INTRODUCTION !Welcome to the Cooper Middle School Band where creating life long music lovers is our highest priority. Your Students’ success and enjoyment will be the direct result of the dedication and hard work of all of us. This handbook is a reference to keep you informed of the various activities planned for the year and classroom policies and procedures. Please contact us at any time with comments, concerns or questions by email: !

Email William.grimes@cobbk12.org Email: robbin.lowery@cobbk12.org !

William Grimes Rob Lowery Band Director Band Director

!PURPOSE

!The Cooper Middle School Band program is committed to fostering a life-long relationship with music through group and individual

performance opportunities. The students of the Cooper Band program are committed to pride in the organization, respect for all, and excellence in

music.

MATERIALS Your Student needs the following materials in class

everyday: !6th Grade:

Essential Elements 2000 Book 1(Yellow Book) Pencil

Instrument and Accessories Cooper Middle School Agenda !

7th Grade: Essential Elements 2000 Book 2 (Red Book)

Pencil Instrument and Accessories Cooper Middle School Agenda

Band Notebook 8th Grade:

Foundations for Superior Performance Pencil

Instrument and Accessories Cooper Middle School Agenda

Band Notebook

When does my Student need their book and other materials?

!6th grade students should have their supplies

by Monday, August 18, 2014. !7th and 8th grade students should have their supplies by Wednesday, August 6, 2014.

Wind Instrument Accessories Flute - Cleaning Rod, Cleaning Cloth Oboe - 3 Reeds, Reed Case, and Small container to wet reed Bassoon - 3 Reeds, Reed Case, and Small container to wet reed Clarinet - 5 Reeds, Reed Case, Cleaning Cloth, mouthpiece, and ligature. Saxophone - 5 Reeds, Reed Case, Cleaning Cloth, mouthpiece, and ligature. Trumpet - Mouthpiece, Valve Oil, and Cleaning Cloth Horn - Mouthpiece, Valve Oil, and Cleaning Cloth Euphonium - Mouthpiece, Valve Oil, and Cleaning Cloth Trombone - Slide Grease, Mouthpiece, and Cleaning Cloth Tuba - Mouthpiece, Valve Oil, and Cleaning Cloth

Percussion Accessories: Snare Drum Sticks ‒ 1 Pair SD1

Bell/Xylophone mallets ‒ 1 pair of hard rubber Marimba Mallets ‒ 1 pair medium yarn Timpani Mallets ‒ 1 pair general

Parent Updates One of the fastest way to receive updates from us is via text message. If you would like to sign up for text message updates please text the following message to the attached number, or enter the @ message into the Remind App. !8th Grade Parents: text @8momdad to 385-275-1444 8th Grade Students: text @thecoop8 to 385-275-1444 7th Grade Parents: text @7momdad to 385-275-1444 7th Grade Students: text @thecoop7 to 385-275-1444 6th Grade Parents: text @6momdad to 385-275-1444

GRADING PROCEDURE Your band student will bring home a syllabus at the beginning of each nine weeks outlining their activities in band for that grading period. !!SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………20% (Playing Assignments, Written Assignments, Weekly Assignments, Tests) Assessments will be assigned to students. They will perform these assessments to display mastery. Students may play them during class or during morning band practice from 8:15-8:50, Monday - Thursday. All missed assessments must be made up. Students have the number of days missed from school to make up work missed while absent. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements for making up an assessment. !!!PRACTICE …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10% Daily Practice is the most effective way to build skills and musicianship. All practice time should be logged on a piece of paper. If the students do not log it, they will not receive credit for it. Sixty minutes of practice per week is required. A practice sheet documenting 60 minutes of practice outside of school will receive a 100. If turned in one day late, it will receive an 89. Practice sheets will not be accepted more than one day late. Practice sheets are to be verified and signed by a parent/guardian and turned in on the first school day of every week. !!!FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………70% Students should be prepared with instrument, proper accessories, music and book, pencil and agenda. Each band student must learn to function properly in a rehearsal and performance situation. This portion of the grade will be determined by the student’s ability to do the following:

1) Show mastery of each concept taught through proper playing position and technique. 2) Show mastery of each concept taught through proper etiquette. !

If a student is missing his/her supplies in class, they will be given a written assignment to complete in class. Failure to complete the assignment will result in a 0 for that day’s grade.

