May 1 Field Trip
Registration:
- Please use the link to the right (in “blogroll”) to register your child’s intent to participate in the May 1 field trip by this coming Tuesday, February 2. It is necessary for each chorister to register for the trip by this date so that we can most efficiently plan for the day!
Family Field Trip:
- If your family is planning to travel to Huntsville to hear the choir sing in the festival, please register your family’s intent to travel alongside of the choir using the “Family Field Trip” registration link! We would love to have you travel with us and would like to know in advance who we should be expecting when we arrive in Huntsville! Your RSVP will help us to both plan efficiently and make the day an enjoyable one for everyone!
Student Dinners:
- In the field trip response, I failed to include a section for “student dinner choice.” Their dinners are already paid for, but I need an exact count of how many Subway sandwiches to order. Please help me to do this by e-mailing me with your child’s name in the subject line and one of the following three choices in the body of the e-mail: 1)ham sandwich 2)turkey sandwich 3)roast beef sandwich. Thank you for your help!
Permission Slips:
- I inadvertently forgot to attach the permission slip for May 1 to the registration packet e-mailed and sent home last week. Please find it attached to this week’s choir parent e-mail.
- Because of my failure to attach the permission slip to your original communication about this field trip, I am extending the deadline for returning it to Tuesday, February 16.
Chaperones:
- There is still need for a few more chaperones to travel with the choir to Huntsville! If you are able and willing, please include this in your child’s registration intent form. If you have already submitted the form, you can send an e-mail to let me know of your interest!
Choir Day Rehearsal Dismissal Procedures
After reviewing choir dismissal through the first semester and first rehearsals of 2010, I have determined that it would be in the best interest of our students to “tweak” our dismissal procedures. Please review these updated steps for picking up your children on choir afternoons:
- Until further notice, we will return to our 4:00 dismissal time. We only rehearse until 4:15 in the “thick” of concert season.
- When students are dismissed, I will lead them outdoors and continue to help them use the crosswalk to arrive to your vehicle safely.
- From now on, please make TWO lines for pickup (one along the curb and one in the middle lane of the carpool area). I appreciate your politeness and wanting to wait your turn, but forming two lines will expedite your ability to pick up your child in a time-efficient manner
- From now on, students will only be allowed to enter your vehicle when you are one of the two cars at the crosswalk or one car behind that. While I certainly trust your child to walk safely to you on the sidewalk, it holds up the entire line (at times, all the way to the street) to load one student at a time on the sidewalk.
- The first parent to arrive to pick up at honor choir dismissal should pull ALL THE WAY FORWARD TO THE FRONT PARKING SPOT (nearest the stop sign). This applies even if parents are lined up to pick up their children from tutoring (which dismisses near the same time as choir) and are not pulled all the way forward. If your child needs to cross the street to reach you, I will help him or her cross safely at the crosswalk and walk through the median grass to reach your vehicle.
- Please begin forming your double line as soon as choir children are dismissed. Forming the double line prior to choir dismissal will prevent teachers who may need to leave the parking lot from being able to do so until we arrive!
- If your child is not outside at the time you reach the crosswalk, please pull ALL THE WAY FORWARD TO THE FRONT PARKING SPOT in the carpool line (nearest the stop sign).
We’ll try these new procedures, and if more modifications are necessary, I will let you know! Thank you in advance for your assistance in following these modified carpool procedures!
Missing Choir T-Shirt?
Is your child missing his or her size “small” long sleeved black choir t-shirt? If so, I may have it in the choir room! I have ONE shirt that has been in my room for two months. Somebody left it in the room on the day we distributed the shirts and has never claimed it. If you’ve never seen your child’s shirt and know they ordered an “adult small,” please let me know so that I can get this shirt to you!
Please check your e-mail for a copy of the field trip registration packet that will be sent home with your child this week. Make special note of the following details:
1. It is necessary for you to complete the online field trip registration–whether or not your child will attend the field trip.
