Month: September 2019

Band students have Practice Cards this year. Based on the How To Practice handout, the Practice Cards are due every two weeks and give musicians a means of tracking their efforts towards improvement and assist in reflecting on their contribution towards the ensemble. It is not about how much time is spent, but how effectively time is spent. The first Practice Card is due the week of September 30 and will be accepted through that Friday.

Please help your child remember to tag the card and record the material they work on. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

I’d like to take a moment to officially welcome Ms. Caswell to the DW Poppy Music Department. She will be joining us to teach Choir, Musical Theatre, Vocal Jazz and the band/choir programs at Wix-Brown and Coghlan.

We’ve just completed our first full week here at Poppy and there are a few things we need to update everyone on:

1. The Student Info and Expectation Forms (19|20 – SIUoE Form) that have not been submitted are now due. Please print one off and send it in Monday if you have not yet so that everyone is clear on our school concert dates and other music activities this year. The handbook is available online if you haven’t seen it come home yet (or you are a 11/12 and are viewing only online).
2. Startup Materials Orders will be placed midweek so please ensure you have paid for the required and optional purchases that apply to your child. Payments for startup item are still on SchoolsCashOnline and deadlines have been extended to Tuesday for:
   • Stick Bag Packages ($85)
   • Band Folders ($27.50)
   • Sound Innovations Book II ($10)
   • Senior Choir and Band ties and scarves ($25)
3. There are playing assignments for Band 8, Band 9, Band 10 and Junior Jazz due during their first class next week. Assignments are posted to their individual webpages along with reference recordings and other class information. Please ensure your child pulls their instrument out for a few minutes this weekend to prepare!
4. CareerLife Education 9 is now running in the Band 9 class. These students have their first assignment due Thursday, September 19. All assignments will be available through the CLE 9 page this year.
5. Please remember to save the date for the DW Poppy Music Parents AGM on Wednesday, September 25. We will start at 8:00pm (after the grade 8 and 12 parent nights conclude) and we aim to run 30 minutes or less but we need your help to ensure a great experience for your kids this year.

Thanks so much for your support of you child’s music education. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Ms. Caswell (Choir 8-12, Musical Theatre 8-12, Poppy Vox 10-12) or myself (Band 8-12, Jazz Band 8-12) via email.

Have a great weekend!

 

It has been a busy week here in the Music Department. If you have not heard yet, Mr. Ablitt has left for a position closer to home in Surrey. We found out a week before school started so it has been a different startup this fall. Mr. Follett will be taking over the Band 9/CLE class this year I hope to be able to announce our new Choral Director and band/choir director at Wix-Brown and Coghlan shortly.

With the change in staff, there were a few edits missed with this year’s handbook caught after classes yesterday but the full corrected 19|20 – Handbook is available online here. We will be announcing tours next week (but sadly, we won’t be back to ConBrio Whistler this year as indicated in the first version of the handbook).

ACTION ITEMS: Your child needs your help with the following few things to get their year in music rolling.

1. DUE ASAP: The need their instrument at rehearsal every class from now through the end of the year. If you haven’t got their instrument yet, please make that happen as soon as possible. Please let me know if you need support.
2. DUE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13: SchoolsCashOnline order for Band Folders (Band 8’s and replacement orders), Sound Innovations Book II (Band 8’s and Band 9 replacements) and Senior Uniform Ties and Scarves (Grade 10’s and 11/12 replacements)
3. DUE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13: Please complete and return your child’s 19|20 – Student Information and Understanding of Expectations Form
4. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 – SAVE THE DATE: After the grade 8 and grade 12 parent nights will be our DW Poppy Music Parents AGM. I strongly encourage all new families to attend for a brief overview of the program and plans for the year. Poppy Music had over 50 parent volunteers involved last year that helped make the program so successful. I look forward to seeing everyone there.