Kindergarten (full day): 

Students continue to learn about musical opposites, so mi la do, classroom instruments, and steady beat. This month we will share songs, dances, and games about winter and Valentines day to reinforce these concepts.  Looking ahead, the kindergarten music program and cookie reception will be over the lunch hour on Thursday, April 30 at 12:45 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Invite your family and friends! (Please note, siblings who attend SEAS school will not be dismissed from school to attend the program.) More information to come soon!

1st Grade: 

Students will be learning about some of the families and instruments of the orchestra through the orchestral story “Peter and the Wolf.” Make sure to mark your 2026  calendars, the first grade music program will be Thursday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Program participation is required, more information to come soon!

2nd Grade: 

Our “Sing Me a Story” music program is coming up on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. All program info was sent home on a yellow paper at the end of January and can also be found HERE. Dress examples can be found HERE. Speaking parts were sent home on a colored paper the first week of February and need to be memorized by Monday, February 23.

3rd Grade: 

Our “Sing Me a Story” music program is coming up on Tuesday, March 10 at 7:15 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. All program info was sent home on a blue paper at the end of January and can also be found HERE. Dress examples can be found HERE. Speaking parts were sent home on a colored paper the first week of February and need to be memorized by Monday, February 23.

4th Grade: 

Students are off to a great start with recorders! They are learning to play a variety of songs that use the notes B, A, and G.

If your child is interested in 4th grade Schola, please contact me via email.

5th Grade: 

Students are learning about a composer through a month-long writing / listening project.

Middle School Choir:

Our Spring Concert is on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Participation is required.

Honor Clinic reschedule is TBD.

Upper and Lower Schola:
Quarter 3 schedule can be found HERE.

Kindergarten (full day): 

Students will be singing “so mi la do” songs and learning some new games to reinforce singing alone and with others. Make sure to mark your calendars, the kindergarten music program will be Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 12:45 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall.

1st Grade: 

Students will be learning about beat and rhythm, and reading music notation for one and two sounds per beat. Make sure to mark your calendars, the first grade music program will be Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Program participation is required.

2nd Grade: 

The third quarter will be spent preparing for and performing our music program. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Program participation is required! Interest form with all program info came home on a yellow paper January 22/23 and can also be found HERE. Dress examples can be found HERE.

3rd Grade: 

The third quarter will be spent preparing for and performing our music program. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Program participation is required! Interest form with all program info came home on a blue paper January 22/23 and can also be found HERE. Dress examples can be found HERE.

4th Grade: 

We will be reviewing the notes on the staff and beginning our recorder unit. This is an excellent opportunity for students to practice the music reading skills they have learned in music class with a real musical instrument, and it is a great introduction to band (which will be an option for students beginning in the fifth grade). Each student will have their own recorder that will stay in the music room. If students would like to play at home, I recommend THIS RECORDER, however, the time we spend in class on recorders will be sufficient practice to master our concepts without additional practice at home.

If your child is interested in 4th grade Schola, please contact me via email.

5th Grade: 

We will be learning about the eras of music history through group projects, and beginning our composer writing project.

Middle School Choir:

Diocesan Honor Clinic is Monday, January 26, 2026 from 1:00-7:30 p.m. at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. Participation is required. Parents, plan to attend the 7:00 p.m. concert (enter through door 4). See email and permission form in PowerSchool for more information.

Our Spring Concert is on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Participation is required. (Concert dress as in December)

Upper and Lower Schola:

Quarter 3 schedule can be found HERE.

Kindergarten:

Students will be learning songs, games, and stories that use  “echo,” and “answer,” singing parts. Students will be learning about musical opposite through various songs, stories, and games.

1st Grade:

Students will be learning about dynamics (volume in music. Students will also be listening for, singing, and showing melody that goes up / down / stays the same through various songs, stories, and games. 

2nd Grade:

Students will be learning about the instruments of the orchestra during November.

3rd Grade:

Students will be learning to listen for, read, and sing so mi la and mi re do patterns through a variety of songs and games. Students will learn to identify the notes of the musical alphabet on the treble staff.

