Grading Policy
As Band is an academic course, grades are carefully computed based on the following criteria:
1. Playing/Written Tests, Playing/Written Quizzes, and Concerts* - 40%
Students will be graded on a performance of assigned material at least once per quarter. Letter grades will be given based on the following criteria:
*Concerts are equivalent of a final, unit test, or championship game. They are the culmination of many weeks of individual and group efforts. Every effort should be made to be in attendance to all performances. Any reason other than HCPSS excused absence will result in lowering a student's grade. This is according to HCPSS policies.
2. Sectional Participation - 25%
Attending all sectionals is mandatory for each student in the instrumental music program. Sectionals are graded out of 5 points with the following rubric being used:
3. Practice Checks & Written Homework - 25%
Just like every other class in school, Band has homework which is in the form of practice checks and occasionally written assignments. Each week during sectionals a method book page or an etude will be assigned to be performed for a grade the following week at sectionals. Practice checks will be out of 10 possible points with grades being given based on the following rubric:
4. Preparedness & Rehearsal Etiquette - 10%
Students receive a 100% in Preparedness & Rehearsal Etiquette at the beginning of each quarter. Points are then deducted whenever a student comes unprepared to a band performance, rehearsal or sectional. Examples would include, but are not limited to, forgetting one's instrument, misplacing or forgetting one's music, not having a pencil in class, forgetting tuner, etc. Preparedness checks will occur on a random but frequent basis at the beginning of rehearsal. Necessary Materials include:
1. Playing/Written Tests, Playing/Written Quizzes, and Concerts* - 40%
Students will be graded on a performance of assigned material at least once per quarter. Letter grades will be given based on the following criteria:
- A - The best conceivable performance of the material. Careful attention was given to the unique style of the piece, well-constructed musical phrasing, steady tempo, accuracy of tone, pitch, dynamics, and articulation, and good intonation.
- B - A good performance of the assigned material. All rhythms and notes were correct, but the performance was found lacking on additional musical devices as described above.
- C - A fair performance of the material, with occasional mistakes in time, notes, and/or rhythm. Student may have had to stop and restart once.
- D - A poor performance of the material, with frequent errors in time, notes, and/or rhythm. Students may have stopped two to several times during the performance.
- E - Unacceptable performance. The student exhibited little evidence of effort or preparation. Must be brought up to a level consistent with the rest of the ensemble.
*Concerts are equivalent of a final, unit test, or championship game. They are the culmination of many weeks of individual and group efforts. Every effort should be made to be in attendance to all performances. Any reason other than HCPSS excused absence will result in lowering a student's grade. This is according to HCPSS policies.
2. Sectional Participation - 25%
Attending all sectionals is mandatory for each student in the instrumental music program. Sectionals are graded out of 5 points with the following rubric being used:
- 3 - On time and fully prepared
- 2 - Late but fully prepared
- 1 - Not prepared
- 0 - Unexcused absence
3. Practice Checks & Written Homework - 25%
Just like every other class in school, Band has homework which is in the form of practice checks and occasionally written assignments. Each week during sectionals a method book page or an etude will be assigned to be performed for a grade the following week at sectionals. Practice checks will be out of 10 possible points with grades being given based on the following rubric:
- 10 - The best conceivable performance of the material. Careful attention was given to the unique style of the piece, well-constructed musical phrasing, steady tempo, accuracy of tone, pitch, dynamics, and articulation, and good intonation.
- 9 - A good performance of the assigned material. All rhythms and notes were correct, but the performance was found lacking on additional musical devices as described above.
- 9 - An acceptable performance of the assigned material. Most rhythms and notes were correct, but the performance was found lacking on additional musical devices as described above.
- 7 - A fair performance of the material, with occasional mistakes in time, notes, and/or rhythm. Student may have had to stop and restart once.
- 6 - A poor performance of the material, with frequent errors in time, notes, and/or rhythm. Students may have stopped two to several times during the performance.
- 5 - Unacceptable performance. The student exhibited little evidence of effort or preparation. Must be brought up to a level consistent with the rest of the ensemble.
- 0 - No performance or unexcused absence from sectionals.
4. Preparedness & Rehearsal Etiquette - 10%
Students receive a 100% in Preparedness & Rehearsal Etiquette at the beginning of each quarter. Points are then deducted whenever a student comes unprepared to a band performance, rehearsal or sectional. Examples would include, but are not limited to, forgetting one's instrument, misplacing or forgetting one's music, not having a pencil in class, forgetting tuner, etc. Preparedness checks will occur on a random but frequent basis at the beginning of rehearsal. Necessary Materials include:
- Instrument
- All accessories required to play instrument
- Band Method Book(s)
- Three ring binder (1" preferred) or folder (binder required for percussion)
- Pencils
- All concert music, warm-ups, chorales, and handouts (in binder)
- Fingering Chart
- Sent to office during rehearsal because of talking-5
- Stay after rehearsal because of talking-4 points
- Playing on cell phone during rehearsal-4 points
- Incorrect warm-up procedure-2 point
- Handling someone else's instrument-2 points
- Playing after a cut-off-2 points
- Eating or drinking in the band room (other than water)-2 points