BAND GRADING POLICY MIDDLE SCHOOL

This policy will be altered to align with any school districts existing grading policy.

Grades will be determined by a combination of the following factors: I. Performance and Evaluation (50%) II. Daily Rehearsals (40%) III. Practice Sheets (10%) PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION: (50%)
Concert Performances Concerts are considered by the school district as co-curricular and a necessary culmination of the classroom activities. Therefore, students are required to attend the concerts. There will be two concerts throughout the academic school year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Assignments for concerts will be distributed in class. If a student absolutely must miss a required performance, they must have their parent sign a Concert Excuse Form at least one week prior to the concert. Emergencies will be taken into consideration. A calendar of the performance dates will be sent home the first week of school as well as posted on both the band hall bulletin board and band website. A template of the Concert Excuse Forms can be found on the band website under the Resources tab. They will also be provided in a hard copy form in the band hall. Each student will receive a weekly playing grade that will cover assigned techniques, concert repertoire, sight reading, and basic musicianship such as tone quality, embouchure, tuning, articulation, rhythms, etc. These grades will be assessed during each class and averaged at the end of the week to determine the students weekly playing grade. Written tests will be given throughout the year focusing on the material covered in class. Students will be notified of the test date prior to the test. Sectionals will be called as needed in order to help prepare for performances and contests. Students will be notified of these dates in advance. Weekly written quizzes will be given over the recent material covered in class. Bring all materials to class and have ready at your stand everyday. All Pencil, Standard of Excellence Book I for your instrument (beginners), Foundations of Superior Performance (symphonic bands), Notebook with 5 dividers Flute Tuning rod, white handkerchief Clarinet 4 playable reeds (Vandoren size 3 or 3.5) Beginners 2.5, silk cleaning swab, plastic reed guard, cork grease, mouthpiece cap Oboe/Bassoon 4 medium reeds, silk swab, reed case, air tight container Alto Saxophone 4 Playable reeds (Vandoren size 3 or 3.5) Beginners 2.5, silk cleaning swab, plastic reed guard, mouthpiece cap Cornet/French Horn/Euphonium/Tuba Valve oil, slide grease Trombone Water bottle, slide grease, super slick Percussion Stick bag, snare sticks, mallets (timpani, xylophone, marimba)

DAILY REHEARSALS: (40%)

All materials can be found at local music stores. Be seated with instrument and materials in your case when the tardy bell rings. Listen while others are talking. Play at appropriate times as designated by the director. Students begin each week with 10 points. 1 point is lost for each infraction. At the end of each week, the number of points kept will be transferred into a percentage for the students grade. (ex. 8 points = 80%) Students must have a note signed by their parent in order to be excused from participating in class. (This may include things such as having braces tightened, instrument being repaired, etc.) Students are to record daily the amount of time they practiced as well as the material they have practiced. The practice sheets will have a sequential checklist of component skills that may be checked for each practice session documented. On the back of the practice sheet, the students must write what they had problems with in accordance to the component skill practiced and what they did to attempt to fix it. Each sheet is worth 10 points and must be for at least a total of 30 minutes to receive full credit. Practice sheets are due on Mondays (or the first day of the school week) for full credit and will only be accepted one day late with a two-point deduction. Illness will be excused with a doctors note. Each student will have the opportunity to attend one or more musical performances each semester. These performances can be in the community of any musical genre or at a local high school formal band performance. (Students are developing their audience behavior and etiquette skills along with their performance skills.) In order to receive full credit for attending the concert, students must fill out and turn in a Concert Viewing Report sheet and attach the concert program. This extra credit grade will be added into the Performance and Evaluation average. Upcoming concert information will be posted on the bulletin board in the band hall; Students are encouraged to bring in information about upcoming musical performances they are aware of not posted on the bulletin board. Students will play for chair placements multiple times through out the semester to determine their seating order. They will be given an assigned piece to play and specific criteria to be evaluated. Material will include exercises from the Foundations of Superior Performance Book for 7th and 8th graders and exercises from the Standard of Excellence Book for beginners. Concert repertoire may also be included in chair placements. Students will have the opportunity to challenge another band member for a higher chair position during the time period designated by the director. When a student decides to challenge another student, they must approach the student they want to challenge and both sign up with the band director who will determine the challenge material. Once the students are signed up and given the challenge material, they will have three days to prepare. The challenge will take place on the third day from the challenge after school.

PRACTICE SHEETS: (10%)

CONCERT VIEWING: (Extra Credit)

CHAIR PLACEMENTS: (Does not affect students grade)