Category Archives: Class News

Dear Students and Families,

Congratulations on surviving three months of digital school! What a wild ride it’s been. Thank you for your flexibility during this difficult time. Parents, thank you for enduring the barrage of emails and blog posts – you are troopers! It is truly a pleasure teaching band and orchestra at STEM. I look forward to actually making music together sometime soon. I wish you all a fun and restful summer break. To my eighth graders, I know you will make us proud in high school and beyond. You will be missed! To my sixth and seventh graders, see you in the fall!!

Over and Out!

Mrs. Hartrick

Locker Item Pick Up Information:TUESDAY, JUNE 2^nd  (This will be the ONLY pick up day)

Please follow the below directions for the safety of teachers, students, and parents

1.     On the day of pick up, NO students or parents will be allowed in the building. Do NOT get out of your car.

2.     Cars must ENTER through the Warren gate and pull up to door #20 so that your car faces Ann Arbor Trail.

3.     Please tell the teacher on the sidewalk the student you are picking up for.

4.     Have your trunk open, so that teachers have no contact as we deliver your belongings.

5.     Students will return instruments and library books (AKA Ms. Fryzel’s books) that day. I need ALL instruments from 8th grade returned.

6.     6th and 7th graders can keep instruments over the summer. Please let Mrs. H know if you intend to keep them so I can update my records. If you are not enrolled in my class next year, please return your instrument. I also need accessories and if you don’t want your method book I’ll take that too!

Times: 

10:00 -11:00           6^th Graders

11:00 – 12:00          7^th Graders

12:00 – 1:00           8^th Graders

1:00 – 1:30             Last Chance

For the week of 5.26 – 5.29 all students have two assignments to complete located in Google Classroom. Everyone has a lesson in uTheory called “Dotted Notes and Off Beats”. For those with instruments there is a pop song in Smartmusic and for those without instruments you are exploring the rest of Chrome Music Lab.

Information regarding instrument returns will be posted shortly. If you are in 6th and 7th grade and are enrolled in my class for next year you are welcome to hang on to your instrument over the summer. Just shoot me an email letting me know and I’ll make a note that you have it. All eighth grade students must return theirs. Specific drop-off logistics and dates coming soon.

Wishing STEM families peace, happiness and health this Eid.

Hello STEM Musicians and Parents of Musicians! This week all students will complete the lesson in uTheory titled “Understanding Rhythm Values”. After that is complete if they have instruments there are some rhythm exercises to complete in Smartmusic and if they do not have their instrument they will compose four short rhythmic phrases using the rhythms covered in the uTheory lesson. All information is located in Google Classroom.

Due to the Memorial Day holiday (RIP Memorial Day Parade), all work is due by Thursday at 2:15pm.

The rhythms this week can be a little tricky. If students need assistance please reach out. If anyone would like an in-person lesson on the content, reach out to me by Tuesday and I can set up a Big Blue Button video to review and answer questions.

I hope you all are healthy and happy. I miss my STEM family so much:)

Hi STEM – I MISS YOU ALL!! This week everyone has the same assignment.

1.) uTheory.com: Rhythm – Half and Whole Notes. Login to my classroom and finish the lesson. I made a “how to” video for the fifth grade kiddos, if you find yourself getting stuck let me know and I will send it along.

2.) Chrome Music Lab Song Composition. Instructions and a how-to video can be found in Google Classroom.

Class Meetings and Office Hours: I find it easier to record a lesson and upload it with the work rather than holding live meetings. This way everyone can view the info at their leisure. I’m sure with Ramadan schedules this helps some of you. Therefore I’m not going to have live meetings on Wednesdays like I was before. Same with office hours. If you need help contact me, I will get back to you asap.

I know it’s weird doing band and orchestra online and it’s not the same. Thanks for being flexible and making it work:) <3

All students have two assignments posted in Google Classroom for this week’s music work.

ALL: complete the “Beats, Quarter and Eighth Notes” lesson in utheory.

IF YOU HAVE AN INSTRUMENT: There is one song due in Smartmusic.

IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN INSTRUMENT: There is an assignment in Google classroom to complete called “Doodle Music.”

I am still getting trained and set up for Big Blue Button, the new “Google Meet” platform. Therefore all office hours and classroom meet-ups are cancelled for this week. I have posted a recorded video assignment for students to view in GC. As always if anyone has questions please reach out, I am happy to help! All work is due by Friday, May 8th by 2:15pm.

Take care, be well and Mrs. H misses you:)

Hello STEM! This week all students will be exploring the musical skill of improvisation. They will research what improvisation and the genre of “Free Jazz” is, create their own short improvised piece of music, and answer a few reflection questions about their song. Songs should be 30-60 seconds long and uploaded to Google Classroom. This assignment is due by 5.1.20 at 2:30pm.

All office hours and Google Meet times are cancelled for this week. Please email Mrs. Hartrick if you need help with anything and I will assist students on an individual basis. A video explanation of this week’s assignment is also in Google Classroom.

Finally, if students haven’t created an account in Utheory yet they need to do that. The link is in this week’s assignment. No work needs to be completed, students just need to create an account.

Have a great week!

Please note that starting on Monday, April 20th all assignments are now graded for credit. If a student does not complete their work, I will be sending an email notification out to parents and students.

For all students who DO NOT have their instruments at home there is an assignment about the music of Motown that can be found in Google Classroom due by Friday at 2:15pm.

For all students who DO have their instruments at home there are two playing exercises that can be found in Smartmusic. I also posted this info as an assignment in Google Classroom just as a reminder for students. All submissions are due by Friday at 2:15pm.

ALL STUDENTS need to sign up for Utheory.com. A sign up link is included in the Google Classroom assignments.

I will be hosting the following Google Meet sessions this week:

Monday, April 20th @ 12-12:30pm: Office Hours. Any student or parent who has homework questions can stop in and get assistance. This Meet is for questions and help only, not socializing. To join visit meet.google.com, click on “join meeting” and type in Hartrick Office.

Wednesday, April 22nd: Google Meet by Grade. We will go over content in homework assignments and check in with each other. The schedule is as follows:

ALL 6th Graders: 1:30 – 2pm. Code: Hartrick Sixth

ALL 7th Graders: 2-2:30pm. Code: Hartrick Seventh

ALL 8th Graders: 3:30 – 4pm. Code: Hartrick Eighth

To join visit meet.google.com, click on “join meeting” and type in the code name above.

If you or your student is borrowing a school-owned instrument please note that we are waiting on guidance from Governor Whitmer on when supplies can be safely returned to schools. This may not be until the summer. I will keep you posted as information becomes available.

If you have already paid for the Cedar Point trip that was cancelled, don’t worry, your money is safely locked up at school. Once the shelter in place order is lifted and it is safe to enter the school I will return this money to you.