Here are some thoughts on school assemblies. VERY difficult field to break into, but the advantage is that a newcome has just about as much chance as someone who has been doing it for 5 or 6 years.
1. Get addresses from the Department of Education. They may sell them or they may send you a disk. Tell them you are interested in having them in a form from which labels can be printed, if possible.
2. Chances are that the PTA or PTO will be paying for assemblies. So you may want to address the envelopes to PTA President or to School Assembly Coordinator.
3. Proof read for errors. NO SPELLING ERRORS!
4. Use a nice paper. Mostly women will read the cover letter and the description so make the colors pleasant. They don't have to be full color, but they should be professional. You are better off to tell more about one program than to say, these are my ten themes. I recommend a RED RIBBON MONTH anti-tobacco/health theme (October is Red Ribbon month) and one other them such as recycling, how to speak in public, reading is fun, exercise, etc. Don't book the show until you've written the them and performed it on a practice audience two or three times.
5. There are 3 types of bookings... 1. Last year's PTA President books next year because she doesn't want to leave any loose strings. That would have been done by June 30th so it's okay to do an April mailout. 2. This year's committee is on the ball in September and ready to choose the fall schedule. An August or early September mailout is okay. 3. The school has no funds until they see how much their fundraiser has brought in. Thus a January mailout, perhaps to the Principal this time.
Note: You may want to send the Red Ribbon brochure to the Healthy Kids Advocate.
Good luck!
Visit www.schoolassembly.net for ideas on describing a program.