!SCHOOL-OWNED INSTRUMENTS

We have a limited number of school-owned instruments available to students for use. There is no charge for using these instruments. Students who are assigned these instruments are

expected to take exceptional care of them. Fees will be assessed on repairs caused by student misuse. Any major damage ‒ (loss of instrument/destruction of instrument) ‒ will result in the student be charges the full amount for the instrument. Students who use school-owned

instruments must provide their own mouthpieces, (with a Tupperware-type container to store it in) books, and accessories. Please note that students who maintain their instruments

correctly and follow all instructions for care of instruments would not need to worry about any type of fees.

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT PLAN !As educators, we strive to create a warm and supportive classroom with real interaction among students and teachers. To guarantee that all students will have a positive experience in band, the following expectations have been established to set the climate for our classroom: !

1. Be on time and prepared for class 2. Be respectful of people and property 3. Follow directions 4. Stay on task and speak only at appropriate times 5. NO FOOD, DRINK, GUM, CANDY, LOTION ETC. AT ANY TIME IN THE BAND/THEATER FACILITIES !

No one, under any circumstance, may handle or play an instrument other than their own, including school-owned instruments. !Discipline Steps for not following the classroom expectations: !

1. Verbal Warning 2. Parent Contact 3. Silent Lunch 4. Detention 5. Administrative Referral

Tardiness: Being tardy to class twice automatically results in an detention. Tardiness includes not arriving in class before the late bell, and/or not being ready to play when the timer runs out. We are aware that students travel a long way to the band room, but there is sufficient time to be in your seat with your instrument. If there is some physical reason you cannot make it to the band room quickly please notify a band director. School Wide Consequences: - Warning and Parent Phone Call - Silent Lunch - Detention - Referral (1 day of ISS)

PERFORMING

PERFORMANCE DRESS CODE The dress code for all performances will be as follows:

Shirts: White Long Sleeve Dress Shirt Pants: Plain black dress slacks (same as school uniform) Socks/Stockings/Shoes: Black dress shoes and black socks or stockings

You may want to purchase these items a size larger, since students grow so quickly at this age. We are providing this information early so that you may begin preparing for your student’s first performance. Please let us know if you have difficulty in obtaining these items. Students in inappropriate concert attire may not be allowed to perform. T-SHIRTS, BLUE JEANS AND TENNIS SHOES ARE INAPPROPRIATE CONCERT ATTIRE.

PERFORMANCE ATTENDANCE Performances are an important part of the band program. Band

students work extremely hard during class and take great pride in the

quality of their performance. Being absent or tardy impairs the

performance experience and adversely affects the other members in

the band. If a student misses a performance because of unexpected

illness or death in the family, the student should bring a note upon

returning to school. We are a team and every person is an important

member of that team.

In order to perform with our band program, students must have their instruments every day and must attend class on a daily basis. Students with more than five absences in a semester or without an instrument for more than 5 days in a semester may not be allowed to perform with our bands, attend LGPE, and/or attend other band-related field trips.

!

OTHER PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES Throughout the school year there are other performance opportunities available to band students at Cooper. Most of these opportunities require an audition and are geared toward seventh and eighth grade students. Opportunities include District Honor Band, All-State Band, UGA Midfest (8th grade only), Jazz Band, and other chamber (small group) ensembles. These are all activities outside of school and they require extra practice time. !At Cooper we have several chamber music ensembles that meet before and after school including Jazz Band, Woodwind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble. All of these activities enhance and continue students’ musical growth and are highly encouraged. There is no audition required for these chamber music ensembles, but a high level of musicianship and dedication during regular band class is expected of students participating in chamber music. Once a student commits to participate in one of these music experiences, they are obligated to fulfill their commitment to the group. These groups will be performing outside of school during school hours. (This means you will miss some classes as we are planning on performing several times before winter break and the end of school.) Students who do not attend after school practices will not be allowed to miss class for these performances.

LARGE GROUP PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Large Group Performance Evaluation is attended each year by the Cooper Seventh and Eighth Grade Bands. As the title implies, the bands are evaluated on their performance and given a rating. This is an extremely vital part of our development as young musicians. All students are expected to prepare for Large Group Performance Evaluation. In preparation for this event, students may be required to attend before and after school sectionals and rehearsals during the months of January-March 2014. Students not in attendance at these extra rehearsal sessions may not be allowed to attend Large Group Performance Evaluation with their band. All students must also play all of their festival music for a director individually before being allowed to attend Large Group Performance Evaluation. Each person in band relies on every other person in the group to work diligently and perform at their highest potential for this event and all other performances. Please make note of dates on the calendar and look for a more detailed calendar of rehearsals in January.

