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"Common Times" Weekly Newsletter 10/16-10/20



Upcoming Events


Greetings Wildcat Band Families,


I hope everyone is getting an opportunity to sleep in, relax and recharge over Fall Break! Thank you to everyone who came out to the Fall Concert this past Wednesday! We had a GREAT turn out and the all 3 bands played exceptionally well!!! Here is a link to the digital program from the concert.

As we return to school on Tuesday, our focus turns to the Friday Night Football Game Joint Performance on Oct. 27th, The Winter Jazz Dance on Dec. 4th, the Winter Concert on Dec. 6th (both 7th and 8th grade bands) at the Arend Arts Center, and All-Region Auditions on Dec. 9th (required for all 8th grade band students and 7th grade percussion).


We have 2 additional performances that were not on the original calendar.

Sunday, October 29th we are going to take a volunteer pep band to the NICA Mountain Bike Competition in Fayetteville to kick of the race for them. We need a LARGE group to make this successful. More details coming soon. 7th and 8th grade students can sign up here.



Plus, November 9th before school we will perform for the Apple Glen Car Rider line for Bentonville Schools Choose Love Event. Please start making arrangements now to get your students to WJHS by 7:00a.



For a full overview of our calendar for the year you can find it here.

 

While the rest of the district has been on break, the Bentonville Pride has been hard at work. They competed in the Tulsa Union Renegade Review Marching Band Contest on Saturday and did INCREDIBLY well!!


In Preliminary Competition they earned:

  • Outstanding Music

  • Outstanding Visual (tied with Owasso)

  • Outstanding General Effect

  • Outstanding Colorguard

  • 1st Place in Classification 4A

In Finals Competition they earned:

  • Outstanding Music

  • Outstanding General Effect

  • GRAND CHAMPIONS (3rd year in a row)

  • 1st Place with a record breaking score of 86.95

This is HUGE for our program. Bentonville Bands have only been competing in BOA (Bands of America) competitions like this for 11 years. Bands we are going up against have being doing it decades longer. If you haven't seen their show in person, you have only TWO more local opportunities to do so:

  • Tuesday, October 17th - Rogers High School 8:00pm for Region Marching Assessment

  • Tuesday, November 7th - Tiger Stadium 8:00pm (arrive early to get good seats)

"The more you put into it, the more you get out of it."

 

THANK YOU to everyone who has already signed up to help in the concession stands on Friday, October 27th!! We are only 12 spots left to fill. Please please sign up for a spot.

Remember that:

Each student can have up to 2 adults volunteering earning them up to $50 toward band related expenses. These funds can be applied DIRECTLY to the St. Louis Trip

Just be sure to scroll down to the 27th. https://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm?go=s.signup&urlid=10c0f4daaab2fa7fbc25-friday&useFullSite=true#/

Please remember that the junior high bands will be performing in the stands all night on this date. All 7th grade band members who feel comfortable with the pep music are welcome to join us! All 8th grade students will be participating. Here is the itinerary for the evening.

 

If you wanna get reminders, weekly overviews and inside scoop on what's happening in our classes, be sure to check out some of the pics on our Instagram and Facebook pages.

 

Thank you to everyone who has been sending in the band supply fees! That is a huge help! Band Supply Fees are all setup in MyPayments Plus and are available if you prefer to pay online. If you do this, you will have to search for 'WJHS Band' and find the appropriate fee. Fees SHOULD be modified accordingly for students on free or reduced lunch. If that is not that case, please email me so I can look into it as we have had a couple of coding issues in the system to show you the correct fee. You can still send in cash or check made out to "WJHS Band." Thank you for your help!!

 

7 weeks ago we sent home copies of the BSD Junior High Band Handbook Signature Form most of our classes. Please take a few minutes to scan the QR codes on the handbook and calendar to review the information. Then sign and return the form with your student to school. Every student must have this signed and returned. You can review our handbook here. Our calendar can be found here in spreadsheet form.

 

ATTENTION 8TH GRADE BAND AND JAZZ BAND STUDENTS

HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has registered here! We have all students registered or in the final stage of being confirmed.

Please remember that fundraising credits can go towards the cost of the trip. Once a fundraiser ends, we will send a spreadsheet and check from the school to cover the amount to your student's travel account. Please let us know if you do NOT want fundraising applied to it.


