Workshop Checklist – updated August, 2007 – Marge Fox

1.  Dates are first.  Find out when the teacher can come and try real hard to get SSQ and CWQG or another guild to share her.  They get a program, we get a workshop, both save on expenses. 

2. Expenses:  Find out the teacher’s fee and the number of students she will take in the class.  Many will price their workday on 15 or 20 but will take more on  x$  extra per student.  Get as many seats in the class as she will take. 

  Room reservations:  Find out from your teacher what you need.  Some will have inches of table per student, some will require water available, etc.  Whitman School is excellent but not cheap.  242-0971. Churches are great but not available on Sundays.  First Presbyterian, 242-1923 has a good room.  There is a free room at the Mall but it is small. 

   Accommodations:  when talking to your teacher ask them if they are “willing to stay, B&B style, in the home of a member” As of this writing AQuA will reimburse $25 for the first day, $15 for each additional to the member hosting the teacher. 

   Food:  budget some money for meals; get members to take the teacher out for dinners, reimbursing the member for the teacher’s but not their meals.   Include lunch expenses.

   Transportation:  find out how the teacher will get here, and then estimate the expenses. 

3.  Determine pricing for workshop.  Take all the expenses and divide by the number of seats in the workshop.  If AQuA is subsidizing the workshop, subtract that amount before determining the price per seat. Set another price for non AQuA members, should all seats not sell. Non members would pay the full price before the AQuA subsidy, and subsidy should not be less than the amount of yearly dues.  Call me if I can help you walk through all your pricing. 

4. Confirm the booking with the teacher once you know all the pricing.  A contract is sometimes asked for by a teacher but a well written e mail that the teacher responds to is just as good for being clear on what is expected. 

5.  Start the signups.  Set the date to start selling seats.  Make the seats non refundable but take wait listed names in case someone has to cancel at the last minute.  While we say seats are non refundable, under extreme situations we would refund.  Talk it over with the Steering Committee. 

6.  Supply lists: Find out what is needed and that anything unusual is available in town.  Arrange for irons and boards, plastic table protection, etc.   Include the teacher’s supply list on the signup document in order to do it all on one piece of paper.

7.  Publicize the event well in advance.  If AQuA does not fill all the seats, the other guilds (sharing transportation costs) should get first shot before someone from outside.  It is good to have a deadline for AQuA signups that allows you plenty of time to go to the other guilds or sell seats through outside contacts.  Marge Fox has lists of shops and guilds you can use to market unsold seats.

8.  Lunch arrangements:  Many teachers like to have lunch brought in.  Find out what your teacher prefers and arrange for it.  . Make a plan for lunch.  

9.  Make a chore list and get others to help with bringing irons, taking teacher to meals, etc.  Have all class members responsible for cleaning up their area. 

10.  Name tags are a great idea.  You can simply write them (large!) on a piece of paper and pin them on. 

11.  Signups and supply lists by e mail only work if members are checking their mail.  You may decide to use snail mail for signups and for sending out supply lists.