sumner high school

Sumner High School Combined Jazz Ensemble AB
Sumner High School Daffodil Princess Coronation Performance
Monday October 24, 2011

Our first “real” performance of the year is the Annual Daffodil Princess Coronation, being held at the Sumner PAC on the evening of Monday October 24th.  This is a great chance to get some performance experience playing in front of the members of the Daffodil Festival as well as the community.  Parents and families are welcome.  The Daffodil Festival members are “important people” and doing our part we make the ceremony better – and they remember that.  Have fun and do a great job.

Time-Line for the Week:

1. Regular Daily Class-Times:

• Jazz Ensemble ‘A’ Rehearsal: 5:55-6:45AM
• Announcements (both groups): 6:40-6:45AM
• Jazz Ensemble ‘B’ Rehearsal: 6:45-7:25AM
• No Rehearsals on Wednesday Late-Starts (for now)

I will arrive and open the Band Room by about 5:40AM daily.
We start on-time every day.  Plan on arriving at SHS each day no later than 5 minutes before class starts.  Drive safely.

There will be no rehearsals when there are weather related school delays.
(we will distribute a phone-tree to inform you ASAP when classes are delayed or cancelled.)

You need to remain on the SHS Campus after you arrive and you are not allowed to leave SHS after classes are over.

Sumner HS attendance and tardy policies as outlined in the student handbook apply for these zero-period classes as well.
Transportation to classes is your responsibility, so make sure your ride is reliable. 
All zero-period absences need to be cleared through the SHS Attendance Office just like for any other class.  Just like in all of your classes:
“Assisting students in establishing lifelong habits of reliability and promptness is an instructional objective in this particular course.  Progress towards this goal will be measured, at least in part, by tracking student attendance. Therefore, a student’s grade or credit in this class may be adversely affected by reason of tardiness or absence.”         

There are no “make-up” rehearsals – when you miss a class, the entire group is affected – we rely on each other.

2. Other Expectations:

You must have your instrument, music, and pencil at every rehearsal. 
If you are sharing a part and the music, make copies of any pieces you may be taking home to practice (if you are absent and you have the only set of parts, the person you are sharing with cannot rehearse).  Store the group music folders in the jazz ensemble slots in the Band Room, not in the instrument closets or you instrument case.

If you are involved in any before-school activities (clubs, etc.), please let them know that you are enrolled in a zero-period graded class and that class attendance is the priority.  If there are special attendance situations and we discuss them in advance, we can probably work things out.  If you just skip out of Jazz Ensemble rehearsal without any notification to me, you will be considered truant and it will be reflected in your class grade and potentially in your performance-status with the group.  Missing class in order to finish other class homework instead of attending Jazz Ensemble rehearsal is not excusable and lets a lot of people down.

We are planning on doing great things this year. Be organized and prepared for each day and work hard in rehearsals.  Get a good night’s sleep and let’s make these classes the best way to start every school day! (including Friday treat-days).

Thanks for making a very big commitment to be a part of our groups.

Bad Weather/Emergency Phone-Tree

Please keep this handy AT HOME where you can check it if we have bad winter weather or if there is any other reason to cancel Zero-Period Jazz Ensemble classes.

Some reminders about Jazz Ensemble/Zero-Period Schedules:

• If it is announced that school will start late (1 or 2 hours), then there will be NO Jazz Ensemble rehearsals that morning
• If it looks too dangerous for you to try to travel to school to get to Jazz Ensemble rehearsal, then don’t do it (make sure that you tell me about it or give me a note and I will excuse it if it is for weather-related conditions)
• If you don’t get a phone call, then assume Jazz Ensemble is going on as usual (don’t call me and jam-up my phone line so I don’t get the real call)
• Your safety is our main concern – please be very careful

Here’s how the phone-tree operates:

• I am called (around 5:00AM) and told school-classes are delayed or cancelled (I am generally called before it gets on TV or Radio)
• I will then call the section-leaders (list available from Mr. Carl - names underlined)
• The section-leaders then call the members of their sections as listed below their names (list available from Mr. Carl - the phone numbers are not listed, but I expect that the section-leaders will get the numbers of the students they are supposed to call and have them at home)

Additional Information:
If I am going to be absent, I will call for a substitute.  Substitutes for me are supposed to be at Sumner HS by 5:55AM, but sometimes that doesn’t happen.  If you receive no phone message and if I am not here by 5:55AM, Zero-Period rehearsals are not cancelled (Evan will know the situation if he is present).  Please wait at the Band Room door until the sub arrives at SHS.  You may also ask a custodian to open the Band Room if they wish.  At that time you are to go into sectionals at the regular locations.  The sub, when he or she arrives, will have instructions to either have you continue with the sectionals or to rehearse with the entire group.  You cannot skip the class when I am absent – if you choose to leave or otherwise do not attend the class, it is considered a truancy and handled with the appropriate consequences as per your student handbook.  At no time (whether I am here or not) are you to leave the SHS campus once you arrive for Zero-Period – this is a Sumner HS Rule as outlined in your Spartan Spiral.