SECTIONALS
SECTIONALS (Ability-Based Instrument Groups) - The small group "sectional" is a vital component of the performing ensembles at Ellicott Mills Middle School. The sectional provides an opportunity for the directors to assess individual student performance levels, deliver instrument-specific content knowledge, complete performance evaluations (quizzes), and track individual improvement in a setting that would otherwise be impossible in the larger ensembles.
The faculty at EMMS has always been supportive of our student musicians and works closely with the music staff to ensure that our students are successful in all areas. In an effort to provide support to students and deliver consistent instruction and assessment in academic and performance areas, the following guidelines have been established.
SECTIONALS (Ability-Based Instrument Groups) - The small group "sectional" is a vital component of the performing ensembles at Ellicott Mills Middle School. The sectional provides an opportunity for the directors to assess individual student performance levels, deliver instrument-specific content knowledge, complete performance evaluations (quizzes), and track individual improvement in a setting that would otherwise be impossible in the larger ensembles.
The faculty at EMMS has always been supportive of our student musicians and works closely with the music staff to ensure that our students are successful in all areas. In an effort to provide support to students and deliver consistent instruction and assessment in academic and performance areas, the following guidelines have been established.
- Sectionals are scheduled on a pull-out rotation. This schedule rotates so that students are not pulled from the same class more than twice every 8 - 10 weeks, or roughly twice each quarter.
- Students are expected to attend sectionals as scheduled. This is an excused absence from class.
- Students are responsible for all work and material presented in their academic class while attending sectionals.
- Sectionals will begin sometime during the 2nd week of school and continue into June.
- Students should report to their regularly scheduled class first to submit homework/assignments and collect any materials/notes from that days lesson. Students then report to the rehearsal room for their sectional. The EMMS staff is very supportive in helping student make up required work.
- We encourage students to stay in class when they have a scheduled test or lab. Students are then required to make up any work that was missed during their sectional.
- Sectionals will last approximately 40 minutes, beginning after students arrive from throughout the building. A sectional schedule is distributed quarterly, highlighting each group and class period. A detailed sectional schedule will be available on our website once we get the schedule organized.
- Sectionals are an assessed component of the EMMS Music Program.
- your student knows when to attend sectionals
- your student has made up any missed work or assignments
- your student maintains high performance standards in every class
Demonstrated Performance (Steps To Success) (50% of the Quarter Grade)
Individual practice will be assessed based progress on a list of skills and/or tasks called “Steps To Success”. Each quarter, students will be given a new “Step Chart” (progression of skills) that they will be required to master. The skills and/or tasks will be arranged progressively, with a baseline to earn a “D”, then more to earn a “C”, and so on until a student earns an “A”. A new “Step Chart” will be supplied each quarter, with each quarter building on the skills and/or tasks from the previous quarter(s). Students can pass off the mastered skills and/or tasks before school, after school, or during Hawktime, or during designated class periods. It will be the student’s responsibility to get each mastered skill assessed and checked off. All “Step Charts” must be completed before the final week of the quarter.
Individual practice will be assessed based progress on a list of skills and/or tasks called “Steps To Success”. Each quarter, students will be given a new “Step Chart” (progression of skills) that they will be required to master. The skills and/or tasks will be arranged progressively, with a baseline to earn a “D”, then more to earn a “C”, and so on until a student earns an “A”. A new “Step Chart” will be supplied each quarter, with each quarter building on the skills and/or tasks from the previous quarter(s). Students can pass off the mastered skills and/or tasks before school, after school, or during Hawktime, or during designated class periods. It will be the student’s responsibility to get each mastered skill assessed and checked off. All “Step Charts” must be completed before the final week of the quarter.