Columbia Public Schools
5th Grade Honors Choir
MEMBER’S HANDBOOK
2017-18
The
Columbia Public Schools 5th Grade Honors Choir is a
125-member ensemble with students from every of the 22 elementary schools in
Columbia and some surrounding districts, as well. The Honors Choir has traveled
extensively and performed at the Missouri Music Educators Convention in Osage
Beach, MO. Founded by educators Susan
Altomari and Mary Beth Ming in 1987, the Honors Choir is proud to be starting
their 31st season. Although the
personnel for the ensemble changes every year, students are always thrilled to
be joining the rich history of choral music in mid-Missouri.
In this handbook, you will find valuable
information concerning our goals, policies, concerns, and uniforms.
Please read the handbook carefully and if you have questions, feel free
to contact me via email, phone, or in person. Thanks in advance for all
your support, both for me and for your child, to make this a fun, exciting year
of choral music!
Sincerely,
Mr. Robert Battle
Director, CPS Fifth Grade
Honors Choir
Ms. Lindsey Tevebaugh
Business Director, CPS
Fifth Grade Honors Choir
Goals
Columbia Public Schools
Fifth Grade Honors Choir members will receive training in appropriate &
healthy voice production and experience in ensemble singing.
Participation in the choir provides an opportunity to perform music that
is often more challenging than singers may have previously experienced, and it
is also an opportunity to build social relationships that will benefit them as
they progress into advanced levels of music. Rehearsals, therefore, must
be a high priority for you. Weekly attendance is mandatory.
Unexcused absences could result in dismissal from the choir.
Sometimes, your child may
not always realize the impact of the wonderful growing pains of more advanced
and rigorous learning. It is essential to the process to have your support when
“it just seems too hard.”
Honors Choir will begin on Tuesday,
September 5. Our rehearsals are in the West Middle School Choir
Room from 4:00-5:15 on Tuesdays. This year’s choir will have five
major performances. We have tried not to “overbook” your singers with
concerts, because we know that families are often involved in many other
activities. These concerts need to go on your family calendars immediately
to avoid conflicts that may arise. There may be some additional
performances that will be scheduled. I will give you notice about these
performances well in advance of the dates.
In short, our goals are
hopefully your goals! We want every singer to have the best musical
experience possible. This can be realized only through dedication,
regular attendance, and hard work. Yes, choral singing takes a lot of
work, but it is also extremely rewarding!
Policies
1) Honors Choir members MUST continue to participate in their
own school choirs. There is zero exception to this rule.
2) Three absences will result in a conference with the choir
directors to discuss if your singer should continue with the ensemble. If your singer
has other obligations such as sports or clubs that overlap with the honors
choir, then your family will need to make a decision about what obligation you
will commit to. We certainly understand when difficult decisions have to be
made.
3) Honors Choir members are very visible representatives of our
schools. Their conduct and behavior is very important, and will be
redirected in our group as needed. If there are major or multiple incidents, a
singer’s parent will be contacted. Students who do not improve will be
dismissed from the choir.
4) We will have rehearsals at our regularly scheduled time on Tuesdays,
4:00-5:15 p.m (5:45pm for extended rehearsals until October 7). All
rehearsals will be at West Middle School in the choir room, unless otherwise notified.
5) If school is not in
session, we will not meet.
6) All of our directors are involved in Tuesday evening activities.
Parents must pick up their children no later than 5:30 (6:00pm for
extended rehearsals only). Students whose parents are chronically
late will be dismissed from the choir.
7) All uniforms must meet
the standards set out in the uniform section of this handbook. Cardigans are provided; other items such as shirts,
skirts, pants, socks, and shoes are provided by the family of the choir member.
If a need exists, please contact Lindsey Tevebaugh at
lipierce@cpsk12.org .
Directing Staff
Robert Battle, Lange Middle
School
James Melton, CPS Fine Arts
Coordinator
Christine Nichols,
Jefferson Middle School
Lindsey Tevebaugh, West
Blvd. Elementary School
Concerns
- Honors Choir members should plan
to be dropped off no earlier than 3:45PM and no later than 4:00. Mr.
Battle, Mrs. Nichols, and Ms. Tevebaugh will be unavailable for
supervision before 3:45 because of other duties.
- Students may choose to have a
water bottle with them at rehearsals but gum chewing is forbidden, and
snacks should be finished outside the choir room before we begin
rehearsal.
- Choir members need to be picked up
promptly when rehearsals are over. Membership can be terminated
if directors have to wait frequently for a student to be picked up.
We will not leave children waiting unattended, but our own schedules
do not allow us to wait for late parents. Please be respectful of our time with our families.
Uniforms
The uniform for concerts is
as follow unless otherwise noted:
Bottoms: Black skirts with black tights or black pants with black socks
Shoes: Black dress shoes
Tops: All students will need a white button collared shirt. Students will be provided a burgundy cardigan with a gold neck
tie. The white shirt does not need to have a certain arm length; it just simply
needs to have a collar that can hold a necktie with a button. This would
include button down dress shirts or polo shirts.
The cardigans and necktie
are property of Columbia Public Schools.
Please contact Lindsey
Tevebaugh(lipierce@cpsk12.org) if purchasing a shirt and pants or a skirt is a
problem for you. We will provide you
with a donated uniform or look for a source of alternative funding. I do
not want this to prevent any child who has qualified from participating.
Fundraising Project
The fundraiser project will
kick off on September 5 and will conclude on September 26th. A fundraiser
information packet will come home with your choir member on September 5. The
fundraiser will also help pay for music and any vests that need to be replaced.
If you have questions
concerning the fundraiser, please contact me. The project is easy and the
profit margin is very good. The CPS Honors Choir has worked with
Cherrydale Farms, our fundraising company, for many years, and they are
wonderful about making it successful and easy for you and me!
