Normanhurst West Public School

Choir Program Sub-committee

Background

At present a NWPS staff member, Mrs Voss, is directing the K – 1 Choir which is a
wonderful opportunity for our new young students to get involved in singing at NWPS. A
NWPS parent, Kate Andrews, has been directing the remaining choir activities as a
volunteer.

It is considered that the existing choir activities at NWPS are a vital component of the arts
program at NWPS and offer an already popular lunchtime activity. Choir performances in
the past, both within the school and at out-of-school events, have been a wonderful
showcase of the enthusiasm, commitment and talent of our students.

Such a great amount has been achieved so far that a few parents have come together to
form the Choir Program Sub-committee and ensure that the good work is continued.

Mission Statement

Our mission as the NWPS Choir Program Sub- committee is to support, maintain and
develop the NWPS Choir Program as an opportunity for all children to be involved in a fee-
free activity, without selection based on skills or financial contribution, that:
 develops singing competence across a range of repertoire;
 builds and extends musical understanding and performance skills;
 encourages working co-operatively with peers; and
 offers a lunchtime alternative to playground activities.

Proposed Choir Program

The Choir Program will be based on the informal program that has existed to date,
ensuring that the opportunities currently available are maintained but also extended to
offer additional opportunities.

The proposed Choir Program is as follows

Current Activities Direction Participation

Years K – 1 Choir Staff (Mrs Voss) 30 – 40
Years 2 – 6 Choir Choir Director 50 – 70
Arts North Choir Choir Director 25
Possible Additional Activities
Primary Proms Choir Director 30
Galston District Eisteddfod Choir Director 30
Choir Camp Choir Director 70 - 100

Roles and Responsibilities

The Sub-committee has established the following roles and responsibilities (with current
holders noted):

Convenor – Leigh Higgins

 Run Sub-committee meetings
 Act as liaison with P&C President, NWPS Principal, Choir Program Liaison staff
member, Years K-1 Choir Director (staff) and other staff

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 Appointment and management of Years 2- 6 Choir Director, with assistance from Sub-
committee
 Reporting to P&C

Secretary – Diane Black

Organise Sub-committee meetings
Manage membership of Sub-committee
Minutes of Sub-committee meetings (including distribution)
Reporting to P&C

Treasurer - TBA
Manage funds used by Sub-committee to resource Choir Program
Review and Prepare Budgets
Reporting to P&C
Payment of Choir Director

Members – Helen Howse, Nicky Binet, Kerrie Basclain, Alex Mariano, Sue Mayer
 Support Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, through attendance at and participation in
Sub-committee meetings
 Support Choir Director, through assistance in preparation of repertoire materials and
supervision of choir rehearsals where required
 Support K-1 Choir
 Assistance with organising Choir Program activities

Additional members of the Sub-committee are welcome – please contact Diane

Black (dtbenv@bigpond.net.au).

P&C Reporting
The Choir Program Sub-committee will comply with all P&C reporting requirements.

Proposed Resourcing
As noted above Mrs Voss is able to direct the Years K-1 Choir in addition to her teaching
commitments. Mrs Liston acts as the Choir Liaison staff member. It is proposed that these
two positions continue as at present.

The time commitment required to direct the other activities (rehearsals and coordinating
repertoire) is as follows:

• Years 2 - 6 Choir – 1.5 hours per week for 40 weeks pa

• Arts North Choir – 1.5 hours per week for 10 weeks plus 14 hours for
performance
• TOTAL Current Activities – approximately 89 hours pa

The Years 2 -6 Choir Director must possess the ability to:

 Access and select repertoire at an appropriate level, and write vocal arrangements
where necessary
 Organise participation in external activities such as the Arts North Choir, Primary
Proms etc
 Teach parts by ear
 Conduct multiple parts simultaneously
 Teach children the following:
o Singing skills, such as breathing, projection, interval singing and using
different parts of the voice.
o Performance skills, such as focus, standing, staggered breathing.

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 o Basic music theory skills, such as the language of music, dynamics, pitch,
tempo, tone colour and conductor's signals.

At present NWPS does not have a staff member or a suitable parent volunteer available to
act as the Years 2-6 Choir Director in 2010. There is a considerable time commitment
required for the Choir Director to maintain and extend the current program. A staff
member would be required to have the above mentioned skills and also the time
commitment required for this position.

Therefore, a paid Years 2-6 Choir Director, assisted by a Choir Program liaison staff
member and the Sub-committee, would be the most effective way to implement the NWPS
Choir Program for 2010 and beyond. The Years 2-6 Choir Director would be responsible for
coordinating all activities involving students from Year 2 and above.

In the future should a staff member have the required knowledge base and be available to
take this role at its current level of commitment, the NWPS Choir Program Sub-committee
would continue to provide the required support.

Should the current level of student involvement (50-70) increase, the NWPS Choir Sub-
committee would provide additional adult supervision to ensure that supervision ratios
were maintained, and that no children are excluded from the Choir Program due to this.

Proposed Funding Structure

To ensure that the Choir Program is provided as proposed, funding is required to ensure
that the current opportunities are maintained and planning is undertaken for extension of
the Choir Program to cover additional activities in the future.

To fund the Choir Program as proposed (ie Current Activities plus extension of the
program) it is estimated that approximately $3,500 pa is required. This is based on paying
a Years 2- 6 Choir Director $30 per hour and some additional funds for photocopying.

The Choir Program Sub-committee would like to invite the NWPS P&C Committee to fund
the Choir Program, in particular the appointment of a Years 2 – 6 Choir Director.