Simon Dance Department

Guidelines and Expectations

Instructor: Ms. McCammon
Room: 122
Email: ​[email protected]

Simon Mission Statement

The mission of Simon Middle School, a diverse, pioneering community built on relationships and
acceptance, is to sculpt and cultivate motivated, contributing citizens through both success and
failure while broadening horizons and building confidence.

Dance at Simon

This syllabus outlines the standards of conduct and behavior to which all SMS Dance group
members are expected to adhere as representatives of their student body and of the Hays
CISD.Continued membership shall be in accordance with this contract, and based on ability,
skill, presentation, conduct, and/or other bases set forth below.

Failure to comply with the standards of conduct and behavior outlined in this contract may
subject the member to disciplinary action.

Purpose of the Organization

The purpose of the Simon Middle School Dance Department is to incorporate​ ​the study of
dance to offer unique experiences and empower students to explore realities, relationships, and
ideas. These disciplines engage and motivate all students through active learning, critical
thinking, and innovative problem solving. The fine arts develop cognitive functioning and
increase student academic achievement, higher-order thinking, communication, and
collaboration skills, making the fine arts applicable to college readiness, career opportunities,
workplace environments, social skills, and everyday life. Students develop aesthetic and cultural
awareness through exploration, leading to creative expression. Creativity, encouraged through
the study of the fine arts, is essential to nurture and develop the whole child.

Expectations for class:

P. Be on time and prepared with all needed materials

R. Respect Individual and School Equipment
I. Keep hands, feet, and objects to self
D. Follow directions immediately, given by any Simon Staff member
E. Actively participate
Grading Procedures:

60% Major Grades (skills Test, Written Tests, Performances)

40% Daily Grades (Dressing out, Daily Warm-up drills, Journals)

Students will receive daily grades for skills demonstrations, warm-up technique, dressing out
and daily exit tickets. Dance is a performance based class therefore all students are required to
participate in all movement activities. Students will start each class with a grade of 100%. Points
will be deducted for incompletion of daily drills or assignments, not dressing out, and wrong
dance uniform.

GRADING STANDARDS
Hays CISD expects students to give their best effort the first time an assignment is made or a
project or test is given. To ensure this quality of work, the following rules apply:

1. Teachers are required to record a minimum of one daily grade per week and a minimum
of three major grades per grading period for each content area.
2. Minor grades will count for 40% and major grades will count for 60% of the overall grade
for a nine-weeks grading period. All semester exam grades will count as 1/7 of the
semester grade.
3. Teacher discretion may be used to determine what assignments constitute a minor or
major grade, except for district-required Curriculum Based Assessments which are to be
recorded as a major grade and eligible for reassessment.
4. Students have five school days from the time an assignment or test is returned to the
student to receive re-teaching ​and​ to re-do assignments or take re-tests. The
re-teaching, re-submitting, and re-testing within the five school days is scheduled at the
discretion of the teacher.
5. Corrections made to an assessment do not constitute a reassessment. Students must
participate in re-teaching prior to any assessment.
6. Students may re-submit assignments and re-test only one time per assignment. The
following assignments are not eligible for resubmission: major projects and midterm,
final, and benchmark assessments. Grades on benchmark assessments will be derived
from material that has only been previously taught.
7. Students have two school days from the time a missing grade is posted in the grade
book to make up the missing work.
8. Students may receive a maximum grade of 70 on all missing or re-submitted
assignments and tests.

Non- Participation:

There is NO excuse for not dressing out besides illness and injury that has been reported to the
teacher by a parent or doctors note. Every student enrolled in dance is required to actively
participate.If a student is ill and cannot participate, the student can bring a parent note which will
allow them to sit out for 2 consecutive days. As well as if a student is ill and cannot participate,
the student must bring a note from the Doctor for the entirety of their injury/illness. When a
student is sitting out, an alternate assignment will be assigned.

Storage cubbies

Students will use storage cubbies to store their items during the class period. This being said,
dancers must bring and take their dance clothes each day to school. There are no locks so it is
advised never to leave money or items of value in your cubbies. The dressing room will be kept
closed and locked during class so belongings are kept secure. Cell phones are NOT allowed to
be used or out in the dressing room under any circumstances.

Dressing Room/ Dance Class Procedures:

•Dancers have 5 minutes to dress out in required attire from when the tardy bell rings.
•Wait until the 5 minute dressing room bell until dancers may proceed onto the dance floor.
•Upon entering the dance floor dancers will start on their daily drills in assigned spots.
•Dancers will be dismissed to the locker room 10 minutes before the release bell for the next
period.

Cell Phone Policy:

Cell phones are NOT allowed to be out during class at any time, unless specified for a
class activity. Please leave your phones off and secure in your backpack. Any cell phones seen
during class or in the dressing room will result in immediate removal of the device and sent to
the office. Please refer to SMS Cell Phone Policy below:

1. Take the phone up and turn into the office for student pick up at the end of the day.
2. Take the phone up and turn into the office for parent pick up at the end of the day.
3. Take the phone up and turn into the office for a $10 fine to be paid upon pick up. Money is to be
donated to the Hays Clothing Closet. All repeat offenses will continue to receive a $10 fine.

Dressing Out and Attire:

All students are required to dress out for dance each and every day in the specified uniform.
The students will be informed ahead of time if they do not need to dress out.

Dance 1,2 and Dance Team Requirements

-District Dance Shirt (purchased through the school, once in person instruction begins)
-Plain black t-shirt with sleeves (no crop top, no V-neck)
-Black tights (no holes, no see through, no designs)
-Hair ties
-Jazz tan shoes
Performances:

Dancers enrolled in Dance 1 and 2:

All dancers are required to dance in necessary performances for a major grade, which includes
winter show and spring show. Auditions will be held for other performance opportunities. If for
some reason a student cannot attend a major performance, a parent or guardian must contact
the teacher well in advance.

Dancers enrolled in Dance 3:

All dancers are required to dance in necessary performances for a major grade which includes
the Hays District Performance, Pep-rallys, LHS Spring Show, Winter Show and Spring Show. If
for some reason a student cannot attend a major performance, a parent or guardian must
contact the teacher well in advance.

Dance Class Resource:

Simon Dance Website for more links on dance wear and information:
https://smsdance.weebly.com