What can you expect of us?

• that our conductors, coaches and staff will treat your child(ren) as serious musicians, yet allow them to have fun at the same time;
• that we will provide a positive and stimulating experience for your child(ren);
• that we will complement and build on school music programs and your child's private music instruction;
• that we will respect your child's privacy.
  

What do we expect of you?

• that all parents will support their child(ren) for the full year;
• that you will pay tuition fees on time - see Tuition Fees page for details;
  
• that you will complete and sign all needed documentation for their child - see Registration Forms page;
  
• that you will give your volunteer assistance at concerts and as needed during the year - see Volunteering page for more details;
• that you will be in attendance at all concerts - see Performances page for details;
• that you will pick up your child(ren) on time from rehearsals - see below for late-pickup policy;
• that you will encourage your child(ren) to practice for rehearsals and take proper care of their instruments;
• that you will support our rules for musician behavior at rehearsals and performances, which are designed to foster professionalism, teamwork and respect for fellow musicians - the full policies are listed below.

Thank you for your role in creating the performers and audiences of the future!

Rehearsal Pickup

Parents, please pick musicians up on time from rehearsals! 

When you are late, a conductor or parent must wait with your child.  He or she has children, too, and your tardiness causes everyone to arrive home later than expected on a school night.  Some of us have long distances to travel and we simply cannot accommodate late departures. 
The first time for a late pickup you will receive a warning via email.
The second time, a $10 fine per child will be assessed for every 15 minutes you are late, and an email bill will be sent to you, payable to BYSO.   

Rehearsals and Performances

• Musicians are required to attend all rehearsals AND performances !!!  The success of the division and section depends on each young person's participation.  The only exceptions permitted are for illness or for a school music performance. 
• Three unexcused absences will result in suspension until the beginning of the next rehearsal/concert cycle. 
• Leaving before the end of a rehearsal or arriving late at the beginning of a rehearsal (after tuning) is considered an unexcused absence.
• Musicians are expected to arrive fifteen minutes before all rehearsals and to respect the need for a timely start. 
• Instruments must be tuned and ready to play on the conductor’s downbeat.
• If your child is unable to attend a rehearsal you MUST CONTACT your conductor, or the division’s attendance person, or the BYSO office at 425-467-5604, by 3:00 pm the DAY of the rehearsal.

Practice and Preparation

BYSO members are expected to come to rehearsals prepared and with their music & instrument in working condition. 

Musicians are expected to spend a considerable amount of time practicing for rehearsals at home.  Anyone who is consistently unprepared risks being demoted to a lower division or placed on probation until s/he can demonstrate that s/he is prepared.

Behavior at Rehearsals

Eating and drinking inside the classrooms is not permitted at any rehearsal site. Any snacks must be eaten outside, and any papers, cans, etc., must be placed in an appropriate waste receptacle.

We are guests at Sammamish High School, the churches and other facilities at which we have rehearsals, retreats, and performances.  We expect you to treat their facilities with respect.  This includes seeing that the rehearsal rooms are left neat and clean when we leave.  All musicians are expected to take a few minutes before leaving rehearsal to help organize chairs, music stands, and other equipment used during the session.

After arriving for rehearsal, students must not leave the school grounds until their parents pick them up after the rehearsal.  Respecting this rule is very important!  We are most concerned for the safety of each and every one of our students, and we lose any ability whatsoever to oversee students who have left the rehearsal areas.  We will be forced to administer stern discipline, up to and including dismissal from the organization, for violating this rule.  Please support us in our best efforts to keep our students, your children, safe.  Please report any known violations of this important rule.

We have a no-tolerance policy for tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, firearms or any other weapons, and/or any type of physical violence or harassment.  If it is not allowed at school, it is not allowed at BYSO.  Your child will receive immediate suspension for possession of any of the above controlled items.

Solutions to Behavior Issues

Our young musicians are creative, dynamic individuals, and we believe that communication of limits and standards of behavior at rehearsals and breaks is important.  Therefore, we are presenting the following solutions so that we may help these students receive the maximum benefit from their experience with BYSO:

• At the outset of the season, parents and musicians should discuss behavior standards.
• Standards of behavior will be reviewed as a group at the retreat. 
• Rehearsal monitors will be recruited from parent volunteers who will be present at rehearsals on a rotating basis.  We anticipate scheduling one parent per division per week.