Husky Band Handbook 2007-2008
by Jeremy Wetter
August 18, 2007
Northern Valley Band Handbook (2007-2008)
Hello to all of you! Welcome back to another exciting year of music. I am excited about the possibilities and challenges that lie ahead with this group of fine musicians. But, as with all classes there are a few rules and regulations that we must all follow to achieve the most success in our classroom. This handbook will be “the responsibilities” of our class and will be used in all events we do, including (but not limited to):
--Daily classroom rehearsals
--Concerts/Band Clinic/Music Contests
--Marching Band/Pep Band performances
--Other community or state sponsored music events
Grading Procedures
In this class, I will grade each student according to the following scale:
--Daily work/participation points: 10 points per day
--Marching band, pep band, music contests: 50 points per event
--Band Concerts: 100 points
--Extra curricular activities (ie. KMEA or KSHSAA sponsored music festivals, solos, ensembles, parades, community events, playing in church)—10 or more extra credit points
--Playing tests/Hat tests: 10 points possible
Grading System Per Quarter
Grades 4-6 Grades 7-12
All performances—50% All performances—50%
Daily work/participation—40% Daily Work/participation—40%
Practice Reports—10% Playing tests/hat tests—10%
Lettering Requirements (Grades 9-12)
To letter, you must be a band member for one full year, participate in all scheduled events, maintain a ‘B’ average or better for one full year, participate in either the league or regional solo and ensemble festival OR try out for district or other honor band auditions, prepare for all performances, follow the rules established for proper conduct, be a credit to the school, the band, themselves, and a role model for all current and future Northern Valley musicians.
Classroom Responsibilities
- No talking when Mr. Wetter is on the podium.
(If you have a question or concern, please raise your hand and I will acknowledge you.)
2. Stop with Mr. Wetter when he cuts off the band.
(When I stop you, it means I have something to say and everyone needs to pay attention. Once I finish my brief statement, we will continue making music.)
3. No gum, candy, snack food, soda, etc. of any kind is allowed in the music classrooms or the instrument storage rooms. Only bottled water is allowed.
4. Respect your teacher, fellow classmates, and others’ property and
instruments.
5. Play to the best of your ability!
Consequences and Rewards
Negative Consequences
Any disruptions will not be tolerated. For classroom behavior, I will use a three strikes and you’re out policy.
--1st strike-you will be warned.
--2nd strike-you will sit in a new location to prevent future problems.
--3rd strike, YOU ARE OUT!—Your reward is an automatic 30 minute detention and writing assignment to be determined by the teacher. We have only 30 minutes of rehearsal per day-make the most of it!
***Don’t waste time by goofing around, talking, playing unnecessarily, etc.***
Positive Rewards
A period of good work will be rewarded. Examples of rewards could be a movie, candy, extra credit points, playing games, a day where students get to conduct the band on a piece of music, a day of sight-reading, a breathing or rhythm contest, etc. but, it will be a music related activity.
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory for any musical ensemble (band, orchestra, choir, etc.) and the same is true here at Northern Valley. Without everyone present for daily rehearsals, there is little we can do for improvement in the entire ensemble. If you are going to be absent from school (vacation, dental appt. etc.) or for another school activity (ex. sports, forensics, polo, etc.) please let me know as soon as possible before the event so it can be excused. Also, if you will be late or do arrive late to class, a valid pass from another teacher or the office will be the only way I will allow the tardiness without a loss of daily points.
An unexcused absence is not allowed. If you are going to be gone for any reason, let me know ahead of time. Performances are mandatory! If you miss a concert, pep band, marching band, or other major performance without a valid excuse, you will have an automatic zero if I do not receive a note within 2 days of the missed event. If you do not fulfill this requirement, a zero will be written in the grade book which could drop your overall band grade up to 3 or more letter grades!
The following will be enforced for classroom tardiness:
1st tardy—5 daily points are lost
2nd tardy—all daily points are lost and possible meeting with director
3rd tardy—30 minutes detention after school and meeting with principal
4th tardy--45 minutes detention after school, meeting with principal and/or parents.
5th tardy—1 hour detention after school, meeting with parents and principal, and possible dismissal from the band
For unexcused absences in class, I will use the following procedures:
1st unexcused absence—All daily points are lost plus an immediate 30 minute detention.
