Region/Area/All-State Band

The Texas Music Educators Association sponsors individual competitions every fall that culminate in the selection of All-State Bands, Choirs, and Orchestras that perform at the TMEA convention in San Antonio each February. Selection to one of those organizations is a lifetime experience and a huge honor for the student and the school.  Less than 1% of the students who begin the All-State process actually make one of the All-State organizations.  It sounds nearly impossible, but with dedication, proper planning, and careful practice, it is very possible.

The first level of competition is Region Band. The state is divided into over 20 regions for music.  We happen to be in Region 17 which includes all CCISD schools, Alvin ISD, and all the way down to Galveston and Brazosport ISD.

All of the band directors in our region convene three times a year to discuss the audition process and the programs we can provide for our students.  In Region 17, we hold auditions for 9th Grade Region, Region Orchestra, and High School Region.  Each audition serves a different purpose.

9th Grade Region is open to only 9th graders.  The audition music is the same as High School Region and Region Orchestra, however the length of the music to be learned is lessened by approximately 50%.  The main purpose of the audition is to get the 9th graders acclimated to the high school process.  Students who place high enough will receive a patch in recognition, however there is no concert performance.

Region Orchestra is for those students who wish to be a member of the Region Full Orchestra that performs in November.  This is open to all four grade levels.  The entirety of the three etudes must be prepared.  Because they are not commonly used in orchestras, saxophones, euphoniums, and bass clarinets do not audition for orchestra unless that year’s literature requires one of those instruments.

High School Region is open to all students and all instruments.  As with Region Orchestra, the entirety of the three etudes must be prepared.  In some sections, as many as 100 students may audition for 30 chairs.  To provide a more fair and efficient process, the region’s directors have decided to divide the audition for these large sections into phases.  Phase 1 takes place during the week and Phase 2 takes place on the following Saturday.  Students who place high enough will then be named members of the region band and will perform a concert in mid-January.  Students who place in the top chairs will advance to the Area audition in early January.

Audition music is released at the annual Texas Bandmasters Association Convention in late-July.  The students have from then until early December to learn and perfect the music for auditions.  Students who place high enough at the December audition then advance to the Area audition in January.

Texas is divided into several areas. Our area includes schools from the aforementioned Region 17 as well as schools from Ft. Bend, Houston, and Katy.  Students who place high enough at this audition are selected to an All-State organization.

In conjunction with the TMEA convention in February, the students who advanced from area audition for placement in either of the two All-State Bands or All-State Orchestras. They then rehearse with their All-State ensemble for two days and perform a concert for their parents and convention-goers on Saturday.

Though participation in the region band auditions is not required it is strongly encouraged as the whole process is a very educationally beneficial one.  Also, students who wish to attempt to move up a band for second semester must participate in region auditions and students who do not want to be passed up by another student, and possibly moved down a band, should participate as well.  Placement at the region audition in December will be a factor in second semester placement.

TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) has posted the etude lists for the 2016-2017 All-State & Region Band auditions which can be viewed on TMEA’s website by clicking here.  For your convenience, we have also created packets with the etudes and performance guides available for download from CHARMS. The Freshman cuts can be downloaded by clicking here or by visiting CHARMS.

We highly recommend that everyone purchase the etude books as the same book is often used every year and these books are excellent practice tools after All-State auditions have ended and before next year’s etudes are announced.  The list of etude books can be found by on TMEA’s website by clicking here.

Calling all Charger Band parents!  Our booster club is STILL registering members for this school year and if you haven’t already joined, we want YOU!  We are so excited to be off to such a great start for the year, and our Charger Band Booster Club is on the hunt for more parents who want to support our band!!

Were you aware that our Charger Band Booster Club is intended to support ALL the students and all our programs?  We believe that with everyone’s support we will be a stronger organization! If even one parent of each student joined who has not joined thus far this year (even at the first level) we would raise over $2500 for our band program!  This might just eliminate the need for some of our fundraisers or allow us to add some much needed scholarships for students who have the need…but only with your support!

Please note that your membership in the booster club is not a commitment to volunteer.  However as a program with a LARGE number of events and the largest group of students at CSHS, all hands on deck are certainly encouraged and definitely appreciated.

Will you please consider joining our booster club by clicking this link? Once you sign up, our membership committee will be in touch with you to make certain all the perks promised to you at the level you select are delivered!

Booster Club Membership

Booster Club Information

Membership

All band families are encouraged to become members of the booster club. Membership allows you to have a voice at booster meetings through making motions, participating in discussions, and voting for or against certain measures.

You can sign up for memberships at any time. Membership applications are available at cshschargerband.org.   Payments can be submitted by check (made out to CSHS Band Boosters) or PayPal.

Financial Support

Charger Band Boosters provides financial support in the areas of adjunct instruction, program design, contest fees, transportation costs, and various equipment items to name a few. Frequently, this support matches or exceeds those funds provided by the district to the band department.  In a typical year, well over $100,000 passes through the booster club and band school accounts.  Financial updates on the booster club are provided at each booster club meeting.

