Welcome to Mill Valley Choir! Dear 2017-2018 Choir Members and Parents, This school year promises to be an exciting one for the choral department at Mill Valley High School! I am looking forward to the great opportunities we will have to learn and perform great choral music together. Everyone is a vital member of our program, both students and parents. As your director, it is my hope that each of you find choir to be a meaningful experience. By engaging fully and recognizing the important role each singer plays in our success, we will reach our aim of being the best choir we can be. Please read through this handbook carefully, as it outlines the expectations for your involvement in choir. Do not hesitate to ask any questions if any of the procedures or expectations are not clear. Once you have gone over, understand, and accept the policies, you will complete the form found on the choir website and Google Classroom. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions or concerns. The best way to get in touch with me is through e-mail; however, you may also call the school to speak with me personally. If you reach my voicemail, please leave a message so I can return your call. I am excited to meet each of you and begin our year together! Mrs. Stephanie Mooneyhan smooneyhan@usd232.org Please check our choir website www.millvalleychoir.weebly.com Follow us on: @millvalleychoir @millvalleychoir
Daily Expectations Be Prompt Be Prepared Be Positive Be Productive Cell phone use/texting is NOT permitted in class. Phones should be put away during class.! If you are using your cell phone, Mrs. Mooneyhan will hold it until the end of the school day.! 2nd offense: Mrs. Mooneyhan will turn your phone into the office.! Cell phones are not permitted at concerts/performances. EVER! Choir students are to follow these expectations each day. Students should be mature, self-disciplined, and serious about being in choir. Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Time spent on correcting behavior problems is time taken away from the learning potential of all. That is NOT the way to become an award-winning choir! Remind 101 Please sign up to receive text message updates about your student s upcoming events and reminders, please text the appropriate code to 81010. Mixed Choir- @mvmixed Treble Choir- @mvtreble Jag Chorale- @jagchorale Jag Singers- @jagsinger
GRADING 1.) Daily Contribution- 45% of overall grade Students may earn up to ten (15) points each rehearsal in the following ways: a) Students are in their assigned seat with all materials needed for class at the assigned time; b) Student is sitting with proper posture c) Student uses proper conduct during the rehearsal Category 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points Punctuality I was at my place with all of my materials when warm-ups began I arrived after warm-ups began, but had a pass from a teacher I was inside the classroom door when warm-ups began I had to be asked to find my place after warm-ups began I came in the door after warmups began Music/ Folder I had my folder and all of my music before warm-ups began I had to get my folder after warm-ups began, but I had it in class I did not have some of my music and/or folder today Pencil My sharpened pencil was out and ready when we opened our music I had to get my pencil out or sharpen it after rehearsal began I did not have a pencil in rehearsal today Participation/ Concentration/ Attitude I eagerly sang and participated in rehearsal from start to finish, including the first note of every entrance I participated well in rehearsal, but missed some entrances or I did not have my best attitude I was uneven today, losing focus at times and missing some entrances or cue or I had a poor attitude I was present but was unable or unwilling to participate in parts of rehearsal due to poor focus, or attitude I was present but unable or unwilling to participate in any part of rehearsal due to poor focus, or attitude Talking/ Off-Task Behavior I was engaged in rehearsal from start to finish and did not talk or engage in other off-task behavior I had a brief, momentary lapse and talked or was off-task, but quickly got back on track in rehearsal I had several instances of talking or offtask behavior, or had such behavior addressed by the teacher in class I was constantly talking or offtask and was mentioned by the teacher more than once **Serious disruptions will result in a minimum deduction of 5 points. This includes having to stop rehearsal to wait for students to enter or leave, having to separate students, behavior that warrants an office discipline record or similar disruptions at the discretion of Mrs. Mooneyhan. 2.) Performances- 45% of overall grade Performance includes listening as well as by doing: therefore, grades include performing with your choir on scheduled concerts, listening to other choirs perform, proper concert decorum (behavior, e.g. not talking while others perform, no cell phones in performances, not leaving during the performance, etc.) and proper concert dress/uniform. Students who fail to attend or who leave concerts early will have their performance grade lowered. 3.) Quizzes/Tests- Sung & Written- 10% of overall grade
PERFORMANCE ATTENDANCE Choir concert attendance is not an option. Concerts are MANDATORY and cannot be fully made up. Concerts are the equivalent of a major exam as they are the culmination of our work in class. Please refer to the calendar of events and plan your year accordingly regarding work schedules, appointments, transportation, etc. *In the event of a conflict, the student must notify Mrs. Mooneyhan in writing by August 25, the day the contract and t-shirt money is due. Listed below are some examples of excused and unexcused absences: Excused Absence- death in the family or severe illness. To make up this grade, the student must sing their part for the director for full credit during seminar or before/after school. Unexcused Absence- work, family vacations, non-school related activities, lack of transportation, etc. An unexcused performance absence will result in a zero for the performance portion of your grade. Concert Etiquette Choirs at Mill Valley High School work extremely hard making our performances as outstanding as possible. Therefore we will observe the following at every performance: No cell phone use, food or drink in the theatre. No talking, shouting or clapping at inappropriate times. If you must leave, do so only between songs. Choir students must be present for the entire concert.
SEMINAR REHEARSALS The success of our program is due to the sacrifice and hard work of our members. Extra time and effort is essential. Additional choir rehearsals will be called as needed to combine groups, rehearse with our accompanist, and for any extra preparation. Dates will be announced well in advance so individual plans can be made accordingly. These rehearsals will be MANDATORY and graded. The same policy for performances applies to rehearsals. Financial Responsibilities & Fundraising Choir students will occasionally have some financial responsibilities connected with their participation in choir (uniforms, t-shirts, field trips, audition fees, etc.). No student will EVER be denied membership in choir because of an inability to pay these fees. There will be fundraising events throughout the year. Choir students are expected to participate in the fundraiser to help the choir program with general expenses. CHOIR UNIFORMS *ALL CHOIR STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE CHOIR UNIFORM SPECIFIC TO THEIR CHOIR. All Choir Students: Mill Valley Choir T-shirt ($10- order form below), blue jeans, and closed toe shoes (no heels, sandals, slippers, sparkly shoes etc.) Mixed Choir Choir Robes (provided) o Men- black dress shoes, long black dress socks, black dress pants o Women- black closed toe shoes, your skirt/dress should not show at the bottom of the robe " Hair must be out of your face. " No large jewelry should be showing. Simple earrings are acceptable.
Treble Choir Long black dresses (provided)- must be washed at the end of the year. o Black closed toe shoes. o Hair must be out of your face. o No large jewelry should be showing. Simple earrings are acceptable. Jag Chorale Women- long blue dresses and pearls (provided)- you are responsible for dry cleaning at the end of the year o Black closed toe shoes o Hair must be out of your face o No large jewelry should be showing (bracelets, large earrings, etc). Simple earrings are acceptable. Men- Tuxes (provided)- you are responsible for dry cleaning at the end of the year o Black dress shoes and long black dress socks Jag Singers Women- short black dresses (provided) o Black closed toe shoes o Hair must be out of your face o No large jewelry should be showing. Simple earrings are acceptable. Men- Blue shiny shirts (provided) o Black dress shoes, long black dress socks, black dress pants **All school dress code rules apply!**