CHORAL MUSIC HANDBOOK 2015-2016 A Guide to the Vocal Music Program Seth Durbin and Beth Best, Directors Nicole DiGrazia, Accompanist 1
Table of Contents Welcome...p. 3 An introduction to our traditions and opportunities Performance Opportunities..p. 4-6 Curricular Ensembles: Cecillian Singers, Concert Choir, Bass Chorus, Treble Choir, Varsity Singers, Varsity Chamber, Honors Varsity Chamber Co-Curricular and Extra-Curricular Activities o Ensembles: Mosaic and Mosaic Ensemble, UnaVoce, Show Choirs o Other Opportunities: IMEA District Festival and All-State Chorus, District 204 Solo & Ensemble Festival, District 204 Organizational Clinic, Spring Musical, Tri-M Music Honors Society Attendance Policy...p. 7 2015-2016 Choral Calendar..p. 8-9 Private Voice Lessons.. p. 10 Student Leadership and Recognition..p. 11-12 Choir Officers Extra-Curricular Activity Awards Choir Parents Association p. 13 Services to Students Special Events Student Fundraising Accounts Home Access and Choir Grades p. 14 "Music may achieve the highest of all missions: She may be a bond between nations, races and states, who are strangers to one another in many ways; She may unite what is disunited, And bring peace to what is hostile." -- Dr. Max Bendiner 2
Welcome! We would like to extend our most heartfelt welcome to you as members of the Choir Family here at Waubonsie Valley High School. Through the pursuit of musical excellence, we are committed to providing our students, our school, and our community with enriching and life-changing experiences. The power of music to bring joy and beauty into our lives is unique and undeniable. We feel very fortunate to share this experience with your family throughout your years at Waubonsie Valley. Please read the following information thoroughly. This handbook provides detailed information about opportunities in choral music here at Waubonsie Valley. We would particularly like to turn your attention to the Choir Parents Association. This group is open to all parents of WV choral students. CPA provides our kids with many opportunities that it would otherwise be impossible to offer. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or e-mail us at the numbers and addresses listed below. We are looking forward to a GREAT year! Beth Best Beth_Best@ipsd.org 630-375-3272 Cecillian Singers (periods 1 and 2) Varsity Singers (period 3) Concert Choir (period 7) Treble Choir (period 8) UnaVoce Spring Musical Seth Durbin Seth_Durbin@ipsd.org 630-375-3275 AP Music Theory (period 2) Honors Varsity Chamber (period 4) Varsity Chamber (period 5) Bass Chorus (periods 7 and 8) Mosaic Mosaic Ensemble Sound Check Spring Musical 3
Performance Opportunities CURRICULAR ENSEMBLES The classes listed below - curricular choral music performance classes in District 204 - are fully accredited and each yield one full unit of credit per course. Students demonstrate learning outcomes both in the classroom and in four curricular concerts. Each of the choirs listed below performs in each of our quarterly curricular concerts. The concerts are scheduled to correspond with the conclusion of each of the four grading periods. Students may also be required to participate in other performances beyond the walls of WVHS, especially in the auditioned choirs. The following are expectations for ALL Waubonsie Valley curricular choral ensembles: Attendance at concerts is required. Music is selected from many historical periods and styles. All students will be challenged to improve their individual musicianship. All students will be provided with the opportunity to experience musical excellence in both daily rehearsals and performances. Detailed descriptions of each curricular choral music course can be found in the District 204 High School Course Catalog and Planning Guide. Below is a simplified diagram of the structure of choirs at Waubonsie Valley High School and all District 204 High Schools. Ability Level Years 10-12 Year 9 Most Advanced Honors Varsity Chamber (Course 4393) Yr. 12 only Prerequisite: Audition and Instructor Approval Varsity Chamber (Course 4366) Yr. 10-12 mixed voices Prerequisite: Audition Advanced Varsity Singers (Course 4376) Yr. 10-12 mixed voices Prerequisite: Audition Intermediate- Advanced Treble Choir (Course 4371) Yr. 10-12 female voices Prerequisite: Audition Beginning- Intermediate (non-auditioned) Concert Choir (Course 4372) Yr. 10-12 female voices Prerequisite: None Bass Chorus (Course 4373) Yr. 10-12 male voices Prerequisite: None Cecillian Singers (Course 9370) Yr. 9 female voices Prerequisite: None Bass Chorus (Course 9373) Yr. 9 male voices Prerequisite: None 5
