Cancellation of Music Trips

Dear Parents of Students in the Notre Dame Collegiate Music Program,
I write to inform you of the cancellation of all planned music trips, including all excursions to Airdrie, Lethbridge, and the already cancelled Toronto trip.  This decision comes as a result of the Alberta Chief Medical Officer's instructions to adopt aggressive new public health measures to prevent continued spread of the coronavirus known as COVID-19.
These aggressive measures include the cancellation of all events involving 250 people or more.  Although none of the events we have registered with have cancelled as of yet, we are cancelling our participation with the full knowledge that there will in fact be more than 250 each of the festival venues we anticipated performing at. Even soloists, who would normally be performing in classes with lower attendance, will be doing so in facilities that may be attended by other events, and so we can see no guarantee of meeting this and other criteria as set by Alberta Health.
Therefore out of an abundance of caution, we are cancelling each and every off-site music education activity.  We are sorry for the disappointment you feel, as we feel similarly.  We are instead exploring other opportunities for similar music educational opportunities without the risk to health and safety, but cannot guarantee anything at this point.
Please understand that our office staff will be working on reimbursing families in due course.  Music activities are not the only activities that have been cancelled, and it may take some time for office staff to process refunds.  If you paid using SchoolCashOnline, your refund will be processed faster, and will be returned to your method of payment.  If you did not pay by SchoolCashOnline, please do not come into the school to collect your refund until you have been informed that your refund has been processed.  Students will not be given refund monies directly.
We apologize for this inconvenience.  Please adhere to the medical safety protocol as has been distributed to you through Alberta Health and the school, and stay safe.
Contrapuntally yours,
​​​​​​​Joel Windsor