For the last few years, I've held an Orchestra Parent Meeting the first week of school to communicate with parents, both new and old, the expectations and ways the orchestra would work for the year. I have found that it has been a fun and informative way for parents, guardians, and myself to kick of our school year!
Before summer vacation, the elective teachers, coaches, and principal at my school get together for a calendar meeting in which we decide when all of the events for the next year will be scheduled. Amongst the many other events scheduled, I always to do my best to reserve an evening in the cafeteria within the first two weeks of school for our Orchestra Parent Meeting. Though it can call for a hectic start to the year, I enjoy holding our parent meeting as early in the year as I can in order to to avoid as many scheduling conflicts as possible and to begin executing expectations and procedures as quickly as I can.
The date for the Orchestra Parent Meeting is sent out to all parents and students via their orchestra back-to-school letter, a newsletter available during our Open House, and at our Instrument Choice Events. It is also quickly published on our orchestra website calendar, too.
To respect parent time, I hold two parents meetings back to back. The meetings are organized as follows:
- 5:00 - 5:30 pm - Beginner, Intermediate, and Harp (Non-Competitive Groups)
- 5:30 - 6:00 pm - Advanced & Varsity (Competitive Groups)
By separating the parents into smaller groups based on their child's orchestra, I found that I was able to utilize the time with the parents more effectively and cover more specific information that would apply directly to their child that year. I made sure that both slideshows created (one for each meeting) focused on both the general orchestra expectations and procedures and on the specifics of their child's group.
In addition, I invited parents to make any of the orchestra payments after their meetings (if they were able to do so at the time). I discovered that many parents actually preferred that they could get it all taken care of all at once!
Within 15 slides or less, the the topics covered included:
- Orchestra handbook overview
- Expectations
- Orchestra-Specific Needs (i.e. short fingernails)
- Materials needed
- Eligibility
- Concert Attendance & Expectations
- Uniforms
- Payments & Payment Due Dates
- Orchestra T-Shirts
- Instrument Rental Fees
- Homework (with QR Code)
- How that works in my class
- Grading policies
- Late work policies
- Tutoring/ Office Hours
- At-Home Practice
- Expectations
- Why practice is important
- How parents can be involved
- Private Lessons
- What they are
- Benefits of lessons
- Where to find private teachers
- Orchestra Class Website (with QR Code)
- How to sign up for Remind
- Important Calendar Dates
- Spring Trip Introduction
- How to Get Involved and Support the Orchestra
- My Contact Information
Since hosting Beginning of the Year Orchestra Parent Meetings, I have found that the line of communication between parents and myself have opened up significantly and I have been able to help parents understand how my orchestra classes work much more effectively and efficiently. Also, in having a chance to talk in-person to parents, I not only have the chance to put a parent name to a face, but I have the priceless opportunity to learn more about each of my students! Who wouldn't love that?!
How do you communicate procedures and expectations to parents at the start of the school year?
No comments