Alpena

Leopard Band Syllabus and Information Sheet 2018-19

Instructor:  Mrs. E. Borg Music Building

E-Mail: eborg@alpenaleopards.org Phone: 870-437-2228

Best time to call: after 3:15 or from noon to 12:30 Best way to contact me is the remind app.

Band is a co-curricular class.  This means there is class time to work on material, it receives credit towards graduation and also has out-of-class time components (ex. performances).  Band can lead to some wonderful experiences but it can also be difficult at times. Remember you are doing this to get better at playing music. You will not be a professional at the end but you should improve.  Just do your best and participate at all times with a good attitude.

Performances are required unless you have another performance/competition of equal importance and you let the director know in writing at least 2 weeks in advance or there is a true emergency(hospital, death in family, etc.) and you let me know as soon as possible. Birthdays are not emergencies. I will have a list of performances by the end of August that will include most performances that we will be performing.  Many are during the school day but the concerts in December and May will be in the evening along with basketball games, graduation, Christmas Parade, and some competitions. Some performances come up with little warning but I will let you know as soon as possible. I do encourage Region Band tryouts in January and Band camp participation in the summer. For those that can, the Carroll Co. Community Band practices on Monday evenings and is a great opportunity.They have supported participants with money for band camp in the past.

The Winter and Spring Concerts are Required performances and will be the semester exams for this class. These concerts are truly everything the band has been doing during the semester put together in performance.  This shows what they have been doing and they need to be there to cover their part. We do not have substitutes or backups. If a student must miss one of these performances for any excused reason, you will need to call me beforehand, if possible, and then send a note when they return to school for them to be able to do an essay for makeup exam.

Required Supplies: pencil, music folder, paper, and the supplies needed for your instrument.  We will order matching shirts in the first few weeks for performances. If we do not have matching shirts, they will be expected to dress in dressy school appropriate clothing for performances.  Example - ladies - dress or skirt and blouse, gentlemen - dress slacks and button down shirt, tie preferred but not required. If anything else is needed I will let you know.

To purchase supplies, you can order them online at palenmusic.com.  Go to Band and Orchestra in the top bar.  Then follow to your instrument and the supplies that you need.  These will then be delivered to the band room when Palen music representative comes to the school.  You will have to order 5 or more reeds at a time. I will have a few supplies but am not going to have large charge accounts this year. Please purchase extra reeds, etc. before it is an emergency.

Renting instruments: Alpena does have a few instruments that can be rented for $60 per year ($30 per semester).  They are first come, first serve and are older, not so pretty instruments. The rent goes towards sanitizing and repairing the instrument at the end of the year.  Most repairs cost about $70 each year but if there is more than normal wear and tear (example $130 or more), you will be charged for the amount that is excessive in the next school year. Treat them with respect.

Rules and Expectations:(includes any time involved in band)

Do Right!

No food, gum, or drink other than water in class

Have all supplies

Respect each other, the teacher, and the instruments including your voice

Keep hands to yourself

No electronic devices in the class unless the teacher has a specific lesson for them

No hats

Always participate

Follow instructions promptly

Be on Band Central Time - Early is on time, on time is late.

Remember, we are only as good as the weakest person in the group, help your music family be great!!!

Discipline- if offense is severe, we will move up consequences faster.

1st offense - verbal warning

2nd offense - written work and/or call parents

3rd offense - detention/sent to office

Grading - Band is graded on a numerical scale just like math or English.  Because it is a co-curricular class, it does have out of class time requirements that are graded.

Grades will be taken from daily class work (participation, attitude, trying, and having all of your supplies), performances both during school and after school, tests both written and playing, quizzes, and written work such as theory lessons.

Make-up work will be similar to the school policy.  The only grades that cannot be made up are performances.  You are expected to be there. If a true emergency or illness occurs, please contact me or leave a message if it affects a performance.

Technology/Information: I will keep you informed with Remind, google classroom, and the school website.  

Please, both student and parent/guardian sign into Remind and Google Classroom so that I can get messages to you quickly and efficiently.  You will need to indicate student or parent when you sign in. We will be doing some homework and playing tests on Google classroom. Remind will be how I send/receive most communications.

Remind instructions:

Smartphone: rmd.at/da785

Text notifications: To: 81010 then put in the message: @da785

Computer notifications: rmd.at/da785

I will have information on the school webpages(www.alpenaschools.k12.ar.us) under High School and then scroll down to Borg. In upper left corner click on High School music. At times, I will have practice music on the web page that due to copyright law will need to be password protected. The user name is Alpena music.  The password is Leopard band.

Google classroom code is 5qxtib.

We will be doing a fundraiser this fall to help pay for entry fees, instruments, and other things the music department needs. I will need parent volunteers for various things.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.  I look forward to working with all of you this year!