basic expectations

Students are expected to be familiar with, and responsible for adhering to, all of the content in this handbook and especially these expectations.

Above and beyond this, students and parents are strongly encouraged to read the Spaulding Student/Parent Handbook which outlines a number of very important policies regarding absence, tardiness and dismissal; maintaining eligibility for co-curricular activities; behavioral expectations, etc. It is expected that all students of the Spaulding Music Department will also adhere to these policies, upon which many of ours are based.

Beginning of Year Music Department Expectations

CODE OF CONDUCT

Students are officially representing Spaulding High School and the Spaulding Music Department from the time of assembly to dismissal, and/or whenever wearing the uniform in any part, whether before or after assembly.
For all activities, the point of assembly begins upon arrival at Spaulding High School. Dismissal, unless previously cleared by the director and accompanied by proper documentation, will always be from the Spaulding High School campus. During all times in between, Spaulding High School has custody of the student. The student's performance, behavior, and actions - good or bad - reflect both on the school district and the Music Department. Students are expected to act with dignity and respect at all times.
As with any school-sponsored function, when with the Music Department all school rules and codes are in full effect at all times whether on campus or off.
Student leaders are responsible for setting the example and ensuring their section’s proper behavior during all public appearances and trips and reporting those behaviors unbecoming of a member of the Department.

GENERAL POLICIES AND RULES

Exceptions to any rule can ONLY be granted by a Director or Administrator and will only be done in extenuating circumstances.

ALL ENSEMBLES

Cooperate fully with instructors and section leaders.
Never assume a rehearsal or performance is cancelled due to inclement weather or other circumstance. Check your Google Chat messages, email, or the Facebook Members-Only Group for any changes to the published schedule.
Once on-site for a rehearsal or performance, the driving of cars for any other purpose than leaving at the end of of the rehearsal or performance is strictly prohibited. Under no circumstances is a student allowed to drive another student without that student's explicit written parental approval.
Students may only leave campus for meals during Music Department events if they have submitted a signed Off Campus Meal Permission Slip.
Students are not excused from performances until dismissed by a Director or staff member. In general, students will only be dismissed once the facility has been returned to its pre-rehearsal state.
Wear your uniforms properly and with pride. Regularly clean, press, and hang uniforms as directed.
No swearing, especially in uniform! Hold yourself to the highest standard of conduct when representing the Department.
You are financially responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen school equipment that is signed out to you. Be especially careful on trips. Take care of all school property. Never leave instruments on the ground alone - inside or out. Put them in cases with lids closed, post as a section, or place safely on chair if leaving for a brief period.
Any member attending a rehearsal or performance under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances will be dismissed immediately and will be subject to further disciplinary and/or legal action. Furthermore, possession of any contraband items, as defined by the Student Handbook, will warrant seizure of those items as well as potential disciplinary action that may include immediate and/or permanent removal from the ensemble or Department.

MARCHING BAND

Only band members will sit in the stands designated as the band area during football games. Sit with your own section in your assigned area. No one is to leave the stands during the games without permission. Students should be aware of what is happening on the field and act appropriately and as directed.
No eating or drinking anything other than water in uniform unless given permission by the Directors.

CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATION

Non-malicious violation to the Code of Conduct, General Policies, or Rules will be addressed by the Directors. Repeated violations may result in dismissal or suspension.
Any behavior violating school and district policies as defined in the Spaulding High School Student Handbook, or which otherwise brings embarrassment to the school or Department may result in dismissal or suspension from the ensemble and/or Department as well as referral to the appropriate school administrator. Any activity deemed potentially unlawful will be reported to the appropriate authorities.
Individuals who purposely disrupt the rehearsal or performance environment may be permanently removed from the ensemble and/or Department.

RSD absence policy & CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Ensemble activities are hybrid in the sense that they are both credit-earning courses AND co-curricular activities, and can therefore be governed by the rules and policies of each. Certain aspects of the program such as Concert Band, Marching Band, Percussion, Color Guard, and Chorus are specifically under the umbrella of credit-earning activities and therefore rehearsals outside of the school day are exempt from district policy on extracurricular activities. Other aspects of the program, including but not limited to Jazz Band and Drama, are strictly extracurricular and as such are subject to those attendance policies.

It is important to understand the official school district policy on attendance, as defined by the school board, and how it impacts a student's ability to participate in after-school activities, particularly those of a non-credit earning nature. This same policy governs how absences are handled in the case of athletes as well as all other co-curricular activities.

In essence, the policy states that any student with an unexcused absence from school will not be allowed to participate in co-curricular activities or events that day. This includes missing any portion of the school day, including being tardy or dismissed, for a reason that is unexcused.

