Hutto Middle School Choir Handbook – 2012-2013 Adam Reemts, Choir Director
[email protected] / 512-759-4541 Greetings to the Students and Parents of the HMS Choirs! Welcome! I am so excited that you and your student have chosen choir this year as an elective. My name is Adam Reemts, and I am proud to be joining Hippo Nation as the new choir director of Hutto Middle School. I am a graduate of Susquehanna University (Pennsylvania), where I received a Bachelor’s degree in music education. For the past seven years I was the choir director at Audie Murphy Middle School in Killeen. Despite the high level of turnover from working primarily with children from military families, my choirs earned consistent scores of “excellent” at UIL contest, and both my choirs last year came home with awards from the competition. My professional memberships include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, and the American Choral Directors Association. The music philosophy of the HMS Choral Department includes a systematic approach to music through active musical experiences. Consequently, everyone in the HMS Choral Program will learn to sight read at a proficient level, to sing works by great composers with proper vocal technique, and to perform with proper concert etiquette. All of HMS’s ensembles will be a part of exciting performances, unique experiences, and enriching rehearsals. We are confident that this year will be a strong continuation of our commitment to excellence and growth as a department and a school. This handbook is designed to introduce you to the many facets of the HMS Choral Department and to answer as many questions as possible. Enclosed you will find a permission slip/handbook consent form, and volunteer form. Please fill these out and return them with your child by Friday, August 31st. Information concerning fund raisers and Choir t-shirt orders will be sent home shortly. If you cannot afford the fees at this time, please call or email me directly and we will work out a solution. Thank you for your interest and support of choirs at Hutto Middle School. I’m excited to work with you and we look forward to many wonderful experiences in the year to come. Musically, Adam Reemts, Director
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Hutto Middle School Choirs 2012-2013 Concert Schedule Adam Reemts, Director –
[email protected] / 512-759-4541 *Saturday, October 13 -
All-Region Choir Auditions (Optional – 7th & 8th grade students only) @ Leander MS – Time TBA
Monday, October 15 -
Fall Choir Concert @ Discovery United Methodist Church – 6:30 PM
*Saturday, October 20 -
All-Region Clinic & Concert @ Georgetown HS PAC – Time TBA
Friday, November 9 -
Veterans’ Day Celebration @ Hutto MS
Monday, December 10 -
Winter Choir Concert @ Hutto HS PAC – 7:00 PM
*Friday, December 14 -
Hutto Choirs Sing at the Capitol @ 12:00 PM
Friday, December 14 -
Performance at Christmas in the Parks @ 5:30 PM
Tuesday, March 5 -
Pre-UIL Concert @ Hutto HS PAC – 6:30 PM
*Thursday, March 21 or Friday, March 22 -
UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Competition (7th & 8th grade choir only) @ Round Rock HS PAC – Date & Time TBA (transportation provided)
Tuesday, April 30 -
Hutto ISD Solo & Ensemble Contest (Optional) @ Farley MS – 4:00PM
*Thursday, May 16 -
Pops Concert Rehearsal @ Hutto HS PAC – 3:30-5:30
Tuesday, May 21 -
Spring Pops Concert @ Hutto HS PAC – 7:00PM
*TBA in May -
Spring Performance at Amusement Park (*Transportation provided for all starred events on the calendar)
Items in italics are optional (but highly encouraged!) performances. All other performances are required! Please contact me immediately if you have a conflict with any performance on this schedule.
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ATTENDANCE POLICIES Important! Please Read!! Because you are given a calendar at the beginning of the school year and you and your guardian sign and agree to the dates on the calendar, the following events can be scheduled around choir activities and ARE NOT considered emergencies: no transportation, babysitting a sibling, doctors appointments, family vacations, and attendance of gymnastic, dance, athletic, or any other extra-curricular event outside of Hutto Middle School. Please let Mr. Reemts know NOW if you already have a conflict with the choir calendar. In the event of a conflict with another scheduled school activity, it is the responsibility of the student to notify the sponsors of the activities. The sponsors will then determine the student's obligation.
