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Happy 4th of July!
Some quick reminders - If you missed It last week, here Is an update of our upcoming events over the next few weeks: Summer Conditioning - We continue to make progress learning / reviewing our marching and musical fundamentals. Our next session will be held on Thursday, July 8. For the schedule, please check click HERE. A few notes: *Please wear a white t-shirt and shorts / athletic pants and tennis shoes. When the full band rehearses together, Color Guard wears Black and the band wears white to make it easier to distinguish between the groups on the field. No white shirt? We have some old, but unused band shirts you are welcome to take, first come, first served! Any white t-shirt is fine! *If you are out of town and unable to attend make sure to fill out the Attendance Form in advance. *Make sure to arrive in time to be set on in our stretch block at 6 PM. If you are arriving late from another activity, again, please fill out the attendance form. *Make sure to drink plenty of water during the day and bring some to our rehearsal! *This week we will begin our Pass-off system - information can be found in the Canvas Course for Band Members. Uniform Room Organization - Thanks to those who volunteered to help - we'll see you on Monday (July 5)! More information can be found HERE. Band Camp - We are just under a month away from band camp. Band camp Is a fun and essential part of our preparation for the year for ALL of our band members as we learn music and drill for our pre-game and halftime shows along with many other fun activities. General information can be found HERE, and stay tuned for additional updates over the coming weeks. Color Guard Members - please see additional information about your modified schedule HERE. Forms & Fair Share - On June 3 we provided links to essential forms and financial information for our members and families. You can review that information HERE. Our treasurer will routinely send out statements for Fair Share payments. If you have not received one, please contact our treasurer at bvwbbtreasurer@gmail.com so we can verify your email address. This Week Monday, July 5 - Uniform Room Organization, 9-12 Thursday, July 8 - Summer Conditioning Number 3, 6-9 PM Next Week Monday, July 12 - BVW Band Booster Executive Board Meeting, 6:30 PM Looking Ahead Thursday, July 22 - Summer Conditioning Number 4 Thursday, July 29 - Summer Conditioning Number 5 July 26 - 30: Percussion Camp August 2 - 6 & 9 - 11: Full Band Camp August 10 - Tuesday / Thursday evening rehearsals begin With the restrictions in place on our music programs for the past 14 months, it is important that we "stretch out" our musical muscles as we prepare for a more normal school year. We also need to take some time to reacquaint ourselves with our fellow band members, both old and new! To do this, we have several conditioning sessions during June and July.
BVW Band Summer Conditioning Dates Thursday, June 10, 6-9 PM (Woodwind / Brass / Percussion) Thursday, June 24, 6-9 PM (Woodwind / Brass / Percussion) Thursday, & Friday, June 24 &25, 6-9 PM (Color Guard) Thursday, July 8, 6-9 PM (Woodwind / Brass / Percussion) Thursday, July 22, 6-9 PM (Woodwind / Brass / Percussion) Thursday, July 29, 6-9 PM (Percussion - this is part of our regular percussion camp) July, TBA - Color Guard Additional information can be found HERE . I'm going to be out of town / I have a baseball tournament / etc. NO WORRIES! Please fill out the Attendance Form just to help us keep connected and plan for each session. I marched before, are we spending all our time on basics? NO! We do have a pass-off system to help refresh EVERYONE's marching / music skills. That said, Veteran members will move very quickly through pass-offs and work on more advanced skills and music. EVERYONE will also get to enjoy the games and team building opportunities we have planned. I'm worried that I am going to be gone all summer and won't be able to attend any of these. Check out our Marching Band Canvas Course. Everything we will learn before camp is there - and the Leadership Team will also help catch you up! Other questions? Check with a director!  The BV West Bands use the Band App, which is essentially a private social media / digital communication tool for sharing reminders and last minute information about our band program. All students should download and enable this app. Parents and guardians are also welcome and encouraged to join this app as well. Instructions can be found via this HANDOUT. Dear BVW Band Families,
WELOME to the newest members of our Blue Valley West Band Family! We are excited to have you join us! Know that you are in for a fantastic experience! We begin our 2021-2022 band year with our Kickoff Rehearsal and Info Meeting on Thursday, June 3. A reminder that this event is for ALL 2021-2022 Blue Valley West Band and Color Guard Members! See additional information about that event HERE. Parents - we need you! High school band is unique in that parents have opportunities to share in their student's experience from a front row seat! You can learn more on June 3! Summer Conditioning - A reminder that ALL BVW Band students participate in our marching program and get to experience something that makes high school band such a special and unique opportunity! With the restrictions in place on our music programs for the past 14 months, it is important that we "stretch out" our musical muscles as we prepare for a more "normal" school year. Students should attend any and all conditioning sessions and sectionals when in town, HOWEVER, If you are on a trip or scout camp, etc. just let us know - no worries! We have plenty of ways to ensure everyone feels confident before band camp in August! For additional details, click HERE. If you know someone who wasn't sure about joining high school band, please encourage them to come check it out - we're going to have a great time! This Week: Thursday, June 3: Marching Band Kickoff and Parent Info Meeting for ALL Band Students In Grades 9-12. Please see additional information HERE. In the Future: Thursday, June 10: Summer Conditioning Session #1 Thursday, June 24: Summer Conditioning Session #2 See the CALENDAR page for more!  INFORMATION UPDATED - 5/31
