This group is nationally competitive.

 

As such, the winter guard represents the school, the school district, the local competitive circuit, and, ultimately, the state of Arizona. These students will be held to a standard fitting this position.

 

Not all students will use dance and choreographed equipment work in their adult lives; however, this program reaches farther than the kinetic content. Students will be challenged to display mental and physical grace, strength, and courage throughout their participation.

 

Our season goals, outside of performance excellence, are derivative of the results the staff has seen in participants from previous seasons. The mission of the activity is to help produce highly engaged, responsible, and empowered individuals, capable of approaching every situation with a can-do attitude and a hardworking spirit.

 

 

SEASON GOALS

Development of Time Management Strategies

Students will become more accountable for their time. Students will create a plan that works for them and allows for them to keep their commitments to the group, as well as tend to other responsibilities.

 

Development of Concepts of Personal and Professional Responsibility

Students will take responsibility for their actions, their methods, and their time. Students will create a new set of ethical and performance standards for themselves in a professional capacity.

 

Improvement and Diversification of Memory Capabilities

Students will develop muscle and kinetic memory in creating and learning equipment and dance work. Students will create strategies and apply these to remember uniforms, flag bags, and other applicable accessories. Students will learn to apply strategies under the duress of short time, unfamiliar surroundings, and other stresses.

 

Development of Inter- and Intrapersonal Communication Strategies

Students will develop constructive ways to communicate with themselves and reduce inwardly-focused neutral and negative reinforcement in frustrating times. Students will develop ways to positively manage personal stress. Students will learn to accept peer and instructor criticism in a way that positively affects later attempts of the task at hand. Students will learn to communicate with instructors in constructive ways.

 

 

BEHAVIOR POLICY

As representation of school, district, circuit, and state, students must demonstrate the maturity of performers who know they are on parade at all times. Any behavior deemed irresponsible, dangerous, or otherwise unbecoming will be evaluated by staff. Punitive action of such behavior will range the full spectrum of academic punishment, depending on severity and scope of actions.

 

Students will learn to take criticism and funnel it into positive action to better themselves. Excuses and “I can’t” statements will not be accepted. Our aim is to prepare them for judges’ remarks, opinions of peers, and future criticism from higher level figures. We critique and criticize because we care. Students who have issues with instructors should be encouraged to strengthen their communication skills by talking to the instructor or the color guard director before parents take action.

 

Students are expected to encounter rivals with respect at competitions. Students are expected to demonstrate discipline during awards ceremonies which includes the behavior of waiting until one’s school’s name is called to cheer. Students are also not to speak about other schools’ performances until they are away from the competition site. Students are not to leave competition sites with parents or guardians unless the proper paperwork is signed and acknowledged by the guard director. Beyond being cordial, students must be gracious toward all and helpful to anyone who needs it. This is not a choice, but a requirement of students who perform at the highest level.

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Because of the nature of the sport, absences serve not only as a disruption to the practice environment, but also as a safety risk for the students present and away. Although a single absence will prompt the instructors to evaluate the student’s effort and commitment to the group, if a student reaches three absences, s/he will be asked to leave the group. After two absences, the staff will meet with performer and parent to determine the student’s ability to participate in the rest of the season. Staff reserves the right to change students’ positions on the floor or ask students to leave the group before three absences if deemed appropriate. Students are expected to come to practice even on days they are absent from class. If the absence is due to sickness, the student may sit out at the practice site without incurring an absence. It is important they are at practice to know what is going on. Students unable to go to practice due to severe illness will still incur an absence; too much happens in a single rehearsal to preclude this.

 

If an absence has to happen, it needs to be reported as soon as possible—preferably before the start of the season. Any family trips should be planned around the competition schedule presented. Doctors’ appointments, dentist or orthodontist appointments, volunteer work, and student work commitments must be planned around the practice and competition schedule.

 

The schedule is subject to change, though the best effort will go toward keeping it in stone; however, students are expected to rearrange events outside of the guard to accommodate their commitment to their team. Drill changes, work is learned, partner work is assigned all within a single rehearsal. All students are depending on all others to be there to work effectively. Parents taking their children’s commitment to the group seriously will help them to also take the commitment seriously.

