Hello my Intro students! I'm so excited you have chosen to start your drama journey with me!
Below you will find your course expectations you and your parents must e-sign. This must be completed before we can begin any of our fun activities. Please read it and be familiar with our classroom rules. After you have read it please make sure to follow the link directly below to the e-sign.
Intro To Drama Course Expectations
Thurman White Academy
Ms. Candy Wilder, Drama Director
(702) 799-0777 ext. 3136
Website: https://tinyurl.com/Thurmanwhitedrama
Room 136
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an elective for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in their first year of Introduction to Drama. It is designed for students to learn about Drama and Theater concepts such as voice for theater, movement for theater, pantomime, stage combat, scene study, improv, history of theater, combating stage fright, puppetry, voice over and much more.
MATERIALS
COURSE FEE
All students enrolled in Drama are required to pay a $40 fee. This money covers the cost of costume rentals, prop rentals, supplies, set construction ect. All Drama fees are due by Friday, September 13th.
FUNDRAISING
Fundraising is a crucial activity for the Drama program at Thurman White. This enables us to purchase those materials necessary to enhance our theater program in ways that would not be possible through district funding (such as space rental, costumes, props, rights for performances, trips, etc.). The drama department will participate in several fundraisers throughout year.
PERFORMANCES
At the Introductory level students are required to attend a theatrical performance between 2019-2020 School year. This is only one time and we recommend seeing one of our own Thurman White academy performances; however, any Middle School or Higher quality performance will be accepted. Students will be asked to fill out a review for that performance that will be available on our google classroom.
GRADING POLICY
QUARTER GRADES WILL BE DETERMINED AS FOLLOWS:
Formative Assessments (Classwork & Homework) 20%
Summative Assessments (Tests & Performances) 80%
SEMESTER GRADES WILL BE DETERMINED AS FOLLOWS:
Quarter 1 grade 40% of the Semester 1 grade Quarter 3 grade 40% of the Semester 2 grade
Quarter 2 grade 40% of the Semester 1 grade Quarter 4 grade 40% of the Semester 2 grade
Semester 1 exam 20% of the Semester 1 grade Semester 2 exam 20% of the Semester 2 grade
GRADING RUBRIC:
A = 90% - 100% B = 80% - 89.9% C = 70% - 79.9% D = 60% - 69.9% F = below 59.9%
CITIZENSHIP
The citizenship grade will be based on the student's compliance with the behavior expectations.
O = Outstanding S = Satisfactory N = Needs Improvement U = Unsatisfactory
TURNING IN AND MAKE-UP WORK
Obtaining missing/absent work: Check your missing work binder (located by the turn in station) or your google classroom. If you have any questions please feel free to ask the teacher before or after class, or anytime that is “rehearsal or free times.” Please only ask about current assignments during lecture times so we don’t hold up the class on past work. See Turning in Assignments for how to turn in each assignment. GOOGLE CLASSROOM
We will be using Google Classroom to provide students and families with a complete and updated schedule of drama events, along with class assignments, drama resources and practice materials. All students will be given a link to join Google Classroom and will be required to use this program to turn in assignments and utilize practice materials, receive messages/reminders and calendar notifications.
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
To create a positive, focused and respectful learning environment all students must practice the following school rules for success, also known as
“The Three R’s”
RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, RELIABILITY
Be Responsible
Be Reliable
Be Respectful
FORBIDDEN IN MY CLASSROOM
ALLOWED IN MY ROOM
*If you have a particular medical concern with this policy see Ms. Wilder, I will work with you.
BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS
If students do not adhere to the behavioral expectations and procedures, the following school-wide interventions have been established to provide the student with opportunities to correct their behavior. Please select the following links for the school wide behavior policies.
School Wide Behavior Expectations
School Wide Behavior Intervention Flow Chart
CELL PHONE POLICY
Cell phones are not to be used in class. Because we are going 1:1 Technology our students will be provided with a Chromebook Laptop and will have no use for cell phones other than as a disruption to class time. If Cell phones are being utilized during class time:
1st offense: Cell phone will be confiscated by teacher and locked away until end of class
2nd and subsequent offenses: Cell phones will be confiscated and taken to the Student Success Center.
CLASSROOM TARDY POLICY
It is imperative students arrive ON TIME to class. Both feet need to be inside the door before the bell rings. Students who are not will be marked tardy. Any student who is tardy will receive the progressive discipline consequences outlined in the school tardy policy
PARENT COMMUNICATION
It is important that the director, students, and parents/guardians all work together as a team to achieve our goals. Communication, understanding, and commitment are essential for this team to be a success. Please feel free to call me at 702-799-0777 ext. 3136 or email me at with any questions or concerns about your child. All parents and students will be asked to sign up using REMIND to receive and send messages regarding performances, events, fundraisers, etc.
HALL PASS POLICY
Students who abuse hall pass privilege risk losing hall passes for the rest of the year. (Please contact Ms. Wilder in case of medical concern, or I will refer to individual 504’s if a plan is already in place).
OPPORTUNITY PERFORMANCES, FIELD TRIPS ETC.
Through the course of our year we have opportunities to perform for our school and community. For Introduction to Drama these performances will be optional but once the student commits it is imperative that they follow through. Examples of these performances are showcases, school magnet nights ect. We also have field trip opportunities that come up throughout our year. We don’t have those dates right now but we will inform parents of those opportunities as soon as we know about them. Again those dates and events will be optional, but once a student commits they will need to follow through. We will send parents updates through our calendars and through remind.
FILM/YOUTUBE CLIPS
Students will be occasionally viewing live musical and play performances, also a few film clips all within the district-wide regulation standards for educational purposes
INTRO DRAMA STUDENT AND PARENT CHECKLIST
@cwilderwh
Thank you! I look forward to a great year in Drama!
Ms. Wilder