Steel Magic Northwest Attendance Policy

Regular attendance at twice-weekly practices are expected, and attendance at performances is required of every participant as a condition of membership in the organization; limited exceptions can be made at the discretion of the director. on a case-by-case basis.

Steelband is a team effort. Each band member, and the instrumental section they are in, plays a crucial role in the collective orchestra. When a student is absent, it makes a difference to what can be accomplished in the rehearsal, and to the experience of all of the other players in the group. When a student is absent for several rehearsals in a row, the progress of the entire group is impacted, and the player will have an increasing amount of music that they will be responsible to learn on their own time. Absences are felt throughout the entire group when a member is missing, and that is especially true for performances.

Prior attendance records are a factor in determining who advances to the intermediate (Steel Dragons) and advanced (Pan Wizards) orchestras, and advancing into these groups is not guaranteed. As Steel Magic Northwest grows and matures, it is increasingly important that students are committed to their group (their team), and regular attendance is a reflection of that commitment.
 
For the intermediate and advanced youth groups (Steel Dragons and Pan Wizards), it is crucial that the season ends with the same personnel that it began with. (Beginner Steel Mojo students may add or drop in January).
 
Attendance Policy:
• The director should be notified in advance of any anticipated absence, so that the rehearsal schedule may be altered accordingly if necessary. Email director@steelmagicnorthwest.org, or text him at 206.271.2230.
• Our season is divided into three “trimesters:” Fall (October through December), Winter (January through March), and Spring (April restart after Spring Break through the second week of July. (Our spring break is timed with the Edmonds School District's spring break; players from other school districts are not penalized with an absence if their own spring break is in a different week and they have to miss rehearsals during that week). Currently, our adult group, Mystical Steel, is the only group that continues throughout the summer. 
• Each player is required to attend at least 75% (3/4) of the rehearsals within each trimester.
• Players are automatically allotted excused absences (1/4 of the total number of rehearsals) for their own purposes, such as personal reasons, family trips, extra study time, work, routine short-term illnesses, other activities, etc. Example: if there are 20 rehearsals in a trimester, a student may miss a total of five rehearsals, with the one condition that…
• Two of the last four rehearsals prior to our most important performances (listed below)
must be attended in full.
• Our most important performances include:
o our “Carols on Barrels” holiday show in December
o our end-of-winter, casual performance(s) before spring break
o the “Pan Fest" event in Puyallup in mid-May
o for the Steel Dragons, one elementary school assembly tour day ( we ask for the kids to be excused from school for this day)
o our “Sound of Sunshine” spring concert in June
o for Steel Dragons and Pan Wizards, their out-of-town tours in early July
• Students attending only a half of a rehearsal (leave early or arrive late by 30 minutes) will be charged with a half absence, but get credit for half attendance.
• All players are expected to learn the music that they missed learning in a rehearsal in
their own time; we have 15 minutes prior to each rehearsal and 15 minutes after each
rehearsal for this purpose. Other times might be made available by appointment. The director will advise the student on what material the student missed.
• Exceptions: exceptions to this policy can be made by the director in rare circumstances
(such as extended illnesses, family emergencies that put the student over the limit, or
other unforeseeable/extenuating circumstances. These exceptions will be rare.
Consequences:
If a student exceeds the maximum allowable absences or misses any performance without
obtaining an exception from the director in advance, or without proof of emergency preventing
their attendance:
• First violation: student will be placed on probation and/or their instrument assignments
may be changed going forward.
• Second violation: student will be expelled from the group, unable to advance or go on
tour.

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