Caloosa Middle School Bands: Handbook

Caloosa Middle School Instrumental Music Guidelines/Handbook
Dr. Daniel R. Davis, Band Director
2009-2010

Welcome to the Cougar Band Program! I am looking forward to the continuing development and growth of our bands. My primary goal this year is to continue and refine the artistic achievements of all our Caloosa Bands; I welcome you in being a part of this tradition of excellence.
Nothing great can be created without hard work and determination. There are many rewards to be had from participation in a successful band program, but there are also demands. To be a part of a great band program, you must be willing to put forth the effort. Any student who wishes to be in the band must be willing to work hard and sometimes make sacrifices to keep up the high standards of the program.
The Band program at Caloosa Middle School strives to achieve three objectives: to learn the fundamentals of playing a musical instrument and basic musicianship, to develop each student's sense of pride, self discipline, and responsibility, and as members of a performing group, that our students proudly represent themselves, their school, and their community.
The following pages are guidelines and rules that will help us arrive at our goals. All students and parents must understand and follow these general procedures and policies listed in this document.

A. Bands
The Band program consists of classes by ability level to meet the student's needs as well as the needs of the ensemble.

• Beginning Band – no experience necessary
• Concert (intermediate) Band – students have played at least one year
• Symphonic (advanced) Band – students placed in this class have played at least one year and have demonstrated a high degree of proficiency on their instrument and have shown a desire to be challenged regularly.
• Jazz Ensemble (advanced) – students must have achieved a high degree of proficiency on their instrument and should also be a member of the Symphonic Band. Limited number of students accepted due to specific instrumentation needs.

B. Discipline/Behavior – The Band Member’s “Code of Conduct”

The ultimate goal of our Code of Conduct is to help the student develop the self-discipline necessary to succeed. The purpose of our plan is to create an environment that enhances the learning of all members and provides for the safety of the students. This plan is based upon the premise that every student has a right to participate in the learning process. Responsibility for the appropriate behavior lies directly with each individual student. Each member of the Caloosa Middle School Band should agree with the following statement:
I believe in my ability to succeed because:
• I am respectful.
• I am responsible.
• I am ready to learn.
By cooperating with the director and members of our band, I will create a safe and positive environment where my teachers can teach and all students can learn. This allows me to be a capable, connected and contributing member of our band.

Being ‘RESPONSIBLE’, ‘RESPECTFUL’ and ‘READY TO LEARN’ includes:
• Students will have all needed equipment at their chair with them at the start of the class. This includes their instrument, pencil, music folder, school planner, reeds, valve oil, and all other items needed during rehearsal.
• Do not play each others’ instruments. School-owned instruments are to be played only by the student assigned to that instrument. Percussion instruments are only to be played by percussionists.
• Students are expected to be careful and respectful with all school equipment, including chairs and music stands (no writing on stands, for example).
• Students are not allowed to talk to one another during class. Students will raise their hand and be recognized by the teacher before speaking out.
• Students will follow all instructions the first time they are given. Students should respond in a positive manner to the teacher as well as other students.
• Students will keep their hands and feet to themselves. Do not mess with other students’ possessions. Do not loiter in storage rooms.
• Students will not bring food, drinks, candy, or chewing gum in the band room. Chewing gum on the Caloosa MS campus is prohibited and will result in disciplinary action.
• No horseplay (riding chair or stand carts, holding doors shut, running in band room, hiding someone’s books or instrument, etc.) – these are referable offences.

Behavior expectations - Band is a group activity that is only successful when all members work together to create an artistic product. The primary purpose of being in the class is to improve your performance on your instrument and to learn how to combine your playing with others in an artistic manner. If a few students do not concentrate on playing well, the whole band will fail to complete the desired effect. Inappropriate behavior disrupts the band’s cohesiveness and is to be avoided.

Consequences – Names written in gradebook for each instance of inappropriate behavior per day:
• 1st time – (name recorded) warning
• 2nd time – (name with check) move seat and call to parent after class or school
• 3rd time – (name with 2 checks) send to time-out with a referral
3 classes per month with name recorded will result in a call to parent; subsequent problems will require parent conference or referral.

