Touring Handbook

2 0 1 6
-
2 0 1 7
PROGRAM GUIDE
FOR THE HMS TOURING CHOIRS
Melinda Brown, Accompanist ~ Reese Norris, Director ~ Rob Chase, Principal
HERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIRS WALKATHON
·
·
·
·
Students will walk 10 laps around the HMS track on Saturday, August 20 to raise funds for travel.
These choirs will be sharing their incredible gifts on a spring tour in Alabama and Georgia.
Your contribution will help them pay for their travel.
Please fill out the form below and place your money in the included envelope.
SPONSOR
AMT. / LAP
X 10
AMT. ENCLOSED
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
$
X 10 LAPS
$
Students, turn in all money upon arriving at the walkathon on Saturday, August 20.
Hernando Singers
2016
Calendar of Events
2017
DATE
EVENT
LOCATION
WHO IS INVOLVED
8/20
Walk-a-thon
HMS Track
Tour Choir, optional
9/5-7
Payments Due
HMS Choir Room
All Choirs, required
10/17
HMS Fall Concert
HPAC
All Choirs, required
10/22
Ole Miss Choral Festival
Ford Center
Touring Choirs, required
10/24-25
District Honor Choir
Olive Branch
Selected from choirs
10/31
Grades 7 & 8 All-State Auditions Grenada UMC
Selected from choirs
2/7
Desoto County-Wide Concert
Brown BC
Touring Choirs, required
2/13
District Choral Festival
TBA
Adv. and Touring, required
3/8-11
National Honor Choir
Minneapolis, MS
Selected students
3/23-25
All-State
Hattiesburg
Selected from auditions
4/5-8
Tour Dates
Atlanta, GA
Touring Choirs, required
5/1
HMS Concert
HPAC
All Choir, required
Uniform Rental and Festival Registration Guidelines
Who:
What:
When:
What:
When:
Where:
Why:
Boys & Girls Touring Choir
$218 Due
Thursday, September 8 - before 1st period
Remaining $300 Due
Tuesday, November 1 - before 1st period
Choir room
Uniform rental, registration for 2 festivals, tour
Hernando Singers Fall Concert
A good chance for parents to see what we’ve been working on! Short, sweet and informal! Required for all
Hernando Middle School singers.
WHO?
All choirs
WHAT?
Concert
WHEN?
October 17
WHERE?
Hernando Performing Arts Center
$5 Admission per person for audience members
Ole Miss Choral Festival
WHO?
Required for Touring Choirs
WHAT?
Multi-State Choral Competition
WHEN?
October 22
Our performance will be late in the afternoon, as our Touring Girls are also performing at
the Awards Ceremony that will occur immediately after the competition has ended.
WHERE?
Ford Center at Ole Miss
Registration fee is included in the payments scheduled for the week of September 2.
Free admission for audience members
Previous successes include: 9-time Best in Class Junior High Men’s Choir
10-time Best in Class Junior High Women’s Choir
7-time Grand Sweepstakes Winner (3 consecutive)
Junior High All-State Auditions
These optional auditions are held in 3 sites (North, Central and South) and typically 130 singers are selected
state-wide to meet for a weekend in Hattiesburg with a nationally-known conductor specially gifted with young
singers.
WHO?
All who make District Honor Choir
WHAT?
Auditions for all-state
WHEN?
October 31
WHERE?
Grenada United Methodist Church - via bus
Prior to the event you each student pay a fee that includes $10 for audition registration plus cost of music and
transportation.
District Honor Choir
WHO?
Selected from Touring Choir members by Mr. Norris based on knowledge of assigned
music and their ability to accurately and beautifully perform it.
WHAT?
Honor Choir of the top singers from Middle Schools in Desoto County.
Those who make District Honor Choir are allowed to audition for Junior High All-State
WHEN?
October 24-25
WHERE?
TBA
Registration fees of $65 will be collected prior to the event.
Desoto County-Wide Choral Concert
WHO?
