Grading Policy
Attendance:
Due to the nature of the class, attendance is crucial. Informal assessment and feedback is delivered to every music student daily. A lost day of instruction puts you far behind your peers. When you attend every class meeting, you are more prepared for the capstone projects - OUR CONCERTS.
Grading Policy
40% Rehearsal/Daily Informal Assessment
35% Concerts / Performances
15% Written or Playing Tests
5% Written Classwork or Homework
5% Music Theory
Grading Scale
A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89.9%
C = 70% - 79.9%
D = 60% - 69.9%
F = 0% - 59.9%
Grading Breakdown:
40% Rehearsal and Practices
Do you come to class prepared? See above for “Bring to Class Daily”
Did you participate fully? Did you stay in your seat?
Do you play your instrument properly with good posture?
Did you allow Mr. Cruz to teach? Or were you talking or playing out of turn.
When absent, do you seek additional help from Mr. Cruz?
When confused or if you have questions, do you seek additional help from Mr. Cruz?
This grade determines if you will perform at a concert.
35% Concerts / Performances
Concerts or Performances are your public displays and live publications of your work and what you have learned. This is the ultimate and most authentic assessment for instrumental music classes and performing arts classes.
Attend and perform at the concert and receive full credit.
To make up a missed concert, you must play and record your concert music on the classroom ipad during lunch, nutrition, or at home if you have the appropriate technology. Your recording will be assessed as if it were a playing test and graded under this category.
Missed concerts and performances can be made up as late as one week before the final grading period of the semester to erase a zero on a concert grade.
15% Written or Playing Tests
Skills assessments such as scales, patterns, music theory, rhythm, segments or excerpts of songs to be performed will be assessed.
The assessment data from written or playing tests dictates how much we can move forward as a band or orchestra, how fast or slow Mr. Cruz teaches, how much music we can learn together, or if the class or individual students need re-teaching.
Written and Playing tests can be made up or redone as late as one week before the final grading period of the semester to improve your grade.
Expect to have a playing or written test at least once a week or once every other week.
5% Written Classwork or Homework
Worksheets, concert reflections, time sensitive tear-offs.
Written Classwork can be made up or redone as late as one week before the final grading period of the semester to improve your grade.
Practicing your instrument at home. Please note: Practice records will be collected on a weekly basis and will require a parent signature. If you do not practice 2-3 hours per week, your chances of succeeding in the class are slim and you will struggle. Evidence that you do not practice or do not practice enough at home tends to reflect in your behavior, playing ability during rehearsal and practices, and your written and performed assessments. Please see practice time sheets for more information.
Grading Policy – Work Habits: The work habits grade is cumulative and does not reset every grade reporting period. If there are missing assignments, you have up to the 18th to 19th week before the 20 week grade reporting period to submit work. Please check your Schoology or halebands.org for the last day to submit any work.
E - Excellent, Exemplary, Exceptional, Above and Beyond: One of the following, or any combination of the following descriptions below will earn you an E in Work Habits.
Typically for A students. However an E in work habits can also be awarded to B students
Zero up to 1 missed playing tests and written tests.
Zero up to 1 missed written classwork and written homework assignment.
Zero up to 2 missed music theory assignments of any kind.
Despite any evaluation grade on homework or tests, the student makes an effort to improve their grade on all assignments.
Comes to class every day prepared with their own sheet music and supplies, as well as their working and properly functioning instrument.
Forgets materials zero up to 2 times.
Requests to go to the restroom, water fountain, and or locker do not exceed 8 for the entire semester. Save your passes for true emergencies. Passes are not transferrable, and cannot be saved into future semesters.
Demonstrates exceptional effort and determination in accomplishing tasks and mastering standards.
Accepts complete responsibility for personal actions and demonstrates honesty, fairness, and integrity.
Maintains excellent attendance record by consistently avoiding unnecessary absences or tardies.
Makes explicit effort to examine work using both teacher-generated and self-generated criteria.
No tardy markings in any grading period.
S - Satisfactory, Expectation Met, Just Fine: One of the following or any combination of the following descriptions below will earn you an S in Work Habits.
Typically B and C students. It is still possible to earn an S in Work Habits with an academic grade of A or D.
2 up to 4 missing playing tests and written tests.
2 up to 4 missing written classwork and written homework assignments.
3 up to 6 missing music theory assignments of any kind.
Despite any evaluation grade on homework or tests, the student makes an effort to improve their grade on specific assignments which lower their overall grade.
Student may forget to bring all materials to class, however the behavior is not habitual.
