November 26, 2017

Post date: Nov 26, 2017 10:21:03 PM

Announcements:

  • I hope that everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving Holiday!

  • Thanks to everyone who did his/her part in selling fruit/nuts! Fruit/Nuts should be in one day NEXT WEEK! When it arrives YOU MUST pick it up by 5:00 pm on the day that it arrives!

  • Yankee Candle Orders have arrived and should be distributed to your student TOMORROW during band class time. If you have anything that is broken or anything in your order is not correct you will need to contact Jennifer Lowrance ASAP at jenniferplowrance@eaton.com

  • Rada Knife Orders are in as well. Your student should receive this order on Tuesday of this week. Once again if your order is broken or you find something incorrect contact Jennifer ASAP!

  • Mr. Congiardo's will begin his private lessons THIS TUESDAY! Be sure that you arrive early to warm-up and come prepared. His lesson schedule is attached to this email. You can contact Mr. Congiardo at fcongiardo@hotmail.com with any questions. Make every effort to pay Mr. Congiardo according to the guidelines of the contract. This payment covers his time and travel during this very long Tuesday of private lessons.

  • Composite Pictures will be taken THIS THURSDAY (30th) during band class time. 8th graders are welcome to attend.

  • Here is a list of opportunities for your student to participate in band related activities for this spring:

    • All West TN Honor Band Auditions - January 13th - North Side HS - $10 audition fee required - Last day to sign-up on the office window is THIS FRIDAY! Audition fee MUST be paid at this time. At last look we had 16 students signed up who were interested in auditioning! THIS IS AWESOME! Students MUST be in concert band to audition.

    • UT Martin Honor Band - January 25-27 - Deadline to apply is THIS TUESDAY! Application can be found at https://www.utm.edu/departments/music/honorband.php. Students MUST be in concert band to apply.

    • Jazz Band - meets every Monday from 3:15-4:30 during the spring semester (January-April). The first meeting will be on January 8th. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. Students DO NOT have to be in concert band to participate.

    • Percussion Ensemble - meets every Tuesday & Thursday from 5-8 during the spring semester (January-March). The first meeting will be on January 9th. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. Students DO NOT have to be in concert band OR a percussionist to participate.

    • Woodwind Ensemble - meets every Wednesday from 3:15-4:30 during the spring semester (January-April). The first meeting will be on January 10th. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. Students DO NOT have to be in concert band to participate.

    • Low Brass Ensemble - meets every Wednesday from 3:15-4:30 during the spring semester (January-April). The first meeting will be on January 10th. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. Students DO NOT have to be in concert band to participate.

    • Brass Ensemble - meets every Thursday from 3:15-4:30 during the spring semester (January-April). The first meeting will be on January 11th. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. Students DO NOT have to be in concert band to participate.

    • Due to the NYC Trip and the amount of students missing school for this trip we will NOT be attending the University of Memphis Honor Band this spring to reduce the number of days that students are missing school due to band related activities.

  • As you can see there are MANY opportunities for your student to participate in a variety of activities this spring other than concert band. The more your student does the better musician your student becomes which ultimately makes our band better! I'm excited about these opportunities and the interest that your students have already shown in these extra performance opportunities!

  • The Dyer Christmas Parade is THIS SATURDAY! This is a MANDATORY PERFORMANCE grade for all marching band members! The parade begins at 5:00 pm. We will meet dressed in full uniform at 4:15 at the Tri-City Reporter (across from the Tate's Exxon gas station). The parade will end at the Methodist Church in Dyer. Students will be allowed to take home their equipment and uniforms on Friday from school. All equipment and uniforms MUST be turned back in by the following Monday. I will be at the school from 3:30-4:00 for any student needing to pick anything up from the school.

  • Students who signed to audition for All-West MUST complete 4 successful after school lessons with me in order to audition. These lessons will begin NEXT Tuesday & Thursday immediately after school. A sign-up sheet will be posted on my window this week for students to sign-up for his/her time.

  • Any student wishing to letter in band this year must qualify for at least 3 of the attached criteria by April 15, 2018! All of the above listed criteria MUST be met in full. You might ask why would my student want to letter in band? Lettering signifies going above and beyond the regular call of student for a high school organization or academically which looks VERY good on college scholarship application (band or non band related). This shows dedication and a good work ethic to colleges and universities. I HIGHLY suggest that your student letter in something if not band all 4 years that he/she are in high school!

  • Continue to pay for debt that has been accrued since this fall! This includes band fees, percussion fees, guard fees, reed/stick student supplies, fruit/nuts, etc. A debt list will be posted on the office window in the coming days so your student can check and see how much he/she owes.

  • The band FINAL EXAM is in just 2 weeks! This is worth 20% of your student's grade for the entire semester! Be sure he/she is practicing for his/her final in band!

  • The next NYC Trip payment is due by NEXT SUNDAY to Thomas Tours. I hope you are referring to your trip package as far as the cancellation procedures/policies are concerned. You MUST inform Thomas Tours if you have made ANY payments and are cancelling for ANY reason. The current cancelation fee is $400. After December 11th the cancellation fee increases to $600. Please keep this in mind as I noticed that some have only made their initial down payments and have not made any payments since then.

  • We will once again offer a Memory Book for the band students to purchase. This is a band yearbook if you will with a lot of pictures from throughout the marching band and concert band season. These books will be distributed at the Band Banquet to be held in May. Thanks to Jennifer Cox for once again putting this together for our students! Stay tuned for ordering information which will come out this week!

Upcoming Dates:

  • December 5th & 7th - All-West after school lessons BEGIN! These lessons are MANDATORY for any student wishing to audition for All West!

  • Sunday, December 10th - County Wide Christmas Concert - 2:00 - GCHS Theatre - Students will have to be there dressed in "concert attire" at 1:15. Concert attire is NO JEANS, TSHIRTS, TENNIS SHOES, SHORTS, ETC. The high school's portion of the concert will begin around 3:00. Students will have to move all equipment back to the band room before they are dismissed. There will be a booster meeting immediately following the concert in the theatre.

  • Monday, December 11th - Band Final Exam begins!

  • Tuesday, December 12th - Championship Steak Dinner - 6:30 - Dyer First Baptist

  • Wednesday, December 20th - School dismisses at 11:30 for Christmas Break! All debt not paid at this point will be turned in to the office for collection.