REHEARSAL EXPECTATIONS
- Students are expected to treat the instructors & each other with utmost respect. Singing is a very personal & often very vulnerable task. Teasing, heckling, or insulting another student will NOT be tolerated.
- Each student should be on the risers prepared to begin rehearsal when the bell rings. Class is dismissed by the director, not the bell.
- Each student must have their music & a pencil IN HAND during every rehearsal. Borrowing a pencil from your neighbor or a pencil in a bag across the room is insufficient.
- The student remains personally responsible for the condition of the choir folder, music, & other materials once distributed. Report damage or problems as soon as possible. The student will be responsible for replacing lost materials. (Middle schoolers will not be given a folder)
- Students are expected to remain actively engaged in the rehearsal at all times. There is always room for improvement. Hard work is not an option.
- Students who are ill, or otherwise unable to actively participate in singing, must notify the director. These students are expected to remain focused on the music during class.
- Upon receiving new music, each student is expected to write their name on the first page & number all measuring using pencil only! Students should make marks in their music as instructed by the director. Music marking is an ongoing student requirement to individually & collectively improve the music making process.
- Except for bottled water, absolutely NO FOOD OR DRINK is permitted.
- Choir students are expected to be model citizens in & out of the choir room
- Daily attendance is expected - see “make up work procedures”
Academic Standards
Choir is demanding. It is the kind of hard work & investment you love to do, or else you would not be here. But members should not use their involvement in choir as an excuse to do less than their best in other areas of schooling. Grades will be checked each 9 weeks & prior to any activity that will take a choir member off campus. Any choir member found to have failing grades will not be eligible for any off campus activities per the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s eligibility guidelines. An academic teacher may also choose to deny a student permission to participate in an off campus activity for behavioral, academic, or attendance issues. There are two words that can save you from a lot of grief...PLAN AHEAD! Remember, the choir is counting on your to be there. YOU control your fate!
Behavior
Expectations of good conduct are essential from all choir members. Each student will represent the music department, choir, & school in the best way possible. In additions to the expectations of conduct, choir students are expected to display proper conduct & respect of the highest level during rehearsals, performances, festivals, contests, field trips, or any activity associated with the choir.
Bus trips
All students will ride the bus together to our destination. Students who do not wish to ride the bus home from an event may do so only if there is written notification. Students will only be released to a parent or guardian. All students will be responsible for cleaning the bus.
Choir is demanding. It is the kind of hard work & investment you love to do, or else you would not be here. But members should not use their involvement in choir as an excuse to do less than their best in other areas of schooling. Grades will be checked each 9 weeks & prior to any activity that will take a choir member off campus. Any choir member found to have failing grades will not be eligible for any off campus activities per the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s eligibility guidelines. An academic teacher may also choose to deny a student permission to participate in an off campus activity for behavioral, academic, or attendance issues. There are two words that can save you from a lot of grief...PLAN AHEAD! Remember, the choir is counting on your to be there. YOU control your fate!
Behavior
Expectations of good conduct are essential from all choir members. Each student will represent the music department, choir, & school in the best way possible. In additions to the expectations of conduct, choir students are expected to display proper conduct & respect of the highest level during rehearsals, performances, festivals, contests, field trips, or any activity associated with the choir.
Bus trips
All students will ride the bus together to our destination. Students who do not wish to ride the bus home from an event may do so only if there is written notification. Students will only be released to a parent or guardian. All students will be responsible for cleaning the bus.
CONFLICTS:
PLAN AHEAD!!
If you face the conflict of being in more than one school event at the same time, please talk to both faculty members in charge immediately. Usually performances & games will receive priority over rehearsals & practices. If a problem persists, the situation will be discussed by the choir teacher & the sponsor/coach of the conflicting activity to avoid placing the student in the middle.
Conflicts MUST be reported IN WRITING to the director at least 15 days in advance of the event. Failure to do so may result in a lower grade or possibly a schedule change.
PLAN AHEAD!!
If you face the conflict of being in more than one school event at the same time, please talk to both faculty members in charge immediately. Usually performances & games will receive priority over rehearsals & practices. If a problem persists, the situation will be discussed by the choir teacher & the sponsor/coach of the conflicting activity to avoid placing the student in the middle.
Conflicts MUST be reported IN WRITING to the director at least 15 days in advance of the event. Failure to do so may result in a lower grade or possibly a schedule change.
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Students are expected to attend scheduled after school rehearsals. Ample notice is always given so that students can make appropriate arrangements to attend. These rehearsals are required & are part of the student's grade. Students are expected to be present for the entirety of the rehearsal. Missed rehearsals will also effect a student’s performance eligibility & choir placement.
Each student is responsible to their colleagues & conductor to be present at all performances. Members of the choirs that miss a performance will be moved to a lower level choir or completely out of the choral program. Class fees and monies paid will not be refunded & the student will be responsible for repaying the choral department any monies spent on the choir member’s behalf.
Exceptions will be made for students who have verifiable documentation of extreme personal illness or a family emergency. Contact should be made with the director as soon as possible to notify them of the situation before the performance. If some circumstance prevents you from reaching the director, the student or parent must email the director as soon as possible, then try contacting one of the officers from your choir class. Sending a message through another parent or a student that is not part of the choir leadership will not be considered an excused absence.
Students are expected to arrive at the performance venue on time & dressed in uniform. Students not dressed in complete uniform may not be allowed to perform, but are required to stay for the performance.
(see information regarding performance attire)
Review the information above regarding the proper procedure for handling conflicts
GRADING PROCEDURE
Grades will be determined by the following criteria:
Class Contribution - daily participation/cooperation, daily attendance, tests (written, aural, singing), after school rehearsal attendance, class preparation, evaluations, & folder checks.
Performances - concert/festival attendance & evaluation of concerts
(The high school choir trip is considered a performance & is mandatory for the members of the elite ensemble, Voci Novella)
Grades will be determined by the following criteria:
Class Contribution - daily participation/cooperation, daily attendance, tests (written, aural, singing), after school rehearsal attendance, class preparation, evaluations, & folder checks.
Performances - concert/festival attendance & evaluation of concerts
(The high school choir trip is considered a performance & is mandatory for the members of the elite ensemble, Voci Novella)
Make Up Work Procedure
To make up a missed class period, students may solfege 2 octavos & turn them in to be graded.
The procedure for doing this is as follows:
- Select two octavos from the metal basket on the desk for each rehearsal missed.
- Take the notepad from the front section of the metal hanging rank that shares the wall with the Music Library & list the songs selected. Be certain to write your name next to the titles on the notepad. Then place the notepad back in the rack.
- IN PENCIL, write your name on the front of the octavos selected along with the date of the rehearsal missed.
- IN PENCIL, write the solfege for ALL VOICE PARTS of the song. You do not solfege any instrumentation.
- Place completed work in the hanging metal rack behind the notepad.
- If your work has been correctly & completely done, the points for that day’s class will be fully restored for your grade. If your work is not correct or complete, it will be returned to you to be resubmitted upon correction or completion.
- This same procedure applies to students that have been assigned ALC or miss class for ANY REASON including field trips or other approved activities.
- You will have ONE WEEK from the date of the missed class to complete make up work
- For extended illness or absence, please speak to your director to verify your assignment.
