Yep, summer is most definitely underway! But here at West Music, we’re already thinking about what we can do to help you have a snag-free school year this fall. Here are a few tips to help ensure your music room is ready to go when you are this fall.
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Submit your classroom order requests to your district now.
Make sure your wish lists are defined and submitted to your administration so you can get early approval. Not sure what you want to focus on for the next year? Or looking for assistance on your budget plan? Call 1-800-397-9378a or email our education consultants to talk through options. This will give you the quotes and supporting paperwork needed for district approval.
- Need a bid? Get it started now.
Many districts work with their purchasing agents to create formal bids. This can add additional time, so we recommend getting ahead of the process by starting your paperwork early (like now). Our bids team is lightning fast at responding to bid requests. With their experience and know-how, they can turn around your custom bid quickly, so you can get approved, place your order, and have supplies on hand when school begins.
- Order early, even if your budget hasn’t been released.
We know many budgets aren’t released until July 1. But there are ways to get a jump start on your fall classroom order. The first method is requesting order approval from your school district. In our experience, some district offices will work with teachers and administrators to place orders early. The second option is future dating your order. Just call or email us to place your order and the date you would like to ship the order. We will reserve products for you and send them to you at your requested date (pending availability of products at that date).
- Confirm your summer delivery address.
Many schools shut down for the summer. And it’s never a good idea to ship packages to a school that can’t receive them. To avoid returns and delays, provide us with a summer delivery address. Then, before finalizing your order, double-check that you have selected your summer address for all shipments occurring before school begins.
- Plan your classroom makeover early.
As you have a moment to refresh, start looking for new classroom inspiration. We all know how easy it is to fall into a Pinterest rabbit hole and get overwhelmed with what others are doing. But don’t let that stop you! Even a few new music-themed posters can give your classroom a whole new look. West Music has all sorts of music classroom teaching aids like classroom posters featuring instrument families, composers, musical inspirations, Solfege hand signs, fingering charts, and much more. You can also find recommendations on setting up your music classroom for success at Music ConstructED, our educational resources website.
- Item out-of-stock? Ask about alternatives.
Are the items you want currently out-of-stock? It’s frustrating, we know. But the good news is you have options! We stock high-quality alternatives for most of the popular items that tend to go out of stock. We also order ahead to prevent out-of-stock situations. So if you are open to a different item, just ask our educational consultants for in-stock recommendations. We will talk through your choices so you can stay on track with your teaching plan.
- Take a deep breath and know that your order is our priority.
In some ways, it may seem like COVID is getting smaller and smaller in our rear-view mirror. And thankfully, supply chain shortages and shipping delays are beginning to resolve. But before we can fill new orders, we must first fulfill backorders (and some are from the past school year). But be assured that when you order, your place in line is confirmed. In some cases, it could take months before your order is delivered. It may help to have a plan b, like re-ordering your lesson progression or selecting a suitable replacement product that is in stock. If you need specific ideas on how to work around product delays, ask an educational consultant how you can keep lessons on track during the wait.