Required for Touring Choirs
WHAT?
Each MS & HS in DCS send top choirs to perform a joint concert
WHEN?
February 7
WHERE?
Brown Baptist Church (formerly Trinity Baptist) in Southaven
Free admission for audience members
District Choral Festival
WHO?
Required for Advanced and Touring Choirs
WHAT?
Choral Festival for all of MHSAA District II (competition)
WHEN?
February 13
WHERE?
Usually an OB area church
Free admission for audience members
Student registration fee is included in the payments scheduled for the week of September 2.
National Honor Choir
WHO?
Optional activity, selected by Mr. Norris based on work ethic and skill
WHAT?
Auditions for the top honor choir in the US; singers selected from all 50 states
WHEN?
March 8-11, 2017
WHERE?
Auditions are submitted electronically
If selected, the honor choir will take place in Minneapolis, MN and all finances will be handled
between parent and ACDA.
All-State Honor Choir
WHO?
Selected by judges from auditions held earlier in the year
WHAT?
Honor choirs of singers from all over the state,with a guest clinician
WHEN?
March 23-25
WHERE?
University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg
Registration ($75) will be collected prior to event
Arranging and financing transportation and accommodations are the responsibility of the singer’s family
Hernando Singers Final Concerts
Required for all choir members
WHO?
Concert #1:
6th Grade Choir, Boys (all) Choir and Touring Girls Choir
Concert #2:
All Intermediate, Advanced and Touring Choirs (boys & girls)
WHAT?
Final Concert / Final Examination Grade
WHEN?
May 1
WHERE?
Hernando Performing Arts Center
$5 admission for all audience members
Communication!
It is critical that all choir members and the parents of choir members sign up for the choir’s REMIND
(formerly called Remind101). It is the only way to know when new information has been posted to the choir
website, and serves a great reminders for upcoming events.
Please note: paper notice concerning events is no longer used.
Find your choir, text the given code to this number: 81010
(all letters are lower-case)
Touring Girls:
Touring Boys:
@hmstg
@hmstb
Tour
Birmingham & Atlanta, $400
Included in cost:
● Mixer with a middle school and high school in Hoover
● Joint Concert with Hoover
● World of Coke
● Georgia Aquarium
● Medieval Times Dinner Show
● Six Flags
● Transportation
● Accommodations
● All meals
You have been selected to participate in the Hernando Middle School Touring Choir for the 2016-2017 school year.
Our philosophy for placement is based on the concept of finding the soil that is most fertile for that individual based on the following criteria: workethic, attitude, dedication, vocal skill, and music-reading ability.
Parents are asked to carefully read the material below, paying special attention to the financial and time
commitment involved in each choir.
Required Out-of-School Activities:
● $17 ● $6 ● $0 ● $475 ● $20 ● $218 ● $300 Ole Miss Choral Festival
District Choral Festival
All Local Concerts
*Choir Tour
Uniform Rental
Due on September 1
Due on November 1
*We will have a walk-a-thon within the 1st 2 weeks of school where students can raise the funds to pay this full amount.
We will have a school talent show that will be applied toward the tour cost as well.
Optional Activities:
● District Honor Choir ~ Olive Branch All­State Honor Choir ~ Hattiesburg National Honor Choir ~ Minneapolis
This form, signed and returned, will represent an understanding of, and agreement with, this policy. Choir members are required at all
performances designated per the choir for which they are selected. Dates of concerts and competitions will be distributed at the beginning
of the school year. A failure to attend any one of these, for reasons other than sickness, death in family, or legitimate family emergency,
will result an immediate change to a choir with less requisite time and financial commitment.. Your signature below implies a full
commitment, both time and financial, to the choir
indicated above.
○ If you choose not to accept this placement, and prefer to be placed in the non-touring, advanced choir, please indicate here
with an “X” (print your name, but do not sign below) and return the contract to Mr. Norris.
You will receive a replacement contract.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Student Name, printed
Date
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Student Signature
Date
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parent Name, printed
Date
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature
Date
You have been selected to participate in the Hernando Middle School Touring Choir for the 2016-2017 school year.
