This event has been on the calendar since the beginning of the year and we
have been talking about it since we returned home last year.....

It's time to start turning in money for our trip to the New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festival.  The trip last year was an incredible success and I
am looking forward to another amazing trip.  The trip is set for April 29-
30, which is also the weekend of Prom.  Last year we were able to make it
back in time for Prom because we were gone over a Thursday and Friday but
because of the schedule we will be gone Friday and Saturday.

We will leave on a charter bus (with satellite tv and Wifi!)at 5am on April
29 and go directly to the Fairgrounds.  Jazz Fest runs from 11am-7pm and we
will be there for the entire day.  Performers that will be there that day
include Robert Plant (Led Zep), Jeff Beck, Wyclef Jean, The Avett Brothers,
Mumford & Sons, Keb' Mo', Dumpstaphunk, Mighty Clouds of Joy and many other
local and national performers.  Every imaginable style of music from rock,
jazz, folk, bluegrass, gospel and more will be represented.

We will be staying at the Doubletree Hotel in Kenner, LA.  Saturday morning
I have arranged for a morning walking tour of the French Quarter with local
tour guides.  In addition, I have always wanted to take a group to
Preservation Hall but all of the concerts are in the evening and I won't
take 40 high school students into the Quarter at night.  In order to let
our students experience Preservation Hall I have rented it for an hour
during the day and hired the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for a private
concert.  I think this will be an amazing experience for our students and I
hope that we have a bus full of wonderful students go on this trip.

The cost for the trip will be $250 per person and includes bus, hotel, Jazz
Fest, French Quarter Tour and the Preservation Hall concert.  I will start
taking money from all students on Monday, January 31 and collect it until
we run out of spaces.  The minimum number of students for this trip is 40.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Peace,

Mr. Leaman