As a principal, your prime concern is the safety and welfare of your students as well as to ensure the best value for your dollar.  Finding suitable fund raising and assembly entertainment can be a difficult task.  To help with this we've assembled a list of questions to ask entertainers when thinking of having them perform at your school.  By asking the following questions you can be sure to get the best entertainment possible. 

Question: What is the performers experience? How many years have they been in business? 

Reason: The sad truth is that many entertainers who work in schools are booked with a very small background in entertainment.  Often times they are never asked for a list of references or previous clients.  We recommend that all entertainers working in schools have at least five years of experience working for a variety of clients. 

Question: Are they Insured? 

Reason:  This may sound obvious, however it is scary how often entertainment is booked in schools which is not covered by a comprehensive insurance policy.  Not only is it simply common sense for all entertainers to carry insurance but it is also the law that anyone working as a private contractor in Canadian schools must have insurance.  Simply ask that a copy be faxed with the contract.  It's amazing to think that a school would never hire a bus driver without insurance but for some reason they would trust their students with an uninsured entertainer. 

Question: What is the quality of their promotional materials like?  Do they have a demo DVD available, as well as an extensive list of references?    

Reason: Any entertainer who has been in business for any length of time has a promotional webpage and DVD available.  Review them as the quality and content can often be a factor in determining the quality of the performance.  Be careful when looking at entertainers who do not include a list of shows.  Review this list and if you know someone at another school listed, simply contact them and ask about the show.   

Question: Are they certified? 

Reason:  Every industry has certification processes.  What certifications does your entertainer hold?  At a minimum there should be two prominent certifications, in their field, held by any competent entertainer. 

Question: How did they learn their skills?  Who trained them? 

Reason:  It is essential that all entertainers be properly trained by qualified people.  Far too often entertainers get their information from books, videos, and possibly the worst, websites.  It is wise to seek out entertainers who were taught directly by qualified teachers, in their field, in a one on one setting.  When the safety of your students is in question, it is not enough to have someone who simply "has done a lot of research" or "taken a very good video correspondence course on the subject". 

Question: Can the entertainer be easily reached to answer questions? 

Reason: It is important that your entertainer be easily reached at any time to ensure the success of your event.  In the event of a snow storm, parent question, change of location or time, it would be terrible if the performer were unreachable. 

Question: Do they offer a copy of a criminal backgrounds check if requested? 

Reason: Of course again this goes without saying.  Any entertainer who works in schools will have this available and be more than happy to send a copy if requested.