MARCHING band attendance policies
The CHHS Panther Marching Band & Diamonds Dance Guard program is committed to providing our students with a quality education. To help us in that endeavor, we need a commitment from the students to be in attendance for practice every day. When students are in practice every day, doing each day's work, learning becomes much easier -- and the students become much more successful. Please log in to CHARMS OFTEN to view your student's attendance record.
ABSENCES
If a student must be absent from practice a parent should contact the Marching Band Attendance Coordinator (Ms. Caitlin Hall) by completing the Band Absence Form located on the CHHS Band Website, each day of a student’s absence to report the students’ name and reason for the absence (personal or illness). If a parent forgets to contact, then the student must bring a parent note to the Band Attendance Coordinator the day they return to practice. If the parent does not contact or send a note, the student will be considered truant until parent contact has been made*.
*A student may not participate in any Band or Diamonds event (rehearsal or performance) while considered truant.
When an absence occurs and no parent contact has been made, an email will be sent home through an automated system. Always take the following action when you get this email:
1. Log in to CHARMS to view the absence.
2. If you have not already done so, please complete the Band Absence Form located on the CHHS Band Website. You may additionally email a doctor's note to Caitlin.Hall@gcisd.net. We recommend you continue to monitor your student's attendance in CHARMS on a regular basis.
3. If you think an absence was marked in error, please have YOUR STUDENT come by the Band Office the next morning and we will begin the verification process.
If a student must be absent from practice a parent should contact the Marching Band Attendance Coordinator (Ms. Caitlin Hall) by completing the Band Absence Form located on the CHHS Band Website, each day of a student’s absence to report the students’ name and reason for the absence (personal or illness). If a parent forgets to contact, then the student must bring a parent note to the Band Attendance Coordinator the day they return to practice. If the parent does not contact or send a note, the student will be considered truant until parent contact has been made*.
*A student may not participate in any Band or Diamonds event (rehearsal or performance) while considered truant.
When an absence occurs and no parent contact has been made, an email will be sent home through an automated system. Always take the following action when you get this email:
1. Log in to CHARMS to view the absence.
2. If you have not already done so, please complete the Band Absence Form located on the CHHS Band Website. You may additionally email a doctor's note to Caitlin.Hall@gcisd.net. We recommend you continue to monitor your student's attendance in CHARMS on a regular basis.
3. If you think an absence was marked in error, please have YOUR STUDENT come by the Band Office the next morning and we will begin the verification process.
EXCESSIVE ABSENCES (including Tardies & Early Dismissals)
In order for a student to obtain an optimum education, it is important that he/she attend practice regularly. Band & Diamonds are considered team activities and any members' absence does negatively impact the experience for the entire team. A student is considered tardy if they arrive late to practice (practice times listed on the Band Calendar on the Band website). After 30 minutes, a student is considered absent. 2 tardies will equal 1 absence per this policy.
Each practice the marching band will perform a run-through of the show for students to demonstrate their cumulative learning up to that point, typically the last 15 minutes of each practice. We consider this run-through to be a required formative assessment, which gives the Band Directors the ability to evaluate each students readiness to perform the competition show at the next performance. As such, any early dismissal from practice that results in a student missing a run-through will be coded as a tardy. 2 early dismissals (coded as tardy) will equal 1 absence per this policy.
*Important - Competition Season Absence Policy*
Beginning Sept 23, 2019 (Competition Season), an unexcused absence or missing a run-through will result in a student sitting out the next performance of the competition show. Any absence (excused or unexcused) or missed run-through during Competition Season may result in a student sitting out the next performance of the competition show if the Band Directors cannot determine their ability to make-up and perform the material missed in time for the next performance. It is the philosophy of the Band Directors that the band is at its best when all members perform their assigned roles, however student safety with regards to the drill formations and choreography routines are always considered before placing an absent student back into the competition show.
PE CREDIT ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT
A student is required to attend 90% of practice days in order to receive their PE Credit Waiver and maintain performance status with the ensemble. On the 4th absence from Marching practice, the student will lose performance privileges in the ensemble and their PE Credit Waiver (for Marching Band). Absences documented with a doctor's note or due to a religious holiday will not count toward these absences.
For a student to regain credit he/she must make up hours with the Band Attendance Coordinator. These make up hours (seat time) are made up on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 4p-6p in C301 (not to conflict with scheduled practice days). The Band Attendance Coordinator will send communication home to the parent after their student receives 2 absences in any one Band or Diamond group. Notice will be sent out after the 4th absence to alert the parent that the student has lost membership/credit and needs to attend seat time.
In order for a student to obtain an optimum education, it is important that he/she attend practice regularly. Band & Diamonds are considered team activities and any members' absence does negatively impact the experience for the entire team. A student is considered tardy if they arrive late to practice (practice times listed on the Band Calendar on the Band website). After 30 minutes, a student is considered absent. 2 tardies will equal 1 absence per this policy.
Each practice the marching band will perform a run-through of the show for students to demonstrate their cumulative learning up to that point, typically the last 15 minutes of each practice. We consider this run-through to be a required formative assessment, which gives the Band Directors the ability to evaluate each students readiness to perform the competition show at the next performance. As such, any early dismissal from practice that results in a student missing a run-through will be coded as a tardy. 2 early dismissals (coded as tardy) will equal 1 absence per this policy.
*Important - Competition Season Absence Policy*
Beginning Sept 23, 2019 (Competition Season), an unexcused absence or missing a run-through will result in a student sitting out the next performance of the competition show. Any absence (excused or unexcused) or missed run-through during Competition Season may result in a student sitting out the next performance of the competition show if the Band Directors cannot determine their ability to make-up and perform the material missed in time for the next performance. It is the philosophy of the Band Directors that the band is at its best when all members perform their assigned roles, however student safety with regards to the drill formations and choreography routines are always considered before placing an absent student back into the competition show.
PE CREDIT ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT
A student is required to attend 90% of practice days in order to receive their PE Credit Waiver and maintain performance status with the ensemble. On the 4th absence from Marching practice, the student will lose performance privileges in the ensemble and their PE Credit Waiver (for Marching Band). Absences documented with a doctor's note or due to a religious holiday will not count toward these absences.
For a student to regain credit he/she must make up hours with the Band Attendance Coordinator. These make up hours (seat time) are made up on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 4p-6p in C301 (not to conflict with scheduled practice days). The Band Attendance Coordinator will send communication home to the parent after their student receives 2 absences in any one Band or Diamond group. Notice will be sent out after the 4th absence to alert the parent that the student has lost membership/credit and needs to attend seat time.