Kids Will Get into Treble at Ann Arbor’s Daycroft Montessori School This Summer

Ann Arbor, MI (May 26, 2011) – Kids will get into plenty of treble this summer at Daycroft Montessori School of Ann Arbor.

The Treble Makers – Daycroft’s show choir – will trill on, even as the school’s regular music classes take a break for the summer holiday.

Note, though: This will be a special version of the Treble Makers. Its members will be the boys and girls who attend Daycroft’s choir-themed summer day camp, July 18-22.

treble makers

More than 20 students at Daycroft Montessori School of Ann Arbor sacrifice precious recess time to rehearse and perform as the Treble Makers, the school’s show choir. Daycroft’s music teacher Marlene Inman-Reilly guides the group.

The children taking part in the weeklong camp will not only stretch their vocal abilities, they will practice their dance moves too. And their week of learning, rehearsals, and fun will culminate in an energetic Treble Makers: Summer Edition performance at the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair on the annual event’s festive closing day, Saturday, July 23.

The Treble Makers are tentatively scheduled to sing that day on the Fountain Stage in Ingalls Mall at 11:00 am. The program, still taking shape, should include three or four songs, set to choreographed dance steps, in the popular music vein.

Marlene Inman-Reilly, Daycroft’s music teacher, will lead the Treble Makers: Summer Edition. She also directs the choir during the regular school year.

Over 20 children from grades 3 through 6 are now participating in the choir. “All of the students,” she says, “give up some of their recess time for choir practice. It’s a delight to work with kids who love singing so much, and who are so motivated to improve.”

Ms. Inman-Reilly expects some of the current Treble Makers to sign on for the Summer Edition, though many will be all new choir members, on board for summer camp only.

Raising the Bar – and Topping It

Ms. Inman-Reilly will soon complete her first year with Daycroft. A native South Carolinian, she got her initial taste of the Ann Arbor area while doing postgraduate work at the University of Michigan from 2005 to 2007.

During those years, Ms. Inman-Reilly served as musical director for several productions of Ann Arbor Young People’s Theater (www.youngpeoplestheater.com). “The experience stoked my love for teaching – and the Ann Arbor community,” she says.

Ms. Inman-Reilly was pleased to return to the area, and begin her career with Daycroft, this past fall. “It has been a wonderful experience,” she says. “What’s especially gratifying is how the students keep rising to the occasion. I raise the bar, and the children top it every time.”

Along with the Treble Makers, Ms. Inman-Reilly leads the school’s orchestra, recorder, and hand chimes programs, and helps direct the school’s spring play. This year students performed Seussical, The Musical on May 25 to delighted families and friends.

Plus, choir camp will not be Ms. Inman-Reilly’s only Daycroft project this summer. She will also serve as musical director for the school’s two-week theater camp, beginning on August 15. The campers will perform You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown on the last day of camp, August 26. Abby Knue, a Daycroft kindergarten teacher, will direct.

“It’s a lot of work,” Ms. Inman-Reilly says, “but the support has been phenomenal. My hat is off to the entire Daycroft community – my fellow faculty members, the school administration, parents, and, of course, my students themselves.”

Since returning to Ann Arbor, Ms. Inman-Reilly has also continued to work with the Young People’s Theater. She was the musical director for the troupe’s well-received production of The Sound of Music last fall. This summer she will direct the theater’s summer camp series, including musical productions of Aladdin Jr., 101 Dalmatians, and a Glee-inspired song and dance revue.

Daycroft’s upcoming 2011-12 school year will bring additional challenges for Ms. Inman-Reilly and her students. “We’re determined to grow the school’s musical programs,” she says. “We’ll especially work hard to have each program meet the child’s needs. This is in keeping with the student-centered Montessori approach.”

Daycroft’s 2011 Summer Day Camps

Daycroft’s choir camp is geared to children from grades 3 through 6. Along with vocal training and choreography, the campers will enjoy music-related crafts.

The camp will take place at Daycroft’s Elementary Campus on Zeeb Road. The cost is $220 per child. It includes a karaoke party with pizza on Friday.

Daycroft’s summer camps are open to all children, whether or not they attend Daycroft during the regular school year. The school offers camps for children from kindergarten to grade 6 at its Elementary Campus; it also has summer day camps at its Preprimary Campus on Oakbrook Drive for children from age 3 to beginning kindergarten.

At the Elementary Campus, there will be camps each week from June 13 through August 26, with the exception of July 4-8 – a one-week break for the Independence Day holiday. Camps run from 9:00 am to 4:15 pm, Monday through Friday. Before-care is available free of charge for one hour before camp begins. After-care is not available.

Summer day camps at the Preprimary Campus will begin on June 13 and end on August 19, also with a one-week break, July 4-8. Parents have a choice of half-day (8:30 am to 11:30 am) or full-day (8:30 am to 3:30 pm) camps at this campus.

Parents may register their children for one week, several weeks, or all weeks of camp.

More information can be found at www.daycroft.org/summercamps.

About Daycroft Montessori School

Daycroft Montessori School blends the distinctive student-centered teaching methods of Maria Montessori with traditional and progressive teaching methods. Daycroft thus accomplishes its educational mission: to provide a personalized learning environment that appreciates individual differences, nurtures the whole child, and enables students to develop at their own pace and achieve to their full potential.

Daycroft is one of Washtenaw County’s leading private schools. It began as a preschool program in 1968. Daycroft has since grown to include a full-day kindergarten program, an elementary school program through 6th grade, before-school and after-school care, summer camp programs, and enrichment classes.

Daycroft has earned accreditation from the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS; www.isacs.org). It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS; www.nais.org), and is affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS; www.amshq.org).

Daycroft Preprimary School (preschool and kindergarten) is at 100 E. Oakbrook Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Phone: (734) 930-0333.

Daycroft Elementary School (grades K through 6) and Daycroft’s administrative offices are at 1095 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Phone: (734) 662-3335.

Media Contact:
Chris Kochmanski
DesignHub, Inc.
(734) 944-8705
chris@design-hub.com

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