GREEN FOREST BANDS 2012-2013

SUMMER/FALL NEWSLETTER

May 2012, Band Director Billy Mere’

Greetings to all students and parents!!!!  I hope everyone is enjoying their summer        and that students are getting some nice time off!       This newsletter is intended for any student and his/her parents that are interested in starting band or continuing band next year.  I write a newsletter every summer so everyone knows what to expect and how to be successful for the entire year!!!

PARENTS:  There should be one letter attached which will include information for whichever band your son/daughter will be in: 6^th Grade Band, 7^th and 8^th Grade Band, or High School Band.  I ask that you PLEASE read the entire letter, for your student’s guaranteed success in band for this school year!!!

If your student wishes to be in band in the fall, please just sign the Middle School/High School Signature Sheet and send it back anytime during the summer, as long as it gets to me before FRIDAY, AUGUST 31.  Please call or write me an email if you have any questions.   

GO GREEN FOREST BAND!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Español:  Por favor de llamarme o escribirme por email si necesita hablarme en Español.  Estoy dispuesto a ayudarle en cualquier manera posible para que su hijo o hija esté en la banda de la escuela.  Mi informacion esta el la ultima pagina. __________________________________________________________________

BAND BOOSTERS

There will be two fall band booster meetings, both of equal importance. The first will be a regular meeting intended for people who will be part of the boosters for the 2012-2013 school year.  The second in a REQUIRED MEETING FOR ALL BAND PARENTS AND STUDENTS.  PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ATTEND, AS THIS DOES CONCERN EVERY ONE OF THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS OF THE BAND PROGRAM.

AUGUST 23 AND 30, 6:30PM

_______________________________

FORMS, FORMS, FORMS!

Please, please, please, make sure you fill out and turn in all required band forms that are attached at the back of this packet.  They are due AUGUST 31ST for all MS and HS students:  

**Parent Form, Signature Sheet, High School Order Form (HS only)

6th Grade Band

 Welcome to all of our band beginners!!  I’m very excited to get started!!!

GENERAL INFORMATION!                                                                                                     If you’re going to be in 6^th grade and would like to be in band, all you have to do is sign up for it when you sign up for your daily schedule for next year during MS Open House or during your scheduling of classes.  You should be getting information about when that is from the school really soon!   

Also, if your parents would like to meet me and talk to me about band, you’re welcome to call me (479-409-0080) and tell me when to be at the band room to meet you and your folks.

MUSIC BOOK!                                                                                                                                  This coming year, the 6th graders will be playing out of the Standard of Excellence Book 1.  This year, the book MUST be purchased - $5 for a used book, $10 for a new book.  First come, first serve!  Please pay Mr. Mere by August 31ST.

SCHEDULE!                                                                                                                    Hopefully we will be able to have 6th Grade Beginning Woodwinds, 6th Grade Beginning Brass, and 6th Grade Beginning classes which are separate.  Unfortunately, we won’t know this until a little later.  Stay tuned and I’ll keep you updated.                                                                                

VERY IMPORTANT:  All 6th graders will to be tested on instruments at the beginning of the year.  After that, you will know which hour to go to band! 

INSTRUMENTS!                                                                                                       PARENTS: Please don’t worry about your son’s/daughter’s instrument selection.  I will discuss with your student which instrument is best for him/her, and also, don’t worry about money for an instrument.  If you want to purchase your own instrument for your student, that’s fine, but it’s not required.  

Most students will be paying a School Owned Instrument Fee.  This means you will only have to pay a $40 fee so you can borrow the instrument ALL YEAR!!! You may think $40 dollars is a lot, but it’s better than buying a new flute for $600!!!

Lastly, if you DO want your student to have his/her own instrument, I recommend buying one from Palen Music Center (Springfield, MO) or Saied Music Company (Fayetteville, AR).  Please DO NOT BUY AN INSTRUMENT FROM A PAWN SHOP OR WAL-MART!!!!  That’s just asking for trouble!

Thanks very much for reading and I hope this has been helpful.  I look forward to teaching your son/daughter next year.  Please call or write if you have questions.

Español:  Por favor de llamarme o escribirme por email si necesita hablarme en Español.  Estoy dispuesto a ayudarle en cualquier manera posible. 

