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    Westmoore Band
    Handbook
     
     
     
    What's Expected of You as a Member of the Westmoore Band
     
    We are and always will be a first class organization. When you are with our band you are representing our school, our community, and our state. Every band member should be conscious of their behavior and the impressions that it makes.  Your words and actions will be heard, seen, and interpreted by many people. Do not draw undo attention to yourself. Represent this program in the manner that it should be represented. Take pride in what you do and how you do it.  
     
    Rules
    • Show respect for instructors and other students.
    • Show respect for school property and others personal property.
    • Have all materials needed for class each day.
    • No gum, food or drink in band room.
    • Be on time for class and all performances.
    • Have a name tag on your instrument at all times.
    • Take your instruments home EVERY NIGHT to practice.
    • Do your best each and every day.

    Consequences

    • Verbal warning
    • Removal from rehearsal and 20 point deduction from weekly grade
    • Detention, parent contact and 20 point deduction from weekly grade
    • Office referral, parent contact and 20 point deduction from weekly grade
     
     
     
    GRADES
       
    Grading Scale
    1. 40% - Daily Grades
    2. 40% - Attendance (Performances/Extra Rehearsals)
    3. 20% - Playing Tests/Pass Offs
    Daily Grades
     
    Daily grades consist of class participation and having materials needed for that days rehearsal/performance.
     
    You must ALWAYS come to your class with the following:
    • Instrument
    • Necessary materials for that instrument (reeds, mouthpiece, etc.)
    • Pencil
    • 1" Black binder with plastic protective sleeves
    • All Music and Musical Studies
    • Any assigned method books
    • ANY additional handouts
    • Drill coordinates (marching season) 

    Failure to arrive without necessary supplies will result in a deduction from their weekly grade.  If instrument is being repaired please bring a note signed by a parent or a receipt from the repair man.

     

    Any disciplinary action resulting in the student being removed from rehearsal will result in a deduction from their weekly grade.

     
    Performances and Rehearsals 
     

    The Westmoore Band is a performance organization. Performance dates are listed in the calendar. Attendance at all performances is mandatory and each student will receive a performance grade. If you have an unexcused absence, you will receive a ZERO for that performance.

     
    If there is a conflict with another school activity, please contact Mrs. Taylor or Mr. Smith. It is the band’s policy to work with other school organizations in order to allow a full experience for our students.
     
     
     
     
     
    ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY
     
    All students must meet criteria for academic eligibility as set by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (See High School Rule 3 in OSSAA Rules.)  A student must be passing all classes that he/she is enrolled in to be eligible to participate in competition. The first week a student is failing in a subject he/she will be on probation for the following week. During this week they may continue to compete with the band. However, if they are not passing at the end of the week of probation or are failing in another class they become ineligible to compete with the band.  A student who is ineligible all year long, may not be allowed to continue in band with us in the future.  Band is a team activity and we need to be able to count on our members to participate with us.
     
     
     
    TRANSPORTATION AND EARLY RELEASES FROM EVENTS
     
    The school district provides transportation for all band students to authorized out-of town events. All students are required to ride the buses provided by the district to and from the event. Students may ride home from events only with their own parents and after being given permission from Mrs. Taylor. Teachers do not have the authority to release students to anyone other than their parents. The students will be chaperoned by adults on each bus and are expected to follow Moore Public Schools' Guidelines for Bus Conduct.  Students who fail to follow those rules will be subject to disciplinary action.  Leaving graded events early, can result in the lowering of one's grade.
     
     
     
    INSTRUMENTS AND SUPPLIES
     
    School-Owned Instruments
     

    The Moore School District owns a limited number of the larger, more expensive instruments. Instruments furnished by the school are French horn, euphonium, tuba, oboe, bassoon, bass clarinet, and tenor and baritone saxophone.  Students will be responsible for major repairs that occur as the result of accident or abuse during the course of the school year.  Students using school owned instruments will need to pay a $50 instrument maintenance fee.  We have to pay every year to have these instruments serviced after use.  The $50 does not cover all of it but helps.  Furthermore, we find when a student invests in their instrument, they take much better care of it.

     
    Instrument Storage
     

    Students should take their instruments home with them at the conclusion of each school day. Without adequate practice on the part of each student outside of class, their musical growth is hindered. Aside from the concern for individual improvement, security of any instrument left overnight in a school building cannot be guaranteed. Moore Public Schools assumes no responsibility for any individual's instrument left overnight in a school facility. 

