Haslett Happenings

Article by Elia Reif, Murphy Music Teacher

At Murphy we are very fortunate to have a community that recognizes the importance of music from a young age. These students will go on to sing, play and create music as proud members of the band and choir at the middle and high school. Together we celebrate our students' growth at the quarterly concerts which showcase the range of musical skills from our time in the music room. There is no moment more precious for us than to see our students take ownership of their musicianship. It’s a sweet reminder of their musical potential as well as a sign of developing strong character.

Each day, students are excited when they walk into the music room! Students entering the classroom see all kinds of instruments; The biggest are the barred instruments from the percussion family, often made of wood (xylophones) or metal (metallophones, glockenspiels). Other classroom instruments include drums, recorders, ukuleles and small unpitched percussion (shakers, wood blocks, etc.) lining the shelves.

As elementary music teachers we prioritize a sequential instruction that leads into playing these instruments. If you were to pass a music room you would hear rhythmic speech, singing, body percussion followed by the organized chaos of classroom instruments. For the teacher, the chaotic sounds are a welcome and joyful noise of students learning the fundamentals of music. We value the musical ideas students bring and encourage sharing these creations with the class. The process of teaching and allowing room for students to create is the ultimate goal of elementary music class.

Students at Wilkshire begin their musical journey with lots of movement, vocal exploration, and foundational music skills. Our young fives and kindergarteners are currently learning how to move their bodies to various styles of music, identify the steady beat of a song, and correctly play basic percussion instruments like egg shakers, rhythm sticks, and hand drums. They are also practicing sharing creative ideas through activities such as moving like different animals and “making soup” with different kinds of (imaginary) foods. Our first graders are building on their skills by learning folk dances, beginning their first steps of music literacy, and deepening their knowledge of instruments and solfege syllables. All of our Wilkshire students are singing and dancing each day they attend music class and we are so excited to see all that they can do this year!

Article by Mallory Voris, Ralya Music Teacher

Fifth graders at Ralya learned a musical jumping grid which blends together movement and building their abilities to keep a steady beat. They practiced moving and jumping along to the half note subdivision of a song while memorizing the pattern of movement to navigate through our grid. They are now beginning to explore a new instrument, the ukulele! Our fifth graders just started learning the basics on proper instrument care and parts of the instrument and soon they will be ready to start learning their first chords!

Fourth graders have been singing and playing a variety of different instruments, including barred instruments like the xylophone, hand drums, and shakers. Students have been practicing executing different rhythmic patterns while singing a distinct melody to create a beautiful, well-balanced ensemble. Our fourth graders are also about to be introduced to a brand new instrument this year, the recorder! We have been reviewing instrument parts and proper care to get them all ready to start playing their first notes!

Third graders are busy dancing various folk dances from around the world! The first dance they learned was “Sasha.” Derived from Russia, this dance tests the students' speed in hand clapping. Each dance we learn will span the continents and focus on the culture and history of the countries from which they originate. Some dances are partner dances, while others are line or group dances. We can’t wait to share these dances with Haslett families at our Family Folk Dance night on October 23, 2025 at 6:30 pm in the Ralya gym!

Second graders have been moving and grooving with name games. It’s always so fun to get to know new Ralya students! They have been working systematically on learning the Ralya School Song with American Sign Language so they can join in at our Monday Morning Meetings. This week, we also broke out the xylophones and played them with a partner while singing the song, “One for the Money.”

Adaptive music takes place every morning for 30 minutes. We explore our voices by using props like scarves and stuffed animals. Singing to our stuffies is a favorite activity! Students also use instruments like shakers and tambourines to accompany their dance and movement. We take time to sing simple songs and listen to various genres of music. We look forward to expanding our repertoire throughout the year!

Has a staff member made a real difference for your child or family this year? We want to hear about it! Use this form to recognize a teacher, aide, or any school staff member who has gone above and beyond. It’s a great way to celebrate their hard work and let them know how much they’re appreciated.

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Schedules

The High School Athletic Schedule is updated regularly. For the most up-to-date list of events, please refer to the Athletic Page on the Haslett Public Schools website.

The Middle School Athletic Schedul e can also be found on the website under the Middle School Page.

All athletic information is housed in the same location. Athletic fees, schedules, and athlete code of conduct information is all provided using this athletic information link.