Billy Mere                                                                                                                                                  479-409—0080                                                                                                               bmere@gf.k12.ar.us

Middle School Tiger Band

Greetings to all Middle School Band members!!!  I’m very excited about you guys returning to school and to band!  You did an excellent job last year, and you will have more FUN and learn more skills this coming year!!

GENERAL INFORMATION!                                                                                                           All you have to do before next year starts is make sure that you have an instrument!  Wind players: the sooner you go to the band room and check out an instrument, the better the instrument will be.  You will just have to call or write to me to meet you at that band room.  That way I’ll be there and give you the best instrument possible!

As the official Middle School Band, 7th and 8th graders will play together ALL YEAR!!  You will learn some stand tunes, like Cheer, Fight Song, Smoke on the Water, and a whole lot more!  It will make our school year start off right.                                                                                     

MUSIC BOOK!   

This coming year, the 7th and 8^th graders will be playing out of the Standard of Excellence Book 2.   This year this book MUST be bought - $5 for a used book, $10 for a new book.  First come, first serve!  Pay Mr. Mere by August 31st!

MORE INSTRUMENT INFO!                                                                                                                Next year, there will be a School Owned Instrument Fee to borrow an instrument for our band room, but don’t worry, it’s not that much.  It will be $40 dollars to be able to borrow the instrument for the entire year!  Even if you think $40 is a lot, compare it to buying a brand new flute, which is about $600!!!  Don’t even let me tell you about a brand new Tuba!

Thanks very much for reading and I hope this has been helpful.  I look forward to teaching your son/daughter next year.  Please call or write if you have more questions. 

__________________________________________________________________

Español:  Por favor de llamarme o escribirme por email si necesita hablarme en Español.  Estoy dispuesto a ayudarle en cualquier manera posible. 

__________________________________________________________________

Billy Mere                                                                                                                                                       479-409—0080                                                                                                                          

bmere@gf.k12.ar.us 

DOES THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND GET MORE FUN PERFORMANCES THIS YEAR?

YES!!! WE WILL PLAY AT CONTEST AND AT BALL GAMES!!!!

HIGH SCHOOL BAND

Greetings, High School Band!!!  I hope you are  all having a great summer!  I’m very excited about next year.  This semester, we will once again succeed at Marching Band!!!

MARCHING BAND!                                                                                           

I hope you are looking forward to our show!  It will be an awesome addition to our repertoire!  There will be a percussion feature and hopefully a color guard feature as well!!!  If you want to get the music, come by the band room sometime and pick up your music!

Green Forest Summer Band Camp will be held on:

AUGUST 1st - 

AUGUST 10th, 2012!!!

Here’s the schedule: 

                                                                                                                                     *Winds and percussion will have a one hour lunch break from 12:00-1:00.  Band boosters will provide lunch on both Fridays.

Otherwise, kids should bring money or their lunch.                                                                                       **People who are in both Band and Colorguard will be required to be at Winds and Percussion rehearsal from 9:00am-12:00pm, then they have to do the full Colorguard rehearsal from 3:00pm-7:00pm.                                                                                       ***For outside rehearsals, either wear good tennis shoes or go barefoot.  No sandals or flip flops.  Remember to wear cool clothes, it will be hot!  Drink lots of water throughout the weeks!!!      

   THE 7 DEADLY SINS OF HS BAND!                                                                                                                               

1.  Second Hour - ALL students participating in HS marching band MUST be signed up for Second Hour Band.  No student will be allowed to perform during games and contests if they aren’t participating in band daily.  It will not be enough for you to do Tuesdays after school only.                                                                                                             2.  Second hour time – Second hour this year will be from 8:45-9:45am                              3. Tuesdays after school – Tuesday after school rehearsals will still be applied, starting the first week of school.  Rehearsals are 3:30-5:30 and are required.

