Newsletters

February 16th, 2026

Short week, but a lot going on at MPMS!!

We’re hitting the mid-February mark, and we have a ton of things happening in the next several weeks.  8th Graders are gearing up for another Pep Rally (March 6th!), Solo & Ensemble Contest on April 11th, and all three groups are receiving new music to read (yay!).  Check out all the necessary information below.  Please reach out to me with any questions.  

Go Panthers, Go Band!

Tomorrow, February 17th, is a “B” Day!

Make sure your instruments, books, and all materials are ready to go this week!  

6th Grade Band

Each Band class was given a copy of “Mechanical Monsters” about two weeks ago.  Students are also receiving “band Warmups” that we will work into our everyday class time.  I’m pleased to say that the majority of our 6th grade classes have been able to get through the repertoire and are ready to begin looking at our next piece.  It is important that when practicing we focus on measures that are difficult for us to play…not just the material we’re great at 🙂

Listen: "Mechanical Monsters”- Use this to aid in your home practice 🎶🎶

Listen: “Recharge”- a new piece the 6th grade band will receive next week! 💪
 

*Everyone has been doing such a great job digesting this new music.  The spring concert on May 12th is going to be awesome!

Action Items

The YELLOW Practice Log is past due.  If you have not turned it in, please do so this week.

The PURPLE log is due 3/11 (A)  and 3/12 (B) 

*This is your last practice log of the school year….finish strong and continue practicing good habits when we’re outside of class :)

7th Grade Band

The 7th grade band has been busy working through “Brace For Impact” and we introduced “Champions Rising.”  I’m happy to say that all classes are on track to begin their third piece by the end of next week.  A third piece, titled “Worksite”, will be introduced to the kids by late next week.

Listen: “Brace For Impact”- Use this to aid in your home practice 🎶🎶

Listen: “Champions Rising”- Particularly Measures 33-49 are challenging for most sections.  Work those measures into your routine. 🙂

Listen: “Worksite”- New piece being introduced soon!

Action Items: I’m ready to order the 7th grade’s “Pop/Movie” song for the spring concert.  They have one last opportunity to vote.  If they haven’t they may do so HERE.  By Thursday (2/19) after school I’ll order the new music.

High School Marching Band ... .Did You Know!?

All rising 8th graders can march at the high school level?  It’s true!  Starting this summer you can join the High School Marching Band (at your designated school where you live) to join the Marching Warhawk, Warrior, and Wildcat Bands!  I’ve attached letters from all three high school band directors with information.

CENTRAL- Mr. Porretta

NORTH- Ms. Loney

SOUTH- Mr. Austrino

Hope to see you out on the field this fall!

8th Grade Band

We have begun rehearsing in our Solo & Ensemble groups for the April 11th event.  As of this writing, most groups have had at least one rehearsal.  The kids are sounding great!  Also, the 8th grade band is playing in our next Pep Rally, which has been scheduled for Friday, March 6th (during the school day!).  

King’s Island Trip Action Items

STUDENTS- All students need to fill out our interest form located HERE.

PARENTS- If you’d like to volunteer, please fill out the interest form and let us know!  Our info packets coming out will have volunteer paperwork that is necessary.  In order for this trip to be successful we need MANY volunteers!!

Friendly Reminder of 8th Grade Only Events Happening this Semester:

Saturday, April 11th- Solo & Ensemble Event (held at Heritage MS)

-every student in the 8th grade band is placed in a smaller ensemble of like-instruments and work on this material during class on designated days.  In April the students perform for judges for an overall rating and get a short clinic from professional adjudicators in the area.  This is an AWESOME experience that all 5 middle schools in Westerville participate in!  There is no fee for this event, and we strongly encourage parents and families to attend!  This is a short morning commitment (we will work on scheduling times to accommodate everyone as much as possible!).

Saturday, May 16th- 8th Grade Kings Island Performance Trip!

-The 8th grade band gets up bright and early to perform for adjudicators at the Music in the parks competition in the morning at a nearby school, then spends the rest of the day celebrating  with the Band, Choir, and Orchestra students.

There is a fee for this trip.  Please note, we will not turn any student away that wants to participate in this trip:

Student Fee $77.00 (Includes morning performance, MPMS Music T-shirt, and Ticket to the park for the day)

Parent Chaperone Fee $39.00 (Includes morning festival and ticket to the park for the day)

*WE NEED PARENT VOLUNTEERS!  I’ll be sending out paperwork for individuals looking to come with us soon.  Parents volunteering will have some additional paperwork to fill out.  We will NEED a minimum of 15-20 parents to come along with us to ensure our students have a fun and SAFE trip that day.  Interest form HERE.

High School Band Information

By now many if not all of you have begun the scheduling process for your high school careers.  In high school the opportunities EXPLODE…there’s so much you can be a part of.  Each high school has a plethora of sports, activities, clubs, and of course musical offerings to choose from.  Each year we have many of our Panthers continue on to play in high school and beyond, I would love to see even more sign up for this fall.   I’ve attached letters from all three high school band directors with information.

CENTRAL- Mr. Porretta

NORTH- Ms. Loney

SOUTH- Mr. Austrino

I’m so excited for you all!!

ALL MPMS BAND FAMILIES: MARK YOUR FAMILY CALENDARS–

UPCOMING MPMS BAND EVENTS

-Every Tuesday from 3-4pm: MPMS Jazz Band (Open to 7-8th Grade)

-Saturday, April 11th: Solo & Ensemble Contest @ Heritage MS (8th Grade)

-Tuesday, May 12th: Spring band Concert (Grades 6-8 + Jazz Band)

-Saturday, May 16th: 8th Grade Band King’s Island Trip!

Enjoy your short whirlwind week!

Mr. Laswell

February 1st, 2026

How was Winter Break #2?

What an absolutely crazy chain of events that led to an entire week off from school!  I can only think of one other time in my 18 year career that we’ve had this many days out of school in a row…insane! I’ll say this…my family is ready for me to get back in school, and my kids are driving me crazy…I’m sure you’re all ready to go back, too! 🙂 Here are your MPMS Band updates for February. Please find your child’s grade band below and do not hesitate to reach out to me regarding any of the below information.  Go Panthers, Go Band!

