Bangor High School 2016-2017 Band Handbook
Dear Bangor High School Band Students and Parents, Welcome back. It has been a hot and humid summer and now it is time to get back into the groove of another school year. I am starting my 9th year at Bangor and my 10th year teaching overall! Where did that time go? Reflecting on last school year, it was a busy and successful one! The High School Band traveled to New York City and made some memories that will last a lifetime, the middle school band received a 1st rating at their large group festival and I got to drive a cool car around with the honor of being WKBT s Top Notch Teacher in December. I m looking forward to another great year. This summer has been eventful already. Over 30 students participated in the jazz program during the summer school session and gave three outstanding performances. Marching band was also a huge success with a great (but warm) performance at Bangor Fun Daze. I m looking forward to the great performances coming at UW-L Band Day, Mindoro Spanferkel and the Homecoming Parade. Thanks for your continued support and efforts! Let s make this a great year to be a Bangor Cardinal in band! Elissa M. Kinstler Director of Bands Bangor Middle/High School 486-5225 ekinstler@bangorsd.net
HIGH SCHOOL BAND HANDBOOK Band Expectations Being in band requires a lot of self-control and discipline. Students are expected to: Always have a pencil Be willing to learn Always have appropriate materials (instrument, music, reeds, etc ) Apply musical knowledge PRACTICE EFFICIENTLY and OFTEN! Students are NOT allowed to: Talk during rehearsals WHINE Make excuses Eat or chew gum in the band room Objectives of the Band Program To teach comprehensive musicianship through performance. To teach music history and music theory. To develop basic musical and performance skills on various wind and percussion instruments. To provide musical needs of the school and community. To provide students a means of self-expression and enjoyment. To foster leadership skills in each student. To develop the feeling of being a responsible member of a group. To educate each student to meet the standards set forth for music education by the state and national levels. Marching Band Bangor High School band students are required to be part of the marching band. Being a part of the marching band includes attending three parades and the UW-L Band Day (dates on calendar of events), marching band camp, and taking care of appropriate attire (marching uniform). Students and parents must sign a uniform agreement form that states that the uniform must be dry cleaned before returning the uniform after the last parade senior year or if the student decides to no longer participate in band. Students are required to provide black shoes to be worn with marching uniform. Pep Band Bangor High School band students are required to be a part of the pep band for sporting events. The pep band is a highly demanded entity and it is a fun experience. Dates are on the following calendar of events and students should plan on attending at least one game a week to perform in the pep band. This year the high school pep band plays for 3 football games, 3 volleyball games, 4 girls basketball games and 4 boys basketball games. There may be play-off game opportunities also.
Student athletes are still expected to play in the pep band unless they are a part of the varsity team. For example, if the student is on the junior varsity volleyball/basketball team, the student is required to play in the pep band when the student s game is over. Students who play in the varsity sport in which the pep band is playing for will be excused from pep band. Students must report to the band room by 6:00 pm for football games, and 6:45 pm for volleyball and basketball games. If for some reason your son or daughter cannot make it to a pep band performance, Mrs. Kinstler must be informed before the event for the student to be excused from the performance. Emergency situations will be excused. Concert Band Students are required to play in 7 performances during the school year. - Veterans Day Assembly, Friday, November 11, TBD - Harvestfest- Saturday, November 12 th, 6:00 pm - Winter Concert- Monday, December 19th, 6:30 pm - High School Pops Concert- Monday, March 6 th, 7:00 pm - Spring Band Concert- Friday, May 12 th, 7:30 pm - Graduation- Sunday, May 28 th, 1:30 pm (no seniors) - Memorial Day- Monday, May 29 th, 9:00 am (no seniors) Students must dress in concert attire for Harvestfest and the Holiday Concert. Black bottoms, black socks, black shoes and a black top are appropriate. Women may wear a black skirt if it covers the knees while sitting down. Students may dress in dressy school appropriate clothing for the Spring Concert, Graduation and the Memorial Day Program. Pops Concert Dress code is Pops Concert T-Shirt and nice jeans. Excused Absences Students are expected to attend all marching band, pep band and concert obligations that is applicable to the student. If an excused absence occurs, the student will need to perform all of his/her concert music for Mrs. Kinstler at their next lesson to make up the missed points from the performance. Excused absences for pep band performances will be allowed without an extra assignment. Unexcused absences will result in zero points for the performance. If there is some sort of extenuating circumstances, please talk to Mrs. Kinstler, she is very flexible! TO BE EARLY IS ON TIME, TO BE ON TIME IS LATE!
Lessons Students will have a 15 minute lesson once a week (small group or individual) six lessons a quarter are required and graded Graded on progress, attendance, timeliness, materials present and attitude If a student misses a lesson, the student needs to video record themselves playing their assigned lesson material and email it to Mrs. Kinstler within one week from their missed lesson date OR sign up for a make up lesson time on a Friday. This will be considered a make-up lesson. In the email, please indicate why the lesson was missed. Lessons missed without a valid excuse can receive a score of a 9 out of 10. Mrs. Kinstler s email: ekinstler@bangorsd.net Financial Obligations As with any class that contains co-curricular aspects, there are a few financial obligations. Students must have the materials to be successful in band. Students will be supplied with: a band folder, handouts, music and books a pencil Students must supply their own: cleaning supplies (swaps for woodwinds) reeds and mouthpiece caps (at least 4 reeds that work at all times) valve/slide oil for brass players money for Pops Concert T-Shirt These supplies can be purchased at school for a small fee or at the music stores in La Crosse: Leithold s Music SSE Music 116 S Fourth St. 2609 George St. La Crosse, WI La Crosse, WI (608) 784-7555 or 1(800) 288-9743 (608) 781-2850 or 1(800) 795-2850 www.leitholdmusic.com www.ssemusic.com Students may order materials through the school by using the appropriate form. Money or check must be turned in with the form before materials are ordered. Music Backers Every parent of a Bangor music student is automatically a member of the Bangor Music Backers. The Music Backer Mission Statement is as follows: We, as an organization of proud parents with students involved in any of the music programs at Bangor Middle and High Schools, are volunteers that actively support the band and choir by promoting the development of individual and groups talents, providing financial support through fundraising activities, and encouraging a positive social environment.
