The Actors' Theatre of

Hand Middle School

Mrs. Jennifer Simmons, MAT 2015-2016 [email protected] 343-2947 ext. 3211

We l c o m e t o t h e A c t o r s T h e a t r e o f
Hand Middle

GET CONNECTED:
Text Updates
via Remind:

Congratulations on being a part of the Actors

6th grade: To join, text

@hmsdrama6 to 81010

Theatre of Hand Middle School. As a part of

this program, you will have the opportunity to
experience the many facets of theatre. Due to
the nature of theatre arts, our main focus in
this program will be collaboration.

7th grade: To join, text

@hmsdrama7 to 81010

Whether you have lots of stage experience or

if this is your first time in a theatre class, you

8th grade: To join, text

@hmsdrama8 to 81010

will have the chance to grow and develop, both

as a member of the theatre community and on
a personal level. I firmly believe that theatre

Follow us on Twitter:
@TheatreHMS

doesnt teach performance skillsit teaches life

skills.

______________________________________

If at any time you have questions or need

Administrative Approval

additional assistance, please feel free to ask me

before or after class, send me an email, etc.

T h e a t r e S t a n d a r d s : W h a t We l l B e
Learning
Standard 1: The student will

Standard 4: The student will

Standard 7: The student will

create improvised scenes and

written scripts based on his
or her own experiences and

demonstrate an understanding
of the role and responsibilities
of the director.

analyze, evaluate, and derive

meanings from improvised
and scripted scenes, live

imagination as well as on
literature, history and culture,
and current events.
Standard 2: The student will
develop acting skills that allow
him or her to portray a
variety of characters in both
improvised and scripted
dramatic presentations.
Standard 3: The student will
design a variety of technical
elements for the theatre.

Standard 5: The student will

use appropriate practices to
research and inform his or
her understanding of all
aspects of theatre.
Standard 6: The student will
make connections between
theatre and other arts
disciplines, other content
areas, and the world.

theatre performances, and

theatrical performances on
film, television, and other
electronic media.
Standard 8: The student will
understand context by
analyzing the role of theatre,
film, television, and other
electronic media in his or her
community and the state of
South Carolina as well as in
other cultures, both past and
present.

Check out our

website:
handtheatre.weebly.com/

Required Course
Materials

Highlighter
Pencils
Ear buds/head
phones for
computer use

Teacher Wish List

Additional items that
would help out our class:
Small dixie/drinking
cups
Baby wipes
Kleenex
Band Aids

Classroom Expectations
My expectations for students:

Number 1: Make choices that will be safe and

will not interfere with learning, for yourself or
others.
Follow all school wide rules.
Respect yourself, your classmates, your teacher, and
the classroom materials.
Come to class prepared (both with materials and
attitude).
Clean up after yourself.
Do your best, try hard, and have fun!

What students can expect from me:

Number 1: I want every single

student to succeed and grow.
I will provide a wide array of learning
opportunities for all students.
If you need extra help or assistance, I will be
happy to help.
I will return all materials, assignments, etc.
in a timely manner.
I will provide clear expectations for each
assignment and classroom activity, usually in
the form of a rubric or checklist.

Consequences:
Failure to comply with the expectations will result in the following consequences:

Warning
Fill out reflection form (sent home to be signed)
Lunch Detention
Phone Call Home
Removal from performance with alternate assignment given
Referral/sent to office

Grading Procedure: The following is grading procedure indicates how

you will be graded in the classroom:
40 % Daily grades (Includes daily classroom assignments/activities,
rehearsals)*
60 % Projects (Includes in class performances, projects, and final
productions)
For all grades, students will be provided with a clear list of expectations or a rubric
for grading. All grades will be posted on Power Portal. You may also
contact me at any time to check on the status of your grade.

Grading Scale: The

following is grading scale
indicates how you will be
graded in the classroom:
A = 100-93
B = 92-85
C = 84-77
D = 76-70
F = 69-0

*Students receive a weekly Mind Body Voice Cooperation grade that reflects
in-class activity work. This is part of the Daily Grade. All students start with
16 out of 16 points each week. Should they lose any, it will be noted in
Power Portal.

