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West Bloomfield High School Band
Directors: Arthur Ebert & Jeremy Figlewicz
Course Outline and Objectives
Throughout their time in the West Bloomfield Band Department, students will advance their:
• Musical Development: Students will be continually challenged to develop and enhance all aspects of their musical skills in an age-appropriate manner.
• Music Appreciation: Students will develop an understanding and appreciation of music and its importance in our daily lives. They will learn the proper fundamental techniques required to achieve proficiency on their instrument, as well as learn about the composers, compositions and history of the music that they are playing.
• Musical Language: Students will learn how to understand musical terms, phrasing, articulation styles, and fundamental concepts for music creation in an age appropriate manner.
• Music Learning Community: Students will develop a musical community centered on positive learning, musical growth, and respect towards their peers, instruments, facilities, music and instructors.
Grading
9th-12th Grade (Concert Band, Wind Ensemble & Symphony Band) Grading Scale
Concert and Rehearsal Attendance: 30% of final grade
Daily Participation: 30% of final grade
Playing Exams: 30% of final grade
Final Exam: 10% of final grade
Concert and Rehearsal Attendance: Every student is expected and required to attend all scheduled rehearsals and concerts during the school year. Unavoidable conflicts must be communicated by the parent(s) to your director well in advance of the concert or rehearsal date.
Daily Participation: Since band is a performance and rehearsal-based class, it is imperative that all students participate every day. All students will begin each week with a designated amount of points when they enter the classroom. Reasons for less than a perfect participation grade are outlined below under classroom guideline infractions. Remember, every student enters with 100% participation points at the beginning of the week!
Playing Exams: Exams will occur regularly throughout the school year, in both formal and informal settings. Playing exams may be set up for certain days and times, with students having preparation time for specific music. Playing exams may also occur during class time as a means of quick informal assessment. Both are equally valuable tools to encourage student performance, and all exams will be administered in a setting geared towards student success.
Classroom Guidelines
Guidelines are a vital component to the success of our band program. It is imperative that all students adhere to the following guidelines every day, so that we can achieve our maximum performance potential.
• Be in your assigned seat and working on the assigned bell work or warm-ups when the tardy bell rings.
• Bring ALL books and materials to class AND take them with you (or put them away in their proper place) when you leave the classroom.
• Treat every person in this room with dignity and respect to create a safe musical learning community.
• Follow directions the FIRST time that they are given.
• Follow ALL procedures and policies as outlined in the WBSD and OLMS/AMS handbooks.
Classroom Procedures
Every day certain aspects of class will operate the same way. These standards will never change and will be outlined, detailed, and rehearsed with students during class time:
• Entering the classroom: Facing forward, one foot after the other!
• Tardy policy (both excused and unexcused): Follows school policy. 3rd tardy will result in discipline referral being sent to main office.
• Getting classroom attention: Directors will stand in front of the class, raise hand, and wait for everyone to be quiet.
• Classroom set-up: To be discussed with students. Every student will be responsible to enter the room and set up their own chair, stand, and instrument with the proper materials (including method books, music, paper, and pencil).
• Instrument set-up time: Students will be given a designated amount of instrument assembly time each day.
• Instrument break-down time: Students will also be given time to take apart their instruments each day.
• Classroom break-down: At the end of the day, students will be expected to help with cleaning up their own individual chairs and stands, as well as any additional materials.
• Restroom procedures: Raise 3 fingers and wait for a teacher to acknowledge. STUDENTS WILL BE GRANTED 3 BATHROOM PASSES A SEMESTER, SO USE THEM WISELY.
• Moving around the room: You must ask permission. Please do not ask during a classroom discussion unless it is an emergency.
• Food, drinks, and gum: ARE NEVER ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM. The only exception is water.
• Class dismissal: Your teacher dismisses you, not the bell. Wait until the teacher finishes and officially dismisses you before beginning to pack up instruments and music.
Classroom Guideline Infractions
With the current classroom guidelines and procedures already set in place, there will be fair follow-ups to any infraction of the guidelines and procedures listed above. The following infractions will result in the loss of a designated amount of daily participation points:
• No instrument: 0 points for day Student does not have their instrument to rehearse for the day. This can never be accepted.
• ANY food, drink, or gum brought in to the classroom (water, however, is encouraged): 1/2 points for the day Due to the nature of music-making, doritos and coke will do nothing but harm to our instruments!
• No music: 1/2 points for day We cannot rehearse or perform without our music.
• Disruptive behavior: 1/2 points for day Any behavior deemed disruptive will be dealt with by acknowledging the behavior first.
• Excessive disruptive behavior: 0 points for day Any problem deemed unmanageable by the directors will result in full loss of points and most likely a trip to the office.
• Unfocused behavior: 1/2 points for day Any behavior that takes away from individual rehearsal focus, including working on other homework, checking a cell phone during class, or etc.
• Cell phone & iPod use: 1/2 points and confiscated and taken to main office for parent retrieval Cell phone use during class time is against school policy. Parents may come and pick up the student cell phone from the main office if confiscated.
• Severe behavior: immediate dismissal from class to front office, 0 points for day. Any behavior deemed inappropriate for class by the directors will result in the immediate dismissal from class and a full loss of points for the day.