CO-CURRICULAR & EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Several performing ensembles meet outside the school day. These organizations provide our students and the Music Department greater diversity and increased potential for community outreach. Some of these activities and ensembles are co-curricular (enrollment in a curricular choral class is required) and some are extra-curricular. Not all activities are auditioned. We especially encourage young students to take advantage of the non-auditioned opportunities. (For example: District 204 Solo & Ensemble Festival). When activities require auditions, an informational audition packet will be available on the music department website. Male and female students who wish to participate in extra-curricular ensembles will have equal opportunity to audition for placement. Equal access will be available for all students who qualify for the appropriate voice part of the ensemble in question. Students may also receive awards for their involvement in the extra-curricular performance program. ENSEMBLES Mosaic and Mosaic Ensemble (extra-curricular) - A mosaic is a unique form of art created by bringing many differently shaped and colored pieces of the same material together to ultimately create a single work of beauty. In the choral ensemble Mosaic, the diverse students of Waubonsie Valley experience a sense of unity through the expressive qualities of multicultural music. The choir is open to all students of WVHS regardless of enrollment in a curricular choir. Conducted by Mr. Durbin and Ms. Alyx, Mosaic rehearses on Wednesdays from 3:00-4:30 PM in the Choir Room (121). Mosaic Ensemble is a chamber group within the larger choir that will perform additional repertoire in a small ensemble setting. UnaVoce (co-curricular) - UnaVoce is a select female chamber choir that is comprised of 12-20 freshman and sophomore students. UnaVoce, directed by Mrs. Best, performs a variety of chamber repertoire including madrigals, modern works, and jazz, pop, and folk arrangements. The ensemble participates in musical exchanges with other vocal groups, represents WVHS at community events, and invests itself back into the District 204 program through performances at all grade levels. Auditions will be held on September 8 th, with call backs on the 10 th. UnaVoce will meet on Thursdays from 2:35-3:45 PM. Show Choir (Mixed and Girls) (co-curricular) - The show choirs are ensembles of singer-dancers that perform pop, contemporary, and show tunes in costume with choreography. They rehearse weekly and perform in choral concerts, show choir festivals and clinics, and community performances throughout the year. Sound Check (advanced level mixed choir), directed by Mr. Durbin, rehearses on Monday evenings from 6:00-9:00 PM, and Girls in Heels (intermediate level women s choir), directed by Miss Meaghan Carroll, rehearses on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-9:00 PM. Auditions are held in May of the previous school year. 6
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ILMEA Music Festival and All-State Chorus - In early October, auditions for the Illinois Music Educators Association District IX Music Festival AND the Illinois All-State Chorus are conducted. Students in a Varsity Choir are eligible to participate in this experience. Based upon audition outcomes, selectees to the District Festival Choir will rehearse and perform with the finest voices in the western suburbs under the direction of a highly qualified guest conductor! From a single audition, students will be selected for both the District Festival Chorus (performance in mid-november) and the Illinois All-State Chorus which performs in Peoria, Illinois THIS YEAR the fourth week in January. (Students must perform with the District IX Chorus to be eligible to perform with the All-State Chorus.) Preparations for the audition begin in September. District 204 Solo & Ensemble Festival - Participation in this activity allows every singer to build on their musicianship through preparation of approved vocal literature. Students may be involved as a soloist, an ensemble member, or both. This is a winter activity: preparation takes place in the months of January and February. Interested students must sign up in December. The festival is sponsored annually at Metea, Neuqua, or Waubonsie Valley on alternating years. At the festival, highly respected professional clinicians will hear each of the participants in performance and will work with them individually to improve their performance skills. Judges will identify outstanding performers who will be asked to present their selection in an Honors Recital, presented that evening at 7:00 p.m. to complete the day. All participants are required to attend the Honors Recital. The directors encourage ALL students to participate in this rewarding experience! District 204 Organizational Clinic - In February on President s Day, selected choirs from Metea, Neuqua, and Waubonsie Valley come together for the Organizational Clinic. This event