2. If your family would like to travel alongside the choir, you are welcome to do so. However, please make sure to follow the guidelines of the “family trip,” including submitting background checks for each adult in attendance.
ALL REGISTRATION LINKS ARE ACTIVE NOW! PLEASE FIND THEM TO THE RIGHT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE “BLOGROLL” SECTION!
- To register your child’s intent to attend the field trip, click “May 1 Field Trip Registration.”
- To register your family’s intent to take a “family field trip” alongside of the choir, click “Family Field Trip Registration.”
- To order a choir parent shirt, click “Choir Parent Shirt Orders.”
As always, please let me know if you have any questions!
I’m looking forward to a wonderful second semester of choir!
Choir Picture day is TOMORROW (Wed., 1/13)!!!!
- Wear choir attire to school. Do NOT plan to change clothes before picture time.
- If you would like to order a picture, but your child forgot to pick up an order form, send a check for $12 payable to Lifetouch to school with your child tomorrow, and he or she may get an order envelope then.
Spring Field Trip:
- 5th Grade: Please ADD Saturday, May 1 to your spring choir calendar.
- 6th Grade: Please make sure Saturday, May 1 was already on your family’s spring calendar!
- Destination: Huntsville, TX
- Purpose: To sing spring choral literature for judges and to participate in Huntsville’s Annual Sam Houston Folk Festival
- Time Frame: 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (going and coming on the same day)
- Transportation: Charter buses
- Cost: INCLUDED in your family’s choir tuition!!!!!
- Chaperone Information is forthcoming.
- Please note that the field trip is tentative until approved by KISD administration. We are already in approval process. If, for any reason, our field trip is denied, I will communicate that with you, but plan now as a “GO!”
January Choir Tuition:
- Please remember to pay your child’s January choir tuition if you have not done so already!
Calendar Reminder:
- 5th Grade: Rehearses on WEDNESDAY, January 27 instead of our regular Thursday rehearsal that week.
- 6th Grade: No changes.
Happy New Year, Choir Families!
Please make special note of the following announcements that pertain to the next few weeks:
1. Choir rehearsals resume the week after the MLK holiday.
- 6th grade’s Next rehearsal is Tuesday, 1/19
- 5th grade’s next rehearsal is Thursday, 1/21.
2. Calendar Change (5th grade ONLY):
- Please remove Thursday, 1/28 from your rehearsal schedule.
- Add Wednesday, 1/27 to your rehearsal schedule. Rehearsal will dismiss at 4:00 that day.
3. Choir Group Pictures will be taken Wednesday, January 13.
- Please have your child wear his or her choir attire (red shirt/black pants/black shoes) to school on this date.
- If you wish to purchase a portrait of your child’s choir, please have your child stop by my classroom to pick up an order formprior to 1/13. All orders and monies are due to the photographerat the time the picture is taken.
4. January Choir Tuition:
- If your family is on the twice a year payment plan, your final choir payment of $70 is due no later than Tuesday, January 19. Please remember to send a yellow payment coupon with your child’s payment.
- If your family is on the once a month payment plan, your next installment of $28 is due by Friday, January 8.
Your families are a joy to serve. Thank you for partnering with me for your child’s music education!
1. Please wear your group’s official attire.
2. Arrive at INDEPENDENCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. (School address is 11773 Bray Birch Lane, 76244)
3. Report to the hallway by the music room when you arrive at IES.
4. Bring ALL homework that is due Friday with you to IES. The bus will transport your bookbag back to TMIS with us later in the day.
5. Remember to bring your sack lunch if you have chosen to not eat Chick-Fil-A.
6. Pack a great attitude for a busy day!
Chaperones, Please keep the following in mind for tomorrow’s field trip to our feeder elementary campuses:
1. Please meet me at IES @ 7:30 a.m. The building doors will not be unlocked before this time.
2. Wear comfortable “put together” clothing. You do not need to “dress up” for this occasion.
3. If you will be hauling instruments for us from Thursday evening to Friday morning, please wait to unload those until approximately 8:00 a.m. We will unload in the bus lane once the IES buses finish their drop-offs.