Tomorrow, February 2nd, is a “B” Day!

Make sure your instruments, books, and all materials are ready to go this week!  If you’re having trouble meeting this expectation, please reach out to me so we can work on it together!

6th Grade Band

Prior to our extended break, each band class in 6th grade took their very first playing test on song #56 “This Old Man.”  99% of our students were able to complete it.  If you have not yet, be prepared to knock it out during your first class back.  Everyone did an amazing job!  Grades will be updated this week.

The YELLOW Practice Log is due on the 2nd class this week.

B Days- 2/4

A Days- 2/5  

*Due to the crazy weather last week, I’ve decided to make the week of January 25th a “FREE” week. Please check your child’s backpack/folder and help them fill out their information and return the log on class #2 this week.

Action items:  All 6th Grade students will receive new music sheets this week.  Along with their white “Sound Innovations” book and a pencil, each student needs a 3 ring binder.  By the end of this quarter all students will have SEVERAL music packets, warmups, and rhythm sheets that they need to keep track of.  If you need help meeting this expectation please reach out to me so we can find a solution that works for you!

7th Grade Band

Before our Winter Break #2, 2 out of the 3 7th grade sections all completed their Playing Tests on “Brace for Impact.”  If you have not yet, be prepared to take your test in the first class this week.  You got this!

Action Items: Take a look at “Champions Rising”, a new piece the 7th grade that will work on soon.  If you have questions and need help, please see myself or Ms. Hall for guidance.

*Lastly, students will all be voting for their “pop” song for the spring concert.  All students will vote on chromebooks during class this week. HERE are the selections they get to choose from!

8th Grade Band

Seating tests began last we met, and we finished roughly 990% of the group.  Mr. Porretta and I plan to finish these on the first class back.  If you have not taken your test, be ready to go when we return 🙂. Seating will be posted once everyone completes their test.

If you are finished with your test, you’ll be voting on your “pop” selection for the spring concert.  There are many to choose from, and you can select up to 3 choices. HERE are the options.  Voting takes place tomorrow in class!

Friendly Reminder of 8th Grade Only Events Happening this Semester:

Saturday, April 11th- Solo & Ensemble Event (held at Heritage MS)

-every student in the 8th grade band is placed in a smaller ensemble of like-instruments and work on this material during class on designated days.  In April the students perform for judges for an overall rating and get a short clinic from professional adjudicators in the area.  This is an AWESOME experience that all 5 middle schools in Westerville participate in!  There is no fee for this event, and we strongly encourage parents and families to attend!  This is a short morning commitment (we will work on scheduling times to accommodate everyone as much as possible!).

Saturday, May 16th- 8th Grade Kings Island Performance Trip!

-The 8th grade band gets up bright and early to perform for adjudicators at the Music in the parks competition in the morning at a nearby school, then spends the rest of the day celebrating  with the Band, Choir, and Orchestra students.

There is a fee for this trip.  Please note, we will not turn any student away that wants to participate in this trip:

Student Fee $77.00 (Includes morning performance, MPMS Music T-shirt, and Ticket to the park for the day)

Parent Chaperone Fee $39.00 (Includes morning festival and ticket to the park for the day)

*WE NEED PARENT VOLUNTEERS!  I’ll be sending out paperwork for individuals looking to come with us soon.  Parents volunteering will have some additional paperwork to fill out.  We will NEED a minimum of 15-20 parents to come along with us to ensure our students have a fun and SAFE trip that day.

MARK YOUR FAMILY CALENDARS–

UPCOMING MPMS BAND EVENTS

-Every Tuesday from 3-4pm: MPMS Jazz Band (Open to 7-8th Grade)

-Saturday, April 11th: Solo & Ensemble Contest @ Heritage MS (8th Grade)

-Tuesday, May 12th: Spring band Concert (Grades 6-8 + Jazz Band)

-Saturday, May 16th: 8th Grade Band King’s Island Trip!

See you soon!

Mr. Laswell

January 11th, 2025

Bye Bye Semester 1! New Year, New Us!

This past Friday was the official conclusion of Quarter 2 and Semester 1.  All grades are put in, and a vast majority of our students did a stellar job at getting things turned in on time!  Can you believe that we’ve been through an entire half of the 2025-26 school year at this point?  This year has flown by and the second semester has a ton of great things happening.  Please find your child’s grade band below and do not hesitate to reach out to me regarding any of the below information.  Go Panthers, Go Band!

Tomorrow, January 12th, is a “B” Day!

Make sure your instruments, books, and all materials are ready to go this week!  If you’re having trouble meeting this expectation, please reach out to me so we can work on it together!

WELCOME Ms. Hall!

This semester we welcome a new face to the MPMS Band department.  Your student will have a student teacher in the classroom, who will lead class, collaborate with myself and other staff members, all while polishing her teaching toolbox before graduating from Capital University in May.  Here’s a short introduction from Ms. Hall:

Hello Minerva Park Band Parents,

My name is Sandra Hall, and I am currently in my final semester at Capital University. I am thrilled to be joining Minerva Park this semester as a student teacher and am truly looking forward to working with your students.

A little about me: I grew up in Hilliard, Ohio, and am a proud graduate of Hilliard Davidson High School. My primary instrument is the flute, and I have served as the Manager for the Winds and Percussion Camp for the past two years and most recently worked as the flute and oboe coach for Capital’s Cadet Band. I also recently completed my high school observation experience at Westerville North High School. Outside of music, I am a big coffee person and love to read. I also have a half blind cat with my roommate, named Zayda. 

I am very excited to get to know your students and to support them throughout this semester. Thank you for welcoming me into the Minerva Park band community, and I look forward to a wonderful semester!

Come see Ms. Hall during either of our Parent-Teacher Conferences or a student performance soon!

