Band

[wakeupcall]

difficult child had to choose an elective for this past school year (6th grade) and we ended up choosing Band. All school year he's played trumpet, never getting below a B with NO "comments" in the comment section where teachers can put a note to the parents. Last evening the band director called and spoke to H telling him that difficult child isn't cutting it. He said difficult child needs to take private lessons all summer to get up to par or be put back into the 6th grade band when school resumes in the fall!!! What???? School is out for the summer in TWO days and we have to make a decision on a different elective OR private trumpet lessons in TWO days? Now..this band director is a member of our ARD committee and helped us with difficult child's IEP. It's not like he doesn't know difficult child has issues, or that he's already isolated from his peers on a daily basis because he spends all his time in the social development class...other than band and gym. I'm so angry. Guess what.....I'm not going to make a decision right now and so what will they do?? Give him a FREE period next year because we didn't make a decision on an elective?? Suuuuuure. We just fired off an email to the counselor asking for her suggestion......see how SHE likes having to help us out with this the last two days of school!!!! All our difficult child needs is to be put back into the beginners band when we've worked all school year to build up his self esteem. GGGRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Sheila]

Sigh.... Don't you just want to scream about the unnecessary problems sometimes?

 

[jannie]

Is he enjoying the trumpet? Does he practice?

If he likes it and you can afford it, private lessons over the summer isn't a bad idea...My child has really benefited from private lessons...

What is bad and unacceptable is that you recieved this phone call so late in the year !! Why on earth would he earn a B is he wasn't playing up to "par?"

 

[wakeupcall]

jannie....get this....he just got his report card and made an A!!!!!!!!! I can't figure it out..

 

[SRL]

I would email the band director with a CC to the principal.

 

[Andy]

I think that band is graded on effort. As long as you are doing your best, come prepared, act appropriately during class, and attend all performances (unless excused for a good reason) you will get an A.

The phone call was based on ability. Has your child stated feeling like everyone else does better? Is it difficult for your child to keep up in class? Are there try outs for next year's band? The band teacher may be sensing that although this year was o.k., difficult child was starting to struggle toward the end of the year and may not be able to do next year's music without constant practicing this summer and a renewed effort in the Fall to do his best? Some/most kids need a teacher to make them accountable to practice so private lessons.

 

[Martie]

If a legal perspective will help, the IEP team, let alone the BAND TEACHER cannot requre you to obtain an outside service at your own expense so you child can take part in FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION (FAPE). Further, with an "A" in band, the teacher looks like a jacka** even if his demand could be enforced (which it can't). If your difficult child wants to stay in band, I would ask for an IEP meeting IMMEDIATELY by certified mail and let the band teacher run his mouth, violate the law, and then you can point all of this out. I doubt that any school administrator would wish to support this and I KNOW that no SD attorney would want to. His position is absurd.

No "substantive changes" in an IEP can be made without a team meeting. I would consider this a substantive change.

Martie

 

[SRL]

Cool Martie! I really like the idea of the SD footing the bill for private lessons all summer.

 

[wakeupcall]

Martie, thanks so much for this info. I had no idea that it was against the law to require lessons, etc. Maybe that's why in a subsequent email from the band director (no phone call) that he offered to give him lessons free!! Someone must have told him it was against the law and he was back-pedaling! Did I mention that this band director is part of our IEP TEAM???

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

What a moron.

Hey, grab those free lessons!! I was in band all through school and the lessons were so helpful.

 

[KTMom91]

Band was really good for Miss KT...well, until this year at least. It gives the kids a group to belong to automatically, which is why I "made" her participate. Definitely, take the free lessons!