gives our students the opportunity to share their music with their peers from the rest of the district and also with a guest conductor/clinician. This conductor will share their feedback on our students' performance and will also rehearse them for a short period. It is always a great experience to work with different conductors that bring their own unique insights to the musical process. Spring Musical - In February, auditions will determine the cast of this year s musical, which will culminate in performances in early May in our Auditorium. Audition packets with full information will be available in February, two weeks prior to the auditions. Rehearsals begin in March. Auditions are open to all WVHS students, and rehearsals take place after school, evenings, and Saturdays. TRI-M Honors Society - Founded in 1936 by Alexander and Frances Harley, incorporated and renamed Modern Music Masters in 1952, and in 1983 recognized as the Tri-M Music Honors Society, Tri- M is a student-run organization sponsored by the Music Educators National Conference (MENC). This group is open to any sophomore, junior, or senior WVHS music student based upon the recommendation of their respective ensemble director, the approval of the music department, and a 3.50 or higher GPA. The purpose of Tri-M is to honor our very best music students as well as afford them an opportunity to enhance our music department through service projects and various activities including performance and teaching opportunities throughout the community. "Nothing on earth is so well suited to make the sad merry, the merry sad, to give courage to the despairing, to make the proud humble, to lessen envy and hate, as music." 7
WVHS Music Department Attendance Policy The success of our students is directly related to their attendance in rehearsals. Rehearsals are by their very nature, unique experiences. There is no way to replicate a rehearsal that you have missed. Rehearsal absenteeism may be excused for illness or emergency. If there is any other reason for your absenteeism, a parent or guardian must contact your director to discuss the circumstances. If an absence is excused, the student will be provided with a makeup assignment. Performances are scheduled to correspond with the conclusion of each grading period. In this academic discipline, our concerts are parallel to the final examinations given in all other academic areas. Public performances and extra rehearsals are considered examinations and will receive weighted grades. PREPARATION FOR AND PERFORMANCE IN EACH CONCERT IS REQUIRED. This policy is very important to us and ensures a level of excellence for all our students. In an ensemble setting, an individual student absence affects the entire group, not just that one student. Please mark your calendars carefully to secure the dates of our concerts in advance, thus eliminating conflicts before they occur. We can't be US without YOU. Please see the guidelines below for excused and unexcused absences for performances and dress rehearsals. If you anticipate that an excused absence will occur, please contact your teacher at least four weeks prior to the absence, unless your absence is due to an emergency. YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN MUST SUBMIT YOUR EXCUSED ABSENCE REQUEST WITH A WRITTEN NOTE, PHONE CALL, OR BY E-MAIL. The following absences are considered excused ONLY if pre-approved by a director (a make-up assignment will be given): Medical An absence due to illness will be excused if the student is excused from school through the attendance office on the day of the performance. If the student gets sick in the afternoon of the performance after attending school that day, the absence will be excused with a parent e-mail or phone call. Family An absence due to a wedding, funeral, religious holiday, or family emergency will be considered an excused absence as long as the director receives a parent e-mail or phone call 4 weeks prior to the performance or soon after if it is an emergency. State Events State sports or performance events will be considered an excused absence if the director receives a parent or coach e-mail or phone call prior to the event or performance. We will follow the WVHS Music and Athletics policy agreed upon by both departments. Events which are at the equivalent level of a state experience will also be under consideration by the department and may also be excused. The following absences are considered UNEXCUSED (no make-up assignment will be given): Absence without prior notification If an absence occurs that falls under one of the categories of EXCUSED absences, but the instructor never receives an e-mail or phone call prior to the performance, the EXCUSED absence will then be deemed UNEXCUSED. Work conflicts, unapproved practices/rehearsals for other activities, forgetting, or missing a concert for any other reason will not be considered excused. 8