6th Grade Band

I’m going to be 100% honest with you here…I was really worried when we got back to school.  After the 2nd day of class last week I reassured that we have the best 6th grade band around.  We got the hang of things again, remembered fingerings, and helped each other out and sounded great!  You tried new things, learned new things, and made some great adjustments and sound great!  Last week we continued our development of dynamics, learned a new note, and read and practiced musical slurs (pages 15-16).  A new practice log was given to all students, and is YELLOW.  This is due in February, please do your best to stay on top of these this quarter.

Action items:  All 6th Grade students should be working on song #58 (This Old Man), #61 (Hey, Ho!, Nobody’s Home), and #64 (Frère Jacques).  These three songs touch on everything we worked on last week….the kids are doing great!  Song #58 will be our first playing test in a week or so, please make sure to keep working hard on that one in particular 🙂.

7th Grade Band

Like the 6th grade, we’re now a couple classes in and starting to get the hang of things again.  Make sure we have all required materials (binders, pencils, instruments, etc.) to ensure we can all be our best TOGETHER as a team as we continue through the quarter.  Last week we introduced “Brace for Impact”, a nice fast-paced piece that will be a great opener for our spring concert in May.  Most classes were able to get to around Measure 35.  Don’t worry if you can’t yet…we’re doing just fine!  Take your time, write things in to help, and stay focused…you’ve got this!

Action Items: “Brace for Impact”- m. 1-35 refresh for this week.  If you want to keep going, go for it!

Seating tests will be completed this semester (we have two per year), more info on this in the coming days!

8th Grade Band

This group has hit the ground running.  We took a few days to get the dust out of the horns, and they are REALLY starting to play, wow!  I’ve been really impressed.  The students were given two pieces last week, “Snakebite” and “Blue Sky Horizon”, which they will take to the Kings Island Competition in May.  Two more pieces will be programmed in the coming weeks.

Events for 8th grade only:

SO MUCH for you guys going on this semester.  I want to make sure that you and your guardians are up to date on all the exciting things happening this semester.  It’s going to be busy, but oh so worth it!  We have two events that are for 8th grade only.

Saturday, April 11th- Solo & Ensemble Event (held at Heritage MS)

-every student in the 8th grade band is placed in a smaller ensemble of like-instruments and work on this material during class on designated days.  In April the students perform for judges for an overall rating and get a short clinic from professional adjudicators in the area.  This is an AWESOME experience that all 5 middle schools in Westerville participate in!  There is no fee for this event, and we strongly encourage parents and families to attend!  This is a short morning commitment (we will work on scheduling times to accommodate everyone as much as possible!).

Saturday, May 16th- 8th Grade Kings Island Performance Trip!

-The 8th grade band gets up bright and early to perform for adjudicators at the Music in the parks competition in the morning at a nearby school, then spends the rest of the day celebrating  with the Band, Choir, and Orchestra students.

There is a fee for this trip.  Please note, we will not turn any student away that wants to participate in this trip:

Student Fee $77.00 (Includes morning performance, MPMS Music T-shirt, and Ticket to the park for the day)

Parent Chaperone Fee $39.00 (Includes morning festival and ticket to the park for the day)

*WE NEED PARENT VOLUNTEERS!  I’ll be sending out paperwork for individuals looking to come with us soon.  Parents volunteering will have some additional paperwork to fill out.  We will NEED a minimum of 15-20 parents to come along with us to ensure our students have a fun and SAFE trip that day.

Jazz Band starts back up  on Tuesday!

We meet every Tuesday from 3-4pm in the band room.  All musicians (any instrument) in grades 7-8 can participate!  The front office needs an official list of kids participating, so if you’re on the fence, now’s your chance!  We had a great turnout the last few meetings…looking forward to seeing you this week!

UPCOMING MPMS BAND EVENTS

-Every Tuesday from 3-4pm: MPMS Jazz Band (Open to 7-8th Grade)

-Saturday, April 11th: Solo & Ensemble Contest @ Heritage MS (8th Grade)

-Tuesday, May 12th: Spring band Concert (Grades 6-8 + Jazz Band)

-Saturday, May 16th: 8th Grade Band King’s Island Trip!

Quarter 3, ready set go!!

Mr. Laswell

December 4th, 2025

Due to the snow day and i-Ready testing, I'm sending out another reminder about our Full band rehearsals this Friday and Monday!  Some kids I will not see before the rehearsals, so please help me out by spreading the word and ensuring all of our friends are in attendance.  Have a great rest of your week!

FULL BAND REHEARSALS START TOMORROW :)

FULL BAND REHEARSALS (During the School Day!)

6th Grade

Friday, December 5th, Period 9A

Monday, December 8th, Period 7/8B

7th Grade

Friday, December 5th, Period 10A

Monday, December 8th, Period 1B

The kids are sounding amazing...thanks for your continued support...GO PANTHERS, GO BAND!

Mr. Laswell

November 30th, 2025

It’s Concert Prep Week! OH YEAH!

We are ONE WEEK AWAY from our 2025 Winter Celebration!  I know you're sick of me already with the numerous emails, but I’m so excited and want all of our students to be 100% prepared for Monday's concert.  Please check out all of our reminders and message me with any questions you may have.  Go Panthers, Go band!

TOMORROW, December 1st, is an “A” Day!  

*Since we are so close to the concert it’s okay for the students to leave their instruments at the school.  I would hate for someone to forget when we have our “Full Band’ Rehearsals on Friday!  Make sure you have your instrument properly labeled and in your designated storage location.

6th Grade Band: Practice Logs were due last week.  Please turn them in ASAP for credit!

Full Band Rehearsals- Starting Soon!

I-Ready Testing starts this week…so I will not see all of our students for the same amount of time as we prepare for the concert.  Please ensure your student has their instrument at the school.  I will only see each class ONCE before we meet together for Full band Rehearsal this Friday (6th and 7th grade).  Students will be handed a special “band pass” to use for these rehearsals.  All of your teachers know about these, but a kind reminder wouldn’t hurt 🙂.

FULL BAND REHEARSALS (During the School Day!)

