Hendrick Choir News
September 17, 2016
A note from the directors
- Mrs. Hamilton and Mr. Bryson
MONDAY: Progress reports
PLEASE NOTE that due to the nature of how choir assessments are administered, some grades may appear low! Feel free to check your child's grade online for a more detailed report. Here is a rundown of the grades you will see in choir:
- "Rehearsal Skills" is a grade that is given to each student weekly for their demonstration of appropriate rehearsal guidelines, including participation, response to redirection, etc. Students start the week with a 100 and 10-point deductions are taken throughout the week. If your child gets mostly 100s but there's a rogue 80 or 90, I don't think it's cause for alarm... we all have bad days! But, if you see a consistent pattern of low rehearsal skills grades, it may be worth a conversation at home.
- "VC Mastery Check" is a grade in sixth grade choir in which students show mastery of a singing exercise called Vocal Connections that we do each day in class. Students are asked to echo-sing a few notes and show with their hands whether the notes or going up, down, staying the same, etc.
- "Skills Checklist" grades are the only MAJOR GRADES we have had so far. On a skills checklist, we have four objectives we are looking for, and a few students each day are graded on those four objectives. Our current checklist has posture objectives: feet flat on the floor, music held appropriately, torso upright, head held up. Some kids do NOT do well the first time! (Or the second time...) Students get their assessment card back, can see what they need to improve, submit it for a redo and are reassessed at a later date. AS OF THIS MOMENT there are several students who are still in the midst of the redo process or who have not yet been assessed. If your child has a 0, 25, 50, or 75 on a skills checklist, this means that they have been assessed, received feedback on what did/did not go well, and are waiting for their second chance. It is typically our goal for ALL students to redo until they show mastery of all four objectives (a 100). Please extend some grace to your child if their choir grade is low because of a skills checklist grade that is still "in progress".
Sixth Grade Jumpstreet Social on Tuesday!
- This event is OPTIONAL but you should have already turned in your forms to RSVP! Forms were due Friday!
- 6th grade choir students ONLY - no 7th-8th graders, siblings, or non-choir friends
- $10 cash at the door
- ALL students must turn in a new Jumpstreet waiver in order to speed up the check in process - EVEN IF you are already a frequent Jumpstreet customer with an electronic waiver on file.
- Prompt pickup at 7pm is required! Students remaining past 7:15pm will not be invited to our next social: Skate Night on November 3rd.
- Transportation is NOT provided for this event, so plan ahead!
- School dress code is in effect!
Tuesday, Sep 20, 2016, 05:00 PM
Jumpstreet, West McDermott Drive, Allen, TX, United States
Fundraiser and donation drive kickoff this week!
- Fundraiser participation is optional, but the choir program as a whole is working to reach some financial goals, so every little bit helps!
- We sell frozen, pre-portioned cookie dough that many of our neighbors look forward to purchasing each year! We are proud to offer a product that people genuinely enjoy and (hopefully) aren't just buying out of obligation.
- Orders and payments will be due to be turned in on October 3rd. The cookie dough will then be delivered to Hendrick on October 24th, and students will then need to deliver the cookie dough they sold to the customers.
- If you OR any potential customers would prefer to make a donation, we will happily accept it! Some customers may elect to "round up" their purchase as an easy way of donating to the choir.
Why are we raising funds?
While we do receive a modest budget from Plano ISD for some choir expenses, this additional money allows us flexibility to support students in lots of ways, including:
- Providing supplies for all choir students
- Providing t-shirts for Disney Show and Pop Show participants in the spring
- Full or partial scholarships for voice students with financial need
- Musical support: clinicians, accompanists, sound/lighting for performances
- Incentives for exceptional choir students (FIM program: Big Spenders' Breakfast, High Rollers' Pizza Party, Six Flags discounts, etc.)
We take pride in being largely self-sufficient in choir, freeing up campus and PTA funds for programs that cannot or should not fund raise. Please help us to continue this tradition!
7th and 8th Grade Skate Social Thursday!
- This event is OPTIONAL but must RSVP by returning your permission slip by Tuesday.
- 7th and 8th grade choir students ONLY - no 6th graders, siblings, or non-choir friends
- $5.50 cash at the door; bring $3 more to upgrade to inline skate rental
- Prompt pickup at 6:30pm is required! Students remaining past 6:45pm will not be invited to our next social: Jumpstreet on November 8th.
- Transportation is NOT provided for this event, so plan ahead!
- School dress code is in effect!
Thursday, Sep 22, 2016, 04:30 PM
Thunderbird Roller Rink, Thunderbird Lane, Plano, TX, United States
Concert Info Sent Home Yesterday!
Sixth Grade concert info was printed on yellow paper and can also be found by clicking here!
Seventh and Eighth Grade concert info was printed on gold paper and can also be found by clicking here!
Both documents include a slip that must be returned with a parent signature by Tuesday September 20th! E-mail confirmation is acceptable in lieu of parent signature.
Mark your calendar!
September 28: sixth grade concert at 6:30; seventh and eighth grade concert at 7:30
October 3: Fundraising/Donation money and forms due!
October 10: No school! Parent/Teacher conference day
October 14: End of first grading period