WAUBONSIE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL 2015-2016 CHORAL MUSIC CALENDAR OF EVENTS AUGUST 15 Show Choirs Clinic Day 8 AM-5 PM -- Auditorium and Cafeteria 29 Choir Car Wash 9 AM-2 PM -- WVHS Parking Lot SEPTEMBER 8 UnaVoce Auditions 2:45-5:30 PM -- Choir Room 9 Mandatory Mosaic Informational Meeting 3:00 Open to ALL WVHS students! 10 UnaVoce Callbacks 2:45-4:00 PM -- Choir Room 15 Choir Parent Association Kick-Off Meeting 7:00 PM Auditorium Freshman and New Student Parents Focus/Introduction - All Parents Welcome! 16 Tri-M Music Honors Society Induction Ceremony 7:00 PM Cafeteria OCTOBER 6 ILMEA District IX/All-State Auditions 4:00-11:00 PM -- Addison Trail HS 7 Fall Concert Dress Rehearsal 3:15-5:45 PM **ALL CHOIRS** 8 Fall Collage Choral Concert 7:00 PM **ALL CHOIRS** 12 Choir Mixer--TBA 13 CPA Meeting 7:00 PM - Choir Room - All Parents Welcome! 30 Dia de los Muertos Rehearsal 6:00-8:30 PM Wentz Concert Hall w/chicago Sinfonietta -- **Varsity Singers and Varsity Chamber** 31 Dia de los Muertos Dress Rehearsal 10:30 AM-1:00 PM -- Wentz NOVEMBER 1 Dia de los Muertos Concert with Chicago Sinfonietta 3:00 PM Wentz Hall 2 Dia de los Muertos Concert with Chicago Sinfonietta 7:30 PM Symphony Center 3 CPA Meeting 7:00 PM - Choir Room - All Parents Welcome! 4 WVHS Boys Choral Festival 5:30-7:30 PM WVHS Cafeteria **Gold and Green Bass Chorus, Varsity Men, Cloud 9** 7 ILMEA District IX Music Festival Glenbard East HS (District Selectees) 14 IMEA District IX Jazz Festival Plainfield South (District Selectees) 18 Combined Middle School Honors Chorus Sing & Share Choir Rm/Auditorium **UnaVoce and Mosaic Ensemble** 5:30-7:00 PM DECEMBER 3 Prism Dress Rehearsal 6:00-9:00 PM **ALL 10-12 CHOIRS** 4 & 5 Prism Concerts 6:00 & 8:15 PM each evening **ALL 10-12 CHOIRS** JANUARY (Daily Solo & Ensemble Rehearsals throughout the month) 2 Show Choir Winter Clinic Day 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM **Show Choirs** 5 CPA Meeting 7:00 PM - Choir Room - All Parents Welcome! 6 Meet the Artist Dress Rehearsal 6:00-9:00 PM **Gold Bass and Cecillian** 7 Meet the Artist Concert 7:00 PM **Gold Bass and Cecillian** 12 Senior Concerto Auditions 2:45-5:30 PM 16 Show Choir Competition All Day Mt. Zion, IL **Show Choirs** 27 30 ILMEA All-State Music Conference -- Peoria, IL (All-State Selectees) 9
2015-2016 CHORAL MUSIC CALENDAR OF EVENTS, continued FEBRUARY (Daily Solo & Ensemble Rehearsals continue throughout the month) (Auditions for next year s choirs at beginning of month TBA) 2 CPA Meeting 7:00 PM - Choir Room - All Parents Welcome! 6 Northrop HS ALL DAY **Show Choirs** 15 Dist. 204 Organizational Clinic **Treble Choir, Varsity Singers, and Varsity Chamber** 20 Show Choir Competition All Day -- Northridge **Show Choirs** 22-26 Musical Auditions 3:00-8:00 PM Orchestra Room, Auditorium, Choir Room 27 District 204 Solo & Ensemble Festival 7:30 AM at WVHS 27 Solo & Ensemble Honors Recital 7:00 PM at MVHS (required for S/E participants) MARCH 1 CPA Meeting 7:00 PM - Choir Room - All Parents Welcome! 2 MIOSM Capstone Dress Rehearsal 3:00-6:00 PM **Combined Varsity** 3 MIOSM Capstone Concert 7:00 PM Wentz Hall **Combined Varsity** 12 Wheaton Warrenville South HS Choral Classic ALL DAY **Show Choirs** 21 Music in Our Schools Concert 7:00 PM **Pink Notes, Cloud 9, Mosaic, Cecillian, Treble** 22 Music in Our Schools Concert 7:00 PM **Show Choirs, Bass, Concert, Austria Tour** 27-April 3 Choir Tour of Austria and Germany!!! APRIL 4 Mosaic and World Beat Dress Rehearsal 6:00 PM **Mosaic** 5 Mosaic and World Beat Concert 7:00 PM **Mosaic** 12 CPA Meeting 7:00 PM - Choir Room - All Parents Welcome! 14 Vocal Pops Dress Rehearsal 6:00-9:00 PM **Show Choirs** 15 & 16 Vocal Pops Concerts 7:00 PM **Show Choirs** 18 Senior Concerto Concert 7:00 PM MAY 5-7 Spring Musical 7:00 PM Curtain WVHS Auditorium 10 CPA Meeting 7:00 PM - Choir Room - All Parents Welcome! 12 Spring Choral Concert 7:00 PM **ALL CHOIRS (No Show Choirs or Mosaic)** 16-20 2016 2017 Show Choirs and Cloud 9/Pink Notes Auditions After school 16 Choral Awards and Senior Recognition 7:00 PM WVHS Cafeteria 21 Fine Arts Festival - WVHS **ALL CHOIRS** 8 AM - 4 PM 25 Baccalaureate 6:30-8:30 PM **Combined Varsity, Mosaic Ensemble, and Seniors** 29 Graduation Ceremony at NIU **ALL SENIORS** (Time TBA) ** Indicates Required Attendance (as explained in the Choir Syllabus and Handbook) -Parents are welcome and warmly invited to join us for all regularly scheduled meetings of the Choir Parents Association, as indicated above. -Student arrival times (call times) for performances are usually one hour prior to the performance time. Details will be given closer to the concert date. Please plan accordingly. 10
