Attendance
Attendance is expected every Wednesday evening from 5:00 until 6:00 during the club year and at specially scheduled rehearsals, except for illness or extenuating circumstances. The club year is September through May on dates that Wednesday Night Connection meets. If possible, please notify your club leader when your child must be absent. NOTE: Perfect attendance will be rewarded in December and May. The definition of perfect attendance is given below under “Incentives/Discipline.”
Drop off/Pick up
At the parent’s discretion, children in Faith may arrive to Clubs and be dismissed on their own or may wait to be picked up in Room E300. All children in Cherubs and Glad should be chaperoned to and from rehearsals weekly by a parent. If a child is in a carpool, the respective Club Director should be notified with whom he/she rides. Additionally, the Club Director should be advised by the parent in person or in writing if a child is leaving with someone other than the parent.
Personal information
It is the responsibility of the parents to notify the respective Music Club Director of address changes and other personal information such as on-going or temporary health issues that could affect a child during club time. Announcements, notifications, and other communications will be mailed to the address on the registration form unless updated information is provided.
Field Trips
Once in the fall and once in the spring, a field trip will be offered related to music, such as attending a concert by The Alabama Choir School or an event at the Samford or UA School of Music, singing at a nursing home, or Christmas caroling. Details will be provided at least three weeks in advance, and a signed permission slip will be required.
Parties
There will be at least three parties organized for all clubs each year, including the kick-off party. Parents will be notified approximately three weeks in advance with reminders as the event approaches.
Recognition of sixth graders
Club members who are completing the sixth grade will receive a hymnal with their name and the year they are “graduating” from Music Clubs engraved on the cover. This hymnal will be presented during the Clubs recognition ceremony in May.
Incentives/Discipline
Club coupons
Each child in Glad and Faith is allotted three stars at the beginning of each session. Stars are added for outstanding behavior or for good musicianship. Stars are removed for not following club rules (see Club Rules for Behavior). A coupon is awarded for each star that a club member has remaining at the end of each rehearsal. They are accumulated in individual envelopes for each child. Every month children with at least 10 coupons will be rewarded with a special prize such as a gift certificate to McDonald’s, etc. Children who received at least 50 coupons during the club year will be eligible to attend a special event at the end of the year, such as a pizza party. This is used to reward efforts to excel in musicianship and to reinforce good behavior. The goal is for no child to have less than three stars at the end of a club session and no less than 30 coupons at the end of the year. If a child is misbehaving, the Music Assistant should work one-on-one with the child to help him correct the problem in a loving way.
Club stickers
These are awarded by club leaders who observe efforts to excel in music during the club meetings for all three clubs. The club leader places the sticker (music note, happy face, etc.) on the child’s shirt and whispers quietly what positive behavior is being rewarded. These are given only when earned.
Had a Turn/Need a Turn cards
A slip with each child’s name is placed in a container labeled “Need a Turn.” A name is drawn when assistance is needed with various tasks such as handing out music. Then this name is placed in a different container labeled “Had a Turn.” This ensures that all the children are called on equally to promote fairness. There will be containers for each club.
Perfect Attendance
Perfect attendance for all three clubs will be rewarded with an engraved medal and a certificate in December and May at a recognition ceremony. Perfect attendance is defined as being present for all Wednesday rehearsals. Two absences per year are allowed in case of illness without losing perfect attendance status, if notification is given by the parent, either before or after the absence.
Super Singer Awards
This award will be given to children in Faith and Glad who have improved notably in musicianship or made remarkable effort to improve during the month. This recognizes the importance of doing one’s best, rewards hard work, and does not focus on natural ability. It will be presented once a month in the opening session of the combined clubs by the respective Director who will also determine the award recipient.
Participation Awards
This award will be given at the last meeting for the semester to children in all three clubs who have attended at least 50% of the club meetings during the semester. Hymn memorization At the club recognition ceremony in May, gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded for hymns recited individually for the club or to a club leader in private. It is preferable that the hymns be sung but they may also be spoken. The hymns may be recited at any point in the year and do not have to done all at once. Guidelines follow:
Cherubs – A gold medal for 2 hymns, a silver medal for 1 hymn.
Glad – A gold medal for 3 hymns, a silver medal for 2 hymns.
Faith – A gold medal for 4 hymns, a silver medal for 3 hymns.
Surprise box
The club leaders will have a box of “goodies” which will include inexpensive toys, usually music related, to give out to any Club Member with at least two stars remaining at the end of the club rehearsal. This is for all three clubs plus any combined sessions.
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