To the 2007-2008 Singers of WMS

Young Lyrics Choir Handbook

2012-2013 To the 2012-2013 young men performers of WMS:

I would like to welcome you to Young Lyrics. My name is Ms. Portia Franklin and I am the Young Lyrics choir director. Get ready to sing because this year is going to be great. There are quite a few things that I have planned. We will perform a very diverse repertoire (songs) which include classical, spirituals, Broadway, pop, and gospel. I believe that the sky is the limit for the 2012-2013 Young Lyrics choir. I believe in diligence and excellence. With these two virtues you will accomplish your dreams. I truly believe that we can be the best middle school choir male voice choir- period!-but that depends on our hard work, our ability to keep a positive attitude, and to stay focused on our goals.

Portia Franklin WMS Choral Director [email protected] 214.244.6936 cell Accountability

The Choir’s purpose at West Middle School:

1. To go into the community and create excitement for the school, towards education, and to increase community support

2. To increase parental support

3. To provide another avenue for creativity to be experienced, seen, and heard

4. To produce a group of great singers and cultivate the natural talent within each member

What I (the choir director) promise to do

1. Be a constant resource

2. Give you (the student) the skills you need to succeed in contest(s) and in life

3. Be aggressive in promoting our involvement in the community

What I need from YOU

1. Constant participation

2. A willingness to try

3. Trust yourself, your peers, and the director

4. Dedication (every day doing your best)

5. Respect yourself, your peers, your teachers, and your community Desoto Mission Statement

We provide experiences for young men and women so they learn and practice the values of high academic and professional achievement as well as wholesome individual and civic character.

The West Way WMS staff will:  (endeavor to) Assure that all students belong and that they have been singled out as the target for unconditional love.  (endeavor to) Take delight in our students and fellow educators by celebrating their individual gifts and talents.  (endeavor to) Assure that each child knows, feels, and relishes in affirmation, assurance, acceptance, and approval.  (endeavor to) Assure that each child has the experience of being chosen, valued, cherished, and enjoyed.  Work in a spirit of unity, trust, cooperation and consistency.  Identify challenges and work towards solutions.  Create self-disciplined, solution-oriented, positive, successful students by modeling these attributes for our students.  Recognize the strength of our diversity and use it to prepare our students to be successful, contributing members of society.  Do everything we can – before, during, and after school hours – to ensure that all students will learn.  Work collaboratively with our academic team, hallway team, and school team to ensure that our school operates effectively and efficiently.  Speak positively to and of our students, parents, fellow teachers, and other school personnel.

The West Way WMS Students will:  Accept responsibility for their learning, decisions, and actions.  Set challenging goals and give their best effort to achieve them.  Believe in themselves and take pride in their achievements.  Demonstrate a desire to learn.  Become actively involved in school activities.  Conduct themselves in a way that contributes to a safe, orderly, and positive school atmosphere that ensures the rights of others.  Form partnerships with their teachers in working to realize their full potential.

The West Way WMS Parents will:  Play an active role in the education of their child.  Monitor their child’s academic performance.  Work with WMS staff to emphasize the importance of education.  Model a commitment to lifelong learning.

Young Lyrics Classroom Rules

1. Keep your hands, feet, and other objects to yourself.

2. Listen at all times.

3. Be respectful of each others’ property.

4. Be respectful towards ALL adults and students.

5. Texting, making phone calls, chewing gum, and profanity are prohibited.

Young Lyrics Activity Fee

There will be an activity fee charge of $20 for Young Lyrics. This fee includes: 1. Rental of tuxedos 2. Young Lyrics T-shirt 3. Sheet music/folder 4. Entry fees for Solo and Ensemble and All Region competitions

The activity fee is non-refundable. This is to eliminate fundraisers and to allow Young Lyrics the ability to look great and do more this year.

