Ridgeview
High School Band
Handbook, Policies, and Activities
August 2009 - May 2010
INDEX of TOPICS (click on the link to view details)
Financial Information and Fee Schedule
What are the
Band Bucks used for?
Essential Supplies for Band Class
Welcome to High School Band- New Students
Greetings from the Ridgeview High School Band. We are excited about you being a part of our band next year. I hope the information provided here will help you and your family makes an easy transition to our band program.
You’ve spent the past two years learning to play your instrument, perhaps participating in the solo, ensemble and district band festivals and presenting concerts. As you move on to high school you will have the opportunity to continue these activities plus add some new and exciting areas to your band experience.
Band at RHS will be very similar to that which you’ve experienced in junior high school. You will be enrolled in a concert band class which Mr. McGuffin will teach. This will be your “main” band class. In this class you will continue developing your skills on your instrument, play concert and marching band music, and get all the details and information needed to keep up-to-date with the band program. In addition you will have an option to participate in the Jazz Band, ensembles, music theory, color guard and winter guard classes, and private instrument lessons. With all these choices you have some decisions to make! I hope you’ll take a few moments to read this booklet, share it with your parents, and then decide in which parts of the RHS Band you want to participate.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the RHS Band or the information contained in this booklet. We look forward to meeting and working with you.
All classes at
Concert bands are the foundation of our
Band program at Ridgeview. Students
in the concert bands are provided the necessary
instruction to excel in music performance on their instrument and in a group
setting. Additionally, the concert band
classes provide an opportunity to complete routine clerical and record keeping
tasks, make announcements and keep up with the daily tasks of school.
The concert bands present approximately six concerts
during the year. Traditionally, these
concerts are presented in the fall, winter, early spring and at the end of the
year.
The PANTHER MARCHING
BAND represents
Membership in
MARCHING BAND is by audition. In other words, Marching Band is not required, one must earn the right to be included. The MARCHING
BAND is composed of four facets which when placed together produce a
unified musical and visual performance. They are: the
Color Guard, the Pit percussion, the Wind instruments, and the
The Color Guard provides visual energy to the music played by the Band. Anyone is eligible to tryout for Color Guard. It helps to have some knowledge of dance, but it is not necessary. Color Guard members twirl flags, rifles, and sabers, along with dance movements
The Ridgeview High School Colorguard is an integral part of the RHS Marching Panther Band and therefore considered a part of the music department. Colorguard members are selected through an audition process. Before the audition, each candidate is given instruction and practice on the necessary skills to succeed in Colorguard. Attendance at the clinic is mandatory.
To be a RHS Colorguard member requires a high degree of time, dedication, and personal responsibility. It is imperative that the members be cooperative, self-disciplined, and self motivated. The purpose of the Colorguard is to enhance the RHS Band, provide additional visual performance continuity during field shows and competitions, enhance school spirit, and represent RHS at all times.
The Drumline consists of snare, bass, and tenor drums and cymbals. The drumline plays the music and marches the drill on the field.
The Pit is a group of percussionists who most often do not move or perform the drill. The Pit provides percussive and mallet sounds to the marching band show. You do not have to be a percussionist to be in the Pit. In fact some of our best performers play other instruments in concert season.
Each spring RHS holds a percussion clinic for all students in grades 8-11 who want to be a part of the RHS marching percussion section. See calendar for details.
“Band
Camp” is required for all RHS Marching Band members. It is in Band Camp that
you will learn the specific moves and maneuvers for our fall Marching Band
show. “Band Camp” is
considered to be in addition to regularly scheduled Marching Band
rehearsals.
Friday August
28 2 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday August
29 8 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Saturday September
12 8 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Saturday September
19 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
· Dress
comfortably and plan to be outside in the sun
· Bring
water, a hat, and sunscreen
· Tennis
shoes are required
· Bring
your own lunch or snack
· You are not allowed to leave campus during Marching Band Camp
We will not have any band activities during the summer vacation time. The first time you will meet for band and after school rehearsals will be on the second day of school (August 25).
Marching Season Rehearsal Schedule
Marching
Season Rehearsal Schedule
August
24 - November 10
Mondays
2-4 p.m. Color Guard Practice
Tuesdays 2-4 p.m. Full Marching
Band
Thursday
2-4 p.m. Drumline/Pit
Sectional
Thursdays
5-7 p.m. Full Marching Band
Fridays Football games.
This
schedule may be modified slightly after October 1 to
accommodate competition rehearsals.
The Marching Band will participate
in Saturday competitions during October and November. Dates for 2008 are
as follows:
October 10- Middleburg
October 24- St Augustine
November 7- FBA MPA
Plan on devoting all day (7a.m. to
midnight) for band activities on competition days.
Financial
Information…What does Band cost?
It takes a lot of money to maintain a
viable and productive band program.
