|
||
|
visit the Aledo Middle School Band online at: www.aledoband.com |
|
Aledo Middle School Band Newsletter
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Inside this issue
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Mark Your Calendar: November 2008
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Did You Know? |
Contact InformationAledo Middle School Band |
|
5:00 p.m. (meet at H.S. Parking Lot) 7:30 p.m. H.S. Football Game (approx.) 8:15 p.m. EXTRAVABANDZA HALF TIME (approx.) 8:30 p.m. Released to Parents
AMS Marching Band Performance Mineral Wells HS Football Game October 31, 2008 Since this day is slated as an early release date for the AMS campus I have put together an itinerary for the day for the band kids. I would prefer not to send them home only to draw them back in later the same afternoon. I have lunch for them as well as dinner plans and an afternoon full of activity. Please plan on attending this game. Parents and families will have to pay to get into the stadium (discount tickets are available the Thursday before at all Aledo ISD campuses - Wednesday's at the administration building). You may check out your child once half-time is over. There will be a parent at each bus and you will need to check your child out with their bus parent before you may take them. WE WILL NOT LEAVE MINERAL WELLS UNTIL EVERY BAND MEMBER'S IS ACCOUNTED FOR. Please don't be the one to keep us sitting there. Students need to wear jeans to school on this day. Here is our itinerary: 11:55 am - Early Release (Band Students report to the Band Hall) At the game, please sit next to the band. It is great place to sit for you to be able to hear us and you can also keep people away from our stuff while we are on the field. We will all be dressed in jeans and our band polo shirts (which will be issued after we practice that afternoon). We would love to receive donations of candy so that we can put together a little goodie bag for all the kids who are giving up their Halloween for the wonderful opportunity. If you can donate a bag or two, please send it to school with your student. Sam's and Costco have HUGE bags for the same price as two small bags at Wal-Mart.
Aledo MS Band Parent Meeting October 30 7:00 pm AMS Bearcat Den We will be having our first band parent meeting of the school year on Thursday, October 30th at 7:00pm in the AMS Bearcat Den. This meeting will provide parents with vital information about the band program at Aledo Middle School as well as information about the spring trip and our new Objective Grading System. Entertainment will be provided by the Aledo MS Jazz Band and the Aledo MS Applied Music Class. Please make it a priority to attend this event.
Fall Concert Cancelled We had great plans this year to include all three bands in a Fall Concert on Thursday, October 30th. With the additional concert at the Mineral Wells HS Football Game on October 31st, we will not have the time or ability to learn music to put on a quality concert. Rather than put on something that would not be musical or of good quality, we are not having this performance. This evening will, instead, be used to spotlight two parts of our band that do not get much attention. The AMS Jazz Band and the AMS Applied Music Class will be performing while we take this evening to provide our parents with information about the workings of the Aledo MS Band and details on both the spring trip and the new objective grading system. Please make it a priority to attend this meeting/performance with your band child. Hearing the work of these two fine classes and getting this information will be great for everyone.
 Our AMAZING SPRING TRIP this year will be on May 8 & 9, 2009. We will perform at the Richardson Eisemann Center on Friday, May 8th and then travel to Fiesta Texas for a day of fun on May 9th. This trip is a wonderful experience for our kids. The total cost of this year's trip will be $160.00. That amount may be paid in full at any time. Most parents will pay the trip out in three payments. Here is this year's payment schedule: November 3 - $50.00 (First Deposit) February 2 - $50.00 (account must have $100.00 by this date) March 30 - $60.00 (accounts should have $160.00 by this date) All accounts must be paid in full by April 1, 2009. There will be no refunds available after April 1, 2009. Only partial refunds will be available after the Feb. 2 payment. You will receive a statement of account with this newsletter. If there is more than $50.00 in your child's account you will not need to make the November 3rd deposit.
Scale Challenge 2008 Since September 7th we have been involved in this year's Scale Challenge. The Aledo Middle School Band has adopted a set of 8 scales (or musical patterns) that all of our students must learn. There are an additional 5 scales for our kids to work ahead on. Our goal each year is to have 100% of our students play off all of their scales. To "Play Off" a scale, a student must play the scale for a director with good tone, rhythm and right notes. Some scales are easy, but most require practice to be perfect. With our new objective grading system, we have tried to encourage our kids to pass off several scales each six weeks. We included 4 of the 8 on the first six-weeks objectives and the additional 4 are included on the second six weeks objectives sheet. These are important enough to be included in our grades for the first three six-weeks. In the third six-weeks there will be a major grade added for the completion of all of the 8 adopted scales (on the scale sheet included with the region band music at the first of the year). Additional points will be added for the advanced scales that are not included on that sheet (they are found on page 42 of the Foundations for a Superior Performance Book). Our scale challenge ends on November 7th. A progress report is included with this newsletter so that you may see your child's progress. If you do not see 4+ scales passed off then your child is behind. The deadline is getting close. Encourage your child to practice and pass off their scales. Scales may be passed off after sectionals each week, at lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, before school on Fridays, or at our last Stay-N-Play on October 27th.
Fall fundraiser items should be delivered late in October.
 |
|
This newsletter is a communication of the Aledo Middle School Band. To remove yourself from this mailing list, click here The Aledo Independent School district does not engage in the practice known as “spamming.”
Email addresses are not sold or distributed. |