Mrs. Valerie Petty, Director
Mrs. Valerie Petty, Director
NewhartMusic.com
(949) 855-0162
August 15, 2016
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
On behalf of the Newhart Middle School Music Department, I would like to welcome you to the 2016‐17 school year. I am excited to have you as a part of our music program this year! We will have a fun year of music making. Please take some time to read over this Choir Handbook. This will prepare you and your family for your work and responsibilities as a member of the choir along with the events and expectations of the music program here at Newhart. If a problem or question should arise, please consult the handbook or NewhartMusic.com first. If you still need help, you are always welcome to contact me via email, note or phone call.
The hope is that all choir students continue to enjoy music, learn much more about music and themselves, have loads of fun and gain a greater musical appreciation now and in their future. Some highlights of this year include evening & daytime performances plus various field trips which will hopefully include Disney.
In our effort to continue the high level of musical excellence offered at Newhart, we are suggesting a voluntary Choir Program Donation of $60.00 per student for this school year. More information regarding the donation is on the next page.
The students will be performing many times throughout the year as they become better musicians. Students enrolled in music classes are required to take part in all concerts! It is highly encouraged that family members and friends attend the concerts too. To help you plan for the concerts, I have included a Calendar of Events in this packet. Most dates have already been set but are sometimes subject to change. I will send an updated calendar through SchoolLoop and post on our website as changes are sometimes unavoidable.
All grades are posted at Newhart.schoolloop.com. Through the Newhart SchoolLoop, I will be sending updates and emails throughout the year. I highly recommend you (the student and parent/guardian) sign up as soon as possible. I also use Google Classroom for posting of surveys, forms and video playing tests. All students will need to sign up for their specific class using the class code in order to complete their first two assignments.
Your teacher is also a good resource of musical information regarding, private lessons, local performing group opportunities and honor groups. Please contact me anytime if you need help in any of these areas.
Attached to this handbook are 2 optional forms. In order to get the planning and program underway, it is very important that if you are interested in clothing, the 2 forms are returned with the money attached no later than Tuesday, August 23rd. All students with their parent/guardian also must sign-up for Google Classroom and take the Rules and Expectations Form by August 23, 9PM. I look forward to seeing you at Back to School Night on August 25th and at our many concerts. Thank you very much for your help, support and dedication to music and your choir program! This should be a fun, exciting and musical year!!!!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Valerie Petty, Choir Director
Please note that the Constitution of the State of California requires that we provide a public education to you free of charge. Your right to a free education is for all school/educational activities, whether curricular or extracurricular, and whether you get a grade for the activity or class. Subject to certain exceptions, your right to a free public education means that we cannot require you or your family to purchase materials, supplies, equipment or uniforms for any school activity, nor can we require you or your family to pay security deposits for access, participation, materials, or equipment.
Choir Program Donation (Thank you in advance!)
In our effort to continue the high level of musical excellence offered at Newhart, we are requesting a voluntary Choir Program Donation of $60.00 per student for this school year.
· The entire $60 donation goes directly towards your child’s music class. This includes the cost of field trips, transportation to and from field trips, sheet music, music t-shirt, music folders, piano accompaniments, borrowed concert attire, ties, etc.
· Please make your checks payable to “Newhart M.S. ASB,” place the student’s name under the memo section of the check and if possible, please return by Tuesday, August 23rd if possible. Cash will also be gladly accepted.
· The program relies only on your donations and one fundraiser. We do not get any money from the school or district to run the program.
· Donations are voluntary and all students will be able to participate regardless of whether a donation is made or not.
What daily supplies do I need?
· Pencil(s)
· Music folder provided by the
music program
· A bottle of water (recommended daily for vocal health)
How Parents/Guardians Can Help
Regardless of musical background, a parent's support and encouragement will have a tremendous impact on a child's progress in choir. To assist in the musical growth of your child, you can:
· Support the goals, policies and procedures of the music program and the teacher.
