Friday,August21,2015

DearFifthGradeBandParent,

Iamsopleasedthatyourstudentisinmybandclassroomthisyear.Wehavespentthe
pastweekexploringandtryingoutavarietyofbandinstruments.Yourstudenthaschosena
bandinstrumentandwewillbeginplayingournewinstrumentsonWednesday,August24,
2015.McPhersonCountySchoolcanprovidetheinstrumentforyourchildtoplaythisschool
year.Ifyouwouldratherprovideyourowninstrument,orrentonefromKittlesMusicinNorth
Plattethatisfinewithme.WewillbestartingoutbylearningoutoftheEssentialElements
2000bandmethodbooks.Throughouttheschoolyear,yourstudentwillbeaskedtopractice
outsideoftheschooldayontheirinstrumentinordertoimprove.Theywillhaveapractice
sheettobringhomeweeklytorecordtheirpracticingandthenturnintomeforagrade.Iwill
alsogiveplayingtestsperiodicallythroughouttheyeartoensurethatallofthestudentsare
learningandkeepingupinband.Theseplayingtestswillalwaysbeannouncedatleasta
coupledaysaheadoftime.
Pleasefeelfreetocontactmewithanyquestionsorconcernsyoumayhaveaboutyour
childssuccessinbandthisyear!
MissAmberWillard
(308)6604323
awillard@mcstryon.org

ReturnthisbottomportiontoMissWillardatschoolbyTuesday,August25,2015

StudentsName:__________________________________________
InstrumentChosen:_______________________________________

_______Mychildwillbeprovidingtheirowninstrumentforbandthisyear(Weeither
ownourinstrument,orwewillberentingfromKittles)

______Mychildwillbeusingtheschoolsinstrumentthisyear.

Ihavereadandreviewedtheexpectationslaidoutinthebeginningbandsyllabus
withmychild.
ParentsSignature______________________________________________________

Parent/GuardiansPhoneNumber____________________________________
(numberthatyoucanbereachedattheeasiest)

Parent/GuardiansEMailAddress_________________________________________


BeginningBand
CourseSyllabus
20152016
Teacher:AmberWillard
CellPhone:(308)6604323
Email:
awillard@mcstryon.org
Website:
http://awillardmusic.weebly.com/
OfficeHours:7:308:0012:471:373:454:15(othertimesavailableuponrequest)
ClassTime:Mon.Fri.3:003:48pm

CourseMaterials:
Bringthefollowingitemswithyoutoallrehearsals:
Instrument
Music/MethodBook
PencilyouWILLneedtotakenotesonyourmusicateveryrehearsal.Inorder
toremembereverythingfromrehearsaltorehearsal,youneedtoWRITEIT
DOWN!!

DutiesofBandMembers:
Alwayshavecorrectequipment,pencilandmusic.
Eachmemberisresponsibleforhisorhermusicandbandbook.DONOT
ASSUMERESPONSIBILITYFORSOMEONEELSESMUSICOR
EQUIPMENT!
Makearealefforttoimprovedailybypracticingoutsideofclasstime.
Maintainastrongacademicstandinginallothercoursework.
Beresponsibleforyouractions.
Followallrulesandwhenrulesaresilentusegoodjudgment!
Cooperatewithfellowmembersandsharewiththemtheresponsibilitiesand
privilegesthatareapartofthebandprogram.
Contributepositivelytothemusiceducationofothersbythebestuseofyour
talents.
Readandplaymusicwithinsightandexpression.
Duringarehearsalonlyspeakwheninvited.
Avoidnegativechatterorgossip.
Respectstaff,parents,chaperones,busdriversanddirectors.
Keepinstrumentingoodworkingorder.
Keepmusicroomneatandclean.Itisareflectionofourprogram.

 Ifyouareusingaschoolinstrument,itisyourresponsibilitytokeepitingood
shapeandputawayproperly.
Onlyusetheinstrumentthatyouhavebeenassigned,donotuseorpracticewith
someoneelsesinstrumentorequipment.Donotcarelesslydamageschool
equipment.
Whenyouarehereexpecttoworktoyourfullestpotential!
Wecanonlybesuccessfulifweallaresuccessful.

RehearsalRequirements:
Wedonthavealotoftimetogethertorehearse,soitsimportantthatweutilizeevery
minute.Inorderforustoconductefficientbandrehearsals,makesurethatyoudothe
following:
Beintherightplace,attherighttime,withtherightequipment.
Donotwasterehearsaltimebytalking.
Rehearsethewayyouwouldperform.
Givethesamerespecttoallpeoplewhomaybeconductingarehearsal,whether
itsMissWillard,asubstituteteacher,oraguestconductor.Respectyourself
andrespecteachother.
Cleanupafteryourself!!Donotleaveanytrashbehind.Allstudentsshould
assistincaringforequipmentandmaintainingacleanmusicfacility.Nofoodor
drinkisallowedinthebandroomduringrehearsalsexceptwater.
Cometorehearsalswithapositiveattitude.Itsaprovenfactthatbothpositive
andnegativeattitudesarecontagious.
*Anystudentexhibitinganegative,demeaning,orunderminingattitudetowardsstaff,
parents,students,membersoftheBeginningBand,orcommunitymembersattending
performancesoreventswillbesubjecttopermanentremovalfromthegroup.Such
violationsmayresultinaconferencewiththeDirector,Parent/Guardian,and
appropriateschooladministrator(s).

GradinginBand:
1. Yourgradewillbebasedonparticipationinclassandinoutsideofclass
performances.Becausethisisaperformancebasedclass,youmustbepresent
toparticipateandbegraded.
2. Youwillberequiredtopracticeathomeandrecordyourpracticingonapractice
sheet.Thispracticesheetwillbesignedeachweekbyyourparent,thenturned
intoMissWillardforagrade.
3. Wewillhavemanyplayingteststhroughoutthesemester.Attheendofthe
semester,youwillreceiveagradeforeachplayingtestthatyoupassed.
4. Throughoutthesemesterwewillalsooccasionallyhaveassignmentsand

worksheetsonmusictheoryormusichistory.Thesewillallcounttowarda
student'soverallgradeinband.
Participation/Effort:
Studentsareencouragedandexpectedtoparticipateinallscheduledactivitiesin
band.Ifastudentisnotabletobepresentataneventoutsideofschool,Imusthavea
notefromtheparent/guardian.Intheeventthatastudentmissesarequired
performanceforband,therewillbeanalternateassignmentforthestudenttomakeup
thatmissedevent.Thisisjustliketheneedtomakeupassignmentsinotherschool
subjectswhenabsent.
Studentsareexpectedtostriveforandproducequalityworkbyconsistently
doingtheirbestandworkingtoimproveinmusic.Studentsarerequiredtoshow
respectfortheteacher,others,andmusicmaterials.
Studentswillbegivenagradebasedonthetheirparticipationandeffortoncea
weekinband.Participationwillbeworth5pointsperweekthroughoutthesemester.
Thisisbecausethestudentsneedtobeheldaccountablefortheirbehaviorinmusic
classinordertosucceedinmusic.

GradingScale:
10093
A
9286
B
8578
C
7770
D
Below70
F