BBES

BAND HANDBOOK
BAND GROUPS
Beginning Band
All 4th and 5th grade students who are playing an instrument for the first time will be in the Beginning Band. The Beginning Band will meet twice a week in small groups, which will be separated by instruments.

Advanced Band
All 5th grade students who played an instrument last year will be in the Advanced Band. The Advanced Band will meet twice a week in one small and one large group setting. Students will be placed in small groups according to their instrument and the large groups will be woodwinds and brass/percussion.

SCHEDULING
Students are pulled out of class two times a week for band lessons. They will miss recess, content or related arts depending on the week rotation. I use a 4-week rotation to ensure that students dont miss the same class all the time. The schedule will be sent home, posted online and posted in the pod area. Students are expected to keep track of the schedule and have all materials (instrument, music, etc.) for each lesson. Students are also expected to take all materials home at the end of the school day. The following action will be taken if your child forgets to bring his/her instrument to a lesson OR leaves his/her instrument at school overnight:

1st offense Warning 2nd offense Warning 3rd offense Yellow Slip
*Any additional offenses will result in a conference to create an action plan. All offenses reset at the beginning of each quarter.

GRADING POLICY
10% Lesson Attendance: Attendance is mandatory for all scheduled lessons. 25% Performance Assessments: Assessments are given in the second and forth quarters. A letter will be sent home prior to each assessment. Students will have two weeks to learn and perform a short piece of music. Within this timeframe students can attempt the assessment as many times as they like. If a student does not pass all parts of the assessment by the deadline, he/she will have one additional week to pass before being removed from the band program. 25% Participation / Preparation: In order to participate all students must be prepared by bringing their instrument and music to each lesson. 20% Practice Habits: This grade will be considered during in-school lessons as students rehearse weekly assignments. 20% Concert Attendance: In December and May there will be an in-school assembly and evening concert. Each event represents 50% of the concert attendance category and attendance is mandatory for both events.