Central Middle

School

Choral Department Syllabus

2014– 2015

Mr. J. Scott Smith, Choral Director

Email:

155 Whooping Creek Road

Carrollton, GA 30117

School # (770) 832-8114

Fax # (770) 836-2782

Welcome to the Central Middle SchoolChoral Department!!!

This handbook is designed to help you become familiar with thechoral program and to provide you with important information that you willneed throughout the year. After reading it carefully, then take it home andask a parent/guardian to read it and sign it. Once both you and aparent/guardian have signed the handbook’s last page, please return only thelast page to me no later than Friday, August 29, 2014. Please keep thehandbook at home for future reference.

Each of you are a very important part of this program and I will be gladto help you in any way I can. Please feel free to contact me anytime.All of my contact information is on the front of this handbook.

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

Respect.

At all times, students and teacher will treat each other withrespect. This is necessary for a creative environment in which wecan all develop and enjoy our talents. In other words, BE NICE!

Communicate.

Chorus classes sometimes require that a singer sit quietly whileanother section receives attention. This is very important and thegroup that is not singing should always be listening. This calls forself-control and self-discipline. Talking without permission willhave a negative effect on academic and conduct grades.Communication is using the ability to talk as well as listen.

  • Food, drinks(except bottled water), gum and candy are not allowed in thechorus room.
  • Be in your assigned seat with your music and a sharpened pencil by thedesignated time that will be discussed on a classroom basis.
  • Notebook paper will be available for notes as needed. You maykeep the paper in your folder.
  • Class will begin promptly. In a music class, where every member iscontributing to the overall success of the ensemble, tardiness andabsences have a negative affect on the entire class. Tardies will havea serious effect on academic and grades.

CONSEQUENCES FOR NOT FOLLOWINGEXPECTATIONS:

We will follow the strike policy the school uses. Consequences arebased on the school's discipline policy.

Strike 1 – Warning

Strike 2 – Phone call home

Strike 3 – Office Referral

GRADING POLICY

Performance Evaluations (60%)

Performance evaluations will consist of oral tests, written tests, and singing tests. Oral tests and written tests will consist of basic music theory questions that are reviewed on a daily basis throughout the school year. These are the basic fundamentals of reading and understanding music. Every student must know the basic fundamentals of reading music in order to sing. Singing tests will be given periodically in order to ensure that the student is utilizing this knowledge of music theory in singing his/her vocal part correctly. (It is important to know that as long as the student makes a genuine effort throughout the entire singing test, he/she will do much better than those who give up and do not try, even if he/she misses every single note.)

Rehearsal/Performance Etiquette aka RPE = 40%

Proper rehearsal and performance etiquette is essential to having a successful choral program. If a chorus does not rehearse well, then it definitely will not perform well. Following the proper procedures during rehearsals is just as important as practicing at home. Every student’s RPE grade starts at a 100 at the beginning of each grading period. Consider this as free extra credit. This is an excellent way to boost one’s grade. For example, if your Performance Evaluation grade (all of your oral, written, and singing tests) averaged out to a 67, but your RPE grade was still a 100, your final grade would be an 87. That is a significantly high grade for a student with an overall failing test average. (However, let’s keep in mind that a student who consistently produces poor test grades probably is not cut out to be in the Lion Pride Chorus program.) Deductions will be made from the RPE grade for certain infractions. Once the grade drops, it will not come back up until the next grading period, when it automatically goes back up to a 100. The following is a list of infractions and the number of points that will be deducted for each incident:

-2Talking during rehearsal

-2Playing instrument when not instructed to do so

-2Disruptive behavior

-2Gum, food, or drinks in the choir room

-12Not having music or pencil instrument

-15Refusing to sing when asked to do so (also written up as insubordinate behavior)

-15Missing an afterschool rehearsal (in the event that any are scheduled)

-50Missing a performance

Choral folder: Each student will need a 3-ring binder. This binder will contain music, sight reading, scales, etc. This binder will be checked periodically and graded. It is the responsibility of each chorus member to ensure they get any missed work when they are absent from class.

CONCERT PERFORMANCES

Chorus is a co-curricular academic class. Chorus is a performance-based class, meaning that the majority of each student’s grade is based on how he/she performs. When even one singer is missing it changes the entire sound of the group. It would be sill for a basketball player to attend all of the practices and not show up for the games. The same applies to being a member of the chorus. Each singer is vital to the team.The sixth graders will have anywhere from three to four performances for the entire year. The seventh and the eighth graders will have five to six performances. All performances are considered to be extensions of the classroom experience and the school day (this means there are concerts after school hours and even on weekends). Thus, each performance will be counted as a test grade. If, for some reason, you have an unavoidable conflict with a scheduled event, please contact me as soon as possible so that we can work out a resolution to the issue.

EVERYONE WILL BE EXPECTED TO ATTEND.

