ALVIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
JUNIOR HIGH BAND PROGRAMS
Katie Batchelor, Kristi Bell, and Kyle Norman, Head Directors
Bryant Aynes, Lance Laster and Kevin Collins, Assistant Directors
August, 2013
Dear 2013-2014 Alvin ISD Band Students and Parents:
Welcome to another fantastic year for the Alvin ISD Band Program! The following handbook provides as much information as possible about the Alvin ISD Junior High Band Programs in a clear and concise format. However, it cannot possibly cover every detail of our band programs. Our doors are always open to answer any questions or alleviate any concerns that you might have throughout the year. This handbook aims to explain the following items:
Band Expectations pg. 2 Step-up Instruments pg. 8
Band Grading Policies pg. 3-4 Band Fundraisers/Clinicians pg. 9
Attendance Policy pg. 4-5 Junior High Band Night pg. 9
Band Binder pg. 5 Region Band Auditions pg. 9
Parental Support pg. 6 Region Band Clinic/Concert pg. 9
Band Updates and Information pg. 6 AISD Solo Display pg. 10
Private Lesson Program pg. 7 AISD Solo Contest pg. 10
Descriptions of Ensembles pg. 7 Burgers and Bands Concert pg. 10
Section Rehearsals pg. 4 & 7-8 AISD Winter Band Extravaganza pg. 10
Individual Listenings pg. 4 & 7 Pre-UIL Concert & Sightreading pg. 9
Band Polo and T-Shirt pg. 7 UIL Concert & Sightreading pg. 10
Formal Concert Uniform pg. 8 Band Festival/Trip pg. 11
Use of School-Owned Instruments pg. 8 Spring Concert pg. 11
Instrument Maintenance and Repair pg. 8 Parent Student Agreement Form pg. 12
Please pay close attention to the calendar. We strongly suggest that you keep a centralized family calendar to mark all of your family’s commitments. This will help prevent last minute notices of conflict. Every effort is made on our end to avoid school related conflicts. Performances/Contests are culminating activities to the long-term work we have done in the classroom to prepare for them. Together we work to achieve our successes, your presence is necessary to help us reach our potential.
Please read and save this handbook for future reference. The last few pages contain: Parent/Student Agreement Form, Alvin ISD Band Student Information Sheet, Medical Emergency Form, Private Lesson Registration Form and Safe Schools Project Consent Form. Please fill out and sign these important documents and return them to your child’s band director on or before ______________________. As always thank you for your continued support of the Alvin ISD Junior High Band Programs.
Sincerely,
Katie Batchelor Kristi Bell Kyle Norman
Fairview Jr. High Harby Jr. High Alvin Jr. High
Purpose of the Band Handbook
This handbook is designed to help you understand the policies, complexities and concepts of a very large and proud organization. We hope it can be used to answer questions and define the boundaries that are important in keeping the band an efficient and enjoyable organization. If utilized properly, the concepts of responsibility, teamwork and good citizenship will develop. If you need information that does not appear here, please ask the directors. We will try to assist you in whatever manner possible.
Governing Bodies that directly affect the Alvin ISD Bands:
1. Alvin Independent School District Board of Trustees
2. Alvin Independent School District Board Policy Manual
3. Alvin High School, Junior High, and Elementary Handbooks
4. Alvin Independent School District Band Handbook
5. University Interscholastic League (Texas Education Agency-UIL) Side by Side
6. Texas Music Educators Association
7. Texas Bandmasters Association
8. Music Region 17 Rules and Regulations (Bylaws and Audition Procedures)
9. Invitational Marching Concert Contests
10. University Interscholastic League Prescribed Music List
11. Alvin Independent School District Transportation Guidelines
Alvin ISD Band Expectations
Above all, an Alvin ISD Junior High Band Student member should exhibit the highest standards of character, honesty, and integrity in everything that he/she does. Every Alvin ISD Band member is expected to follow the guidelines outlined in the AISD Student Handbook and those guidelines of the Alvin ISD Junior High campuses.
In addition to campus classroom guidelines, the following Band Hall guidelines apply:
1. Refrain from food, drink, gum or candy in the Band Hall unless approved by a director.
2. Respect the Band Hall furniture and electrical equipment. Defacing Band Hall equipment will not be tolerated. Classroom metronomes and tuners should not be used by Band students.
