Start Date for Rentals:  AUGUST 1ST

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):

 
1. When can we start the process to rent our instrument from the Music and Arts online form? 
August 1st! This date will be when you can start to go online to rent your instrument of choice! 

2. Will I be charged with a payment for the rental as soon as we reserve our instrument? 
You will not be charged with a payment for your instrument until the 2020 school year begins, even if you order/reserve your rental a few months in advance! So make sure to start your rental process as soon as you know the rental start date! 
​
3. Do we have to use Music and Arts to obtain an instrument, or can we buy our own instrument? 
We do not recommend buying any instruments off of Amazon or other sources online (especially stringed instruments since we change sizes!) If you already own an instrument (for example, one has been passed down in your family), please send an email or call the teacher who teaches that instrument ASAP so your instrument can be looked at and approved for your child to play. 

4. Are there any scholarships available for instruments to borrow from Wixon? 
There are limited scholarship instruments available, depending on the instrument that you select. Mrs. Noble for String instruments, or Mrs. Capparella for band instruments, will accept limited requests on a first come first serve basis. Please email the teacher that correlates with the instrument you are interested in with this request. 

If your question was not answered here, we would be happy to answer any other questions you have via email or phone!  Feel free to contact us with the methods below: 
Contact Information: 
​Email: daviesj@dy-regional.k12.ma.us
Phone: (630) 947-5463 
Contact Information: 
​Email: capparen@dy-regional.k12.ma.us ​

COVID-19 Updates: 
Current Procedures and Precautions

This page is updated with current CDC guidelines and Massachusetts Education guidelines on a weekly basis.
​Of course anything could change at any time, but we hope this page will answer any of your current questions about how music will continue on at Wixon! 

Band and Orchestra

​The following letter is from both Mrs. Noble and Mrs. Capparella at Wixon.
This letter encloses precautions and procedures they are currently taking and plan to take.

Dear future and present Wixon Families of the Orchestra or Band,

Thank you for your support, and continued support, through this unprecedented time together. Music makes peace around us, and that is especially beneficial during this time. We look forward to sharing our music with others again!

We have a lot to work though together in the future, but for now, here is what Wixon is currently doing to keep up with our instrument students from a distance:

1. Orchestra has a Google Classroom that posts weekly, pre-recorded videos of Mrs. Noble giving a lesson for those kids who do not have access or permission to participate on Zoom. She has been creating assignments that are optional for her students to complete, and they are free to send in video or audio of themselves playing their instrument at any time.

2. Orchestra and Band have the option to participate in Zoom lessons online for one-on-one, tutoring-style instrument lessons with their respective teachers for the duration of the school year. We have had a great turn out of students online and have been having lots of fun learning new songs over Zoom!

As for the future... Provided that we are back in school in September of 2020, We imagine that we would continue to follow all CDC and Massachusetts Educational guidelines: staying 6 feet apart and/or wearing proper facial coverage.
​As for class size, we will continue to have our small group lessons of less than 10 throughout the day, but large ensembles (30+ people) are yet to be decided.

Lastly, we have the deepest appreciation for our school leaders and administration for continuing to support us, especially with Covid-19 precautions in place. Music is important in many aspects and will be essential to bringing normalcy back to our lives and in our school routines. For our incoming 3rd graders, we hope you join us in Orchestra or Band next year, and for those returning to Wixon, we will welcome you back with open arms and instrument cases!

​ We will update my letter if for any reason we will not be returning to school physically in September. Thank you again for your support, and the instruments will play on!

Musically,
Mrs. Noble
Wixon Strings/Orchestra
Mrs. Capparella
Wixon Band