The following are a list of Best Practices to keep us safe with our band instruments and in band class as of 8/23/2020.  Please understand this page will be updated as we add more safety features to class.  

• Our first week of school we will spend most of our time on proper care, maintenance, cleaning, and how to put together and take apart the instrument.  Please ask your child to practice these very important skills before we take off playing our instruments.
• The state recommends no more than 50 in any one band class, but I have measured our square footage and how many I can fit 6 feet apart and therefore we are going beyond the recommendation.  The maximum amount of students that we can seat 6 ft apart per period is 44.  This will keep safer distancing.  I have also installed Plexiglas partitions in key areas of the band room. 
• You may visit the band website hobbsmsband.weebly.com, to order our “Protective Gear” for your particular instrument (not required but recommended). Machine wash the protective gear at home.   *I particularly recommend that all brass and reed playing instrument students order the fly front mask for band class usage.  If you order anything, please order that item as it will reduce the vapors in the room. Your student can use a regular mask for the rest of the school day and save their fly front for band class usage.*   
• Please purchase a small spray bottle at Wal-Mart or anywhere and write your child’s name on it with permanent ink and fill it with 70% rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol.  They should let it air dry on the mouthpiece or reed in class.  Or purchase mouthpiece sanitizer from BAM. 
• The District has non-latex gloves and gallons of mouthpiece spray that have been ordered…waiting on them to arrive.  In the meantime, take the precautions mentioned above and below.
• The cleaning kits BAM sells for your child’s instrument are recommended.  Cleaning swabs in them should be washed as often as possible in your washing machine.  Spraying the swab with the alcohol spray between washings will help also.
• Brass mouthpieces should be sprayed with the alcohol spray daily and then rinsed, or washed with soap and water then rinsed.  Do this at home daily. (Only brass mouthpieces can be boiled in water, once per week or biweekly - ADULTS ONLY, no student should attempt the boil method.)  Woodwind mouthpieces washed with soap and water at home.
• Reeds should be lightly sprayed with the alcohol spray or washed with soap and water then immediately rinsed. Do this at home daily.
• Teach your child to get into the habit of brushing teeth before playing at home. 
• Percussion students should use disinfectant wipes daily at home on mallets and sticks and never share sticks with anyone.  Provided class hand sanitizer can be used in class.
• Brass students should have their own small towel or rag to collect instrument condensation.  They can keep this in their case or backpack. Wash at home often. Or… a great purchase for this is puppy training pads. Recommended changing daily.
• There is absolutely NO SHARING of instruments or instrument parts allowed in band and the same should happen at home.
• Tuba players should spray the lead pipe with the alcohol spray or mouthpiece sanitizer in class before playing and after playing.
• All brass students should have their own valve oil and slide grease - do not share these items. 
• Use hand sanitizer or wash hands in the band room and at home before and after using your instrument.
• Have your own, unshared music folder, pencil, mask, and book daily in class at your seat.  Enter class with mask on until told to remove.  Or, use our fly-front mask sold on our band website – hobbsmsband.weebly.com.