875 SW 54^th Avenue Plantation, FL 33317 (754) 323-7150 x325

SCHOLARSHIP, LEADERSHIP, CHARACTER, MUSICIANSHIP… FUN! THESE ARE OUR IDEALS.

September 4, 2008

Dear PPE Parent,

Congratulations! Your child, ___________________________________________________________,

has been selected as a

of the Plantation Park Singers Chorus! He or she was selected through a careful vocal screening process from over 300 eligible students on the basis of musical interest, singing ability, classroom performance, leadership potential, & character. Selection for Chorus is one of the highest achievable honors at Plantation Park Elementary School because it is a testament of your child’s outstanding academic and overall achievement.

The Plantation Park Singers Chorus strives to provide music education of the highest quality to its members. The Plantation Park Singers have earned an outstanding reputation among music educators & the general community for their professionalism, polish, & choral excellence. They have performed for several local, state, & national music education conventions; twice for Disney’s Magic Kingdom; four times for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, Orlando; twice at Pro-Player Stadium (singing the National Anthem for Marlins baseball games); & for numerous concerts at school, School Board functions, local retirement facilities, & in our Plantation community. In April 2006, they earned a "Superior" rating at the Music USA Choir Competition at Universal Studios, Orlando, placing 2^nd among 8 schools from around the nation. In March 2007, they earned 1^st Place and Grand Champion Overall in the Elementary Choral category at the same festival. In May 2008, they again earned Superior Ratings.

Why should your child participate in Chorus? First, making music teaches diligence, perseverance, & cooperation. Second, a growing body of research shows that the study of music, especially over extended periods of time, increases student achievement in all areas. One 1995 study showed that college SAT scores of students who received training in music performance during their school- age years were 30 to 40 points higher in both verbal and math sections than scores of students who received no arts training. This is because singing develops linguistic, public speaking, and comprehension skills and provides experience with other cultures. Third and most importantly, studying a wide variety of music allows students to make meaningful connections between science, math, reading, history, & language arts, and these interdisciplinary connections are the hallmark of an outstanding liberal arts education. And, finally, being in Chorus is fun!

How do we sign up? Attend (or send a designee with written proxy permission to attend) one of two informational meetings to complete all Chorus paperwork. Meetings will be held Thurs. Sept. 4 at 6:30pm in the cafeteria and Mon. Sept. 8 at 3pm in the Media Center. Meetings are for both parents and prospective choristers. Please bring a pen and $20 cash or money order nonrefundable registration donation. Choristers will be measured for uniforms, and all that is involved with Chorus participation will be discussed. (The donation covers the cost of your child’s Chorus t-shirt, music notebook, & 2 practice CD’s- one CD for fall music & one for spring. Families registering more than one child may contribute $20 for the 1^st child and $15 for each additional child.).

If for some reason you take your paperwork home, all forms and $20 nonrefundable registration donations (cash or money order only) must be returned to Mrs. Greggs no later than the first day of rehearsal- Sept. 11. Children enrolled in JCC After-Care should also return an After-Care Club permission form (available from JCC) by the same date.

Thank you, and once again, congratulations!

Sing-cerely,

Nicole M. Greggs, National Board Certified Teacher- Early/Middle Childhood Music

Plantation Park Elementary School

2008 Broward County Arts Teacher of the Year