4th Grade:

Our “Destination: America!” program is coming up on Thursday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Program participation is required. A few notes about the evening…

• Program dress is a SOLID red, white, or blue top (no hoodies), ankle length blue jeans with no rips or tears, and tennis shoes. Examples of appropriate program dress can be found HERE
• Please enter through the gymnasium doors, they will unlock at 6:10, there is no need to arrive any earlier than this.
• Fourth graders should stay with parents in Mother Seton Hall until between 6:20-25 and then come to the lunchroom to line up.
• Fourth graders are not to gather in the hallways, in Mother Seton Hall, or wander around the school.
• Siblings should stay with parents before, during, and after the program.
• Jackets and personal items should be left with parents during the program.
• Please be mindful of people coming into Mother Seton Hall after your program, as the 5th grade program is immediately following 4th grade (at 7:15)

5th Grade: 

Our “Destination: America!” program is coming up on Thursday, November 13 at 7:15 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Program participation is required. A few notes about the evening…

• Program dress is a SOLID red, white, or blue top (no hoodies), ankle length blue jeans with no rips or tears, and tennis shoes. Examples of appropriate program dress can be found HERE
• There is a 4th grade program immediately before yours so please be mindful of arrival times and don’t arrive too early. Fifth graders should stay with parents in Mother Seton Hall until between 7:05-7:10 and then come to the lunchroom to line up.
• Fifth graders are not to gather in the hallways, in Mother Seton Hall, or wander around the school.
• Siblings should stay with parents before, during, and after the program.
• Jackets and personal items should be left with parents during the program

Middle School Choir (6th-8th):

We are preparing for both our Christmas Concert (Thursday, December 11 at 7:00 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall) and the Diocesan Honor Clinic (Monday, January 26 at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School). All our dates for the year and information about concert dress can be found HERE.

Upper and Lower Schola:

Quarter 2 schedule can be found HERE.

Kindergarten:

We are learning about steady beat through games, stories, and songs. We will be learning to sing so mi patterns and music going up and down this month through a variety of stories, songs, and games including some fun Halloween themed activities!

1st Grade:

We will learn to read, show, and sing a variety of rhythms using so-mi-la-do patterns. We will learn to identify and use dynamics (volume) in music.

2nd Grade:

We will reinforce rhythms we have learned (quarter note and rest, paired eighths) with the addition of our new note: half note. We will sing and read music with so mi la do patterns.

3rd Grade:

We will continue learning to read and sing rhythms that include whole note and sixteenth notes. We will identify and observe whole and half rests in written music. We will identify, sing, read, and show “mi re do” patterns in music.

4th Grade:

Our “Destination: America!” program is coming up on Thursday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. All program information was sent home on a red paper the last week of September. This info can also be found HERE. Examples of program dress can be found HERE.

Script can be found HERE

Part assignments can be found HERE

5th Grade:

Our “Destination: America!” program is coming up on Thursday, November 13 at 7:15 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. All program information was sent home on a blue paper the last week of September. This info can also be found HERE. Examples of program dress can be found HERE.

Script can be found HERE

Part assignments can be found HERE

Middle School Choir (6th-8th):

We are hard at work preparing for both our Christmas Concert (December 11) and the Diocesan Honor Clinic (January 26). All our dates for the year and information about concert dress can be found HERE.

Schola:

Quarter 2 schedule for both Upper and Lower Schola can be found HERE.

Pre K (PM and All Day):
We will be singing and moving to songs about letters, numbers, food, and the season Fall this month!

Kindergarten:
We are learning to use our four voices, and show the steady beat through a variety of songs, games, and classroom instruments.

1st Grade:
We are continuing to learn and practice steady beat and our four voices with songs, games, and classroom instruments. We will learn to sing, show, and read so and mi and listen for, sing, and show one and two sounds per beat (rhythm).

2nd Grade:
We will be learning to read, sing, and notate rhythms with quarter notes and rests, paired eighth notes, and half notes this month. We will sing songs and play games using so, mi, and la.

3rd Grade:
We are learning sixteenth notes and whole notes, and reviewing notes and rhythms we know through songs, games, and aural dictation.

4th Grade:
Mark your calendars now, our fourth grade “Destination: America” music program is Thursday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Program participation is required. Speaking part interest forms and all the details you need to know will be sent home the last week of September.

