What follows here is a copy of a recent letter /package of info. I have mailed out to all 07-08 choir students. If you did not receive this info. let me know . Everything sent out (Choir Calendar for 07-08, Medical/info. form, Permission to travel form and the Pre-excused permission form otherwise known as the Green Sheet) can all be downloaded using the pages to the right of this blog.
August 10, 2007
Hello Choir Students and Families!
I am looking forward to another successful year of singing together and am busily getting ready for the new school year. I spent my summer hanging out with my family, traveling (we bought a used pop-up trailer!), reading and riding my bike (not as often as I should…). It has been a really relaxing, rejuvenating summer and I am thankful to have had it. Still, I am looking forward to seeing all of you again as well as getting to know our new choir students. As always, we have an action packed year planned full of opportunities for you to get involved. So, enjoy these final days of summer, because we are sure to take off into the land of no return very soon….Let the games begin!
Enclosed are information sheets and forms that you will need to read through and fill out. Some of these forms need to be returned on the first day of school while others are to be kept home and referred to as needed. You will also receive an official MSHS Choir Handbook during your first week of school and it will contain a ton if information to help you better understand the workings of the choir. You lose points from your grade when forms are not returned by deadlines so make sure to bring them in right away at the start of school to avoid any penalties of your grade right off the bat!
Bonus: Bringing in the two forms (Numbers 3 and 4 below) on the first day of school will EARN you one point per form for a total of two extra points on the first day of school! If the Choir Volunteer Sheet (Number 5 below) is returned on the first day, you will earn TWO points!! Points are VERY important for your grade in choir and two easy ones like this should not be missed. This deal is only good on the first day of school. THE FINAL DEADLINE for the return of these forms is Wednesday, September 12th . One point per form will be deducted starting on Thursday, September 13th. We must have these forms in quickly to get you into our database.
Here is what is enclosed and what you need to do with it:
A choir calendar of events (white stapled sheets). This is to be kept home and referred to as needed. Look ahead now and plan your events around these dates. Missing choir events, FOR ANY REASON, will result in points lost from your grade. For Brazil travelers, all choir rehearsal dates for you are listed as well (and there are lots of them).
There is also a Pre-excused permission slip (dark green/Kelly) enclosed. This form does not need to be returned, but is used in case you need permission to be excused from an event. Keep this form and use it if needed at any point throughout the year. Additional forms are available in the high school choir office or by downloading it from the choir blog (web address listed below).
A Permission to Travel Form (Orange). This form must be signed and returned on the first day of school.
An Emergency/Information record (Electric Green). This also must be filled out, signed and returned on the first day of school.
A Choir Volunteer sheet (bright pink/fuchsia). TWO Bonus points are earned for returning this form on the first day. Please return this form!
The Mona Shores High School early registration event is coming up soon (see dates/times below) and one of the stations you will need to stop in during this process is for the choir. We will be located in the dance room (near the back hallway of the theater) and you will get fitted for and receive your choir uniform and your will get fitted for and order your choir uniform shoes (Band students can wear their band shoes for choir). We have a group of parents that have volunteered their time to fit all 300 of you during this time. Last year, even though students attended early registration sometimes they chose not to stop by and get their choir uniform. This creates loads of extra work for parents who need to come up again after the school year has started and fit students individually, hour by hour. If you do not pick up your uniform during early registration, your grade will be penalized by 5 points right off the bat! If you have a good reason to miss early registration please email me at: lawtons@monashores.net or call me at (231) 780-4711 ext. 8319 (you can leave a message) and let me know you will not be there so we will expect your absence and you will not lose points.
Here are the early registration times and dates:
Thursday, August 23rd, 8:00am-10:30am (9th grade, last names A-I and 12th grade) and at 1:00pm-3:30pm (11th and 12th grades).
Friday, August 24th, 8:00am-10:30am (9th grade, last names J-Q and 11th grade) and at 1:00pm-3:30pm (10th grade)
Monday, August 27th 8:00am-10:30am (9th grade, last names R-Z) and an open time for anyone who missed the earlier sessions.
(Caution: The above dates/times are the best information I had at the time of the printing of this letter!)
Again we have an exciting year ahead. Right away this fall the Young Americans, an amazing performing group of college aged students based in California (and includes some MSHS Alumni) will be here for three days. The Singing Christmas Tree is establishing itself in the growing downtown Muskegon at the beautiful Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts. In March, we are going to present the colorful, fast-paced, wonderfully fun musical, “Bye Bye Birdie.†The show is a satire on American society and is set in 1958. Our spring “Pop Go the Sailors†show will have a “Colors†theme. Finally, our seniors will travel to Chicago in April and our Brazil Choir Tour is this coming summer (Spots are still available. If you are interested, contact me!) I will be updating the MSHS Choir Blog soon and this will be a very important and powerful way to communicate daily about all this MSHS Choir. Check it out if you get a chance at: blogs.monashores.net/lawtons
See you soon.
Shawn Lawton
Mona Shores High School, Choir Director
