WELCOME TO MUSIC WITH MRS. SADAT!

School Year 2009-10

Purple Sage Fine Arts and Physical Education

Purple Sage students study three “Specials” subjects in the areas of fine arts and physical education. They learn Physical Education/Wellness with Ms Fooshee, Visual Art with Ms Thurman, and Music with me, Ms Sadat.

All students in Kindergarten through 5th grades attend the three Specials areas on a weekly rotation. On Monday through Thursday, students have 50-minute blocks of instruction in Art, Music, or Physical Education (P.E.). They attend Art one day per week, Music one day per week, and P.E. two days per week. On Fridays, students attend either Art and P.E. or Music and P.E. for 25-minutes each.

Each day, students attend Specials for 50 minutes on the following schedule:

4th-grade 7:55 - 8:45

5th-grade  8:50 - 9:40

3rd- grade 9:45 - 10:35

Kindergarten 10:40 - 11:30

1st-grade 12:10 - 1:00

2nd-grade 1:05-1:55

(Specials teachers have lunch from 11:35 - 12:05, and a conference period from 1:55-2:45.)

Discipline in the Specials Areas (Positive Behavior Support/PBS)

The three Specials areas share the school’s discipline plan, PBS. The teachers in the areas of art, music, and physical education/wellness set a positive tone with students. Students are encouraged to be respectful and responsible, to follow directions, and to cooperate. These rules help students enjoy working and interacting in the fine arts and P.E. classrooms. They help everyone use their time for learning.

Occasionally students might need a short cooling off period from the classroom activity if they break a classroom or school rule. As soon as they’re ready to participate appropriately they can rejoin the group. A Behavior Report is sent home when misbehavior is persistent.

The Music Curriculum

The music program at Purple Sage contributes to each student’s total education. It emphasizes active music-making, listening and analyzing skills, and relating music selections to their place in history and geography. Students learn traditional songs, games, and dances from America and from many cultures around the world. They sing, play classroom percussion instruments, and learn about ethnic world instruments and symphonic orchestra instruments. They also study great classical works of music. Fourth and fifth grade lessons include a unit of playing a stringed instrument (the guitar) and a wind instrument (the recorder).

Lessons are based on the Kodaly philosophy, which prepares students to read and perform music through physical, aural/oral, and visual activities. Music reading follows a continuum, kindergarten through fifth grade, with a goal of graduating students who are enthusiastic about making music, and skilled for any middle school music program they enter.

Music Field Trips and Special Events

Thanks to the generosity of the Purple Sage PTA, students enjoy a variety of music enrichment activities. Each year the third grade students attend a performance by Ballet Austin, and the fourth grade students see a performance by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Other special music events and visiting artists vary from year to year.

After-School Choirs

There are two after-school choirs during the school year. Choir information is sent home to the appropriate grade levels in their Wednesday folders, as the time to join nears.

1) All 4^th and 5^th grade students are welcome to join MusicMakers in the Fall Semester. MusicMakers is an open-enrollment choir that meets after school on Tuesdays, until 4:00. MusicMakers will give a performance for students and staff during the school day, and for families in the evening. The choir will also provide a public service by taking a field trip in December to sing holiday carols at a senior citizens’ home.

2) All 5^th grade students are welcome to audition for the Honor Choir in the Spring Semester. The Honor Choir meets after school on Tuesdays, until 4:00. It consists of a selected group of ten students who will represent Purple Sage at the annual Round Rock ISD Elementary Music Festival. They will join over 250 students from around the school district to perform for families and the public at the RRISD Performing Arts Center.

Contacting Mrs. Sadat

Please feel free to contact me to discuss any questions or comments you may have, or to volunteer your musical talents. My direct school phone number is 428-3520, and my e-mail address is danielle_sadat@roundrockisd.org .

I look forward to the 2009-10 school year, and to working with Purple Sage students in every grade. Thank you, Purple Sage families, for all that you do to support the music program.

Round Rock Independent School District is an equal opportunity employer and provides education programs and services which do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, creed religion, disability, gender, ethnic or national origin, or against any other legally protected group. RRISD prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and, upon request will provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with a disability. Complaints should be directed to the director of Legal Services and Campus Issues.