     

    The band staff makes every effort to impress on students the value of their instrument and its proper care. To guard against damage or loss through theft or negligence, we offer these suggestions:

    • Find and use a safe place in the home to store the instrument away from siblings.
    • Keep a record of your instrument including make, model, and serial number and identifying marks.
    • Check your homeowner’s insurance policy to determine if musical instruments are covered when they are away from home.
    Instrument Repair
     
    Mr. Geoff Clifton, the assistant band director at Southmoore, is a licensed repairman and does the repair for the school-owned instruments at Westmoore.  If your instrument needs attention, you can get it to him through Mr. Harrison or contact him directly at geoffreyclifton@mooreschools.com.
     
     
     

    UNIFORMS

    The marching band uniform is the most visible symbol of our group as a legitimate school organization. Therefore, the uniforms must be kept and worn with pride and respect.  A student should be in full uniform at all times during a performance venue (hats/berets, plumes, gloves, and gauntlets will be worn only at marching performances).Students should not at any time walk around in partial uniform, unbuttoned, unzipped, etc.

     
    The marching band uniform consists of a band hat & plume, band jacket & gauntlet, black gloves, black band pants, t-shirt (warm weather) and long sleeve undershirt (cold weather), athletic shorts, black socks, and regulation black marching shoes. Students not having these items will not be allowed to perform with the group.  No jewelry, hats, medals, sunglasses, buttons, or pins will be worn with the uniform.  Students are expected to take care of the uniforms. Pants and jackets must be hung properly and other parts of the uniform stored correctly in closets and in buses.
     

    Every member should also have purchased at least one Westmoore Band polo shirt. These shirts will be worn at times assigned by Mrs. Taylor (contests, performances, etc.) throughout the year.   During August and September the Jaguar Band will utilize a "warm weather uniform".  This will consist of the Westmoore Band polo shirt and black shorts, white socks and white or black tennis shoes.  The shirts will be ordered by the band staff and the price included in the General Band Fee.  The black shorts can be purchased at most department stores.

     

    Concert attire, referred to as concert black, and is utilized for all indoor concerts.  Information regarding concert attire usually comes out in November.
     
     
     

    FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS

     
    BAND FEES
     

    Band Fees pay for things such as charter bus transportation to contests, drinks for football games and contests, gloves and uniform maintenance.  A specific payment schedule will be announced in May.  Specific problems with fees should be communicated to Mrs. Taylor as soon as possible. 

     
    TRIPS
     
    Trips are part of the curriculum as they provide both unique performance and educational opportunities. All students are expected to attend, participate, and be financially prepared for band trips.  Costs and payment deadline information is given well in advance to assist students and their families to do so. Advanced and careful planning is necessary for trips of this nature to be successful for the individual and for the group. We are also relying on students to manage their academic studies in such a manner so that eligibility issues will not be a concern.  For each major trip, students will have the option to opt out of the trip if they wish. By doing so, students will not be held financially responsible or be penalized academically.  Students opting out will be limited in their participation for that particular contest or season, depending on the circumstances.  Students that opt in are fully committing themselves to be academically eligible and financially responsible. If a student becomes ineligible or misses payment, the student will not go on the trip, be replaced or removed from the performing group, forfeit all deposits or previous payments, and lose participation points. Once a student has opted in, they are responsible for the entire cost of the trip, even if they do not travel as a result of ineligibility or missing a payment deadline.
     
     
    FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES
     

    The students will have many fundraising opportunities to help the band pay for expenses throughout the year.  We will have more information on the types of fundraisers the band will participate in as the school year begins.  Fundraising information is also available on the Westmoore Band Booster website.

     
     
     
    PRIVATE LESSONS
     
    Private lessons allow students to perform at a higher level, enhances personal satisfaction and diminishes frustration.  Many of our top performers take private lessons with a highly qualified instructor.   Often taking private lessons sets the good musicians apart from the great musicians.   Private lessons are not required, but they  are strongly suggested and will be noted as students audition for leadership positions.   
     
    For a list of private brass and woodwind instructors, contact Mrs. Taylor.
     
    For percussion private lessons, contact Mr. Smith.