Westside High School Choral Handbook 2019-2020

Students and Parents,

This handbook is a review of policies, procedures, and requirements for the WHS
Choral Department. Please review and sign the contract that went home with
students. This document will continue to be available for reference on our website.
Signing the last page of this handbook is considered formal acknowledgement of
your acceptance and commitment to our policies, and is required to remain in the
choir programs at Westside.

Students are required to return the last page of this document (filled out and signed
in its entirety) on or before Friday, August 30th. If after reading the handbook you do
not feel able to fulfill the requirements, please contact Ms. Douris and the appropriate
dean to initiate a schedule change.

Our website: www.westsidehschoir.weebly.com

(To find our handbook, please click the NEWS AND EVENTS tab, then DOCUMENTS)
Need to translate the handbook? Scroll to the bottom of any page, and click select
language. Handbooks printed upon request, but we encourage you to read it online.

Contact Ms. Douris: ndouris@houstonisd.org

After the first week of classes, information from your signed form will be entered
into our music department database, known as CHARMS. Throughout the year,
parents and students will receive e-mail updates and reminders – it is important
that you read our emails, and that your information is up-to-date.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POLICIES: MANDATORY DUES AND SUPPLIES

Students enrolled in Westside Choir are required to bring 1-2 pencils to

rehearsal, along with a plain black folder (no writing on it). Students who do
not come to rehearsals with the appropriate materials will be penalized on
their rehearsal grade.

Students enrolled in Westside Choir are required to pay the dues established
by the program each school year and participate in annual fundraising events.
Students that come into the program in the spring semester are obligated for
half of the full dues amount. Students who do not comply will be removed from
the program and will be held accountable for any and all obligations in
accordance with WHS policies. Voice lessons are extra and not included.

Financial Hardship notification deadline is Friday, August 30th.

50% payment of dues must be received no later than Friday, September 13th.
Payment in full must be received no later than Friday, October 11th.

ALL FEES MUST BE PAID VIA SCHOOL PAY USING THIS LINK:
https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Choir-Activity-Fees201920/SbiIYgX

Financial Hardship requests MUST be received IN WRITING to Ms. Douris at

ndouris@houstonisd.org with student dean copied on the email within the
required time frame. Please include your name, your student(s) name, and the
specific request for financial assistance. Failure to do so will not excuse
student(s) from their financial obligation to the program.

$100 per student will cover the following for Advanced Women and Chamber
Singers:
Uniform Cleaning, Maintenance, and Alterations ($20)
Music (Digital and Paper): $50
CHARMS maintenance ($5)
Program and Contest Fees ($25)

Chamber Singers and Advanced Women are required to purchase the annual choir t-
shirt for use at public events representing the school. The t-shirt form will go home
with students the first week of school, please read the information and follow the
instructions on the form.

$30 per student will cover the following in Men’s and Women’s Choirs:
Music (Digital and Paper): $20
Accompanist Fee: $10

The purchase of the annual choir t-shirt is not required for Men’s and Women’s
Choirs – however, it is encouraged. Forms will be provided the first week of
classes.

Financial Hardship notification deadline is Friday, August 30th.

50% payment of dues must be received no later than Friday, September 13th.
Payment in full must be received no later than Friday, October 11th.

These rates DO NOT cover student registration / expenses on non-mandatory

activities, which include: All State, Solo and Ensemble, class trips, special events,
private lessons, personal accompanists, or choir t-shirts.

REQUIRED UNIFORMS

Students in Chamber Singers and Advanced Women will be fitted during classes and
provided with a concert uniform assigned to their enrolled ensemble. Cleaning and
alterations are covered in WHS Choir dues. These uniforms will be checked out to
students at designated times during the year. All students are personally and
financially responsible for property that is checked out to them. Chamber Singers
and Advanced Women are required to purchase the annual choir t-shirt for use at
public events representing the school.
Students in Women’s Choir are expected to wear concert black, which includes plain
dress shirts, pants, or skirts that are in WHS dress code compliance regarding
appropriate length and coverage.

Students in Men’s Choir are expected to wear black dress pants, with a long-sleeved
button-down white shirt and an appropriate full-length tie of their choice.

