is pleased to announce a song contest to launch the DDSB’s new motto, "Ignite Learning".
The DDSB will be looking for an original song this winter, preferably written by a Durham Board student or team of
student writers, to launch the Board's new motto. All Durham students, grade one-twelve are welcome to write a song
for the contest. To have one's song selected for use across the DDSB would be a great distinction.
An example of an inspirational song would be the DSBN’s (District School Board of Niagara's) song "The Sky's The Limit".
If the best Durham student song submitted is suitable for use, the DDSB would award the writer with a professionallyrecorded studio copy of their song, and the honour of having their song used to encourage and inspire others as the
official song of the Durham District School Board.
The theme of the song should center around the motto "Ignite Learning" Some of the concepts from the new DDSB
"Ignite Learning" statement, which could be woven into/ rephrased in the song, are:
-Every learner can be successful
-We will bring learning alive
-Education is an individual journey
-Every student has the potential to grow
-The DDSB welcomes the involvement of parents, caregivers, staff, and students
-The community is our partner in education
-The home is also an essential environment for inspiring success and learning
-We value the richness of human racial and cultural diversity
-Learning is ignited when we explore different points of view
-Choice and voice are important to student engagement
-Teachers will try different approaches and pathways to learning
-We will continuously improve our schools
-We will keep pace in our accelerating technological world by integrating technology
-We will keep an open channel --good communication is a cornerstone of positive relationships
-We will work together to find solutions, and to improve student achievement and well-being
An official entry form may be downloaded through the 'EVENTS' page of the SASS web site, www.sasscanada.net Entries
will be juried by a panel including musicians, DDSB Trustees and Senior Staff. Original entries will be collected through
sass@sasscanada.net . Entrants will email a simple but clear, cell phone recording of a singer interpreting the original lyrics and
melody, an email sharing the lyrics, and a completed entry form. Judges will begin listening to entries on January 21, 2015. The
top five finalists of the contest will be notified approx. 10 days later, with the winning song announced by February 17,
2015. Students will retain their writer’s copyright to all songs submitted but the winner or winners would allow the DDSB to use the top song as
needed to promote the new motto “Ignite Learning”, as described on the official entry form.
Watch the EVENTS page of www.sasscanada.net for breaking news on the “Ignite Learning” song contest!
Entry form for the
Please have your teacher courier this signed entry form to Artemis Chartier at Sinclair Secondary School
by January 21, 2015 Please e-mail your lyrics and mp3 directly to sass@sasscanada.net
Name of writer(s): __________________________________________________________________________
Home phone: (_____) ____________________________ Cell: (_____) _________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________
City: _________________ School:________________________Age: _________ (Writers over 20 are not eligible to enter)
E-mail: (please print neatly)________________________________________________________________________
Song title: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Please check if applicable:
___I certify that this song is my original work. All lyrics, melodies, riffs, and/or loops are my own.
___This song has not yet been published, and I own its copyright /publishing.
___ If I am one of the top winners, I would be pleased to have my photo, name, song title, school and city of origin, bio, and list of prizes
won posted on the www.sasscanada.net web site, the Durham District School Board /DDSB web site, and/or in press releases from SASS
or the DDSB.
____I understand that, if my song is selected as the winning song, I will be offered a high-end production with lead vocals recorded by
either me or another singer and/or instrumentalists who have been approved by the DDSB. I understand that the DDSB will pay all
production and professional musician costs and present me with a CD of the finished track as part of my prize.
____ I understand that “Winning Song” means the original composition selected by the Durham District School Board to serve as its
official song. All songwriting rights for the “Winning Song” including, but not limited to, performance, publishing, synchronization rights
and royalties, shall be retained by the Author, subject only to the following:
The Author grants an irrevocable license in perpetuity to the Durham District School Board to use the “Winning Song”, in whole or in part,
in the following manner:
i. the worldwide right to publicly perform, communicate to the public, stream, exhibit, broadcast, transmit, distribute, record and store the
“Winning Song”;
ii. the exclusive worldwide right to mechanically and digitally reproduce and store the Durham District School Board’s performances of
the “Winning Song” in all physical and digital sound carrier formats without payment to the Winner for such uses and non-exclusive license
thereafter;
iii. the right to arrange, adapt, translate the “Winning Song”;
iv. the right to embody the “Winning Song” in various forms of demos and to create sheet music of various arrangements for the “Winning
Song”;
v. any other use consistent with the Durham District School Board’s purposes of using the “Winning Song” as its official song.This license
binds the heirs, executors, successors, legal representatives, licensees and assigns of the parties hereto.
The Author agrees that the “Winning Song” shall not be used in any manner or for any purpose that disparages the Durham District
School Board or otherwise results in harm, whether real or perceived,to the Durham District School Board’s reputation.
Signature of writer(s): _______________________________________________________________ Date:______________________
Signature of parent/guardian_________________________________________(if writer is under 18) Date:_____________________
“Ignite Learning” song contest check list:
I have included, or will email to sass@sasscanada.net :
_____ A clear recording of my one entry song on CD or mp3
_____ A typed, spell-checked copy of my original lyrics (with my name, school, e-mail and
phone number on the BACK)
Please note: CDs, lyric sheets, press kits, etc. will not be returned.
Please limit the number of free song contest entries to ONE PER STUDENT.
Evaluation Criteria (Total:
/60 marks)
1. Introduction - 2 marks
2. Verses - 5 marks
3. Chorus - 5 marks
4. Build, progression - 3 marks
5. Hook - 5 marks
6. Bridge - 2 marks
7. Groove - 3 marks
8. Ending - 2 marks
9. Song length ( Suggested: 2 - 4 minutes) - 3 marks
10. Development of the ‘Ignite Learning’ theme- 10 marks
11. Overall quality and impact- 10 marks
12. Singing ability on recording (pitch, warmth, tone) – 5 marks
13. Production: (Sufficient clarity and volume on the vocals and overall balance to allow the melody to
be heard) - 5 marks