"Common Times" Weekly Newsletter 11/1-11/5
Happy Halloween Wildcat Band Family!
I am continually amazed with our students and parents. You all continue to rise to the challenge and exceed all expectations! Thank you for parents for getting your students to and from where they need to be and especially for the late pick ups these last two weeks for the football games. Thank you to the students who work hard and put on a band-tastic concert this past Tuesday!! I'm proud of each and everyone of you!!
This week will be a much quieter week with the only after school events happening being all-region sectionals. Please remember that these sectionals are required for all 8th grade band students as we only have a few left before all-region concert band auditions on December 11th.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
-Mr. Jones
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We will kick off our final fundraiser of the semester this week. We will be selling 6" red poinsettias. All orders are due no later than November 11th so we can get our orders to Westwood Gardens by end of day on the 12th. Poinsettias will be delivered to WJHS on December 1st and ready to be picked up by the end of the day. The band room will be open until 5:30pm for parents to pick up the orders.
We only have 275 poinsettias reserved this and need to sell all of them. If you have an order larger than 3, please email Mr. Jones so I can keep a running tally of our orders. Cost of poinsettias are $12. $4.85 of each sale will go to the student's CHARMS account to pay for band related expenses.
You can order digitally by going here: https://forms.gle/3HXWBJ4BsPtiYu6X6
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Here is a fantastic option from Amazon:
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Instruments go home every single day and that it's vital for student progress to practice no less than 15 minutes per day, 5 days a week. Please help your band student find time at home to practice and beef up their musical muscles! Students are welcome to practice in the band room before school on A days as early as 7:30am (just come knock on the back band room door) and can stay any day there is a scheduled after sectional until 4:30 to practice in a practice room.
HINT: Students have SOMETHING to practice and prepare for every class even if it isn't a playing test. To be successful, students should be practicing regularly.
What a 15 minute practice session should look like:
2 minutes - Long Tones (F-Remington, Scales in whole notes, pg. 7 of Embouchure Boot Camp)
2 minutes - Lip slurs and buzzing for brass instruments. Chromatic scales or finger exercises for woodwinds.
2 minutes - scales for accuracy and increased speed with great tone.
7 minutes - assignment (focus on a small goal to noticeably improve a difficult part)
2 minutes - pick ANYTHING you enjoy playing
For a 30 minute practice session the above times can simply be doubled
If your student is "bored" with what we are currently doing in class and wants more of a challenge, reach out to me and I will get them some more challenging material to work on.
If your student is struggling with what we are doing in class, please reach out as I have many resources available to assist students at all levels.
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If you are available, PLEASE sign up for a shift tonight as our high school bands have their fall concert. We will need lots of JH parent help on Friday, November 12th for the first play off game as BHS will be traveling to compete in the Bands of America Grand National Championships. So, if you could sign up for a shift, we'd greatly appreciate it! junior high game or the high school game. The concession stand is the single largest fundraiser for the Bentonville Bands. Funds from this help to offer band feeds, purchase new instruments, provide financial assistance to band families and scholarships for students to attend summer band and music camps. It takes a village!
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All-Region Sectionals
Normal schedule of sectionals this week.
No percussion.
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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! We have set aside $1000 for lessons this year. We can also help pay for additional lessons and offset the cost of lessons for families who need financial assistance in this area.
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 were not in class the last year and a half due to covid.
Students who just began playing this year
Students who want to get better
EVERYONE
To sign up for a free lesson:
Contact Mr. Jones so he can track who is taking the exploratory lessons
Contact Arkansas Music Conservatory to setup a lesson 479-268-3307 call or 479-430-2226 text
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Support the WJHS Band AND make your life easier! It's a win-win for everyone. Fundshine is an online service that allows you to purchase paper and plastic goods that will shipped directly to your home. Spot checking prices come in a little cheaper than from local stores plus a portion of sales comes back to the band twice a year. Even better, you can sign up to have recurring shipments so you get set it up and forget about it. Also, family and friends can use this service anywhere in the US! :)
Check it out by going to www.fundshine.org,support the band and make sure your pantry is always stocked!
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To stay in the know be sure to follow us on your social media platform of choice: Facebook, Instagram or Twitter - @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.
Have a band-tastic and short week everyone!
Musically Yours,