Volunteers

Without parent volunteers, many services provided to the students would not be there.   In summer band, we have parents volunteer to deal with students who have trouble acclimating themselves to the heat.  At football games, parents hand out plumes, snacks, refill water bottles, and assist moving equipment at halftime.  All parents are encouraged to volunteer for at least one activity per year.

Per CCISD regulations and State Law, every volunteer must register and go through a background check before they can chaperone or volunteer at an event. Registration can be found at ccisd.net.

Booster Club Executive Board

An Executive Board is elected in May of each year. These executive members serve to facilitate the organizing of all band activities.  There are no positions of power as all decisions regarding the band are made at the sole discretion of the directors.  Should the directors choose to do so, and it happens quite often, the directors rely on the Executive Board to be an advisory council and seek their input on appropriate matters.

A nominating committee is formed in the spring. Interested members should contact Mr. Williams or the chair of the nominating committee to express their interest in serving on the board in the future.

Booster Club Meetings

Meetings are posted on the band calendar and are held in the band hall. These meetings are for booster club business only.  They are not information sessions from the band directors and they are not opportunities to visit with the directors about someone’s progress in band.  It is important that members attend these meetings so they can have a say in booster club business.

Eligibility – FAQs

As the end of the 6 week grading period nears, we wanted to share some frequently asked questions from the Parent Survival Guide.

In the early 1980’s, the Texas Legislature enacted a law requiring students to be passing all classes in order to participate in extracurricular activities. This law, also known as “No Pass, No Play” has led to a lot of confusion over the years.  While revisions have been made and rules have been clarified to eliminate any gray areas, it still can be very confusing.   The University Interscholastic League is the governing body over extracurricular activities in Texas.  In conjunction with the Texas Education Agency and local school districts, an eligibility calendar is created.  This lists the dates for grade checks and when someone loses or regains eligibility.

What are Grade Checks?

Grade checks are conducted every three weeks in CCISD. The first two in a grading period are called Progress Reports and the last one is called a Report Card.  The Report Card is the official grade of record that ends up on a student’s transcript.

What is considered failing?

Any grade that is below a 70 is considered failing.

When is eligibility determined?

This depends on your child’s grades. Everyone’s grades are checked at the end of the sixth week of school.  This is because many districts across the state are on a six-week grading period instead of the nine week period we have in CCISD.  Grades are checked again at the end of the first grading period.

What happens if my child is passing all his or her classes at the sixth week Progress Report/Grade Check?

Nothing. They remain eligible throughout the next Grading Period.  Students passing all classes on a Report Card are not affected by grade checks that coincide with a Progress Report.

What happens if my child fails one or more classes at the sixth week Progress Report/Grade Check?

If your child fails at the sixth week Progress Report, they lose eligibility at the end of week 7.

What happens at the end of the first grading period?

All student grades are checked. When we check grades on the Report Card at the end of the grading period, he or she must be passing all classes in order regain eligibility.  If your child fails any course on the Report Card, he or she is suspended from all extracurricular activities until the next Grade Check/Progress Report.

If my child fails a course, aren’t they eligible again when their grade is brought up to passing again?

No! Students who fail must sit out until the next grade check.

Why do students lose eligibility the week after a Grade Check and not immediately?

The state has allowed a one-week grace period for any errors to be cleared up before a student is required to sit out of an activity. Errors include making a keystroke mistake such as entering a 10 instead of 100.  It also allows time for late work (due to absences) to be graded and recorded.

When a student regains his or her eligibility, do they regain it immediately?

No. They still have to wait a week before they are again eligible.

How do advanced courses count toward No Pass/No Play?

The State of Texas allows for certain AP, PAP, and other advanced courses to be exempt from No Pass/No Play. CCISD has stricter requirements.  Students in these courses must pass with a 70 or above.  Students who fail with a grade in the 60-69 range are allowed a one-time waiver that exempts them from the No Pass/No Play requirement.  This waiver can only be used at the end of each grading period.  If the grade is 59 or below, the waiver cannot be used.   If the student fails more than one course, the student is not eligible to use the waiver.  If the student uses the waiver on a course failed during the first grading period, the student has no more waivers to use for the rest of the school year.

How do we get the waiver?

Your child must pick up the form from the principal’s office. The form must then be signed by you, a band director, and an administrator and turned back in to the principal’s office.  The campus administration monitors these forms; therefore, they are not available on CHARMS or in the band office.

Where can I find a list of advanced courses that are eligible for the waiver?

The list is available at ccisd.net and it appears in the Course Selection Catalog.

What happens to students who fail a semester exam, fail a course for the semester, or fail the STAAR test?

Nothing. All eligibility is determined by the Grading Period.

If my child fails the fourth nine weeks, is he or she ineligible for the first three weeks of the following school year?

No. Eligibility rules do not carry over from one year to the next.

How do I keep up with all of this?

We put the eligibility dates on the band calendar. You can also access it at ccisd.net.

What is the best way to deal with No Pass/No Play?

Work hard and pass all of your classes.