CONCERT ATTENDANCE Concerts are the cumulative evaluation of many weeks of preparation and class work. A choir concert is the equivalent of a unit exam in a core subject, and will thus count for multiple test grades. Choir members are expected to be present for the entire time of each required concert. An unexcused absence from a concert will lower your student's grade dramatically. Concert absences and tardies will be excused for cases of medical emergency or family emergency only. Please let Mr. Reemts know as soon as possible if you will be absent for such an emergency. Mr. Reemts must receive prior notification from a parent (e-mail, phone call, or note – not a verbal message through the student) of any school conflict with a required concert or rehearsal. Conflicts that are not school related, with the exception of emergencies, will be considered unexcused. Students are held responsible for keeping up with the dates and times of scheduled activities.
ADDITIONAL REHEARSALS/ACTIVITIES Students will be given adequate notice of all additional rehearsals and activities outside of the regular class period. Every effort will be made to minimize the amount of out-ofclass time required. These rehearsals and activities are course requirements and are vital to the success of the choral program. Therefore, unexcused absences from these activities will result in a zero test grade.
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CLASSROOM RULES and CONSEQUENCES Rules:
Be respectful to yourself and others. Give complete attention to the director during rehearsal. Come to class on time and prepared to sing. Give your best effort at all times. Follow all rules set out in the school handbook.
Consequences:
First offense = verbal warning Second offense = verbal warning and student/teacher conference Third offense = student/parent/team conference Fourth offense =lunch detention and parent phone call Fifth offense = office referral and parent phone call Repeat offenses = suspension, loss of trip privileges, or forced to drop the class
ANY SERIOUS OFFENSE, SUCH AS FIGHTING OR DEFIANCE WILL RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE OFFICE REFERRAL, AS OUTLINED IN THE FARLEY STUDENT HANDBOOK.
GRADING RUBRIC 1. Ensemble Rehearsal Skills (50% of final grade – listed as “Daily” in gradebook) This includes preparedness, punctuality, effort, daily work in class, and following directions.
2. Performances/Tests (40% of final grade – listed as “Assessment” in gradebook) This includes concerts, sight-reading exams, written tests, and other large projects. Remember that an unexcused absence from a performance will result in a zero for that test grade.
3. Notebook/Journal (10% of final grade – listed as “Homework” in gradebook) This includes periodic checks of the student’s choir notebook/journal. (We will very rarely have homework outside of concerts, but the grading categories are set by the district.)
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FUNDRAISING Fundraising will be encouraged for all choir participants this year. Additional information will be sent home, via parent letter, later in the semester. Multiple incentives will be given for participation.
TUTORING Tutoring will be offered several times every week for students who are struggling with their choir assignments or would like help. The tutoring schedule will be posted on Mr. Reemts’ school webpage shortly. Students may use as much or as little tutoring time as needed. Tutoring time, however, must be used purposefully, meaning students will need to actually be working on something and not just hanging out. Occasionally, Mr. Reemts will have to change the tutoring schedule for a specific week because of other choir obligations. Please refer to the tutoring schedule in the choir room or webpage before assuming that there will be tutoring that day.
UNIFORMS Choir T-shirts:
$15
All year-long choir members will pay for a choir t-shirt. The cost for these shirts will be $15 per student. Students will wear their t-shirt tucked in to a nice pair of khaki pants (no holes, baggy jeans, etc.) for all informal concerts such as school assemblies. More information will be sent home shortly.
Formal Dresses: We were lucky enough to have some formal choir dresses donated to us from another school that we will use for formal concerts. Each female choir member will be assigned a dress that will be signed out from the choir room a few days before a performance, and returned no later than three days after the concert performance. Students will be held accountable for these dresses, and any loss or damage will result in a fine. While we are thankful to have these new uniforms, they are older dresses that we will hopefully be able to replace within a few years. Fundraising efforts this year will go, in part, towards the purchase of formalwear for future choirs.
