COLORADO HS BAND HANDBOOK
2014 – 2015
The following pages are intended to make all students and parents aware of the requirements and expectations for high school band. Please read carefully, and then both parent and student must sign and date the agreement form. Return the agreement, the marching band acknowledgement form and the medical release form (pages 17-19) to Mr. Johns by Thursday, August 29, 2013. This will count as a grade. 10 points will be deducted every day it is late. Any student who doesn’t have these forms in by Friday will not be able to go with us to the first football game.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents ...... 2
Calendar ...... 3-4
Plan of Classroom Discipline ...... 5
Grade Book ...... 5
Participation ...... 5
Test Average ...... 5
Summer Band ...... 6
Monday Night Rehearsals ...... 6
Concerts / Performances ...... 7
Playing Tests ...... 7
Written Assignments ...... 8
Sectionals ...... 8
Music Memory ...... 8
Inspection ...... 8
Football Games ...... 9
Other Marching Performances ...... 10
Out-of-town Trips ...... 10
Uniform Care / Responsibility ...... 10-11
Conduct at Hotels / Condos ...... 11
Extra Credit ...... 11
How Parents Can Help ...... 12
Individual Students Accounts ...... 12
...... 13-14
Band Letter Jacket ...... 15
Auxiliary Regulations ...... 16
Wolf Band Scholarship Requirements & Application ...... 17
Final Comments ...... 18
Agreement Form (to be returned) ...... 18
General Information (to be returned) ...... 18
Marching Band Acknowledgement Form (to be returned) ...... 19
Medical Release Form (to be returned)...... 20
For clarity, “you” will refer to the band student. “Me” or “I” will refer to Mr. Johns
BAND CALENDAR
ColorLegend: High School, Middle School, Both groups
July 19 / 9:00-4:30 / Leadership Clinic with Mr. Lunney/CMS Band Hall
July 20 / 7:30 pm / Welcome Back Party/CMS outside Band Hall
July 21-25 / 8:00-12:00, 1:30-5:00 / Summer Band Camp/CMS
August 4 - 8 / M-T-T 6-9 pm W-F 3-5 / Summer Band/CMS
August 11- 14 / M-T-T 6-9pm W 3-5pm / Summer Band/CMS
August 15 / 1:30-6:00 / Uniform Check-out
August 18- 21 / M-T-T 7-9pm W 3-5pm / Summer Band/CMS
August 22 / 4:00 pm / Reward dinner for “Marchdown” winners & LCs
August 25 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Marching practice/CHS Stadium
August 29 / 7:30 pm / Albany game/Albany
September 1 / 8:00-10:00 am / Marching practice/ Band practice field
September 1 / 7:30 pm / Pigskin Preview/CHS Stadium
September 4 / 4:00-8:00 pm / Beginner Band Instrument Drive/CMS Band Hall
September 5 / 7:30 pm / Crane game/ CHS Stadium
September 8 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Marching practice/CHS Stadium
September 12 / 7:30 pm / Brownfield game/CHS Stadium
September 15 / 6:00 pm / Open House/CHS
September 15 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Marching practice/CHS Stadium
September 19 / 4:30 pm / Homecoming Parade/downtown
September 19 / 7:30 pm / Clyde game/CHS Stadium
September 20 / All day / WTAC Drum Line, Color Guard, Drum Major competition/ Lubbock Coronado HS
September 22 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Marching practice/CHS Stadium
September 26 / 7:30 pm / Hawley game/Hawley
September 29 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Marching practice/CHS Stadium
October 3 / 7:30 pm / FREE Friday night – YEA!
October 4 / All day / San Angelo Marching Festival/San Angelo
October 6 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Marching practice– clinic with Mr. Lunney /CHS stadium
October 8 / During school / Pre-UIL/Odessa Ratliff stadium
October 10 / 7:30 pm / Stanton game/Stanton
October 13 / early pm or am / Marching practice/CHS stadium
October 13 / Afternoon / Big Country Marching Band Festival/Abilene-Wylie HS
October 17 / 7:30 pm / Coleman game/CHS Stadium (CMS 7-8th grade Band attends)
October 18 / All day / UIL Region Marching Contest/Odessa-Ratliff Stadium
Practice that morning at our practice field
October 24 / 7:30 pm / Ballinger game/Ballinger
October 31 / 7:30 pm / Post game/CHS Stadium (Senior Night & Halloween dress)
November 7 / 7:30 pm / Coahoma game/Coahoma
November 14-15 / Play-off game ???