Make-Up Work: Students are to check with the teacher for any missed work if he/she is
absent. Students will be given up to three days to complete and turn in missed work, if applicable.
Extra Help/Tutoring: If you need additional assistance, I will be available most mornings from
8:10-8:35 AM. Please email me ahead of time to arrange a time to ensure that I am available to
help!
Important School Dates:
Open House: 9/10/15
Interims: Sept. 18th, Nov. 23rd, Feb. 17th, and Apr. 22nd
Report Cards: Nov. 65h, Jan. 22nd, Mar. 25th, and June 2nd

ReDo Policy
Hand Middle School General Redo Policy

1. All redo work must be turned in five school days before the end of the marking period in order to

allow teachers time to assess it. Final exams and projects that are given the last week of the marking
period will not be able to be redone due to the proximity of the cut-off date.
2. All work submitted for reassessment will need to have a parent signature or parent contact.
3. All students will be allowed to resubmit major projects and tests earning a D or F as long as the students have met all prior requirements.
4. High school credit classes may adapt the policy according to their own specific requirements.
Theatre Class Redo Policy

1. All written work for Theatre will follow the above policy. For all performance assessments, the student
must make arrangements to perform the material for Mrs. Simmons before school within five days of
the assessment or the students return to school after an absence.
2. Because of the nature of a performance/production, final performances are obviously not something
that can be made-up on an individual basis. Even though performances do not always take
place during school hours, they are still a requirement of Hand Theatre courses. A major
performance is graded as the equivalent of a major project/presentation.
Please put the dates, listed below on your calendar now, and make plans for your child to be at every
performance on time. Performance grades cannot be made-up, and absences cannot be excused except in extreme cases.*
*If you know at least 2 months in advance of the performance that you cannot make any of these
dates, please let Mrs. Simmons know immediately and an alternative assignment can be discussed.

IMPORTANT:
If a student must miss a performance for any reason, that student or a parent should call the theatre
room voice mail at 343-2947 ext. 3211, and, if possible, email [email protected] to ensure
that Mrs. Simmons is aware of the absence in advance.
Lack of transportation should never be a reason to miss a performance. There are always Hand parents who are willing to help.
Missing rehearsals, unless pre-arranged/approved by Mrs. Simmons, will result in removal from the
performance.
According to school policy, students who are not at school during the school day MAY
NOT attend after school functions/events. This includes final performances.

Performance Expectations and Dates

As an audition-based, theatre program, the expectation is that all students will be involved in a final, cumulative performance. This production will consume a great deal of class time. Through the production,
students will learn about technical theatre, acting, character development, blocking, choreography, and
directing techniques.
Every effort will be made to feature your student on stage in a performing role. However, I also understand that some students interested in theatre are more interested in behind-the-scenes roles. When the
time comes to cast the final production, if your student has reservations about performing, please feel
free to talk to me about any concerns you may have.
For the final performance, students will be cast in roles based on an audition. However, keep in mind that
in-class work and cooperation will also be taken into consideration during the casting process. As with
any audition/interview process, the audition starts the moment you walk into the door.
While casting is an essential element of the theatrical experience, it is important that students and families
to understand that all roles are important and essential to the production. Many times, students enter
into an audition process with their heart set on a certain role. Feelings can get hurt when students dont
get the role they wanted. Even the most experienced actors have difficulties coping with the loss of certain roles. The most important thing to remember is that casting a play is NOT about finding the best
actor or actress. The purpose of casting is to find the best mix/balance of actors/actresses in the various
roles of the play to best serve the story. It is like putting together a puzzleit isnt about one particular
puzzle piece. It is about what combination/arrangement will pull the picture together.
Once casting takes place, students will immediately begin rehearsing in class. During this time, students
will be encouraged to use their time wisely. Students will be responsible for learning all of their lines,
blocking, choreography for the production. For most students, if they use their time wisely in class, they
will be successful on stage. However, some students will need extra help at home. Please help your student by encouraging them to practice at home.
As this is a school production, students may also be asked to help with their own costuming needs. Students will not be asked to provide any unique items, however, students may be asked to provide basic
items (such as black pants, white shirts). Please make every effort to bring these items and label them.
They will be returned after the performance.
The following are very important dates that you should put on your calendar now. These are
the dates/times for the final performances. Please note that these dates could change, only if they conflict with yet to be determined school-wide testing dates.
6th Grade Performance
March 17 at 6:30 PM
After School Rehearsals:
March 14-16 until 6:00 PM