We are excited to begin our 2021-2022 band year, and to return to many of our beloved events, experiences, and traditions that make the Blue Valley West Band such a special program! We are also thrilled to welcome our incoming 9th grade students and parents to the BV West Band Family! Our first event is our Band Kickoff and Information Meeting on Thursday, June 3 from 6 - 9 PM. This event Is for ALL Blue Valley West Band and Color Guard students In Grades 9 - 12 for the 2021-2022 school year! A parent or guardian each student also needs to attend this event. Our schedule for the evening is as follows. Exact locations at West will be shared prior to the meeting. We are navigating around some construction projects that are slated to begin after school finishes. 5:30 PM - Band Room opens. Students may begin Instrument check-out 6:00 PM - Parent Welcome Session / Student Activities with Staff & Leadership Team (continues to 8:30 PM) 6:30 PM - Parent Information Meeting with Directors & Boosters 7:15 PM - Forms Fest for Parents 8:30 PM - Performance by the BV West Band on the BVW Band Practice Field 9:00 PM - Event concludes & students dismissed What to wear? What to bring? Students should wear a white T shirt - a BVW or BVW Band shirt is preferred! New students will receive several shirts throughout the course of our season. Wear shorts or athletic pants; socks; and close toed athletic shoes. Students should also bring a water bottle, instrument, and phone. Students who use a school-owned instrument will be issued their instrument at rehearsal. What COVID precautions are in place? Please see our Updated COVID Protocols for Band Events. What are we going to do? Students will get to know their band family and participate in some team building activities while also learning and reviewing visual and music fundamentals. We will give a brief performance at the end of the evening, Parents will also have an opportunity to meet other parents In our program; learn about our schedule and activities; fill out essential forms; learn about program costs and fundraising opportunities; and see their student perform for the first time as a member of the BVW Bands! Is this event required? What If we are out of town? Students are expected to attend all scheduled rehearsals and performances. As with any our events, students should communicate any potential schedule conflicts in advance. Students may use the attendance form located on the band website. All material covered at this event will be available on the Marching Band Canvas course, and the Leadership Team will follow-up as well. All required forms for Parents will be available after June 1. Forms must be submitted prior to your student's attendance at our next rehearsal or event. We are so excited to take these first steps in our next band journey together! We look forward to seeing everyone on June 3!!! At the end of last week, the Blue Valley Schools sent out an updated set of protocols related to COVID mitigation based on current CDC and Johnson County Health recommendations. Additional specific guidance was provided to all activity and athletic sponsors. Beginning June 1, 2021 the following protocols apply to all of our rehearsals and performances:
We acknowledge that our return to a more "normal" rehearsal environment may cause feelings of anxiety or apprehension for some students. Part of that stems from the fact that our band students did a phenomenal job following all required mitigation strategies for the past year, and it may seem "strange" to no longer have these strict rules in place. In addition to the guidelines provided by our local officials, we continue to learn about and follow guidance provided by the NFHS Aerosol study and other professional music organizations. If students or parents have any questions, please visit with one of our directors so we can discuss your concerns. Providing a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for ALL of our Band FAMILY Is our first priority! Dear BVW Band Families,
Congratulations to our outstanding senior band and color guard members in the Class of 2021! We look forward to celebrating you walking across the stage as we perform at the BVW Graduation Ceremony later this evening! We sincerely appreciate your dedication and leadership to the BV West Bands, especially over the past 14 months. Wishing all of you success wherever life's journey takes you next! With that said, a little housekeeping - this will be the final UPDATE that our senior families will receive. We will move you to our alumni list beginning next week. If you would still like to receive BVW Band news, subscribing is as simple as adding your email to the form at the bottom right corner of this page! If you did not receive all of your letters / pins / awards, etc. we will contact you as soon as those are available this summer. We do hope you will continue to follow the BVW Band on social media! That said, alumni are always welcome back and we look forward