UPDATED 11/28/09

DEFEND YOUR SEAT!!

During any playing test or challenge, you may be asked to DEFEND YOUR SEAT. What is this? This happens when a person is NOT being challenged by the person after them and you fail the playing test (score 70% or lower). I am instituting this rule to help encourage everybody to practice and know their music. If I ask you to DEFEND YOUR SEAT...you can move down 1 or 2 chairs, depending on the result of your playing test. You can NOT move UP while DEFENDING YOUR SEAT. If you pass the test, you KEEP your current seat. Any questions...see me.

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Jazz Band...

Jazz Band rehearses Wednesdays....in the bandroom from 3:10 - 4:10 pm.

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SECTIONALS SCHEDULE -

The 2009-2010 Sectionals Schedule can be found in the "Important Forms" section. All students will receive a copy at school this week.

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TWITTER ACCOUNT

For the 2009-2010 school year, I am going to experiment with an LKMS Band TWITTER page. It can be found if you search for LKMSBand. I will use TWITTER to send out reminders about concerts, challenges, practice logs, schedule changes, important announcements, etc. Make sure you become a follower of the page. It is now up and running, but won't be updated again, probably until we return to school!

Any questions, email me. john_jackowski@hcpss.org

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BAND UNIFORM !!!

The band uniform will be worn by ALL students of ALL grades in BAND, CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA at ALL concerts.

BLACK PANTS/SKIRTS will be worn for Winter Concert, Spring Concert and Assessment/Adjudication.

KHAKI/TAN PANTS/SKIRTS/CAPRIS will be worn for the HERSHEY TRIP ONLY.

???'s...don't hesitate to email me.

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CHALLENGES PROCEDURE

Students no longer need to fill out the Challenge Slip and have it signed by the person they are challenging.

Students will be given at least a 1 week notice of Challenge Weeks.

However, since students no longer need to fill out and have challenge slips signed...students do NOT need to give the person they are challenging any advance notice.

With this new rule...students should ALWAYS be prepared to be challenged during CHALLENGE WEEK.

====> Please note that students must turn in a Practice Log (with 90 minutes or more on it for the current week) in order to Challenge another student during announced Challenges. If the student has already turned in their Practice Log for the current 1/3 of the quarter they are in....they must turn it in again the day of the Challenge. So, it is possible that a student turns in their Practice Log 4 or 5 times a quarter if they Challenge someone.

If you skip sectionals during Challenge week...you MAY lose your seat because of it and you WILL lose your chance to challenge anybody else.

If you are absent the day of a challenge and you were challenged...you will play your part of the challenge on your first day back to school in band. (schedule permitting) If you wish to challenge someone and you were absent on the day of your challenge, you may challenge that person on your first day back to school in band. (schedule permitting)

If you lose your seat in a challenge, you will get a chance to win it back within the next week. If you successfully defend your seat in a challenge, you will not be challenged again until the next time Challenge Week is held.

If you are challenging someone from another grade...in another sectional rehearsal...you MUST notify me of the challenge BEFORE that other person(s) has their sectional rehearsal.

Yes, there can and will be multiple chair challenges. These occur when chair 7 challenges chair 6 and chair 6 challenges chair 5. These 3 students would be involved in a 3 way challenge. Top score would earn chair 5, etc.

3 is the maximum for students involved in a multiple chair challenge. There will NOT be 4 way or 5 way challenges.

New Rule - 1st chair is no longer safe from a 3 way challenge. In the past, 1st chair (and sometimes last chair on a part) could only be challenged by the 1 person next to them...now, ANY   CHAIR CAN PARTICIPATE IN A 3 WAY CHALLENGE.

Any questions...please email me.

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GRADING POLICY

ALL STUDENTS START EACH AND EVERY QUARTER WITH 70 POINTS OUT OF 100. (OR 70%) THEY RECEIVE 70% FOR THE FOLLOWING:

1. Participation ( 15%)

2. Playing ( 25%)

3. Attendance ( 20%)

4. Homework (10%) (If no homework or worksheets are assigned during the quarter...all students will be awarded the full 10%)

THE REMAINING 30% ARE THEIR PRACTICE LOGS.