General: The idea of a uniform is that we appear as a unified group to those who see us. Therefore, additions such as large jewelry will not be acceptable. Ladies may wear small studs in their ears, but no dangling earrings, necklaces, or bracelets. Guys, no earrings, please. Also, when we have a performance, you are expected to be in full uniform from the time you arrive to the time you leave the performance site. We want to take pride in our organization, and our appearance is one way to show a classy attitude.
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ADDITIONAL FEES: ALL-REGION (Optional): $9.00 All 7th/8th grade choir students will have the opportunity to try out for the Region 26 Middle School Honor Choirs. All-Region music will be learned in and out of class in addition to our Fall Concert music. A CD accompaniment will be given to each student to help them learn the pieces. Students may also make appointments to work with Mr. Reemts on the music during tutorial or advisory times. Students will audition for their voice part on Saturday, October 13. HMS and the student will split the cost of contest entry fees and All-Region music. If a student makes the All-Region Choir, a clinic and concert will be held the following Saturday, October 20 at Georgetown High School. HMS Choir will cover the additional costs. All year-long students are strongly encouraged to audition, though not required. The deadline to commit to the All-Region auditions and pay the $9.00 fee will be Friday, September 7. CHOIR TRIP: TBD Once again this year, Hutto MS Choirs will attend a festival at an amusement park. All year-long choir students who have not become ineligible because of grades or discipline will be invited to attend. Students will be required to pay a portion of the trip cost to attend. The final cost to students will be determined by fundraising profits, trip cost, and transportation fees. This information will be sent home in the Spring.
I REALIZE THAT FAMILY ECONOMIC CONDITIONS MAY EXIST THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO PAY THE CHOIR FEES AT THIS TIME. IF SUCH IS THE CASE, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL ME AND WE WILL WORK OUT A PAYMENT PLAN, OR IN EXTREME CASES, THE COST WILL BE WAIVED. PLEASE NOTE THAT STUDENTS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PAY FOR OTHER OPTIONAL CHOIR EXPENSES UNTIL THE T-SHIRT HAS BEEN PAID OFF, EVEN IF THE COST IS WAIVED.
TURNING IN MONEY Any time a student gives Mr. Reemts money for fundraising, t-shirts, or any other choir expense, students should follow these rules: 1. All money should be in a sealed envelope with the student’s name, choir class, and what the money is for on the outside of the envelope. 2. If writing a check, the student’s name and what the check is for should be written on the “for” or “memo” line of the check. 3. If paying by cash, please send exact change. We do not have the ability to make change for you here at the school. 4. Please do not combine payments into one check. For example, do not combine fund-raising money with a uniform payment. These payments may go into separate accounts and therefore, separate checks must be written.
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USE OF CHOIR FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT CARE OF CHOIR ROOM We are fortunate to have a very nice choir facility. We need to make the care and maintenance of our choir room, its auxiliary rooms, and our auditorium a daily priority. Remember, there will be no food, drink, or gum in the choir room at any time.
AUXILIARY ROOMS There are multiple practice rooms, an office and a storage facility in our choir room. Do not enter these rooms without permission. These rooms serve specific functions and need to stay clean.
STAGE/AUDITORIUM You are not to be on the stage or in the auditorium unless you are accompanied or given permission from Mr. Reemts.
STEREO The stereo can only be used by students for rehearsal purposes or for specific listening work once you have obtained permission from Mr. Reemts. Groups of students are encouraged to rehearse music in the choir room with the stereo. Only serious practice or work will be allowed.
PIANO We have a very expensive digital piano sitting in our choir room. Never set your personal belongings on the piano as this can cause permanent damage. Students may only play the piano with the director's permission, and never during class time.
CHOIR OFFICE I am rarely in my office during class time, but if I am, please knock. You will be invited in. If you do not receive a reply, it is most likely that there is a conference going on. Do not continue to knock and do not enter without being invited in.
PHONE The phone in the choir office may only be used with the director's permission.
BULLETIN BOARDS These boards are used to share information about upcoming events and tutorials. Do not make marks on any materials posted on these boards without the director’s permission.