6th Grade

Friday, December 5th, Period 9A

Monday, December 8th, Period 7/8B

7th Grade

Friday, December 5th, Period 10A

Monday, December 8th, Period 1B

WINTER BAND CONCERT- Monday, December 8th- 7PM in the MPMS Gymnasium

All grade levels will perform on Monday, December 8th.  Concert performances are required, graded events for all students in grades 6-8.  Entry to the concert will be through Door #4 (side entrance near the big(ger) parking lot.  Parking is also available at the front of the school as well as across the street at Hawthorne Elementary.  The elevator will be available for family members who need it to get down to the gym.

 6th Grade

● 6:30 pm- Meet Mr. Laswell & Ms. Cogar in the GYMNASIUM.

● Leave instrument cases, jackets,etc. in the BAND ROOM (129)

● Sit in your assigned seat, make sure you have your instrument/binder with you!

7th Grade

● 6:30 pm- Meet Mr. Chapman & Mrs. Cichon in CHOIR ROOM (135)

● Leave instrument cases, jackets,etc. in the CHOIR ROOM (135)

● Sit in your concert row for warm up/tuning.

● Make sure you have your instrument/binder/music with you!

8th Grade

● 6:30 pm- Meet Mr. Porretta in the BAND ROOM (129)

● Leave instrument cases, jackets,etc. in the BAND ROOM (129)

● Sit in concert rows for warm up/tuning

● Make sure you have your instrument/music with you!

CONCERT ATTIRE:

• Students should wear black bottoms & a white top.

• White button-down shirt with a black/dark tie or white blouse. Black skirt/dress (knee length or longer) or black dress pants. NO JEANS! Black socks (if worn) & black shoes.

*Students need their instruments and binder. Nothing else is needed for the performance 🙂

UPCOMING MPMS BAND EVENTS

-Tuesdays MPMS Jazz Band (Grades 7-8) 3:00-4:00pm in Band Room

-Monday, December 8th- Winter Concert (All Grade Levels)- 7pm in the MPMS Gymnasium

I’m excited to finally show off these amazing students to you all.  Have an amazing week!

Mr. Laswell

November 12th, 2025

Good afternoon MPMS Band Fam!

The official pickup day for our fundraiser is this tomorrow, November 13th immediately after school.  We do not know the exact time frame that the delivery will be made, but it’s usually sometime in the late morning/early afternoon.  Myself, Ms. Cogar, and Mr. Chapman will be in the music wing that day assisting with pickup until 6pm.  Please enter through Door #4, we’ll be in Room 129 (Band Room) with the boxes ready to go!  In most cases, kids will be able to take their boxes with them on the bus to take home.  However, some of you sold tons of stuff (which is awesome), and will need a parent/guardian to come to the school to help get them home.  Many of the items will need to be refrigerated that evening, so please make arrangements to pick up your items and deliver them to your buyers.  If you have questions concerning this please let me know!   For students who won prizes, your prizes will come inside the shipping boxes when you pick up your orders.  If you have issues with your order (items missing, etc.) just email us and we’ll work with the company to get the items.  It happens every year, so if we catch it early you should have your items in a reasonable amount of time.

See you tomorrow,

Mr. Laswell

November 9th, 2025

Our Winter Concert celebration is less than a month away!!

Good evening everyone.  Lots of important information in this email.  I know my messages can sometimes be long-winded, but with over 200 kiddos involved (and over 800 emails in this email list), we have many stakeholders who make this program run.  Please read everything to ensure we’re all on the same page for our end of quarter events!

TOMORROW, November 10th, is an “A” Day!  

Be prepared every day, our concert is less than a month away!

“A” Day kids- 10 more classes!

“B” day kids- 9 more classes!

Fundraiser Pickup- Nov. 13th!

The official pickup day for our fundraiser is this Thursday, November 13th immediately after school.  We do not know the exact time frame that the delivery will be made, but it’s usually sometime in the late morning/early afternoon.  Myself, Ms. Cogar, and Mr. Chapman will be in the music wing that day assisting with pickup until 6pm.  Please enter through Door #4, we’ll be in Room 129 (Band Room) with the boxes ready to go!  In most cases, kids will be able to take their boxes with them on the bus to take home.  However, some of you sold tons of stuff (which is awesome), and will need a parent/guardian to come to the school to help get them home.  Many of the items will need to be refrigerated that evening, so please make arrangements to pick up your items and deliver them to your buyers.  If you have questions concerning this please let me know!   For students who won prizes, your prizes will come inside the shipping boxes when you pick up your orders.  If you have issues with your order (items missing, etc.) just email us and we’ll work with the company to get the items.  It happens every year, so if we catch it early you should have your items in a reasonable amount of time.

Congratulations OMEA Honor Band Students!

This past Saturday, 6 of our amazing MPMS Band students spent the day rehearsing with over 150 middle school band students from across central Ohio.  They had a chance to have sectionals with professionals in the area, meet lots of awesome new faces, eat some great food, and perform to a standing room only concert in the Westerville Central Auditorium.  It was an amazing concert and the kids represented themselves, our district, and our school so well!  Congratulations to all involved!

For more photos, please- CLICK HERE.

WINTER BAND CONCERT- Monday, December 8th- 7PM in the MPMS Gymnasium

All grade levels will perform on Monday, December 8th.  Concert performances are required, graded events for all students in grades 6-8.   GREEN Student concert sheets were passed out Friday, and will be sent home with our “A” day students tomorrow.  I also have the concert sheets attached, and also in Schoology. 

 6th Grade

● 6:30 pm- Meet Mr. Laswell & Ms. Cogar in the GYMNASIUM.

● Leave instrument cases, jackets,etc. in the BAND ROOM (129)

● Sit in your assigned seat, make sure you have your instrument/binder with you!

7th Grade

● 6:30 pm- Meet Mr. Chapman & Mrs. Cichon in CHOIR ROOM (135)

● Leave instrument cases, jackets,etc. in the CHOIR ROOM (135)

● Sit in your concert row for warm up/tuning.

● Make sure you have your instrument/binder/music with you!