Because of this, we ask students to approach school absences in a thoughtful manner to ensure continuity of their day-to-day education, and also to minimize impact on important activities taking place outside of school hours.

SPAULDING MUSIC ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION EXPECTATIONS

Our ensembles are PERFORMING ensembles and as such EVERY student is important to our success! We must be able to count on consistent, if not perfect, attendance at rehearsals, and especially, performances. Any conflicts with our schedule as published through handouts, Google Chat messages, and the website calendar should be communicated ASAP and well in advance using the Absence Form. Communication and completion of the Absence Form does not necessarily mean that an absence will be excused, but non-communication makes it more likely that it will NOT.

If a family emergency occurs unexpectedly, a director should be contacted as soon as is reasonably possible. Additionally, a note from a parent, guardian, doctor or other authority will be required in order to excuse the absence. Occasionally, there may be family commitments (weddings, graduations, etc.) in which case we will address the situation on a case-by-case basis in order to reach a resolution. Conflicts of this nature must be disclosed in detail well in advance.

Student job commitments are NOT reasons for an excused absence from ensemble performances or rehearsals! Many students work and participate successfully in Department activities. We suggest that students provide a copy of the schedule to employers and clear all ensemble performances and rehearsals. Ninety-nine percent of employers are very understanding and flexible if they know of ensemble commitments well in advance, and are informed that ensemble rehearsals and performances are a REQUIRED and vital part of the course work. We are glad to talk to employers if needed in order to validate student commitment.

We welcome students that participate in sports and extracurricular activities in addition to our Department activities. We DO expect that students will compromise as to their availability for BOTH activities. In general, we handle these types of conflicts as follows:

If we have a rehearsal and the sport has a game then the student should go to the game. If they can make any part of our rehearsal before or after the game then they should make every effort to do so.

If we have a performance and the sport has a practice then the student should attend the performance in full and then attend any practice before our performance begins and/or after it ends.

If we have a rehearsal and the sport has a practice then the student should split their time equally between the two. Compromises need to be made by both organizations. A simple example: Both soccer and band have a 6-9 PM practice commitment. The student would go to one for the first 85 minutes and the other for the last 85 minutes. The intervening 10 minutes should be used as transition/travel time between the two activities. Equity is key, as is communication with all parties in advance.

If we have a performance and the student has a game then every effort should be made to split their time between the two. At times this may be difficult due to travel distance (for example, an away game) and could require a parent to drive the student from one to the other separate from their team. In certain isolated cases it may not be possible to split between the two. We will need to handle this on a case-by-case basis, but some other form of equitable time distribution will likely need to come into play such as they miss this performance for this game, but the next performance they would attend and subsequently miss any game that conflicts with it. It is very difficult to give make-up assignments that are authentic for missed performances because of the nature of what we do, so every effort must be made to minimize conflicts.

At the end of the day we want our students to be able to balance and enjoy participation in both music and athletics, and we have been pretty successful with this in the past. Band and Chorus are academic subjects and students do receive a grade for them. So, consistent participation in rehearsals and performances must be taken into consideration. Communication in advance is key so that we can try to problem-solve issues before they become larger problems.

Any absences should always be logged in advance on the absence form on our website. Please note that logging an absence does not automatically excuse it, but not logging one will result in the absence being unexcused. We encourage students to be the ones completing the forms as it is a good way to build self-reliance skills, but parent assistance is always welcome especially in the beginning.

Please take into consideration any Department commitments before scheduling Drivers' Education classes. Some companies are more flexible than others and/or offer classes at times more conducive to working with our schedule.

Other absences that are generally considered to be unexcused:

Tickets for a concert, play, or other event if purchased/scheduled AFTER a Department event has been scheduled
Family vacations, getaways, or travel if scheduled AFTER a Department event has been scheduled
A paper, homework assignment, or other preparation for class that could have been completed at an earlier time but was neglected

REHEARSAL EXPECTATIONS

In ensemble rehearsals, we not only deal with an unusual creative process, but also with a great deal more students at one time than do other classroom teachers. Because of this, it is imperative that all students be organized and prepared for every rehearsal. When an individual is not able to sing or to play his/her musical instrument during a rehearsal, it hurts the ENTIRE group as well as the individual. Therefore, it is important that musical instruments are in good working condition, that the student practices their music regularly to increase competence and skill, that the student has a pencil available to mark music as well as important accessories such as sheet music, dot books, fingering charts, mutes, reeds, valve oil and other necessities (as defined within each ensemble) at EVERY rehearsal.

It is also obvious that the creative process in which we are involved cannot take place unless there is a quiet, attentive, and respectful atmosphere in the rehearsal hall. Students who do not live up to the high rehearsal expectations of our Department will be counseled, and, if necessary, disciplined and/or removed from the program completely.

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