To say I have the best job and kids in the world is a complete understatement. March 22nd was so magical! I could not be prouder of the production we put on. These kids blew me away! They worked so hard and it showed. I love them all more than words can say. They make waking up everyday for work one of the greatest joys of my life. Thank you to all who helped with this production, teachers, staff, administration! A huge thank you to Ms. Denise. I am in awe of your talent and ability to create everything in my head. Thank you PGHS Curtain Call Productions for making our show a dream! Thank you parents for allowing me to work with your amazing children every day! I am so blessed to be a part of the SJDS community! I love you all! ❤️

Photo Credit: TR Photography

Come on out tonight at 6 pm to the Pleasant Grove High School Performing Arts Center to see these talented kiddos! They have worked so hard these past few months and I could not be more proud to be their director! YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS!

We are nearing the final countdown to the musical! These hardworking kiddos are blowing me away with their talent, hard work, and determination. I cannot wait for them to show off for you next Friday!

We have all had so much fun this week!

Primary: We worked on spatial awareness while learning to play and move together as a group. We used musical dice and scarves.

PreK: We learned about Audience Etiquette. The dos and don’ts for a well behaved audience member. Then, we practiced those skills while watching Fantasia 2000, Disney’s Concert Feature.

1st-8th: We are deep into Aladdin rehearsals. This week, Lower School has been practicing, Friend Like Me. They learned places and choreography. Middle School has started blocking the show and are making sure our vocals are on point!

We have had a fun couple of weeks! A lot has been going on and we have been celebrating Christmas and learning new skills!

Primary: We sang and did movement to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!

Kinder: We studied quarter notes, quarter rests, and eighth notes. We made note pizzas to understand their value and how they all create a whole note!

1st-4th: We continued our practices for Candlelight. Lower School’s Candlelight is Tuesday December 19 @ 6 PM. We did a drum routine to Jingle Bell Rock!

5th-8th: We continued our practices for Candlelight. We even practiced our songs by bringing Advent/Christmas cheer to the residents of Conerstone!

Primary: We learned the words to Jingle Bells and played with some while we sang.

PreK: We are hard at work on their Christmas program!

Kindergarten: Rocked out with Lit or Quit and studied different tempos!

1st-4th: They are working hard on their Candlelight songs! Come out and see these amazing kiddos and celebrate their hard work! Special shout out to 4th! They all received their yellow belts in Recorder Karate!

5th-8th: They are working hard on their Candlelight songs! Come out and see these amazing kiddos and celebrate their hard work! They are doing so well…as a treat we have done some work on our Spring Musical. We have learned fencing basics for one of or songs, High Adventure!

This week in Primary, we worked on spatial awareness and moving as a group. Our rhythm scarves served as “Ghosts” and were moved them around together and in our own spot to Ray Parker Jr.’s, Ghostbusters. These were some pretty noisy ghosts, but I think we got them all busted!

PreK: These amazing students have been practicing on their Christmas Program. We have been working on singing strongly, proper posture, and reciting their lines. They have done an amazing job!!

Kinder: These rock stars have finished our study on the Instrument families. We played a review game at the end and they were able to recognize which family and instrument belonged to based on it’s picture and its different characteristics. Go, Kinder!!

1st & 2nd: We have been working on a lot. We have been working on our Candlelight music and our Texarkana Symphony Orchestra Music.

3rd & 4th: They have been working so diligently on their recorders. We have learned that it takes a lot of hard work to be able to play an instrument. They are doing a fantastic job and some have even earned their Yellow belts. Testing will continue next week! I could not be prouder of these awesome kiddos!

5th-8th: Last week, our Cast list for Aladdin Jr. was announced. I am so excited to get to work! Before we do, we have Candlelight up first. We have been practicing the songs in choir and have been working on their duets. They are doing a fantastic job and I cannot wait for you all to hear it on December 20.

Let’s Go, Spartans!!!

A couple of weeks ago, we began our study of recorders in 3rd & 4th grade with Recorder Karate. Students work through the curriculum by learning songs that are progressively harder. This progression has them call upon their note reading and breathing skills. Every song is assigned a belt color, white all the way to black. Once they have mastered the song, they will receive their belts.