2nd unexcused absence—All daily points are lost, 30 minutes detention after school and meeting with principal
3rd unexcused absence—All daily points are lost, 45 minutes detention after school, meeting with principal and/or parents
4th unexcused absence—All daily points are lost, 1 hour detention after school, meeting with parents and principal, and possible dismissal from the band.
***All absences will be considered on a case-by-case basis***
Practice Reports (Grades 4-6)
Practice reports will be due each week for students in grades 4-6. Each week, practice reports will be worth 13 points for a practice time of 120 minutes (2 hours) each week. If a student practices more than 120 minutes in a week, they will receive extra credit points. Remember, no practice reports will result in a grade of a “B” or lower since they are now 10% of your final grade! These reports are due each Monday at the beginning of class. I will accept them until Wednesday at the latest for partial credit.
Band Challenges
If you feel you have been improperly placed in your section of the band and would like to advance yourself to a higher chair, you now have that opportunity with band challenges! Here’s how they will work. You can challenge the next person higher than you in the section. The two of you will select a musical passage from a song we are currently playing/rehearsing in class. Be sure and OK the selection with Mr. Wetter or it will not count. Then, you will have one week to practice and come in before school or the beginning or end of class for the big showdown. Mr. Wetter, will rate the performance of both of you anonymously and the person that plays the passage best will win the higher chair. One exception to this rule will be that challenges will NOT be allowed during the month of April or within two weeks of a concert. Good luck! By the way, bari sax challenges cannot take place (or any challenge where there is only one person on an instrument in the band). [Sorry Travis and Stanton]
Daily Procedure and Checklist
Each student is responsible for having all of their materials (instrument, all music, pencils, lyres, flip folders, etc) handy for each rehearsal or performance. If anything is forgotten, I will allow 1 free-bee per nine weeks before docking participation points. If missed again, the student will not receive participation points for that day. With the very short amount of rehearsal time, it is a must that everyone has the proper supplies. Plus, a pencil has a better memory than we do! Each day we will warm-up together. Do not begin playing the moment you arrive in class (percussionists and any others that like to do this). Mr. Wetter will give a countdown from five and once he hits zero, class has begun and you are sitting quietly, listening to instructions, and ready to go. (If not, points are deducted)
Besides these things, I recommend all students to have the following items at all times for daily instrument maintenance:
A cloth-for wiping fingerprints, oil, etc. off of instruments daily (a handkerchief or a chunk from an old t-shirt works fine)
Reeds—two good reeds at all times
Valve or Slide oil for brass players
Cork grease for reeds and slide grease for brass
Drum sticks
A cleaning kit for your instrument (optional but HIGHLY recommended)
Instrument Care and Maintenance
This past summer, I sent in approx. 20 instruments to be repaired for improper maintenance and care issues that have occurred in the past. I recommend the following to keep instruments in top playing condition:
--Wash mouthpieces thoroughly with soap and water to prevent buildup. (Don’t let any corks get wet on those reed instruments). If you are sick or have a cold, this is especially important because you can reinfect yourself with the germs in the mouthpiece without proper cleaning after a cold or a case of the flu.
--Clean flute head-joints weekly with a soft cloth (don’t mess with the tuning corks!!!)
--Swab out your instruments (flutes, oboes, clarinets, and saxes) after each time you play. Any moisture in the instrument can damage the interior and/or pads of the instrument. (Repadding can cost up to $500!)
--Never give a bath to woodwind instruments. This will completely damage the horn!
--Brass players-empty the water out of the instrument after each time you play. Any moisture in the instrument can damage the interior and could warp the shaping of the instrument.
--Be sure you put your name on your instrument case. If your instrument is left someplace or needs to be moved to the other school building, I will know who it belongs to.
--Do not store your instrument out in the open on a chair where it can be knocked off accidentally. Always place it in the case when not in use.
Accidents occasionally happen in the music classroom. If your instrument is having problems, come see me before or after class to resolve the matter. Any major damage or abuse to an instrument will be the student’s responsibility to pay for the damages. We do not want to send in a bunch of instruments again for repairs so please take extra special care of these instruments in which your parents or the school has invested thousands of dollars.