8th Grade

● 6:30 pm- Meet Mr. Porretta in the BAND ROOM (129)

● Leave instrument cases, jackets,etc. in the BAND ROOM (129)

● Sit in concert rows for warm up/tuning

● Make sure you have your instrument/music with you!

FULL BAND REHEARSALS (During the School Day!)

6th Grade

Friday, December 5th, Period 9A

Monday, December 8th, Period 7/8B

7th Grade

Friday, December 5th, Period 10A

Monday, December 8th, Period 1B

CONCERT ATTIRE:

• Students should wear black bottoms & a white top.

• White button-down shirt with a black/dark tie or white blouse. Black skirt/dress (knee length or longer) or black dress pants. NO JEANS! Black socks (if worn) & black shoes.

*Students need their instruments and binder. Nothing else is needed for the performance 🙂

UPCOMING MPMS BAND EVENTS

-Thursday, November 13th-FUNDRAISER PICKUP (Room 129) from 3:00-6:00pm

-Tuesdays beginning November 18th- MPMS Jazz Band (Grades 7-8) 3:00-4:00pm

-Monday, December 8th- Winter Concert (All Grade Levels)- 7pm in the MPMS Gymnasium

See you soon, GO PANTHERS!

Mr. Laswell

November 2nd, 2025

It’s already November!?

I blinked and we’re a month away from our first concert!

Good evening Panther Band families!  Not a ton of new information this week, but I wanted to touch base to check in with everyone and remind them of our upcoming events that celebrate our kids and their musical achievements.  Concerts and live performance are a vital part of our program, and we’re excited to share this with you soon.  Please reach out if you have any questions whatsoever.  Go Panthers, GO BAND!

IMPORTANT A/B Day Schedule for this week!

TOMORROW, November 3rd, is an “A” Day!  The following day (November 4th) we are off school due election day (Teachers will be in professional development that day at the school).  Since Tuesday is a scheduled day off, that will make Wednesday, November 5th, a “B” day!  Please mark this in your calendar so you bring your instrument and materials to school on the correct days.  See you this week!

Quick Fundraiser Updates

At this time we are no longer accepting any fundraising orders.  We were notified by our fundraising rep that our initial pickup date (week of November 10) may need to be adjusted.  This is due to the government shutdown and how it has negatively affected shipping procedures for companies like FedEx (whom our company uses primarily…of course!).  As soon as I have concrete information I’ll share that with families.  For students who won prizes, your prizes will come inside the shipping boxes when you pick up your orders.  If you have additional questions regarding the fundraiser please reach out and let me know.  The music department did a stellar job on the fundraiser!

MPMS Jazz Band Begins Soon!

Starting Tuesday, November 18th we will host our very first Jazz Band meeting in the band room.  The MPMS Jazz Band meets on Tuesdays from 3-4pm.  This club is open to ALL musicians at MPMS in grades 7-8th.  Hope to see YOU there!

WINTER BAND CONCERT- Monday, December 8th- 7PM in the MPMS Gymnasium

All grade levels will perform on Monday, December 8th for the Minerva Park school community, showcasing their skills for a live audience.  Student concert sheets (which includes all important report times and full band rehearsal details) will be sent home by week’s end.  We are just a little over a month away from our first performance and we cannot wait!!

CONCERT ATTIRE:

• Students should wear black bottoms & a white top.

• White button-down shirt with a black/dark tie or white blouse. 

• Black skirt/dress (knee length or longer) or black dress pants. NO JEANS! 

• Black socks (if worn) & black shoes.

• *Students need their instruments and binder. Nothing else is needed for the

performance 🙂.

UPCOMING EVENTS

-Saturday, November 8th- OMEA Middle School Honor Band Concert- 3PM @Westerville Central 

Congrats again to our select students who will be representing MPMS this weekend:

• Aiden Tilger, Trombone (8th)

• Austin Walther, Trumpet (8th)

• Ava Davis, Clarinet (8th)

• Anzila Poudel, Euphonium (7th)

• Miles Meeker, Percussion (7th)

• Tyler Long, Trombone (7th)

-Tuesdays beginning November 18th- MPMS Jazz Band (Open to all 7-8th grade musicians!).  3-4pm in Room 129!

-Monday, December 8th- Winter Concert (All Grade Levels)- 7pm in the MPMS Gymnasium

Let’s make it another great week!

Mr. Laswell

October 19th, 2025

That’s a wrap on Quarter 1!

Our Winter Concert will be here before you know it!

I have been so incredibly impressed with our students during the first quarter here at MPMS.  All of our students have been working so hard…I know you’ll be impressed with them at our first band concert on December 8th. Concerts are a vital part of our programs, and are required, graded performances for our students.  Please read all the info below to ensure we’re all ready to go for another 4 day week at MPMS!

Tomorrow, October 20th is the last day to turn in any last minute assignments.  Let’s not let Band Class be a deterrent for your student!  Reach out to me if you have any questions about this!

TOMORROW, October 20th, is a “B” Day!

FUNDRAISER FORMS & MONEY ARE DUE TOMORROW!!

I will be at the front of Door #4 tomorrow morning with a large box for form drop offs.  

Make sure you have a few things ready to go:

1. Your form has the student’s name, and everything is legible!

2. Money for all orders, and that your QR Code/Online orders are NOT written down (you’ll be charged for double orders if you do this!).  Only your in-person/cash orders are to be written down on the form.

3. Lastly, make sure your awards are filled out, otherwise the company will pick your reward for you 🙂

WINTER BAND CONCERT- Monday, December 8th- 7PM in the MPMS Gymnasium

It’s hard to believe but it’s time to start talking about our first concert of the year!  All grade levels will perform on Monday, December 8th for the Minerva Park school community, showcasing their skills for a live audience.  Student report times, dress, etc. will be sent home with your student in the coming weeks, but I wanted to remind our families of our performance obligations at the end of the semester.  Looking forward to seeing and hearing our amazing students, and I know you’ll be impressed as well!  Stay tuned for further details.