Unfortunately, our school district cannot provide funds to help us take
our music out of the classroom and into the world. In order to do this we need your help! Some years ago we designed a program to help
share the financial load equally among all families and this became known as
the Band Bucks Program. This funding method eliminates “a few people doing all
the work” and replaces it with a plan where every family is equally involved in
supporting the Band and its activities.
We hope your family will join in a collaborated effort to help our students take their music out of the classroom and
into the real world.
Our budget for the 2009-10 school
year is $15,000. This will cover our needs for transportation, music, supplies,
uniforms and their maintenance, training clinics, marching and guard staff,
travel, festival and competition entry fees, as well as maintenance and
instrument replacement.
The Band Bucks Fee for 2009-2010 is
$125 per band family. In determining
this amount, it was our desire to budget for all the anticipated expenses
during the year. The only expenses which are not covered by Band Bucks are band
and guard shoes, color guard uniform items, concert uniforms, and any trips or
tour.
Payment 1 August 27, 2009 $25
(includes Band locker rental and Band Tee Shirt)
Payment 2 September 30, 2009 $50
Payment 3 November 1, 2009 $50
You are welcome to pay the entire
amount by August 27 should you wish.
What
are the Band Bucks used for?
Students and families will have two opportunities to earn money which
can be applied to their Fair Share account.
With participation in these activities everyone will have a “fair” and
“equal” opportunity to earn money which will support the band as a whole and
the students in particular.
Renting a locker in the band room is not
required. It is not a right. It is a
priveledge! In order to take advantage
of renting a locker in the band room the student must be a member of the “Band
Bucks program” as outlined in the section
above AND maintain the locker.
Maintaining the locker is simple: keep it locked at all times, keep it
clean, keep it fresh. Poor locker
maintence results in the priveledge being revoked.
The majority of activities from August to
November evolve around Marching Band and football season. Here is a broad outline of our yearly band
events.
August—mid-November
Weekly rehearsals and practices Monday—Thursday. .
Football games on Friday nights.
Three or four Saturday band competitions.
Tri-State Band Festival (selected students).
Festival of Winds (selected students).
December
Most of our activities from January—June will be related to concert band. I can’t forecast our
specific schedule, but I can give you an idea of what is expected of you and
your time outside of school.
January—February
Preparation for District Solo and Ensemble
Festival will require that you spend some time in after-school rehearsals. This is not for everyone in the band program;
it is for those who choose to be a part of S/E Festival. Begin weekly after school rehearsal for
Festival Band.
January—mid-March
The Festival Band will work diligently to
prepare for District Band Festival.
There will usually be one weekly after-school rehearsal or sectional for
each band up until the festival date. Continue
weekly after school rehearsal for Festival Band
Late-March — April
This is usually a “relaxing” time of
year. With District Festivals completed we can afford to do most of our rehearsals in
class. There are a couple of concerts
and special events during this time.
April — May
State Band festival preparation will
require some weekly after-school rehearsals and sectionals. A few after-school rehearsals will be needed for the spring concert and graduation.
The band uniform is an important part of our performance. A band needs to impress the audience with its appearance as well as the music. The uniforms of the Ridgeview Band are the outward symbol of the pride and spirit demonstrated by every Band member. DO NOT ASK IF YOU CAN WEAR ANYTHING ELSE. All band members are expected to be in full uniform for performances.
CONCERT UNIFORMS
All Band
members will make a one time purchase of a formal
concert uniform. This uniform will be worn for all the
years a student is in the RHS Band. The uniform cost is approximately $80 -
$100. The uniform consists of a tuxedo for the gentlemen
or a long black dress for the ladies.
Ladies- Please call Donna Norville to make an
appointment for your dress fitting. Mrs.
Norville’s telephone is 272-7378. Please do this before October 1 to prevent
delay in getting your dress on time.
Gentlemen – Please visit the
tuxedo shop in Orange Park Mall (near JC Penneys) to
order your tuxedo.
MARCHING and COLOR
GUARD UNIFORMS
No cost is
involved in the marching and color guard uniforms. The uniform will be provided by the Band and funded by the contributions to the
Fair Share Program...
When in CONCERT or MARCHING uniform, please observe the following rules:
· No pins, medals, or decorations are to be worn on the uniform.
· Hair must be completely out of and away from the face.
· Small necklaces and stud earrings may be worn as long as it meets the approval of the director.
· No rings may be worn while in uniform.
· You may not wear any hair ornaments.
·
Fingernail
polish may not be worn while in uniform.
Jazz Band is an optional performance group designed for students who want to explore additional musical styles. This group meets for rehearsal outside the normal school day. Auditions will be conducted during the first semester of school.
Students are expected to attend class. Attendance is taken every class period; those who are present in class begin the day with 100%. Those who are absent from class receive a 0% for their grade.
This is an ensemble music class. The nature of the class dictates that no one individual is any less or more important than the other. All members are required to put forth their best effort to make the class "gel" together. Therefore, when even one person is absent, the entire class is affected.
