Attendance Commitments
Attendance is MANDATORY. We expect 100% cooperation, participation, and determination from everyone, always. This is the only way we can achieve our goals as a performing ensemble. Your responsibilities include the following:
• You must attend ALL rehearsals, camps, home football games, performances, and competitions.
• Show up 15 minutes before rehearsal starts so rehearsal can start on time.
• You must practice on your own as well as during rehearsals.
• You must be able to accept constructive criticism.
Excused Absence
Absences during the school day will be excused according to MUHSD policy. Absences from activities held
outside the school day will be excused at the discretion of the director, an may include scenarios such as:
Personal illness/injury requiring medical attention
Death in the family
Other family emergency that is IMMEDIATELY communicated with the director BY A PARENT/GUARDIAN (not the student or a friend) [timely email/phone call will suffice]
Absence discussed with a 4-week notice from an event
Testing (SAT/ACT, AP Practice Tests in the Spring)
Other school event, provided 4-week notice is given
Unexcused Absence
While life events sometimes get in the way, it is imperative that we do everything we can to discourage absences, as every absence, excused or unexcused, hurts the program.
Unexcused absences include:
Appointments (please appoint doctor's visits/etc. at a time when you are not relied upon by your band family)
Tutoring/study sessions
Homework (everyone would love an extra few hours to study - no one should be given special privilege manage your time and plan wisely
Work (band is co-curricular and a part of your academic success and must come first)
You may not be allowed to perform if you miss a rehearsal during the week prior to a competition.
Acceptable reasons for missing a performance:
Illness, major testing (ACT/SAT), death in the family, etc. Each performance in band is weighted like a test in any other class. This is the outcome-based portion of the curriculum. Failure to attend a performance is like skipping an exam that cannot be made up and will result in a lowered grade. Other situations will be dealt with on an individual basis. The group's performance score/rating suffers if people are missing. An unexcused absence from a performance will result in a lowering of two full letter grades at the end of the quarter in which the absence occurred. An excused absence will result in the student receiving zero points for the missed performance.
Determination of what constitutes an excused absence is at the discretion of the director.