4. You will be driving your own vehicle for the duration of the day, as we only have enough space on the buses for the students and one KISD employee per bus.
5. Your main responsibility throughout the day is to monitor children. Please remind them to be quiet in school hallways, and assist them with using the restroom at appropriate times, etc.
6. I will appoint 5 adults tomorrow morning to return to TMIS a few minutes early from CES to set up our lunch. All other adults will arrive with the students.
7. You will need to sign in separately at each campus. IES has volunteered to print your visitor badges ahead of time, but all other schools will ask that you sign in FIRST before proceeding through the campus.
8. If you are transporting instruments for the groups, please meet me this afternoon at 3:00 at the cafeteria entrance to our school!
Thanks again for your help tomorrow! I’m looking forward to a great day!
Choir Tuition
- …is now due for December! If you are on the 6-installment payment plan, please send your child’s $28 check (payable to TMIS), along with a yellow payment coupon from his or her enrollment packet by Friday, December 4. Thank you for your promptness in paying choir tuition!
Choir Carpool Line:
- When picking your child up from honor choir, please follow the same carpool line procedure as during regular school dismissal.
- Remember to pull all the way forward to the next available spot rather than “backing up” the entire carpool line to wait for your child to get in the vehicle!
- We CAN use TWO lines for pick-up! If you see your child and would like to pull to the middle lane, you are welcome to do so. Remember, though, that your child is not allowed to cross in front of vehicles to come to you in the middle; they are only allowed to get in your car in the middle lane at the crosswalk.
- Above all, thank you for keeping our students’ safety in the forefront of your mind! You are such kind-hearted parents; I appreciate you looking out for our students’ best interst!
Inclement Weather:
- As winter approaches, please be reminded that TMIS Honor Choirs follow the KISD inclement weather policies for cancellation of after school activities, etc.
- If it is raining during choir dismissal time, please remember that your child will wait for you in the hallway next to the choir room and will be dismissed from the side cafeteria door when your car is at the crosswalk!
Concert!!!!
- NEXT Tuesday evening, December 8
- @ Trinity Meadows
- Chorister call time: 6:30 p.m. in the choir room
- Concert time: 7:00 p.m.
- Choristers should wear “choir attire.”
Field Trip:
- NEXT Friday (12/11)
- 7:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- You are responsible for bringing your child to INDEPENDENCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL on the morning of the field trip!!!! The buses will pick us up to transport us from there for our concerts at other feeder campuses.
- Permission slips are due THIS Friday (12/4) @ 8:00 a.m. Students who fail to turn in a permission slip will not be allowed to attend the trip.
- If you would like to chaperone the trip, please refer to the “Chaperone” section of the pdf file attached to today’s e-mail or the “hard copy” your child will bring home today or tomorrow. More specific details will be emailed by the middle of next week.
- Permission slips are also in the pdf file of today’s e-mail.
Rehearsal Reminders:
- Today (12/1): 6th Grade (to 4:15 p.m.)
- Wednesday (12/2): 5th Grade (morning @ 7:15, afternoon to 4:15)
- Thursday (12/3): 5th Grade (morning @ 7:15, afternoon to 4:15)
- Friday (12/4): BOTH grades, MORNING ONLY @ 7:15
I am looking forward to celebrating the holiday season with your family this coming week!
Rehearsal Schedule for the Week:
Monday:
- 7:15-7:35 a.m. 6th grade rehearsal (all who can attend, please come as soon as you get to school!)
- 2:50-4:15 p.m. 6th grade rehearsal (all choristers who can attend, please!)
Tuesday:
- 7:15-7:35 a.m. 6th grade rehearsal (all who can attend, please come as soon as you get to school!)
- 2:50-4:15 p.m. 6th grade rehearsal (regularly scheduled)
Wednesday:
- 7:15-7:35 a.m. 5th grade rehearsal (all who can attend, please come as soon as you get to school!)