· Sign-up for Newhart.schoolloop.com to view your child’s current grades throughout the year and to receive the emails and updates from your music teacher.
· Facilitate your child getting signed up for Google Classroom and help them record their singing tests.
· Require regular practice at home. Students should try to practice every day. Daily short concentrated efforts are more productive than trying to cram it all in on the weekends.
· There will be times your child will need to memorize lyrics. You can have them sing or speak the words back to you.
· Provide a daily time and place where your child can practice without distractions or interruptions and free from electronics.
· Using a metronome, tuner, listening to recordings or watching quality YouTube’s is highly effective as part of a musicians development. Combined Metro-tuner or phones/computers with free apps are available.
· A child will have a more quality practice by sitting in a good chair (for proper posture) or standing.
· Ask your child to sing for you and encourage performance.
· Help him/her to be on time to performances & rehearsals.
· Enthusiastically attend all choir functions to show your support.
· Get involved! Consider joining the Newhart PTA!
· Give consideration in providing private lessons for your child for extra support.
SCHOOLLOOP, NewhartMusic.com
and Google Classroom
In this age of technology, in order to make class time more efficient and to facilitate greater communication, I need you to use these three internet-based sites to be the most successful. The first assignment for Choir is to sign-up for Schoolloop and Google Classroom and take the posted Handbook Form.
Schoolloop for student and parent/guardian sign-up
· This is where all of the Newhart teachers post their assignments and grades. You can see your child’s grades any time you wish. We try to update often or as assignments are graded.
· This is also the site that we are able to easily generate emails to all of our students and/or their parents. Sign-up so you don’t miss out on all of the information we send regarding upcoming events (concerts and field trips) and the posting of assignments including due dates.
How to Sign-up for Schoolloop:
1. Go to Newhart.Schoolloop.com
2. Simply register your child as a student and yourself as a parent/guardian.
NewhartMusic.com
· The Newhart Middle School Music Program has an extensive website which will be a great resource throughout the year.
· You can find calendar information, field trip questions and answers, pictures of the students in action, flash card websites, links to lots and lots of helpful websites and recordings of the music they are working on in their music class.
· Go here first if you have a question as it is more than likely answered here.
Google Classroom for student sign-up only
· I will post surveys & forms and this will be the location where students will post some of their singing tests.
How to Sign-up for Google Classroom:
1. Make sure you are logged out of any personal google accounts.
2. Go to classroom.google.com.
3. Enter your Google Apps for Education username and click Next.
Reminder: Your Google Apps for Education username looks similar to “”
4. Enter your password and click Sign in.
5. Click Teacher.
6. Enter your classroom code for:
· Concert Choir: z j 9 e f 4
· Vocal Ensemble: k 6 v v a i
7. (Optional) Click “See How Classroom Works” for a guided tour of Google Classroom.
Newhart Choir Student Expectations
ROOM BEHAVIOR AND EXPECTATIONS
1. Prior to entering the music room, please consume and dispose of all beverages and food. No gum allowed on campus. Bottle water is encouraged.
2. Walk in quietly, place backpack under chair and get your music folder out and ready.
3. Be seated in your assigned seat by the time the tardy bell rings.
4. Sit quietly and wait for the director to start class.
5. When performing, there will be no talking or singing out of turn!
6. Each student will be responsible for his/her own music with their full name written with pencil on the front page! Students will only be able to leave music at the end of the rehearsal in the assigned cubby sport or they will place it in their own backpack to take home for practice! Students may not take another person’s music or leave it in the music room.
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS
During class: Pencil, music, music folder & water bottle
Home practice: Quiet area to practice, MP3 playing capabilities and possible internet access
GRADING
All evaluations for grades are based on the individual. No student is compared to or evaluated with any other student.