Our Performance Schedule for this year

August  29th  –  Fundraiser  Kickoff  for  all  grades  !September  5th    -­‐  All  State  /  District  Honor  Band  Signup  Deadline  for  7th  and  8th  Grade  September  25th  –  Disney  Information  Meeting  for  8th  Grade  –  7pm  in  the  Theater  !October  3rd  –  8th  Grade  Night  at  McEachern    October  3rd  –  First  Disney  Payment  Due  ($145)  8th  grade  only  !November  7th  –  Second  Disney  Payment  Due  ($100)  8th  grade  only  November  11th  –  Veteran’s  Day  performance  before  school  for  some  7th  and  8th  grade  students !December  2nd    –  8th  Grade  Concert  7pm  December  4th  –  7th  Grade  Concert  7pm  December  6th  –  Honor  Band/  First  All  State  Auditions  for  7th  and  8th  Grade  Students  December  9th  –  6th  Grade  and  Jazz  Band  Concert  7pm  December  11th  –  December  13th  University  of  Georgia  MidFest  for  select  8th  Graders  December  15th  –  Jazz  Band  Tour  of  Elementary  Schools  !!January  –  March  –  7th  and  8th  Grade  bands  will  have  one  or  two  required  out  of       school  rehearsal  during  this  time.  These  will  be  scheduled  by  December  and       you  will  receive  an  updated  calendar.    January  10th  –  Second  All  State  Auditions  January  16th  -­‐  Third  Disney  Payment  Due  ($100)  8th  grade  only  !February  13th  -­‐  Fourth  Disney  Payment  Due  ($100)  8th  grade  only  February  17th  –  Symphonic  Camp  for  all  8th  Graders  4:30  –  6:30  !March  5th  –  Band  Pre  LGPE  Concert  7pm  March  10th  –  March  12th  8th  Grade  LGPE  TBD  at  McEachern  High  School*  March  13th  -­‐  Final  Disney  Payment  Due  ($100)  8th  grade  only  March  23rd  –  26th  7th  Grade  LGPE  TBD  at  Kell  High  School**  March  31st  –  6th  Grade  Band  and  Jazz  Band  Concert  !April  2nd  –  Disney  Parent  and  Student  required  meeting  April  ?  –  Spring  Fundraiser  !May  1st  –  Jazz  LGPE  at  Walton  High  School  May  7th  –  7th  Grade  Concert  7pm  May  ?  –  8th  Grade  Band  Concert  at  McEachern  High  School  May  9th  –  Six  Flags  Trip  with  7th  Graders  May  14th  –  May  17th  –  8th  Grade  Disney  Trip  May  19th  –  Jazz  Band  Tour  of  Elementary  Schools  !!*8th Grade LGPE will be on one of these days. **7th Grade LGPE will be on one of these days.

VOLUNTEER HELP !The support and involvement of parents is vital to the success of students in any area, and most especially in band. At Cooper Middle School we strive for a high level of parental involvement. We want and need your support in every aspect of your child’s musical journey from classroom instruction to home practice to rehearsal to performance. !There are a variety of ways that you can volunteer to support your band student. Below is a list of events where we need your help. Please carefully consider how you can help the Cooper Band and email us. Also, please complete the Volunteer Sign-up sheet that your child will bring home the first day of school. Thank you so much for your continued support. We are more successful because of you! !August 29th - Fundraiser Kickoff !December 2nd - Sell magnets at our 8th Grade Winter Concert !December 4th - Sell magnets at our 7th Grade Winter Concert !December 9th - Sell magnets at our 6th Grade Winter Concert !December 15th - Jazz Band Tour (Chaperone) !March 10th, 11th, or 12th - 8th Grade LGPE (Chaperone) !March 23rd, 24th, 25th, or 26th - 7th Grade LGPE (Chaperone) !March 31st - Sell magnets at our 6th Grade Spring Concert !May 1st - Jazz Band LGPE (Chaperone) !May 7th - Sell magnets at our 7th Grade Spring Concert !May 9th - 7th Grade Six Flags Trip (Chaperone) !May 14th - May 17th - 8th Grade Disney Trip (Chaperone) !May 19th - Jazz Band Tour (Chaperone)