July 2022

7/30/22

Welcome new member, Seth Martin. Seth will be playing bass drum. Carter Schmidt has also joined us as he will be playing in the stands during football games this year! If you know of anyone who showed interest and hasn't had a chance to start practicing with us, or you think they are unsure, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THEM THIS WEEKEND! Spread the word and make sure everyone is coming Monday. 

It's time... the event we have all been waiting and preparing for IS HERE! Band camp starts on Monday. We will meet every day, rain or shine, from 9:00AM to 6:00PM. We will dismiss early on both Wednesday and Friday. Things you need for band camp:

Water (at LEAST 1/2 gallon)

sunscreen and hat

bug spray, sunglasses, chapstick (optional)

deodorant (if you think you used enough, you didn't. Reapply!)

ear protection (drumline)

sneakers and sports clothes

instrument (and any reeds etc)

music in 3 ring binder with sheet protectors

LUNCH AND SNACK (no one is permitted to leave)

Dot Book and pencils

Great attitude

Spirit week:

Monday - Class colors
Tuesday - Decades

Wednesday - Luau

Thursday - Sections

Friday - Fandom

Part III parts are in your folders. We will read this on Monday. (Jacob, look at your solo before then!)

Wednesday is our DCI trip to Glassboro. We will meet at the STADIUM to board the bus that night at 5:45. You will have a bit of time in the lot to observe warmups up close before we head in to our seats. We will return to the stadium that evening for pickups. If you haven't gotten your money to me or Ms Williams, bring it on Monday!

Anyone who has a shirt design, be sure to submit it by Friday. Winner gets a free shirt!

There has been no more word on physicals. At this point, they are strongly encouraged and recommended. I will keep your paperwork on file until we have a better system in place, in cooperation with the nurse. 

I ran out of time on Thursday and forgot to ask who was available for the Septemberfest Parade on 9/10. Please fill out this form ASAP: 

SEE YOU MONDAY!

7/24/22

We are only one Thursday rehearsal away from BAND CAMP! The weather looks rainy for the week. We will rehearse from 9-6 on Aug 1-5, EVEN IN THE CASE OF RAIN. We have an indoor plan in place. You will only rehearse until 2:30 on Wednesday so you can shower and eat before the DCI event. 

Be sure to fill out the paperwork that Ms Williams sent home last week. Start to hydrate now. If you wait for camp week, it'll be too late. Watch for spirit days to be announced! Continue to use the absence form as well as communicating to me if you need to miss a rehearsal. (Form is on the 'documents and forms' page of the website.)

If you have an idea/design for our show shirts, you can submit them to me by email (sheridan.s@woodstown.org) or on paper by the end of camp week. The staff will vote on the winner and that person will get their shirts FREE! 

Rehearsal this week: 

We are requesting ALL OF PART I be memorized on Thursday. We hope to put a set or two on the field! We will also run Part II and do more spinning basics for the people learning a new skill. PRACTICE AT HOME! (All the cool kids are doin' it.)  If you have a featured solo, I expect you to work on it on your own time. All your music is in the Google Drive. We may possibly also hand out and sight read Part III. 

Check your calendars for September 10th. I will be polling how many are available for the Septemberfest Parade in Pennsville that day. (Should we play September from Earth, Wind and Fire?)

7/18/22

If you don't have a doctor's appointment for your physical, stop procrastinating and get it scheduled! Registration and forms are here and are due back before July 22: https://woodstownhs-ar.rschooltoday.com/ YOU MUST DO THIS THIS YEAR. 

Tickets for DCI are being ordered today. Check this list to be sure you're included! 

Part 2 (Great Balls of Fire/Bennie and the Jets) will be available in your folders by tonight. We will sight read it on Thursday. You are to have Part 1 memorized up to Rehearsal Mark "D". Be able to play the rest of Part 1 as well. Please practice. You have all the time in the world to be practicing - use it! 

The following people will be spinning silks during Bennie and the Jets: Autumn, Alexa, Kenny, Brianna, Sam, Colin, Brody, Josh, Chris, Taylor

7/11/22

Welcome new member John Belcher from Tennessee! John plays the trombone and will be joining us in late August. We can't wait to meet you, John!

THANK YOU to everyone who helped with the closet clean-out last week. There was stuff in there from the late 90's! And we were blessed with piano key swing flags in the last box we sorted. Treasure!

if you are planning on joining us for the DCI competition on August 3rd, PERMISSION FORMS AND MONEY ARE DUE ON THURSDAY. We need at least 20 people to commit to go to get the group discount. Forms are available here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18K4eEgy_ggpEkx2nmixwWYpdVYI1K0_f/view?usp=sharing

Rehearsal Thursday 6-9!

7/3/22

This week Ms Nowmos submitted her resignation as assistant band director. She has been a huge help in getting the band back up on it's feet and starting to grow again. We will miss her experience, hard work and dedication to this group. If you bump into her, be sure to thank her for everything! WHS administration is currently taking letters of interest to fill the assistant band director position. 

PARADE ON MONDAY! We lost a few key players this week to other commitments. Please be sure to check the calendar and report anything you will be missing EARLY, so we can make adjustments. Our younger players are willing to step up but knowing ahead of time, helps us be sure they are ready! On Monday we will meet at 8:30 and walk to East Millbrook to line up by 9:00. The parade starts at 10 and we are in front. We will get picked up by a bus at the park and return to school with our gear probably by 11:15? 

Student leaders, please reach out to your sections to anyone who has been missing and be sure they have the info they need to stay involved! I can send you a list if needed. 

Sammi has made a form for all of you to choose spirit days for camp this year. Fill it out here: Spirit Day Form

Link to the absentee form is on the documents and forms page of this site.

Flip folders arrived although we are still waiting on extra pages. YOUR MUSIC IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. I will make copies if you are unable to but you have to ask. I have added a few more folders and should be finished with this by next week. Digital music is sorted here by instrument. Everything you need so far should be in them: Flip Folders by Instrument We didn't get to Don't Stop Believin' so we will run that one on Thursday. 

CLOSET CLEANOUT ON JULY 7 at 3:00. We need help. I plan to take EVERYTHING out, toss and organize what's left. If you can spare a few hours before rehearsal, pack a dinner and come help us! Please send a message sheridan.s@woodstown.org if you plan to be there. 

FIELD TRIP! We will be getting group tickets for the DCI Glassboro competition on August 3 at 7:30. I will let you go home from camp early that day to shower and eat and then we will take a school bus to the event. We should return around 11:00. Tickets and bus cost will be $35 per person. See Ms Sheridan for a permission slip or download here: Permission Forms. Permission form are due back by July 14th. 

Next year is an overnight trip for the music department. If your family is looking for more information on this, planning is already underway.  Check out this video for our preliminary meeting:  https://youtu.be/4sBZlqZLM-A  The Marching Band will not be performing as an ensemble but you are all welcome to play with the concert band, even if it doesn't work in your class schedule and you work independently on your music. We will have evening rehearsals to prepare in the early spring.