Course Syllabus

MONROE HIGH SCHOOL BAND I SYLLABUS 

Alan L. Sturdivant

alan.sturdivant@ucps.k12.nc.us

704-296-3130 ext. 3770

4th Period Planning

DAILY TASK LIST

Monroe High School Mission

Our mission:  The stakeholders in the success of Monroe High School will create an atmosphere of high expectations and accountability for improvement in all areas of student achievement.

 

Monroe High School Vision

Our vision: The vision of Monroe High School is to educate and prepare our students to be more productive citizens in a diverse and technologically driven society.

 

Course Description

Students take band for a lot of different reasons, but those students all have one thing in common: they like the challenge and reward that comes from making music.  Becoming a musician takes a lot of work, but in the end it is worth every bit of effort. The band Program here at Monroe High School is designed to give you all the necessary tools and opportunities to improve your skills, knowledge, and confidence as a musician.

The MHS Band Program has a place for everyone, regardless of grade level, previous music experience, or “natural talent.”  The only requirement is that you show a sincere commitment to singing, a readiness to learn, and an attitude of tolerance, respect, and cooperation.

We know that the harder you work at becoming a musician, the more rewarding it gets and the more you achieve.  Our foremost expectation is that you take charge of your own progress, that you always put forth your best effort and attitude, and that you become an expert at knowing how to learn.  With these three skills in hand, you will achieve great things.

This course is a requirement for any student wishing to perform with the full ensemble.  Not all students in class will be able to participate in the full ensemble, but all will be given a chance to learn the fundamentals required to participate in the ensemble.  Except for rare circumstances, any student not in class will not be allowed to participate in the full ensemble.    

Please refer to the band handbook, located at https://sites.google.com/a/ucps.k12.nc.us/support-the-monroe-band-program/home (Links to an external site.), for information on other departmental offerings, policies, and procedures.  A wide variety of information is located on the band website including a calendar of events, newsletters, forms, and other important information.

Course Objectives 

As part of their participation in Band, students will:

  • Learn about the arts through performance.
  • Gain skill at interpreting written notation.
  • Become more reflective performers and listeners.
  • Connect the arts with society and various cultures.
  • Have fun making great music together!

 

Prerequisite for the Course

All freshmen or beginning band students should have taken and passed Music appreciation or another music ensemble class in 8th grade or within the music department at MHS to be enrolled in the band program.  It is recommended that all students take (and pass) at least one semester of a Musical class prior to being enrolled in band.  Special cases will be dealt with.

Materials

  • Working Instrument
    • Brass
        • All necessary oil, slide grease, cleaning equipment, and mutes (cup & straight)
          • Valve-Instruments- Should be oiled on a daily basis!!!
          • Trombones Should have a water spray bottle for slide
        • Mouthpieces-
          • Trumpets- Bach 3C 
          • Trombones/Euphonium- Bach 5G
          • Tubas- 24AW or 18 Mouthpiece
    • Woodwinds
        • All reed instruments should be rotating between at least 3 reeds. You will need to supply your own reeds, unless there are special circumstances, and all should be on at least a #3.
    • Percussion
        • Snare drum sticks (Vic Firth SD1 are preferred)
        • timpani mallets,
        • keyboard mallets,
        • stick bag
  • Pencil
  • Warm-up book (Please bring if you still have one!)
    • Foundations for Superior Performance by Richard Williams and Jeff King (for your instrument)
  • Music Folder
  • Music

Area Music Stores

Holloway's Music Center

  • 1608 Skyway Dr, Monroe, NC 28110 (704-283-2814)

 Guitar Center

  • 10408 Centrum Pkwy, Pineville, NC · (704) 544-7934
 Howren Music Center
 
  • 4209 Park Road Charlotte, NC 28273 (704) 525-5073

In Classroom Procedure

    1. Get Music upon entering the room 
    2. Go directly to your seat
    3. Warm up on your own until rehearsal starts. 
    4. The downbeat will be given 5 minutes after the tardy bell rings. At that time all students will be in their seats ready to play.
      • I will also use the first few minutes to take care of announcements, debts, and other pressing issues.
    5. Demonstrate proper rehearsal etiquette throughout the period.
    6. At the Conductor’s discretion, pack up all materials 5 minutes before the bell rings.

Classroom Rules

    1. ABSOLUTELY NO FOOD DRINK OR GUM ALLOWED IN CLASS. (Bottled water is ok!)
    2. Do not leave your seat during rehearsal.
    3. Do not gather near doorways at the end or beginning of classes.
    4. Use the bathroom before the start of class. I will not permit anyone to exit the classroom unless it is an emergency.
    5. Do not touch the dry erase boards.
    6. Be Engaged – Come to class prepared with music, a pencil, and a positive attitude.  It takes each member of the ensemble and their contribution to make the group a success.  
    7. Show rehearsal courtesy at all times. 
    8. **ALL other rules in the MHS Student Code of Conduct are enforced within the bandroom 

Virtual Classroom Procedures and Policies

    1. Students are expected to sign in each day they are not in Class to be counted present.
    2. Students are expected to complete assignments by the due dates listed. 
    3. If there are Questions students may sign up for a virtual Appointment during virtual office hours on Fridays.

