2020-2021 Start of Year Distance Learning Plan

Introduction
This plan serves as a guideline in the event that the regular academic year begins
off-campus as distance learning.Regardless of the reason, proper measures need to be planned
for in advance just in case. By following this plan, the school year can begin without losing
learning time. In addition, if this plan is introduced early, students will have a better time
adapting to it and starting the year off on the right foot.
This plan works best when students have access to the internet and a tablet/computer
as well. Accommodations can be made for those students without access, though the primary
mode of teaching and communication will be through online resources.
This plan would mostly follow the guidelines set forth in the regular Distance Learning
Plan and in the Technology Infrastructure Plan, with minor changes.

Welcome and Meetings

It’s important to introduce yourself to your students as early as possible, especially when
not meeting face-to-face. New to do the school teachers have a whole group of students to
meet and learn about, and even veteran teachers will still have a group of freshman/6th graders
as well as new band members. Either way, a new face needs an introduction, and doing so
early in the year (late May/June) will help to build new relationships faster and stronger upon
which to build a successful program.
Share on social media about yourself, update the band website, and make the students
aware that you are reliable and fun to work with. After all, music is a collaborative effort.

Here are some important meetings and information to review prior to the beginning of the school
year.
1. Rules and Regulations
a. Any new rule changes would be addressed at the end of the school year if
possible, but over the summer is also a great place to begin. If the school year is
beginning through distance learning, then new guidelines should be addressed
as soon as possible so students and parents alike have all summer to ask
questions and clarify information. Chances are, if the school year is beginning
through distance learning, there are going to be new rules.
b. As a teacher new to the school/district, this is even more important. You will likely
want to change some of the existing rules and expectations. This process should
be a slow one to allow students and parents the time to adjust to the change,
especially if this change follows a tenure of tradition. Starting in early summer will
allow this change to move at a naturally slow rate.
2. Leadership Meetings
a. Having student leadership is imperative, especially when transitioning to a new
year where things are different. Schedule meetings with leaders early on in the
summer
3. Band Parent Meetings
 a. The summer is also a great time to get in touch with band parents and
volunteers. This is integral to building community support of the program from
day one
b. These are the people that are going to be available to help with any face-to-face
tasks. It is best to keep them in the loop and set up your expectations for them
early on.

Marching Band
1. Drill
a. Any drill will be written during the summer before camp or the school year begins.
This can be distributed to students early, especially if the academic year will
resume face-to-face lessons prior to marching season ending. Even though
students will largely be unable to practice marching without a football field to help
mark their spots, they can still take steps towards memorization of drill and music
on their own.
b. If school is not set to resume during the regular marching season, it is still
important to pass out drill and explain the learning process. That way, all
students are still familiar with it for the next year
2. Music
a. Just like marching drills, the music is usually already taken care of ealy in the
summer. The sooner the students have it, the sooner they can learn it and
memorize it.
b. If the school is not set to return for the regular marching season, students should
still learn the music. If recordings can be made by the students, then a virtual
performance can still be put together. This gives students a sense of ownership
in the program and gives them goals to work towards.
3. Shortened Marching Season
a. If face-to-face lessons do not resume during the marching season, then the
virtual marching season can be cut short to have a longer concert band season,
and to prepare for a return to that setting.

Concert Band
1. Music and Chair Auditions
a. As stated above, passing out the music early in the summer can be an
advantage if Fall classes are not set to resume face-to-face.
2. Shortened Marching Season
a. As mentioned above, Concert Band can begin early if Marching Band is not set to
resume face-to-face.
Jazz Band
1. Music and Chair Auditions
a. Follow the same guidelines as above. The earlier the better. The only alternative
is that Jazz Band can begin simultaneously with Marching Band at the beginning
of the year.
 2. Weekly Jazz History
a. These lessons will have to resume online. Videos can be shared to students, with
assignments for reflection made on Google Classroom or Flipgrid.

Electives
1. These classes would need to be moved to an online source. Because they are slightly
less performance-based than band is, and have a smaller class size, live video
instruction may be very easy to accomplish.
2. Put out a schedule planner (such as whenisgood) to set up live classes daily or weekly.

Beginning Band
1. Instrument Tryouts
a. This is a little difficult to accomplish distantly, especially when distance is caused
by something such as CoViD-19.
b. Scheduling times for students to do clean tryouts face-to-face can be arranged if
approved by the school. Though it would take longer than usual, it would still
accomplish an important aspect of Beginning Band classes.
c. Some businesses have kits available for tryouts. While pricey and time
consuming, they are a viable option for providing all instrument options to each
student in a clean and efficient way.
2. Purchasing/Renting/Distributing Instruments
a. Getting in touch with local instrument dealers would be easy, especially with
specific guidelines for instrument brands and quality.
3. Beginner Music Theory
a. WIth the absence of instruments, online lessons can continue with lecture-based
lessons on reading music, instrument technique, etc. That way, once instruments
are acquired, classes can resume at a regular pace without having to make up
too much work.