Welcome to Hollister Elementary's online music spot!  Here you will find useful information about music classes at Hollister this year.  I'm excited to share the year with your children, and I'm looking forward to getting started this week!

If your kids are anything like mine, you might miss the occasional form or letter home.  I'll keep a list to the side of this blog of all notices, so if necessary you can print them off and send them back without any trouble.

I'll try to keep this blog updated with things that we're doing in music this year.  If you have any questions about music, please feel free to call at the school or pop me an email.  I'm only at Hollister a couple of mornings a week, but I want you to know that you can reach me, even if I'm not there.

Grade 4 and 5 will be doing recorder once a week starting in October, with a bit of a break to learn Christmas pieces.  We'll be continuing recorder all year.  Doing so will make your purchase of the recorder worthwhile, as they'll learn enough to enjoy playing them at home.  Playing the recorder regularly will increase the confidence of grade 5 students who are in band and give the grade 4s a head-start for next year, and your children will be well prepared for grade 6 music when they go to the intermediate school.  We'll be using the Recorder Karate method, which will keep the kids motivated to practice lots and earn belts and beads to decorate their recorders.  Be prepared for lots of recorder tootling this year at your house!  Recorder Karate sheet music and accompaniments can be found online, and the links are provided on the sidebar.  If you do not have access to a computer, please let me know, and I'll be sure to provide your student with paper copies.

Please check in backpacks for an information note about recorder.  If it is not there, you can view and print a copy of the "Recorder Order" form listed in the "Notices Home" section of the sidebar.

The grade 5 students will also have the opportunity to learn an instrument in the band.  I will be in touch with Mr. Sweet to be sure that the transition goes smoothly.  Be assured that it will be the same rental system as always, but I will be in contact with him tomorrow to get an accurate count of available instruments and will send a note home as soon as I can.  In the meantime, we will be reviewing notation so when the kids get their instruments they will have a good base to build upon.

The biggest concerns for the kids have been, "Will we still have instruments this year?" and, of course, "Will we still be doing a Christmas musical?"  Yes and YES!  I am currently looking for a suitable musical to teach the children, and I know I have a lot to live up to!  Please know that your kids will all have the opportunity to shine.

My hours at the school are from 8:30 until noon, but if I am not booked at another school, chances are I'll be hanging out at Hollister after my "official" hours, so please feel free to stop by and say hi!  I'm looking forward to meeting all of you.

Sincerely,

Miss Lynn