Band Calendar and Event Information

Edgar Allan Poe Middle School Band Department 7000 Cindy Lane * Annandale, Virginia 22003 Band Calendar and Event Information Grades 6 8 2015-2016 Poe Middle School Band Directors Mr. Scott C. Niehoff and Mr. Zac Gomez Band Room Room E8/E2 Mr. Niehoff 703-813-3826 / Mr. Gomez 703-813-3949 sniehoff@fcps.edu / zagomez@fcps.edu CONNECT WITH THE POE BANDS! ON THE WEB: www.poebands.org ON FACEBOOK: Poe Middle School Bands ON TWITTER: @PoeMSBand

SECTIONALS AND AFTER SCHOOL REHEARSALS Attendance is mandatory at all sectionals. Participation in sectional rehearsals on a consistent basis is vital to giving a successful performance. Sectionals are a necessity so the directors can solve problems unique to a specific grouping of instruments without other students having to sit in rehearsal needlessly. Sectionals will be held after school on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays). If a student must miss a sectional rehearsal, a signed note from a parent is required. A monthly band calendar stating upcoming sectionals, full band rehearsals, activities, and performances will be posted in the band room and made available to all band students. Students will be given as much advance notice as possible. If a student must miss an after school rehearsal, a signed note from a parent is required two weeks before the scheduled rehearsal. If a student needs to work with another teacher, please schedule that work at a different time. CONCERTS AND FESTIVALS Participation in concerts and festivals scheduled for each band is mandatory per Fairfax County Public Schools regulations. (Regulation 3866) Check the band calendar in the back of the handbook for your respective performances. Students that miss a performance due to personal illness or a family emergency will be expected to present a note from home upon their return to school and complete a make-up assignment. FESTIVAL DESCRIPTIONS All-District Honor Band: Individual musicians (grades 7 and 8) from middle schools in our district, audition for a chair in this honors ensemble on the second Saturday in December. Students who earn the right of participating in this honor band, rehearse under a guest conductor and perform during the first weekend in February. (February 5-7, 2014) Any non-beginning student may participate in these auditions. Students interested in auditioning should obtain audition music and information from the director in the fall. There is an audition fee of around $5.00 to audition for this event. It is the student s responsibility to practice the audition music, be serious about the audition, and work their best to achieve the best quality musical product. If any student does not show up to his/her audition, they will not receive a refund of their money. Auditions are scheduled for Saturday, December 12, 2015 at West Potomac High School in Alexandria. Auditioning for this ensemble is optional, however, all Symphonic Band members will need to practice this music as it will be a chair test in December after the Winter Concert. Virginia State Band Assessment Festival: On March 11 and 12, 7th and 8th grade bands from Fairfax County middle schools participate in the Virginia Music Educators Association s District Ten Band Assessment Festival, held at Carl Sandburg Middle School in Alexandria, VA. All bands prepare and perform three pieces of music, along with sight-reading for a rating from four adjudicators (judges). This festival performance is the most important concert of the year as it is the band/music equivalent to the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. Both the Symphonic Band and Concert Band 2 will participate in this festival and is MANDATORY per FCPS Regulation 3866. Concert Band 2 will perform on Friday, March 11 and Symphonic Band will perform on Saturday, March 12. Solo and Ensemble Festival (Grades 6-8): This district-wide festival takes place on Saturday, April 23rd at Twain Middle School in Alexandria. Students from our Virginia Music District (1/3 of FFX County, Alexandria City, and several private schools) perform a solo or in small ensembles for an adjudicator (Judge), who will give a rating based on the student s performance. Students receive written comments and a rating (superior, excellent, good, fair, and poor) for their performance. All band students, including beginners, are eligible and strongly encouraged to participate. Each student who receives a I (Superior) or II (Excellent) rating will earn a medal which will be distributed at our Spring Band Awards Dinner in June. There is a small fee to participate in this event. (About 400 student musicians participate in this festival each year.)

8th GRADE BAND NIGHTS (Grade 8 only) Each fall, all 8th grade band members who will attend either Annandale HS or Falls Church HS as freshmen for the 2016-2017 school year will attend a home football game and play their instruments in the bleachers with their own award-winning Marching Band. 8th Grade Band Night is designed to educate and inform all students about the marching band in hopes they will sign-up to be a part of the marching band program as 9th graders. ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL 8th grade Band Night will be September 25 th vs. Woodson HS. FALLS CHURCH HIGH SCHOOL 8th Grade Band Night will be September 25 th vs. Wakefield HS. Pep Band Music or Stands Tunes will be provided to the students and will need to be practiced before the event. All 8th grade students are required to attend their future high school s game due to it being co-curricular per FCPS Regulation 3866. All students need to bring their instruments and music. Each student will receive an 8 th Grade Night T-shirt that they will need to wear that night. Students need to secure their own transportation to and from the high schools. SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL COMPETITION Spring Trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania Friday, May 6, 2016. (Concert Bands and Symphonic Band) Every year, the Poe Music Department takes a one-day trip to a music festival, held at a theme/amusement park and is where the Symphonic Band and both Concert Bands play in front of judges and compete against other schools in the region for awards and ratings. This year s destination is the Music Competition in Hershey, PA on Friday, May 6, 2016. If any or all of the non-beginning 7th and 8th grade bands develop an appropriate skill and commitment level during the school year, they will be allowed to participate. This is an optional trip, but all students are encouraged to participate to recognize our each band s full potential. Any student who demonstrates a pattern of classroom or school-wide discipline problems, or absences from sectionals, full band rehearsals, and/or performances (concerts) will not be permitted to participate in this trip. All students will be excused from school this day, but will need to complete any missed assignments for all classes. The Spring Trip Letter and payment coupons will be given to each student shortly. Please pay $25 by the first of each month for October, November, December, January, February, March, and April.

HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND (8 th Graders Only) Marching Band is one of the best experiences you will have in high school. It is one of the most visible ensembles and is a co-curricular ensemble that meets outside of the regular school day. They perform at all home Varsity football games, Homecoming Parades, and Marching Band Competitions/Assessments (both in and out of the state). The band begins rehearsals approximately three weeks before school starts with annual pre-season rehearsals. Marching Band teaches cooperative skills, group dynamics, commitment, dedication, time management, the rewards of effort, the joys of friendship, and allows a deeper understanding of music and expression from a more physically rewarding approach. Through this activity, students will learn the values of strong work ethic, accountability, responsibility, leadership, sacrifice, and pride. Marching Band is taught as a co-curricular course, per FCPS regulation 3866, but membership in the color guard and front ensemble is open to the entire school as an extra-curricular opportunity. Outside rehearsals and performances are an important and required element to the continued success of the marching band. Instrumentation is at the discretion of the instructor.

Poe Band 2015-2016 Performance and Event Calendar **Parents, please put these dates on your calendar. All performances and after school rehearsals are mandatory as a part of your child s band curriculum per FCPS regulation 3866.** All After School Rehearsals will be posted on www.poebands.org and the band hall bulletin board at least two weeks in advance. September 8 th GRADE BAND NIGHT MONTH 24 Back-to-School Night (6-7:30 p.m.) 25 8th Grade Band Nights at Annandale HS and Falls Church HS. Report time 5:00 p.m. to the High School Auditoriums. October MUSIC DEPT. FUNDRAISER MONTH 1 Spring Trip Deposits due. 5-19 Poe Band Parents Association Fundraiser (Pies and Cakes just in time for Thanksgiving!) 19 ALL FUNDRAISER ORDERS AND MONEY DUE! November FUNDRAISER DELIVERY MONTH 11 (Wed.) - Pie/Cheesecake Fundraiser Delivery - Delivery Time 2-6 p.m. December HOLIDAY CONCERT MONTH/ALL-DISTRICT BAND AUDITIONS 7 (Mon.) 7/8 Grade Concert Bands Winter Concert (Concert Bands and Symphonic Band) 7 p.m. (@Poe Cafeteria) 11 (Fri.) 6th Grade Band to US Air Force Band Holiday Concert (@DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C.) 12 (Sat.) All-District Honor Band Auditions (West Potomac High School) 17 (Thurs.) Performing Arts Winter Assembly (Symphonic Band Only) 8:00 a.m. (@Poe Cafeteria) 18 (Fri.) Annandale HS Music Department Holiday Tour to Poe Middle School (@Lecture Hall) January 2015 WORKSHOP/ALL-DISTRICT JAZZ/6 th GRADE BAND CONCERT MONTH 20 (Wed.) All-District Jazz Band Auditions (@Hammond MS Alexandria) 21 (Thurs.) 6 th Grade Bands and 7 th /8 th Grade Beginning Band Winter Concert #2 7 p.m. (@Poe Cafeteria) 28-30 (Thurs Eve-Saturday pm) All-District All-Star Jazz Band (@Episcopal HS - Alexandria) February ALL-DISTRICT CONCERT BAND/PRE-ASSESSMENT FESTIVAL CONCERT MONTH Feb. 4-6 All-District Honor Band Event (@Hayfield Secondary School) 16-Mar 2 Poe Band Parents Association Winter Fundraiser TBA - Symphonic Band Mandatory After School Rehearsal with the SCORE Program. (@Poe Band Room) 23 (Tues.) Annandale Pyramid Pre-Assessment Festival Band Concert (Symphonic Band Only) 7 p.m. (@Annandale HS) March DISTRICT CONCERT BAND ASSESSMENT MONTH (Mandatory) 1 (Tues.) Poe Band Pre-Festival Concert (Concert Band 2 and Symphonic) 7 p.m. (@Poe Cafeteria) 11 (Fri.) District MS Concert Band Assessment (Concert Band 2) 3 p.m.- 8 p.m. (@Sandburg Middle School) 12 (Sat.) District MS Concert Band Assessment (Symphonic Band) 10:00 a.m.- 4 p.m. (@Sandburg Middle School) April SOLO AND ENSEMBLE MONTH 6 (Wed.) Spring Trip Final Balance Due! (Concert Bands/Jazz Band/Symphonic Band) 15 (Fri.) Hokie Hope Day in Honor of Poe and Annandale HS alumna Mary Karen Read, Clarinetist. 23 (Sat.) Solo and Ensemble Festival (@Twain Middle School) 26 (Tues.) Spring Trip Chaperone Meeting 7 p.m. (Music Wing) Chaperones must attend. May SPRING CONCERT/SPRING TRIP MONTH 2 (Mon.) Chamber Ensembles perform at the 3 rd Quarter Honor Roll Assemblies. (During the day in the Lecture Hall) 2 (Mon.) Concert Bands Spring Concert #1 (Concert Bands and Symphonic Band) 7 p.m. (@Poe Cafeteria) 4 (Wed.) Concert Bands Spring Concert #2 (6 th Grade Bands and 7 th /8 th Gr. Beginning Band) 7 p.m. (@Poe Cafeteria) 6 (Fri.) Music Department Spring Competition Trip to Hershey Park (Concert Bands and Symphonic Band) June SPRING SHOWCASE and AWARDS MONTH 1 (Mon.) All High School Marching Band Intent Forms and Deposits are due. 4 (Sat.) POE BAND CAR WASH 14 (Tues.) Poe Music Department Spring Showcase 7 p.m. (Poe Cafeteria) 16 (Thurs.) Spring Band Awards Dinner 6:30 p.m. (Poe Cafeteria) August HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND CAMP/RETREAT WEEKS 8-12 (Monday-Friday) and 15-20 (Monday-Saturday)

