Student Responsibilities
The Right Place at the Right Time
- F-102, Orchestra Room – Students are expected to be in the room by the time the bell rings. It’s a long way from A-hall but very possible to arrive on time. Plan to go to the bathroom or your locker before or after your orchestra class period. Once rehearsal begins, everyone is expected to remain in rehearsal. Students must remain in the room until the dismissal bell rings.
- BHS Theater – Students are expected to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the concert.
- BHS Commons – Students are expected to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the concert.
- LGPE – This year, LGPE will be hosted at Lanier High School. Days and times will be announced as soon as possible.
- Your own (or rented) instrument and bow (with rosin, mute and microfiber cleaning cloth).
- Shoulder rest for Violin and Viola
- Rock Stop for Cello and Bass
- New strings every year
- New bow hair every year
- Concert Black Uniform
- Bronco Orchestra maroon polo and blue jeans
- Music folder/binder and pencils
- Short fingernails
- Focus, Patience, Enthusiasm, and a Sense of Humor
- Courtesy and Respect towards directors, students, and everyone else.
- Concert etiquette on and off the stage is part of the AKS for orchestra and will be graded.
- Approach the instrument in a serious manner. It is a tool for musical expression, not a toy.
- Remember that everything you do affects everyone else.
- Abide by the guidelines set forth in the Brookwood High School Agenda Book and the Brookwood Orchestra Handbook.
- No complaining.
- No excuses.
Student Progress
Students will receive Progress Reports at the 6-week and 12-week mark during each semester and will receive a Report Card at the conclusion of each semester. Student grades are available on the Parent Portal and eClass. Students and parents are advised to check the academic progress of students throughout the semester. Parents may request access to the Parent Portal by visiting the Brookwood High School Main Office. Students who do not meet the academic requirements of passing their classes may be assigned mandatory Academic Intervention which meets during Extended Lunch periods.
- Classroom assignments: 35%
- (20%) Rehearsal Skills: Preparation, Participation, Professionalism, etc.
- (10%) Digital Assignments: VPLs, eClass Discussions, etc.
- eClass is Gwinnett’s digital content, learning, assessment, and support system. Brookwood students are expected to check their eClass course pages on a regular basis.
- (5%) Playing Quizzes: Expression, Tone, Rhythm, Articulation, Pitch, etc.
- Concert Performances and Professionalism: 40%
- Professionalism is being in the right place at the right time with the right equipment and the right attitude.
- Performance Quality based on Expression, Tone, Rhythm, Articulation, and Pitch, etc.
- Fall Semester
- September Concert: Professionalism & Performance (two grades)
- November Concert: Professionalism & Performance (two grades)
- Spring Semester
- MINICAMP: Professionalism
- Pre-LGPE: Performance
- LGPE: Performance
- April Concert: Performance
- Performance Midterm: 5%
- Expression, Tone, Rhythm, Articulation, Pitch, etc.
- Final Exams: 20%
- Fall Semester
- (10%) Performance Exam
- (10%) Multiple Choice Exam
- Spring Semester
- (5%) SPG Post-Test
- (10%) Performance Exam
- (5%) Multiple Choice Exam
- Fall Semester
Academic Honesty
All students are expected to abide by the Brookwood Honor Code. Cheating includes any attempt to defraud, deceive, or mislead a teacher in arriving at an honest evaluation of student achievement. Cheating is inexcusable conduct and will be dealt with strictly. Students and parents should refer to the Student Agenda Book for more information on cheating, plagiarism, and sloppy scholarship. ANY electronic device visible during ANY assessment can be considered cheating.
Attendance
Attendance is required at every rehearsal.
- Rehearsals take place every day during your orchestra class period, and occasionally after school hours or on weekends.
- Required out-of-class activities, as stipulated by the teacher, will determine a portion of the student’s grade (Gwinnett County Public Schools policy).
- Minicamp is a required out-of-class rehearsal in preparation for LGPE. Depending on your orchestra, you may be in rehearsal after school on Friday or on Saturday. Please reserve this weekend as soon as you receive our calendar. Failure to attend Minicamp will result in a zero. In the event of an excused absence, the student will have up to five school days to perform their part for the class as a make-up assignment (up to 89%).
- Students must be present for 70% of rehearsals to be eligible to perform in the upcoming concert. If students fails to attend the minimum required amount of rehearsal (excused or unexcused), he or she will not be permitted to perform with the orchestra at the concert and an alternate work will be assigned. Attendance at the concert is still required and expected.
- Attendance at concerts scheduled for your class period are required.
- Failure to attend a concert will result in a grade of zero. In the event of an excused absence, the student will have up to five school days to perform their part for the class as a make-up assignment (up to 89%).
- LGPE (Large Group Performance Evaluation) is a required performance that takes place away from Brookwood High School. The weekend and location is on the calendar, however, please reserve the entire weekend as we will not know our performance times until the spring semester. Failure to perform at LGPE will result in a grade of zero. In the event of an excused absence, the student will have up to five school days to perform their part for the class as a make-up assignment (up to 89%).
Excused Absences and Make-Up Assignments
- Alternate assignments may be allowed for students with absences due to the following reasons:
- Personal illness or attendance in school endangering a student's health or the health of others. (In case of an emergency, a written note must be provided within five school days of the absence to be excused.)
- A serious illness or death in a student's family necessitating absence from school
- A court order or an order by a governmental agency, including pre-induction physical examinations for service in the armed forces, mandating absence from school.
- Celebrating verifiable religious holidays necessitating absence from school (with advanced notice).
- The cancellation of school by GCPS due to conditions rendering attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety.
- A period not to exceed one day is allowed, at the discretion of the local unit of administration, for registering to vote or voting in a public election.
