Welcome to the Liberty Bell Middle School Choral Program! I am very excited to be working with each of you. The purpose of our organization is not only to learn about music and singing, but also to bring what we have learned to our community to create a cultural connection.
Each member of Chorus is an important part of the Chorus “team.” Without each student’s best effort, the team will not accomplish its full potential. With this in mind, please encourage each other to become the best citizens, musicians, students, and family members that you can be. We want to emphasize love, compassion, integrity, honesty, dignity, artistry, fairness, excellence, growth, patience, and encouragement. Our mantra in class is to “be good people first.” While I naturally want all students to experience musical growth in class, I am most focused on our students learning the tenets of good citizenship and being a positive light in our world, and am personally focused on building relationships with the students that can facilitate the best learning environment possible.
Here you will find specific information regarding class requirements and expectations, including grading and classroom policies. It is vitally important that both parents and students read this handbook to be fully informed about the policies and procedures of the choral program.
If you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year, please do not hesitate to come to me. Chorus is a class of a different nature, and my goal is to create a safe place for students to come and participate without fear or ridicule. I truly care for each of my students, and hope to instill in them a love for music and a solid team work ethic. Let’s have a great year!
Emily Broadhead, MM
Choral Director
Class Expectations
Be on time.
Be prepared.
Be respectful.
Be willing.
Classroom Policies
As you enter the classroom, please get your music folder, sit in your assigned seat, and complete the daily bellwork.
All equipment, teacher office, phone, computer, storage room, music library, and whiteboards are for instructional use only and are off limit to students unless given specific permission from the teacher.
Bathroom trips should be made before or after class, but not during. There will be no opportunity to go to the restroom during class unless in case of emergency or a doctor note. We move very quickly in this class, and to leave to go to the restroom could mean missing an entire concept or section of a song.
Bring a personal chorus folder with pockets and pencil to every class. You will be assigned a music folder, but it stays in the classroom at all times.
Chorus is a year-long commitment; once committed, students must remain enrolled in the class for the entire school year.
Concert Policies
Always report to the staging area no later than 30 minutes before concert time. Depending on venue, this time may change to accommodate for necessary performance adjustments.
There is the possibility of several individual groups performing on the same concert. Always show support for any group performing by remaining quiet during their performance.
Concert attire will vary; for the Holiday Concert, the attire will be as follows:
Boys: Black or khaki dress pants; white or red dress shirt; tie; nice shoes
Girls: Black or khaki dress pants; red, white, or green top or sweater. Skirts are allowed, as are dresses, so long as they meet the color scheme and follow dress code. Comfortable shoes are recommended; no heels higher than 2 inches.
For the Spring Spectacular, all students will wear long pants (no leggings, no shorts, no sweats) and their Chorus shirt, which will be ordered sometime in early fall. More information on ordering shirts will be sent home as it becomes available; prices are usually between $8-10.
The Holiday Concert will be held on December 8, 2022 at 7:00 pm.
This is a combined performance with 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, and will be held in the auditorium at SHHS. Please make arrangements for attendance now; excused absences from performances are rare.
Performance dates for the Spring semester will be published in January.
Grading
The nine weeks grade will be based on the following categories:
Daily Grade (40%)
Tests/Quizzes (30%)
Performances (30%)
Daily Grade:
Daily grade is comprised of both assignments and general classroom behavior. Any non-test written assignment will fall under this category (such as music theory or history work we may do in class), and the classroom behavior grade for the nine weeks will also be considered a daily grade.
Classroom Behavior:
Each student starts each grading period with 100 points. Infractions from the Classroom Rules or Policies will cause points to be deducted from a student’s behavior grade. Students whose behavior grade falls below 80 points for a grading period will receive a letter home to be signed by the parent and returned to the teacher. Students may also be referred to an administrator for further disciplinary action should the situation warrant it.
Tests:
Written and oral tests will be given over class material, including music theory, terminology and symbols, fundamentals, and learning of performance materials.
Performances:
On-time attendance at all performances is required. Absences from performances are only excused in case of sickness or death in the immediate family. Sickness will be excused with a doctor’s excuse. Other performance issues should be brought to the teacher ASAP and will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Absence from school on the day of the performance does NOT automatically excuse the performance absence. Absences due to quarantine for COVID-19 will be excused.
Unexcused absences from performances will be given a failing grade.
Excused absences can be made up by completing a written assignment. The assignment will account for 30% of the final grade, taking the place of the concert attendance and participation grade. Students should expect the assignment to be extensive as it is replacing the equivalent of the final exam for this course.
A student can be pulled from a performance for missing practices or for unsatisfactory behavior. This is at the teacher’s discretion.
There may be a minimal number of after-school rehearsals scheduled to combine all the chorus classes together. Please make every effort to attend these rehearsals; they are vital to the process. These rehearsals will be posted at least one month in advance via newsletter and in class as well as online at the LBMS Chorus Canvas page.
Be committed to chorus. You are a big part of a big organization, and the effort you bring to the table determines our success as a team.