6th Grade

PRACTICE LOGS ARE PAST DUE.  The practice log is worth fifty (50) points,which is roughly 40% of your child’s grade.  Incomplete/missing forms have been marked as incomplete in Schoology/PowerSchool.  Extras are in the band room (purple sheet), and extras can also be printed from our Schoology page.  Fill it out and turn it in, PLEASE.

Practice logs happen twice per quarter, and are a large part of your child’s grade.  A new one (blue) will be passed out in class this week for the first half of Quarter 2.  If you have any questions about this please let me know.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

The following students from our 7th and 8th grade bands have been nominated for the 2025 OMEA District 15 Middle School Honor Band:

Aiden Tilger, Trombone (8th)

Austin Walther, Trumpet (8th)

Ava Davis, Clarinet (8th)

Anzila Poudel, Euphonium (7th)

Miles Meeker, Percussion (7th)

Tyler Long, Trombone (7th)

The students above will rehearse with over 100 other middle school students from around Central Ohio and perform an afternoon concert on Saturday, November 8th at 3pm.  The concert and rehearsals will be held at Westerville Central High School.  We’re so proud of you and know you’ll represent our school well!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Monday, October 20th- Fundraiser Order Forms & Money DUE

Saturday, November 8th- OMEA Middle School Honor Band Concert- 3PM @Westerville Central HS

Monday, December 8th- Winter Concert (All Grade Levels)- 7pm in the MPMS Gymnasium

See you soon for another awesome 4 day week!

Mr. Laswell

September 28th, 2025

Happy Sunday MPMS Band Family!

3 Weeks to go until the end of Q1!

Things are grinding along in the MPMS Band program, with lots of great music making happening!  Playing tests are complete, music is programmed, and all of our amazing students are working hard.  September and October are difficult months of the school year, and can very much be a ‘grind.’  I’m looking forward to the latter end of the semester when things really start to click and the reward of our first public performances take place!  It may seem like forever away, but our Band Concert in December will be here before you know it!  I’ll have important dates at the end of each email going forward so make sure to check it out…Go Panthers!

TOMORROW, September 29th, is a “B” Day!

6th Grade

The amount of improvement I’ve witnessed in our 6th grade classes has been nothing short of impressive!  The best part of it is that your kids are coachable and WANT to learn and grow each day…which certainly helps!  Great improvement in the classroom has a lot to do with great kids, but it also can only work with support at home.  THANK YOU for supporting your children as they go from HOT SQUEAK BUNS to Hot Cross Buns .  Hopefully you’ve heard that song a time or two at home!

Each class has learned up to their first 5 notes (through page 9).  The biggest hurdle of many of our kids at this time is note recognition.  Feel free to quiz your kiddo on which note is what (lines/spaces), and have them model the correct fingering for you.  Just like reading words on a page from left to right, they’ll learn music the same way.  Music and literacy go hand-in-hand!  

Don’t forget, PRACTICE LOGS were passed out a few weeks ago, and will be due the last week of the quarter:

*Practice Record will be due the second class of Week 10 (10/15 B day, 10/16 A Day)

If a student loses their practice record I always have extras in the band room and also attached in our Schoology Page.  Grades at this time are up to date.  If you have any questions or concerns whatsoever about your students and the band class please do not hesitate to reach me at LaswellJ@westerville.k12.oh.us.

I’ve worked on finalizing the rosters for programs and school publications, you can find the full 6th grade band roster HERE.  Please check spelling of first and last names, I primarily used PowerSchool to do this.  If you need anything changed please let me know and I’ll make the proper corrections.

7th Grade Band

All MPMS 7th Grade Band Students have completed their playing tests, seats have been ‘seated’, and we’ve begun to really dig into two of their concert selections for the semester.   There is always a big ‘glow up’ in terms of music difficulty and student responsibility from 6th to 7th grade, and their music parts have a lot more interdependence than in 6th grade.  The music is notably more difficult, so we’re making adjustments and grinding to get the music ready to go for the concert in December.

7th Grade Rosters can be found HERE.  Please check spelling of first and last names, I primarily used PowerSchool to do this.  If you need anything changed please let me know and I’ll make the proper corrections.

For your listening, and for the students at home that are practicing, here are the December Concert selections as of this date:

“War Hammer”- Jeremy Smith

War Hammer (band)

“Whirling Novas”- Jack Wilds

 "Whirling Novas" - 2019 MS Symphonic Band Region XIV

  “Deck The Holidays”- Rob Romeyn

Deck the Holidays! A Holiday Flourish for Band

Depending on timing we may be able to add a 4th song, stay tuned!

8th Grade Band

We have our first public performance this week!  Friday, October 3rd the 8th grade band will play in the Fall MPMS Pep Rally!  We are privileged to be at a school that celebrates their fall activities and arts programs in this way, and I’m proud to show off our kids this week!  All 8th grade students are encouraged to wear BLACK that day!  We’ll be playing through our “Middle School Band Night” music as well as our “Songs For Band” Pep Rally shorties during the rally.  All 8th grade students will play at the start of the rally, and stay seated with the band during the event.  If you are in a fall sport, after we play at the beginning you may go be with your team.  Cheerleaders are excused from this performance, as they’ll be dancing along with the band and can’t be in two places at once .

8th Grade Rosters can be found HERE.  Please check spelling of first and last names, I primarily used PowerSchool to do this.  If you need anything changed please let me know and I’ll make the proper corrections.

Semester music selections for the 8th grade band (feel free to practice along at home to these recordings, we’d love to hit these tempos by December!)

“Scorpion!”- Richard Saucedo

Scorpion! by Richard L. Saucedo

“Zero to Sixty”- Tyler S. Grant 

ZERO TO SIXTY by Tyler S. Grant (Concert Band; Gr. 1½) | Recorded by the Atlanta Wind Symphony

“Metal Bell Carol”- Brian Balmages

Metal Bell Carol, arr. Brian Balmages – Score & Sound

Fourth piece- TBD

Let’s make it an incredible week, capped off with a great performance Friday!

Mr. Laswell

September 14th, 2025

Hey MPMS Band Fam!!