So far, we have learned how to properly hold, play and clean our instruments. We have learned how to play pitches GAB and every student has their White Belt after mastering Hot Crossed Buns.

Currently, they are working towards their Yellow Bets with the song Gently Sleep.

It has been so much fun! I cannot wait for them to all become BLACK BELTS!

Now the that cat is out of the bag….We can’t wait to get started!!!

Middle school auditions will be Tuesday, October 17 during choir.

This week we learned a lot and had a blast.

Primary: We made our own lamb puppets and sang a long to Mary Had A Little Lamb. We also had time to play with rhythm scarves.

PreK: We studied about Pitch (high or low) and met some new friends on Pitch Hill, our Solfege people.

Kinder: Finished our study of Pitch Hill and started practicing the Boom Whackers.

1 & 2: We reviewed and tested our knowledge of the instrument families with a fun scavenger hunt.

3&4: We finished our review of the Treble Clef in preparation for the Recorders.

5-8: We reviewed the Treble Clef and in Choir we began working on Candlelight. We had time to play a team building game, Row Your Boat.

I am so excited to be back! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer! We hit the ground running the first two weeks.

Primary: We celebrated back to school by coloring, singing and doing movement to, “The Wheels on the Bus.” We learned about the tambourine and played along to some fun Disney hits. This week we sang about Humpty Dumpty and played with our Egg Shakers. They had to be very careful not to drop and crack Humpty Dumpty. We had a blast!

Pre-K: We went over the music room expectation and played a game, Hide the Pumba. We learned about pitch and began our study on Pitch Hill. We met some of our Solfege friends, Scaredy Cat Sol and Flat Head Mi.

Kinder: We went over the music room expectation and played a game, Hide the Pumba. We continued our study of Pitch Hill with Rooftop Re.

1st: We went over the music room expectation and played a game, Hide the Pumba. We reviewed instrument families. We started with the Percussion Family.

2nd: We went over the music room expectation and played a game, Hide the Pumba. We reviewed instrument families. We started with the Percussion Family.

3rd: We went over the music room expectation and played a game, Hide the Pumba. We reviewed our Treble Clef notes in preparation for beginning work with our Recorders.

4th: We went over the music room expectation and played a game, Hide the Pumba. We reviewed our Treble Clef notes in preparation for beginning work with our Recorders.

5-6: We went over the music room expectation and played a game, Hide the Pumba. We responded in our Journals and we reviewed our Treble Clef notes.

7-8: We went over the music room expectation and played a game, Hide the Pumba. We responded in our Journals and we reviewed our Treble Clef notes.

LS Choir: We practiced Chapel songs and played music games.

MS Choir: We practiced Chapel songs and played music games.

Do do dooo…OH SORRY! We are getting to the end of the year…can you believe it?! We have had a lot of fun playing games, singing, and getting ready for summer break!

Primary: We played summer games, colored, and did scarf routines to Olaf’s “In Summer.”

PreK: We began talking about pitch and started learn about on friends on Pitch Hill, Scaredy-Cat Sol and Flat Head Mi.

Kinder: We are practicing their songs for Kindergarten Graduation. We played a fun beach themed call and response game Charlie Over the Ocean.

1st-3rd: We worked on our singing and thinking skills with Charlie Over the Ocean.

4th-8th: We celebrated the year with a little Karaoke Superstar!

Primary: They practiced appropriate audience behavior while watching the PreK students as they practiced for their talent show.

PreK: We practiced for the talent show. They did a fantastic job singing the group songs for the talent show, “This is my Commandment, Zip-a-dee Doo-Da, and This Little Light of Mine.”

Kinder: We learned about dynamics and the different between pitch and volume. We practiced out knowledge of crescendos and decrescendos by playing a game, “Hide Pumba.” Rules of the game: Crescendo as the finder gets closer to Pumba and decrescendo as they get farther away!