27% is for the 3 Practice Logs.

3% are for the Trifecta "Bonus Points" for turning in ALL 3 logs.

So, if you see your child has 70% as their grade...this means they have turned in 0 practice logs. If they have 79%...they have turned in 1 practice log...88% means 2 logs have been turned in...100% means all 3 logs have been turned in.

If your child has any other number than 70, 79, 88 or 100 then they have lost points in one of the categories listed above.

All students must turn it in 3 times per quarter with a C or above (90 minutes or more for the week) as their weekly grade. Practice logs will be handled a little differently this school year. The new policy will be as follows:

Log #1 can only be turned in during the first 1/3 of the quarter. If no log is turned in during this stage, students can not get the points for Log #1.

Log #2 can only be turned in during the middle 1/3 of the quarter. If no log is turned in during this stage, students can not get the points for Log #2.

Log #3 can only be turned in during the final 1/3 of the quarter. If no log is turned in during this stage, students can not get the points for Log #3.

ALL Dates for each STAGE will be clearly marked on Practice logs EACH quarter, so students will know EXACTLY when they can or can not turn in each of their 3 logs each quarter.

As mentioned, Practice logs are 30% of the Quarterly grade. Each log is worth 9% or points for the quarter. IF the student turns in ALL 3 practice logs for the quarter (Trifecta) they will earn 3 additional "Bonus" percentage points so that they can earn a full 100% for the quarter.

Again, the breakdown for the possible 100% is as follows:

Participation 15%

Playing 25%

Attendance 20%

Homework 10%

Practice Logs 27% (each of 3 work 9% each)

Trifecta 3% ("Bonus points" earned by turning in ALL 3 Practice Logs)

====> Please note that students must turn in a Practice Log (with a grade of "C" or higher on it for the current week) in order to Challenge another student during announced Challenges. If the student has already turned in their Practice Log for the current 1/3 of the quarter they are in....they must turn it in again the day of the Challenge. So, it is possible that a student turns in their Practice Log 4 or 5 times a quarter if they Challenge someone.

If you are checking your childs grade in band on TEACHEREASE.COM and they have a score less than 100% it is probably because they have not turned in their practice log 3 times (as required) per quarter. ALSO, if it is early in the quarter, they might not have had the opportunity to turn in Practice Logs #2 and #3 yet.

Students may lose points from Participation, Attendance and Homework if students skip multiple rehearsals. The amount of points lost will be determined by the percentage of sectionals skipped for the quarter. For example, miss 30% of sectionals for the quarter...then you may lose 30% of your Attendance/Participation/Homework points for the quarter.

Forgot your instrument and/or music? There is a 3 strike policy...forget it 3 times in a quarter...your overall grade may be lowered because of it.

Any questions, please email me.

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Playing Tests

Students should be prepared for playing tests at any sectional rehearsal. Playing tests may or may not be announced before they happen. Students WILL be given a few minutes of sectional time to practice the sections of music on a Playing Test during sectionals before the actual test.

Students may lose points from the "Playing" portion of their overall grade for the quarter if they score a "C" (70%) or less on any playing tests given that quarter. If a students skips or misses a sectional and a playing test, their overall score can be affected. Playing tests are worth 10 points...if a student skips a playing test, they will receive a 2 point penalty off of their final score...so their highest score on the make up test can be 8 points.

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PRIVATE LESSONS

ALL students are strongly encouraged to take private lessons. GREAT teachers can be found via the Howard County Parents for School Music website. Here is the address:

http://sites.google.com/site/hcparents4schoolmusic/list-of-private-instructors

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FORGETTING INSTRUMENT/MUSIC

If any student forgets their music and/or instrument they get a "strike."

The LKMS Band program has a 3 strike policy (per quarter).

If a student gets 3 strikes in a quarter, their grade can and will be lowered 1 letter grade.

Grades can and will be lowered further for students that exceed 3 strikes per quarter.

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CALENDAR

Keep an eye on the calendar for concert and performance dates...and other important dates.