CHORUS

 

I'm so glad to be back with your students this week!  We have a few new people joining us, so if you are a new parent to me, welcome to the family!  The remainder of this week will be spent reviewing what we have already learned in rhythm, tonal, and scales.  We will be working to catch our new members up to speed on all of these things- I certainly don't expect for them to learn 18 weeks of material in 3 days, but we will be doing a crash course!

 

MOST IMPORTANT:  Mask requirements for class remain.  Your student must wear a singing mask in class when we are singing- NOT the same mask they might be wearing in their other classrooms.  Purchase of a singing mask can be done in Revtrak.  Here is the link (copy and paste in your browser if it isn't active)

 

                                            https://paulding.revtrak.net/moses-middle-school/#/list 

 

If you don't purchase one for your student they will have access to the class set that is washed nightly.  It is easier if they have their own.  Thank you to those parents who have proactively ordered theur mask.  Until the mask arrives the student will use one from the class set.

 

New students will receive some assignments on Canvas to practice the new things IF they demonstrate they need the extra help.  It is not punitive, simply a help to catch them up.

 

There was a digital assignment yesterday.  It will be marked as missing today until your student turns it in.  It is open through Friday night.

 

I am looking forward to what this semester will bring- I don't know what it will be, but I know it will be great!

 

GUITAR

Good morning parents!

 

I am Mrs. Townsend and I will be teaching your student in the 8th grade Music Appreciation class.  Our entire focus is Guitar.  This is meant to be an introductory level class that anyone can succeed in.  When I began teaching the class, I was learning with the students as we went along.  I believe every student can succeed as long as they put in the effort- the same for everything in life!

 

You will receive this newsletter from me weekly.  I will detail what we are working on each week and notify you of assignments that may be due.

 

This week your student will receive a syllabus.  There is a signature page that must be returned before I can assign a guitar to your student.  I would like to assign guitars on Monday so that we can start the process of learning the proper way to hold the instrument for classical style playing, and begin the learning of string names and numbers.

 

If your student has their own guitar they are welcome to bring it to school each day, but I have a class set.  It is often more beneficial to use mine here at school, and their own at home for extra practice.

 

Your student WILL be able to take their guitar home if they need extra practice- just know that damage to the instrument is the responsibility of the student​.  I will discuss this more with the class, and you will see it on the syllabus when you sign it.

 

 

I look forward to teaching your student this semester!

 

MUSIC APPRECIATION

Good morning parents!

 

My name is Mrs. Townsend and I teach the virtual Music Appreciation class that your student is in for their second connection class this semester.  ​I send out a newsletter at the beginning of each week, usually Monday, so that you are aware of what is going on in class.  This newsletter is usually very short and will include notice of assignments that may be due.  This is to help you as a virtual parent keep your student on top of their assignments.

 

Normal live conference times will be Tuesdays at 10:15.  This week only we will conference on Thursday at 10:15.  I want to make sure I have a face to face with your student before next week when we begin our first module/ unit.  My contact information is on the home page of our Canvas class, and can be found on the Moses Middle School website.  I will archive the weekly newsletters on the website, as well.

 

My office hours are 10:15-10:55 each day.  This is when I will be able to respond to emails.  Please be patient if you email me after that time.  I am teaching face to face or virtually all day.  If it is after office hours I will respond to you either at the end of the day (between 3:30 and 4:00) or during office hours the next day.

 

Your student had a discussion post due yesterday that was to be in the form of a video.  Many students have not completed the assignment.  It is open until Friday night.  It is important that your student read and follow all the directions.  A number of those who did complete the post did not use a video as their reply.  I sent messages to them letting them know they needed to re-read the directions and edit their post.  Practicing this skill of uploading a video is important for this class- I need each student to reply in the form of a video on this post.