All men are required to have black dress shoes and black socks.
All ladies are required to have black dress shoes with an appropriate heel – no flats.
All students are bound to follow all UIL requirements and procedures, which
includes dress code and appearance (i.e., hair and nails must be of a natural style
and color).
At no time are jeans an acceptable replacement for dress pants unless otherwise
stated.
Any student that does not have the proper attire for any given performance WILL
NOT PERFORM AND WILL BE DENIED CREDIT FOR THE PERFORMANCE. This
mandate includes inappropriate (or absence of) shoes, socks, assigned t-shirt, etc.
Parents and students are provided with the choir dress code information at the
beginning of the year in order to provide ample time for procurement/assistance with
required dress. Please plan accordingly.

GRADING POLICY AND UIL ELIGIBILITY

The WHS Choir is a state approved Fine Arts course. The course may be taken for
Fine Arts credit and as an elective. It is considered a co-curricular activity (i.e., there
are academic obligations with this course that are required outside of the normal
school operating hours).

 MAJOR GRADES (70%): includes mandatory / dress rehearsals, concerts,

tests and assessments.

 MINOR GRADES (30%): includes rehearsal preparation, participation,

behavior, quizzes, and minor assessments.

All of our concerts, performances, afterschool rehearsals and assignments are graded
and required. This means that students must remain at the event for its full duration
for credit, and cannot use other class work as a valid excuse for absence. Please plan
accordingly to properly and responsibly fulfill your commitments.

ABSENCES FROM PERFORMANCE/CHOIR OBLIGATIONS

Excused Absences are: religious observances, family emergencies or severe illness.

 A make-up assignment will be given if the Director is properly notified
and proper documentation is provided (i.e., a note from a parent /
guardian)
Unexcused Absences are: work, babysitting, transportation issues, etc.
  Unexcused absences will be assigned a zero grade.
 There is no make-up grade for an unexcused absence.

There is no extra credit provided for this course at any time.

In order to be eligible for certain choir events, students must pass their classes with
a 70% or above to legally participate according to Texas law. Pre-AP and AP classes
are excluded from eligibility standards and are not calculated in consideration. As of
the spring 2019 semester, eligibility is no longer a requirement for UIL Concert and
Sight-Reading Contest.

NO REFUNDS will be given to any student that is declared ineligible due to academic
requirements or inappropriate behavior.

It is the responsibility of the student and their legal guardian(s) to monitor

attendance, grades, and academic eligibility through HISD GradeSpeed. All questions
and concerns should be immediately communicated with the instructor in question.

STATEMENT OF POLICIES: GRADUATION CORDS

In order to qualify for a senior cord at graduation representing choir, the

student must be a current senior in the program with two or more FULL years
of participation. The exception to this is if they are a current choir council
officer, or the director has made an exception to the rule for a student who
meets specialized choir criteria (i.e., All State participant) in their senior year
as a first-year student.

PARTICIPATION AND VOLUNTEERISM

The nature of choir programs requires parental involvement in order to function

properly. If you are interested in helping with chaperoning, fundraising, assisting
with concerts or trips, etc. please use the contact form via the volunteer tab on the
choir website: www.westsidehschoir.weebly.com

You may also let us know of your interest in volunteering by signing up at our
parent meetings or responding to group e-mails for assistance.

Please contact Ms. Douris with questions: ndouris@houstonisd.org

All chaperones for off-campus trips MUST go through the VIPS verification process
per HISD policy.

HISD requires that the appropriate number of chaperones are present for field trips in
order to participate.
Student Name _______________________________________________________________________________
WHS Student ID# ____________________________________________________________________________
Student E-mail ______________________________________________________________________________
Grade _____ House _____ Dean _________________________________________________________
Choir Period _____

Parent Name ________________________________________________________________________________

Parent Phone # ______________________________________________________________________________
Parent E-mail ________________________________________________________________________________
Choir Period _____

This completed form will count as a pass/fail grade for all students. Illegible and
incomplete forms will not be accepted.

I have read the WHS Choral Handbook and accept that I must adhere to the required
policies and procedures laid out therein to have/be a student in this program.

Financial Hardship notification deadline is Friday, August 30th.

50% payment is due no later than Friday, September 13th.
Payment in full must be received no later than Friday, October 11th.

All dues must be paid through School Pay using this link:
https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Choir-Activity-Fees/IdKf0

Choir Fee Reminder:

Chamber Singers and Advanced Women: $100

Men’s and Women’s Choir: $30

Please e-mail Ms. Douris with questions at ndouris@houstonisd.org

Student Signature: Parent Signature:

________________________________________ ________________________________________