Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Band Handbook 2014-15

Mrs. Eileen Yu

874-8404

Website:

OR go to the FMS website to Teachers; then Special Areas; then Mrs. Yu.

I’m so happy to welcome you to the band program at FMS this year. We have an exciting calendar planned, and a LOT of great music to be learned! Playing an instrument is important because it benefits you in many ways!

  • Music makes you smart! It helps to improve your attention skills and intelligence. Think of everything your brain has to do when you play your instrument – you are constantly making decisions about what note to play, what the rhythm is, how fast to go, where to breathe, how to get a good tone, and how loud to play! And, you have to make these decisions all at the same time!!!
  • Playing an instrument helps you with your academic classes, especially math and reading. Research has shown that students who participate in music do better in schoolthan those who don’t! They also score significantly higher on state tests. The U.S. Department of Education lists music as a subject that college-bound middle school students should take!
  • Playing an instrument makes you self-disciplined! It helps you to develop good study habits. Every week at your lesson you get an assignment. Then you have to go home and practice it on your own all week while you evaluate your own playing so that you can improve. Being able to evaluate yourself is important in many areas of your life!
  • Music is a way for you to express yourself! Music can make you feel better when you’re sad or upset. It helps you to connect with your own feelings. It can also help you to connect with other people. Music brings people together. It’s nice to belong to a smaller group of kids like the band when you’re in such a big school!
  • Finally, music is important in its own right! Music can truly enhance your life. Playing an instrument is really fun!!

Components of the Band Program

There are three components of the band program: lessons, rehearsals, and performances.

Lessons

Band students have weekly lessons on a rotating basis during the school day. Lessons rotate through the periods so that students do not miss the same period more than once every 5–7 weeks. All teachers have a copy of the rotating lesson schedule. Students need to remind their teachers when they will be attending a lesson (ahead of time!). Students are responsible for making up any missed class work.

Students are expected to be present at all lessons. There are some exceptions to this rule. Classroom teachers occasionally ask me to release a child from a lesson, in the event of a class test or presentation that conflicts with the lesson. Students occasionally have classes that they don’t feel comfortable missing because they have a review before a big test or problems in a specific subject area. The student should talk to me about this ahead of time. A make-up lesson time will then be arranged within two weeks of the missed lesson. I do also drop the lowest lesson grade of each marking period, which in effect gives your child a “freebie”: they can miss one lesson per marking period without grades being affected.

Each student receives a lesson schedule several times per year. Lesson times are also posted outside the band room door, sent home via email, and can be accessed through the band website. Lessons should be marked in students’ agendas when they receive their schedules so that they come down to their lesson at the appropriate period.

After notifying your classroom teacher that you have a lesson, come right down to the band room. It is very important that students come down for their lessons on time. If a student does not arrive for his lesson, I will call him down up to three times. After this the student will no longer be called down, and parents will be contacted. I avoid calling students down because it interrupts the classroom teachers’ classes, and it takes time away from our lessons. Remember – it is your responsibility to know when your lesson is. Please come down to your lesson on time!

Band Rehearsals

Concert Band meets on days 1, 3, and 5.

Falcon Band meets on days 2, 4, and 6.

All band rehearsals are held during the Music Ensemble Period, which is from 7:50-8:35 each day.If you are tardy to band, you are marked tardy for the day, so be sure to be on time!

Students must remain attentive and put forth their best effort during rehearsals. No talking is allowed. They must have their instrument, supplies, music, and a pencil at each rehearsal and for instrumental lessons. Instruments should be of good quality and in good working order.

Jazz Band

Jazz Band will rehearse this year on Mondays from 3:30 – 4:30. If there is no school on a Monday, we will rehearse on Tuesday of that week.You can sign up for Jazz Band by bringing in the Jazz Band permission slip included in this packet. Students who turn in this permission slip will receive a rehearsal calendar and more information.

Performances

Attendance at concerts is mandatory. Performances should be treated like major exams. They are an essential element of our program – the culmination of what the students have been working on for the past several months! Please put the following dates on your calendar:

Band Winter Concert at FMS

Thursday, December 11, 2014

7:00 PM

“East Side” Combined Band Concert at Kenmore East High School

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

7:00 PM

FRANKLIN GOES TO THE MOVIES at FMS

Concert and Basket Auction

Friday, May8, 2014

7:00 PM

Darien Lake Music Festival

The Concert Band, Falcon Band, and Jazz Band will also be traveling to Darien Lake toward the end of the school year to participate in their Spring Music Festival. We will perform and be adjudicated by several judges, and then spend the rest of the day enjoying the park. Date TBA – but we are PROBABLY going on May 30 this year!

Students will also be offered the opportunity to participate in the ECMEA and NYSSMA Solo Festivals. Please return the ECMEA Solo Festival permission slip in this packet if you are interested in performing at the January festival!

