First Day of School News!

All Percussion Ensemble (7&8), Intermediate and Advanced Band members need to bring

instruments and drum sticks. Beginners (6&7) need to come to class prepared to try each

instrument the first couple of weeks. If beginners have their own instruments, bring them

beginning Monday, August 29th!

**ALL STUDENTS NEED A PENCIL EVERY DAY!**

Band Fees1. $10.00 Course Fee - CCS fee for all students who

participate in band.

2. $50.00 School-Owned instrument rental fee - All students who use an instrument owned by HRMS and all percussionists will pay a one-time $50.00 fee for the use of the instrument during the 2016-2017 school year.

Stay Connected • Remind 101: Find links

on the Blair’s websites for your appropriate class. *Note: all 6th and 7th grade beginners should enroll in the 6th Grade Band Remind.*

• Instagram: @hrmsbands_

• Facebook Group: Harris Road Middle School Bands

• Twitter: @mollyblair90_

• PowerSchool: Weekly participation grades will be updated each Friday/last day of the school week. Tests and homework assignments will be entered within 2-3 days of completion.

Pep Band The HRMS Pep Band

(grades 7 & 8) will meet every Tuesday morning

8:00-8:45 beginning September 6th.

1Jazz Band

The HRMS Jazz Band (grades 7 & 8) will meet

every Wednesday morning 8:00-8:45 beginning

September 14th.

2Flute Choir

The HRMS Flute Choir (grades 7 & 8) will meet every Friday morning 8:00-8:45 beginning

September 16th.

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HARRIS ROAD MIDDLE SCHOOL BANDS 2016-2017

HRMS BANDS Andrew and Molly Blair, Band Directors

School-Owned Instruments All school-owned instruments will be assigned to students within the first week of school. Students MUST turn in the $50.00 rental fee before they can take their school-owned

instrument home.

Wind musicians (brass and woodwinds) who use a school-owned instrument MUST purchase their own mouthpiece

and reeds are and responsible for keeping up with, maintaining, and having his/her own mouthpiece in class

each day.

ALL percussionists (6-8) MUST have their own set of drum sticks and are to bring them to class each day. Personal Drum and Bell kits are to remain at home for personal

practice.

At-Home Practice Parents/Guardians: If your student comes home and tells you he or she does not have homework in band, they are

incorrect.

**In the HRMS Band program, every band member has homework every night: Practicing their instrument!**

Not a threat, a promise: If individual members are not making expected growth, and holding the ensemble back

due to a lack of practice, Weekly Practice Logs will be assigned to the entire ensemble.

All HRMS Band members should be practicing at home for at least 100 minutes each week (20 minutes per 5

school days).

Playing Tests Band is a performance-based class, therefore we do most of our assessment through performances and playing tests. Music is a subjective course, and to eliminate biased or opinion-based grading, the HRMS Band program

uses a computer software called Smart Music for all playing tests. Students will perform assigned musical excerpts in a solo environment using computers, microphones and the Smart Music software. Smart Music records the students’ performance, hi-lights both what the student performed correctly and their mistakes, and scores the performance. Through this program, students, parents and teachers have concrete evidence of the students’

accomplishments as well as what they need to improve on for the next test.

In the Harris Road band room there are 5 computers which will serve as testing centers. We are fortunate to have five testing locations, but students are strongly encouraged to purchase the at-home subscription of Smart Music. When students take their tests at school, they will only be afforded 2 opportunities to perform their test, then must submit the best of the 2 scores for that particular testing session. Students who have the at-home subscription are afforded the opportunity to take their test as many times as they like before submission, serving as quality practice time. Smart Music’s at-home subscription is a $40.00 fee for the full calendar year, and has numerous features for

at-home practicing throughout the school year, over holidays and summer vacation.

Students and parents/guardians alike need to take Smart Music and playing tests for band (grades 6, 7, and 8) seriously for the 2016-2017 school year. To qualify for Spring Trips and prestigious performance opportunities,

Intermediate and Advanced Band members need to maintain an A/B test average in Smart Music.