Can you believe we’ve arrived at the Interim of Q1?  Crazy!

Grades are due tomorrow by the end of the day (for the Interim reports).  If you have specific questions regarding your child’s grade in class please do not hesitate to reach out!

TOMORROW, September 15th, and an “B” Day!

Another AWESOME set of Friday Night Lights performances by our MPMS students at both Westerville Central and Westerville South for “Middle School Band Night” on September 12th! 

 I have photos and videos from both nights posted HERE.  If you have additional photos you’d like me to add to the folder please let me know and I’ll add them.  BRAVO to all who came out and performed, you did amazing!

6th Grade

We continue with our instruments again this week.  All classes at this time have learned their first three notes.  We’re on pages 5-6 (some classes took a  peek at pg. 7) of their “Sound Innovations” white band method book.  PRACTICE LOGS were passed out during Friday’s Class.  These serve as a tool to keep our kids practicing at home and to develop good habits outside of class.  Students in beginning band classes receive these twice per quarter, and are a large chunk of their overall band grade.  To receive full credit students have these signed by a parent/guardian and turned in on the last week of the quarter.  Just like any activity/sport, practicing and repetition of skills will make the band class more engaging and fun, and we’ll all get better TOGETHER.  If a student loses their practice record I always have extras in the band room and also attached in our Schoology Page.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions regarding this portion of your child’s band experience.  They’re all doing great and have positive attitudes, let’s keep this momentum going!

Reminder:

Your instrument (whether you own it or borrow from the school) goes home with you every day you do not have band class.  Don’t let your instrument get lonely here at school over the weekend…bring it home to practice 🙂

7th Grade Band

All MPMS 7th Grade Band Students began their playing tests last week. We plan to finish them by tomorrow, then we’ll post our seats and learn some new music!  If you haven’t tested yet, your measures are below.

Flute- M. 23-39

Clarinets- M. 23-39

Alto Saxes- M. 15-31

French Horns- M. 23-31

Trumpets- M. 23-31

Trombone/Baritone/Tuba- M. 39-47

Percussion- Lines 1-4 in your 'Snare Technique Packet'

8th Grade Band

All MPMS 8th Grade Band Students began their playing tests last week. We plan to finish them by tomorrow, then we’ll post our seats and learn some new music!  If you haven’t tested yet, your measures are below.

*In addition to their piece selection, each student will play one scale (Bb or Eb) chosen by the director.

Flute- M. 41-47

Clarinets- M. 37-44

Alto Saxes- M. 1-8 + 31-37

Trumpets- M. 1-8 + 31-37

Trombone/Baritone/Tuba/Bari Sax/Bass Clar- M. 64-End

Percussion- TBD in class

GO BAND, GO PANTHERS!!

Mr. Laswell

September 7th, 2025

Happy Sunday MPMS Band!

Another great week at MPMS awaits!

Music making continues at MPMS this week!  Please read all of the information below to ensure we’re all on the same page heading into this week. Go Panthers!

TOMORROW, September 8th, and an “A” Day!

BRAVO to our MPMS 7th-8th grade students who performed at WNHS for “Middle School Band Night”  

I was super impressed with how our students represented themselves and our school at North this past Friday.  Everyone looked great and sounded even better. I’ve attached some photos and videos into THIS FOLDER for you to check out.  The kids did great!

If you missed it you have another opportunity to perform with a high school band at either Westerville Central or Westerville South this Friday, 9/12!  I’ll forward along details from both directors as soon as I get that info.

6th Grade

Last week we had our first week of instruments in class.  So far, everyone is doing their best to exercise PATIENCE while we get our bearings and learn how to play together. There are a few things that I need every 6th grade student (and parent) to remember going forward that we ALL can have a successful week:

1. Your instrument (whether you own it or borrow from the school) goes home with you every day you do not have band class.  Students must practice their instrument at home.  Practice logs will be distributed this week . Playing an instrument in band requires key muscle memory and repetition, work that simply can’t happen only during your band class. I wish I could see all my band kiddos everyday, but alas we’re on an A-B schedule.

2. Students need to have all materials for class. This includes their instrument, their white “Sound Innovations” band method book, their 3 ring binder, and a pencil.  I’ve been lenient on grading the first few weeks while we learn our procedures, but now it’s time to “lock in.” You cannot learn at the same time as your classmates without your instrument, which only puts yourself and your teammates behind. Let’s get it done!

3. Be very careful with your instruments.  If something breaks or "doesn't fit right”, please do not try to fix it at home or by yourself. Bring it to me and I’ll help…most times it’s an easy fix that I can adjust at school and avoid an expensive repair and delay in your child’s band experience.

4. Lastly, be supportive of one another. Everyone in the class is a beginner, and we’re going to sound like beginners for a while.  Even putting the instrument together most days is a process. Continue practicing patience, it’ll get better with time.

Parents: Thank you for supporting your child through their band journey.  It’s going to be amazing!

7th Grade Band

All MPMS 7th Grade Band Students will have their Q1 playing test this week.  Students will play a selection from "War Hammer," a piece we are rehearsing in class.  We complete quarterly tests to keep our students practicing their instrument outside of class, and to assist in choosing music and parts that are appropriate for our students to succeed.

'A' Day Students- Friday, 9/12

'B' Day Students- Thursday, 9/11

Flute- M. 23-39

Clarinets- M. 23-39

Alto Saxes- M. 15-31

French Horns- M. 23-31

Trumpets- M. 23-31

Trombone/Baritone/Tuba- M. 39-47

Percussion- Lines 1-4 in your 'Snare Technique Packet'

8th Grade Band

All MPMS 8th Grade Band Students will have their Q1 playing test the week of 9/7.  Students will play a selection from "Scorpion," a piece we are rehearsing in class.  We do quarterly tests to keep our students practicing their instrument outside of class, and to assist in choosing music and parts that are appropriate for our students to succeed.  We’ll begin our playing tests on Wednesday, 9/10.

*In addition to their piece selection, each student will play one scale (Bb or Eb) chosen by the director.