C. Classroom procedures
• Enter/exit band room
Students are to enter the band room by way of the south hallway and double doors (by the restrooms) and exit the band room through the north door (by the office). This will help with large numbers of students trying to go out and in the same door at the same time. Enter and leave the room quietly. Look to the whiteboard for daily instructions. Music will be heard when you enter, please listen while you unpack and get your instrument ready. This music may be part of that day’s lesson and may require a written entry in your journal.
Students are tardy if they are: 1. not in the band room before the tardy bell rings and 2., not in their seats with instrument and music three minutes after the tardy bell.
• Storage rooms
The storage rooms are for instruments. Books and non band-related personal items are not to be kept there. There are three storage rooms; for brass instruments, woodwind instruments, and one for percussion. Cases must be latched completely and stored on the proper shelves or specified location. Do not loiter in the storage rooms before or after school or class.
• Restroom use
Students must gain permission from the teacher to leave class to go to the restroom. Each student must sign in and out each time they leave the room. Only one student at a time may go to the restroom.


D. Grading
Each student’s grade is based on a combination of the following (both in-class activities and homework/practice):
• Weekly Practice Record for Beginning Band – (30 minutes per day for a total of 210 minutes per week).
• Weekly Participation grade – grade based on observed class behaviors.
- posture/hand position
- prepared for class with instrument, notebook/music, pencil, and any other materials needed for rehearsal/class – forgetting your instrument or other materials will result in a lowered participation grade
-attentiveness to directions
-participation in class activities
-keeping a daily written log in a journal
• Proficiency tests – scales, sight-reading, exercises, etc.
• Written assignments and tests (such as music theory and history worksheets, writing assignments for your journal, and vocabulary tests).
• Evaluation tests – performance music (including home use of SmartMusic and examples recorded during classes).
• Extra rehearsals and sectionals – based on attendance/participation (a few are scheduled throughout the year, attendance is mandatory).
• Performances – based on attendance/participation in concerts (a few are scheduled throughout the year, attendance is mandatory).
• Enrichment activities – a variety of these may be chosen to meet grading requirements, such as: taking private lessons, participating in Solo & Ensemble MPA, auditioning for All-State or All-County Ensembles, written critiques of concerts (for example, a Symphony Orchestra Concert), scheduling before or after school help with Dr. Davis, presentations given to the class relating to our music, and other activities agreed upon with Dr. Davis.

A word about the importance of concert attendance: Attendance and performance in concerts is required for all students and will be graded. If you anticipate your child being absent due to a conflict, please contact Dr. Davis as soon as possible. The experience gained in a performance by a student cannot be adequately replaced by a make-up assignment. If necessary, students with a pre-arranged special excused absence will be allowed to complete a project to replace the performance grade. Success for the ensemble relies upon everyone’s participation. The success of the entire band is hurt unless all members are present and performing.

E. Instruments and equipment
Privately owned
I encourage parents to rent-to-purchase flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and percussion kits from reputable music stores that offer repair and insurance contracts with the instruments. Even the most conscientious student can drop an instrument and cause it to need repair. An insurance contract will replace a stolen, lost, or severely damaged instrument. Mail order, internet, and department or discount store purchases are not recommended. Please, only purchase good-quality instruments that are suitable for a beginner. If you buy a cheaply-made instrument, you will save money at first, but will pay more later in repairs.
School owned
School-owned instruments are available for students who play tuba, baritone horn, french horn, tenor or baritone saxophone, oboe, bassoon, bass clarinet. These instruments are very expensive and not commonly rented by music stores or owned by individuals.
A limited number of smaller instruments such as flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone are available for students who cannot afford to rent/own an instrument from a music store. Please understand that if you request a school-owned instrument, a student’s choice of instrument will be limited to what is available. Please provide Dr. Davis with a letter requesting use of a school-owned instrument if you have affordablilty issues.
Percussionists are required to rent/purchase a kit from a music store that includes practice bells, a practice pad (in place of a snare drum), bell/pad stand, and sticks. The school does not have percussion kits to loan students. Percussionists will use school keyboards and drums while at school and need the percussion kits to practice on at home.
We require students who use a school instrument (percussionists included) to pay a yearly $25.00 maintenance fee to assist with the cost of instrument upkeep. Our band does not receive a budget for instrument repair from the school district. A contract requiring a parent/guardian signature must be completed and returned to Dr. Davis with a check for $25.00 before a student can access a school-owned instrument. Parents are responsible for repair/upkeep/replacement costs while the instrument is issued to the student.

