Union
Middle School Band Handbook
What is different from last year?
Download & Print from the website
Quitting Policy
Chair Placement
Scale Assessment
Questions:
How many performances do we have?
When does jazz band start?
What if I need to miss a concert?
What if I miss a band lesson?
How is band graded?
What if I want to quit?
When Mrs. Routt says we are a band family, what is she talking about?
How much is instrument rent for a school instrument?
Why do percussionists have to pay instrument rent?
When are the band parties?
Rules and Guidelines:
- No talking when the director is on the podium.
- Be on time for rehearsals and performances.
- No gum, candy, food or beverages during rehearsals or lessons.
- Put everything away neatly. Be
sure to put your name on EVERYTHING that belongs to you: flip folder, instrument
name tag, folders, lesson books, etc.
- Take instrument home to practice each week.
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Consequences for disrupting rehearsals:
- A verbal warning will be given.
- A ticket will result if behavior is continued.
- Parents will be contacted and a detention may be set up.
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Band Rehearsal and
Performances
- Be in seats 3 minutes after 2nd bell with instrument, folder,
music and pencil.
- Quiet in 3 (seconds) when director steps onto podium.
- Stop in 3 (notes) when director stops the band.
- When dismissed to put away, put everything away properly and sit down
to be dismissed.
- When dismissed, walk to the door.
Sixth,
Seventh and Eighth grade bands will perform at the Winter Concert and the Spring Concert.
Seventh and Eighth grade band members will come together to march for the Halloween Parade in October. Eighth grade band members will perform the National Anthem for the flag raising ceremony the first day
of school, play in pep band for the Homecoming pep assembly and perform for the Veteran’s Day Assembly. Other performances will be announced.
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Small Groups and
Solos
Students
have the option of participating in a Solo/Ensemble Festival in the spring. Students
will be judged and receive ribbons for their participation and hard work. Groups
and solos will be put together and practice will be during lessons.
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Jazz Band
Jazz
Band will start sometime after winter break. Seventh and Eighth Grade students
who play jazz band instruments may participate in jazz band. Rehearsals take
place at 7:00AM on Thursday mornings. Attendance for all jazz band members is
required. The jazz band performs for the Spring Concert.
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Lessons
Lessons
happen during class for 20 minutes once per week. Students can come straight
to their band lesson at the beginning of the period if scheduled for that time, or they can leave 3 minutes before lesson
time from class if lesson is scheduled in the middle of the period. Lessons
are required and time is limited in making them up so don’t forget to attend.
You will earn 10 points for attending your band lesson in addition to the points earned for completing assignments. Bring your instrument, a pencil, band books, music and folder and anything else required
for that week’s lesson.
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Grading
Students
will be given a practice chart, weekly lesson agenda and lesson schedule at the beginning of each trimester. Information can also be found and downloaded from the UMS Band website.
Students are graded according to points earned in lessons, rehearsals and performances.
Points for each lesson are indicated on the weekly lesson agenda.
E = excellent
90%+ and 990 minutes signed practice time for the trimester.
S = satisfactory
75% and above – no practice time requirement for this grade.
S- = less than satisfactory 65%-74%
U = Unsatisfactory
64% and lower
If
a student decides to discontinue band, the student may do so within the first two weeks of school or after the winter
concert. Students will not be allowed to quit at any other time. Students are preparing for performances and each person is important in that preparation. A student quitting band in the middle of concert preparation will cause a hardship
for the other students involved. The student’s parents or guardian must
write Mrs. Routt a note expressing the student’s desire to quit. It’s
helpful if the note expresses why the student chooses not to continue, but not required.
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Conduct
- Have a positive attitude
- Follow rules and guidelines
- Respect other’s rights to learn and teach
The
band room (and the school in general) is no place to bully or to be bullied. If
you are being bullied, let me know and I will go to extreme ends to make sure it stops.
This is a no bully zone and a positive place that accepts everyone who wants to be here!
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Missed Performances
Excused – I must know in advance – call me on my cell phone (319-231-3691)
or at school. If you do not attend school that day, I will know you are excused,
but if you attend school for only part of a day, you will need to contact the school or me to let me know that you will not
attend the concert. You will be given an opportunity to make up the missed points
for an excused absence to a performance by worksheet completion.
Unexcused – If I do not get contacted by your parents in advance, the
absence will be unexcused and a “U” for the trimester may be the result.
A note from your parents the day after the concert will not excuse the lesson if the contact with me isn’t
made before the concert. An unexcused absence to a performance cannot
be made up.
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Scale Assessment
The scale assessment will take place two times per year for all students in each grade
including percussion. Outstanding Achievement points and grade points will be
awarded for each memorized scale a student performs accurately.
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Chair Placement
Students will not have assigned seats in band rehearsal, but will have assigned parts
based on their playing ability. Students may be assigned many different parts
in the concert so that more players are given the opportunity to play first or second parts.
Other considerations when assigning parts are overall participation and preparation in band and band lessons, how musically
a student performs with good tone and range, and if the student is a positive role model.
All band members will have the duty of helping the people in their section in a friendly professional way.
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Fun Opportunities
There are several opportunities in band to have fun.
Fun week is a week of lessons where students earn points for learning how to march, how to practice, how to clean out
instruments, playing out of fun books besides their lesson books, or other things Mrs. Routt decides to do. Points are awarded for participation that week. Another fun
activity is the band party during band rehearsal after performing for the winter and spring concerts. Students bring food and listen to the concert CD.
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Band Website and
Band Board
Visit the UMS Band Website http://pages.mhlearningnetwork.com/umsband to read the weekly announcements,
print off handouts, check if it is a band or chorus day, check when your band lesson meets, check on updated outstanding achievement
points, see pictures of students and performances, read news clips about what is going on, and many other important things. Check the band board outside of Mrs. Routt’s office for updates and announcements. Checking these two sources of information will keep students updated and keep Mrs.
Routt from having to talk about announcements the whole rehearsal students should be playing.
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School Owned Instruments
Our
school pays for maintaining the instruments, but if a student does not take care of the instrument properly, he/she will be
responsible for maintenance. If a student accidentally drops or damages an instrument,
he/she will have to pay for the repair. Instrument rent is $42 per year for people
renting instruments and percussionists. Hundreds of dollars are spent on percussion
heads and sticks every year, so percussionists not only own their own percussion kits, but they need to pay instrument rent
for use of all of the expensive instruments, mallets and sticks.
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