School Town of Highland!

Orchestra Handbook
2017-2018

Mr. Benjamin Leonard-White, Director

Highland Middle & High Schools
9135 Erie Street
Highland, IN 46322
school: (219) 922-5610
direct: (219) 237-8442
web: www.highlandorchestra.org
email: bleonard@highland.k12.in.us
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Course Description Music expresses that which cannot
be said and on which it is impossible
to be silent.
Victor Hugo

Orchestra is a year-long class oered in grades 6-12 that serves as a building block from
previously learned music curriculum to advanced performance. Students learn how to play a
string instrument (violin, viola, cello, double bass) in the ensemble, read music, interpret
rhythms and musical markings as well as perform, on average, four times each year.

Members of the Highland Orchestra will show respect to each other, the directors, as well as
guest clinicians. In addition, a positive attitude is expected from each member. A negative
attitude defeats our goal of teamwork and cooperation and will not be welcomed.

Handbook Agreement Form

This handbook contains important dates, policies and procedures for both in and out of class.
Please read and review with your parents or guardians and complete the agreement form:
https://goo.gl/forms/rj4tlXv3wZGIEolG2
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Classroom Expectations

Students are expected to understand and follow the guidelines set forth in the Highland
High School Parent/Student Handbook. In addition, the following will be expected from
each student:
1. Students are productive and attentive during rehearsal
2. Students are prepared for class and practice at home as necessary to participate in re-
hearsals during the school day
3. Arriving to class
c. The orchestra room is on the Middle School bell schedule.
d. Students should arrive by the bell at the beginning of class.
e. 1st hour high school should be in the orchestra room by 7:45 a.m. or a tardy will be
given.
f. Each class period has 1-2 minutes each day to unpack and check their instrument for
repair needs and rosin bows
g. Have all music materials necessary for rehearsal
h. Have a pencil on your stand or in your folder.
4. Students attend to all maintenance and repair concerns outside of rehearsal time; be-
fore or after rehearsal time. A representative from Quinlan & Fabish Music Company vis-
its each week to deliver materials and pick up instruments in need of repair.
5. There is to be no candy, food, gum, or drinks in the orchestra room. Bottled water is ac-
ceptable.
6. At no time is anyone to play an instrument other than their own, whether it is school-
owned or student-owned without prior permission from the director. (that includes
pianos and percussion Instruments). Playing another instrument may result in damage
repair costs that the student will be responsible for reimbursing.

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Attendance & Discipline
TARDIES:
Students are to be in the room when the
bell rings and have one additional minute
to be in their seats and prepared to play.
Please check the Middle & High School
handbooks regarding tardy policies.
DISRUPTIONS:
If the student disrupts rehearsal time, the
student will given a warning.
If the disruption continues, the student
may be assigned a detention and/or
referred to the oce. Contact may also be
made to the parent/guardian.
Extreme Discipline Clause: In case of a
serious disruption, the student will be
asked to leave class immediately and an
oce referral will follow.
ABSENCES:
There are two types of absences in the
ensemble: excused and unexcused. Any
absence must be submitted to the director
before missing a rehearsal to allow time to
be given an alternate assignment.
Excused Absences are submitted well
before the event. Examples of excused
absences are:
1. An illness that would confine the
student at home or hospital.
2. A death in the family.
3. A religious holiday.
4. A School Town of Highland sponsored
activity which requires the student to
participate in an event scheduled
previously to the announcement of the
rehearsal or performance.
Performances, as an extension of the
classroom outweigh sporting events;
however many conflicts can be
resolved with advance notice.
Un-excused Absences are those absences
that do not fit in the above categories or
were received well after an event. An
unexcused absence may result in the
students removal from any orchestra
leadership position (including 1st chairs)
and negatively aect your grade.
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Grading
High School Grading System
High School Orchestra will be evaluated
with the following weighted system:
Preparation (40%)
This category includes Daily Classroom
Performance (20%) points, 1 each day of
class for being prepared. This means
bringing all necessary materials (books,
music, instrument.) Homework and general
classroom assignments make up the other
half of the Preparation grade. Any extra
credit will be applied to these Preparatory
Exam grades.
Performance (60%)
This category is made up of Concert &
Performance Attendance (30%) as well as
Exams and final playing tests (30%). See
required concerts on the class calendar.
Graduation on June 3, 2018 is Required of All High School
students as a part of your final exam grade. Plan accordingly!
Middle School Grading System
Middle School Orchestra will be evaluated
with the following categories:
Daily Classroom Performance (33%)
This category gives each student 1 point
for each day of class in the grading period
that he or she is prepared, including all
materials and instruments.
Assignments (33%)
Assignments include in-class as well as
homework. Some of these assignments
will be given on SmartMusic.
Attendance (34%)
Students are given points for attending
required concerts and rehearsals. See
Calendar of Events
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 5 A crisp, uniform look brings professionalism to our
orchestra program. Students are required to perform
in the concert wear below when representing the
Uniforms School Town of Highland Orchestra.

