When does band meet?
Band is a class that, in the current schedule, meets daily during one of the GA (Global Apps) blocks
If my student enrolls in band, does that mean they won’t get Wellness, Art, or STEM?
Not at all! Since there are two separate Global Apps blocks each day, students in band will have a different one of these during their other daily GA block every trimester. So for example, a student may have Art during T1, STEM during T2, and Wellness during T3.
So what is my student missing during their other GA block?
Your student would be missing an extra Global Apps class such as Art, STEM, Wellness, Library, Leadership, etc. but again, they would get a minimum of Art, STEM, and Wellness anyway during the GA block throughout the year.
Can my student participate in two or three ensembles?
Students may not participate in all three ensembles (band, chorus, and strings). If a student would like to do two of the ensembles, they may only do so after having been in one of their chosen ensembles for a full year first. So for example, a student who is doing strings in 5th grade currently may opt to do strings and chorus or strings and band as a 6th grader after completing a year of strings. Or a student who jumped into chorus as their first ensemble as a 6th grader may opt to do chorus and strings or chorus and band as a 7th grader after completing a year of chorus.
At this time, incoming 5th graders will only be able to choose one ensemble for their first year at BMS even if they were in strings as a 4th grader.
My student has been in one group for a year and wants to add a second group next year. What does that schedule look like?
Since the ensembles meet at the same time and every day, students would alternate days in their ensemble. See our current doublers schedule for an example!
Is there a cost to participate in band?
There is no cost to enroll in the course. The only cost to families would be for instrument rentals and materials, but for families in financial need we have a limited inventory of school instruments to loan.
Is band an after-school group?
No, band meets during school as a class during the second Global Apps class block. We do have 3 evening concerts each year (one in December, one in March, and one in June) but this is the only scheduled commitment outside of school, and if you have scheduling conflicts we will work with you on a solution. There are some voluntary extra-curricular groups that students can audition for that meet after school, but again, these are not mandatory groups. Band class itself meets during the school day.
Will my student get their first choice instrument?
In most circumstances, yes. However, we do ask for first and second choice instruments when students sign up for two main reasons. Number one, we do have a limit on how many students we can take in some instrument sections for a variety of reasons (such as percussion) and may need to put students on a wait list for that instrument if we hit our cap. Two, if your family is in financial need and would be requesting a loaner instrument, we sometimes run out of instruments to loan if a particular instrument or two are especially popular in a given year.
If we reach the limit for an instrument section or the band, we will reach out directly to the parents/guardians of any students who may be affected by this. We are not yet taking requests for loaner instruments so we would not have information about that availability until closer to the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.
How do we get an instrument?
1) Renting - There are several local companies who rent instruments. Prices and services vary company to company, but a few that may help you get started with comparing prices, programs, etc. are listed below.
K&C Music - 781-769-6520
Music and Arts - 978-532-3380
2) Buying new or used - Buying used instruments can also be more economical for many families, but if you go this route you want to make sure you are buying a quality, functional instrument at a fair price. Please use caution if looking on Amazon or Craigslist, etc., as sometimes instruments are sold at great prices but are not made to last; we recommend contacting either of the band teachers in advance if you are looking at options online and we can help direct you to quality brands of instruments that will be more likely to last. If you want to buy used, Chuck Peterson (a local instrument repairman) has a used inventory (he can be reached at 978-927-6745).
3) Borrowing from friends/family - Many people have relatives or friends who have an old instrument laying around the house somewhere, and those are great options, too! Like used instruments, we just want to check to make sure that they are functional and in usable condition.
4) Financial aid/school instruments - We also have a limited inventory of instruments at school for families who are in financial need, so if this is the case for your family please reach out and we will send you the Google form to request a loaner instrument.
What materials would my student need for band?
Please visit this link to see what materials your student would need.
Band is a class that, in the current schedule, meets daily during one of the GA (Global Apps) blocks
If my student enrolls in band, does that mean they won’t get Wellness, Art, or STEM?
Not at all! Since there are two separate Global Apps blocks each day, students in band will have a different one of these during their other daily GA block every trimester. So for example, a student may have Art during T1, STEM during T2, and Wellness during T3.
So what is my student missing during their other GA block?
Your student would be missing an extra Global Apps class such as Art, STEM, Wellness, Library, Leadership, etc. but again, they would get a minimum of Art, STEM, and Wellness anyway during the GA block throughout the year.
Can my student participate in two or three ensembles?
Students may not participate in all three ensembles (band, chorus, and strings). If a student would like to do two of the ensembles, they may only do so after having been in one of their chosen ensembles for a full year first. So for example, a student who is doing strings in 5th grade currently may opt to do strings and chorus or strings and band as a 6th grader after completing a year of strings. Or a student who jumped into chorus as their first ensemble as a 6th grader may opt to do chorus and strings or chorus and band as a 7th grader after completing a year of chorus.
At this time, incoming 5th graders will only be able to choose one ensemble for their first year at BMS even if they were in strings as a 4th grader.
My student has been in one group for a year and wants to add a second group next year. What does that schedule look like?
Since the ensembles meet at the same time and every day, students would alternate days in their ensemble. See our current doublers schedule for an example!
Is there a cost to participate in band?
There is no cost to enroll in the course. The only cost to families would be for instrument rentals and materials, but for families in financial need we have a limited inventory of school instruments to loan.
Is band an after-school group?
No, band meets during school as a class during the second Global Apps class block. We do have 3 evening concerts each year (one in December, one in March, and one in June) but this is the only scheduled commitment outside of school, and if you have scheduling conflicts we will work with you on a solution. There are some voluntary extra-curricular groups that students can audition for that meet after school, but again, these are not mandatory groups. Band class itself meets during the school day.
Will my student get their first choice instrument?
In most circumstances, yes. However, we do ask for first and second choice instruments when students sign up for two main reasons. Number one, we do have a limit on how many students we can take in some instrument sections for a variety of reasons (such as percussion) and may need to put students on a wait list for that instrument if we hit our cap. Two, if your family is in financial need and would be requesting a loaner instrument, we sometimes run out of instruments to loan if a particular instrument or two are especially popular in a given year.
If we reach the limit for an instrument section or the band, we will reach out directly to the parents/guardians of any students who may be affected by this. We are not yet taking requests for loaner instruments so we would not have information about that availability until closer to the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.
How do we get an instrument?
1) Renting - There are several local companies who rent instruments. Prices and services vary company to company, but a few that may help you get started with comparing prices, programs, etc. are listed below.
K&C Music - 781-769-6520
Music and Arts - 978-532-3380
2) Buying new or used - Buying used instruments can also be more economical for many families, but if you go this route you want to make sure you are buying a quality, functional instrument at a fair price. Please use caution if looking on Amazon or Craigslist, etc., as sometimes instruments are sold at great prices but are not made to last; we recommend contacting either of the band teachers in advance if you are looking at options online and we can help direct you to quality brands of instruments that will be more likely to last. If you want to buy used, Chuck Peterson (a local instrument repairman) has a used inventory (he can be reached at 978-927-6745).
3) Borrowing from friends/family - Many people have relatives or friends who have an old instrument laying around the house somewhere, and those are great options, too! Like used instruments, we just want to check to make sure that they are functional and in usable condition.
4) Financial aid/school instruments - We also have a limited inventory of instruments at school for families who are in financial need, so if this is the case for your family please reach out and we will send you the Google form to request a loaner instrument.
What materials would my student need for band?
Please visit this link to see what materials your student would need.