Our philosophy for placement is based on the concept of finding the soil that is most fertile for that individual based on the following criteria: workethic, attitude, dedication, vocal skill, and music-reading ability.
Parents are asked to carefully read the material below, paying special attention to the financial and time
commitment involved in each choir.
Required Out-of-School Activities:
● $17 ● $6 ● $0 ● $475 ● $20 ● $218 ● $300 Ole Miss Choral Festival
District Choral Festival
All Local Concerts
*Choir Tour
Uniform Rental
Due on September 1
Due on November 1
*We will have a walk-a-thon within the 1st 2 weeks of school where students can raise the funds to pay this full amount.
We will have a school talent show that will be applied toward the tour cost as well.
Optional Activities:
● District Honor Choir ~ Olive Branch
All-State Honor Choir ~ Hattiesburg
National Honor Choir ~ Minneapolis
This form, signed and returned, will represent an understanding of, and agreement with, this policy. Choir members are required at all
performances designated per the choir for which they are selected. Dates of concerts and competitions will be distributed at the beginning
of the school year. A failure to attend any one of these, for reasons other than sickness, death in family, or legitimate family emergency,
will result in an immediate change to a choir with less requisite time and financial commitment. Your signature below implies a full
commitment, both time and financial, to the choir
indicated above.
○ If you choose not to accept this placement, and prefer to be placed in the non-touring, advanced choir, please indicate here
with an “X” (print your name, but do not sign below) and return the contract to Mr. Norris.
You will receive a replacement contract.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Student Name, printed
Date
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Student Signature
Date
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parent Name, printed
Date
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature
Date
Parent Email: _______________________________________________________________ Parent Cell: ____________________
TOUR CHAPERONE INFORMATION
Dear Chaperone Candidate,
Thank you kindly for your interest in promoting the choirs at HMS with your service and leadership. Our students are fabulously gifted and driven. It is always a thrill to take them outside of our community for all the
world to see. We have much to be grateful for. I know that you are aware of all of this, as your application is
proof.
● Please carefully read through the 2 following pages material
● Print out and then legibly and thoroughly fill out the last page
● Please return these forms to the choir department by the first of September
● The 2016-2017 HMS Choir our chaperones will be selected through this process, mid-late fall
● Once decisions have been made, we will respond in letter
● If selected, chaperones will be required to submit to Desoto County School’s chaperone background
check. Better clean out the closet! (-;)
● Chaperones must pay the full cost of the choir tour - state regulations do not allow us to subsidize
Respectfully,
Reese Norris
HMS Choir Tour Chaperone Expectations
Chaperones are critically important to the success of the choir tours, and we appreciate your participation.
Chaperones supervise students and serve as a liaison between the students and their directors. They answer
questions and solve student problems that may arise, and generally function as the “adult presence.”
Chaperones will each have an assigned group of students for whom they will be responsible at all times.
These are assigned by hotel room, and usually will not include your own kids.
Ø CHECK-IN. Chaperones must arrive at the choir room forty-five minutes before the scheduled
departure time. Their first jobs are checking all concert attire items for each of their students
before they get packed on the bus, and getting to know their students before the bus departs. It
is suggested that chaperones take pictures of their students for reference. Chaperones must also
record student cell numbers in order to be in contact with their students at all times.
Ø MEDICAL NEEDS. Before departure, chaperones need to be aware of any student medical issues,
and may need to be available at certain times of the day to administer medication during the tour.
Basic first aid knowledge, including the use of epi pens and inhalers if needed by students, is
important. Before departure, please discuss and understand all medical issues thoroughly with
students.
Ø CHAPERONE SEATING. Chaperones will be distributed throughout the bus(es). For the sake of
consistency, chaperones and students are asked to remain in the same seats for the duration of
the tour.
