April 5, 2020 Dear M100 Family, We hope everyone is safe and healthy. As you probably know by now, Belton ISD has closed all campuses through May 4th. We continue to provide extended learning for band students through Google Classroom and alternate assignments when necessary. Please continue to check your email and the BISD and beltonmarching100.com websites often for updates.
Hope everyone had fun participating in Spirit Week this past week! Thank you to the boosters, Nick, and Sam for their efforts to brighten up our week. Will let you all know when the Fight Song video is ready!
UPLIFTING VIDEO FROM JADEN RUDLOFF: If you haven’t seen it yet, check out this video from our own Jaden Rudloff! https://youtu.be/BdBadyzBoxc Truly a beautiful and inspirational message to Seniors. Thanks for sharing yours and the talents of others Jaden!
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO RETURNED OUR BAND SURVEY! Still missing about 10 replies. Please reply if you haven’t already! https://forms.gle/eynwVNxQZdantNx89
SENIOR SPRING TRIP: Unfortunately, as you may have assumed, we have had to cancel this trip as we are out of school through May 4th and all events/trips are not occurring. We have not discussed a reschedule at this time. I have contacted the trip company and asked them to begin the refund process. Here is their policy regarding refunds: (from the contract) Cancellations due to Governmental Action or Impossibility of Performance: In the event a trip is cancelled or postponed due to the actions of any governmental or civil authority, school or school district, or a cancellation is caused for any other reason beyond the control of American Classic Tours & Music Festivals, LLC, tour participants will be entitled to a refund of monies paid less non-recoverable expenses prepaid or incurred by American Classic Tours & Music Festivals, LLC and the non-refundable booking deposit. I will keep you informed with any new information from this company. They did let me know that refunds would come directly from them to you but I do not have a timeline yet.
BAND PLACEMENT FOR NEXT YEAR
We, the band staff, in accordance with recommendations from Administration, have decided not to hold video auditions this semester for band placement for next school year. Instead, we will place students in the bands that we feel are the best fit for each individual based on assessments and observations we have made throughout the school year. Directors will give counselors their recommendations in the next couple of weeks for band/guard placement for the school year 2020- 2021. We will, however, hold auditions again in December for placement in bands for the Spring Semester of 2021, so some schedule changes may need to occur. A few reasons for this:
A new timeline for band placement results has recently been communicated. We need to get results to counselors about 4 weeks earlier than we had planned previously.
We had originally planned on live auditions including a sightreading component which is not possible at this time. Video auditions are often not the best for auditions AND there is no way to ensure equitability amongst students in regards to video quality, accessibility of internet, practice time-some students are not able to practice as much as others at this time due to increased challenges such as taking care of siblings, working, etc.
Some students may not have their instrument and/or it may not be in good repair and repair shops are not open at this time (to my knowledge). We are also trying to lessen the stress and overwhelming aspects of this pandemic for our students and parents. An audition is stressful enough in normal times. Please remember that these results are not permanent and we will audition EVERYONE again in December provided we return to school as planned for the Fall. Schedule changes are always a possibility if we discover an issue with a student’s placement and we have been able to make changes at several points in the semester when needed.
Placements will be posted to the band website in May. PLEASE ALSO CHECK YOUR EMAIL DAILY! Especially during this time of uncertainty and last- minute updates.
VIDEO ASSIGNMENTS AND PRACTICING: We are making some changes in accordance with our new district policy regarding our extended learning plan. We hope you will find these changes will ease some stress during this time at home. Directors will continue to upload assignments in Google Classroom by Mondays at 9am. Directors will have virtual office hours 2 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, occurring between 12pm-6pm. Check your ensemble’s google classroom class for office hour details. Assignments and/or lessons will be due only on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays for Fine Arts.
UIL MUSIC EVENTS: UIL Concert & Sightreading Contest has been cancelled.
LEADERSHIP APPLICATIONS: Applications and instructions were made available on our band website (click on “Students” tab –password is M100) AND delivered to you through mass email (Charms) on April 1st. It is due to Mrs. Gill on April 17th by 4:25pm. Application is a Google Form. Applications are for Section Leader and Drum Major positions only.
BAND CLASSES FOR NEXT YEAR:
Symphonic 1 is now called Wind Symphony. Now all ensembles will have their own distinct name.
Also – Only WIND ENSEMBLE members may sign up to play a secondary instrument in another band class. The reason for this is that UIL made a rule that if a person performs with the 4th band (for instance), they must then sightread with that band and cannot sightread with any other group that reads the same level of sightreading. So...since the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th bands all read the same level of sightreading (I know – can you believe it?!?!?) then a person who read with the 4th band could not then sightread with the 2nd band (for example). The Wind Ensemble reads a piece two levels harder than the other bands so since it’s a different piece, then they can sightread with the 4th band and the
Wind Ensemble (for example). If this is confusing and you have questions – just email me.
Please keep checking your email and I will also be posting cancellations/rescheduled events on our band calendar on our website.
Thank you and please stay safe and healthy! Let us Directors know how we can help you! Hope to see you all again soon!
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