Happy Friday Band Fam! We hope you’re having a great end to your summer! Thank you SO much to our Boosters for helping fill holes in our communication while I have been rehearsing with students and in meetings for the past few weeks! I have a few updates for this coming week when school begins!
Class Schedules
We spent rehearsals this week talking with students if we didn’t see them on our class rosters so we could get them in contact with the counselors. Schedules aren’t being altered for the most part, but if you are missing a band class you need to be in one. If you were expecting to be in more than one band class and that didn’t register, please make sure you reach out to the counselor. I do not have control over schedules, but can communicate what I see.
First Day Pep Rally
As we’ve shared, our students have their VERY FIRST BAND PERFORMANCE on the first day of school and IT WILL BE TELEVISED! Yay!! Students received this information in their band app as well. This is an expected performance for the Marching Band, StuGo, Cheer, and Pom.
What to Wear: Boulder Creek shirt or PLAIN black. (Please put it over your school clothes. We don't want you missing too much of your first class. You will be excused tardy to the that class after we pack up) You are welcome to deck out with paint etc if you want, but remember you will be going to class immediately after.
What to Have: Water, Instrument, FLIP BOOK, Lyre (if it arrived otherwise look over a neighbor). Spare Band or BC Shirt for a friend in need?
MONDAY MORNING
6:30 AM Doors Open (DM holds, will not unlock) – set up in arcs
6:40 Warm up in Band Room – Spot check Fireball
6:55 "March" outside
7:00 Start playing in – YOU MAY BE ON TV – Tell your parents to tune in to AZ Family!
7:25 Wrap up and head to band room – change out – pack up – leave your instrument along walls in band room – lockers distributed after forms signed – you are excused tardy to your first hour and it is expected from us, StuGo, Cheer, and Pom.
Binder for Band Class
We also sent a post in the student band app about the binder they need for band classes every year. If they maintain and take of the binder, it could and should last all 4 years and could be a one time purchase. If not, they would need to replace missing parts. This is due in class on Wednesday, August 5th for set up and grade check will be on Thursday (assembly and short classes Friday). Here is what I shared and will be in the handbook link going out next week. Links are examples, not exact requirements. Feel free to buy at the store as well. If they have this from middle school they absolutely can reuse if in working condition.
– 1 inch Black Binder (1 inch only, 1/2 inch is too small, bigger can cause problems on our stands. Black blends in on stand. Please no other colors.) Front plastic insert preferred for front page label – https://a.co/d/02Hnmi7y
– 75-100 Plastic Sheet Protectors – https://a.co/d/07B1l145
– 5 subject dividers with labels – https://a.co/d/0iQNW0Xt
Friday Freshman Assembly
This Friday students will be excused from 2nd hour to participate in the Freshman Assembly. Freshman do not miss the performance portion because they will be attending it and sitting with the band through it. Since we do not have our show shirts year, they will need to wear the same as Monday (BC Band Shirt or PLAIN black shirt). We will post their schedule in band for them and discuss at Thursday’s rehearsal. If a student is absent from school, they are excused from the performance. If a student is present for school, but miss the performance without approval (communication required) their grade could be impacted or a makeup assignment required. Students involved with multiple activities for this assembly (i.e. StuGo or Choir) need to see Broderick earlier in the week to discuss options.
Communications
We want to clarify our points of communication throughout the year.
- Band is a platform I can reach Parents or Students in mass quickly. One parent representative is expected to be in the app for transportation communication and the students must in the app for student communication. We use this during rehearsals, at events (like this past week) and more. Please make sure the notifications are on or it can lead to problems in communication.
- I am not permitted, through district policy to communicate with students one on one in the Band app. If the students have a question or comment related to absence, grade, or anything in the class, please go through the district email or see me in person.
- The Band app is not the place to reach me for questions about grades, absences, or other personal school related issues. Parents are encouraged to reach me through the district email server.
- Boosters/Creek Crew are a form of our communication. Please make sure to review their messages as well when they come through.
- If you are not getting your Band Updates. A backlog of them can be found at bchs.band under the “Band News” tile. Link: https://bchs.band/boulder-creek-band-posts/
Balancing of Ensembles
With school starting, we are about to enter one of the difficult conversations about High School Band – the Balancing of Ensembles. Since the HS band is not the same group of students from MS and ES, these students need to balance to create an appropriately balanced ensemble. This means that some students will be switching instruments, just as it was in Marching. Most of the time this works out for everyone, but occasionally there are concerns so I wanted to document how we do it in class.
- Students get to start be saying what instrument they expect to play based on the placements at the end of last year.
- We look at the number of students in the ensemble, see what instruments we need more of (or need to start) and what instruments we have too many of and share that with the students.
- Students get to have conversations about what they’re willing to try for the good of the ensemble. Students that already made a change in Marching Band are not encouraged to change again unless it’s to maintain the instrument from Marching. Students in a second ensemble usually will be last to fill because they get their choices in their primary ensemble.
- We let the students work out the balance among themselves and send home rental paperwork. This will be maintained for the length of the school year as the entire year is a scaffolded growing point.
- We encourage students that are on a new instrument that want to maintain an old instrument to participate in our after school small ensembles.
Calendar for the Upcoming Weeks
Monday, Aug 3 – First Day / Pep Rally for AZ Family
Tuesday, Aug 4 – MB 5-8 West Field
Wednesday, Aug 5 – School Picture Day
Thursday, Aug 6 – MB 5-8 Stadium rehearsal uniform (black & white) required for DPG
Friday, Aug 7 – Early Release
Tuesday, Aug 11 – MB 5-8 West Field
Thursday, Aug 13 – MB 5-8 Stadium Rehearsal Uniform Required
Friday, Aug 14 – Early Release / Minicamp 3-8 (Times subject to change) – Field practice and Uniform Fittings
Upcoming
Monday, Aug 17 – Flute Choir Begins
Wednesday, Aug 19 – Wind Choreo Rehearsal with Oscar
Saturday, Aug 22 – FB Kickoff at the park – Warner with students – timeline TBA
Monday, Aug 31 – Trumpet Choir Begins
Friday Sept 4 – Brass Choir Begins
Please review the attached and updated calendar as it may have new events or information on it and not yet been transferred to the website.
A message from the Boulder Creek High School My Music Office Account.
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