Dear TMS Choir Parents

Dear TMS Choir Parents,

We are extremely fortunate to have Mrs. Shelley Terry joining us at Tidwell MS choir as our vocal instructor. Enclosed you will find Mrs. Terry’s biography and picture for your information. Students will receive a private lesson once per week for half of their choir period. I strongly recommend that singers take voice lessons to help them grow as performers. If your child is interested in auditioning for the middle school musical, talent show or solos they will gain the individual assistance that is impossible to give in a classroom setting.

If your child chooses to take lessons please realize that it needs to be a semester or year commitment. There will be a recital in December, solo contest in April and a recital in May. Seventh and eighth grade students who plan to audition for All-Region Choir are strongly advised to take lessons.

Lessons will be $20 each ($80 per month due the first lesson of each month). Please be respectful of our teachers by sending payment in a timely manner. If your child must miss a lesson you must email or call the voice instructor 24 hours in advance. Please understand that our teachers have a very tight schedule and try to avoid scheduling orthodontist or other appointments at a time that conflicts with your child’s lesson. If your child is absent from school remember to notify the voice instructor the night prior to or early the morning of the absence. This courtesy will allow them to reschedule appropriately.

Thank you for your consideration, Olivia Peacock, Director of TMS Choirs, [email protected] Katherine Mangum, TMS Choir Associate Director, [email protected]

Dear Voice Students and Parents, Please let me say how excited I am to be here at Tidwell M.S this year! I have been teaching in Keller ISD for the last 7 years and I look forward to the new opportunity in NISD. It is such a blessing for me to work with students who really want to learn and improve on their gift of their voice and who share a love of music. Students of mine will participate in a Christmas recital, Solo-and-Ensemble in the spring, and an end of the year recital. *I also want to encourage seventh and eighth grade students to prepare to try out for the All-Region choir in the fall. It’s an educational/confidence building experience and it’s an honor to make this choir that performs in November. My experience and training…… I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Music (voice major/piano minor) from Abilene Christian University. After receiving my Music degree in ‘93, I taught voice lessons at N. Garland H.S., Lakeview Centennial H.S and at Lyles M.S. in Garland, Tx for many years. Then my family relocated to North Carolina with my husband’s job where I taught elementary music and private piano at Providence Christian School in Charlotte as the public schools did not have the music enrichment programs. I personally took voice lessons from the age of 12 yrs. old through college and went to college on voice scholarships at both Richland Community College and then ACU (I was the only voice student asked to teach voice at Richland Community College). I have performed in many musicals, operas and in college, traveled with an a cappella group all over the U.S. and Canada. I have had 8+ years of private piano instruction. I was ranked 4th in the state of Texas as a soprano my senior year in high school where I performed with the All-State Choir in San Antonio. (Students, this is such an incredible experience and honor for you and your school so please let me encourage you to try out for this every year in high school as the competition is fierce and each year builds more confidence with the try-out process) On the personal side…My husband and I have been married 22 yrs. and we have two daughters, Savannah and Stella. Savannah is in her sophomore year of college at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls and Stella is in the 8th grade at KMS. We attend The Hills Church- Southlake Campus where I have directed our Children’s Musicals and where I currently sing & play piano/keys on the instrumental praise team.

SHELLEY TERRY NISD, KISD Voice Instructor/Soprano Soloist Direct: 469-774-7750 [email protected]

TIDWELL MIDDLE SCHOOL CHORAL MUSIC DEPARTMENT

Fine Arts Private Lesson Program Parent Consent Form

Tidwell MS Choir has traditionally offered students the opportunity to study privately through an organized private lesson program. Private lessons are offered as a supplement to classroom instruction to help strengthen the individual voice. Participation in the supplemental lesson program is optional. All students will have access to supplemental lessons based upon the private instructor’s availability of time.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PRIVATE INSTRUCTOR 1. Be fully prepared for each lesson. 2. Supply the method books and other materials as required by private study. 3. Participate in all activities required as a condition of private study. 4. Notify the instructor within 24 hours if a lesson is to be canceled unless there is an emergency.

LESSON LOCATION AND SCHEDULING Lessons will be taught in the choir room voice studio, except as arrangements needing modifications for summer lessons. Lessons will be scheduled by the private instructor and choir directors. Lessons can be scheduled during the student’s choir class and during lunch. No lessons will be scheduled during another academic time. Should the instructor be unable to teach a lesson, missed lessons will be made-up. The choir director will aid the student by advising the private lesson instructor of concerts, programs, holidays, testing, etc., which would result in any interruption of the regular lesson schedule.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Instructors will be paid $20 a lesson ($80.00 a month) due at the first lesson of the month. Lessons last for half of the student’s choir class period once a week. Checks should be made payable to the private lesson instructor. Limited partial-lesson scholarships may be available. Check with the choir teacher for eligibility requirements. Should you have specific questions about any part of the program, please contact the student’s choir teacher. Parent Information on Policies and Procedures

Please take a moment to read the information below with the detailed information about the program. If you have any further questions, your child's fine arts teacher will be happy to answer them. • Private lessons are available to any student participating in a middle school choir at Tidwell. Participation is completely voluntary. • The private instructors have been recruited, interviewed, and recommended by Tidwell MS choir teachers. • Lessons are taught in practice rooms and classrooms of schools during fine arts classes, lunch hour and before school (if available). No lessons will be scheduled during academic classes. • The private lesson fee is $20.00 per lesson. Fees are paid directly to lesson instructors. • Students provide all instructional materials (books, music etc.)

All students who participate in the program must first complete an application form with the signature of a parent/guardian. These forms are available from either the music private instructor or choir teacher. Students are expected to notify music private instructors at least 24 hours in advance of missing a scheduled lesson. The instructor and/or supervising director may make exceptions in the event of sudden illness or emergency. The music private instructor may provide makeup lessons subject to agreement with the students and parents. The private instructors are allowed to set their own attendance policy as long as it adheres to the following: • Excused absences will be made up or a credit given as determined by the private instructor. Excused absences will consist of, but not be limited to, school sponsored trips, sickness (with proper notice), school testing, school change of scheduling, circumstances out of student's control (fire alarm, school bus late, etc.) • Unexcused absences will not be refunded or made up by the instructor. Unexcused absences will consist of, but not limited to, forgetting about lessons, absences (sickness, trips, etc.) without notification, or choosing to do another activity during scheduled lesson time.

Students may stop taking lessons at the end of any month. A student may be dropped by an instructor, with approval of the supervising director, for excessive absences, failure to make satisfactory progress or unacceptable behavior. Instructors are strongly urged to temporarily postpone student’s lessons if they are behind in payments until that account is caught up to date. Please complete this enrollment form and give to your fine arts teacher if you want to participate in the private lesson program.

TIDWELL MS CHOIR PRIVATE LESSON PROGRAM

I have read the parent/student information sheet and desire that my child take advantage of the individual lessons given through the choir department of Tidwell Middle School. I understand that Mrs. Terry, the private voice instructor, will contact make contact with each parent to arrange a lesson time to coincide with their choir class. I have read and agree to the guidelines put forth by Tidwell Middle School Choir lesson program.

______PARENT PRINTED NAME PARENT SIGNATURE DATE

Please furnish the information requested below and give this form to your child’s choir teacher.

______STUDENT’S NAME SCHOOL CLASS PERIOD

______HOME PHONE PARENT’S WORK PHONE

______PARENT’S EMAIL ADDRESS STUDENT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

Did student take lessons during the previous school year? Yes No

If yes, who was the private instructor?