NAPA News - Week 8, Term 1, 2021

NAPA News

21 Mar

Dear NAPA Families,

Less than two weeks before the term ends, my goodness time flies! We have welcomed lots of new families this term but sadly we will need to close off many of our classes to new enrolments next term as we start to prepare for performances. Once our students have started the year with their basic training, they move into the next stage of extending these skills and refining them to the specific requirements of the productions they are in. To be fair on our current students, we can’t interrupt this flow to their training by trying to catch up new students. The exception is the technique classes as this is structured differently and geared to cater for various levels and individual needs as well as their concert being positioned at the end of the year.

HOLIDAYS

Our last day of classes for Term 1 is Thursday, 1 April 2021 and we return on Monday, 19 April 2021. Please note that if you ever need to check dates for holidays, productions, eisteddfod etc. you can see these on our website by clicking on Youth then Calendar.

PRODUCTIONS

We are still waiting for a response from our applications for our Pre-Senior Play and our Broadway Bound Musical. Hopefully, we can announce these before the end of term. The delay for Broadway Bound is due to us not getting the rights to the show we were hoping to do - Mary Poppins, so we have now had to apply for another musical. We will announce it as soon as we get the thumbs up. It is great to see other classes in the swing of auditions and we are so proud of our students as many are stepping out of their comfort zone to audition – a great achievement!

WE WELCOME CLAUDINE ANDERSON TO OUR STAFF

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Scott will no longer be able to take our Pre-Senior Tread the Boards class. However, we have managed to snap up Claudine Anderson for this class. Claudine has worked over the past 31 years as a dancer, actor, singer, director, theatre maker and educator in Australia, Germany & France. She specialised in movement at NIDA as a post-Graduate and studied at Doctorate level at QUT. As Co-Director of Mercury’s Wings Theatre Company, Claudine has directed over 17 Independent productions, including sell-out works at HOTA. She has taught at numerous private dance and drama institutions, including NIDA, QUT, NYFA (Chair of Acting), HOTA and as Artist-in Residence for Gold Coast secondary schools. Our young thespians are in good hands.

CANTEEN

Our canteen was originally established as a P&F-run operation with profits going towards extra resources and equipment for our students. However, due to lack of volunteers, it has not been operating during the week and we have many hungry children arriving from school in the afternoons. Thanks to volunteers, Kristie Mercer and Jacqui Manttan who help on Saturdays, the canteen is open on that day and we can also manage the very popular, sausage sizzle.

To make the canteen more effective, we have decided to take on the canteen as part of the business and we have employed Kristie to run it from Monday to Saturday. Kristie already runs a school canteen and so brings lots of experience and knowledge to the job. Starting in Term 2, the canteen will only be open from Monday – Thursday from 4-5 pm as this is when our children come straight from school and are ready for something to eat. If they have classes well into the evening, they could purchase their food during this period and eat it later. We have a fridge and a microwave they can use to store or heat food.

Saturdays will continue to operate with Kristie and any volunteers that can help, particularly to operate the barbecue, as it is very busy on this day. All profits from the running of the canteen will be in a separate account to finance those extra resources and equipment for our students.

Parents, we haven’t forgotten you, as soon as we have the funds we will purchase a coffee machine so you can enjoy a coffee when waiting for your child. We will like to offer some healthy and substantial snacks for the children midweek and would love your input. If you have suggestions on what your child would like to eat would you please give us that feedback by hitting the link below.

SUBMIT YOUR FOOD SUGGESTIONS HERE

ADDITIONAL PRIVATE LESSONS ADDED

Although Private classes are presently booked out, a couple of teachers have opened up some more available times. Jackie has three spots left for private singing lessons on Saturday morning and Hannah has some dance slots on Wednesday afternoon before 5.30pm. If anyone would like these, please email [email protected] ASAP as these slots will go fast.

BOOK IN FOR PRIVATE LESSONS

GATE INSTALLATION

For those of you who were with us last year, you would remember that our fence was blown down in the severe storm we had. It has taken a long time, but finally our landlord is going to install a new one. This will be much sturdier and will have a side gate for everyone to enter through rather than the entire fence/gate opening. Please be aware that construction will be happening soon, and therefore the car park will be blocked off. Once erected, entrance will be through a side gate which will mean our children will be safe to play in this area without the danger of cars coming in. We understand the challenge of parking on the street, but the safety of our children is of utmost priority. Sadly, we have seen some cars come in to pick up and drop off students near our doors at a dangerous speed. Once this area is fenced off, we will organise some equipment for outside games for children to play between classes.