Care/maintenance
All instruments must be cared for and maintained properly. Dr. Davis will be happy to assist any student who is having a problem with their instrument. However, repairs cannot be made during band class. Instrument repair will need to be done at your favorite music store. Do not try to fix anything yourself, I’ve seen costly repair bills due to a parent or student trying to fix their instrument themselves.

Music stands and chairs
Chairs and music stands are expensive items for our Department. When used properly, stands and chairs last a long time. When they are abused, they break. Students are asked to take pride in our equipment and use it properly to ensure that we always have enough and that they remain useable and attractive.

Supplies and equipment
A musical instrument represents a substantial investment. In order to provide the appropriate daily maintenance, the following equipment/supplies are essential. Brass and Woodwind instrument care kits are available from your favorite music store:
• Flutes – cleaning cloth, swab, and tuning rod.
• Oboes and Bassoons – 4 good reeds at all times (rotate them daily and they will last longer and save money), reed case to store reeds in, small watertight container to soak reed, cleaning swab, and cork grease.
• Saxophones and Clarinets – at least 4 good reeds at all times (buy boxes of reeds), reed case that holds 4 reeds, cleaning swab, mouthpiece brush, mouthpiece cover, cork grease, neck strap for saxophones and bass clarinets, and cleaning cloth.
• Brass – mouthpiece, valve oil, slide grease, mouthpiece brush, cleaning snake, cleaning cloth, and slide cream and spray water bottle for trombones.
• Percussion – practice pad or drum, practice bells, drum sticks, hard xylophone mallets, general timpani mallets, and a stick/mallet bag.

Most essential equipment will be provided with a store-bought or rental instrument. School-owned instruments will not have these items included. Specific items, such as reeds for woodwind players, and valve oil/slide grease for brass players, will need to be purchased as needed. The school does not sell reeds, oils, or other supplies, however, these items are available at your favorite music store.
Music students also need other equipment for home use to facilitate practice, such as a folding music stand, a metronome, and a computer with SmartMusic (more on SmartMusic later).

F. Uniform
The basic student-supplied uniform for all Bands is:
• Girls – White dress blouse, black medium-length skirt (w/ black hosiery) or dress slacks (w/ black socks), and black dress shoes.
• Boys – White dress shirt, black dress slacks, black socks, and black dress shoes.
Bow ties/cummerbunds or other accessories, if used, will be supplied by the Band Department.
Jazz Ensemble shirts will be approximately $10.00-15.00 if we decide to order shirts.

G. Music
Method Books - books should NOT be stored in instrument case unless a space is provided (don’t lay book on instrument and close the case). Folders and books will be stored in the music folio cabinet located in the band room. Students are responsible for purchasing the method book from your favorite music store.
• Beginning Band – Standard of Excellence, Book 1 and Home Helper for Band, by James O. Froseth.
• Concert Band – Standard of Excellence, Book 1&2
• Symphonic Band – Standard of Excellence, Book 1, 2, & 3
• Jazz Ensemble – Standard of Excellence, Jazz Book 1

Handouts – concert music, exercises, theory and history worksheets, tests, etc. provided by the director.
Folder/Binder – a blue, 1-inch thick, 3-ring binder for keeping music and other handouts.