- Absences are unexcused for all other reasons. Absences for medical or court appointments will be classified as unexcused until the proper documentation is received from the physician or office of the court. Make-up work will not be assigned for unexcused absences.
- It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements to make up work due to an excused absence within five days upon return to school. If the make-up assignment is not completed within this time frame, the grade will stand as a zero.
Policies and Procedures
Rehearsal Procedures
Concert Procedures
- Before Rehearsal
- Unpack your instrument and music, rosin your bow, and come to your seat with a pencil before the “2-Minute Alarm.”
- At the sound of the 2-Minute Alarm, begin warming up. Directors will take attendance and note late arrivals.
- Announcements: Listen quietly as the directors share new information and reminders.
- Joys and Concerns: Students’ chance to share with the class.
- Meditation: Quiet your mind and prepare for rehearsal.
- Tune: listen first
- Technique
- Rehearse concert music
- Packing up: Another alarm will sound with two minutes left in class.
- Director may ask the ensemble to play passage once more.
- Students may not stand or leave rehearsal until dismissed.
Concert Procedures
- All concerts are at 6:00 p.m. either in the Theater or in the Commons.
- LGPE location, day and time will be announced as soon as possible.
- Do not schedule other events for the LGPE weekend.
- LGPE location, day and time will be announced as soon as possible.
- Performing students are expected to arrive and sign-in at least 30 minutes prior to concert time.
- LGPE call times for each orchestra will be announced.
- Concert etiquette: Letting others enjoy the musical performance undisturbed.
- Clean up: please help stack chairs. Black chairs and stands go on racks and come downstairs.
Digital Citizenship
Being responsible stewards of electronic devices and practicing digital citizenship are important skills for students.
- Students are extended the privilege of possessing and using electronic devices on school grounds in the following situations:
- During classroom instruction when explicitly authorized and supervised by the classroom teacher during that specific class period.
- It is expected that students unplug when speaking to any adult. Students must be able to respond to an adult when spoken to.
- Electronic devices should not be used in the following situations:
- To film or take pictures
- In a way that can cause disruption or distraction to the learning environment
- In any assessment (Any electronic device visible during any assessment may be considered cheating).
- Consequences
- Violations of the electronic device policy will result in consequences as determined by the administration.
- Upon request, failure to surrender a device to an administrator or staff member may result in additional disciplinary consequences, including Out of School Suspension.
- At the third violation, the electronic device will be confiscated and the parent/guardian must collect it.
- Exceptions, changes, and additions to the Brookwood High School Electronic Device Policy may be made by the Principal or his/her designee for specific reasons.
Rules and Consequences
Orchestra Room Rules
- Only orchestra students are allowed in the Orchestra Room and in the Band/Orchestra hallway.
- Treat others the way you with to be treated.
- Respect other people and their property.
- Do not disturb people who are working.
- Come to class prepared to make music.
- Be responsible for your own learning.
- Laugh with each other, never at each other.
- Food, gum, candy and drinks are NOT allowed in the orchestra room (clear water is OK).
- Students who fail to abide by orchestra room rules or otherwise cause a disruption to the learning environment will be asked to leave rehearsal. Lack of participation in rehearsal for any reason will result in Rehearsal Skills grade deduction.
- Students may receive a verbal warning.
- Once a student is asked to leave the rehearsal space, they are expected to stay in the room and remain quiet for the duration of the rehearsal.
- Students who continue to disrupt rehearsal once asked to pack up, will be directed to an administrator.
- Phones and other electronic devices
- Students are expected to store their phones (earbuds, etc.) away for the duration of rehearsal unless directed otherwise.
- See Digital Citizenship – Consequences
Practice
prac·tice noun, verb, prac-ticed, prac-tic-ing
The repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency.
The repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency.
Because this is an ensemble class, the lack of participation by one student affects all other students in the class. Just as other teachers require students to do their homework, regular practice is expected from every orchestra student [and we can tell if you have or have not been practicing]. To be a learning, contributing member of the Brookwood High School Orchestra, you will need practice. Failure to do so can also result in a loss of chair placement as well as lower grade.
You will play as well as you practice.
The smarter you practice, the better you and our orchestra will be.
Difficult measures, lines or passages must be carefully analyzed. Play each passage slowly at first, over and over until it is learned. Then bump the metronome up one notch and do it again. Playing entire pieces through without carefully focusing on trouble spots is a waste of time.
Honor Orchestra Opportunities
By being enrolled in orchestra at school, Brookwood Orchestra students are eligible to audition for honor orchestras in Gwinnett County and the Atlanta area. Participation in other orchestras broadens the student's musical experiences and gives the student an opportunity to meet other students from across the county and the state who also share a passion for performing music. The following is a list of honor orchestras Brookwood Orchestra students have performed with in previous years. If you do not see your orchestra here, please let us know so we can add it to the list!
|
Gwinnett County Youth Symphony
and Kendall Orchestra Gwinnett Symphony Youth Orchestra Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra |
All-State OrchestraFebruary 28 - March 2, 2019
(March 5-7, 2020) (March 4-6, 2021) The Classic Center 300 North Thomas Street Athens, Georgia 30601 |
Private Lessons
It is strongly recommended that all students take private lessons if at all possible. We provide quality orchestra instruction in class but those that take private lessons improve at a quicker pace and gain a stronger command of their instrument. This one-on-one attention from a professional is vital for students wishing to master a musical instrument.
The Catherine R. Hudnall Honorary Scholarship
Each year, students may apply and audition for the Catherine R. Hudnall Scholarship. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist students' pursuit of music education. Cash prizes may be used for private lessons, summer music camps, etc.
