Band Rehearsals ¦ Band
Lessons ¦ Band Staff ¦ Website
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Concerts
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Concert Attendance
In any performing group, success depends on 100% cooperation
of all members of that group. Students and parents/guardians
should be aware that concerts are an important and necessary
part of participation in all of the music groups at Westwood
Middle School.
An excused absence from a concert will be granted only if
the director has approved a written excuse from a parent
or guardian at least ten (10) school days prior to the
concert. In the event of an emergency (i.e. illness or death
in the family, etc.) prior notification may be impossible.
In this case,
the student must present a written excuse from a parent/guardian
upon return to class. All excused absences will require
a make-up assignment from the director. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE STUDENT AND PARENT/GUARDIAN TO MAKE SURE THAT PROPER
ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THE DIRECTOR.
An unexcused absence from a concert will result in a significantly
lowered trimester grade. In many cases the drop will
be two letter grades (i.e. A to C). If two unexcused absences
occur during the course of a school year, a conference
between the student, parent/guardian, teacher and an
administrator will be scheduled and may result in the
removal of the student from the music program.
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Band Rehearsals ...
10%* - Concert Attendance (in grading periods which contain
a concert)
Concerts are the culmination of several months of work and
preparation and are scheduled in a manner to allow parents
and students the greatest amount of communication in scheduling
their plans to attend. It is mandatory that all students enrolled
in the band program perform in all scheduled concerts during
the school year. Foreseeable conflicts must be brought to the
attention of the student’s band director at least two
weeks prior to the concert day. Unforeseen circumstances (i.e.
sickness, death in the family, etc) do not mean a loss of points.
Makeup work will come in the form of an assignment from the
director at a later date. The director reserves the right to
hold points from students if concert attendance cannot be met
to their expected standard.
10%* - Written Work
It becomes necessary to assess students through written work
at times throughout a grading period. If a student misses
a quiz or test due to absence, it is expected that contact
will be made to their band director no later than the next
band class they attend for makeup on that day. All written
work is given a due date and will only be given full credit
if it is turned in at that time. Late work is subject to
loss of points as decided upon by the band director.
40% - Daily Points
Students are given 5 points every time they are in class to
assess daily preparation and participation. Students receive
the full value when they come on time with their instrument,
folder & music, a pencil, and participate responsibly.
A parent note must accompany students to class who cannot
participate due to sickness or instrument repair. Deductions
that may occur are as follows:
Missing Instrument/Parts of Instrument - 5 pts
Missing Music Folder - 5 pts
Chewing Gum - 1x 2 pts, 2x 2 pts + communication home, 3x
2 pts + afterschool cleanup
Effort/Behavior - 1-4 pt(s)
Tardy - 2 pts
* In grading periods that do not contain a concert, the Concert
Attendance percentage is added to the Written Work category
making it worth 20% instead of 10%.
Band Lessons ...
Lessons are the cornerstone
of a successful middle school music education. Students are
introduced to, practice, and master musical concepts. Due to
the nature of band it becomes necessary to see students in
a smaller setting on a consistent timeframe. Lessons are mandatory
unless a student is sick, or something is happening in class
which makes it impossible to have a lesson. Lesson times are
assigned at the beginning of the school year and posted throughout
the band department.
Band Staff ...
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Mr. Assimacopoulos was born in Omaha, Nebraska and lived there until
he was 5yrs old. Mr. A’s family moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota
after his father accepted a job at the VA hospital located there. Washington
Senior High School is where Mr. Assimacopoulos graduated from in 1989
after being involved heavily in the band program. Minneapolis had always
been
a second home for Mr. Assimacopoulos, so he decided to move there to
continue his education.
Mr. Assimacopoulos attended the University of Minnesota from 1989 through
1994. Mr. A graduated from the University
of Minnesota in 1994 with a
Bachelor’s
Degree in Music Education. In 1999 Mr. Assimacopoulos received his Master’s
Degree in Music Education from VanderCook
College of Music in Chicago,
Illinois.
The Shakopee School District hired Mr. A for his first teaching position
in the fall of 1994. Mr. A directed a fifth and sixth grade concert band,
gave lessons, and coached that district’s first ever jazz ensemble.
Mr. Assimacopoulos was also married the same year he was hired in Shakopee.
His wife, Diane, had a family and a job in the northern suburbs, so Mr.
A looked for a job closer to his wife’s family and job. After looking
for several months, a job opened up in the Spring Lake Park School District
and he was offered the job at Westwood Middle School as a full time band
director. Mr. Assimacopoulos accepted this position in 1997 and has been
teaching there ever since.
Mr. Assimacopoulos has been involved in several professional and volunteer
musical groups. He has played in the North
Suburban Concert Band, the
Encore Wind Ensemble, the Minnesota Sax Quartet, and the North Suburban
Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Assimacopoulos currently teachers a few private lessons
and plays in occasional concerts in the northern suburbs.
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Mrs. Seiler
email:
jseile@district16.org
office phone:
763-795-6361
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Ms. Julie Seiler began teaching in 1990 at the Norwood
Young America school system and taught bands 5-12. In 1991, Ms.
Seiler came to the Spring Lake Park district and taught 6th grade band
in the four elementary
schools when the 6th graders were still in an elementary school setting.
Remember when?? In 1997, she moved with the 6th graders to the middle
school when it became a 6-8 grade building and has been there since.
She received her undergraduate degree in Music Education from North
Dakota State University (go BISON!) and her graduate degree in
Music Education from
VanderCook College of Music in
Chicago, IL. She loves teaching music with beginning and middle age
students and feeds off their craziness!
By the way, she loves anything to do with Hawaii and it's music.
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Website Terms of Use ...
Media found within this site is published under the fair use
policy for educational use and is restricted for further use
without permission. Audio Links are published within this site
based on permission granted to the WWMS Band
Department by FJH
Music Company, Curnow
Music Press, and Alfred
Publishing Company, all rights reserved. Links made to these
files through this site must be approved in the same fashion.
As with all educational material and resources, this site took
time and energy to produce. It is the intellectual property of
those who created it. Educators are welcome to use any of the
material held within this site as long as some acknowledgement
is made as to its origination and permission is sought if material
is distributed or presented. The WMS Band Department would like
feedback if you are using this site, or linking to it.
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