November 19 / Poinsettia fundraiser begins
Date / Time / Event/Place
November 21-22 / Play-off game ???
November 28-29 / Play-off game ???
December 3 / Poinsettia fundraiser ends
December 6 / 6:00 pm / Christmas Parade/downtown
December 8 / 2:00-8:00 pm / ATSSB (A-3A) All-Region Band try-outs/Greenwood HS
December 10 / Poinsettias come in
December 13 / 10:00-4:00 pm / Middle School All-Region Band try-outs/Kermit JH
December 14 / 2:00 pm / Winter Concert/CHS auditorium
January 10 / All day / ATSSB Area try-outs/Idalou HS
January 16-17 / 9 am-4 pm / Middle School All-Region Bands Clinic with concert at 6 pm/Stanton HS
January 20 / 3:45-5:00 / UIL Sectionals/CMS Band Hall
January 23-24 / 9 am-4 pm / ATSSB All-Region Bands Clinic with concert at 6 pm/Midland HS
January 26 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Concert/Sight-reading practice/CHS BH
January 27 / 3:45-5:00 / UIL Sectionals/CMS Band Hall
February 2 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Concert/Sight-reading practice/CHS BH
February 3 / 3:45-5:00 / UIL Sectionals/CMS Band Hall
February 7 / All day / UIL Band Solo-Ensemble Contest/Angelo State University
February 9 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Concert/Sight-reading practice/CHS BH
February 10 / 3:45-5:00 / UIL Sectionals/CMS Band Hall
February 11-15 / TMEA Convention for All-State students & band directors/San Antonio
February 16 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Concert BandClinic with Mr. Lunney/CHS BH
February 17 / 3:45-5:00 / Concert Band Clinic with Mr. Lunney/CMS Band Hall
February 21 / All day / Wolf Band Festival/CHS – Middle School Band performs, 6th grade solos
February 23 / 7:00-9:00 pm / Concert/Sight-reading practice/CHS BH
February 24 / 3:45-5:00 / UIL Sectionals/CMS Band Hall
February 26 / All day / UIL Concert/Sight-reading contest/CHS Auditorium, Gym, Band Hall
March31 / 4:00 pm / Auxiliaries (Drum Majors & Color Guard) try-outs/CHS gym
April 25 / 6:00 pm / Band Banquet/Civic Center
April 26 / 3:00 pm / Spring Concert/CHS auditorium
? / ? / Spring Concert/CMS auditorium
May 8 / All day / Beginner Band trip to PrimeTime/Clyde HS
? / ? / MS Band trip to ?/?
May 23-25 / TSSEC-State Solo-Ensemble Contest/Austin-Pflugerville
May 29 / 8:00 pm / Graduation
June 1 / 1:30-4:00 pm / LC Camp
June 2-4 / 9:00-11:00 am / Freshman Camp (Freshmen & LCs)/CHS
July 11 / 9:00-4:00 / Leadership Clinic with Mr. Lunney
July 12 / 7:30 pm / Welcome Back Party
July 13-17 / 8:00 – 5:00 / Summer Band Camp
August 3 until school begins / Summer Band begins (M-T-T 6-9 pm) (W-F 3-5 pm)
I will let you know updates and changes as I find out about them. I will also keep the calendar on our website updated with itineraries, information, pictures, etc. You can check that website at
PLAN OF CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE
Step 1 – verbal warning in class
Step 2 – conference (one-on-one) after class
Step 3 – moving chairs (depending on section)
Step 4 – call parent
Step 5 – send to office!
No gum, drinks, or food in the band hall, at marching practice, or at any performance – 10 pushups (Fall) or one day detention (Spring) for each offense.
