All first-round formal offers were handed out today. All students and parents have been urged to consider their application in the IMSS music program in regard to expectations and dependent on the student satisfying the following criteria (set by IMSS and Forest Crescent Primary School) set below. (Parent information venues are found at the bottom of this post.)
- The student is committing to a government primary school in Year 6 and a strong possibility of continuing their education in a government high school.
- The student can handle the demands of the normal Year 5 school academic program and not have their normal school achievement levels decline through taking onboard this extracurricular program.
- The student realises that the instrumental program can be very rewarding though the learning path will be hard; learning to read music notation and the added complexity the playing of an instrument.
- Note that students will receive tuition for 30 minutes per week (within normal class time), attend school band practice for 60 minutes per fortnight (times to be advised) as well as practice at home for several days per week. Your instrumental teachers are very supportive but will expect students to attend to practice at home in order to continue to progress. If extra practise at home is required, then the student will be expected to apply themselves to meet their learning goals.
- Before accepting a place in the program, careful consideration should be given by both students and their parents to the commitment required to learn instrumental music, particularly in the event of a clash with other interests such as sport, ballet, PEAC classes. If SIMS lessons clash with another extra-curricular activity, then SIMS must be considered a priority. Overcommitment in several activities making competing demands on student time is a big factor in student drop-out from instrumental music in the first two to three years. The time of SIMS lessons is determined by the Department of Education, not individual schools.
- Please note that guitar lessons focus on the classical guitar technique.
- Have an attitude of perseverance, focus and commitment. It is frustrating for both SIMS and the school to have a student sign up for the program and then partway through Year 5 they end up leaving the program. This means that another Year 5 student was denied a place in the program at the start of 2020.
- Realise that there is an instrument hire fee for Year 5 students, who are selected for the program, of $110 for the year. Only guitar students will be expected to purchase their guitar for the start of the 2020 program. All Year 5 students will be expected to purchase their instrument, whether that is a second-hand or brand new purchase, for the continuation of their Year 6 instrumental program in 2021. All parents must be willing to purchase the required instrument at the start of the Year 6 program.
- Students who provide their own instruments are not required to pay the instrument charge.
- Maintenance and repairs to privately owned instruments must also be organised privately.
- If a student is learning from a private teacher they may not learn the same instrument from a Department Teacher. This is to avoid conflicts of interest in teaching methodology.
- Parents or guardians of selected students are asked to enter into an agreement with the school. They are required to complete a loan agreement form in which they indicate their acceptance of responsibility for the instrument their child is using. This agreement is retained by the school. It is recommended that parents consider insurance cover for the instrument while it is allocated to their child.
- RiskCover will not cover Department of Education instruments (owned and on loan to schools) travelling to and from school, whilst at private residences or left at school outside of required use by the school.
- RiskCover will cover Department of Education instruments (Owned and on loan to schools) whilst at school (for school use) and on tour, nationally and internationally.
- Note that the music grades awarded by the Forest Crescent music teacher and school class performance may be taken into consideration when deciding the final selection of students.
- Students accepting flute, clarinet or brass will meet the woodwind and brass instrumental teachers, at a time to be determined, to be tested to see if the student as any issues using the mouthpiece of these instruments. This will occur in the latter part of Term 4.
Parents are urged not to purchase instruments (guitars and other instruments) until final selection is confirmed in writing. Instrumental teachers can also advise on what brand of instrument is the preferred choice. If you have any issues, feel free to ring me at school.
PLEASE NOTE:
As a participant in the instrumental program, a requirement of Forest Crescent Primary School is that each child will regularly attend band rehearsal commencing Term 2 (times to be advised).
Parent information evenings will be held in various venues in the week commencing Monday 2nd December 2019 for parents (Week 8) to find out more information about the Instrumental Music School program for 2020.
Meetings will begin at 7.30pm and should conclude by 8.30pm. Direction signs from the main school entrance to the venue will be displayed on site.
Parents who are unable to attend the meeting closest to their home are welcome to attend another venue on another night.
Important Note: Only meetings marked # will cater for orchestral strings (violin, viola, cello, double bass) with all venues providing information on concert band instruments and classical guitar.
Monday 2 December 2019
# Shenton College……………………………… Stubbs Terrace, Shenton Park 6008
# Kalamunda Senior High School……………………. Canning Rd, Kalamunda 6076
Ballajura Community College ……………………… Illawarra Cres South, Ballajura 6066
Tuesday 3 December 2019
# Carine Senior High School………………………… Everingham St, Carine 6020
Governor Stirling Senior High School……………….. 25 Third Ave, Woodbridge 6056
# Melville Senior High School ……………………….. Potts St, Melville 6156
Baldivis Secondary College…………………………. Stillwater Drive, Baldivis 6171
Belmont City College…………………………………. Fisher St, Belmont 6105
Wednesday 4 December 2019
Butler College…………………………….…… 15 McCormack Blvde, Butler 6036
Canning Vale College…………………..……… 26 Dumbarton Rd, Canning Vale 6155
Comet Bay College……………………………… Allatoona Ave, Secret Harbour 6173
Thursday 5 December 2019
# Churchlands Senior High School………………….. Lucca St, Churchlands 6018
# Rossmoyne Senior High School…………………… Keith St, Rossmoyne 6148
# Mt Lawley Senior High School…………………….. Woodsome St, Mt Lawley 6050
Eastern Hills Senior High School………………….… Keane St East, Mt Helena 6082
# Kelmscott Senior High School…………………….. Cnr Third Ave & Camillo St, Kelmscott 6111
