Mission Statement:

As music-makers of the 21st century, our Saint Mary School students are musicians who are tuneful, beatful and artful! Students create, perform, respond and connect to music in meaningful and developmentally appropriate ways, discovering, exploring and experiencing sacred music from our Catholic heritage as well as secular music spanning many cultures and genres.

Preschool and Primary Learning Communities: Preschool- Grade 2

These music classes are centered on play. Students sing, play games, move to music, and are introduced to our classroom Orff instruments, which they will continue to use throughout their years at school. Music notation is formally introduced- students are reading quarter notes, paired eighth notes, quarter rest and half notes on the five line treble clef staff in second grade. Pitches are centered on the pentatonic scale- Do, Re, Mi, Sol, La. Our Kindergarten-2nd Grade students look forward to the annual Advent Musical, in which they sing and act in a performance for the school and local community.

Elementary Learning Community: Grades 3-5

With a focus on performance, our third students extend the pentatonic scale by reading it on the five line treble clef staff- Low Sol, Low La, Do, Re, Mi, Sol, La, High Do- and prepare for their "Kids Around the World" performance in the winter. Our fourth grade students enjoy their formal introduction to harmony through the use of hand-chimes. By fourth grade, our students sing, play and identify major and minor melodies on the treble clef staff using our classroom instruments. Fourth grade participates in the Very Special Person Day music showcase each spring. Our fifth graders deepen their understanding of rhythm, melody and harmony throughout the year. Their year includes a unit on spirituals and ends in completing compositions in major and minor melodies.

Middle School Learning Community: Grades 6-8

Our sixth graders study Western music history from Gregorian chant through Beethoven. As the students learn about composers of the past, they themselves learn how to be composers in the eras that they are studying. In addition to creating and performing, our seventh and eighth grade students explore how music is an integral part of our world. Favorite units of study include "What's your theme song?", Chromebook composers, music of the Caribbean, blues and jazz, music and society in the 1960s, musical theatre and movie music.

Grading Policy

Grades 3-4: Students earn a pass/fail marking each trimester for their active participation in class.

Grades 5-8: Musicians are individuals who work hard, have fun and create beautiful music together! Because musicians are so hands-on, our class is modeled off of that principle, with each student earning 10 points per class period for active participation in music class. Active participation includes singing, playing instruments, reading and composing music, listening and analyzing music excerpts and a variety of other individual and group activities. As musicians, we come to class with a positive, willing attitude and a desire to treat all individuals with compassion and respect. In addition to daily participation points, students typically have one major test and project per trimester. Because classes only meet once a week, students receive ample notice leading up to a test or project. Some tests are paper and pencil, while others assess skills such as singing and playing melodies with the correct pitch and rhythm on our classroom instruments.