- 2:50-4:15 p.m. 5th grade rehearsal (all choristers who can attend, please!)
Thursday:
- 7:15-7:35 a.m. 5th grade rehearsal (all who can attend, please come as soon as you get to school!)
- 2:50-4:15 p.m. 5th grade rehearsal (regularly scheduled)
Friday:
- 7:15-7:35 a.m. BOTH choirs (PLEASE make an effort to be at this rehearsal, as it is one of only a few rehearsals we have the opportunity to have together!)
- No afternoon rehearsal.
Field Trip:
We still need chaperones for the field trip on Friday, 12/11. If you are able to attend from 7:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and ALREADY have a 2009-2010 background check, please let me know ASAP!!!!
I hope your families had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday together! I’m looking forward to seeing you this week!
Rehearsal Schedule This Week:
5th Grade:
- Thursday morning 7:15-7:35 (come as SOON as you get to school)
- Thursday afternoon 2:50-4:15 (note the LATER pick-up time)
6th Grade:
- Tuesday morning 7:15-7:35 (Come as SOON as you get to school!)
- Tuesday afternoon 2:50-4:15 (note the LATER pick-up time!)
***The extra rehearsals and later pick-up times are to assist us with more quickly completing the learning of our holiday repertoire! We are a little behind and need all of the extra time we can get! If your child will not be able to make one of these extended times, he or she will not be penalized in attendance. However, if at all possible, please make every effort to have your child here for every minute of rehearsal this week and the week after Thanksgiving!
Field Trip:
Look for information about our December field trip the week we return from Thanksgiving. If you’re interested in being a chaperone and already have a background check on file with KISD for the 2009-2010 school year, please contact me via e-mail to let me know of your interest!
Kudos!
I was very proud of your children in last week’s concert! Thank you for your kind words regarding our performance, and thank you for your tireless support of the music program at TMIS!
Choir Shirts are IN!!!!!
- Arriving to your home via your child’s backpack on Tuesday afternoon, 11/10
- Wear to the concert on Tuesday night!
TCHS Feeder Pattern Choir Concert
- TUESDAY night, 11/10
- 5:30 P.M. Call Time for Choristers in the AUDITORIUM.
- Park at the back of TCHS by the gym. Enter building through SOUTH doors. Walk NORTH along the main hallway (a.k.a. “Main Street”). The auditorium is past the cafeteria on the LEFT.
- Parents may either bring their child to the auditorium at 5:30 and come back at 6:40 or may wait outside of the auditorium until concert time.
- Doors open for family members at 6:40 p.m. I suggest arriving EARLY!
- Pizza dinner will be served to choristers after the 5:30 rehearsal (courtesy of TCHS Choir)
- Concert begins promptly at 7:00.
- When you bring your child to our “call time,” please determine a meeting place INSIDE THE BUILDING for after the concert.
- Concert will last approximately an hour to an hour and a half.
- All choristers must wear “choir attire.” Ladies may wear simple jewelry, but should not accessorize with large or “dazzling” jewelry.
- The concert is FREE!
Veteran’s Day Assembly @ TMIS:
- Both choirs will sing one of our pieces from the Tuesday evening concert on Thursday afternoon at 1:45 at our annual flag lowering ceremony.
- Parents are invited to attend if you wish. All visitors at the school must sign in through the front office!
- Choristers should wear their choir polos to school on Thursday. You may wear jeans instead of black pants if you like.
Thank you!!!!
- A big “thank you” to all of the parents who are providing soft drinks for our Tuesday evening dinner at TCHS! I am grateful for your support of our feeder pattern choir program!
Rehearsals This Week:
- 6th Grade: Tuesday, 11/10 (2:50-3:45). Please note the earlier dismissal time.
- 5th Grade: Rehearsal as usual on Thursday, 11/12 (2:50-4:00)
I am looking forward to our invigorating choir week this week!