This will be due by Oct. 12th. Payments can be made by cash or money order. Checks will not be accepted. You can make small payments any time before that date. Contact the director if you have any questions. WMS Choir Grading System 1. Daily grades (60%)  There are usually 6 class participation grades for each six weeks (10 pts each day). These will consist of singing daily repertoire, warm-ups, and sight singing.  There are usually 6 bell ringer grades for each six weeks (10 pts each day). These will be folder checks. Each student will be expected to write music notation in their music and any vocal notes that the director gives in class.  Eating or drinking anything besides water in the classroom will result in an automatic zero for the day. There are a possible 20pts earned each day/ 100 pts in a week. Both contribute to daily grades.

2. Test grades (40%)  There will be a test/quiz due every Friday (except for testing and holidays). Each test/quiz will be comprised of either a singing excerpt rehearsed in class or sight- singing. These can be recorded at the students’ leisure and emailed to me.

 Each performance (in school or outside of school) will be counted as a test grade.

Choir is a performance-based class. Most of the preparation in class is for performances. This is why it is important that you understand the severity of missing a performance.  Excused absences from performances include: Death in immediate family Sick with a communicable disease (flu, strep throat, bronchitis, etc.)

There will be make up work for an excused performance. It will be a one page essay of a topic of the directors choice.

3. Semester exam (20%) (Daily grades at the end of the semester will be worth 40%)  This will be taken at the end of each semester. It will not be a written test. It will be a sight reading test. Performance Dress Casual wear: Young Lyrics T-shirt with jeans/khakis. No Tennis shoes or athletic shoes, preferably all black or all white.

Formal wear: Gentlemen: Black tuxedo pants and white tuxedo shirt, black dress shoes, and black socks. The activity fee will pay for the rental of the tux pants throughout the year. Pants need to be returned dry-cleaned. There will be an added dry cleaning fee charged if tuxes are not dry-cleaned.

Gentlemen: We want to give an appearance of professionalism and respectability. We need to portray ourselves, whether in school or in the community, with pride and decency. Private Lessons

All Young Lyrics students are highly encouraged to enroll in private lessons. Private lessons offer your child a unique experience that he or she cannot receive in a regular classroom setting. If you choose to participate in the program, your son or daughter will meet with a private voice teacher once a week on Friday afternoons. Lesson times will be twenty-five minutes in duration. During this time your student will have 100% of the instructor's attention. These lessons will be geared toward helping your son or daughter become a truly great singer by teaching them how to improve their vocal skills. While I as a choral director strive to work with each student regularly, I am limited because of class size and time. I feel that private lessons are wonderful and that they contribute a great amount to the student's musical success.

A limited number of need-based scholarship funds are available for highly-qualified students who exhibit a strong desire to achieve their maximum potential vocally.

Please contact Ms. Portia Franklin if you have any questions regarding private lessons at [email protected] or (972) 230-1820 ext. 492. Young Lyrics Volunteer Form

Below are some of the opportunities for you to help make the choral program a success. This program cannot run without your help. Every parent/guardian is encouraged to volunteer for at least one of these activities.

For all activities, you must have a Desoto ISD Background Check completed for this year.

____ Chaperone – for bus travel (nursing home tour, caroling, Solo and Ensemble, All Region, UIL contest)

______Food Donations – water and goodies for several events this year

______Copy Paper Donations – paper for music, announcements, etc.

______Concert refreshments – includes helping coordinate refreshments for concert attendees (cookies, brownies, drinks, etc.)

______Choir Banquet– will help coordinate and plan this annual celebration of student achievement! Many parent volunteers will be needed for this end-of-the-year event with setting up, tearing down, and chaperoning.

Name: ______Student(s) Name and Grade:______

Phone: ______Email: ______Signature Page

I, ______, and my parents have read and understand the rules, dress for performances, when the activity fee is due, the grading system, and my responsibility to this choir. By signing this page, I understand that I will be committed to all that has been written for the 2012-2013 school year.

Student Signature Date X______

Parent Signature Date X______