fare: around $35-40.
To read more about ground transportation at O’Hare,
By the way, any educators interested in participating in the GA PKE get-together next Saturday, August 18th, at Dunwoody Baptist Church need to contact me and let me know they’re coming! Please?!
“This piece represents the Kindermusik spirit in that it encourages us all to reach beyond average, beyond mediocrity, beyond the customary, to that exclusive ‘Circle of Excellence’!!”
Words and Music by Carl Strommen (SSA)
On that road less traveled, places far and wide,
On that long and winding road, let your dreams take flight.
On that road, that distant road, make the way your own.
Trackless seas and unknown shores, there are miles to go.
*
Wrap your dreams in a rainbow. Hang your hopes on a star.
On the wings of song I fly to that place so far.
Wrap your dreams in a rainbow. Hang your hopes on a star.
On that long and winding road, there are miles to go.
*
Go beyond the here and now, where you’ve never been,
To that secret place you know, where your dreams begin.
Fare-thee-well and Godspeed ’till we meet again.
On that dark and winding road there are miles to go.
*
Wrap your dreams in a rainbow. Hang your hopes on a star.
On the wings of song I fly to that place so far.
Wrap your dreams in a rainbow. Hang your hopes on a star.
On that long and winding road, there are miles to go.
********
“Battle Hymn of the Republic”
Words by Julia Ward Howe, Music by William Steffe, Arr. by Jay Althouse (SSSSAA)
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
His truth is marching on.
*
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword.
There has been some discussion on the KMLoop recently about convention – is it worth the investment of time, money, and travel? There were also questions from new educators about the Kindred Khorale – what is it? What’s the purpose? Why wasn’t it heard in Greensboro?
Well, I can’t honestly tell you why it wasn’t a part of the Greensboro convention, because I don’t know. I do remember telling Betsy Flanagan, director of the Kindred Khorale, at convention how much I had hoped to hear them again and possibly participate. As well as I remember, she smiled and said that she had hoped they could as well, but it just didn’t work out this year. (Betsy, please correct me if I’m wrong!)
To give new educators a taste of what they can anticipate hearing, I’ve been able to upload some of my video from Nashville onto Youtube. I was thrilled to be there, as a listener in the audience. I’m hopeful that this year in Chicago I can be a participant. These ladies can sing!
“All Ye Who Music Love ”
All ye who music love and would its pleasures prove,
Oh, come to us who cease not daily,
From morn till eve to warble gaily.
Fa la la…..
Come lads and lasses all, obey the tuneful call.
Oh, come to us who cease not daily,
From morn till eve to warble gaily.
Fa la la…..
********
“Jump, Jive an’ Wail”
Words by Betsy Flanagan, Music by Louis Prima, Arr. by Mac Huff (SSAA)
Baby, baby, don’t worry, you’re not gonna fail.
Process, NOT performance is what we hail.
You better come inside and let me teach you how to jive and wail.
Refrain
Oh, you gotta jump, jive and then you wail away.
**
Papa’s in the classroom, wishing he had some ale.
Mama’s in the classroom also looking kind of pale.
Baby’s in the classroom learning how to jive and wail.
**
Come listen everybody to the Kindermusik Leadership tale.
Carol Penney is our idol, with her teachings we cannot fail!
With Dougherty’s direction, our bus’nesses will all prevail!!!!
**
“K-E-A Convention” – oh, wow, the detail!
Planning, planning, oh, so much to unveil.
All that work so we can learn how to jive and wail!
********
As you can plainly see, these performances were from the heart and obviously enjoyed by “kindred” spirits there in the ballroom, resulting in some impromptu dancing spirits from Australia who couldn’t resist jivin’ away!
I have two additional videos that I’m still working with, trying to upload them to Youtube. For some reason, they won’t accept them, although they’re in the same format as these. And I think those yet to come are the best of the four. I hope you’ve enjoyed these and that they’ve given you a taste of what you’ll experience there in Chicago. See you there!
It’s hard to believe that the 2006 convention could be topped, but 2007 really looks like it has the possibilities to do so! Special speakers include Daniel Levitin, PhD., author of This Is Your Brain on Music, who will speak on the value of music education, Dr. Ysaye (pronounced “Ee-sigh”) M. Barnwell, composer/presenter/performer with the internationally acclaimed female a cappella quintet “Sweet Honey in the Rock“, leading a General Session on building a vocal community which will provide you valuable information and inspiration toward achieving a vocal community in your classrooms, and Dr. Becky Bailey, award-winning author, renowned teacher, and internationally-recognized expert in childhood education and developmental psychology. Sweet Honey in the Rock will be there as well to thrill us with their beautiful music. Additional presenters and speakers will be announced as they become available.
All of the details, including links and maps to the hotel, airlines, finding a roommate, and the convention agenda can be found on KI’s Convention page found here. Want to go directly to registration? It can be found here. You’ll need a major credit card to complete registration. If you register by June 30th, you’ll receive a free gift. Registration closes September 12th.
So, mark your calendars, make your plans, register with Travelocity, Expedia, or Orbitz, and sign up for a farewatcher to catch the best airfare.
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.
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”!
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!
While at convention, Brian Healy and Lisa Rowell addressed a number of the questions raised by KI’s educator survey on the Google campaign and educators sharing the cost. They have now posted a series of three videos on KI’s website that I am placing a link here as well to make it simpler for you to find – just click here .
I will say that I am unable tonight to get the first video to play from KI’s website. It says only that it is loading. The links for the other two video clips will only take you to Youtube.com which promptly tells you that these are private videos, unavailable to the general public, but I am hopeful that tomorrow all of these will be operational and available for viewing.
There is also additional information listed below about teleconferences scheduled in January, beginning January 3rd, to explain further to educators how the Google campaign works and how leads will be allotted. Be sure to check out the dates and phone numbers listed, and call in to make your voice heard.
From the website of Kindermusik International:
Kindermusik on Google
Watch this three part presentation on a new marketing campaign made at the Kindermusik Convention by Kindermusik’s Marketing Director Lisa Rowell, and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brian Healy. Then join us for several special teleconferences in January on this proven method for boosting enrollments using popular search engines such as Google. However, KI can’t afford to roll out this test campaign without the support of Educators. That’s why Kindermusik is proposing that Educators and Kindermusik International share the cost.
To dial in: call 1-866-273-8312, or local, (336) 369-1511
January 3, 1:00 pm (EST) Code: 132007
January 5, 4:30 pm (EST) Code: 152007
January 9, 7:00 pm (EST) Code: 192007
January 11, 10:00 am (EST) Code: 1112007
January 15, Noon (EST) Code: 1152007
January 16, 3:00 pm (EST) Code: 1162007
January 17, 11:30 am (EST) Code: 1172007
January 18, 7:00 pm (EST) Code: 1182007
