Marching Band Course Syllabus Instructors – William Timmerman and Drew Rhoda School Phone – (219) 764-6119 | (219) 764-6113 Email – [email protected] | [email protected] Twitter - @portagebands

Course Description Marching band is one of the ancestors to the modern day concert band or wind ensemble. Starting with military bands in the mid to late 19th century, the activity has evolved greatly into the artful and competitive activity we participate in today. Marching Band at Portage High School meets during quarter 1 in the evenings during the school year. Members of the Pride of Portage Marching Band must attend a two-week band camp that happens the two weeks before the start of school in August. Week-night rehearsals are on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. In addition to the week night rehearsals students have either a mini-camp or a competition every Saturday except over the Labor Day weekend. As part of the marching band students will produce a field show for the ISSMA Scholastic Large competition. Through this production students will improve musicianship, learn to follow verbal and written instructions, learn basic physical fitness concepts, work as part of a team and help promote Portage High School and the Portage Band Program.

Attendance Policy Attendance is mandatory at all marching band activities. Any absences (excused or unexcused) must be cleared with the head director in advance. All absences, when they occur, are dealt with on an individual basis and are between the head director and the student. Do not assume that you will be excused for an absence without first speaking to the head director. Unexcused absences will result in a grade deduction. Any absence may result in the member not being able to participate in the next marching band performance. Excused Absences 1. 2. 3. 4.

Sickness & Absent from School Funeral Weddings – if direct conflict results Church obligations (that are unavoidable) 5. Athletic conflicts – agreed upon by Director and Coach 6. Out of town with family on school approved vacation

Unexcused Absences 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Homework Birthday Party Baby Sitting Dates Shopping Oversleeping Transportation Problem Hair/Nail Appointments Working

Thursday Rehearsal Policy Our Thursday rehearsal is the last opportunity for the band to fix, improve or rehearse sections of the show before the performance on Friday or Saturday. Any student who is

absent for the Thursday rehearsal (excused or unexcused) will not march in the next performance. Students are still expected to be part of the performance even if they are not permitted to march and will perform on the sidelines. This policy helps to ensure the safety of every member on the field and is not intended as a punishment.

Uniform Policy The uniforms were provided to the band at great cost to the community and to the school district. Students are expected to treat these uniforms with the pride and respect that is due such a costly piece of equipment. Members are provided a jacket, gauntlets, pants, shako, plume, pair of gloves (if necessary) and show shirt. Members must provide their own athletic shorts, long black socks and drill masters (ordered through the school). Students are to wear their show shirts and a pair of athletic shorts under the uniform. There is no eating in uniform at any time. This is especially important at football games where students have the 3rd quarter free. NO EATING IN UNIFORM! As the entire point of wearing a uniform is for an organization to look the same, members must remember that if the band is in full uniform then every member is expected to be in full uniform. If the band is in “halves” (no jacket) then the entire band is expected to be in halves. If the band is in halves the uniform jacket should be folded up neatly and put in a safe, clean and organized location. There is to be no variation between members. When the uniform is not in use, it should be hung up correctly on a hanger in the uniform bag at all times.

Eating in Uniform NO EATING IN UNIFORM!

Plumes Plumes are the feathers that go on top of the shako (hat), and will be issued if there is no threat of rain. Students must return their plumes to the plume box after every performance. Special care must be taken to ensure that the plume is placed back in the holder with the top inserted first. If the plume is returned with the base inserted first, there is a possibility of damage. There is normally a band parent who will assist in this endeavor.

Gloves All members who need gloves will be issued one pair of black gloves at the start of the performance season. Woodwinds will need to cut the fingers out of their gloves to make sure they can cover the necessary keys on their instrument. Your section leader will assist with this endeavor. Any student who needs an additional pair of gloves will need to pay Mr. Timmerman $5.00. Only one order is placed in the fall for gloves and if the band runs out of your size, you will have to wear a larger size. Please do not lose your gloves.

Rehearsal Attire When the band rehearses, proper clothing is essential for member success. Marching band is a physical activity and requires clothing that will allow you to move freely at all times. The Portage High School dress code policy will be slightly relaxed to allow for athletic clothing; however, members must wear a shirt at all times. A good rule of thumb is that if an article of clothing is called underwear, it most likely needs to be under some other piece of clothing and shouldn’t be able to be seen.

