By Rhys Lett

Immediate Suspension of Music Lessons at ESSM

Following advice delivered by the Australian and Victorian government today we are needing to suspend lessons held on site at all ESSM locations in Boronia and Carrum Downs. We must at this time protect the ESSM and wider community in every way possible from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This does not mean the end to your music lessons! It will be crucial through this difficult period to maintain as much routine and structure as possible. To enable this we will be undertaking the following:

• Teachers will be providing lessons to students through video call and online means. I will be focused in the coming week with helping our teachers make the transition over to online instruction. Please be guided by your teacher as to which programs they will be using to conduct lessons.
• Term 1 catch up lessons will be held by video call as soon as possible including what will likely be for most this week’s missed lesson. These catch ups will also be a way to allow teachers and students to adjust to the new lesson environment.
• As owner of the school I will be mentoring teachers on how to deliver lessons, providing resources for teaching and guidance on tasks to complete to maintain lesson standards.
• Greater interaction through our social media channels to keep the ESSM community engaged with their music and learning their instruments. Please follow our website, Facebook, YouTube and help contribute to our Instagram page that will be resurrected in coming days.

There are many creative opportunities for us during this time to maintain the spirit of music through our ESSM community. I welcome any and all suggestions.

Term 2 will commence from Monday 11th of April via online lessons. Fee charges will be adjusted to payments of 4 lessons for $100 (lessons half hour in length). This will continue until we are informed it is safe to return to our work places. It is likely we will not take the usual term breaks while lessons are being conducted online. This will be guided by developments in the upcoming months. The ESSM lesson terms and conditions will still apply for all lessons during this time.

I thank my teachers ahead of time for the work they will need to undertake during this transition. I also call upon everyone to support our teachers through this time as much as possible as we face loss of income from sessional primary and secondary school work, gigs, theatre shows and other occupations.

Personally this is an incredibly difficult time but simply I view it as a new challenge. I thank students and parents for their support during the previous week. Over the last 7 years of ownership of the school I have seen it grow from 100 students per week to over 400. To be on stage last month performing with singing students from the Carrum Downs school at a community event was a reminder of the value of music on so many levels. This school is an absolute dream come true for me. I will not let this stop the foundation and principle that our school is built on. We will continue to give you the best half hour of fun you have in your week. We all probably will need our music more than ever before. Our ESSM community will

Stay safe and healthy everyone.