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SUPPLIES Students will be required to have one thin folder for choir. The folder may or may not have brads, and can be basic paper or plastic. This folder will be assigned a number and will stay in the choir room. If the folder becomes torn or damaged beyond repair, the student will have a specified number of days to replace the folder. Students will need to bring a pencil to choir EVERY DAY. Pencil checks will take place periodically and if a student is missing his or her pencil, the student’s daily grade will be lowered. Because of this, students are strongly encouraged to keep a pencil in their folder. Students will also need to have a one-subject notebook. We will use this notebook for taking notes and journaling assignments throughout the year. These assignments will make up 10% of your student’s choir grade as listed in the grading policy. This notebook will be kept in the choir room in the folder cabinet. Choir music will be checked out to students on an individual basis. Students will keep the music in their choir folders. MUSIC IS NEVER TO LEAVE THE CHOIR ROOM. Students will be expected to keep their music in good shape. Damage or loss of music will result in a fine, generally the cost of the piece of music. Kleenex boxes are a commodity in any choir room. I will not require students to bring in tissue boxes, however, I will provide an incentive for those who choose to bring in Kleenex. Students will receive an additional 100 in the grade book for every box brought in, up to two per six weeks.
CONTACT This choir handbook provides a wealth of information, but could never hope to answer every question that a parent or guardian might have. Letters and emails will go out frequently with information about upcoming events, and my school webpage will be updated weekly with any new information that arises. Feel free to contact me whenever you have a question. The quickest way to get a response is via email, but I will return phone calls within 24 hours during the school week as well. My contact information is listed below. Adam Reemts
[email protected] 512-759-4541 Webpage Location Go to the HMS website (http://hms.hipponation.org/) Under the “About HMS” menu, click on “Staff Directory” Scroll down until you find my name, then click on it A link will also be in my email signature
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2012-2013 Hutto Middle School Choir Permission Slip My son or daughter, __________________________________________, has my permission to participate in Hutto Middle School Choir activities for the 2012-2013 school year. I hereby release Hutto Independent School District, its employees, and its volunteer chaperones from liability in connection with accidental injury to my child during any official choir event, including field trips. I have read the rules and policies of the Hutto MS Choir Department and agree to abide by them. I understand that I must pay a choir t-shirt fee of $15. I understand that students may be removed from participation in the choir department’s social activities and/or concerts and be given a written assignment if they skip a required rehearsal or concert or if they misbehave in class. I have read the calendar and I understand that dates are subject to change with notice. I further agree that my student will be on time to every required rehearsal and concert and he/she is subject to all grading policies. I have read and understand the rules and conditions presented in the 2012-2013 HMS Choral Department Handbook. ______________________________________________________ Parent Signature Date Student Information (Please print legibly – thank you!) Student Name ______________________________________ Male guardian name__________________________________________________ Female guardian name________________________________________________ All phone numbers___________________________________________________ Parent email address(es)_______________________________________________ Medical information that I should know about (medications taken, allergies, medical issues that may hinder learning, etc.) _______________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Do I have your permission to publish your student’s name and/or photo for choir events? (For example, pictures on the choir website, name and/or picture in the local newspaper, etc.) You will always receive notification from me in advance. (Please initial by your preference.) _____ _____ _____ _____
You may publish my child’s name and or photo when connected to choir events. You may publish my child’s name and/or photo, but only on the district website. You may publish my child’s name when connected to choir events, but may not publish photos. You may not publish my child’s name or photo.
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YES, I WANT TO HELP!!! PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME:__________________________________ PARENT/GUARDIAN OF (student's name):_______________________ HOME PHONE:________________ WORK PHONE:_______________ EMAIL:______________________________________________________ I AM AVAILABLE: [Please check the spaces which are appropriate for your circumstances this year.)
_______MORNINGS _______AFTERNOONS _______EVENINGS _______WEEKENDS _______AT THIS TIME, I AM UNABLE TO BE A CHOIR VOLUNTEER. I CAN HELP WITH: ______CONCERTS ______SEWING/UNIFORM FITTINGS ______PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT (please list) __________ ______FIELD TRIP CHAPERONE ______OTHER (please list)______________________________
Signature______________________ Date____________________
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