As many of you already know - our Disney trip for 2011 has been canceled due to lack of student participation and funding. We simply had too many students back out of their travel agreements this week and no longer have enough students to meet our travel contract.

Students who dropped out will not be receiving a refund. All other students, however, will receive a complete refund for their out-of-pocket payments. Our travel company has agreed to allow us to put our deposit of $50 per student, which has already been paid to the company, towards travel plans for 2012. Our band, however, will no longer be traveling based on individual student decisions, payments, and accounts. Mrs. Mason and I, along with the input and help of our new administrator Mr. Craig, have decided that if we are going to continue traveling with the BHS Band, we will be traveling all together as one band - which means that every member must contribute to fund raising and every member should attend the trip. We will no longer keep individual accounts for travel purposes - there will be one travel account for the entire band, and each member will have a list of choices for fund raising and/or out-of-pocket payments. Our Booster parents will also have to help out and start raising much more money in order to subsidize our travel plans. We will have more details and information within the next few weeks regarding the new travel arrangements and trip details for 2012. Next year’s theme is Classical Music, so we’re looking at either Washington DC (President’s Own Marine Band, tour of capital, American history) or Boston, MA (Boston Symphony, Boston Conservatory, Berklee Collage of Music, tour of city, American history)

Finally, the BHS Seniors and staff will be discussing alternate trip plans for this year. While we cannot do an overnight trip, we still have the option of running several day trips right here in the metropolitan area that will be able to make curriculum connections to this year’s multi-cultural theme.