Performing Arts Program Evaluation
October 2021
Performing Arts
- Primary: Ellen Williamson
- Elementary: Sean Hennessy
- Middle School: Justin Nabors/Andrew Marjaama
- High School: Justin Nabors/Andrew Marjaama
Southern Boone Primary Updates
What data/evaluation criteria illustrates the effectiveness of this area?
What has changed since the last program evaluation?
What next steps would better serve our students?
Looking at music as a district and not an individual building. The love of music is set in the young stages of development. To keep that desire going the primary and elementary students need to see music at the middle school and high school level. They need the experiences with the various instruments like drums and barred instruments like xylophones to peak their interest to encourage them to join band and choir in future grades. Making sure all buildings are well staffed for music would make the greatest impact on the music programs throughout the district. The primary building keeps adding more classes which will add more classes to the Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. I think it is time while moving 5th grade to another building the district looks at the last time personnel was added to the music department at Southern Boone district. As the district grows so must the personnel in the music fields. The more time students can spend with qualified and certified music teachers the more growth you will see in student learning as a whole.
The other way students can be encouraged to join band and choir in the middle and high school would be to lay the best groundwork in the primary and elementary buildings. More and more schools across the country have seen results with students staying involved with music by adding guitar labs or portable keyboard labs. A portable keyboard lab can be shared between buildings. The two hand playing techniques taught on both drums and mallet instruments have helped with student’s growth and lay the groundwork for keeping a steady beat and playing together.
High-quality Learning in Action
Southern Boone Elementary Updates
What data/evaluation criteria illustrates the effectiveness of this area?
The elementary music program’s main goals are:
To expose students to a wide variety of music they would not encounter on their own - this includes the historical context of the music and biographies of major composers like Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Scott Joplin, and Duke Ellington. When studying this music we also focus on music vocabulary, the elements of music, and we analyze stylistic characteristics of various genres.
To teach students practical singing and instrument playing skills on drums, other rhythm instruments, and the Recorder. Students learn how to play and hold parts, instrument technique, reading music while playing instruments, playing both solo and being part of an ensemble. Students rehearse the practical application of concepts like tempo, dynamics, tone color, articulation, following a leader or conductor, and listening while performing. Some examples of our classroom performances can be found in the links below:
To teach music skills in order to prepare them for continuing their music education either on their own, through private instruction, or through school programs like band and choir. This includes music literacy of standard notation rhythms and note reading, music vocabulary, and skills in listening to and evaluating music compositions and performances.
Observers inside the elementary music classroom would see students playing drums together, listening and evaluating famous pieces of music, learning about different composers, exploring the different kinds of bands and ensembles, learning about the history of music from around the world, and writing rhythm compositions. These skills and concepts are taught and reinforced from grade 3 through 5.
The two main examples for the effectiveness of the elementary music program outside of the classroom are the success of the elementary grade level music concerts and the steady enrollment of students that go on to take band class in middle school. A limiting factor for student band recruitment is middle school scheduling conflicts that make it difficult for some students to join band or choir even if the desire is there.
What has changed since the last program evaluation?
What next steps would better serve our students?
There are several things that would enhance the elementary music program.
A guitar lab of 25 acoustic guitars (approx. $3750) would give students a chance to learn an instrument that they are generally excited about. We would learn guitar technique, play both rhythm and lead guitar, play the guitar in class with drums and other rhythm instruments, and be able to create guitar compositions.
A portable keyboard lab (24 keyboards and stands approx. $3500) would enable students to learn piano technique, applied note and rhythm reading, and students could create and record their own music compositions.
High-quality Learning in Action
Southern Boone Middle School Updates
What data/evaluation criteria illustrates the effectiveness of this area?
Band:
2019 - 7th and 8th grade bands receive top rating possible at CMU Music Festival with many individual students getting top scores in individual events.
2021 - Managed to have 2 outdoor performances during COVID protocols, and provided parents with online performance viewing.
2019 - 5 8th graders participated in the All-District band concert in Macon.
Choir:
2019 MS Choir received excellent rating at CMU
2019 MS Choir Soloist received superior ratings at CMU
2020-2021 Both Concerts were performed within COVID restrictions
What has changed since the last program evaluation?
Due to increased student enrollment, students are receiving less instructional minutes for performance classes (Band and Choir) than before. More students have access to general music classes, but for shorter periods of time (Classes every other day for one semester). Ever increasing class sizes further complicate the quality of instruction in these general music classes. Larger class sizes in middle school general music means not all students have access to needed equipment at the time of instruction, further lessening the quality of learning. In addition, with the current budget of $1000, we cannot acquire the needed equipment to address this issue. Currently one of the classes has 34 students, but we only own 24 guitars. It would take about $3000 to get every student an instrument to play on.
Added a new Eagle Reward performance for the Middle School Musical. Made Plans to add a 5th Grade performance in 2021.
What next steps would better serve our students?
The Middle School Currently has 6 hours of music instruction available for grades 6-8. This is three hours of instruction for two part-time positions shared with the High School. With plans to move an additional grade over to the Middle School, 1 full time position for music will not be sufficient to even maintain the current amount of instruction time offered to our students.
The addition of the 5th grade to the Middle School will also create a need for additional instructional space for our students. Middle School staff are currently sharing one room to teach 12 sessions of class over two days. In order to continue instruction with instruments and the musical, the choir would need an amount of square footage of the current band room minus the practice rooms.
