BRRR! Two snow days down and only a couple weeks to go until our 1st grade program on Tuesday, February 12th. The kids have been working hard to get things ready with speaking parts, instruments, songs and movement. Ask your 1st grader what their job is for our show.

Second grade is busy learning about percussion instruments, George Frideric Handel, beats in sets of 3 and much more. Supper quiz question for your 2nd grader tonight: What is an ostinato? A repeated pattern in music

Kindergarten is busy singing and moving. A lot of my focus until this point of the year is getting them singing as much as possible and moving as directed, specifically to mirror me. This preparation can help transition young children who may be used to doing "their own thing" to begin our program work when they will be required to move as a whole group with designated movements. This work will soon begin although the show will remain a secret for a little while longer, stay tuned. :)

Be on the lookout for information about our annual Music Booster Potato Feed in March. It's a great time for families with good food and entertainment of the best kind, our own kids.

We have now begun our First Grade Program. The kids are working hard to learn their first songs and will soon be reading lines and have parts all their own that they can practice at home. Ask your child what song we practiced today in music. See you in February for the show!

Wow, what great singers we have in East Grand Forks! We had a wonderful time at the Heritage Village and sang some wonderful Christmas songs to get us all ready for this holiday season.

We also finished up our 2nd grade show last Thursday and the kids did so great! I hope you caught the show, I am so proud of them!

This Sunday, December 2nd is the annual Heritage Village Christmas Festival. I am looking for 1st and 2nd graders who would like to come and sing Christmas Carols with us. So far we have 40 1st graders and almost 30 2nd graders, what a great turnout! If you can make it or have questions please let me know as soon as possible and remember to dress for the weather. See you there!

We have been having a great time in music recently getting ready for our 2nd grade show and doing a few Thanksgiving tunes. We are also getting ready to take a group of 1st and 2nd graders to the Heritage Village Christmas Festival on Sunday, December 2nd to sing a few Christmas songs. It's a great time with lots of other attractions including live reindeer, ornament making, sleigh rides and model train displays.

Our 2nd grade show is on Thursday, December 6th and is really starting to shape up. We will soon have group rehearsals which is when things come together and the kids get a better idea of what it's like to work in a large group to tell a story.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving with friends and family!

Time is flying! In just a couple short week we will begin our 2nd grade show, Flakes! This musical about, you guessed it, snowflakes, follows the Littlest Snowflake as she discovers that although we are alike in many ways, no two snowflakes are exactly the same. Be on the lookout for lyrics and recordings to help your child practice at home. Although this show is about snow, my decision to use it had nothing to do with our early snowfall, I promise!

Our student teacher, Mr. Lentz is finishing his last day as a full time music teacher at New Heights and will gradually phase out of teaching next week. It's been a pleasure to work with him and watch him grow as a teacher. Ask your children what exciting activities they did with Mr. Lentz in music today!

Back Together Again!

Welcome back New Heights! We are almost done with our first week back and things are going great. We have already been playing instruments, singing, dancing and getting to know our student teacher, Mr. Lentz. He will complete 8 weeks with us and is starting to teach our 2nd graders tomorrow. Mr. Lentz is originally from Grand Forks and we are glad to have him.

I am busy planning and finding new programs for the year. Keep in mind we will have our 2nd grade show in December, 1st grade in February, and Kindergarten in May.