GRADE BOOK
The student’s 6-weeks grade is made up of a Participation grade and a Test Average. Each one counts 50% of their grade. Extra credit is added as an extra grade to bring up their 6-weeks average.
PARTICIPATION
I give each student a participation grade at the end of each week. It reflects my judgment on how much effort a student puts forth during the week. Sometimes a student may have had some low test grades though they worked very hard. The participation grades can help raise their 6-weeks average to reflect more accurately how they are doing in band. The opposite may also apply.
All students are required to have their instrument at school in playing condition every day. They are expected to have all needed accessories, including mouthpiece, reeds, music, and everything needed to participate in class. Any day a student is not able to participate due to missing item(s), their weekly participation grade will be lowered accordingly. The only exception is the instrument being at the repair shop. In that case, the student needs to make me aware of the situation. We try to have extra instruments on hand for such circumstances.
TEST AVERAGE
Students will usually receive 6 or more test gradeseach 6-weeks. These grades are averaged for the test average (50% of the total 6-weeks grade). The following is a list of some things students receive a test grade for: summer band practices, Monday night rehearsals, concerts/performances, playing tests, written assignments, sectionals, memorization of marching music, inspection before marching performances, and uniform care.
SUMMER BAND
Attendance during summer band is mandatory. Just as the football team and volleyball team must begin practice before school starts, so must we. Students will receive two test grades reflecting their attendance and participation during summer band practice. This grade comes from an average of each day and time attended divided into the number of total required rehearsals.
As summers are getting shorter, many families are planning vacations late in the summer. Please, try to plan your trips before summer band is scheduled to begin. The calendar in this handbook has next summer’s schedule. Also, students will receive a calendar for summer band before school is out in May. If you have not received one by then, please, call me or come by. This should be adequate advance notice for most people to plan. If, however, a student must miss summer band because of a family vacation, he/she will not be penalized by grade; but he/she will march in the alternate line/spot until/unless a spot in the show becomes available.
More and more students are getting jobs. If these jobs are necessary for family support and will conflict with our band schedule, the student and his/her parents need to talk to Mr. Johns, personally, to work something out. If these jobs are just for luxury or for spending money, they should make sure it does not conflict with any band rehearsals or performances. These absences will not be excused and can also result in a student being an alternate. Being part of a band is a great way to learn responsibility. Band is a choice - remember, “There is no ‘I’ in team.”
Each student is responsible to be at each practice on time. If the parents are unable to bring them, it is the student’s responsibility to find a ride. Parents, please, let your child know ahead of time if they need to make arrangements. We have many students in band that are willing to help each other out. Getting a ride need not be a problem. Absence due to no ride will not be excused.
MONDAY NIGHT REHEARSALS
From the time school begins, we will have weekly Monday night rehearsals from 7-9 pm. These rehearsals will take place at our stadium. I will take the percussion instruments and sousaphones to the stadium in the trailer. Those students are responsible for loading their equipment on the trailer before leaving the band hall and unloading their equipment at the band hall after practice. Everyone else will be responsible for getting his or her own equipment to and from the field. These Monday night rehearsals will continue until after all UIL marching events are over, usually by November.
Anyone late to practice will run one lap for every 5 minutes late before they join us on the field. Anyone excessively late for or missing a Monday night rehearsal will be responsible for making up the missed time. Unexcused misses will result in the student becoming an alternate.
In January, we will resume Monday night rehearsals as we prepare for UIL Concert/ Sight-reading Contest. These rehearsals will continue until after UIL.
CONCERTS/PERFORMANCES
Students and parents need to understand that concerts and performances of the Colorado HS Band are counted as a test grade. They are part of the required curriculum for band. All a student must do to earn a “100” is show up on time, wear appropriate attire, and play. If a student is late or dressed incorrectly, his/her grade will be lowered accordingly.
Band members will wear band uniforms for all football games and contests unless otherwise told. I will instruct students what to wear for other performances. Additionally, all students will need to purchase a band “travel shirt” ($15) to be worn whenever we travel together to demonstrate band pride. Should they forget their shirt, they will not be allowed to go with us. If they come to a performance out of uniform, they may not be allowed to perform. In addition to bus travel, we will wear travel shirts to school on the day of Friday football games and contests to show band pride. Exceptions are made for football players and cheerleaders that are required to wear their “uniform” for that team.
