What is Band?

How the Band Program works:

1. General Information:

• Band or Instrumental Music is available to all 4th and 5th Grade students. 

• 3rd Graders will attend the "Instrumental Music Test Drive" Assembly where they will get a hands-on experience with each instrument offered in 4th and 5th Grade.   Westwood School District music teachers will show them how to hold and produce the proper embouchure and blowing techniques for each instrument.  Our District music teachers will help guide the students towards the instrument that they feel the child will have the most success on.  

*Students are asked to enroll in the Instrumental Music Program at the end of their 3rd grade year, however enrollment will remain open until the following school year.

2.  Lessons:

• Children will be placed in small groups with like instruments and according to their grade level.

• Lessons will be scheduled on a specific day and will rotate through the class periods during that day.  A lesson schedule will be provided once a month, and can be viewed in classrooms, and on the teacher's website.

• Students will attend 40 minute lessons once a week following their class time schedule.  A rotating lesson schedule will be used so that the student does not miss the same class every week.  For example, the first week their lesson might be period 1, the second week period 2, and the third week period 3.  The period they miss could be an academic subject or a special.   Students are responsible for any work missed during that class while at lessons.

• Students will be asked to practice a minimum of 30-40 minutes a week reviewing the lesson assignments and band music.  Lesson homework can be found on Mrs. Peterson's Google Classroom.

2.  Band Rehearsals: Band takes place during recess time on band days. All children enrolled in the lesson program, participate in the band program.

3.  Parents are responsible for:

• Providing their child with an instrument in good working condition. (We can recommend Music & Arts on Rt. 17 in Paramus and O. DiBella Music in Bergenfield for instrument rentals). 

• The lesson book: Sound Innovations for Concert Band Series Book 1 for the instrument your child has chosen. This can also be obtained through Music and Arts, O.DiBella, and Amazon.

• Providing support, interest and encouragement of their child's practice and playing.

• Supplies for the instrument such as reeds, valve oil, and cork grease.