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September 10, 2008
New York classes resume soon!
Photography: B. Conwell
Dear Students and Parents,
Welcome to our 7th year of Conservatory programming and 11th year of performing arts and cheerleading training in Queens, New York. We look forward to this being a year of learning, friendship, excellence and community. I am thrilled to announce that this summer we received word from City Councilman Peter F. Vallone Jr. that he increased the Conservatory's funding from the city government almost threefold! Councilman Vallone has shown his commitment to young people and the arts in Queens not just in words but by his generosity. We are grateful for his support. Thanks to him we will increase our services to young people and our efforts to find a permanent home for the Conservatory. We ask that parents and friends of the Conservatory drop a thank you phone call to the Councilman's office and/or preferably write a thank you letter acknowledging his support of your child and our programs. He may be contacted at:
Address
City Councilman Peter F. Vallone Jr.
22-45 31 Street
Astoria, NY 11105
Telephone
718-274-4500
At present we are planning our 2008-2009 season and thinking long term about how we can benefit our arts family of students, parents, community and teachers. We believe that this year will begin an increased focus on literacy through the arts with reading, writing and drawing sessions at the beginning of classes. Next week we will announce our class offerings, days, times and locations for the fall/winter session. We also will announce the creation of a parent volunteer committee. I am happy to inform College Point/Whitestone participants that classes at the Poppenhusen Institute will begin Saturday, October 2, 2008. For more information you may call the Poppenhusen at 718-358-0067.
Many of you have heard about the loss of my mother, Patricia Wells Allen who also served as the Conservatory's Board President. I thank you all for your prayers, emails and calls. I am especially grateful to Miss Liz and Miss Sarah for their support during my mourning. Though this is a sad time it is also a happy one. We are blessed to have a new addition to our arts and cheer family. Miss Liz had a healthy baby girl (see below) named Alexis. I look forward to her being a part of the Conservatory. Babies are delicious and make everyone feel brand new!
Speaking of babies...This Wednesday, September 11th I ran into the Conservatory's first "official" ballet teacher Giselle Grncarski (Miss Gigi) with her husband Pedja and baby Natalia (6 mos.) and big girl Sofia (3). Miss Gigi is enjoying the good life and I hope to convince her husband who is a former much sought after Ford model to come give a talk to aspiring performers.
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