Page 5 - CT 15-2

? ?

• Let the parents and caregivers know the best way to con- these crucial conversations occur. I employ a few strategies
tact you. Consider establishing virtual office hours or using to establish solid expectations and communication for all
an app like Remind so that you can efficiently send out students and parents.
quick communication, reminders, links, PDFs, or pictures.

• Listen. When a parent is concerned, angry, or upset and Handbook
needs to talk with you, take the time to listen to the parent. It goes without saying that the syllabus/handbook pro-
Keep an open mind and hear the parent’s concern as if vides the most fundamental base on which to establish for
you were the parent and that was your child. expectations. We provide a handbook online that covers all
of our expectations. This includes our calendar, classroom
• Make decisions that revolve around what is in the best in- procedures, grading scales and percentages, a listing of all
terest of the children. Even if the parent is not happy with choirs, uniform contract and fees, expectations and con-
your choice, as long as it is in the best interest of the child sequences along with a signature page that ALL students
and his or her well-being, that is what matters the most. and parents must return as proof of receipt. The link to
an online version of the handbook is also located on the
Lastly, when I was in the classroom, every decision I choir’s website.
made centered around the following thought: Is this the
program, classroom environment, and experience I want
for my own children? If the answer was a resounding yes, Google Calendar
then I knew I was on the right path. We provide and maintain a Google calendar on our
website. This calendar contains all concerts, rehearsals,
and school holidays. Students and parents can subscribe
to the calendar on their personal smart devices. This keeps
Reginal Wright all interested parties well informed of upcoming dates that
Choral Director, affect choir students and parents.
Mansfield High School
Choral composer with a number of works
for middle and high school choirs Newsletter
www.reginalwright.com We provide a bi-weekly newsletter for our students
with subtle reminders, student highlights, date changes (if
needed), birthdays, and upcoming engagement descrip-
In the midst of maintaining a successful choral pro- tions. For my choir, we have a paid subscription through
gram, several moving targets must be managed. These can www.smore.com for $70 yearly. Through this service we
include: administrative responsibilities, student social emo- create digital newsletters that can be shared with parents
tional issues, finances, community partnerships, program and students through the use of an embed code or hyper-
branding, and marketing. link. The newsletter can also be distributed using Remind,
While navigating this ever-changing landscape, wisdom social media, and email.
dictates that we add conflict with parents and enforcing
program expectations to this list. As a 20+-year teacher I
have experienced a multitude of scenarios that create con- Website
flicts that must be remedied. Most of these conflicts were The choir website is the one-stop shop for all things
easily preventable with some form of communication from choir. These sites can be created for free and managed with
myself. The most valuable gift that you can give yourself is the gift of very little technological skill. On the website, the calendar,
planning and communication. Parents and students deserve to newsletter, and handbook can be embedded for quick and
have a full perspective of the expectations of participation easy access by parents and students. Take the time, how-
in the choral program. This allows for a better delivery as ever, to be familiar with school district rules and policies

ChorTeach Volume 15 • Issue 2 5 Winter 2023