Tabb Middle School

Beginning Band Handbook

2007-2008

Mrs. Haigh & Mr. Wholey

Welcome

Welcome to Tabb Middle School and another great year for the band program.  We are looking forward to a year filled with the wonderful music that we will make together.  The purpose of this handbook is to help both parents and students familiarize themselves with our policies and procedures for the year.  Take time to read the handbook together and make sure that you put it in a safe place so that you can refer to it later if needed.  If there is anything that we have left out or needs to be clarified, or if you ever have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us in the band room at 867-7473, Room 306 at 867-3306 or by email at chaigh@ycsd.york.va.us or mwholey@ycsd.york.va.us. 

Communication and Email List

Communication between teacher and parent/guardian is essential for the success of the band program.  If you are not receiving regular notices about upcoming band events, please ask your child.  Many students place papers in their binder and forget about them until someone asks about them!  We would also like to offer communication via email.  We hope this will prove to be an excellent method of communicating messages to parents, especially since handouts do not always make it home!  We are asking for email information on the contact page of the handbook, but if yours changes or you do not receive info from us, please email us and we will add you to our list.  We hope that this email notification system will help keep family members better informed of activities.  Both band directors also have a website that contains important information.
Mrs. Haigh - http://yorkcountyschools.org/tms/grade/teachers/encore/haigh/index.html
Mr. Wholey - http://yorkcountyschools.org/tms/grade/teachers/encore/wholey/Index.html

General Discipline

Band, by its very name, suggests oneness, teamwork, ensemble, and great cooperation, with everyone striving for a common goal.  This all comes at a time in a middle school student’s life when students are striving for individual identity.  A very small number of students find that they cannot make this kind of sacrifice and become disruptive discipline problems in band class.  These students will not be allowed to affect the quality of learning taking place in that class.  For any band to be successful there must be discipline.  This should be student self-discipline, not Director imposed discipline.  Self-discipline is a key ingredient of all successful organizations.

Discipline Steps
Non-verbal cue from Director (examples – “the look”, hand signals)
Verbal request to discontinue action/behavior
Student is removed to another area of the classroom to develop a plan for behaving appropriately
Conference with student after class (phone call or email home)
Conduct Report 
Infraction Notice

Directors reserve the right to skip to any step in the discipline process as needed.

A positive attitude and great student in band class would look like this:

•	Not consuming food, drinks, gum or candy in the band room!
•	Being on time with necessary materials (instrument, book, music, three-ring binder, paper, pencil and accessories) every day.
•	Respecting the rights, safety and property of others.  Not touching things that are not yours.  This especially pertains to percussion equipment.
•	Playing your instrument and talking only when given permission to do so (we warm up as a group).  Raising your hand to speak or get up.
•	Stopping the playing of your instrument immediately, when the signal to stop is given.
•	Keeping hands, feet and objects to yourself.
•	Accepting responsibility for yourself, your actions and your learning.
•	Demonstrating good posture at all times.
•	Making the best possible music at all times.
•	Observing concert attention when the Director stands on the podium and not talking further. 
•	When class is over, quietly remaining in your seat until you are dismissed.  (We do NOT bunch up at the door for dismissal.)

Grading

Grading will be done through playing and written tests, after school rehearsal and concert participation, as well as class participation and daily rehearsal etiquette.  Grades are EARNED – they are not GIVEN.

Weekly Class Rehearsal Grade (50%)/

Students will begin each week with a class rehearsal grade of 100.

Each time students violate rehearsal expectations, they lose 10 points off of their weekly grade.  Examples include, but are not limited to, playing out of turn, disrupting rehearsal, no pencil, binder or other materials, touching things that are not yours without permission, chewing gum or candy (this is VERY bad for your instrument!)

Band students need to have their instrument every day in order to participate in class.  Realizing that everyone forgets occasionally, the first time a student forgets his/her instrument or anything that prevents him/her from playing (e.g. reed, mouthpiece, ligature) will be excused.  All times following, all participation points for that day will be deducted from the weekly rehearsal participation grade.  The policy begins new each quarter.

Performance Grade (50%)

This part of the grade will include written work, individual playing tests, supply and materials checks, as well as rehearsal and performance attendance.  Performances are MANDATORY (emergencies will be dealt with on an individual basis).

If a student forgets his/her instrument, reed, music, mouthpiece, ligature at home on a pre-scheduled playing quiz or test date, he/she will receive a zero for that grade.