Grades are weighted. Here is the breakdown:
40% Classroom Participation
20% Singing Tests (In Class & Google Classroom)
30% Concerts
10% Worksheets
Classroom Participation & Singing Test Expectations
1. Positive efforts and energy
2. Correct singing posture
3. Proper breath control/good tone quality
4. Correct interpretation of key signatures, rhythm, melody, harmony, dynamics, and style
5. Understanding of musical terms, key signatures, and musical symbols
6. Correct pronunciation of lyrics
LATE CREDIT
Those who turn in late worksheets, returned forms, online google surveys/forms, video playing tests, etc. will be given 50% credit past the original due date.
PARTICIPATION AND CITIZENSHIP (Daily Participation – Students must come to class prepared!)
1. Positive Participation will lead to positive grades for students who are:
A. Required music practiced and prepared E. Punctual & ready to start class & performances
(which includes some memorization) F. Using correct set-up and clean-up
B. Cooperative and courteous with others procedures
C. Focused with attention to the teacher G. Ready to sing with necessary music
during class
D. Observe school and classroom rules
2. Negative Participation will reduce grades. Examples are:
A. Required music not practiced
B. No music (EVERY STUDENT MUST BRING THEIR OWN MUSIC EVERYDAY!!!)
C. Tardy
D. Lack of participation or effort
E. Disruptive to class
F. Chewing Gum or other food/drink items (bottled water encouraged)
Disruptive students will receive an unsatisfactory in citizenship and will have their academic grade lowered due to poor class participation credit.
3. Positive consequences:
A. Verbal Praise D. Positive Home Contact
B. High Grade E. Positive Self Image
C. Sense of Accomplishment
4. Negative consequences: Students who disobey the rules earn the following:
A. No credit given for that day
B. Oops Slip
C. Lowered grade (daily, weekly or complete)
D. Parent to be notified
E. Written assignment
F. Lunch or after school detention
G. Office referral to the assistant principal
H. Suspension from class
I. Expelled from class
PERFORMANCE POLICY
1. School concerts are the culmination of the work done in class, similar to a final. Students will be graded on attendance, positive efforts, and concert etiquette; this also means that the concert requirement is completed only when the entire concert is over.
2. Any performance is a required performance unless otherwise indicated. Performance and rehearsals are a major activity and a large part of the grade is determined from attendance and participation at these functions.
3. Students are only excused from performance, with director’s approval, in cases of family emergency, severe illness, etc. (only if knowledge occurs first via parent email, note or phone call). A written excuse or phone call must be submitted for approval AT LEAST 2 WEEKS IN ADVANCE.
4. Failure to attend a performance under any circumstances will result in the automatic lowering of the students’ letter grade. Concert grades are worth 30% of each quarter’s grade.
5. It is the students and parents’ responsibility and a courtesy to let the director know whether or not he/she will be present at the performance. Many times we can offer help when family issues arise, such as arranging a carpool.
6. Sports games are not excused absences.
PERFORMANCE ATTIRE
At Newhart we take performances very seriously and we expect that students take it seriously too. Clothing must be at an appropriate length and tasteful. Modifying any concert attire (besides hem length, right above knees) will not be allowed. If inappropriate clothing modifications have been made, this will result in the student not being allowed to perform in the concert and therefore a no credit given for the concert grade.
FIELD TRIP POLICY
1. Students will be given field trip information/letter, a permission slip and a behavior contract approximately 3 weeks prior to the trip. All students must have a completed permission slip & behavior contract, both forms signed by a parent/guardian and returned no later than 5 school days prior to the trip.
2. If a parent/guardian does not want their child to attend the trip, they must give written notice to the music teacher no later than 5 days prior to the trip.
3. School policy states that students must also be passing all of their classes with a 70% (C-) or better in order to attend. At exactly 5 school days prior to the trip, the music teacher will check grades via Schoolloop and only students passing their class will be able to attend the trip. Those who are not passing at least 1 class will be notified and unfortunately remain at school on the day of the field trip.