Ø STAYING BEHIND. Chaperones need to realize that their experience in the theme parks and other
scheduled activities is not guaranteed. If a student gets sick or has to stay behind at the hotel for
disciplinary reasons, their chaperone has to stay behind with them, and make arrangements with
other chaperones to supervise the rest of their assigned students as needed. If a student has
broken the Student Behavior Contract in a serious manner, such that the student has to be sent
home (e.g., for breaking curfew, or a drug/alcohol offense), the chaperone will escort the student
to the nearest airport or bus station in the morning, and make arrangements to join up with the
group later in the day. Chaperones will be reimbursed for any extra transportation costs incurred
as a result of taking care of a student.
Ø POOL/BEACH DUTIES. If hotel pool time is scheduled into the trip, chaperones will arrange to
take turns supervising at the pool. Students may not use the pool without a HMS chaperone
present. If beach time is scheduled into the trip, chaperones must ensure that students are
adequately supervised at all times.
Ø MEET-UP TIMES. Long days in theme parks will be broken up by meet-up times (this includes
performances or workshops). During these times the chaperones need to check in with each of
their students to make sure they are doing well. Look for signs of dehydration, sunburn, fatigue,
etc. Any serious concerns about student health need to be brought to the lead-chaperone’s
attention immediately. At the final meet-up time before boarding the bus each night, chaperones
must ensure all of their students arrive at the designated area.
Ø WAKE UP/LIGHTS OUT. After returning to the hotel, chaperones will enforce the final room check
and lights out times. These will be listed in the itinerary, but are subject to change. Students must
all be present for the room check, and chaperones will place tape across the door jamb to ensure
curfew compliance. Any students who leave their rooms after curfew will be sent home. In the
morning the chaperones will wake up students in their rooms as needed and remove the tape.
Ø BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS. It is important that no behaviors are tolerated AT ANY TIME that
put students or adults at risk, or that might reflect poorly on the school or the choir program.
Chaperones need to be familiar with the Student Behavior Contract, and strictly enforce it at all
times. Chaperones have their own behavior expectations as well, including but not limited to:
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
Ø
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
No tobacco or alcohol use in the presence of students.
No alcohol consumption AT ANY TIME while on the trip. Chaperones must remain prepared
to respond to unforeseen situations at all times.
No use of profanity in the presence of students.
No allowing of any behaviors prohibited by the Student Behavior Contract; no special
privileges or experiences are to be allowed children of chaperones.
No chaperone may undermine the authority of the director(s) in any manner; chaperones must
remember that they are there to maintain authority, and not to get chummy with students.
No chaperone may be alone with any student who is not his/her own child at any time.
Chaperones must not enter the hotel room of students of the opposite gender, except for
emergency situations.
Chaperones are not to lend money to, or purchase gifts for students.
Chaperones are to refrain from taking their own child away from the group experience.
Chaperones will not room with students.
Chaperones must remain in cell phone communication throughout the day, and respond
immediately to messages from students, lead-chaperone and/or the director.
Chaperone Gear to Bring:
Basic first aid kit
Trip itinerary
Sunscreen (SPF value should be between 30 and 50)
Blue tape
Extra feminine hygiene products (female chaperones only)
Supply of small safety pins
External backup battery charger for cell phone
HERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR TOUR CHAPERONE APPLICATION
please complete all fields
Singer's Name ____________________________
Chaperone Candidate's Name ____________________________
Street Address ___________________________________________________________________________________
Cell Phone
________________________
Email ____________________________________________________
I have read, understand and agree with HMS Chaperone Policies: (signature)__________________________________
Have you ever chaperoned or traveled with a youth group before? If yes, please describe your experience, including the
type and duration of the trip
Please describe in detail any other experiences you have had working with young people
Do you have any medical training? If yes, please describe
Are you comfortable traveling alone with the children in your charge for potential free time in the cities on our tour?
What is your occupation and where are you employed (if applicable)
Do you have any health conditions or restrictions that should be taken into consideration for this trip? Do you get carsick
(especially on busses?)
List at least two references (name, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails)
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________