Forgets materials 3 up to 5 times
Requests to go to the restroom, water fountain, and or locker exceed 8 but are less than 12 for the entire semester. A phone call may be made home concerning the loss of instructional time.
Demonstrates determination in accomplishing tasks and mastering standards.
Accepts responsibility for personal actions and frequently demonstrates honesty, fairness, and integrity.
Maintains a satisfactory attendance record by avoiding unnecessary absences or tardies.
Makes effort to examine work using teacher-generated criteria.
One tardy up to 3 unexcused tardies for the semester
U - Unsatisfactory: One of the following or any combination of the following descriptions below will earn you a U in Work Habits.
Typically D and F students. It is still possible to receive a U with an academic grade of B or C.
5 or more missing playing tests and written tests.
5 or more missing written classwork and written homework assignments.
7 or more missing music theory assignments of any kind.
Despite any evaluation grade on homework or tests, the student makes zero effort to improve their grade.
Student is reminded frequently to bring all their materials to class. Student frequently leaves instrument at home. Student frequently forgets to bring materials to class. Student always needs to borrow their partner’s or neighbor's music or ask for supplies.
Forgets materials 6 or more times
Requests to go to the restroom, water fountain, or locker 13 or more times for the entire semester. A phone call may be made home concerning the loss of instructional time.
Demonstrates little to no determination in accomplishing tasks and mastering standards.
Accepts little responsibility for personal actions.
Makes little effort to maintain a satisfactory attendance record; is frequently absent or tardy without excuses.
Makes use only of teacher-generated criteria to examine work on an inconsistent basis.
Tardy more than 4 times throughout the semester.
Grading Policy – Cooperation / Citizenship: Cooperation and Citizenship is crucial for success in any ensemble class. Two rights must be fulfilled during instructional time for achievement: 1) It is Mr. Cruz's right to teach. 2) It is your right to learn. Anything else is unacceptable.
E - Excellent, Exemplary, Exceptional, Above and Beyond:
1. Maintains courteous relations with the teacher and other students and consistently works without disturbing others.
2. Student is never reminded to obey rules, respects public and personal property, and supports the general welfare.
3. Assumes responsibility for personal improvement and rarely needs correction.
4. Demonstrates leadership ability to work with others in a variety of situations to set and achieve goals.
S - Satisfactory, Expectation Met, Just Fine:
1. Student is seldomly reminded to follow classroom expectations. Negative behavior is not habitual.
a. Student is warned 1 time and is reminded once up to 3 reminders every 5 weeks regarding classroom expectations.
2. Demonstrates overall courteous relations with the teacher and other students and generally works without disturbing others.
3. Obeys rules, respects public and personal property and supports the general welfare.
4. Tries to improve and usually accepts corrections in an objective manner.
5. Demonstrates ability to work with others in a variety of situations to set and achieve goals.
U - Unsatisfactory:
1. Student is frequently reminded to follow and adhere to classroom expectations.
a. Student has already been warned and is reminded 4 or more times every 5 weeks regarding classroom expectations.
2. Parent contact has been made via Blackboard Connect, over the phone, or written via letters or tear-offs sent home.
3. Demonstrates discourteous behavior towards the teacher and other students and consistently lacks consideration for others.
4. Shows disregard for rules; has little respect for public and personal property and often opposes the general welfare.
5. Makes little attempt to improve and shows indifference or resistance to corrections.
6. Demonstrates little ability to work with others in a variety of situations to set and achieve goals.
Make Up or Redo Policy: Missed concerts, missing homework or classwork, missing playing or written tests, any assignment graded 89.9% or below an A, can be made up and submitted before the last week of the semester. Please do not wait until the end to make up all your work. There can be no guarantee your grade can improve. Ask for help often to make sure you are making progress to improve your grade. Just because you are making up or redoing work does not mean your grade automatically goes up.
Extra Help: If you are confused or need help, see Mr. Cruz during lunch or nutrition. There is nothing wrong or embarrassing about asking for additional help. Plenty of successful students are where they are because they seek and ask for help. If Mr. Cruz asks you to come in for additional help, take advantage of it.
Extra Credit: Extra credit can be found in your schoology or on the halebands.org website. Check these pages often. Most extra credit assignments will not be announced in class, you need to check the website or your schoology.
Do not ask Mr. Cruz for extra credit assignments if you are missing the regular work or credit. Doing extra credit is what it is: it is extra. Extra credit assumes you have completed the regular credit and want to do MORE. Do not expect a desirable grade if all you want to complete is extra credit.