3. Only percussionists have permission to touch the percussion equipment at any time.
4. Do not touch another student’s instrument, even with his/her permission.
5. For your protection and as well as to practice, instruments are to be taken home every day.
6. Practice rooms are off-limits unless permission is given by a director.
7. Instrument slots must be kept clean. Do not leave any food items in your slot. Your slot is not to be used to stow things that you need through the school day. Teachers will not allow you to retrieve these items during the day. Items left on the floor are subject to being discarded.
8. Participate in all band functions.
Classroom Procedures
1. Enter the Band Hall calmly and quietly; get materials out quickly. Be alert to where the director is, and when the director steps on the podium, all talking should cease. There is to be no talking during class unless a class or individual response is solicited.
2. Behavior that interferes with the learning process or delays the class will not be tolerated.
3. Be in your seat immediately following the tardy bell with band binder, pencil, oils, reeds, mallets and or sticks, instrument, and whatever else you need to fully participate in class.
4. During class, all instrument cases need to be closed and stored in cubbies except for tubas and percussion. Small instrument cases that can be stowed safely under or beside chair will be allowed in the Band set-up.
5. When you or your section are not playing, go through fingerings, slide positions, or stickings…Be ready to play at any moment.
6. Hair should be out of the eyes during rehearsals and performances.
7. PDA (Public Display of Affection) will not be permitted in the band hall, on busses or at official band functions.
Consequences for misbehavior may include:
1. First Offense - a warning is issued
2. Second Offense - student is sent to alternate location in the room to participate in band and counseled following class as to what behavior modifications need to take place.
3. Third Offense - student is sent to alternate location in room to participate in band and parent contact will be made as soon as possible. Band Detention can be used.
4. Fourth Offense - Student/Parent Conference
5. Fifth Offense - Office Referral
6. Serious Offense - as outlined in the AISD Student Handbook, serious offenses warrant an immediate office referral with school consequences.
Rewards for good behavior:
1. Positive comment/note to the student.
2. Positive comment/note to the parent.
3. Prizes and privileges
4. Party (occurring after school hours)
Through membership in the organization, an AISD Band member represents the Band program in every action that he/she takes. All Band Members are expected to behave with utmost character and as leaders in every endeavor. Band is an extracurricular activity, and it is considered to be a privilege and not a right.
AISD Junior High Band Grading Policy
Band Grades will be based on the following criteria:
1. 15% Playing Grades
2. 20% Participation
3. 35% Sectionals/Listenings
4. 30% Performances
Definitions of Grading Categories:
1. Playing Grade
Consists of assigned material on which students are tested in class, sectionals and listenings.
2. Daily Participation
Includes: full participation in class such as having all equipment necessary (instrument, binder, reeds, sticks and mallets, etc.) and being cooperative in attempting techniques as instructed by director. This also includes taking all instruments and music home to practice every day (exceptions to this are students who may have a home practice horn i.e. tubas or baritones). Students who are unable to bring their instruments home, should make arrangements to practice daily in the Band Hall.
3. Sectionals/Listenings
Attendance at all sectionals and listenings is mandatory. This grade will be based on attendance and participation as well as assigned materials for grades and chair tests. Sectionals will occur according to director and student schedules. Lots of specialized information will be taught in these sessions, so attendance is imperative. Listenings are 15 minute individual “mini-sessions” that are set up after school based on the students’ schedules. Listenings are viewed as weekly appointments with the student’s director to help with building individual skills on music currently being played by the band, scales/techniques, solo and ensemble literature, region audition music.
4. Performances
Performances are culminating events to work done in and outside of the classroom by the students and teachers together. It is imperative that all students attend these important activities. Performances include: Fall Concert/Open House, Bingo Night, Jr. High Band Night, Winter Concert and Spring Concert. We also participate in Pre-UIL and UIL Concert and Sightreading followed by a Festival Contest. Other required performances include: Pep Rallies, Region Tryouts, Solo and Ensemble Contests and other events that the band may be asked to perform for.
