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EligibilityWNY HSMA is open to all students who meet all of the following criteria:
A parent is their primary educator
They are home schooled for at least 70% of their credits (excluding advanced placement college courses)
All of their core subjects are taught within the home school community. Participation in home school co-ops or advanced placement college courses meets this requirement
They are not participating in any other public or private school music program
Commitment to ScheduleMany people don’t think of Choir or Orchestra as a team sport, yet that is exactly what our ensemble experience is. When a vital member of the team is absent from a critical rehearsal or performance, the rest of the team and the entire organization suffers. While we can’t foresee everything that may come up during the WNY HSMA season, it is important to commit to rehearsal and performance schedules. If an unforeseen event does come up, it is the student’s responsibility to make the conductor aware of the situation just as soon as possible. Absence from a final rehearsal before a performance may disqualify a student from the performance. Regular absences from key rehearsals and/or performances may necessitate a re-evaluation with the conductor and the parents about continued participation in the WNY HSMA performing group from which the absences occurred. Absences are to be reported to
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as far in advance of the absence as possible.
Service Commitment Because WNY HSMA exists to equip our students musically to serve the Lord and others, we rely on the volunteer efforts of our member families. Serving is one of our core values and highest priorities.Therefore, each family must commit to two WNY HSMA service opportunities for the upcoming school year. These range from weekly set-up and tear-down to assisting at performances. Certain recurring tasks (board member, coordinator position, time taker) fulfill your service commitment for the year. If you sign-up to assist at a concert, you must check in with the performance coordinator and you must complete your work assignment. We encourage every family to take responsibility in this area. While we would rather that you serve, the consequence of not fulfilling your service commitment is an added $75 fee to your family account. The WNY HSMA Treasurer will keep the books open until the end of all service opportunities. Please help us keep WNY HSMA running smoothly by meeting your service commitment.Sign-up occurs at the Parent Meeting.
Payment of tuition and fees Registration forms are available online. Your fees and all first semester tuition are due at time of registration.* Checks may be made payable to WNY Home School Music Assoc. (WNY HSMA) and mailed to:WNY HSMA
c/o Eric Haas
7329 Michael Rd.
Orchard Park, NY 14127Please check our website calendar for deadlines for the following payments:
All other first semester costs due
Second semester tuition due
All remaining fees due
Fundraising money may be used for all expenses except for initial registration fee and first semester tuition (unless an account balance is present from the prior year). Late or nonpayment of fees will result in a $25 late fee penalty (maximum one per semester); failure to make payment arrangements if overdue may result in suspension from WNY HSMA until the account is paid.
*If unable to pay initial costs, please contact our treasurer to make payment arrangements. There will be a $20 finance fee per family per semester to arrange delayed payments. Conduct WNY HSMA is very, very grateful to those who let us use their facilities for rehearsals, performances and other activities. Very often these facilities are provided at no cost or a reduced cost. It is important that everyone who is associated with WNY HSMA dress and conduct themselves at all times in a manner worthy of believers in Jesus Christ. This includes our students, parents, and other siblings who happen to be at the rehearsal location who are not WNY HSMA students. The testimony of our individual families, of WNY HSMA, and indeed of homeschoolers in general is reflected in the way we dress, speak, and behave while at these facilities.Everyone associated with WNY HSMA needs to respect the facilities where activities take place. There should be no rowdiness, no defacing of property, and no roughhousing. Please do not litter, and if you see something out of place, please take appropriate action (pick up trash that you see lying around and dispose of it properly, for example, even if you did not place it there). Please respect authorities and other participants by being polite and observing proper boy-girl conduct.
All WNY HSMA members are to respect the property of others. Unless you have been given permission by the owner or an WNY HSMA official or conductor, do not handle, move or touch any instrument which does not belong to you. This also applies to music stands and any other personal property which is not your own.
All children who are not part of a rehearsal must be within eyesight of an adult who is specifically responsible for that child (ideally a parent). It is important to note that there is a difference between a parent and their child being in the same building and a parent supervising their child. Groups of unsupervised children will not be permitted.Rehearsal Dress Code
Shorts and skirts must cover the knees when seated; no pajama pants, please. Tops and bottoms must meet in the middle - no exposed midriffs. No form fitting attire may be worn.
Lost or Damaged MusicIt is WNY HSMA's goal to provide an enriching and God-honoring musical environment for our members. It is also our desire to teach good stewardship of the music with which they have been entrusted. Providing suitable music is a considerable expense and a large portion of the WNY HSMA budget. Each year, music is lost or damaged beyond use, and must be replaced. When music is issued to a student, it is expected that it will be maintained in good condition (useable in following years) and returned to the conductor when so indicated. Therefore, there will be a charge of $5 or a single piece of lost music (or damaged beyond use) and $25 for an entire folder of music.
Concert Etiquette
Don’t whisper or talk during a performance. Cell phones off or set to vibrate, please!
Enter and exit your seat only between selections and only when absolutely necessary. If possible, wait until the audience is applauding before moving. The only exception to this is if you are coughing or need to remove a restless or crying child. If young children become noisy and disrupt others’ ability to listen, please take them outside the auditorium.
Be punctual and enter the auditorium before the concert begins. Please be seated and stay for the entire performance. No standing in the back talking. Listen attentively.
THREE-STEP ENFORCEMENT POLICY First offense = a verbal warning to student and a call to parent Second offense = written warning to student and parent Third offense = student is excused until student and parent meet with reinstatement committee
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