After school rehearsals are extensions of the classroom instruction.  We bring together the entire group and try to fit all of the puzzle pieces together to make our final product.  The music sounds entirely different in class where there is only a portion of the group.  After school rehearsals are the only time that we can get the true picture of the music.  (It is like going to all of the drills, practices, exercises for a team and then not coming for the scrimmage or game.)

Beginning Band Concert Uniform

Ladies: dress pants, dress or skirt that falls below the knee, dress shoes
Gentlemen:  dress shirt, tie, trousers/slacks, dress shoes
NO jeans, spaghetti strap tops, or athletic shoes!

Instrument Storage

Please protect your investment.  Many problems with instrument mix-ups can be avoided if students will keep their cases well identified.  Every band student will have an assigned instrument location where they will store their instrument during the school day.  Every student should have their name taped to BOTH ends of their case and have their name, school, and home phone number information inside the case.  It is a good idea to record your instrument’s serial numbers, brand name and model information with your homeowner’s insurance and keep the information in a secure place at home.  Check to be sure you have insurance coverage that will cover loss, theft or damage while at school (during the day or after hours).  No instruments should be left at school over the holidays (Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring, Summer).

Repairs

If you are having a problem with your instrument, bring it to your Director before or after school and we will attempt to fix it.  Do not let anyone try to fix it – they may make the problem worse. Do not disrupt class for instrument repairs.  If your instrument breaks during class, practice the notes without using any air for the remainder of the period and then see your Director after class.  If we cannot fix it, you will be responsible for taking it to the shop for repairs.  If we do not see the problem with your instrument before you take it to the shop, we will need a note from home to excuse you from participating in class.  Remember to keep your mouthpiece when your instrument goes to the shop.  We may have an instrument for temporary use.

Instrument Purchase

Please follow the Directors’ recommendations for selecting a quality instrument, either rented or purchased from a reputable source.  Directors will recommend brands and dealers who have offered quality and value in the past.  Please DO NOT purchase an instrument from a discount store.  They are of poor quality and are usually impossible to repair.  Used instruments can be a good option, but please ask one of the Directors to check them out before you purchase them.

Instrument Maintenance

Instruments will need regular cleaning and maintenance to keep them in top condition and to prevent the unnecessary spread of germs.  We recommend that for sanitary purposes the following schedule be maintained:

•	Clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces should be washed weekly in cold, soapy water (do not let clarinet cork get wet).
•	Flute head joints should be cleaned weekly with rubbing alcohol.
•	Brass mouthpieces should be washed weekly in hot, soapy water.

When a student is sick, the mouthpiece should be washed daily.

Instrument Rental

Students using school-owned instruments are required to take care of them as though they owned them.  There are required accessories for each student to ensure long instrument life.  We will insist that students take extremely good care of the instrument at school and suggest that they do the same at home, so that it will continue to respond well.  Parents and students renting school-owned instruments are responsible for any damage to the instrument that is not considered normal wear, and will sign a contract stating this responsibility. Instruments rented from the school include oboe, bass clarinet, french horn, euphonium and tuba.  All other instruments must be rented or purchased from outside sources.  Rental fee for having a school rental instrument at home and at school is $50.00 per year.

Mistreatment of Equipment

Mistreatment of equipment, both school-owned and personal, will not be tolerated.  Abusers will be responsible for repair or replacement.  This includes method books and sheet music.  If an instrument does not belong to you, leave it alone!! If you are not a percussionist, do not play or tamper with the percussion equipment.

Private Lessons
Private lessons are an important part of your child’s musical development.  Because band classes are often large, it is difficult to give each student the individual attention that they need.  Studying privately allows a student to receive individual attention from a specialist on their instrument.  Lessons are also a great motivational tool.  Once-a-week lessons are best.  Most teachers instruct once a week; however, even once-a-month lessons can be very beneficial.  A list of local private teachers is posted in the band rooms and listed on the websites.

Music

All music is to be kept in page protectors in a three ring binder.  If music is lost, students may make copies of other classmate’s music on their own time without grade penalty. Students are not permitted to change their assigned parts.  If this solution does not work, students may sign up to have Mrs. Haigh or Mr. Wholey make them an additional copy.

