Performance and rehearsal conditions

Band can be an extremely enjoyable and rewarding activity, but with the privilege of participation comes responsibilities and obligations that must be fulfilled in order for your performing group to perform to the best of its ability.

All rehearsals and performances, unless notified otherwise, are required. A large majority of our performance dates are set by the school or the state activities association and are scheduled months and even years in advance. Students must arrive on time to the activity and stay until the activity is completed It is the students responsibility to know when and where rehearsals and performances are being held. They are excused for the following reasons.

1) Personal illness is excused provided that the director is notified by the students parent prior to the rehearsal or performance that they are ill. Any illness or physical condition that will keep a student from fully participating in a rehearsal will be excused provided the parents contact the director prior to the rehearsal.

2) Family emergencies such as a death in the family. Prior notification is not required but would be helpful planning for the performance.

3) A conflict in school activities. Parents must notify the director seven days prior to the band event date, to provide for proper planning. The absence will then be determined as excused or unexcused by the director. Competitions (musical, academic or athletic) and performances are more important then practices or rehearsals. District, regional or state competitions are more important then regularly scheduled games or performances.

4) Church activities that are spiritual in nature such as church services. Again, seven days prior notification is required from the parent, by turning in an excused absence form or having the parent contact the director.

5) Students are out of town with their parents. The parent must notify the director seven days prior to the performance. The student must be with their parent for the absence to be excused. We ask that parents keep this to a bare minimum as any absence of a student for any reason will affect the groups performance.

6) Students are not eligible. Students who are failing any one class for two weeks or more in a row are ineligible. While they are ineligible, the student may not participate in any competitions and may not participate in any activity that would cause the student to miss school. Students with continued eligibility problems may not be allowed to travel with the band to any activity. After one week the student’s grades will be evaluated to determine whether they will remain ineligible. This is a Lawton Public Schools and Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association policy.

All Excused absences from required events must be made up in 15 school days from the date that the absence occurred, for the student to receive credit for that event. The excused absences may be made up in the following ways. Auditioning for an honor group, performing a solo at a competition or at a public event, performing an ensemble at a competition, working or practicing in the bandroom, tutoring junior high band students or writing a report on a musical subject. Students should see Mr. Haas to make these arrangements.

If the performance the student is missing is being performed by a pep band, the student must provide a replacement performer for their instrument and part. Please see the director to make these arrangements.

Excused absences that are not made up in 15 school days will then be recorded as unexcused absences. Parents and students must understand that even excused absences may still affect the student’s position in a performing group, such as a loss of a marching position, loss of a solo or loss of other such position where an absence - excused or unexcused - would detrimentally affect the performance of the group.

Students who are absent unexcused from a required event will lose the points from that event, affecting their final grade, they will lose the opportunity to receive end of the year awards, may cause them to be removed from symphonic band and most likely not be allowed to attend any end of the year trip. Other consequences may include removal as a band officer or drum major, removal from a leadership position within the section, possible temporary or permanent suspension from participation with a performing group and loss of a school owned instrument if the student is using one.

Student employment conflicts will not be excused. It is the students responsibility to inform their employer of instrumental music activities.

Here are examples of absences that would be excused.

*The student is sick with the flu and the parents call the director prior to the performance and inform him of the illness.

*The student is absent to attend a youth retreat in Oklahoma City with their church and the parents notified the director seven days before the absence.

*The student is absent from a concert to attend the regional softball tournament and the parents notified the director seven days before the performance.

*The student is absent from a competition because during the night a grandparent passed away unexpectedly and they left in the middle of the night and were not able to contact the director.

*The student is absent from a performance to attend a family reunion out of town, with their parents and they notified the director seven days prior to the absence.

*The student become sick during the day, checks out during school to go home and misses an afternoon rehearsal. As the parent picks up the child, they place a note in Mr. Haas’ mailbox or leave a message on his phone notifying him of the child’s illness.

Here are examples of absences from performances and rehearsals that would not be excused.

*The student is absent from a rehearsal or performance and the next day the student tells the director that they weren’t feeling well.

*The student misses a rehearsal or performance because they were working at their part time job.

*The student misses a performance because they are playing in a softball tournament with a team that is not sponsored by the school.

*The student misses a performance to attend a church youth party and dance.

*The student misses a performance to travel by themselves out of town to visit a relative.

Parents and students need to be reminded of the necessary commitment to these extra rehearsals and numerous performances

As stated earlier most rehearsals and performances will be scheduled far in advance, however any rehearsal or performance that is scheduled 14 days in advance will be required.

 

If you have any questions, please contact me at the school at 355-9144 ext. 107 or e-mail me at jhaas@lawtonps.org