6th Grade Students Gentlemen, Grades 7-8

High School Casual Performance"
White Dress/Tux Shirt
Highland Orchestra Polo
Black Dress Pants
(Polos are included in beginners fees.)

Black Bowtie
Khaki or Brown Dress Pants

Black Shoes
Dress Shoes

Black Socks

Gentlemen, Grades 9-12

Ladies, Grades 7-12 The same shirt, shoes,

bowtie, and socks
Black Blouse/Top
apply. High School
Black Palazzo Pants boys are required
to wear a black
Black Shoes tuxedo jacket and pants,
which can be rented from
All womens wear is ordered by the
the Highland Orchestra
group through Cousins concert
Boosters for the duration of
attire. The style numbers will be sent
the year.
home and posted on the website
with the group order form. Any ill-fitting or lost menswear
can be re-purchased at
Dunhill Tuxedo. 5
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Fees & Property Use

For optimal use of the rehearsal room, stands and equipment, personal instruments, and
instruments on loan from the School Town of Highland, the following guidelines are given.
These are intended to protect the belongings of others, promote proper use of the rooms
and equipment, and assure a good learning atmosphere for each student.

Fair Share Fees Fee Discounts

In order to provide the equipment,
materials, and experiences necessary to
help grow and maintain the Highland
Orchestra Program, each orchestra
member is responsible for paying a fair
share fee of $60 per school year. Fair
Share is calculated by adding each cost
and dividing it among the total number of
orchestra students. Some costs include:
$1,600 on clinicians for summer students
and Solo & Ensemble coaching
$600 for annual ISSMA Solo & Ensemble
as well as Organization entry fees
$800 to ensure each student has access
to the curricular tool SmartMusic
Other costs incurred by consumable
materials such as sheet music, strings,
rosin, or major school instrument repairs
There is a one time discount of $5 for each
additional siblings yearly fees. A family
with two students in orchestra would need
to submit fair share fees of $60+$55, or
three at $60+$55+$55. If your family is
experiencing financial hardship, please
contact a Booster Ocer or Mr. Leonard-
White to discuss your options.
Maintenance Fee & Property Use
Students using school cellos and basses
are required to pay a small fee of $30 each
semester to help with instrument upkeep
and minor damages. Any damages beyond
wear and tear may be the responsibility
of the student and parent to reimburse.

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Violin & Viola Lockers
Lockers are available for students to store
their violins, violas, and sheet music inside
the orchestra room. Students may bring a
combination lock of their own and share
the combination with the director before
being assigned a locker, or will be given a
lock if extra locks are available. All lockers
in use must be locked when there are
materials inside.
Personal Instrument Liability
Students are required to hold instrument
maintenance/liability insurance or agree to
release all parties (School Town of
Highland sta and students) from
responsibility for any and all damages to
their personally owned instruments should
damage occur while at school or during
school sponsored events. Students who
intentionally damage instruments will, of
course, still be held accountable for their
behavior and appropriately
disciplined.
Sheet Music & Folder Assignments
Music must be returned in the same
condition it is issued.
Mark music when specified by director.
Use ONLY pencil for marking music.
Students will be charged the full
replacement fee of music that is lost,
mutilated, or destroyed.
Each student will be assigned a slot in
the music folder cabinet.
Each student will be assigned a folder for
the storage of his/her music.
Students are responsible for sharing the
music with their stand partners and
seeing that it is returned to the folder
cabinet when the rehearsal is over.
A students absence is not a valid
excuse for his/her stand partner to be
without music.
Each student should have a pencil.
Sheet music must be carried in the
folder assigned at all times. Students
sharing a folder should take the entire
folder home and return it the next day.
Personal music should not be kept in the
orchestra folder or folder cabinet.
Students can be charged up to and
including the full cost of music for lost
or damaged original copies.
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Miscellaneous

Teacher-Student Relationship Calendar of Events

As a musician, I love answering questions The orchestra calendar can be found

about my subject matter, however there online at www.highlandorchestra.org/
are appropriate times to do this. Students classroom-calendar.html
may check in with me at the beginning or
end of class with any questions or Events have already been posted for the

concerns. I can be reached easily via email coming school year, which include a

(bleonard@highland.k12.in.us) for many required performance each nine weeks for

dierent reasons, but I ask that students
keep emails music related instead of
personal in nature.
Extra Events
students in all grades. Please mark these
concert dates on your family calendar,
and contact me immediately with any
conflicts.

I will publicize many dierent events

happening in the Chicagoland region.
Posters for upcoming concerts or musical
productions are usually found on the
w h i t e b o a rd , a n d a n y e x t r a c re d i t
opportunities are pointed out this way. Add to your Google Calendar

Very Important Dates:

Concerts: 10/10/17, 12/19/17, 3/8/18, 5/8/18
Awards Banquet: 5/14/18
Graduation (HS Orchestra Required): 6/3/18
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