Atlantic Middle School Band Syllabus
Leah O’Donnell, Director
Classroom Expectations:
Have a positive attitude
Play only your own instrument
Attend weekly lesson
Actively participate
No food, gum or candy
Be in your seat ready to play within 60-90 sec after bell
Treat yourself, others & instr w/respect
Keep hands, feet, instr to self
Give your best
Come prepared for class & lessons (inst,pencil,music)
Play with correct posture
Practice- at home, before/after at school, during HB, w/EEi
Grading Policy:
Grades will be determined by using a combination of the following areas:
· Daily rehearsals: points earned through participation and following classroom expectations
· Quizzes and tests (written and playing)
· Performances: points earned through attendance and participation at performances which include concerts, contests, parades, solo/ensemble
· Lessons: up to 10 points total earned through attendance, preparation (practice minutes), technique (how well you can play the assigned material) and musicianship (your use of dynamics, articulations, etc. 8/10 by showing up. Lessons will be once every six days/weekly. A lesson schedule will be posted on the school website.
6th grade only turn in sheets
120+ min = 2 points
60-119 min = 1 point
10-59 min = .5 point
· Practice Time Sheets should be signed weekly and turned in at weekly lessons to receive credits. Minutes can be turned in any time to still receive credit. Practice calendars can be found on Mrs. O’s website.
*Not only will practice minutes help you become a better player, it makes a difference in your grade.
* Practice minutes can be emailed to lodonnell@atlanticiaschools.org if parents prefer
Discipline Policy:
Band members must work together in rehearsals and performances to make music. Students who are not willing to cooperate in this effort will be dealt with accordingly. Students are expected to respect themselves, respect others, and respect property at all times in the band room. If you choose not to follow these expectations, then you will be given a warning. This warning is an opportunity for you to improve your actions. If you choose to continue to display inappropriate behavior, then you will have a conference with me outside of rehearsal time. Possible consequences include loss of rehearsal points, an email/telephone call to your parents, detentions, or referrals to the principal. Blatant or dangerous behavior could lead to immediate ejection from class and severe disciplinary action.
Performance Attendance:
Your participation is vital to the band’s success. Each member of the band has their own responsibilities and contributions that are needed to help us be our best. All performances are required; any absences from performances will be marked as a zero, which most semesters will likely drop the final grade by one letter.
When a performance must be missed due to extreme circumstances (i.e. illness or family emergency), the director must be notified before the performance. Any student missing a performance for this reason must come in to record his or her part of the music being played for that performance. The recording will be used as an opportunity for the student to earn full credit for the missed performance with grading subject to the same areas of grading during lessons (technique, musicianship, etc.). All recordings must be done within a week of the missed performance; any recording not submitted within the week will receive a zero until completed. Other alternate make-up assignments, such as completion of a written assignment or video assignment, will be determined by the director.
Performance Attire:
· 7th/ 8th Grade Marching Band- ($13.70- make checks payable to AMS. Cash- no change given. Due 8/29/23)
o Atlantic Gear/Jerseys/Uniform for Homecoming, Marching band shirt for Clarinda, Halftime, Fireman’s & A-land
o Blue Jeans (no holes)
o Any color tennis shoes (any comfortable shoe is fine as long as it doesn’t “flop”)
· Concert Band
Attire for all performances should be nice clothes. Nice dress pants, shirt and tie (polo) for boys and nice dress pants, skirt and top, or dress for girls. Please do your best to avoid jeans and tennis shoes. Shirts with writing or designs on them, such as those found on t-shirts and sweatshirts are not appropriate for concerts. If you have any questions, please contact me before the performance.
An unexcused absence from any performance will result in the ineligibility of attending the 7th/8th Adventureland marching performance at the end of the year and the 6-8th PBIS activities. Students will also need to be in good standing with all their academic classes for these activities.
School-Owned Instrument Rental:
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ IF YOU ARE RENTING A SCHOOL-OWNED INSTRUMENT OR A PERCUSSIONIST
School-Owned Instrument Repair and Maintenance Usage Agreement:
Your student has been issued a school owned instrument or will be regularly using school-owned percussion instruments. We charge a nominal repair and maintenance fee of $30 per year for use of school-owned instruments. This would entail normal usage of the instrument. The user will be responsible for any additional cost due to damage of the instrument or case that is not normal “wear and tear”, it is maliciously damaged/destroyed, or any parts of the instrument is lost or missing. Invoice and payment will be done through JMC (free and reduced applies for rental). If you have questions as to whether you owe, inquire at the middle school office.
Resale Items:
Items such as reeds, valve oil, flip folders, lyres and lesson books are available for purchase through the school. Resale items are not eligible for free and reduced. Band bills will be submitted to JMC at the end of the year. All outstanding bills will need to be paid by the start of the new school year. Purchasing from Your Forte (downtown Atlantic) is encouraged.
Band Karate/Goals:
Band goals are in place to encourage individual practice, learning skills, potential and motivation. Completing the band goals are not mandatory and do not affect a student’s grade. Students will play selected songs in their lesson book and scales to earn “belts” to put on their instrument cases.
Honor Bands:
SWIBA- Students in grades 7 and 8 may elect to audition for the Southwest Iowa Honor Band at the end of October/beginning of November each year. Students will prepare a selection of scales as well as an etude to be performed for a judge; those students selected for membership into the band will perform a concert in November with the rest of the selected students who will represent various schools in Southwest Iowa. It is a great honor to be chosen for membership into the SWIBA band and we applaud all AMS students who audition and congratulate those who are chosen.
Lenox- Each spring 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students have the opportunity to audition for the Lenox Junior High Honor Band, held in Lenox, Iowa. To be selected for membership into the Lenox Honor Band, students will first need to return a permission form. Students will then be nominated by Mrs. O’Donnell, along with many other student nominations throughout Southwest Iowa. The Lenox Junior High Honor Band director will make the final membership selections; selected students will perform a concert in Lenox at the end of February/beginning of March.
More information as well as a permission/commitment form will be emailed/sent out prior to auditions.
AMS Band Calendar of Events 2023-24:
The following performances are required unless marked otherwise. Please mark these events on your calendars now to avoid conflicts later. Any additions, corrections, or changes to the AMS Band Calendar of Events will be given as soon as possible.
* denotes events that are not required of all students
September
15th Homecoming Parade @ MS (7/8 Marching Band)- 2:30pm
30th Clarinda Band Jamboree @ Clarinda (7/8 Marching Band)
October
6th Combined 7-12 Marching Band during halftime @ HS football game (7/8 Marching Band)- Trojan Bowl
14th Firemen’s Parade @ Downtown (7/8 Marching Band)- 6pm
28th *SWIBA Honor Band Auditions @ Clarinda MS (Grades 7, 8 only)
November
10th *SWIBA Honor Band Concert @ Atlantic HS (Selected members in grades 7, 8 only)
December
11th Winter Band Concert @ the high school (6, 7, 8 Concert Bands)- 7:30pm
February
5th Spaghetti Supper @ the high school (7/8 & HS band)- 5pm
24th TENTATIVE *Lenox Honor Band (Selected members in grades 6, 7, 8) @ Lenox
March
14th AMS Solo/Ensemble Contest @ MS (Grades 6, 7, 8)- after school 4-9pm
(the Thursday after MS musical, 2 Thursdays before spring break)
April
28th Patty Hannon Concert @ the high school (6, 7, 8 Concert Bands)- 2:30 pm
May
TBD Adventureland Performance (7/8 Marching Band)- TBD
Concert reminders will be emailed and notes will be sent home with students before a performance