 

PRACTICE ATTIRE POLICY

Attire should adhere to the school dress code. Students should be dressed in reasonably form-fitting attire that allows movement. Shorter shorts, such as soffe shorts, must be worn with spandex. Unisex t-shirts are too loose; equipment catches on them. Neither baggy clothing, nor jeans is acceptable. Necklaces, bracelets, and earrings other than studs are safety issues. Students wearing any of the aforementioned items will be sent home and the absence will be counted.

 

TIME COMMITMENT POLICY

Students will arrive at practices at least five minutes before the listed start time. As an example, the usual start time is 5pm, so students are to be in the band room no later than 4:55pm. Several parents are willing to carpool if start times conflict with parental commitments. Students will be let out of practice promptly at the end time (usually 9pm), though cleaning up of props, equipment, and other items may mean that students will not be ready to be picked up until 15 minutes after the end time (usually 9:15).

 

This year, we are trialing a new policy: junior and senior students must arrive when all others do, but they may take an hour of homework time as the other students work on basics. The reasoning for this is that students who participate in winter guard are more likely than not to be AP and Honors students; upper level students usually have a higher demand inside and outside of class; and, time management at this age can be tricky. As former AP and honors students and college attendees, the staff realizes that time management is a learned skill. As an auxiliary benefit, we hope to imprint a habit of intentionalism and to help students find study behaviors that work for them and the commitments to which they tie themselves. We believe these students are capable of top-tier expectations, and we will push them and support them in exhibiting these in all the activities in which they are involved.

 

FINANCIAL COMMITMENT POLICY

Band students wishing to participate in the winter guard season need to make sure the fall fair share is paid.

 

Students will be participating in fundraising. This is not optional, regardless of one's family's ability to pay the fair share. Dates listed for putting together fundraisers or participating in fundraisers must be attended. As always, we are also garnering support and funds from sponsors. The actual fair share amount will be the fair share fee listed under the financial commitment policy minus the support from donors.

 

Students are capable of raising and paying these fees with help and prodding from parents. The Winter Guard program is a practice in team work, personal responsibility, and finding ways to explain the worth of something intrinsically valuable to the students. Push your child to talk with friends, family, etc. about the program, their participation, and what it means to them. We want this to be a part of their learning experience, but they will inevitably need help from parents in order to find ways to see it through.

 

The Arizona tax credit program can be utilized by anyone (grandparents, friends, aunts, and uncles) living in Arizona. For individuals, the amount that can be made tax deductible is $200; for couples filing jointly, this amount is $400. Remember that tax credit money returns directly to the donor via tax return minus any taxes that one owes.

 

If a student leaves the group, fair share fees left unpaid will create a hold on the student’s account until they are fulfilled. No refunds will be given at any time.

Students cannot be denied going on the group trip because of financial difficulties.

 

Talk to the guard director and/or the band director if finances are a worry for you. This activity is too great an opportunity to prohibit students from participation because of financial troubles.

 

Fair share pays for competition fees, staff, drill and program design, equipment, uniforms, and floor. The trip fee will pay for travel, lodging, breakfast and evening snacks to the WGI Western Championship Regional held at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in March 2016. 

 

Students have a fair share of $350 and a trip fee of $350 this year. The first $100 of fair share will need to be made to the club account. This amount will not be tax deductible. However, keep in mind, just two contributions from supportive, married family friends taking advantage of the AZ tax credit will satisfy the rest of fair share and the trip fee for the season.

 

UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT POLICY

Students will be issued a uniform and equipment as well as guidelines for washing and rules for use. Disregarding guidelines can result in ruining the uniform or equipment and having to pay for a replacement to be purchased. All equipment and uniform pieces must be retaped or washed and returned by April 9, 2016. Any unreturned uniforms or equipment will result in a hold on the student’s account until the situation is resolved. Students may be issued a hair piece or other decoration to finish the uniform. The student is responsible for having any accessories at all performances and competitions. Gloves are required at all practices and performances. Students may wear nude-colored or clear nail polish on toes and fingers, but all other colors must be removed prior to competition days. Students must also have jazz shoes in the appropriate color for the competitive season.