District V Band Directors Association Handbook

2008-2009 School Year

 

Jay Ecker, President H:478-9474 Sc: 433-6866 x21         Ruth Blair, Secretary 463-8914

Jason Liles, 1st Vice President 842-5103                       Tim McMillen, Treasurer Sc: 527-0609 H:802-9848

Mack Golden, 2nd Vice President                                Jean English, Executive Secretary 625-7845, 526-5183

 

Table of Contents

Introduction                                                                                                                            2

By-Laws                                                                                                                                 3

Band Director Checklist                                                                                                          7

Monthly Agendas                                                                                                                   8

Dates and Deadlines                                                                                                                9

Bob Sweeney Scholarship                                                                                                     10

Dr. Norman E. Smith Band Director of the Year                                                                   11

Festivals                                                                                                                                12

District V Honor Band                                                                                                          14

     Assignments                                                                                                                          15    

     Responsibilities                                                                                                                16

     Director Information                                                                                                        17

     District/State Instrumentation                                                                                           19

     Student Information                                                                                                         20

     Director’s Honor Band Checklist                                                                                           22    

     Middle School Audition Material                                                                                     23

     High School Audition Material                                                                                        26

     Student Pledge Sheet                                                                                                        31

     Principal Acknowledgement Form                                                                                   33

All-District Jazz Band                                                                                                            34

High School Jazz Band                                                                                                         35

High School Jazz Audition Material                                                                                      35

Middle School Jazz Band & Audition Material                                                                      39

District Jazz Band Student Pledge Sheet                                                                                42

Principal Acknowledgement Form                                                                                        44

Honor Band Audition Monitor Information                                                                          45

Monitor Script                                                                                                                      46

Honor Band Clinician Nominees                                                                                           47

District School Contact Information                                                                                      48

LMEA Festival entry forms (All LMEA Festival Entry Forms are also in the Louisiana Musician-September Issue)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This handbook is the official source for the District V rules, regulations and policies

THIS IS NOT THE OFFICIAL SOURCE FOR LMEA RULES, REGULATIONS AND

POLICIES. While it is true that some of the material contained herein does come from

LMEA sources, remember that you must always refer to official sources for a final ruling

on a regulation or requirement.

Sincerely yours,

 

 

Jay Ecker, President

 

Your Association

 

The District V Band Directors Association is a local six-parish organization formed in direct cooperation with the Louisiana Music Educators Association. Our basic rules, regulations, guidelines, policies, and doctrine have been carefully developed to coincide with our parent organization. However, we are an independent group in the sense that local dues remain on a local level, local elected officers do not have a direct responsibility to LMEA, and we are free to engage in activities not provided for within the range of the state organization. Most of our activities do have a direct connection with LMEA activities as the vast majority of the members of our organization are also members of LMEA.

Our direct link with LMEA is made through the LMEA District V Director, who is elected to represent all LMEA members in our six-parish area. This office is filled every two years, with the office holder being placed on the LMEA Board of Directors. The District Director is responsible for the operation of all LMEA activities on the local level, including festivals and All-State tryouts. It is also his responsibility' to keep the local members aware of the changes and developments in the state organization, and to represent local sentiments to the state organization.

An additional link with the state is the LMEA Band Division Chairman. This individual is elected on a statewide basis and oversees all state level activities for bands.

As a local organization, we take an active role in selecting judges for local LMEA festivals, encourage students to participate in the LMEA All-State tryouts, operate four All-District Honor Bands and an All-District Jazz Band, select a District Band Director of the Year, discuss local, state, and national level issues and elections, develop unified methods of promoting our music programs, and aid one another in professional growth.

Our association meets on a monthly basis from August though April. The first Tuesday in each month is our regularly scheduled meeting date. Notices will be mailed out a few days prior to the meeting. Regular meetings are held at 7:00 PM in the Sam Houston High School band room.

It is important that you make the meetings. If you do not take part, you weaken the association. Voting on judges... keeping up to date on rules, regulations, and deadlines... developing knowledge of the local and state policies... and gaining a working relationship with local directors, all of this is important to you and your program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY-LAWS

 

Article I- Membership

 

Section 1: All meetings of the membership shall be held at a central location designated by the president with prior notification to all members.

 

Section 2: Membership Defined

            Membership in the District V Band Directors Association shall be open to all Instrumental Music Teachers, both public and private schools from the following parishes: Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis, and Vernon.

a.     Non-voting membership shall consist of all retired Instrumental Music Teachers, Collegiate Instrumental Music Teachers, Student Instrumental Music Teachers, Retail Music Instrument Dealers, and others from the music field.

b.     Voting membership shall consist of all Actively-teaching Instrumental Music Teachers from the above parishes who have paid their annual dues by the October meeting.

c.     An annual membership fee shall be required at the beginning of each school year. The amount of dues shall be determined by a majority vote.

 

Section 3: Quorum

            A quorum shall be constituted by at least thirty percent (30%) of the voting membership. A quorum shall be necessary to consider any question that may come before any meeting of the directors. The President is responsible for the establishment of a quorum.

 

Section 4: Officers

            The officers for the district shall be elected annually by the membership at the April meeting for the upcoming school year. The current 1st Vice President shall receive nominations at the March meeting for the following positions: President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Executive Secretary.

 

Section 5: Term of Office

            The term of office for Officers shall be for one (1) year.