1st-8th: Even though our spring musical was fantastic and I couldn’t be prouder of my kiddos, we watch the show with a critical eye. We worked together to critique our work and found ways we could improve for next year! Since it was such a hit in Kinder, we decided to play, “Hide Pumba.” and sharpened our musical knowledge.

We are continuing to work hard on our show! I cannot WAIT to show off next Thursday 4/6 at 6 pm. Please join us!

This week we started taking pictures for our headshot wall, fitting costumes, working on the set, running the show, and we even found some time to celebrate St. Patricks Day!

Primary: Learned “Can You Catch A Leprechaun?’ and played a game with each student being the leprechaun.

Pre-K: We began practice for their upcoming Talent Show!

Kinder: We practiced Audience Etiquette while watching Disney’s Concert Piece, Fantasia 200, and caught some Leprechauns.

1st-8th: We are continuing our work on our Spring Musical. We have made so much progress with the music, scenes, costumes, props, and set. We CANNOT wait to show you our hard work!

St. James Day School Presents:

Disney’s The Lion King, Jr.

Thursday, April 6th @ 6 PM

Pleasant Grove High School’s Performing Arts Center

Admission is FREE

In celebration of Black History Month, we explored the world of Jazz. We learned about where it started and about some of the amazing artists who created it. We talked about how music has been shaped by the African-American community and learned about some of popular instruments used in Jazz. We ended by listening to the late, great Louis Armstrong sing, “What a Wonderful World.” My musicians expressed how the music made them feel and were inspired to draw a picture. We had a BLAST!

In choir, we have been working on our Grandparent’s Day musical number, I Just Can’t Wait to Be King!

It takes a village to put a show together. The set design class has been hard at work creating the many sets, props and costume pieces for the Lion King Jr. This week they have been working on the wildebeest makes for the stampede and the lion masks. Thank you so much, Ms. Denise! It’s looking amazing!! I cannot wait!

The Lion King Jr. will be performedat the Pleasant Grove High School Performing Arts Center at 6:30 PM on Thursday, April 6! Admission is free and all are welcome to attend.

We hit the ground running in the New Year! We have had lots of fun learning!

PrImary: We had a lot of fun with our dice activity. There were two dice, one an activity and the other a song. Each student took turns rolling the dice and we performed the song and activity as a group. These activities help them with motor skills and moving as one.

PreK: We began our work on rhythm. Each student learned about one sound on a beat or two. We dug a little deeper with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. We worked together to keep the steady beat and to figure out if each word was one sound or two.

Kindergarten: We learned about quarter notes, quarter rests, and eighth notes. We were remembering what we learned in PreK (above) and saw how it related to these rhythms. While we were learning, the students created the different notes out of play dough. They demonstrated their knowledge by reading rhythms from the board.

1-3: We continued our work on The Lion King music. They have started to learn choreography for, “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King, Hakuna Matata, and Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” One day it was so nice that we decided to learn outside.

4-8: We have started blocking the show as well as continuing our work on the music.

This week in music, we celebrated Christmas!

Primary-PreK: We learned about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. We talked about how do not treat someone poorly just because they are a little different. We sang, moved, colored and watch the story.

Kindergarten: We learned Jingle Bells on our Boomwhackers and preformed it for their teachers!

1st: We worked on our Candlelight music and learned Jingle Bells on our Boomwhackers!

2nd-8th: We continued our practicing for Candlelight next week. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend! After we practiced, we played Christmas Music Bingo and had a wonderful time!

Lower School Candlelight: Wednesday, December 14 6pm at St. James Church Downtown

Middle School Candlelight: Thursday, December 15 6pm at St. James Church Downtown

With Thanksgiving being next week, we talked a lot about what we were thankful for. Some said their mommies and daddies, some said their pets, some even said PIZZA! It was fun to think about why we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Primary: We sang, “If You’re Thankful and You Know it” and hid from he farmer in Run, Turkey, Run.

PreK: We were busy working on their Christmas Program that’s coming up December 1st.

Kindergarten: Learned all about Audience Etiquette, played and sang “Run, Turkey, Run.”

1-8th: Continued our work with Candlelight and the Lion King.