If a student is unable to attend, a parent/guardian must call or email Mr. Smith at least one week prior to the performance explaining the reason for absence. If a student is unable to attend due to a family emergency or extreme illness, or an approved absence by Mr. Smith, the points for this event may be redeemed by scheduling a make up session with Mr. Smith. Should the student fail to schedule and/or attend the make-up session, the points will be forfeited. An unexcused absence from a performance will earn a grade of zero.

A student may earn an ‘A’ if and only if he/she meets the following criteria:

• Student is on time

• Student is in full concert attire

• Student displays proper concert etiquette

• Student actively listens to all performing groups

• Student fully participates with his/her choir

• Student attends the entire concert

AFTER-SCHOOL REHEARSALS

After school rehearsals only happen when a student has volunteered to be ina special event such as Honors chorus or All State chorus. Students may bechosen through auditions or by just signing up depending on the event.Students and parents are expected to follow through with their commitment to the event.Parents/Guardians will be notified of rehearsal times and performance timesby a note sent home to the student.

Choir Donation/Fees

$50 due by Wednesday, September 10th

The choir fees help to cover expenses incurred throughout the year that include a CMS Choir shirt, transportation costs, equipment purchases, music, supplies, and clinicians. If your child/ren already have a CMS chorus shirt from last year, and it still fits, would reduce the donation/fee by $20.00. Any donations above the $50 choir fee are certainly welcome. 

UNIFORMS for choral performances

Chorus memberswill need to wear the following for all concerts unless otherwise informed by Mr. Smith:

*Black pants

*CMS Polo shirt

* Black belt

* Black shoes and black socks

Fundraisers

There will be several fundraisers throughout the year. Participation isvoluntary. The money from the fundraisers could be distributed in thefollowing categories:

1. The purchase of music and supplies that our regular budget and choral fees willnot be able to cover.

2. Choral events such as 6th grade statewide, All State Chorus, andSpring trips.

3. Uniforms (I would like to get dresses for the ladies, and tuxes for the gentlemen).

E-MAIL ADDRESSES

Parents, if you would like to stay informed about upcoming choraldepartment events and deadlines, please sign up on our website for the emaillist. I use e-mail frequently to stay in touch with people and although I dosend home paper reminders for the upcoming performances, somehow thosereminders don’t always seem to make it home.

REMIND 101

Parents, if you would like to stay informed about upcoming choral department events and deadlines, please text the message @7326 to the number (770) 400-9423. I will be utilizing this as another method of communicating choral events.

CMS Website

Please check the CMS website periodically for upcoming choral department events and deadlines. In order to access my page: 1. Go to 2. Click on “School Staff” on the left hand side. 3. Scroll down and click on my name – “Smith, Scott” to access all choral information.

TRIPS

All 6th, 7th and 8th grade chorus’s will have multiple trips this year. All groups will perform for the Georgia Music Educators’ Large Group Performance Evaluation. This is the most important performance of the entire school year where we are evaluated according to state guidelines. This is the chorus world equivalent of the CRCT. Towards the end of the school year, the 6th, 7th and 8th graders will be performing in a second evaluation that is associated with a fun trip. The 6th graders will perform at a festival in Chattanooga and we will spend the day at Ruby Falls and Rock City. The 7th graders will have a two day trip to Valdosta to perform and spend a day at Wild Adventures theme park. The 8th graders will have a three day trip to North Carolina to perform and have fun in Carowinds theme park. In order to be eligible for these chorus trips, the student’s RPE average from the beginning of the school year up to that point must be 80 or higher. In addition, because all chorus trips will be associated with a performance, the student must be able to sing all of his or her music that will be performed during that trip. We will need plenty of chaperone help to make these trips possible.

Policies and Procedures Consent Form

PARENTS: PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THE FORM BELOW SIGNIFYING THAT YOU APPROVE OF YOUR CHILD'S PARTICIPATION IN THE CHORAL MUSIC PROGRAM.

Please return this form to Mr. Smith by August 29th, 2014

Please return the Choir fee to Mr. Smith by September 10th, 2014

We have read the Choral Music Handbook and understand the policies and procedures followed by the Central Middle School choral music program. The performance calendar has been duly noted. We understand and give permission for our child to use Carroll County Schools transportation for trips throughout the year.

______/______/______/______

(Print student's name) (Grade) (Shirt Size) (Student's signature)

______/______/______

(Print parent's name) (Date) (Parent's signature)

Parents email ______

If you are interested in becoming a choral music volunteer, please indicate the way in

which you would like to assist us. Your help will be sincerely appreciated.

_____ Chaperone (field trips, Festivals, etc.)

_____Fundraiser Volunteer

_____ Concert Organizer (publicity, programs, etc.)

_____ Video Recording concerts

_____ Decorating for concerts

_____ Piano accompanist

_____ Other ______

______

If you have volunteered for any of the above, please provide your phone number(s) where

you may be reached. Thank you.

Phone number(s):

Home______

Mom’s Cell ______

Dad’s Cell______

Work______