 

Section 6: Resignations

            The resignation of an officer shall take effect upon receipt thereof by the President or on any later date, not more than thirty days after such receipt, specified therein. In the case of a resignation of a President, the 1st Vice President shall complete the term of office. Replacements of other resigning officers shall be appointed by the President.

 

Article II: Meetings

 

Section 1: Regular

            Regular monthly meetings shall occur during the school year with the exception of September, November, and May.

 

Section 2: First Meeting

            The first meeting of each new school year shall occur on the 3rd Tuesday of August at a location designated by the President. Notification of the location and time of the first meeting shall be mailed to each school address of the previous year’s membership.

 

 

Section 3: Special Meeting: How Called

            Special meetings of the membership for any purpose or purposes may be called by the President. The President shall notify members by mail, telephone, or e-mail.

 

Section 4: Government of Meeting

            Meetings shall be run consistent with “Roberts Rules of Order” unless specified by a 2/3ds majority of membership at a regular meeting of the District Directors.

 

Section 5: Financial

            The District V Band Directors Association is a non-profit organization. All fees, dues, clinician expenses, scholarships, and other expenditures shall be agreed upon by the membership. Should any year end with a significant surplus, the association has the option of purchasing a savings bond or similar investment instrument.

 

            Income is received from the following sources:

a.     Membership dues

b.     Honor band tryout fees

c.     Honor band participation fees

 

            Expenditures:

a.     Honor band facility rental (if necessary)

b.     Honor band patches, medals, and certificates

c.     Honor band chairman expenses

d.     Honor band clinician expenses.

e.     Honor band programs (if necessary)

f.      Middle school honor band members’ lunch (Friday rehearsal)

g.     Office supplies, postage, and copy costs

h.     Plaques for President and Director of the Year

i.      Bob Sweeney Scholarship

j.      2nd Round All-State audition fees

k.     Dinner following the District Honor Band concert for officers and chairmen

l.      Hospitality expenses incurred during Honor Band auditions and performance weekends.

m.   Any additional expenses approved by the district membership

 

Section 6: Deadlines

            General deadlines are 30 days prior to District events.

 

Article III: Officers

 

Section 1: The duties for each officer position shall include, but not be limited to:

a.     President:

1.     Preside over all District V meetings

2.     Overall head of Honor Bands

3.     Establish membership and operation of all committees.

4.     Maintain direct contact with the LMEA district director.

5.     Insure proper conduct of all district operations.

6.     Establish the calendar of activities.

7.     Contact and secure all Honor Band guest conductors.

8.     Appoint Parish/Area contact directors.

9.     Secure patches for Honor Bands. Patches should have “All-District” and the year on them.

10.  Arrange for stage managers for Honor Band concerts.

b.     Vice Presidents:

1.     Directly in charge of Honor Band operations.

a.     1st Vice President- High School

b.     2nd Vice President- Middle School

2.     Assist the President through delegated duties.

3.     Assist in preparation of Honor Band bulletin.

4.     Collect tryout entries and assign tryout times.

5.     Make all necessary duty assignments.

6.     Oversee auditions, rehearsals, and performances: insure that the same scales and music is being used for audition, music selections will conform to the 6 minutes time limit.

7.     Prepare judges packets: copies of tryout music, sight-reading, hourly judges score-sheets.

8.     Serve as the contact point for all student problems.

9.     Contact Mr. Kelley concerning lunch for judges on audition day.

c.     Treasurer:

1.     Prepare monthly financial reports to membership.

2.     Collect all District V incoming monies.

3.     Pay all District V bills.

4.     Personally handle reimbursement to directors for district expenses.

5.     Keep accurate accounting of all financial transactions.

6.     Determine which financial institutions and investment instruments best serve the needs of the District.

d.     Secretary:

1.     Keep minutes of all meetings.

2.     Prepare monthly reports of minutes.

3.     Mail out all information concerning District meetings and business.

 

e.     Executive Secretary:

1.     Maintain a Functional District Handbook with the assistance of the President and Vice Presidents.

2.     Keep accurate records of District activities for future research.

3.     Produce programs for honor band concerts. (Program Chairman)

4.     Publicize honor band concerts. (Publicity Chairman)

5.     Send past honor band programs to next year’s clinicians.

 

Article IV: District Services

            The District V Band Directors Association shall provide for the following services as possible within our means.

 

Section 1: District Honor Band

            District V sponsors the creating of four concert honor bans every year. Two of these groups are composed of senior high students; two are drawn from middle and junior high students. All students with teachers that are voting membership status for District V are eligible to audition for a position in one of these groups.

 

Section 2: District Jazz Band

            District V sponsors the creation of up to four Jazz honor bands every year. Two of these groups are composed of senior high students; two are drawn from middle and junior high students. All students with teachers that are voting membership status for District V are eligible to audition for a position in one of these groups.

 

 

Section 3: Dr. Norman E. Smith District V band Director of the Year

            Our association selects one member each year for special recognition of their work. This award is given in memory of Dr. Norman E. Smith by resolution adopted by unanimous consent on December 1, 1998. Dr. Smith was Professor Emeritus of Music at McNeese.

 

Section 4: Bob Sweeney Scholarship

            Our association selects one graduating senior to receive the Bob Sweeney Instructional Band Scholarship. The student is selected through competitive auditions held at the April district meeting.