Private Voice Lessons Private voice teachers are available to all students for a reduced fee. The private voice faculty are highly respected performers and teachers. They have been recruited, approved, and recommended by your directors. Some of them travel to Waubonsie Valley and give students an opportunity to reach their full vocal potential by providing excellent one-on-one instruction. Voice lessons will be scheduled after school and during option periods, and are taught in the 2 nd floor practice rooms or off campus at studios or homes very near WV (within 5 miles). Students are highly encouraged to call an approved WVHS instructor to schedule an appointment to arrange for private instruction. See your director for more information. WVHS Private Voice Faculty Mary Elliott (630)631-9432 mary.elliott@yahoo.com Michelle Konow (630)357-8981 theariabird@aol.com Jen Fitch (630)803-3434 sing4me11@comcast.net (off campus) Dr. Sonja Mihelcic (630)730-0148 napervillemusicacademy@gmail.com (off campus) Student Leadership and Recognition CHOIR OFFICERS Officers for each of the performing ensembles assist the directors and their choir. They act as a link of communication between the organization and the director. Officers have additional responsibilities and represent their choir at pre-concert technical rehearsals (this represents additional rehearsal time for these students), as well as assisting with events such as the Choir Mixer and Fine Arts Festival. The following offices are necessary for each choir: PRESIDENT: The president acts as student director (conductor), student liaison with the director, and helps in organizing students for specific tasks-at-hand related to quarterly concerts (for example: a set-up crew for all concerts). The president leads by example and supervises all performances. The president also helps with organizing special projects when needed. VICE-PRESIDENT: The vice-president assists the president as a student conductor and sectional rehearsal leader. He/she also helps with supervision at performances and organizing special projects. SECRETARY: The secretary handles all official communications, takes care of publicity and records attendance and points for awards. With the assistance of the director, he/she also organizes ensembles for Performance Evaluations, which may be a part of the curriculum for their choir. 11
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY AWARDS Co-curricular and extra-curricular ensembles receive no academic credit. However, members completing the activity in good standing may receive a letter award for their participation (Numerals, Sophomore Letter, Varsity Letter, and the Senior Lyre award). Letter awards are provided by the Choir Parent Association and are presented each spring. Letter awards are NOT presented for curricular classes. The following information applies for letter awards: Extra-Curricular Activity Points Points are weighted by total number of hours in rehearsals and performances for the activity and are consistent throughout the department in choir, band, and orchestra. Activity Points ILMEA Preparation and Audition 2 ILMEA District IX Choir Member 2 ILMEA District IX Freshman Quartet 2 ILMEA All-State/Honor Choir Member 6 District 204 Solo/Ensemble Festival Preparation/Performance 4 per event Solo/Ensemble Festival Performance 2 per event PRISM Solo or Ensemble 1 per performing group Mosaic 16 Mosaic Ensemble (additional points) 4 UnaVoce 20 Girls in Heels 28 Sound Check 32 Musical - cast member 18 Musical - vocal lead (additional points) 4 Tri-M Membership 2 Choir Officer Meetings/Participation 2 Note: Pink Notes and Cloud Nine will receive points toward letter awards to be determined by documentation of rehearsal and performance hours in the 2015-16 school year. Point Total Thresholds Required to Qualify for Letter Awards Grade Points Required Award 9 - Freshman 16 or more Numerals or Treble Clef 10 - Sophomore 20 or more Sophomore Letter 11 - Junior 24 or more Varsity Letter 12 - Senior 28 or more Varsity Letter or Lyre Award* * The Lyre Award is presented to seniors who received their Varsity letter as a Junior. 12