7th Grade Performances

April 14-16 (Details TBA)
After school rehearsals April11-13
until 6:30 PM

8th Grade Performances

November 19 at 6:30 PM
After school rehearsals:
November 16-18 until 6:00 PM
April 14-16 (Details TBA)***
After school rehearsals April11-13
until 6:30 PM
*** Some additional after school
rehearsals may take place for certain scenes/roles

Unique Opportunities
For All Theatre Students
All students will have the opportunity to earn points to join the International Thespian Society. The International Thespian Society (ITS) is the Educational Theatre Associations student honorary organization.
ITS recognizes the achievements of high school and middle school theatre students. Since 1929, EdTA has
inducted more than 2 million Thespians into ITS. That number continues to grow, with more than 36,000
students from around the country being inducted each year.
Students will earn points and during their time at Hand Middle School for participating in performances
and, in some cases, attending performances. Students who maintain an A average in drama class and earn
at least 10 points can be inducted into Hand Middle Schools chapter of the Junior International Thespian
Society. A percentage of these points can transfer into High School as well. Information on induction
and more about the program will come later in the year!
7th and 8th Grade Additional Opportunities
Theatre students in the 7th and 8th grade will have some special opportunities that may be available to
them. Please note that these opportunities are NOT automatic for all students and some have special
requirements and additional fees.
Middle School Theatre Festival
Each year, Richland School District One hosts a Middle School Theatre Festival. This is an opportunity
for students across the district to come together and enhance their theatre experience through specialized workshops. This years workshop will be on October 15, 2015. According to the Theatre Festival
regulations set forth by the school district, each school may only bring ten (10) students. As this is a special opportunity, students will be asked to apply to attend. There is no fee for this program.
PDA Thespian Society Middle School Theatre Competition
Some students may also have the opportunity to compete in the PDAs Middle School Theatre Competition. This is the first middle school competition for this group. Winners at this event may have the opportunity to advance to the National competition. This event will be held on April 23, 2016 in Charleston,
SC. Students would have the opportunity to compete in both group and individual events. Fees may be
applicable for this competition.
SCSTA Middle School Theatre Competition
Some students may also have the opportunity to compete in the South Carolina Speech and Theatre Associations Annual Theatre Competition. This event will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at Meadow Glen Middle School in Lexington, SC. Students would have the opportunity to compete in both group
and individual events.
New York Field Trip
Students in the dance and drama programs at Hand Middle School will have the opportunity to register
for a trip to New York City! The trip, May 31June 3, 2016, will be an in depth look at the performing
arts world of Broadway. Students will see the sights, some shows, and even get to take some workshops
with some Broadway stars! Additional details are coming soon!

Parent/Guardian/Student Agreement Page

Please complete and return to Mrs. Simmons by August 21,2015.
1. I take photos/video in class periodically of student performances and work in class.
Your student may appear in some of these photos. Please answer the following questions:

May I use photos of your student to promote the Actors Theatre of Hand Middle School
within the Richland County School District (ie, show/program promotion)? Yes No

May I post photos of your student on the Actors Theatre of Hand Middle School website on
the Hand Middle School Web Page? Yes No

May I use video footage of your student, taken during instruction/performances, for educational/professional development purposes? Yes No

2. Is there anything else I should know about your student?

3. Please sign and date below, indicating that you have received the syllabus/information sheet for the
Actors Theatre at Hand Middle School and understand the expectations for this class.
____________________________________________________________________
Guardian Name (Print)
____________________________________________________________________
Guardian Signature
Date
____________________________________________________________________
Student Name (Print)
Class
____________________________________________________________________
Student Signature