We are concerned about further changes to the middle school schedule. There is potential for positive change to better the needs of our students who signed up for band and choir. There is that same potential for moves that could be further detriment to the programs as well. We ask that we be included in the process of figuring out what is best for the SBC students.
High-quality Learning in Action
Southern Boone High School Updates
What data/evaluation criteria illustrates the effectiveness of this area?
Band:
All State Band and Orchestra members in 2019, 2020, 2021
Program growth in attendance 2010: 30-35 students to 2020: 60-65. Program size has almost doubled in 10 years
High Level of Performance in State Large Ensemble: 2021 Gold / Marching Festival: several 1st-3rd placements / State and District Solo and Ensemble Events regularly get Gold and Silver ratings.
Continued recognition at national events like: National Memorial Day Parade, Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade
Choir:
All State Choir 2005, 2006, 2015, 2020, 2021
All District Choir Annually from 2005 to present
Addition of a New Choir as of August 2020
High level of performance at State Music Festival across multiple entries since 2009
Solo and Small Ensembles predominantly score Gold and Silver ratings at District Music Contest each year. High level of participation among students in the Choir.
What has changed since the last program evaluation?
Band:
We were able to adapt our educational techniques to covid CDC expectations
We were able to adapt to teaching students online and still provide valuable feedback
We have revisited our final exam format to provide students better feedback/expectations on band finals. We have also changed final materials to be more fine art performance songs, rather than etudes.
Mr. Nabors has joined the high school band class to help monitor the numbers of students
Choir:
New Choir that focuses on popular (top 40) music added August 2020
Mr Nabors resumed Musical Theatre Program August 2020
All Theatre classes at the High School have been removed due to lack of staffing
What next steps would better serve our students?
Band:
We need an instrumentally certified assistant/associate band director to help with the growing numbers and the addition of 5th grade at the middle school. We have tried to find short term solutions for this problem over the past 5 years, but we will be at an impasse next year with 5th grade general music and maybe 5th grade band/choir. It is time to support the fine arts staff with an additional position.
We do not fit in the band room anymore, we are breaking fire code. The theater seats us, but not in any way that promotes key standards for band students to listen and hear properly. Putting students in theater chairs does not promote proper air support for student performance. Putting percussion in the front of the band or behind the director at the front of the band prevents the director from hearing and assessing the students. We are aware there will be a 2025 bond issue that may help the fine arts space issues, but our problems are inflicting problems now and we cannot wait for 2025 or beyond.
With increased student numbers, we need increased funding.
Choir:
The addition of the new choir requires more resources to properly equip students. PA and lighting systems, Amplifiers, Instruments cables and other accessories necessary for the class cost thousands of dollars. The current choir budget of around $100 will not cover these costs.
The equipment including lighting, curtains and other systems of the Theatre are so far out of date that they no longer make replacement parts for them anymore. Research into new systems for the new facility have come back at a minimum of $250,000 and would need to be included into building plans to ensure correct acoustic design to ensure proper use.
High-quality Learning in Action
Upcoming Events
Second grade will perform “Jungle Party Tonight” on November 4th at their Share Fair.
Kindergarten will perform a few Winter Songs on December 16th in the evening
First Grade will perform “E-I-E-I Oops” on March 17, 2022.
Elementary: You are invited to attend the 4th Grade Veterans Day Music Concert on Tuesday November 9th - 2 performances - one at 6pm and one at 7pm in the Elementary School gym.
Middle School:
CHOIR:
Homecoming 10/1
“The Jungle Book Kids” We will have Three Performances of The Jungle Book Kids this semester.
Concert Performance: December 11th @2:00pm
Eagle Rewards Performance: Week of 12/13
5th Grade Performance: Week of 12/13
7th/8th Grade CMU Music Contest March 4th
6th Grade Honor Choir in April 4th
Spring Concerts May 7th @2:00pm
Band:
9/21 - Instrument Rental Night
12/?? Band Concert
1/15 JH Honor Band Rehearsal
2/19 JH Honor Band Concert
03/4 CMU Band Competition
04/?? Instrument tryout at Elementary
05/8 Band Concert
05/?? Macon Music Fest
High School:
Chamber Choir:
All-District Auditions September 18
Homecoming Assembly October 1
KOMU November 2
All-Districts November 6
Veteran's Day November 11
Winter Concert December 11 @4:00pm
Conference Choir January 12
Tri-County Contest February 26
Large Ensemble March 7
Courtwarming TBA
Solo and Small Ensemble March 26
State April 26-30
Spring Concert May 7th @4:00pm
Pop Choir:
Pre-K Puppet Show Week of October 11
Winter Concert December 11 @4:00pm
Pete the Cat TBA
Courtwarming TBA
Spring Concert May 7th @4:00pm
Band:
9/25 Wright City Marching Fest
10/1 Homecoming
10/8 Senior Night
10/9 Smith Cotton Marching Fest
10/16 Southern Boone Marching Fest
10/23 Macon Marching Fest
11/13 District Band Auditions
12/4 State Band Auditions
12/?? Band Concert
01/8 District Band Concert
02/12 Tri County Combined Band
02/26 Tri County Contest
03/?? Elementary Performance
03/12 Band Contest
03/26 Solo and Ensemble Contest
05/08 Band Concert