If a student skips a performance with no excuse, he/she will receive a “0” with no chance to make it up. Sickness, death in the family, or other major family emergencies is excused. Any other excuses are handled on an individual basis. “I couldn’t get a ride,” is no excuse! With so many students in the band program, you can find a ride if you will try. If you must miss a performance for any unexpected reason, please, call or text me ahead of time if possible. Be sure to bring a parent or doctor note when you return. If you know in advance that you will be absent from a performance, bring a parent note at least one week ahead of time.
Even if you are absent from school on the day of a performance, call me or I will expect you to be at the performance. Make sure to bring a note the following day for me to keep in my files. If the absence is excused, another assignment may be given (whether playing or written) so you can have a grade.
PLAYING TESTS
Students will be given playing tests on a regular basis to assess their development and progress on their instrument. Students can expect one or two playing tests in a semester. Playing testmay be done in class or recorded in another room. Playing tests are usually done in conjunction with chair tests. Chair tests allow the students to be placed in a chair order (1st chair, 2nd chair, etc.) based on how well they play. If a student misses a chair test, they are put at the end of the section until the next chair test or until they challenge. If a student is not happy with their chair, they can challenge any of the students sitting above them. That keeps everything fair to everyone. Challenges are not for a grade. They are simply for chair placement. Any questions on challenges should be directed to Mr. Johns.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
The only times a worksheet or other written assignment will be given is if a student has an excused absence from a performance, if a student is in OCS, or if a student asks for written work for extra credit.
SECTIONALS
Sectionals (or section rehearsals) are a time before or after school when a band director or section leader can work with an individual section. This is a time to work on technique, characteristic tone quality, tuning, hard spots in the music, etc. The high school band will have some sectionals throughout the year. Sectionals are vital for a band to continue to grow in order to play harder and more exciting music.
A grade will be given for attendance of sectionals called by a band director. When scheduling sectionals, I will try to work around the students’ other activities to help avoid conflicts. Students should not have the pressure of deciding which activity they will choose to attend. If there are any conflicts with other school events, I will work it out with the teachers/ coaches involved.
During marching season,color guard, and drum line will have weekly sectionals. Other sections may have an occasional sectional when deemed necessary by a band director or section leader. During concert season (the 2nd semester), sectionals will be scheduled as needed. These will be required for a grade: “100” for being there, “70” for being late, and “0” for an unexcused absence.
MUSIC MEMORY
During marching season, all music performed on the field will be memorized and played off for one of the directors. Students will receive a “100” for playing off the required music on time. 10 points is deducted per week for playing off music late. If the required music is not played off before the show performance, the student will march the half-time show without their instrument until it is played off. Color guard must perform their routine.
INSPECTION
Before each marching event, I will do an “inspection.” Before the band appears in public, everyone must be ready, look good, and have all needed equipment. More procedures for football games will be explained on the following pages.
After all band students are in uniform, have instruments out, and are lined up in parade block, the drum major(s) will call the band to attention. To receive a “100” for your inspection grade, the following will be expected: have complete (clean) uniform on; have shoes cleaned and neat; have on black socks; have instrument assembled and in playing condition (slides and valves working, good reeds, etc.); and have your own flip folder with all music in it. If any of the above is incomplete, the student will receive a lowered grade accordingly.
FOOTBALL GAMES
Instructions for home games:
Be in complete uniform, have your instrument ready to play, and line up outside the band hall for inspectionat 6:15p.m. for 7:30 home games. Following inspection, we will load up on buses to go to the stadium. You will carry your instrument, flip folder, and hat with you. Any other equipment needed (i.e. keyboard percussion instruments) need to be put on the trailer. When we arrive at the stadium, we will march in. I expect you to stay at attention and show pride as you march into the stadium. Horn cases will be left in the band hall. If it looks like rain, woodwinds will be allowed to bring their cases.