to hearing from you from time to time! Graduation A reminder that Sunday, May 23 We have one more performance for our 9th - 11th grade students. Please refer to those details in the Graduation performance announcement. Click HERE for additional information. Finals For Final "Exams," all students will need to ensure that they have returned any school-owned instruments, music, folders, and uniform parts. Lockers must be cleaned and inspected, and all financial obligations to the BVW Boosters should be cleared. Students will take care of these items during classes this week and next. Seniors need to finish their "Exam" before their scheduled final time this week. Thank you! We would like to thank all of our band students and family members for welcoming us here to West this year! While there have been many unique obstacles this year, we appreciate the kindness and enthusiasm we have seen on display, especially this last quarter as we finally had the opportunity to play together again! While we think all of us are ready to shut the door on this school-year, we are extremely excited about what lies ahead for the BV West Bands in 2021-2022! This Week: Monday, May 24 LKMS Band Concert Wednesday, May 26 Band Booster Meeting - 6:30 PM Next Week: Thursday, June 3: Marching Band Kickoff and Parent Info Meeting for ALL Band Students In Grades 9-12. Please see additional information HERE. Who: ALL band members in grades 9 - 11. We will perform for the BVW graduation ceremonies. See details below. IF you forgot your instrument at school, the band room at BV West will be open from 5 - 5:30 PM this afternoon before the ceremony. Report Time: 6:00 PM As there will be a large audience present, and limited parking, it is essential that students arrive early to ensure they can be inside the stadium and seated with their instrument and equipment well before our performance begins. Graduation begins at 7:00 PM, and we perform before, during, and after the ceremony. Students will be ready to pick-up after 8:30 PM (TENTATIVE.) Concert Uniform: Nice dress clothes. Examples: Dress pants with a collared shirt (no jeans or leggings,) skirt / blouse, dress, etc. Performance Location: SWIDAC (District Stadium located at 135th and Switzer. See map below.)  FAQ:
What if it rains? In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be rescheduled for Wednesday, May 26 at 6:00 PM at SWIDAC. The band will play. I have a cousin graduating at another school / out of town? No worries! We will certainly excuse students to attend family graduations at other schools. Make sure to communicate with Mr. Love via email BEFORE May 20 so that we can provide an accurate seating chart to the SWIDAC staff. My sibling is graduating from West? Do I still play in the band? YES! Because you will be seated with the band, this means that another family member can sit in the stands, and YOU will have a front row seat to watch your sibling graduate! How do our instruments and music get there? Students are responsible for bringing their instrument to SWIDAC EXCEPT for tuba, bari sax, and percussion students. Music folders will be collected in class and delivered to SWIDAC. Dear BVW Band Families,
Happy Mothers Day to all of the wonderful and moms out there! This is concert week! We are excited to finally share a performance in person! Due to the weather forecast being on the chilly side, and to ensure a comfortable environment for our performers and our audience, we will be moving our concert on Tuesday into the Performing Arts Center (PAC.) Please note that masks are required at all on-campus events, and please maintain distancing between groups seated in the PAC. Food trucks will still be available starting at 5:00 PM - so please come grab a bite and enjoy the show! This Week: Tuesday, May 11 Spring band Concert, 6:30 PM - PAC Food Trucks 5 - 6:30 PM Wednesday, May 12 PRMS Spring Band Concerts - BVW PAC Thursday, May 13 Color Guard Clinics, 7-9 PM Friday, May 14 Jazz Ensemble Concert: 7:00 PM - Oestreicher Forum Next Week: Tuesday, May 18 Color Guard Clinic: 7-9 PM Long Term Reminders May 23 - Band performance at BVW Graduation May 26 - Band Booster Meeting June 3 - Marching Band Kickoff and Parent Info Meeting Dear BVW Band Families,
We are 1 week out from our Spring Band Concerts! Please refer to additional posts in the newsletter and on Canvas regarding details for our Concert and Jazz Band performances! While we are approaching the end of the school year, we are also busily preparing for a return to a more normal summer and fall season for our band program. Please be on the lookout for additional communication and schedule information over the next two weeks to help us finish this year on a high note, and to set ourselves off on the correct foot for 2021-2022! Additional upcoming announcements include:
We appreciate the excellent work all of our students and ensembles have put forth over the past couple of weeks in preparation for our performances. We are so very excited to finally be able to share music in person again! We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming performances! This Week: Thursday, May 6 Color Guard Clinic and Parent Info Meeting: 7-9 PM Next Week: Tuesday, May 11 Spring band Concert, 6:30 PM - Oestreicher Forum Wednesday, May 12 PRMS Spring Band Concerts - BVW PAC Thursday, May 13 Color Guard Clinics, 7-9 PM Friday, May 14 Jazz Ensemble Concert: 7:00 PM - Oestreicher Forum Long Term Reminders May 23 - Band performance at BVW Graduation June - TBA - Marching Band Kickoff |
AuthorBlue Valley West Bands Archives
March 2023
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