Please create your account by going here: https://bobrogerstravel.groupcollect.com/admin/trips/7438

TRIP ID: WASHINGTON0065

Full payment due by January 15th

Need financial assistance in addition to the fundraisers? Please contact Mr. Jones ASAP. We will make it possible for every student who wants to attend to be able to .


If your family, business or you know a business owner who is able to make a tax deductible donation to help students attend this incredible trip, please contact Mr. Jones.


Additional documents and information about the trip can be found here.

 

I greatly appreciate everyone getting signed up for your group the last couple of weeks. Right now we are missing quite a few 8th grade and jazz band students who need to sign up. Parents have signed up but students with phone access need to sign up as well.


Click the appropriate link(s) to download the app and join our groups (Bands).

8th Grade Families - https://band.us/n/aba79ez9XbYfi

7th Grade Families - https://band.us/n/acae96z4X2Y47

Jazz Band Families - https://band.us/n/a7ab96zbYaJeY

 

Concession Volunteer Opportunities!

Sign up to earn $25 per shift per person (Max 2 people) towards band related expenses.

 

Here is our PDF calendar for the 2023-2024 school year.

You can view and subscribe to our Google Calendar of events here.


 

Please take a few moment to review the information below so you are fully prepared for the week ahead.




This week:

  • Monday -NO SCHOOL FALL BREAK

  • Tuesday - "B" Day (Classes 5-7, Priority, 8)

  • 7:45am - Band Room Opens

  • Priority Time - Open Practice for Brass, Saxophones and Percussion

  • 4:15pm - Band Room Closes

  • Good luck Volleyball!! Beat Oakdale!!!

  • Good luck XC at Conference Meet!!!

  • 5:00p - 8th Grade Sax Quartet performs SSB for XC Meet (IYKYK)

  • Wednesday - "A" Day (Classes 1-3, Priority, 4th)

  • 7:45am - Band Room Opens

  • Priority Time - Open Practice for Woodwinds and Mallet Percussion

  • 3:45p-5:00 - Advanced Jazz Band Rehearsal

  • 5:00p - Band Room Closes

  • Thursday - "B" Day (Classes 5-7, Priority, 8th)

  • 7:45am - Band Room Opens

  • Winter Fundraiser Kick Off - Poinsettias and Candles (online order form with online payment option)

  • Priority - Open Band Practice

  • 4:30pm - Band Room Closes

  • Friday - "A" Day (Classes 1-3, Priority, 4th)

  • 7:45a - Band Room Opens

  • Winter Fundraiser Kick Off - Poinsettias and Candles (online order form with online payment option)

  • Priority Time - Advanced Jazz Band Rehearsal

  • 3:45p-5:00 - Advanced Jazz Band Rehearsal

  • 5:00p - Band Room Closes

 

I know we JUST finished the first quarter but I want to put a few AWESOME summer band camps on your radar as it seems we all begin planning and booking vacations earlier and earlier each year. :)


Typically 2nd Week of June - University of Central Arkansas Dixie Band Camp in Conway

June 10th-14th - Bentonville All-City Band Camp (1/2 Day in the morning) at BHS

June 10th-14th - Bentonville All-City Jazz Band Camp (1/2 Day in the afternoon) at BHS

July 7th-12th - University of Arkansas Band Camp in Fayetteville


Also, for our 7th grade families to plan, we will have required summer band rehearsals approximately 2 weeks before school begins. I will be able to give exact dates once the 2024-2025 calendar is approved later this semester; usually around October. The past several years it has been the first week of August.

 

PRIVATE LESSONS ARE AWESOME! They are designed to be fun, engaging, supportive and focused on the individual student.


We have an awesome partnership with Arkansas Music Conservatory where your student can take a lesson or two on US to see what private lessons can do for your band student!


Who should take private lessons:

  • Advanced students who need to be pushed and challenged

  • Students who need some 1-on-1 assistance to learn and master concepts covered in class

  • Students who missed substantial class time due to illness

  • Students who just began playing this year

  • Students who want to get better

  • EVERYONE

 

To stay in the know be sure to follow us on your social media platform of choice: Facebook or Instagram - @wjhswildcatband and/or at www.wjhswildcatband.com


If you have any questions or concerns, please never hesitate to reach out. We are partners in your student's growth and need to work together for them to be as successful as possible.


Musically Yours,







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