Happy New Year! WF Band: January 3-5, 2018

Jan 1, 2018
3 min read

Happy New Year!

I hope you each had a wonderful Holiday Season and are able to look positively upon this new year. This week, students will receive a letter, pre-scheduling form, and expectations contract. These documents should be reviewed at home, signed, and returned for a grade. As we begin a New Year, let us resolve to continue our program’s arc of consistent improvement. PLEASE read the additional information below about the next steps we must take as a band.

I am looking forward to making music with you all again,

Mr. Stanley

Band Schedule – January 3 – 5, 2018

Wednesday, January 3
A-Day – Calendar and Forms Distributed
Forms due for a grade on the next A-Day (Friday, 1.5.18)
Thursday, January 4
B-Day – Calendar and Forms Distributed
Forms due for a grade on the next B-Day (Monday, 1.8.18)

Announcements, Updates, Information

January – May 2018 calendar revision is available here. Please refer to the previous post for information about the calendar in the spring semester. Hard copies will be distributed in class.
Pre-Scheduling Forms and Expectation Contracts will go home in hard copy after the first class of the second semester. These forms should be returned during the next class period for a grade.
The expectations contract is a reminder of the policies and procedures used every day in our band program. All students/parents received a hard copy of the band handbook in August, where these expectations are outlined in depth. Although the signed handbook contract covers the entire school year, I think it is important to recommit ourselves to the expectations that help our program succeed.
The pre-scheduling form is designed to provide important information that will help ensure your student can continue their band classes in the next academic year. This information will help our band and guidance staff plan for the next academic year. It will also help ensure we have students placed in the correct instrument/ensemble classes.
Report cards for the second 9-weeks and first semester will be distributed soon. All band students have received this comment: Please encourage at-home practice and no use of cell phones during 2nd semester.
We want to continue the superior work that occurred in the first semester. Collective progress only occurs with individual commitments.
Students, remember that rehearsal occurs in the band room. To be prepared for rehearsal, you must practice outside of class! This is your standing homework assignment for band. Increases in outside practice WILL help us improve.
Parents, please help our program grow in quality by encouraging practice at home and engaged rehearsals at school (this means no cell phones). It is not always easy to listen to a student practice, but creating the expectation and opportunity for this to occur regularly at home is an important show of support for your child’s musical education. Forced practice can result in hating music. However, encouragement is a healthy way to show students you support their efforts to improve natural abilities.
I appreciate everyone’s commitment as we work for excellence in our musical development that enables us to be proud of our organization.
Please make sure you are receiving all band updates. Schedule changes are most likely during winter months. Emails, website blog, Facebook posts, and Remind texts are all important ways to stay connected.
A tentative 2018 Spring Trip is on the revised calendar. At the beginning of the year, a trip was initially planned later in April. However, that date will not work due to proximity to SOL testing. We are working hard to make the revised option work. If it cannot occur, we will plan some type of Spring Trip and will do our best to see that the itinerary contains and overnight stay. Thank you for your patience and please stay tuned.
Jazz Band
A GREAT way to play lots of fun music and get better on your instrument! Open to everyone!
Rehearsals occur after-school on Thursdays.
First rehearsal: Thursday, January 11, 2018 – 3:45-5:00 PM