The Lakewood Articulation Area, which feeds Lakewood High School, begins with Glennon Heights, Belmar, South Lakewood, Eiber, and Slater Elementary Schools. All students at these five elementary schools become Creighton Cougars when they reach sixth grade. Mr. Holcombe teaches band at all six schools, working with beginning students in fifth grade to the most experienced students in eighth grade. Each elementary school receives band and orchestra twice a week, and students at CMS have these classes every day.
Fifth grade students are in Beginning Band, rehearse at their individual schools, and come together for two concerts and one community performance per year.
At Creighton, students can be members of the Sixth Grade Band, Concert Band, or Symphonic Band. The Concert Band and Symphonic Band are mixed grade ensembles. These two groups perform four concerts per year. In addition to the Concert and Symphonic Bands, the CMS Jazz band meets three times a week outside of the school day and is an audition-only group. Students in middle school band also have the opportunity to audition for All County and State level honor groups, and participate in Tri-M.
Lakewood Area Music has a tradition of excellence in which both bands and orchestras at the middle and high school levels have been selected to perform at the Colorado Music Educators Association Convention.