Marching Band/Pep Band Performances (Grades 7-12)
These are great ways to show the community what we have accomplished throughout the school year. Participation is required by all students. We will once again perform in the stands throughout the first half of the football games and play a tune after the 3rd quarter. For football games, students should arrive NO LATER than 6:30 PM to get their instrument, marching jacket, tune, etc. and be ready to go on the field at 6:45 PM. Be sure and have white tennis shoes and blue jeans for marching band nights. As far as pep band goes, we will play before and during halftimes of the women’s and men’s varsity basketball games (students are free during the game but need to be back in the stands 1 minute before halftime or the final buzzer. Attendance is taken at all games and tardiness will lose performance points. For most games, the pep band starting time is 6:00 PM.
Concert Attire—Always Look Your Best!
--High School Concerts--Unless Mrs. David or I tell you something different, students need to wear black dress pants, black socks, black dress shoes, a white dress shirt, and your concert vest. (This dress code includes all concerts, music contests, and music clinics).
***All green music vests are checked out by Mrs. David. You are responsible for their return in the spring or you don’t graduate or check out!!***
--Grades 4-8 Concerts—Dress up nicely. In other words, my preference is all black and white (like the high school students). But, if you do not own all black and white dress clothes, I will allow almost anything but the following items: no short skirts, no tennis shoes, no flip-flop sandals, no shorts, no t-shirts, no jeans, no pajamas, etc. Just dress your best! If you are unsure about an article of clothing, it is probably inappropriate. (This dress code includes all concerts, music contests, and music clinics for grades 4-8)
Final Thoughts
Once again I’d like to welcome you to our ensemble this year whether you are a new or returning member. If you need anything or have a concern, gripe, praise, or just need someone to talk to, I’m always around and my door is always open. I look forward to great things from everyone as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort. Within a couple of weeks, a calendar of events for the year will be distributed to all band students so you know what we will be doing this year. Please keep this sheet handy and give it to your parents and/or employers. Also, jot these dates down in your planners, that way you have the information in case you lose your sheet. On the last page there is a contract for the students and parents to sign stating they have read and thoroughly understand this year’s policies. This sheet needs to be detached, signed, and returned by Friday August 31st. If needed, you can reach me in the following ways:
Mr. Jeremy Wetter
512 W. Bryant
Almena, KS 67622
School Phone: (785) 669-2445 in Almena-----(785) 854-7681 in Long Island)
Email: trumpet_jer_bear@yahoo.com
Remember, band and all music is a team sport. Without all of you, music would not exist at Northern Valley. It is a skill in which you never stop learning. How many people from Northern Valley will join the NBA, NFL, MLB in their future? Perhaps a couple of people over a span of twenty years if we are lucky. How many of you will play sports in college? Again, very few if any. How many 80 year old people can still dunk a basketball, sports practice/running for four hours each day, or pitch a fastball? None (that I know of). Now, how many 80 year olds play in a band, orchestra, or sing in a choir. Millions!! By being in music, you are part of something special that will last you a lifetime. Think about all of the things you experience in life that involve music. Ipods, computers, car stereos, movies, video games (can you imagine Super Mario Bros. without a soundtrack?), school sporting events, games, etc. The list of music in our lives is immeasurable! Music not only brings people together to create a masterpiece, it also makes you smarter in everything you do (this has been scientifically proven countless times). The music education you receive from Mrs. David and myself is not given to you because we need the money. You receive it because it is a very important skill that could last you a lifetime. We have experienced the best and we are here to give you the best possible training to bring out the best in you. Whether you have composed your own music, been in countless honor bands, only play 30 min. per day for Mr. W, or can barely play a Bb scale, you are still a part of the loving musical team and as a member you are important to EVERYONE. Where else can you go to have fun, without competition, be part of a constantly winning team, do something great that will not only benefit yourself, but will impact and touch the lives of others around you near and far? Only the music classroom can you do all of this and so much more. Here at Northern Valley, the success of the music team, is depending on you. Like I have said many times, “the stick makes no noise.” It’s not Jeremy Wetter that makes this class great. It’s not Sara Nelson or Pat David that makes the groups successful. It is you!!! You are the ones that determine your own success in life and I thank each and every one of you for your commitment to be a part of something great—music at the Northern Valley Schools.
Best wishes to all of you. Let’s have the best band in Northern Valley’s history!
Band Handbook Signature Form
***I have thoroughly read and understand the information presented to me in this handbook. I agree that any information is subject to change without notice and I agree to abide by these rules and be the best musician I can be.***
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Student Signature Parent/Guardian Signature
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Date Date
Don’t Forget—This form is due in Mr. Wetter’s office on
Friday August 31st
