On time, every time, with all of your stuff!
Rules and Regs to make our program run smoothly.....
......remember, students MUST be in 4th-12th grade to participate...
we do not offer instruction on guitar, drums or piano.
Most of our rules are focused on “personal responsibility”.
FMS is an excellent opportunity for students to practice this valuable skill.
Below is the short list, followed by the " but why?" explanations :)
Students (and parents) agree to:
1. On time, every time, with ALL of your supplies.
2. Use the bathroom before you come, bathroom facilities will not be available for students or families.
3. No (parental) questions on Fridays. Email or call with questions before noon on Thursdays.
5. No food/drinks/gum allowed on campus during program time.
6. There is no childcare available. Please pick up your student on time.
7.
8. Parents should wait outside of the teaching area. Parents should not observe music classes as it is distracting to students.
9. No pets at FMS, please leave them at home.
10. Do not ask music mentors to do extra work, or set up extra meetings (like private lessons) without asking Mrs. Love first. Our music mentors do not offer outside music lessons -- do not ask them.
11. All students must plan to attend, perform and stay for the entire concert in December and May. More details to follow.
Here is the long version:
* Arrive in class on time, every time, with all materials (instrument, music, stand, instruction book, pencil, water bottle if desired) and be ready to play when your class starts. If your schedule does not allow for this -- and a bathroom stop before you come -- please do not enroll in our program. Students who are continually late, even a few minutes, will be released from the program. Perfect attendance is expected.
*Label your stand/instrument. If it is one of our instruments, please do not remove the blue tape from the case. Also, masking tape on the stand is a good way to label them.
* Behave safely, responsibly, respectfully and appropriately at all times.
* Leave the room cleaner than you found it – put away your chair, music, etc.
* Take proper care of your instrument. Clean/dry it every time you use it. Report any damage immediately – you will not be in trouble if an accident happens to your instrument. Most normal problems are easily fixed (broken strings, stuck mouthpieces, etc.) NEVER GET AN INSTRUMENT WET (keep it covered.)
* Practice at home at least 2-3 times each week. Review the lesson from your last class, several times. Music students practice the same songs/exercises several times each week.
* Eat a snack, wash your hands and use the bathroom before you come to FMS. There should be no food, drinks (except water) or gum at FMS. Restroom facilities will not be provided. Plan ahead. If you are unable to fit a bathroom stop in to your day before coming to class, this program is not for you. Please do not join.
*I welcome all questions, but because we are on such a tight time schedule I cannot answer parental questions on Fridays -- unless it is a true emergency of course! For general questions and comments, please contact me by Thursday: freemusicschool@yahoo.com or phone 408-226-6962 .Thank you for respecting this rule. Students, of course, are allowed to ask questions during class:)
* We have the same "appropriate" dress code expectations as all public middle schools: please do not wear revealing or offensive clothing to FMS. If you're unsure, don't wear it.
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Concert attendance and performance is mandatory for all students. Our Christmas concert will be held on Friday, December --------at 7 pm (students must arrive by 6:30 pm.) and will end at approximately 8:30 pm. Our concerts are a wonderful culmination of our rehearsals -- all of our students LOVE them, just ask a student!
Please do not join our program if you cannot attend the concert. Please see Mrs. Love if you feel that you have a valid, emergency exception to this expectation. If we play at Christmas in the Park this year, attendance at that performance will be optional.
* Students will sign in every Friday. Do not sign-in for someone other than yourself (“personal responsibility”).PARENTS --DO NOT SIGN IN FOR YOUR CHILD, PLEASE LET THEM DO IT!!!!
If you are absent for more than 3 sessions, you may be dropped from the program.
* Be picked up by your parents promptly after class ends. We do not provide childcare and are not responsible for students after class ends. Siblings who are waiting for an older/younger student must bring a book to read during that time. They should not be wandering around the campus -- they should be reading a book on the patio or in the fellowship hall or sibling's classroom if it has been ok'd by the teacher. We do not provide supervision outside of the classroom. You are welcome to wait with your students on the patio or in the fellowship hall while siblings are in class, but do not leave them to run about between class sessions.
* We should not see phones at FMS, unless you are calling your parent after class. NO GAMING/PICTURES/POSTING/ checking the time, tuning (use a real tuner) or recording at FMS. We are not responsible for lost/stolen/broken/whatever items.
* Parents may wait on the front patio during class time – please do not enter the classrooms or observe though the windows or “hang-out” near where your students are practicing. It is distracting to both students and mentors. If your student cannot participate without you, they are not ready for our program.
* Students who arrive early can wait inside of the front fellowship hall, or in the center courtyard, where they can be seen through the front fellowship hall window. For safety reasons, Students are NOT to be: * Behind the Fellowship Hall, * On either side of the Fellowship Hall, (near the strings room/street) * On the Front patio, near the steps or in front of the church NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO CLIMB THE TREES!! If you are unclear about the boundaries, please ask Candace Love. We will review the boundary areas at the welcome session on August 30th.
* Please do not walk/run through the tanbark, or throw it – it’s messy. If, for some reason, you get tanbark on the pavement, please sweep it up. Also, please do not pick the flowers (unless you’re 2 years old and you just can’t help yourselfJ)
* Do not bring pets to FMS. They are upsetting to some students. Also, some students have almost been "lured" away from the program area by dogs -- this is a safety issue. Do not walk your dog during FMS. Please leave them at home.
* Check the website regularly for updates and concert information. www.freemusicschool.com
* Videos/pictures of students will probably be posted on YouTube, etc. If you do not want your student’s picture to be used in public, you must write me a note specifying that. Otherwise, you consent to having your student’s picture used.
* Do not ask our music-mentors, or anyone at Free Music School, to take on additional duties without first discussing it with Candace Love. Do not ask instructors to provide additional lessons on a different date, etc. If you don't know if you should ask -- ask Mrs. Love first!
* The teacher is always right. If any student (or parent) is disrespectful, defiant, disruptive or otherwise behaving disrespectfully or unsafely at FMS, we reserve the right to excuse them from attending this program. If you have questions regarding these rules, please see Candace Love.