Students that are entering the fifth grade will have the opportunity to join the Lakewood band! We are thrilled to be working with your beginning band students! The Lakewood band has over 100 students in grades 5 through 8 and offers several opportunities for students to perform and grow as musicians!

See the information below for LOTS of information about Band at Lakewood

-Mr. Sam

Hello! My name is Joey Sam and I am the Band Director at Lakewood Middle School. This is my seventh year teaching. I am a graduate of the University of Tennessee – Martin with a degree in Music Education. My primary instrument is the saxophone. Feel free to contact me at any time with question that you may have about band!

Email Joey Sam

School phone: 731-644-1600

-Ms. Jenny

This year, Ms. Jenny Cooper will be a co-band director! In addition to being an awesome general music teacher, Ms. Jenny is also a wonderful baritone and tuba player! Beginning band students will be participating in band class in two separate classes. Woodwind students will work primarily with Mr. Sam, while Brass students will be working with Ms. Jenny. This will allow for students to get much more individualized attention and teaching!

-Percussion at Lakewood

The Lakewood band program does not offer beginning band students the opportunity to start band class on a percussion instrument. However, many students may be interested in pursuing a spot in the band’s percussion section. Students that are interested in playing a percussion instrument in band must first complete one year on a wind instrument and will be required to take private lessons.

-The costs of band

The Lakewood band charges absolutely no membership or class fees. The only requirement to participate in the class is for students to have an approved band instrument and an instrument method book. We highly recommend renting instruments with Amro Music, however students and parents may get an instrument from anywhere that they choose.

-Band and other activities

Band at Lakewood meets during regular school hours and does not conflict with any other school activity or other community activities. Lots of great Lakewood band students are also cheerleaders, football players, basketball players, chorus members, track team members, and dance students – just to name a few! Beginning band meets three times a week during rotation time and every day during intervention time. Band students will still go to gym class twice per week and will have time to visit the library.

-Beginning Band Boot Camp

Beginning Band Boot Camp is an excellent FREE resource to use when learning a new instrument. This website contains several videos for every instrument that go into great detail about assembly, cleaning, care, and basic playing techniques. We encourage every parent to take the time to watch these videos with their children and learn the basics of the instrument that their child will be playing!

-Commitment

Students who join beginning band are expected to remain a member of the band for the entirety of their fifth grade year. If a student does not wish to continue band in the sixth grade, a short letter will be sent home with a drop permission form attached.

-Instrument Storage and Practice

Beginning band students are required to take their instruments home two nights per week (Tuesday and Friday). This is intended to encourage a structured practice routine. Most students will only need 45 minutes per week of practice time to keep up in band class. This 45 minutes can be spread across as many days per week as desired – life is busy for fifth graders today!!

-Grading Policy/Playing Tests

Students will be given a playing test every two weeks. Their performance on these playing tests will not affect their grade in band class and will only be used to give students “chair placements” – 1st chair being the highest scoring student in their section of the band. These playing tests are not intended to be embarrassing or stressful. The top half of every section will receive a chair placement, while the other students in the section will not be given a placement to avoid a student being “last chair”. This system is meant to reward our students who are the most successful without discouraging other students.

-Band Silent Lunch

Students that forget to bring method books or instruments to class will be given “band silent lunch” the following day. This consequence is not considered a school-wide disciplinary action, but is reported to the fifth grade classroom teachers.

-Concerts

All Lakewood Band students are required to participate in an after school concert each semester in December and in May. These concerts are required, however any student that brings an excuse letter before the concert occurs will be excused without consequence. Students that are absent from school on the day of the concert are excused automatically. Excuse letters after the concert will not be accepted.

After School Lessons

Mr. Sam and Ms. Jenny are available after school on Monday and Wednesday for free private lessons. I highly encourage any student that feels like they are not succeeding on their instrument to come to an after school lesson for individual attention. Any student staying after school must be picked up by 3:30 (kids’ corner students will return to kids’ corner at this time)

Lakewood Schools

Band

Beginning Band