Flute- M. 41-47

Clarinets- M. 37-44

Alto Saxes- M. 1-8 + 31-37

Trumpets- M. 1-8 + 31-37

Trombone/Baritone/Tuba/Bari Sax/Bass Clar- M. 64-End

Percussion- TBD in class

MPMS Band Handbook/Syllabus

During the first week of school we distributed the 2025-26 Band Handbook, which includes all important information regarding our program.  Most importantly, it has our concert dates and field trips listed in the calendar.

I’ve begun placing grades into the gradebook.  ‘Zeros’ have been placed as placeholders, so that parents know what needs to be turned in. 

Let’s make it an amazing week, GO PANTHERS!

Mr. Laswell

August 31st, 2025

What’s Up MPMS Band Fam!?

We’ve made it through two full weeks of school!

7th and 8th grade students have begun clearing out the dust and cobwebs from their horns, and music is being made.  We’re grinding, remembering fingerings, and “how to band.”  Either way you look at it, it’s great to be back and I’m excited for what’s in store for these groups.  Guess what 6th graders?? IT’S INSTRUMENT WEEK!  That’s right, all of our beginning band students begin bringing their instruments to school the first class after Labor Day.  6th grade instruments go home every day they don’t have band.  Practicing must be done at home (more on the practice logs at a future date, but know that they’re coming...muhahah!).  Lebron didn’t wake up one morning and decide he was going to hoop…same goes for us…practice keeps our skills sharp and ready to grow together as a group.  Please read all the below info to ensure we have another successful week!

6th Grade Students

It’s “Instrument Week!”  Students who are renting or own their own instrument need to bring their instrument to school on days they have band class.  I’ll be near the band room door to help you get things in and settled…every one will have a spot!  Come in with patience and we’ll get it done.

6th Grade “Case Day”

The first day you’ll need your instrument is:

>>Tuesday, September 2nd- “A Day”<<

>>Wednesday, September 3rd- “B” Day<<

*Going forward you’ll need the instrument every day that you have band…YES it goes home each night 🙂*

7th and 8th Grade Students

An email was sent out earlier last week with information regarding the 2025 Middle School Band nights that are hosted at all three of the Westerville High Schools.  This is open to all 7th and 8th grade band students in the district.  7th grade students must be accompanied by an adult, and the adult must have a completed volunteer form (needs to be completed every school year if you did one last year).  The forms and additional information can be found HERE.  On the flyer you’ll see a Google form for sign up and information to contact the High School directors if necessary.  Remember, I’ll give every confirmed student extra credit for attending and performing at the game 🙂.

MPMS Band Handbook/Syllabus

During the first week of school we distributed the 2025-26 Band Handbook, which includes all important information regarding our program.  Most importantly, it has our concert dates and field trips listed in the calendar.

The first ‘Big' grade for all students in the MPMS Band program is turning in the Handbook.  I’ve begun placing grades into the gradebook.  ‘Zeros’ have been placed as placeholders, so that parents know what needs to be turned in.  I’ve attached the handbook to this message if your child did not bring one home. I’ll ensure that I have a few extra in class as well.  The biggest thing is recording the performance dates for your class and talking them over as a family.  Band is a family that all works together to achieve a common goal, and we need everyone 🙂.

Let’s make it an amazing week, GO PANTHERS!

Mr. Laswell

August 17th, 2025

Happy Sunday Band Fam!

Congrats on an awesome first few days of school!

Last week I was able to meet 99% of our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade band students.  We have over 200 kids in the band program this year,so if I don’t remember your name in the first few meetings, cut me some slack :).  We were able to do introductions, go through the MPMS Band Syllabus/Handbook (I have it attached), and talk about what it means to be in the Minerva Park Band Program.  Very soon our classroom will be filled with valuable music learning, and we have another ‘logistical’ day or two before we get to it.  Please read through everything to ensure we’re all on the same page heading into our first full week of school.

MPMS Handbook 2025-2026

Music & Arts Flyer

When do I bring my instrument?

6th Grade- You’ve got some time still.  With 90+ kiddos starting this year in 6th grade we’re going to take our time to ensure everyone has an instrument before starting.  We’ll be visiting (and re-visiting) note-reading basics, and doing some fun music activities to get us all on track before the instruments all come in.  Check below for your official “go time.”

6th Grade

The first day you’ll need your instrument is:

>>Tuesday, September 2nd- “A Day”<<

>>Wednesday, September 3rd- “B” Day<<

7th & 8th Grade- The first day you’ll be playing THIS WEEK!

>>8th Grade- Tuesday, August 19th<<

>>7th Grade “B Days”- Tuesday, August 19th<<

>>7th Grade “A Days”- Wednesday, August 20th<<

Obtaining your instrument- Now’s the time!

This pertains mostly to our 6th grade students.  There seems to be some anxiety surrounding getting your instrument.  You have a little time, however the discussions and action need to take place as soon as you can.  The turnaround time for some instrument orders can take 1-2 weeks.  The district typically uses Music and Arts in Uptown, however there are many reputable music stores in the surrounding area.  I’ve again attached the store’s information should you choose to use them.  If you and your family need assistance obtaining an instrument, I’ve begun the process of getting them for students and families who have reached out or expressed this in class.  If you have any questions regarding this please let me know!

MPMS Band Handbook/Syllabus

Last week during class we distributed the 2025-26 Band Handbook, which includes all important information regarding our program.  Most importantly, it has our concert dates and field trips listed in the calendar.

The first ‘Big' grade for all students in the MPMS Band program is turning in the Handbook by Friday, August 22nd with a parent/guardian signature.  I’ve attached the handbook to this message if your child did not bring one home.  I also have several extras in class.  The biggest thing is recording the performance dates for your class and talking them over as a family.  Band is a family that all works together to achieve a common goal, and we need everyone .

This is going to be a busy yet incredible year for the students in the MPMS Band Program, I can’t wait to see what they can accomplish!  Do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns, and have an awesome week.

Musically Yours,

Mr. Laswell