Weddington Middle School Dance & Drill Team
Constitution

2010-2011

PURPOSE

The WMS Dance & Drill Team serves as a performance team to promote school spirit and sportsmanship at school functions and represent Weddington Middle School in a positive and respectable manner.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

1. Candidates will attend a pre-tryout workshop to learn the routines necessary for tryouts.  Members will be selected through a formal tryout process. 
2. Team members must be enrolled as students at Weddington Middle School, maintain a GPA or 77 or above and can not be failing any class.
3. Team members are expected to uphold a high standard of behavior necessary for the integrity and reputation of the organization.  Members should be leaders in the school and should set a good example at all times. 
4. Team members are expected to remain on the team for the entire season (thru December) unless dismissed by the director.

PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCES

1. During football season, the WMS Dance & Drill Team will perform during halftime at home football games, at least two games on a performance day.  The team will also perform during halftime at select home basketball games – no more than one per week.
2. In the event that the Dance & Drill Team is asked to perform at other school events or community events during the year, this will occur at the discretion of the director. 
3. The team could participate in at least one competition, determined by director. 
4. Regular practices will be held Mon., Wed., and Thurs., from 4:00 to 5:45 p.m.  Practice times may be extended or shortened, or additional practices may be added.
5. Summer camp will be held at WMS June 28-30.  Camp is mandatory for all team members.
6. Summer practices will be held Tues., Wed., and Thurs., from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. beginning the first week in August.
7.  Team members will wear practice and performance uniforms as designated by the director.

GENERAL POLICIES

Dance & Drill Team allows students to have fun while learning discipline, responsibility and accountability.  In order for the WMS Dance & Drill Team to function in this manner, the team will operate on a merit/demerit system (see page 4) based on the following:

1. Team will attend all practices and performances and will be on time. 
   1. Any member benched for a performance should still attend in uniform unless she is physically unable to do so due to illness or injury.
   2. If you must miss a performance because of a family, school or church obligation, the director must be notified two weeks in advance. 
2. The complete uniform must be worn to all performances, and must be kept clean.
3. Jewelry and gum are not permitted at practice or during performances (stud earrings are the only exception).  Bright-colored nail polish is also forbidden at performances. 
4. Team members will sit together in a designated area in the bleachers and support the cheerleaders during the game.  They are not to leave the area to talk to others in the stands, and friends/family members may not sit with them.
5. Members must notify the director ahead of time if they are going to be late to or absent from practice or a performance.  If a student is more than 15 minutes late for practice without notifying the director prior to practice, she will be considered absent.
6. Absence approved by the school for other school activities including field trips and religious holidays will not be recorded as an absence.  Please notify the director ahead of time.
7. Proper practice attire must be worn -- dark shorts, practice t-shirt and lace-up athletic shoes.  A team member without the proper shoes will sit out during practice.
8. Excessive talking will not be permitted during practice. 
9. Sodas and sugary snacks are not permitted before or during practice.  Any student with an inappropriate snack or drink at practice will be required to dispose of it.
10. Squad members are responsible for making sure they clean up any area they occupy before they leave.  This includes practice areas (inside or out) and the bleachers in the stadium after a game.  If the director has to clean up any area after squad members have been dismissed, each member of the squad will receive a demerit.
11. Members must project a positive attitude toward Dance & Drill Team at all times. 
12. Dance & Drill Team members must adhere to Weddington Middle School policies regarding smoking, use of drugs (without medical purposes) and alcoholic beverages. 
13. Team members are representatives of the school and should conduct themselves appropriately to uphold the integrity and character of the school and the Dance & Drill Team.  Inappropriate behavior could result in dismissal from the squad.
14. Team members are considered team members until the first day of tryouts the following year, even after the season has concluded, unless they have been dismissed.
15. Team members who quit or are dismissed before the end of the season may not attend the end-of-season banquet or wear team jackets, sweats, t-shirts, etc.

DEMERITS, BENCHING and REMOVAL

Demerits

1. Discipline and order are crucial to the success of any.  To maintain these qualities, the WMS Dance & Drill Team will operate on a Demerit/Merit basis.  Demerits will be issued for certain rule infractions (see page 4). 
2. The director may also choose to offer merits to cancel out certain demerits, depending on the infraction. 

Benching

3. A Dance & Drill Team member who has been benched attends the function in uniform, but does not take part in the team performance.  She must sit in the stands with the team but may not participate in any pre-game, half-time or post-game performances or activities.
4. A Dance & Drill Team member who accumulates 10 demerit points for behavioral reasons will be benched for one performance. 
5. A team member who has 10 demerits from excused absences or other non-behavior-related reasons will be given the opportunity to “try out” for the performance. 
6. A team member can be benched due to illness or injury or if she is not in complete uniform at the time of the performance.
7. A Dance & Drill Team member who receives an In-School Suspension (ISS) will be benched for one performance.

Removal

1. A team member who has 15 or more demerits will be removed from the squad.
2. A Dance & Drill Team member will be removed if she receives an F on her report card or if her overall GPA is below 77.
3. A Dance & Drill Team member who receives Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) or is expelled from school will be removed from the team.

EXCUSED vs UNEXCUSED ABSENCES AND TARDIES

1. Team members will be allowed to miss a total of two practices without penalty if the director is notified ahead of time.  After the second missed practice, demerits will be issued.  Any absence or tardy that is not reported to the director ahead of time, even if it is the first absence, will be considered unexcused, and demerits will be issued.
2. Excused absences:  illness; injury; death in the family; school field trip; family wedding; religious holiday
3. Unexcused absences:  after-school detention; doctor/dentist appointment (please make an effort to schedule these apart from practice or performance times); just not showing up.

The following is a list of rule infractions and the demerits that will be issued for each:

The Dance & Drill Team director reserves the right to modify and adapt the rules and guidelines as needed to preserve the quality and integrity of the team in conjunction with Booster Club board members and school administrators.