H. SmartMusic Practice System
Our school music department utilizes SmartMusic® to help students practice and perfect their music. This section of the Guidelines will explain about SmartMusic and why it is such an important tool for our music program and your child’s musical development.
• What is SmartMusic?
SmartMusic is a software-based computer program that helps students practice and submit their school music assignments. Students can practice exercises, solos, and beginning band methods, as well as the music that they are performing with their school band. SmartMusic records and even grades student progress from home or school practice room computers and includes a metronome, tuner, and digital recorder.
• How does SmartMusic benefit your family?
Individual practice is often boring as the music has been taken out of its intended group context. SmartMusic makes practicing fun. With SmartMusic, students practice with professional accompaniment. This makes practice time more engaging and productive, and helps develop better listening skills and a more mature understanding of the music.
Students also practice longer and more effectively as a result of the built-in assessment features. SmartMusic enables students to record their assignments for self-evaluation and submit these recordings as part of their assignment. Most assignments offer assessment, where green and red notes indicate what students have performed correctly and where improvement is needed. In this digital age, students are accustomed to receiving immediate feedback, and they respond by setting their goals higher.
A SmartMusic subscription also provides your student immediate access to the world’s largest accompaniment library, allowing them to explore areas of interest and set their own development objectives.
• What is needed to use SmartMusic?
SmartMusic works on your PC or Mac and requires an Internet connection to activate your subscription and receive and send assignments on-line. System requirements and support contacts are listed at http://www.smartmusic.com/support.
• What does this cost?
You can purchase a full-year subscription through our school’s account for only $30 per year. Microphones cost $20 and are highly recommended as they are required for recordings and assessments. Mac computers also require a USB microphone adaptor.
• How do I get started?
I will be using SmartMusic in class during the first couple of weeks so that you may see how great this tool will be for you. Please visit http://www.smartmusic.com to take a tour. Later, you can download the program and register your subscription with our school’s code from this web site. While you must be on-line to activate, receive, or post assignments and to download ensemble and other new titles, no web browser is required, and you can practice “off- line” at any time. If you run into any questions with purchasing, activating, or using SmartMusic, it’s nice to know that SmartMusic tech support is free!
• If I have more than one music student at home, do I have to purchase more subscriptions?
No. After purchasing a subscription, you must activate that subscription on a single computer. Then everyone in your household can practice and perform with SmartMusic on this computer. Additional subscriptions would be necessary only if your family would like to practice on more than one computer within your home. Much of students’ testing will be done as assignments at home, with the recorded results emailed to Dr. Davis for grading. This means that you may practice as much as needed until you get the best performance of your lesson. Then you send the best recording to be graded.

I. Fundraising
FBA activities such as All-State Auditions and Jazz Ensemble and Concert Music Performance Assessments have entry fees. Repair and upkeep of school-owned instruments, software purchases and upgrades, supplies such as paper, music, hiring clinicians, and renting an equipment truck for off-campus concerts all require additional funding beyond what is budgeted for the Music Department by the school.
Caloosa band students’ concentration should be about learning and progress on their instruments, however, our program needs funding that exceeds our allotment from the school. For this reason, the bandmembers are asked to raise money through fundraising activities. I do only one fundraiser per year so that students can concentrate on their music.
It is extremely important that students and parents participate in the fundraiser. If everyone sells a minimum goal, the bands’ needs will easily be met. $2000.00 is required to support the yearly needs of the band program.

J. Band Parent Volunteers
Parent volunteers are requested throughout the year for various duties.
• Dr. Davis requests volunteers to supervise students prior to each concert while he gets the groups warmed up and seated in the auditorium.
• We need parents to assist in transporting equipment to and from off-campus performances. This includes carrying equipment and setting up chairs and stands before each performance.
• Chaperones are required to accompany band members for the Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble MPAs that require transportation by bus.
• Dr. Davis requests assistance from parents who can volunteer during school hours. Duties include coordinating fundraising money collection and distribution of products, office work, such as making copies, organizing and filing music for storage, updating student info database, and assisting the photographer when the yearly band composite photos are taken.
• A volunteer to help coordinate/schedule volunteers for the above events. This person would call from a list of volunteers to set up each event.
The form at the end of this document lists these requests, please consider volunteering some time and fill in where you are interested.