After School Rehearsals

There will be after school rehearsals for each group throughout the school year.  Students can expect these to take place during the weeks prior to performances.   If a student is in school for the entire day on the day of a rehearsal, they are expected to be at that rehearsal.  Please try not to schedule appointments on rehearsal or performance days.  There will be an activity bus on rehearsal days, or parents may pick up their child.  Rehearsals run from 2:30 – 3:45pm.  Rehearsals and performances are a natural outgrowth of the class and are crucial to the group’s success.  Students will earn a grade for their attendance at rehearsals and performances.

Rehearsal/Performance Schedule

All performances will occur in conjunction with PTA meetings starting at 7:00 pm in the cafetorium at TMS.

October 16, 2008		Chorus				
November 13, 2008		Intermediate Band		
December 11, 2008		Chorus & Jazz Band
		
Thursday, January 8, 2009	Beginning Band Rehearsal After School 2:30 – 3:40pm at TMS
Tuesday, January 13, 2008  	Beginning Band Rehearsal After School 2:30 – 3:40pm at TMS
January 15, 2009		Beginning Band & Chorus Performance
	
February 19, 2009		Advanced Band
March 19, 2009		Intermediate Band & Chorus

Thursday, April 16, 2009	Beginning Band Rehearsal After School 2:30 – 3:40pm at TMS
Tuesday, April 21st 		Beginning Band Rehearsal After School 2:30 – 3:40pm at TMS
April 23, 2009		Beginning Band & Chorus Performance

May 21, 2009			Advanced Band & Chorus

Supplies by Instrument

Flute:  cleaning rod and cloth or drop swab, polishing cloth

Oboe:  Two working reeds, reed holder, swab

All Clarinets:  Four working reeds at all times (Mitchell Lurie, Vandoren or LaVoz brand), reed guard, cork grease, drop swab, mouthpiece brush

All Saxophones:  Four working reeds at all times (Mitchell Lurie, Vandoren or LaVoz brand), reed guard, cork grease, neck strap, mouthpiece brush

Trumpet:  valve oil, polishing cloth, mouthpiece brush, slide grease/cream

Horn:  valve oil, slide grease/cream, mouthpiece brush, cleaning cloth (no polish – an old cotton t-shirt works great), cleaning rod and snake

Trombone:  mouthpiece brush, slide grease/cream, cleaning rod or snake, polishing cloth

Baritone/Euphonium:  valve oil, slide grease/cream, mouthpiece brush, polishing cloth

Tuba:  valve oil, slide grease/cream, mouthpiece brush

Percussion:  one pair of Vic Firth SD1 General drumsticks (or any with wooden tips), bell kit with one pair medium hard rubber mallets, drum practice pad, one pair of medium yarn mallets, a stick bag (to hold sticks and mallets)

Beginning Band students will need Essential Elements 2000 Book One.  Do not purchase a book until you know what instrument you will be playing.

All band students will need a three ring binder (1” or 1.5”), plastic page protectors and pencils.

Solo and Ensemble

The Solo and Ensemble Festival will be held in the spring (date TBD).  More information will go home after the first of the year.  Students who choose to perform a solo or an ensemble (duet, trio, etc) will be eligible to receive a medal if they receive a superior or excellent score on their performance.  There is a minimal fee for students who wish to perform at the Solo and Ensemble Festival.

Curriculum

Playing a band instrument entails more than just playing the instrument.  Students MUST be taught the fundamentals of music – the “how” and “why” information that can be related to the music that they learn.  This includes music theory and music history.  Both of these will be included throughout the year.  This will require the students to do written work.  The theory and history information will be used to connect and further understand the music that we play.  It helps present “the whole picture”, not just one aspect of the music. 
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Student and Parent Acknowledgement

Please tear off this page from the handbook.  Complete the information and return it no later than Friday, September 12, 2008

Student Name (print): _________________________________

Parent/guardian, please initial:

______  I understand that if my child forgets his/her instrument, or part of the instrument that prevents him/her from playing, he/she will lose all points for that day from the weekly participation grade.

______  I understand that if my child forgets his/her instrument on the day of a pre-scheduled playing quiz/test, he/she will receive a zero for that grade.

_____  I understand that students are given a grade for attending after-school rehearsals and performances and that performances are mandatory.

_____  I understand that if my child does not wear the correct uniform for the concert, he/she will not be allowed to perform.

By signing below we signify that we have reviewed the handbook and agree to abide by the directives therein.

___________________________        ______________________________     ___________
Parent signature				Student signature				Date