I hope your summer vacations have been restful and memorable. (I too, spent time with extended family this summer, so memorable covers all bases). I am so fortunate to have spent almost the entire summer with my family - Canada, Florida, camping in our semi-new pop-up camper. We caught fish, cleaned ‘em, saw the Anne of Green Gables museum, calmed our two year-old down after swearing she heard the gunny-wolf while camping...it was a great summer.
And now, back to school. While the idea of thinking and synthesizing and learning eviscerate everything summer has tried so hard to create, I usually get this response from kids when asked how they feel about being back at school: “I’m so ready to be back in a pattern, where I get to see my friends, where I get to use my brain a little bit.”
This year, to begin a new pattern, Ms. Caroline Vickstrom will join us as a teacher candidate in the Harbor for a little over 8 weeks. While she has a few days of solo teaching to do for CU, we will model our practice on co-teaching so that the integrity of our classroom is maintained. When you have a chance, please welcome Ms. Vickstrom to our community.
But as for patterns and traditions, we’ll keep using them. We’ll continue to dance, use body percussion, play instruments, and of course, sing. Students in the harbor will always be asked to sing in front of their classmates. 7th and 8th Graders will be asked to sing solos twice a year in Star Performer. Some will sing solos at the concert, others will paint.. Some might even improvise a dance.
We will always strive to work, play, practice, and perform with respect, passion, professionalism and artistry. And, what’s maybe the hardest lesson to learn, we’ll do our best to understand when/how to blend in, and when/how to stand out.
Now....Here are some nuts and bolts of our year:
CONCERTS
Concert dates and times are listed on the Choir homepage of the
lmsperformingarts.org website. Please note that 6th grade concerts will now be held on one night, and the 7th/8th Grade concert will be divided into two separate concerts. For example, periods 4 and 5 will perform at 6:15pm and periods 6 and 7 will perform at 7:30pm.
REMIND
Remind is a Teacher to Student and Parent SAFE texting service created for educators that enables texting to students and parents for the latest Harbor updates and reminders. I encourage you to sign-up as soon as possible. I consider it our primary form of my communication.
Emails and Remind Texts will be sent out to indicate IMPORTANT updates to the website, but please try to make a habit of checking my blog and the choir calendar weekly.
To sign up on Remind, either follow the directions below or click on the “Remind Signup” button to the right:
- For 7th/8th Grade Choirs - Text the message @7and8harb to the number 81010. If you’re having trouble with 81010, try texting @7and8harb to (719) 387-1971.
Ordering the Harbor Choir Uniform requires you to go to the lms webpage, click on recommended items and consumable replies, then click on your grade level, then search for Choir Uniform. If you have any questions please email Susan Downey at susan.downey@bvsd.org
7th/8th Grade Choir Overnight
When: September 27 & 28
Where: La Foret Camp, Colorado Springs
How much: Approx. $120
Transportation: 3 Charter Busses!
What else? Registration and more information to come!
See you all really, really soon. And as always, feel free to email or call with any questions or concerns.
Respectfully,
Profe Brian Gonzales
Director of Choirs
Louisville Middle School
720.561.7435 (work)