Updated August 2025
Oak Canyon Jr. High 2025/2026 – CHOIR
Miss Hannah Sanders, Director – Office in Room F112
Contact Information: 801-610-8138 ext. 485112, hsanders@alpinedistrict.org
CLASS WEBSITE: https://sites.google.com/a/alpinedistrict.org/sanderschoirclasses/
Congratulations on choosing to be a member of choir! Quite a few things might be different than what you’re used to, so please read through this document VERY CAREFULLY. Thank you!
Our primary intent in choir is singing and performing. My goal as a teacher is to validate students on their musical journey, which includes helping students become independent musicians and introducing them to a wide variety of choral music that they might not have thought they would even enjoy.
Choir will focus on proper vocal production, individual and group performing skills, musical theory, musical experience, and reading music.
Classroom Supplies Needed: Students need to bring the following materials to class every day:
2 pencils with erasers (these can be mechanical or wooden, but they need to have erasers)
A folder or thin binder to store sheet music or other paper materials provided by Miss Sanders. This should be kept distinct and separate from other classes
I also recommend you bring a water bottle, though it is not required
CHROMEBOOKS
Concerts
Each term students will perform an evening concert as part of the requirements of a co-curricular course.
Currently, I have the following dates scheduled for performances:
Semester 1
Tues. October 7 @ 6 PM & 7 PM - Fall Choir Concert
Tues. December 9 @ 6 PM & 7 PM - Christmas Choir Concert
ENCORE & BELLA ARMONIA ONLY - Dec 3 & Dec. 10 - 6:45 AM EARLY MORNING Grand Concert Rehearsals
ENCORE ONLY - December 12 (Friday) - Elem. Visits
ENCORE & BELLA ARMONIA ONLY - Dec. 17 (Wednesday) - Grand Concert @ 6 PM and 7 PM
Semester 2
Tues. March 3 @ 6 PM & 7 PM - Spring/Festival Choir Concert
ENCORE ONLY - Thurs. March 20 DURING SCHOOL - Festival (Details TBA)
BELLA ARMONIA ONLY - Tues. March 25 DURING SCHOOL - Festival (Details TBA)
TUESDAY May 12 @ 6 PM & 7 PM - Final Choir Concert
Concert Attire
Please refer to my class website for a more detailed description of what your choir will wear for the performance.
Fees
Please pay all fees in the financial office. Class Participation Fees cover festivals, supplies, recording costs, parties, and other department costs.
Jr. Choir, Ladies’ Choir, Men’s Choir, Eagle Chorus
$10 per semester
Bella Armonia
$20 total
***$80 uniform fee as needed
Encore
$20 total
***$80 uniform fee as needed
Grading
Daily participation……………………….40%
Performance (specified below)…………..40%
Written work……………………………..20%
A 94 %
B+ 87%
C+ 77% - Incomplete
D+ 67% - Incomplete
A- 90%
B 83%
C 73% - Incomplete
D 63% - Incomplete
F 59% or lower
B- 80% - Incomplete
C- 70% - Incomplete
D- 60% - Incomplete
Daily Participation Points & Attendance
Participation points are awarded according to a students’ level of engagement. There are 6 levels of engagement, which I’ve divided into grade categories:
0
Not in attendance
1 - Actively Negative
1. Disrupting
Distracting others
Disrupting Learning
2. Avoiding
Looking for ways to avoid work
Off-task behavior
2 - Passively Negative
3. Withdrawing
Distracted
Separating from the Ensemble
3 - Passively Positive
4. Participating
Doing Work
Paying Attention
Responding to questions
4 - Actively Positive
5. Investing
Asking questions
Making learning important
6. Driving
Setting Goals
Seeking feedback
Driving your own learning and progress
In any event that a student misses class, they should always refer to Canvas for makeup work, communicate with Miss Sanders, and stay on top of personal rehearsal at home. Based on their makeup efforts, Miss Sanders will award participation points as needed.
Written Work
Students will be given time in class to complete most assignments, but there may be an occasional assignment that will be completed outside of class. These assignments will be posted online through Canvas.
Assessments
Students may be given vocal tests on songs we are learning, as well as written tests or quizzes throughout the semester. Please communicate with Miss Sanders to make up any tests/quizzes missed in class.
Important Dates at a Glance (Click to view)
The school calendar should include most major choir events to the best of my knowledge. Important dates should be up to date and a link to this page is always available on the home page of canvas. Please understand that unforeseeable circumstances and changes may cause our calendar to be adjusted. Please work with me when the calendar needs to be changed, and I will do my best to keep you updated and informed.
Classroom Rules and Procedures
My expectations for all my choir classes are the same, with all the time and effort we put into rehearsals, learning, and performing. I have 5 rules that, when followed, communicate the desire to learn and participate:
Respect Ms. Sanders, others, and yourself.
Be Responsible for your own actions and your own education.
Be Ready to learn.
Absolutely NO cell phones or chewing gum
Participate!
If a student’s behavior becomes a problem that slows the progress of the group, the following procedures will begin:
Ms. Sanders will issue a verbal warning to a student who is off task and make an official note.
If the behavior continues, Miss Sanders will make a second official note and the student’s grade will be reduced. The student and teacher will then conference after class to discuss the solution.
If the student is still off task after the second warning, step 2 still applies, but they will also be sent out of the room and given a “reading detention” assignment to complete.
If all of this is still unsuccessful and the student is generally and constantly exhibiting poor behavior, we will explore solutions that might include asking a parent to visit class, finding a different class for the student to be in, lowering the grade to an F, assigning extra work, talking with administration, and more. These are more drastic measures that will only be used when absolutely necessary.
I don’t expect to have to use these procedures with anyone because I believe that choir is made up of OCJH’s best!
Thank you!
***PARENTS: You "sign" digitally with either a photo that your student can submit on Canvas, or an email simply stating that you looked through the document. The email MUST come from the parent's address in order to confirm. There is no physical signature here.