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, violin, 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. Be on time, every time, with ALL of your supplies. Period.
2. Use the bathroom before you come so you won't need to at FMS. Bathrooms will not be available at FMS -- you will need to go across the street to use restrooms during the FMS program (except at concerts:).
3. 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:)
4. No food/drinks/gum allowed on campus during program time. Sorry, no Jamba, Birthday cupcakes, etc. It's terrible for instruments. Plain water in a water bottle is ok.
5. No cell phones on during class. Please do not call your student during class. They are welcome to call you after class and we will be there until you pick them up, so there is no reason for them to be using a phone. No pictures/recordings, etc. during class -- it is ok for parents during concerts.
6. There is no childcare available. Please pick up your student on time. Siblings cannot wait for each other, unsupervised, while their brother or sister is in class, it doesn't work.
7. Parents should wait outside of the teaching area. Parents should not observe music classes as it is distracting to students. We should not be able to see you during class time. You are welcome to wait on the patio or in the main fellowship hall while waiting for your student (I will show you the areas during the orientation meeting.). Or, you are welcome to go shopping during the time your student is in class:)
Please -- while you are waiting if you see anything potentially unsafe please come and tell me immediately. We depend on parents to keep us safe and appreciate your attention to detail.
9. No pets at FMS, please leave them at home. 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.
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.
12. Label your stand/instrument. If it is one of our instruments, please do not remove the blue tape from the case. Masking tape on the stand is a good way to label them.
13 Leave the room cleaner than you found it – put away your chair, music, etc. Help out if you see something that needs to be put away, thank you!
14. 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 springs, stuck mouthpieces, etc.) NEVER GET AN INSTRUMENT WET -- do not wash it! PLEASE email me before Thursday if you know your instrument is broken -- I cannot fix instruments at FMS, but I can bring a loaner if I know there is a problem.
15. Practice at home at least 2-3 times each week, 20-30 minutes each time. Review the lesson from your last class, several times. Just looking at it and thinking about the counts and fingerings helps.
16. We have the same "appropriate" dress code expectations as all public middle schools: please do not wear revealing, distracting or offensive clothing to FMS. If you're unsure, don't wear it.
17. 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.
18. 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 street) * On the Front patio, near the steps or in front of the church NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO CLIMB THE TREES or run through the tanbark!! If you are unclear about the boundaries, please ask Candace Love. We will review the boundary areas at the welcome session on September 8th.
Please park in the main parking lot, not behind the fellowship hall. That area is reserved for our preschool pickup.
19. Check the website regularly for updates and concert information. www.freemusicschool.com
20. Videos/pictures of students will probably be posted on YouTube, etc.by ME. No one, except Candace Love, should be posting FMS content. 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 (student names will never be posted.)
Finally, 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.