4. Tardies – Three tardies to second hour band equal one detention.   Five (5) tardies to first hour band will equal one After School Detention.  Seven (7) tardies will result in ISS for one day.  Anything after that may result in more days of ISS, conference with parent, conference with principal, etc.  NO EXCEPTIONS!!!                                                                    *******5. Marching Band – No band student (including percussion and guard), will be allowed to drop out or “quit” band until after at least the fall semester is over. I will be VERY strict on this rule.                                               

***Attendance – Attendance is required at all rehearsals, football games, contests, concerts, and maybe some basketball and soccer games.                                                                                        

6.  First day of school - On this day, all HS band students will receive a schedule of       when all rehearsals, football games, and contests are and an official GF High School Band Handbook.  I encourage parents to keep it on their refrigerator to not forget when and where students need to be for band.                                                                                                                                                         7. Expectations – Lastly, expectations will still be very high, higher than last year.  Not just with music, but everything, including all responsibility.  Please be prepared to come to rehearsal with a good attitude and a positive mindset to do your very best!  I will be much more demanding about you being responsible.  

PLEASE REMIND MR. MERE:

I know that some of you attend a variety of events during summer, but 

IT     IS   YOUR    RESPONSIBILITY 

to let me know if you will miss any rehearsals. If you told me last spring, please don’t assume that I remember because chances are that I don’t.

HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUMENT INFO!                                                                                                     Next year, there will be a School Owned Instrument Fee to borrow an instrument from our band room, but don’t worry, it’s not that much.  It will be $40 dollars due August 31st.  This fee lets you borrow the instrument for the entire year!  Even if you think $40 is a lot, compare it to buying a brand new flute, which is about $600!!!  

Thanks very much for reading and I hope this has been helpful.  I look forward to teaching your son/daughter again next year.  Please call or write if you have more questions. 

_____________________________________________________________________________Español:  Por favor de llamarme o escribirme por email si necesita hablarme en Español.  Estoy dispuesto a ayudarle en cualquier manera posible.

     Billy Mere 479-409-0080 bmere41@gmail.com                                                                                                                                                  

GF BAND - Parent Sheet

(FOR ALL BAND STUDENTS)

2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR

Please write down your name if you are, or will be, a band parent who is willing to help the band in any way (this is not a contract; it’s just a way for me to know who may be able to help and in what way in 2012-2013).  Thanks so much! :)

Student Name__________________________________________

Parent Name___________________________________________

Student (Circle One) -        MS Student            HS Student

***Capacity in which help may be given to the band -concession stand (ONE GAME REQUIRED), chaperone, volunteer, band booster, fundraising, ideas, special skills.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

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GF BAND - Signature Sheet

(FOR ALL BAND STUDENTS)

2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR

Please sign, date and return if your student plans to be in band during the 2012-2013 school year:  

***IMPORTANT: Signing this sheet also says that parents agrees with and will comply with anything written in the 2012-2013 Green Forest Band Handbook, which will be given to each student the first day of school. 

Student Name_______________________

Students Signature:__________________    Date:________________________________

Parent Name:________________________

Parent Signature:____________________   Date:_______________________________

Student is in (circle one) :        MIDDLE SCHOOL           HIGH SCHOOL 

(This sheet is due on August 31, 2012)

 GFHS BAND - ORDER FORM (HS ONLY)

2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR

Name________________________Phone____________________Grade_____

GFHS REQUIRED ITEMS

1. School Owned Instrument - $40 
2. GFHS Half Time Show T-Shirt- $15
3. Black Marching Band Shoes- New (recommended) $20, Rental $5
4. Black Gloves- $5
5. Drill Chart Bag- $2

GFHS OPTIONAL ITEMS

1. Extra band shirts for friends/family- $15
2. Reeds- $30/box
3. Cork Grease- $2 
4. Valve Oil-$5
5. Sticks-$10
6. Mallets- $25
7. Neck Strap- $10

(QUANTITY AND SIZE IS NEEDED)

___________ GFHS School Owned Instrument ($40) - Instrument ______________

___________ GFHS Black Marching Band Shoes ($20) Size ____________

___________ GFHS Black Gloves ($5) Size _____________

___________ GFHS Drill Chart Bag ($2)

___________ GFHS T-Shirt ($15) S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL

___________ (Optional Item) ___________________________

___________ (Optional Item) ____________________________

__________  (Optional Item) ____________________________

___________ (Optional Item) ____________________________

TOTAL __________________

Make checks to “Green Forest Bands”.      Money due by August 31, 2012