The Start of Marking Period 6
The Start of Marking Period 6
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We are officially closed for Summer Break! Mr. Wheelock looks forward to seeing everyone back next school year!
This week marks the start of the FINAL MARKING PERIOD of the 2023-2024 school year. That being said, there is still pleanty of things going on, so please make sure your singer is keeping up with our news and events. Events this marking period include:
BCMS Solo/Ensemble Contest
Fine Arts Night
Spring Show
NRH2O Trip
BCMS Choir Solo Contest
BCMS Choir Solo Contest
Students have been working last week and this week in class on preparing their solos. They will present the solos this week in class or after school.*
*This solo performance is mandatory and counts as a test grade for all students.
Choir Spring Show
Choir Spring Show
I am excited to announce the final production from the BCMS Choir Department for the 2023-2024 school year: Songs from the Big Screen.
The date for this
This performance will feature performances from all choirs, as well as performances from solo singers and small groups. Singers who wish to perform in a solo (or a small group) should prepare a song and present it to Mr. Wheelock at the Spring Show open auditions (date TBA). Songs for the show must meet the following criteria:
Must Fit the Theme (the song must have been featured in a Movie)
Must be school appropriate (no inappropriate language or themes)
If the song can be made appropriate by slightly changing the lyrics, the song may be approved by Mr. Wheelock for the show
Must be "stage ready" by audition date - meaning the song must be fully memorized and all aspects of the performance should be ready to present (i.e. accompaniment track, stage presence/choreography, wardrobe/costuming, etc...)
Students are recommended to find a karaoke track to perform with. They will NOT be allowed to perform with a track that features a lead singer.
Choir Fee & Choir T-Shirt Payments
Choir Fee & Choir T-Shirt Payments
Every choir student was assigned two required fees at the start of the school year. Both of these expenses are required of all choir students, and are reflective of expenses incurred on the choir program by each student. The two fees are:
The Choir T-Shirt ($10)
The Choir Fee ($10)
I discovered that for some reason, the CHOIR FEE wasn't shown on MyPaymentsPlus. This should be fixed soon, so if you can't find it on MyPaymentsPlus, please check back at a later time.
Students who are not current with their payments may be prohibited from attending our NRH2O Water Park trip this spring. Payments can be made any time on MyPaymentsPlus or in person (Cash only).
Please feel free to email Mr. Wheelock at christopher.wheelock@chisd.net with any questions or concerns.
Select Treble SWEEPS UIL
Select Treble SWEEPS UIL
Congratulations to the Select Treble Choir for Earning SWEEPSTAKES (top score in both Concert and Sight-Reading) at UIL on Wednesday, March 6th.
This marks the first Sweepstakes for the BCMS Choir since 2016.
The recording of their concert can be heard on our YouTube page here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ1QYPT8HT4
MakeMusic Cloud Assignments
MakeMusic Cloud Assignments
This grading period the assignment structure has changed slightly. Now that we have had time to get used to the MakeMusic Cloud system, the weekly assignments will be utilizing the "Sight-Reading" format. This means that the assignments are now timed, and students are given only one chance to record themselves performing the line. This change is to better reflect the actual goal of practicing reading the notes by sight. As a result, students will likely notice that they aren't scoring as high on the assignments as they used to. Please do not worry, as these scores are not their actual grades for the assignments. These assignments are being graded for effort, and not accuracy (so long as a student puts effort into the assignment, they will receive a 100 in the gradebook).
We have practiced using this system in class, so students should not have any confusion about how it works.
On February 12, the Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to include a $282.4 million bond proposal on the May 4, 2024 ballot.
Frequently Asked Questions About the CHISD Bond
WHAT IS A BOND?
A bond is similar to a home mortgage. It is a contract to repay borrowed money with interest over time. Bonds are sold by a school district to competing lenders to raise funds to pay for the costs of construction, renovations and equipment. All school districts in Texas utilize bonds to finance renovations and new facilities.
HOW CAN BOND FUNDS BE USED?
Bond funds can be used to pay for new buildings, additions and renovations to existing facilities, land acquisition, technology infrastructure and equipment for new or existing buildings. Bonds cannot be used for salaries or operating costs such as utility bills, supplies, building maintenance, fuel and insurance.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE URGENT NEEDS IF THIS BOND DOESN'T PASS? IT MAY BE FAR OFF, BUT IF RENOVATIONS AND REPAIRS AREN'T DONE ON OLDER SCHOOLS IS THERE A RISK OF THEM BEING SHUT DOWN PUTTING A MUCH BIGGER STRAIN ON THE DISTRICT?
When bond funds are not made available for renovations and repairs the following challenges emerge:
1) costly emergency repairs may have to be funded out of the general operating budget and when the operating budget is tapped for repairs then other items in the operating budget will have to be cut
2) schools deteriorate and become less comfortable and less safe for students and staff 3) teachers and staff may decide to work elsewhere where conditions are more desirable.
Tax Impact
When residents consider the CHISD bond election this spring, they’ll be choosing whether to fund projects for safety and security, buses, a transportation facility, capital improvements, technology network upgrades, playgrounds, and renovations for every campus and more. We have planned for inflation by including funds for escalation and contingency in our bond project budgets.
If both propositions are approved by voters, the Interest & Sinking tax rate will increase by one half penny. For a home valued at $325,000, which is the average property value in CHISD, this rate change would result in an increase of $10.00 per year to the homeowner’s tax bill.
HOW MUCH TEACHER INPUT WAS USED IN THE DESIGN OF SPACES?
Faculty and campus leadership are consulted throughout the planning, design and construction process. Designs are further informed by research into advances in teaching and learning. New ways of teaching and learning call for new spaces and vice versa. The cycle of feedback and training is ongoing to ensure spaces meet the needs of students and teachers and also to make sure students and teachers have the training and support they need to use the spaces as they are designed
Student Communication App - BAND
Student Communication App - BAND
The BCMS Choir Program has begun using the app BAND to facilitate informal communication between the director and the students. This app is designed for use in school programs and allows the director to send short messages to the entire program or individual choirs.
Students are also able to send messages to the director. This works well for outside of school events such as performances and/or trips that we take. The use of this app is recommended, but not requried for all students. Students can sign up by following the link below.
Mr. Wheelock invites you to join 'BCMS Choir' group on BAND, the app designed for groups to stay connected.
Come join now!
Open this invite link below on your smartphone or desktop to join the group. https://band.us/n/a9a395x4g6q7o
BAND is a group communication app that serves over 20 million groups across the world to stay connected.
Upcoming Dates/Events
Upcoming Dates/Events
Bessie Coleman MS Choir
Bessie Coleman MS Choir
Christopher Wheelock, director
Email: christopher.wheelock@chisd.net
Phone: (972) 293-4505 x8365
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