Attendance/ Tardy Policy

  1. Tardies

      • The teacher will lock the door at the sound of the tardy bell. If a student is late to class, the student will report to the assigned destination to receive a tardy pass and appropriate consequence. 
      • If a student does not comply with their consequence, they will receive the next level of consequence. 
      • If a student needs to reschedule a consequence, they need to contact their appropriate administrator as soon as possible. 
  2. Absences 
    • Monroe High School teachers are expected to record attendance by period as required by the law and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI).  The completion of appropriate attendance procedures is necessary for addressing student performance and supports all aspects of the academic vision and mission of Monroe High School.    
      •  G.S. 115C-307 (g) To Make Required Reports. -“A teacher shall make all reports required by the local board of education.” -“Any teacher who knowingly and willfully makes or procures another to make any false report or records, requisitions, or payrolls, respecting daily attendance of pupils in the public schools, payroll data sheets, or other reports required to be made to any board or officer in the performance of their duties, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and the certificate of such person to teach in the public schools of North Carolina shall be revoked by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.”  
    • Teachers will complete attendance within the PowerSchool portal within 10 minutes of the beginning of the class period.  Teachers will mark anyone not present as absent. 
    •  If a student is absent for 3 or more consecutive days, the teacher must attempt to make contact with the parent or guardian. 
    •  A log of parent contact must be kept by each teacher.   
    •  If a student accrues more than 3 absences, their name must be submitted on the “Excessive Absences” google form for the attendance secretary, social worker and parent advocate to follow-up.  

 

Electronics Policy 

  • The Student Code of Conduct defines an electronic device or Personal Technology Device (PTD) as “a portable, internet accessing device that is not the property of the district that can be used to transmit communications by voice, written characters, words or images… such as laptop computer, tablet, smartphone, cell phone or E-reader.”  There is absolutely no cell phone use allowed during class EXCEPT teacher approval.

 

Consequences

    1. Warning
    2. Parent contact
    3. Office referral 
    4. Removal from the Band Program

 

Daily Routine

Warmup 

  1. Breath Control Exercise – improves lung capacity, which in turn will help improve phrasing, intonation, tone quality  and musical sensitivity 
  2. Tone and Technique 
    • Long tones/slurs - played in unison and duet, students will transfer technical knowledge to melodic studies that will help increase range, improve intonation, tone quality and stamina.
  3. Tone and Technique –
    • Chorales – written in adaptable 4 part harmony, students will transfer knowledge from the technical, etude, and duet studies to an expressive and lyrical harmonic setting
  4. Rhythm exercises/Scales-
    • Musicians will apply technical studies to scales and rhythm sheets to increase their skill level in sight reading, content knowledge, and overall musicianship

Ensemble Music

  1.  This part of the lesson is also where I teach the students about the music and its connection to other curricula. By teaching them the history behind the music and the composers, I help reinforce the fundamental concepts taught by the History and Civics Teachers.  By teaching them the theory behind the music, and how acoustics will impact a performance, I am reinforcing the fundamental concepts taught by the Math and Science Teachers. Often, these pieces of music will have a story to them, or relate to a piece of music that has a story to it.  By teaching them this story and having them use that knowledge to interpret the music, I am reinforcing the fundamental concepts taught by our Literature and Visual Arts Teachers. If the classes are missing too many parts, we can play along with the professional recordings.  Doing this allows the students to hear the entire piece of music, and allows them to conceptualize the musical idea intended by the composer.   I believe that if students are learning music through performing music, each musician will develop learning skills that will help stretch the limit of their academic potential.
      • Independent Practice Time – There will be times that students will be given an opportunity to work on scales, etudes, duets, chorales, and ensemble music at their own pace.  Students will be told to spread out throughout the room so that they may be able to concentrate better on their assignments.  The stronger students will be collaborating with the weaker students to ensure the success of all students. I will be supervising students and assessing their musical development.   

 

Grading Policy – students will be graded on the following 

Each Student’s Grade in Band depends on the following point Values:

  • Concert/Performances 50 points
  • Written Tests  25
  • Playing Quizzes 15 points
  • Music Folder upkeep/Homework 10 points
  • Daily Participation 10 points

 

At Home Practice

Each student is expected to practice at home in order to fully develop the proper tone and technique needed to ensure proper musicianship.  This practice is essential to individual student success and the success of the MHS Band Program. Each student is also expected to complete assigned homework in order to fully develop the proper knowledge needed to ensure proper musicianship.  

Concert/Performance Policy

  • Bcause this semester is unlike any other, we may not have a concert this semester.  If there is a chance we will, it would be at the end of the semester.  You will know in advance whether or not this will take place.  Because this course is performance based, students enrolled in Band must participate in the concert.  Concerts are the main measurement of student progress and therefore are NOT an option.  An unexcused absence form a concert will result in a 2 letter grade deduction of the final grade. Students with excused absences must do a make-up assignment.  We will be involved in producing a major performance for the course at the end of the semester.  More opportunities to perform as an ensemble will be determined on the progress of the Band. You will know well in advance the dates of the performances so that adjustments to schedules can be made.  

Concert Attire: 

  • Please provide the following for your student: Males should have a white long sleeved button down shirt with a collar, solid black tie, solid Black pants, black dress socks, and black dress shoes, and a black belt. Ladies should have solid black top, solid black bottoms, and black shoes.  A Student who is not in proper attire will not be allowed to participate in the concert resulting in a grade of “0”.

Communication:
In addition to the contact information listed at the beginning of this document, the following avenues of communication are offered to students and parents:

  • Band Booster Meetings (Listed on the Band Website Calendar).
  • Periodic Band Newsletters (E-Mailed to all students and parents… also on Band Website).
  • Social Media
    • Official Band Facebook page- Monroe High School Band Program
    • Instagram- @Mhsredstorm 
  • Phone Conferences or Personal Appointments are encouraged, please contact me in advance to schedule a time.
  • Students are invited to stop by the band office to discuss any issue of concern.
  • Zoom meetings will be offered via appointment on Fridays.
    • Class Meetings will take place scheduled in advance.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due