Points are deducted from a student's grade if they do not contribute to the daily success of the music rehearsal. In other words, if you play your part, practice your music, and contribute to the class without causing distractions you will retain the 100% which you began the class. The director's opinion of each student’s success is, by nature, a subjective one and is final.
Students missing a
class, whether it be officially excused or unexcused,
will have an opportunity to "make-up" the time missed. Click here for
instructions or visit http://ridgeviewband.org/hndbk0808/makeup.htm
Additionally, there
will be other forms of assessments such as playing tests, attendance at
after-school rehearsal and classroom preparation.
Grading
Rubric
·
Classroom Participation
·
Tests, Evaluations, and Quizzes
·
Rehearsal and Concert Attendance
In most cases these three elements are
considered equally. Mr. McGuffin will
advise the class as to the specific category weighting during each quarter.
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The nature of "Band" requires that performance be a part of the student's assessment. Rehearsal goes hand-in-hand with performance; therefore it is necessary for the band to rehearsal and performs "outside the normal school day." Students enrolled in Band are expected to attend all class sessions, rehearsals, and performances.
If you find you
cannot attend an out of school rehearsal or performance please follow the links
below for make-up opportunities.
If you have to miss a rehearsal or performance.
Classroom
Supplies
Every student
is expected to have basic supplies at all band
rehearsals (i.e. classes). Beginning August 16
these items will become a part of the daily grading policies as mention above.
Woodwind players: your instrument, your band music folder, all band music on which we are currently working, a pencil, 2 playable reeds
Brass players: your instrument, your band music folder, all band music on which we are currently working, a pencil, valve oil
Percussion players: your band music folder and all band music on which we are currently working. PLUS the percussionist’s basic supply list below.
Percussionist Basic Supplies All percussionists at Ridgeview High are required to have the following supplies in class, at rehearsals, and at concerts. This list is the minimum requirement. In most cases the students will want to supplement this with additional sticks and mallets. Listed in parentheses is a suggested style and model which you may use as a guide for selection. You do not have to purchase the exact model.
1.
Stick bag
2. Marimba Mallets - Hard felt or yarn (ie:
Innovative Percussion F2)
3. Xylophone/Bells Mallets- Hard rubber/plastic
(ie: Vic Firth M61 or M62)
4. Tympani Mallets - General duty (ie: Vic Firth T1 or T3)
5. Concert Snare Drum Sticks 2B 0r 5A/B
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Programme in Music
It
is possible that some of you may
be a part of the International Baccalaureate Programme
at
The International Baccalaureate Organization’s Diploma Programme was created in 1968. It is a demanding pre-university course of study that leads to examinations. It is designed for highly motivated secondary school students aged 16 to 19.
At Ridgeview, students in grades 9 and 10 are designated as Pre-IB students. Freshmen who choose Music as their “6th subject area” will enroll in either Band with Mr. McGuffin or Chorus with Mrs. Bice. As a freshman, the Pre-IB music student will attend Band or Chorus class just as they did in junior high school. Some additional assignments will be required through the course of the year.
As the IB student progresses through grades 10, 11, and 12 there will be ample time in their academic schedule to include Band.
This is real simple. Students are expected
to respect each other, the property of others, and keep the Band room clean and
tidy. Band will remain FUN if everyone works together. Should there
be a need to correct behavior it will be dealt with on
an individual basis and follow the guidelines outline in the RHS Student
Handbook.
Absences and make-up procedures
Even the most dedicated students find they must be absent occasionally.
Missing a rehearsal, class, or performance because of an absent presents problems for the entire band. The Band is a group composed of individuals who have committed to the common cause being in the Band and making music. When one individual is absent the entire group suffers.
There are several types of absences, they are:
We make no distinction between excused and unexcused absences. If you find you must be absent from an activity please follow the procedures outlined below.
Absences from a rehearsal or practice which occurs outside of school hours
· Print out the Activity Conflict Form and make-up form.
· Fill it out and turn it in to the band director BEFORE the absence if at all possible.
· Once you turn it in to the director you and he will discuss the appropriate assignments for making up your absence and agree on a completion deadline. The make-up assignment will normally require you to record yourself playing your current band music for a continuous 30 minute session.
· After you have completed your make-up assignment you and the director will discuss your work and performance on the make-up assignment and agree on a grade for the assignment.
Absences from a performance or competition. The Band is a performing organization. Beyond music education our sole goal is to provide music and entertainment. Consequently EVERYONE must be present and performing for our band to do its best. Hopefully you can see why being absent from a performance is not a good idea. However, if you must be absent because of an emergency, illness, accident, or death in the family please follow the procedures outlined below.
· Print out the Activity Conflict Form.
· Fill it out and turn it in to the band director BEFORE the absence if at all possible.
· Once you turn it in to the director you and the he will discuss appropriate assignments for making up your absence and agree on a completion deadline.
· After you have completed your make-up assignment you and the director will discuss your work and performance on the make-up assignment and agree on a grade for the assignment.
Absence from a band class during the school day.
Follow this link for your make-up assignment.