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I've been very pleased with this year's beginner class; they're enthusiastic
and they love totalling up practice minutes--our
500-Minute and 1000-Minute Clubs are growing fast. Ask your child if s/he
has a club card or how many minutes s/he has accumulated! By now beginner
students have received their 2nd marking period report cards. We use a 4-3-
2-1 rating scale for the various technical skills; some skills I do not
assess until the 4th marking period report, and they are indicated "N/A."
Our intermediate students did a fabulous job at the winter concerts.
For the first time, EBTV filmed the concerts at Irwin and Warnsdorfer
schools. I hope you were able to catch a glimpse of them. And I hope you
heard what wonderful progress the children have made since their first
concert last spring.
February is the start of District Orchestra! Intermediate Orchestra
rehearsals begin on Monday, Feb. 11, Beginner Orchestra starts Tuesday, Feb.
26. Rehearsals are at the high school from 3:45-4:45 for 10 weeks,
culminating in our concert on May 7. It's a fabulous opportunity for your
child to play with other strings students from all eight elementary schools
in the district. We usually have over 100 students in each orchestra. Both
orchestras are conducted by Mrs. Brandt and Mrs. Goldstein. We encourage
all students enrolled in our strings program to join. If you need help with
transportation, check the carpool lists or give us a call and we'll try to
find you a ride. Please have your child bring the registration form to
his/her next lesson. It must be complete for the child to be able to attend
rehearsals.
Pick-up time is 4:45. Be ON TIME--we all want to get to the warmth of
our homes on cold winter days. Thank you!
Your children are growing! If you are renting from The Music Shop,
it's a free exchange that I process as soon as I measure your child's arm
length. If you are renting from another company, you should also be able to
exchange for a bigger instrument; I'll send a letter home indicating which
size is needed. If you own and your child needs a bigger instrument, you
may want to consider renting if s/he has not yet reached full size. If s/he
does reach full size, now is the time to buy. Contact me and I'll provide a
list of reputable websites, plus I may be able to help you find a customer
for your smaller instrument.
Our fifth-graders have been receiving visits from the Hammarskjold
guidance department, and they will be asked to make a choice about their
electives for next year. It is my hope that every fifth-grade strings
student chooses ORCHESTRA as an elective; it is a wonderful program for
which time is set aside every other day (they are no longer pulled out of
class as they are now). They receive large-group as well as small-group
instruction. A letter from Dr. Anna Braun, the director of our middle
school orchestra program will be coming home to you shortly. Please feel
free to contact me if you have any questions about your child's placement in
the program.
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