Attendance Policy
In order to maximize our rehearsal time, a strict attendance policy must be in place. As a member of the Band YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO YOUR FELLOW BAND MEMBERS to be at all rehearsals on time, to be prepared, and to have all necessary equipment and materials. Student grades will be determined based on evaluations of class attendance, attitude and performance as set by the Alvin ISD Band Calendar. (See also grading procedure)
Attendance
1. All band students must abide by the Alvin ISD attendance policies
2. Attendance is required at all rehearsals, sectionals, and performances.
3. Absences and tardies will be excused in the following cases: (please notify the directors)
a. Medical emergency or personal injury
b. Death in the Family
c. Religious holiday
d. Conflict with another school activity documented in advance.
4. Examples of UNEXCUSED absences and tardies include, but are not limited to:
a. Work
b. Oversleeping
c. Transportation not arranged
d. Anything deemed unexcused by Alvin ISD Administration
A major part of the music curriculum is the development of performance skills. Therefore, “unexcused” absences from a sectional, rehearsal or performance, which are integral to developing these skills, will lower a student’s grade as follows:
A. Sectionals, listenings and rehearsals are course requirements that involve interaction from members of the group. Therefore “unexcused” absences from a before or after school sectional or rehearsal will lower a student’s grade.
B. Performances are a culmination of group course requirements and cannot be made up. Therefore, an “unexcused” absence from a scheduled performance will reflect a grade of “0” to be averaged in the student’s performance grade, and the student “may” be subject to removal from the course. The student will be removed from extracurricular events for the remainder of the semester.
C. Absences whether excused or unexcused, must be made up prior to the next scheduled performance. Extenuating circumstances will be worked out between directors, guardians and students.
Other absences and tardies, excused or unexcused, may be made up in accordance with the school/teacher grading guidelines.
Academic Requirements (No Pass, No Play)
Excerpted from TEA-UIL Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities Handbook
A student who receives, at the end of any grading period (after the first six weeks of the school year), a grade below 70 in an academic class or a student with disabilities who fails to meet the standards in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) may not participate in extracurricular activities for a least three school weeks. An ineligible student may practice or rehearse, however. The student regains eligibility when the principal and teachers determine that he or she has: 1) earned a passing grade (70 or above) in all academic classes, and 2) completed the three school weeks of ineligibility.
All schools must check grades for all participants at the end of the first nine weeks of the school year. From that point, grades are checked at the end of the grading period, whether it is six, nine, or twelve weeks in length. Students who pass remain eligible until the end of the next grading period.
Co-curricular Activities
All rehearsals, sectionals, listenings and most performances before and after school are considered Co-curricular Activities. Co-curricular Activities are activities that all students participate in, even students who are having academic difficulties. Grading will occur for all of these obligations.
Band Binder
The Band Binder consists of:
1. A hard-sided inch and half three ring hard-sided binder
2. Approximately 50 clear, plastic cover protective sheets (page protectors)
3. A pencil and an ultra fine point clicker blue, black or red Sharpie EVERYDAY!
Band binders should be labeled with the student’s name, band locker number, instrument and band class/period. Please ensure that your child has a functional band notebook to help protect his/her music and keep it organized.
Parental Support
Parental support is crucial to any successful child. Therefore, it is equally crucial to any successful band program. The AISD Junior High Band program prides itself on the extensive support of the band parents. There are numerous opportunities throughout the year to become actively involved in your child’s band experience. Parent volunteers are absolutely necessary and always welcome. Parent volunteers are welcome on concerts, trips, and activities. If you would like to volunteer or chaperone any band event or function throughout the year, you must fill out the Safe Schools Project Consent Form. If you have completed this form within the last 5 years it is not necessary to resubmit.
Band Updates and Information
You will receive important information concerning the Band program two ways this year!
Letters and notes sent home via your student AND email notifications. Please fill out the information form completely so that we have all of the necessary email addresses to use for contact. You will also be able to retrieve information via your school’s Band website—more detailed information will be available through your Band Director.
Band Supplies
Woodwind students should have on hand:
1. LaVoz Reed Guard
2. At least 3 or 4 working reeds
3. Cork grease
4. Silk swab designed for your instrument
5. Metronome and tuner
6. A container to soak reeds in (Double reeds)
7. Tuning /Cleaning rod along with cloth to swab (Flutes)
Brass students should have on hand:
1. Al Cass, Blue Juice, or Hetman Oils (Valved instruments)
2. Trombotine or Slide O Mix and a small squirt bottle (Trombones)
3. Schilke tuning slide grease
4. Mouthpiece brush and snake to clean instrument (to be kept at home)
5. Metronome and tuner