K. Supplemental Performance Opportunities
Advanced students are encouraged to audition and/or participate in supplemental activities during the year. These activities can give a student exceptional performing and learning experiences. Most activities require an audition consisting of the preparation of specific music requirements. These events meet enrichment requirements.
• September 12, 2009 – Florida Bandmasters Assoc. All-State Auditions. The All-State Band meets in early January during the Florida Music Educators Assoc. Conference in Tampa. The All-State Band consists of approximately 100 students selected from throughout the state. Competition is tough. There is a $20.00 entrance fee to be paid for by the student at the end of the first week of school. If the student performs the audition, $10.00 will be refunded.
• October 20, 2009 – Lee County All-County Honor Concert Band Auditions. The All-County Band meets in December. Required audition music is available from Dr. Davis. No entrance fee.
• February 5-6, 2010 - FBA Solo & Ensemble Music Performance Assessment (MPA). Solos, duets, trios, and other small ensembles perform for an adjudicator for a rating of Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor. The adjudicator gives oral and written comments to the soloist/ensemble members. Superior and Excellent solos/ensembles are recognized for their achievement during the spring concert. Students are to advise Dr. Davis of their desire to participate in October to be assigned music and ensemble groups. Entrance fee is $5.00 for each event.
• February 9, 2010 - Lee County All-County Honor Jazz Ensemble Auditions. The All-County Jazz Ensemble meets in April. Required audition music will be available from Dr. Davis in November. No entrance fee.

L. Calendar/Performances
* all CMS bands
# Symphonic Band only
+ optional activity, not required of all

August 31: 5:30-8:30 PM Beginning Band Auditions/Parent meeting: CMS band room
Sept. 1: 6:30 PM Beginning Band Shopping night: CMS cafeteria
+Sept. 12: All-State auditions at Ida Baker HS
+Oct. 20: All-County Band Auditions
*Nov. 9-10, during school: Photographs for yearly composites
Nov. 12: 4:00-5:30 PM Beginning Band rehearsal
*Nov.17, 7:00 PM: Concert for all CMS bands at North Ft. Myers HS
+Dec. 8: All-County Band Rehearsal
+Dec. 10-12: All-County Band Rehearsals and Performance
Jan. 28: 7:00 PM Jazz Ensemble and S&E prep concert at CMS cafeteria
+Feb. 4-6: FBA S&E and Jazz Ens. MPA at Lehigh SHS
+Feb. 9: All-County Jazz Ensemble auditions at Ft. Myers HS
#Mar. 2: 4:00-5:30 PM rehearsal in CMS band room
#Mar. 9: 4:00-5:30 PM rehearsal in CMS band room
#Mar. 11: 7:00 PM Pre-MPA Concert at CMS cafeteria
#Mar. 25-27: FBA Concert Band MPA at N. Ft. Myers HS
*TBA: 6-8 PM, Pride Showcase/Arts in Schools Month Celebration at CMS
+Mar. 24: 6-9 PM: All-Co. Jazz Ens. rehearsal at NFMAA
+ Mar. 25: 8:30 AM-3:30PM, All-Co. Jazz Ens. rehearsal at NFMAA
+ Mar. 25: 7 PM, All-Co. JE Concert at NFMAA
#May 25: 4:00-5:30 PM rehearsal in CMS band room
May 27: 4:00-5:30 PM Beginning Band rehearsal
*June 3: 7 PM, Concert for all CMS bands at North Ft. Myers HS

Extra rehearsals and performances by the Bands are occasionally given in the community. Notice for any extra rehearsals or performances will be given as soon as they are scheduled.

If you should ever need to contact me, please email me at school or call and leave a message and I’ll return your message as soon as I can. Thanks, let’s have a great year!

Dr. Davis
School phone: 239-574-3232 email: danielrda@leeschools.net