Poe Band Parents Association PARENT VOLUNTEER Sheet Fill out, sign and return to Mr. Niehoff/Mr. Gomez by Friday, September 11. Parents, Congratulations! You are now a part of the Poe Band Boosters Association (PBPA)! In order to have the Poe Band program running smoothly, volunteers are needed!! We ask that you please help make it the most fulfilling experience possible for your son or daughter. Review below where help is needed and sign up to help where you can. We can t do this without you! Please note that anyone who helps with uniforms before a concert will receive reserved seats for their family in the first row of the audience. Name: Email: Phone Number: Student s Name: Committees: Fundraising Committee Helps with the implementation, collection, and distribution of our annual fundraisers. Equipment Crew Helps take equipment to the band room after performances. Car Wash Committee Helps serve by working shifts at our annual Car Wash fundraisers. Uniform Committee Helps students with their bow ties and cummerbunds before and after concerts. Reception Committee Helps organize and implement receptions after concerts & the Awards Banquet in June. Advertising Committee Helps in advertising our performances/events in local news media and to surrounding schools. Student Supervision Committee Stands with non-performing bands at concerts to help with crowd control and monitor behavior so the performing band and audience don t have distractions from students. Spring Trip Chaperone Participates in the annual Music Dept. Spring Music Competition by riding the charter buses to and from the performance area and Hershey Park, keeping a group of students under your supervision to make sure all rules are followed throughout the event, passing out snacks, helping students with their uniforms, and helping where else there is a need. I am interested in volunteering for the following committees: Fundraising Committee Uniform Committee Student Supervision Committee Equipment Crew Reception Committee Car Wash Committee Advertising Committee Chaperone the Hershey Park Spring Trip on Friday, May 6, 2016. (Student Fee $130; Chaperone Fee $60) (Only 7 th /8 th Grade Concert Bands and Symphonic Band) Any other special skills or talents you would like to volunteer to the band, please explain here:. DONATION OPPORTUNITES: (We always accept donations of any kind.) Donate money to the PBPA. (Amount attached: ) (Tax Deductible) Make checks out to Poe Band. Donate an old instrument to the Poe Band Program. (Tax Deductible) Donate used tuxedo shirts/black skirts, pants, or shoes.

HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SHEET Fill out, sign and return to Mr. Niehoff/Mr. Gomez by Friday, September 19. Student Name: Grade T-Shirt Size: Instrument: Band Period: Band Name: Address: City: Zip: Mother s Name: T-Shirt Size: Father s Name: T-Shirt Size: Mother s Home Phone: Cell Phone: Work Phone #: Father s Home Phone: Cell Phone: Work Phone #: Mother s e-mail: Father s e-mail: Student s email: Student s Date of Birth : Language spoken at home: STUDENT As a member of the Poe Middle School Band, I signify that I have read this handbook and understand the class requirements and grading policies. I will work hard and do my best so that all members of the orchestra can have a successful experience in music. Print Student Name Student Signature Date PARENT As parent(s)/legal guardian(s) of this student, I/we understand the class requirements for participation in the Poe Band program, specifically in regard to individual practice, grading policies and rehearsal/concert attendance. Print Parent/Guardian Name Parent/Guardian Signature Date Checklist to help you remember what to turn in: Poe Band Parents Association Parent Volunteer Sheet IBMYP Course Syllabus (Bottom portion only) Handbook Acknowledgement Sheet