Choir Parents Association The Waubonsie Valley Choir Parents Association (CPA) was created to enlist the aid of the most important people in our children s lives - their parents - to assist in the process of providing these students the BEST education and musical experience possible. This support group provides resources that would otherwise be unavailable--resources which make a dramatic difference in the opportunities offered here. In order to further that cause, the CPA welcomes EVERY parent to its membership. You are encouraged to be as active as your schedule and energies allow and to help in the process of enriching young lives by studying and performing great music! Your involvement can help us to share music with more people, and enrich not only our community, but others as well. Share the fun! Parent meetings are held throughout the year beginning with Kick-Off on Tuesday, September 15 th (in auditorium). The remaining meetings will be in the Choir Room 121. Every parent is encouraged to participate in the Choir Parents Association. Services to Students Fundraising projects benefit each individual student and the Choral Department as a whole. Some of the specific things that CPA has funded in recent years are: On-Site Clinicians and Performing Ensembles, Scholarships for Summer Camps and Voice Lessons, Senior Music Scholarships, Awards, and Senior Recognition. The CPA also acquires individual donations to help students with significant financial need. EVERY child deserves a wonderful experience in the many ensembles we offer at WVHS. Opportunities for Waubonsie Valley students in the year ahead may be limited by a lack of financial or moral support. Fortunately, the CPA can help. YOUR support can make all the difference! Special CPA Fund-Raising Events In order to provide this support to our students, the CPA sponsors special functions and activities that provide the financial resources to meet our needs. These special events, which only exist through the volunteer efforts of parents like you, include: Restaurant nights and partnerships with local businesses who donate to our organization, including Jersey Mike s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wendy s, Amato s Pizzeria, and Macy s. Staffing for the Concessions Stand for our Spring Musical (refreshments/flowers). Organizing and providing workers for the annual District 204 Fine Arts Festival in May. Organizing and administering the major Fall and Spring Fundraisers. CPA Student Fundraising Accounts Fundraisers assist our students to "bank" their share of the profits in their own, school-activity related "bank account". Each student's account accrues throughout their high school career and is applicable to choir related expenses. Please note: AT NO TIME IS THE ACCOUNT REDEEMABLE FOR CASH. Any remaining balance in the account at the conclusion of their tenure at WVHS may be donated to a sibling involved in the music department, providing that the request to do so is sent to CPA by June 30 of the graduation year. Otherwise, the balance will be absorbed into the general fund. 13
Online Choir Grades WVHS uses an online grade book program. This allows you to check your student's grade at any time from your computer at home. While this system works well for many classes, there are some inherent flaws in the way it presents choir grades. The following items should provide some clarification concerning how to interpret your student's choir grade online. 1. There are 5 weighted categories in the choir grade as listed in the choir handbook: Participation (30%), Performances (25%), Vocal Performance Evaluations (20%), Written Work (10%), Quizzes/Tests (10%), and Concert Reviews (5%). The final exam, by school policy, is 20% of the entire semester grade. Two of these categories, vocal performance evaluations and concert review, will not be factored into your student's grade until the last week of the semester. The reason is because the vocal performance evaluations typically do not occur until very close to the end of the semester, and the concert review can be turned in for full credit until the given due date near the end of the semester. This means that 30% of your student's semester grade will not be shown until that final week of the semester. So, when viewing the choir grade, keep in mind that 30% of the grade will not be added until towards the very end of the semester. 2. Home Access is updated by different teachers at different intervals. The choir staff tries its best to update grade at least once a week, but sometimes this interval is slightly longer. Please keep in mind that your student will receive participation grades for classroom participation as well as for concert and festival attendance. Not attending a scheduled concert could result in a grade drop of at least one letter grade due to the fact that 25% of your student s grade is concert participation. Please follow the attendance policy guidelines and communicate any excused absences as soon as possible. Hopefully the aforementioned items will provide some clarification on how online grading works with the choir grade. We are all very excited to be using this online system which allows parents to continually monitor their student's progress. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact your student's choir director. THANK YOU for being a part of the Waubonsie Valley High School Choral Department! This year promises to be one full of many magical and memorable musical moments for our students, staff, families, and community. 14