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Dear Parents,
Aug. 25, 1997
Welcome to Discovery Middle School! We are very pleased to welcome
you and your son/daughter to one of the most exciting and rewarding educational
ventures our school has to offer--The Discovery Middle School Band!
We hope that you have had the opportunity to tour our beautiful facilities
and see the incredible learning enviroment your child will be experiencing.
We are anticipating an outstanding year and look forward to your continued
support of your child's musical endeavors. The following information
will provide you with important knowledge about the band program at Discovery
Middle School.
Expectations
There are no shortcuts to the development of young artists. Dedication
and commitment serve as the
key foundational blocks in making a student successful. In order
for your child to benefit fully from the instrumental music program, it
is imperative that he/she participate in all performances and rehearsals
(see attached schedule). Absence from these events will affect not
only your child, but also the entire band. If your son/daughter is
absent from a performance due to an emergency situation (i.e. death
in the family, family illness), please send a note to the director when
your child returns. Students that have an excused absence will be
able to complete a make-up project to receive credit for the missed performance.
Student Information/Behavior Expectation Forms
Included in this letter, you will find an information form which you and your child will need to complete. Also enclosed is a behavior expectation form which outlines behavior that is expected in the Discovery Band classes. Please return the completed forms to the directors by Friday, September 5th, 1997.
Practice Recommendations
Practice is extremely important for the continued development of your
child's skills. Well developed practice habits will guarantee a successful
and personally gratifying learning process for your child.
It is vital to develop a discipline which makes home practice a natural
part of the day. Although many of the new concepts will be taught
during band rehearsals, the limited time does not afford the personal attention
which is vital in developing technical facility required for the upcoming
years of musical exploration. The cooperative efforts of: the
band director, the student musician, and the willing parents constitute
the proven recipe for success.
The most effective home rehaearsal programs are based on a daily half
hour dedicated to quality practice. It is suggested that you and
your young musicians mutually agree on a practice time, and a special area
of your home which is designated as their area of musical study.
Every effort should be made to establish a disciplined pattern which is
encouraged and acknowledged by you. Please look
for every opportunity to compliment your child. Children are
less likely to get discouraged if you continue to reward them for their
practice time and loyalty to the instrument.
Encouragement is the key ingredient for success!!
Private Lessons
Private lessons are an excellent opportunity for your child to improve his/her individual playing skills. Private lessons are not a requirement but they are highly recommended at this development level. Schmucker Middle School will be providing a limited number of teachers for private lessons instruction during the school day as well as after school. This year, the price of the lessons are $7.00 per lesson (once a week for 20 minutes). A private lesson information form has been attached to this letter. Please call the private teacher and complete the form to insure that your child has a time reserved. (In-class lessons will be assigned in the order that they are received.)
Tags For Each Instrument Case
Your child will need to have a name tag to aid in the identification of his/her instrument. You may attach any type of identification label to your child's instrument, (musical instrument tags are available at most area music stores). It is extremely important that your child's instrument has some type of identification in order to avoid instrument mix-ups.
Instrument Lockers
Schmucker Middle School students will utilize an instrument storage
locker which is located in the back of the band room. Students will
need to provide a lock for thier cabinet. (We recommend that you
provide a combination lock instead of a key lock.) A limited number
of students will need to share
lockers.
School Owned Instruments
We are very pleased to provide outstanding equipment for students playing
large brass and woodwind
instruments at Schmucker M.S. Students utilizing school owned
instruments, (Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, French Horn, Baritone, and Tuba),
will be asked to pay a $20.00 deposit for utilizing the instrument.
The $20.00 deposit will be fully refunded at the end of the school
year if there is no damage to the instrument used by your son/daughter.
Please include the deposit with the checkout form your child will receive
when issued his/her school instrument (Make checks payable to Discovery
Middle School).
Solo & Ensemble
This year, your child will have an opportunity to participate in the ISSMA District Solo and Ensemble Contest at Penn High School on Saturday, Jan. 31, 1998. More information about this event will be provided in early October.
ISSMA District Concert Band Contest--(8th Grade Band only)
The SMS 8th Grade Band will represent Discovery Middle School in the 1998 ISSMA Jr. High Concert Band Contest. The 8th Grade Band will travel to Goshen Middle School to participate on either Friday evening, March 20th, or Satuday morning, March 21st. The exact performance date will be decided by the state in early March. We are very excited to participate in this prestigious event!
Classroom Evaluation
Your child's grade will be determined by the following three categories:
Daily classroom work (positive participation, has equipment, listens to
instructions, attitude and effort, etc.), Playing and Written Tests
(One playing test per week), and Punctual attendance at all rehearsals
and performances.
Progress Reports
Progress reports for students participating in the Schmucker Music Department
will be distributed to students at midterm. All Students will receive
a progress report! If you have a question about your child's participation
in band, feel free to contact his/her teacher throught Schmucker Middle
School
at any time.
Concert Information
Two weeks prior to each performance, your son/daughter will be given
an information sheet explaining
various details of the concert (i.e. arrival times, location, dress
and ticket information). If you do not receive the concert information
sheet, feel free to give us a call.
Final Thoughts..........
We are very pleased that your child has chosen to participate in "The
Discovery Middle School Bands!" Thank you again for your enthusiastic
support of these young musicians. We are extremely proud of your
child's progress to date and expect wonderful things this year!!!!
If you have any questions about your child's progress or any other aspect
of our program, do not hesitate to give us a call. We look forward
to seeing you in the near future.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jeffrey D. Carnall
Behavior Expectation Form
Dear Parent,
The following information will assist you in understanding the behavior expectations for participation in Schmucker Middle School Bands. Please discuss this information with your child, sign, and return the form to the directors before Friday, September 5, 1997. Thank you!
Classroom Rules:
1. Students must follow all reasonable requests from the teacher(s).
2. It is the student's responsibility to come to class prepared. (equipment,
music,
pencil, etc.)
3. Respect for one another is expected, therefore, bad manners will
not be tolerated in the classroom. (examples: rude talk,
disrespectful talk, talking back, comments toward the teacher
or other students, talking out, inappropriate playing, and playing at
inappropriate times, unnecessary noises)
4. Communication between students is not permitted without permission
from the teacher.
5. Students may not leave their rehearsal area without
permission from the teacher.
6. Students must play with proper posture, instrument position, and
technique as designated by the teacher.
7. Students must care for and maintain all music and equipment
properly.
8. Gum, candy, food, and beverages are not permitted in the music rehearsal
area.
In order for our classroom activities to function most efficiently it
is essential that
the above mentioned rules be followed. Failure to follow the
behavior expections listed
above will result in:
1st Offense A verbal reprimand and written documentation.
2nd Offense A verbal reprimand, put instrument away with no credit
for the day's activity, parent contact, and written documentation.
3rd Offense A verbal reprimand, removal from the class-administrative
notification, parent contact, and written documentation.
We have read the information and understand that in order for the directors to provide the best instructional atmosphere, the above mentioned classroom rules must be followed. We also understand that failure to adhere to the rules will result in the three step process listed.
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Parent's Signature &