1. Welcome: NEW students and parents.
Advanced Choir
Welcome:
NEW students and parents.
Handbook Overview

2. Advanced Choir Handbook
All goals & expectations are detailed in the:
Advanced Choir Handbook
Found on CHARMS or GPHS Website
charmsoffice.com
*Select “Handouts & Files” and it’s at bottom of page
Niemann’s Teacher page on the GPHS Website

9. Choir Goals
Quality rehearsals and performances through self discipline & respect for one another
Representing our school & community to the best of our abilities

10. Grades

11. Rehearsals & Sectionals
Monday Night & After School Rehearsals
Mandatory for all Advanced Choir members
40% of nine-weeks grade
See “Advanced Choir Calendar” for exact dates
Sectionals
Required for District, Region and Area
Added if necessary for Concerts & Choir Contest
1 Sectional - Every other week for 45 minutes

12. REHEARSAL/CONCERT ABSENCES
EXCUSED ABSENSES:
Bonafide illness
Other school-related activity
Family emergency (illness or death in immediate family)
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES:
Truancy
Jobs
Car trouble
Birthdays or other celebrations
Baby sitting
Driver's Education

13. Excuses
A “parent” note, phone call or to Mrs. Niemann is required for any type of rehearsal absence.
A student will NOT receive a make-up assignment without a parent note, phone call or .
A student may be excluded from participation in a concert, competition and/or field trip for an Unexcused absence to a rehearsal or concert.

14. Make Up Work Monday Night & After School Rehearsals
Mrs. Niemann will decide on one of the following:
Written Assignment – due 2 days after distributed
Sing repertoire for one of the directors
Perform spring show choreography (when absent from Spring Show rehearsal). Make-ups must be scheduled by student within 2 days of absence.

15. Make-Up Work Sectional Make-ups:
Sing for director to Demonstrate knowledge of repertoire
Concert Make-Ups
Sing music from concert for Mrs. Niemann or other director.
AND
Written exam over all information covered during the preparation for the concert

16. Classroom Rules GOOD CITIZENSHIP SCHOOL RULES No profanity Tardies
No PDA
SCHOOL RULES
Tardies
Phone use
NIEMANN RULES
Listening skills (no talking)
No Gum, food, drinks
Participation/Materials expected
Restroom between classes

17. Consequences Teacher/Student Conference Peer conference
Detention/Written Assignments
Note or phone call to parents
Office Referral
Behavior Plan
Possible removal from Advanced Choir

18. Please Note: Missed Conference = Detention
Missed Detention = Office referral
Detention Assignment not signed/turned in = Office referral
Consistent misbehavior = Loss of privileges and/or removal from the Advanced Choir.
Suspended or expelled from school = no traveling with Choir

19. FORMAL UNIFORMS - BOYS The School provides:
Tuxedo Jacket, Tux Pants & Tux Shirt
Tie & Cummerbund
Uniforms cleaned twice a year by Director
Students must pay for lost or damaged school property
Uniforms will be altered by Mrs. Niemann; cost covered in Choir Fee.
Boys must buy/own:

20. FORMAL UNIFORMS – GIRLS
School Provides Formal Dress & necklace
Uniforms cleaned twice a year by director; Cost covered by Choir Fee
Students must pay for lost or damaged school property
Uniforms will be altered by Mrs. Niemann; cost covered in Choir Fee.
Girls Must Purchase:
Pearl Earrings $5.00

21. Hair Guidelines
Acceptable:
Unacceptable:

22. Jewelry & Fingernails for CONCERTS
Allowed:
NOT ALLOWED:

23. Informal Uniforms #1 – Red or Blue T-Shirt & Blue Jeans
Please do not wear:
Capri Pants
Skinny Jeans/High Heels
Torn/frayed jeans

24. $19.00 for Advanced Choir

25. Spirit Shirts These are OPTIONAL
Shirts will be part of our first Fundraiser with Gandy Ink Spirit Items. More info will follow.
Make Checks Payable to “GPHS CHOIR”

26. Spirit Shirts (Optional)
#1 Loud and Proud: $15.00

27. Competitions - TMEA
All Advanced Choir members audition for District for a grade (Sept. 29th-All Day)
Miss this audition = Sing cuts for director for a grade & repay entry fee; Membership probation
Students who make District will prepare and audition for Region Choir (Nov. 3rd – All Day).
Students who make Region Choir will perform at the Region Clinic/Concert (Nov. 10th–All Day).
Students who make Area will prepare and audition for the All-State Choir (Jan. 12th-All Day)
All-State Choir Clinic Convention – Feb in San Antonio, TX.