The Bangor Music Backers fundraise by selling school calendars, hosting Harvestfest, selling desserts at the Musical and the High School talent show. The money raised goes towards scholarships, the senior Chanhassen trip, instrument replacement and repair, uniforms, lodging for honors band and choir trips, individual music enrichment programs and group enrichment. The Music Backers are in dire need for participation, so please think about attending a meeting and getting involved for the survival of the organization. It tight economic times this organization can provide your son or daughter things that may not be available elsewhere. Meetings will be posted on the online school calendar, emailed and sent home via handout. School Owned Instruments Bangor High School has a great variety of school owned instruments for students to use. To help offset costs of maintenance and repairs there will be a $10 a year fee for students who are using a school instrument as their primary instrument. Honors Band Students may be selected for area honors bands. These are outstanding opportunities to not only improve the students playing, but students will be able to collaborate with students from area schools and get to work with other directors and professional soloists. The Honors Bands that Bangor High School currently participates in are: UW-La Crosse Honors Band, UW-L Dorian Honors Band, Luther College Western Wisconsin School Music Association Honors Band, West Salem National Band Association Honors Band, Appleton **For 5 extra credit points, write Band rocks my world! on the bottom of the Band agreement form.** Disciplinary Actions If any occasion occurs where any disciplinary action needs to be taken, the director will follow the disciplinary guidelines provided by the school district.
Grading HIGH SCHOOL BAND GRADING POLICY Grading is as follows per quarter: 70% Summative Assessments Music Checks/Scales/Standards Assessments - May be assessed on Smart Music or in lessons Public Performances - Parades, Pep Bands & Concerts - Attendance is mandatory - Excused absences must be approved before the performance - Proper attire is expected for each performance 30% Formative Assessements Lessons - Each lesson is worth 10 points - 6 lessons a quarter graded - May include assigned lesson material, playing tests, solo/ensemble music, concert music, scales Other Assessments - Includes other assessments related to the unit of study Semester 1 Final: The Semester 1 final consists of two parts. There will be a project relating the to music played in class for the first half of the exam. The project will be presented to the class during the final exam block. The second portion will be a Smart Music assessment on a piece of music studied in class. Each portion is worth 50% of the Semester Exam. Semester 2 Final: Memorial Day Performance If Memorials Day Performance is missed, a written final will be given during the final exam period. Semester Grades = Quarter 1 (45%) + Quarter 2 (45%) + Final Exam (10%)
Grades will follow the school wide grade scale. Academic Letter Bangor Band Academic Letter Points To receive an academic letter in band, students must have 700 points for two consecutive years from the following choices. Summer School Class (each).5 Marching Band Rehearsals (each). 20 Parade....30 Pep Band...20 Concerts....50 Talent Show..50 Solo at District solo/ensemble...50 Ensemble at District solo/ensemble...25 Solo at State solo/ensemble.100 Ensemble at State solo/ensemble...50 All-State Band Audition....50 All-State Band Member...100 Accompanist for solo/ensemble (each)...20 Honors band participant.50 Extra concerts (Youth Sym, summer bands, etc) 50 Extra performance (church, art show, etc).varies Jazz band rehearsal (each) 5 Jazz band performance...25 Extra Work varies The third consecutive year will receive a two-year letter pin. The fourth consecutive year will receive a three-year letter pin. The points accumulate from June-May every year. **Updated August 22, 2016 -----------------------------2014-2015 Field Trips------------------------- Field trips include: Saturday, September 10, UW-L Band Day, Game time 1:00 pm, rehearsal TBD Sunday, September 11, Mindoro Spanferkel Parade, group picture at 12:00 pm, bus leaves at 12:15, parade starts at 1:30 pm, back to school around 3:00 pm UW-L Honors Band TBD Wednesday, December 21, Chanhassen (music seniors only) TBD Friday, January 20-21, NBA Honors Band (select students) TBD Friday, February 17, WWSMA Honors Band (select students) TBD Sunday, February 26-27, Dorian Honors Band (select students) TBD
Band Agreement Form I have read, understand and will comply with all the rules and procedures laid out in the Band Handbook. I understand the dates of concerts and other activities are subject to change and that I am responsible for being at the scheduled events. Student Signature Parent/Guardian Signature Date Date Phone Number Email address * please provide an email address if you have one, it makes for easy correspondence! Student Instrument Information: (please fill out as much info as you can) Instrument Circle one: Renting Purchased School Owned If Renting: Which Store? (circle one): Leithold Music SSE Music Brand of Instrument Model of Instrument Serial Number Locker Number Lock Number Lock Combination *Please fill out the back permission slip for ALL BAND TRIPS FOR THE 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR* Please sign and return to director by Friday, September 9 th, 2016.