Tennis Shoes For the health and safety of our members, all students must wear tennis shoes and socks while rehearsing. Your rehearsal shoes should have good arch support and be able to be tied tightly. In marching band you are on your feet for many hours each day, taking care of your feel is essential for staying healthy and on the field later in the season. Drill Masters should not be used as rehearsal shoes.

Colder Weather The marching band season stretches from before the start of school, when it is very warm, to the end of October, when it starts to become cold. Members should be aware of the forecast and plan accordingly. Wearing layers is the best solution to staying warm and being able to move. It would not be a bad idea to keep an extra jacket in your band locker just in case it happens to get cold one night.

Hoodies Hooded sweatshirts are a great option for when it becomes cold and can also be quite stylish. The hood in the upright position blocks your peripheral vision, which will hinder your ability to rehearse effectively. Members are not allowed to wear hoodies with the hood up during rehearsal. A good solution is to wear your hoodie (hood down) with a winter hat, headband or earmuffs to keep your ears warm.

Illnesses Any illness that will result in a missed rehearsal must be reported to Mr. Timmerman via email or phone call in advance of your absence. In addition to prior notice, a note from your parent when you return is also required. Failure to provide any of these items may result in an unexcused absence.

Invitational Ticket Sales Penn and Concord High Schools offer the option of buying a ticket in advance from the Band instead of buying a ticket at the door. The tickets are the same price at either location, but, if you buy tickets from us, the band keeps half of the profit. Tickets can be purchased from

Mr. Timmerman with cash (exact change) the week of the invitational. We cannot presell tickets for any ISSMA events.

Band Camp Lunch Lunch is not provided by the band during band camp or mini camp days. Students need to bring their own lunches with them to school. Students do not have access to a refrigerator or a microwave and should plan accordingly. Due to safety concerns, students are not allowed to leave campus to purchase their lunch.

Dot Sheets To produce forms on the field, all marching members are given an individualized dot sheet that they must carry with them at all times. All marching members must have all dot sheets with them for every rehearsal. No exceptions.

Lanyards Marching members will be given a lanyard at the beginning of the season that has their laminated dot sheets and breathing tube (wind players only). Section leaders will be responsible for picking up the lanyards from the band office and returning them to the peg board after every rehearsal. All marching members must wear their lanyards around their neck at all times, no exceptions.

Tardy Policy Students are considered to be on time if they are in their designated location, with all of their necessary equipment before the scheduled activity is to begin. Students still in transit to that location are considered tardy. Students in their location without the required equipment will need to go get that equipment and will then be considered tardy. Students wishing to avoid grade deductions must plan ahead!

Marching Band Schedule The most up to date and accessible calendar for the marching band can be found on the schedule tab on the marching band website. Please use only this calendar for schedule information. Any print calendar was only for informational purposes and was not complete at the time of production. The marching band web site is: https://sites.google.com/site/prideofportagemb/

Being Picked Up Students should be picked up from rehearsal promptly after the rehearsal ends. The band program is extremely punctual and we will always end on time. Please remember that the band directors do not live at the school and do not like to just wait around for your ride.

Please make contact in advance with your ride to make sure all parties are aware of the time table. Any students who are habitually late to be picked up run the risk of being removed from the marching band.

Grading Students receive a letter grade for participating in marching band. This letter grade is determined mostly by the attendance and partly by their performance. Each rehearsal is worth 5 grade points. Tardiness will result in a 1 point deduction from your daily rehearsal credit. Quizzes are worth 30 percent of the total grade and will be announced well in advance. Quizzes may be retaken for full credit at any time before the ISSMA shows begin. Once the ISSMA contest season starts students may only retake a quiz by approval of the head director. Attendance at all activities for marching band is mandatory and any unexcused absences will result in a grade deduction and the possibility of not performing in the next performance opportunity. The ETA for marching band is participation in the final contest of the season.

PTS Weights for Marching Band Performances ......................................................................................................................................................... 40 Percent Quizzes ..................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Percent Rehearsals .............................................................................................................................................................. 20 Percent ETA ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Percent