5th Grade:
Mark your calendars now, our fifth grade “Destination: America” music program is Thursday, November 13 at 7:15 p.m. in Mother Seton Hall. Program participation is required. Speaking part interest forms and all the details you need to know will be sent home the last week of September.

Middle School (6th-8th) Choir:
We have enjoyed getting to know each other during the first few weeks of school. We have a great group of 23 singers this year. We are preparing for both our December 11, 7:00 p.m. Christmas Concert, and the Catholic Schools Week January 26 Diocesan Middle School Honor Clinic. Blue papers were sent home with your students with all our dates and concert dress info for the year. This information can also be found HERE

Schola:
Upper and Lower Schola Quarter 1 schedules can be found HERE

I am Mrs. Monica DeGraffenreid (Mrs. D), and this will be my tenth year teaching at St. Elizabeth's, and my 15th year with the diocese. My husband and I have four children… a senior at Bishop Carroll, a sophomore at Eisenhower HS, and our two youngest are SEAS students. I enjoy hiking, reading, cooking, and spending time with my family. Working with the Liturgy is my favorite part about teaching music in a Catholic school. We have so much fun in the music room, and I am excited to share my love of music and liturgy with all of our students! Special thanks to the Knights of Columbus and the American Red Cross for their generous donation last spring, we are excited to have many new instruments in our music room this year!! Below, please find a bit more information about music class, plus our 2025-2026 program dates. Please reach out to me via email if you have any questions or concerns.

SCHEDULE: 

• Kindergarten thru 5th grade “B” classes attend music for 30 minutes on Mondays and Wednesdays, “A” classes attend on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fridays alternate between music and PE.
• All Day and PM PreK have me come to their room for 20 minutes of music on Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Middle School Choir meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays during activity period
• Upper Schola (group of 7th-8th graders selected last spring) meets on Wednesdays during activity period and Fridays *that we sing Mass* before school at 7:30
• Lower Schola (open to any 5th-6th grader) meets *only* the weeks that we sing Mass, on Thursdays and Fridays before school at 7:30.

INSTRUCTION:  In a typical K-5th week, we spend M/W, T/Th learning and practicing a musical concept. On Fridays we folk dance or study a composer. Liturgical (Mass) preparation is woven into our opening prayer time and musical instruction.

GRADING: Music grading rubric for 3rd-5th can be found HERE. K-2 have a quarterly standards-based grade for music skills and participation/conduct. Behavior issues will be communicated via music rule cards. Please sign and return.

LITURGY: Our Upper and Lower Scholas (which together make up our Combined Schola) help lead music at our Friday school liturgies. Quarter 1 schedule and more info HERE. Interested fourth graders will have opportunities to assist musically at Masses later in the year.

SEAS STARS: We have a "SEAS Stars" board in the music room to recognize the musical accomplishments of our students. If you have a picture of your child doing a music activity (piano or dance recital, choir, musical, music lessons, etc.), please send it!

MUSIC NEWS: I will update this website at the beginning of each month with what we are learning, and program info, so please check back. It is going to be a great year!

PROGRAMS: Music program participation is required. All music programs are held in Mother Seton Hall. Family and friends are invited! More info will be sent out via paper note and email to individual classes as programs near. Music program dates for this year are:

Kindergarten:
Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 12:45 p.m.

1st grade:
Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

2nd grade:
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

3rd grade:
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 7:15 p.m.

4th grade:
Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.

5th grade:
Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

Middle School Choir:

• Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. (see below for concert dress requirements)
• Monday, January 26, 2026 Diocesan Choral Clinic at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School (time and details TBA)
• Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. 

CONCERT DRESS REQUIREMENTS for MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR

LADIES: black skirt (knee length or longer recommended) or dress pants (no leggings) with a dressy black top, or an all black dress. Sleeveless is not recommended. No jeans or t-shirts. Black dress shoes (keep heel height to a minimum).

In keeping with dress dress requirements for eighth grade promotion, dresses and skirts that are high above the knee, have a low neckline, strapless/spaghetti straps, and/or have a low/no back are not appropriate dress. Shawls are not to be considered as a cover-up. 

GENTLEMEN: black dress pants with belt and white dress shirt (subtle tie optional). Black socks and dress shoes, preferably black. No jeans, t-shirts, or tennis shoes.