28. Competitions - UIL
Solo & Ensemble is optional, but required for letter jacket.
Students must pay entry fee and a portion of pianist’s fee ($20.00 for solo & $7.00 for ensemble)
Students must demonstrate readiness or director will not allow them to compete (song prepared & memorized).
Entry fee will not be refunded if the student does not attend for any reason

29. Competition Guidelines
Students must:
Be academically eligible
Have exemplary attendance at all after-school and Monday-night rehearsals and concerts
Attend school regularly
Demonstrate appropriate behavior in all classes
Please see Advanced Choir Handbook for further details.

30. FUND RAISING
GP Spirit Items from Flyer/Website & left overs from last year
Brochure sales with Mrs. Niemann (Spring)
Must have signed parent/student contract.
Earn points for each item sold.
Points carry over from year to year (but not between friends).

31. Spring Trip To Participate, Students Must:
Be eligible (grades).
Participate at UIL Choir Contest
Attend school regularly
Make payments on time
Have exemplary behavior
Fun trip for students’ hard work all year
Destination selected based on musical/opera, etc.
Cost will include charter bus, hotel accommodations, attraction tickets and some meals.

32. Choir Officers
These students help make decisions for the choir, help director with daily, weekly & yearly duties of the choir, and help their peers as needed.
Elected by students in May the previous year.
Section Leaders appointed by director
Candidates must be in advanced choir for at least 1 year.

33. CHOIR CALENDAR:
Choir is a performing organization. Please keep up with rehearsal/concert/competition dates.
Calendar contains MOST of the required rehearsals and concerts for the year.
PLEASE AVOID making appointments on rehearsal and/or concert dates
Sectionals are NOT on choir calendar; they will be scheduled separately by each section.
Extra rehearsals may be added by the director if necessary. They will be required and graded.
Continued Advanced Choir Membership in the Spring is contingent upon Fall rehearsal attendance.

34. Required Fees & Forms Annual Choir Fees:
$25 fee includes uniform dry cleaning, alterations, clinicians, student rewards, etc.
May use fund raising credits to pay this fee (notify director if this is your preference).

35. Choir Member Agreement Card:
Annual Pledge by students and parents to abide by the policies and procedures outlined in the G-P Choir Handbook. Due first day of school. If you complete Charms, you may skip info side of card.
Contact Information – Accuracy is key for communication
Competition Entry Info – Director uses cards for Competition “entry forms”

36. Permission and Medical Release Form:
Official permission slip for the entire year. Can’t travel without it.
Emergency Information: Crucial in case of an illness or injury. Please notify director throughout the year of any changes in phone numbers, addresses, emergency contacts, allergies, etc.
Director will keep personal information secure.

37. (participation optional):
Fund Raising Contract
(participation optional):
It explains fund raising responsibilities:
Proper care of merchandise
Collecting money
Turning in money
Consequences for not turning in money owed to the choir
All students & parents must sign this contract to fund raise with the choir.

38. Remind101 and Charms:
Students MUST sign up for R101 to receive announcements, handouts, important links, etc.
Students MUST create or update CHARMS each year. With this website or APP parents & students may access choir calendar, track, fundraising credits, forms, etc.
Setting up these two items the FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL is a REQUIRED for each choir student. Students may NOT perform, compete, travel, fund raise, etc. until CHARMS update is complete

39. Letter Jackets A Student MUST:
Be in G-P High School Advanced Choir for at least 2 years.
Audition for TMEA District choir each year of his/her membership.
Make District and Region choir the year he/she applies for a letter jacket.
Audition for Solo & Ensemble each year of his/her membership
Receive a “Superior” rating on a Class I or Class II solo the year he/she applies for a letter jacket.
A student must be a choir member in good standing (attends all rehearsals & concerts)
A student must plan to be a member of the choir for all 4 years of high school.
A student must have participated at UIL Choir Contest the year he/she applies for the letter jacket (previous years reviewed as well).
4-year recipient possible if student is a choir member in good standing and has participated in Choir Contest all four years.

40. THE END!