ECMEA Solo Festival –January 10(6th grade and jazz), January 17(7/8 grade)

NYSSMA Solo & Ensemble Festival –date TBA (Spring, 2015)

CONCERT DRESS

The concert dress is the same for all FMS instrumental groups:

Black dress slacks

SCHOOL-OWNED INSTRUMENTS

The school district has provided us with a number of instruments that can be rented through FMS. They are: clarinets, bass clarinets, oboes, bassoons,tenor sax, bari sax, trumpets, French horns,trombones, baritones, and tubas. There are also a few flutes and alto saxophones available for rental. The rental fee for the school year is $40. We cannot send instruments home until the rental contract is signed.

Instruments are in working order at the beginning of the school year. The student is responsible for repairing any damage that occurs during the year.

HOME PRACTICE

Learning an instrument is a very complex endeavor! Students will benefit from playing an instrument even if their practicing is less than perfect, but in order for them to reach their full potentialand get the most benefit from their instrumental studies, consistent home practicing is a must. Students should practice at least 150 minutes weekly, spread out over 5 or more days. This means that instruments should not be left in school overnight. Practice your instrument, and you’ll love your instrument! Check out my website for tips on effective practicing!

GRADING POLICY

Band is a graded class at FMS, and is averaged into each student’s cumulative grade. Each of the following are awarded 1/3 credit towards each quarter’s grade:

Lessons – 33%

  • Being prepared for lessons (instrument, music, pencil, supplies)
  • Lesson attendance for all lessons held when the student is in school
  • Attitude and effort

Rehearsals– 33%

  • Rehearsal attendance
  • Being prepared for band (instrument, music, pencil, supplies)
  • Being on time and ready to play
  • Attitude and effort

Performances– 34%

  • Concert Attendance
  • Playing testsof band music and lesson assignments

Good news: there are many opportunities to earn extra credit!

-Plus 4 points for attending ALL lessons in a marking period at the correct scheduled time

-Plus 5 points for an A+ or Outstanding rating earned at the ECMEA or NYSSMA solo festival

-Plus 4 points for an A or Excellent rating earned at the ECMEA or NYSSMA solo festival.

-Plus 3 points for an A- or Good rating earned at the ECMEA or NYSSMA solo festival

- Plus 5 points for participation in our awesome Jazz Band!

-Plus 5 points for participation in NYSSMA Area All-State, ECMEA All-County Band or Orchestra, or NYSBDA All-State Band!Other extra credit opportunities will be announced throughout the year.

Your first assignment is to return the Band Contract Signature Form by Friday, September 12.This will count as your first rehearsal grade for the year. You will also be placed on the Band Birthday List and receive a pencil on your birthday – but only if you return the form by September 12!

Band Student and Parent Signature Form

ALL BAND STUDENTS MUST RETURN.

DUE BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

Students:

I, ______, have read the Band Handbook and agree to follow the rules and expectations required as a member of the FMS band program.

I am handing my signature form in by Friday, September 12.I will receive 100% for my first rehearsal grade, and I will be placed on the Band Birthday List.

I am interested in becoming a member of the FMS Jazz Band.______

I am interested in performing a solo for the ECMEA Solo Festival in January______

My birthday is: ______

______

Student’s signature

Parents:

I have read the Band Handbook and understand the rules and expectations involved in the requirements of the FMS band program.

______

Parent’s signature

Please list an email address that is read on a regular basis. This can be your email at work or at home. Most information will be sent home via email to save paper. If you do not have an email address, your child should check the email folder in the band room frequently and take home a printout of any emails that have been sent out.

Please print clearly:

______@______@______

Parent’s email address Please print Parent’s email address again….

I will send a test email the week of September 16. If you do not receive it, please contact me at:

FMS Band Parents

Our parent volunteers are an integral part of the band program at FMS.

Would you be willing to help out in one or more of the following areas?

Sending in a box of tissues______

If you could send in a box of tissues this month, it would be appreciated.

The school district doesn’t provide tissues, but everyone still needs to blow their noses!

Franklin Goes to the Movies______

This is our biggest event of the year and we need a lot of parent support to make it happen. It involves our annual Basket Auction, which is our big fundraiser of the year. Please indicate below how you would be able to help. More specific information will be sent home several weeks before the concert:

______Contacting area businesses for donations

______Donating a basket for the basket auction

______Helping the night of the event to sell tickets/food

Chaperoning______

We participate in the Darien Lake Music Festival every year, and we couldn’t do it

without our parent chaperones! The event is always on a Saturday.

We may need chaperones for a musical event during the school day as well.

Videotaping and recording concerts______

It’s very helpful for the kids to see, as well as hear, their concerts. This provides valuable

feedback which helps them to self-evaluate their performances.

Thank you! I will contact you at the appropriate time!

Mrs. Eileen Yu