PMEA DISTRICT 9

DISTRICT BAND, CHORUS & ORCHESTRA PROCEDURES

The system of band, chorus, and orchestra festivals district, regional, and all-state levels is organized and maintained by PMEA as one of its principal vehicles for implementation of its goals to further music education and encourage the development of music programs in the schools. PMEA members who are directors of bands, choruses, or orchestras in their schools have the privilege of sponsoring students from their organizations to participate in the various festivals, subject to the regulatory policies of the State Executive Council, the individual District, and whatever powers the individual District delegates to the collective policy of participating directors to establish procedures.

PMEA is a private association of individual professionals, and as such, "may restrict participation in its activities and may impose restraints providing they do not violate the 1964 Civil Rights Act, i.e. restrictions based on race, creed, or sex". PMEA adopts officially the MENC policy from their legal advisors relative to the exclusion of students of non-members from participation in events sponsored by MENC, and in so adopting, we substitute "PMEA" for "MENC". The statement therefore reads: Since PMEA, rather than the school systems, is the sponsor of these events, we assume that there would be some financial and other support given to the event by PMEA. This would appear to us to establish a "rational justification" for the exclusion. If there is this rational justification the exclusion would not violate the federal civil rights law. The Supreme Court has distinguished two kinds of classifications: so-called suspect classifications, like race or alienage; and other classifications. The classifications of students based on whether or not their teachers are PMEA members is obviously not a suspect classification. Accordingly, to sustain the legality of such a classification, we need only show that it has a rational justification and, as indicated above, the PMEA sponsorship and support appears to us to be sufficient for this purpose.

PMEA holds that participation by a student in a PMEA festival is a privilege granted by, and authorized through, the membership and active participation of the individual participation of the individual teacher/member who is the director of the given organization in the student's school. It rejects the concepts of institutional membership; of memberships by a school administrator who is not the director of the school musical organization intended as a method of qualifying students for festivals; or of sponsorship of a student by another PMEA member who is not the director of the specific school performing group in that student's school. Exceptions, due to legitimate, specific, extenuating circumstance will be detailed later in this document.

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Schools within District 9 have been placed in one of four groups. As the rotation sequence progresses to the next group, schools within that group must make a commitment to host a festival. If a school does not commit to a festival during the sequence, that school becomes ineligible to participate in PMEA festivals until such time as that school does commit to host a festival. Hosting pre-auditions is not a substitute for hosting a festival. In situations where schools have dropped out of PMEA festivals and now have new teachers/members who wish to participate in PMEA festivals, the school will be placed in the next group to commit to a festival according to the rotating sequence and the new teacher/member will be allowed to sponsor students for PMEA festivals.

See Appendix I

c) FEES

The host school will be entitled to retain up to four hundred dollars in excess funds from a district festival budget. If proceeds from a festival budget exceed four hundred dollar, the host school will be obligated to transfer any excess profit to the District Nine treasury.

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d) HOST FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES

HOUSING: The Host school will assign student housing. No changes to the housing assignments may be made without the permission of the host school. Comfortable and adequate sleeping accommodations should be provided for each student.

MEALS: The host family will provide breakfast for the students. All other meals will be provided by the host school.

SUPERVISION: Host families are to provide adequate adult supervision when students are not involved with festival activities. Student dress, behavior and moral conduct should be above reproach at all times. Students are not to use tobacco products, drugs or alcohol. Any violation of festival rules should be reported to the Festival Host immediately.

TRANSPORTATION: Host families are to provide transportation for students during the festival. ALL TRANSPORTATION MUST BE PROVIDED BY ADULT DRIVERS. STUDENTS ARE NOT TO TRANSPORT STUDENTS!

MEDICAL EMERGENCY: PMEA student medical forms will be on file with the Festival Host. In case of medical emergency, host families should contact the Festival Host.

STUDENT SCHEDULE: The Festival Host will provide each host family with a student schedule. Students are to attend all festival activities as scheduled by the Festival Host. Check the schedule carefully and have your students at all activities on time.

STUDENT RULES AND REGULATIONS: The Festival Host will provide each host family with a copy of student rules and regulations. Students found to violate PMEA rules may be dismissed from the festival and sent home. Please acquaint yourself with these rules and help with positive enforcement.

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SECTION 2: DIRECTOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES

a) The student's director must be a current member of PMEA. Proof of membership shall be a routine requirement at all acceptance auditions and Festivals.

The sponsoring directors must be present and participate at Acceptance and /or Festival auditions. The director has three basic responsibilities;

I . As the official legal representative of his/her school and his/her students' parents, the director must be available in event of an emergency and the director must be also assist the host in any and all disciplinary measures affecting his/her student(s).

2. The director must serve on assigned audition committees, tally committees, etc.

3. The director should represent the best interests of his/her students and the directors school at all official festival Directors Meeting(s). Note: In school districts where there are multiple eligible schools and participating students, each school's directors must be present for festival auditions and functions.

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C) Once selected, if the student cannot participate in the festival, it is the responsibility of the director to contact the host before the registration deadline of the event in order that an alternate may be selected.

d) An official form will be sent by the Host Director requiring the signatures of the director, principal, the student's parent/guardian and the student. These typed Registration & Medical Forms must be returned by a specified date with the student's registration fee(s) to the Host Director or the first alternate of that voice/instrumental part will be accepted. A verbal agreement between the host director and the participating director may acceptably fulfill this obligation.

e) Student Fee's must be paid prior to student auditions.

f) Alternates

1 . Host Director shall contact District President prior to notifying any alternate in their section.

2. Directors will be expected to send only alternates that have prepared the music, thereby insuring that the student fulfills the audition requirements.

3. If the first alternate is not prepared, the second alternate will be contacted. If no alternates are adequately prepared, that section is complete without the alternates.

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g) Substitute Director

1. The District President with the Festival Host may jointly approve a qualified substitute for the sponsoring director when unique circumstance occur. Request for substitute approval must be made prior to the Acceptance Auditions or the Festival itself. The use of a substitute should be prompted by extenuating circumstances and not personal convenience or preference.

2. if the sponsoring director, or qualified substitute, does not meet the required prerequisites and responsibilities, no student from that school may audition and/or participate in either the auditions or the festival.

3. A substitute director may not sponsor other students at the auditions.

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SECTION 3: STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

a) Student eligibility for membership in the District 9 PMEA festival events shall be determined by an acceptance audition. Any student who declines/refuses to audition automatically excludes him/herself from participation.

Students should not apply to participate in festivals if, for any reason(including religious activities), they plan to miss part of the affair.

Only 10th, 11th and 12th grade students who are members of their school ensembles may audition for a place in the district festivals. The only exception will be if a school does not have a band or orchestra, but instead offers a recognized instrumental musical ensemble which rehearses on a regular basis and performs publicly . All eligible schools are guaranteed one representative at district festivals chosen from auditioning students.