Welcome to Nieman Elementary Bands

Band announcements- Sept. 23- Oct. 2

by | Sep 22, 2017 |

KMEA & SYMPHONIC BAND ANNOUNCEMENTS
KMEA AND SYMPHONIC BAND MUSIC IS READY!  Please drop by the band room to pick up a copy of audition music for symphonic band and/or KMEA district honor band.  As a reminder (as per SMSD guidelines) all student must audition to be in symphonic band, even if you were in the ensemble last year.  The audition also serves as a seating placement test.
KMEA audition signup by band office.  The actual audition is on Saturday, November 11th at Olathe East HS.  As per KMEA rules, this is only open to 10th-12th graders.  This audition is for the district honor band, which also allows you to audition for the state band in January (if selected).
Sept. 23rd- OP PARADE UPDATES
Due to heat conditions, we are altering tomorrow’s Overland Park parade attire and itinerary.
All marchers, varsity and JV, please wear your show shirt, black shorts (or very dark), as well as your black marching shoes and black socks.  We will NOT be in full uniform tomorrow.  As a reminder, this is a graded/required performance.
Itinerary:
8:15AM- band room opens, load busses
9:00- depart North
9:15- arrive 76th and Floyd, warm up
10:00- parade begins.  PARENTS, WE ARE ENTRY #58 OUT OF ABOUT 120.  The clock tower in DT OP is a great viewing spot!
11:15ish- we finish the parade, load busses and head back to North
11:30ish- arrive at North.
Sept. 25th-October 2nd announcements:
early rehearsals for varsity on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:45AM.
Monday night rehearsal, Sept. 25th from 6:30-8:30PM
SEPT. 29TH- HOME FOOTBALL GAME, also Feeder night, PARENT MEETING FOR SMN INVITATIONAL AND SENIOR RECOGNITION
4:45PM- juniors/seniors (for big brothers/sisters) arrive to greet middle school students, who are arriving at 5:00PM.
5:00- middle school and big brother/sisters eat in parking lot at 5:00PM.
5:15- begin handing out uniforms to all JV and varsity marchers
6:00- ALL JV and varsity marchers rehearse pregame with middle school students on JV field behind the stadium
6:45- pregame show begins
7:00- game begins
7:45ish- halftime show AND senior recognition.  All parents (or escorts) of senior parents should report to the track before halftime begins, in order to watch the show from the track.  We will give you a flower to hand to your child at the conclusion of the halftime show.
AT CONCLUSION OF HALFTIME/SENIOR RECOGNITION, ALL PARENTS SHOULD REPORT TO THE BAND ROOM FOR A MEETING ABOUT THE OCT. 14TH SMN MARCHING INVITATIONAL!  As we are hosting over 2,000 visiting marchers (yes, over 2,000!) we need around 100 parents to make sure everything is covered.  We are looking for all parents to volunteer about 4 hours of their time on Oct. 14th.  We will cover everything in the meeting during 3rd quarter.  The meeting will adjourn before 4th quarter begins.
10:00ish- turn in uniform at conclusion of the game.
OCT. 2ND- SMSD MARACHING FESTIVAL @ SM SOUTH STADIUM (varsity performs, but JV encouraged to ride on bus and help)
2:40PM- drumline and other helpers, load truck after school, then eat dinner on own
5:00-  varsity reports for uniform checkout, should have already eaten dinner
5:40- depart North for SM South
6:10- arrive at South, unload truck, warm up
7:00- festival begins.  Performance order is East, West, North, South, Northwest
8:15- festival ends
Parents- no admission charge.  Seating for North families is the northern most part of the home stands, or on the left hand side if you are looking at the field.  Again, JV students are strongly encourage to attend, this is a great evening!
 
 
 
MISC ANNOUNCEMENTS

REMIND codes.  We use this app for last minute reminders or changes

text one or more of the following codes to the number 81010
varsity: @eg7ha
JV: @jvmarchi
Finally, parents, if you have any old towels that are fairly big and you no longer use them, we are looking for a a dozen or so to protect sound equipment in the truck when we travel to various marching bands.

band announcements Sept. 11th-23rd Bonner Springs fest. and OP parade

by | Sep 10, 2017 |

Students, testing schedule:
Varsity- “Contact” playing memory test will occur on Friday, Sept. 15th or thereafter.  The entire show playing memory test will occur on Friday, Sept. 22nd or thereafter
JV– warmup 1,2,3, pregame, Louie Louie playing and memory tests as announced in class.  Tomorrow’s test is warmup 1 from memory and warmup 2 using music.  We will add memorization tests as we move along throughout the marching season, as announced in class.
Schedule for the next 2 weeks, Sept. 11th-23rd:
Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, early rehearsal for varsity band, 6:45AM.  Monday evening rehearsals Sept. 11th and 18th from 6:30-8:30PM.
Sept. 14th (this Thursday)-  from 4 to 10pm is the fundraiser night at Hy-Vee Market Grille in Mission.  A portion of the proceeds are donated back to the Marching Indians from that evening.
Sept. 21st- Bonner Springs Marching Festival itinerary (all varsity and JV helpers only):
10:30AM- percussion begins loading truck during seminar.
11:15AM-11:40AM- All students eat 1st lunch, then report to band room.
12:00PM- Begin uniform checkout, finish loading truck.
12:45- depart North for Bonner Springs high school, in full uniform.
1:10- arrive at Bonner springs HS, unload truck and prepare for warm-up.
2:10- begin warmup routine
3:05- report to performance gate
3:10- PERFORMANCE
3:20- clinic with K-State staff
3:50- clinic ends, load truck
4:30ish- depart Bonner Springs
5:15ish- return to North, unload truck and check uniforms in.
Parents: the Bonner Springs High School marching festival is at 100 McDanield street, Bonner Springs, KS 66012.  No admission and open to the public.
Sept. 23 (Saturday)- Downtown Overland Park Parade (varsity AND JV)
8:15AM- report to North, begin uniform checkout
9:00AM- depart North in full uniform for downtown OP (74th and Floyd), warm up
10:00- parade begins
11:30ish- parade ends at Overland Park elementary school, load bus and return to North.
11:45- arrive at North, check in uniform.
Parents: If you plan on watching, I would try to get as close as possible to the clock tower in downtown OP.  The parade route runs approx. 80th and Santa Fe, running southwest to the Overland Park elementary school.
 
Other announcements for parents: 
-please continue to use this link to volunteer for various events throughout the marching season.  We still have needs at games and especially marching festivals.
-anyone that has passed the SMSD Tier I parent training, we need 2 volunteers to ride the bus to the Overland Park parade, as well as to Warrensburg.  Please email me if you are willing to ride the bus to either of those events.
I think everyone has done a great job for a packed first 3 weeks of school.  Congrats to all- keep working hard and getting rest when you can!
Mr. Reed

Band Updates

by | Sep 6, 2017 | , , , ,

 

We are off and running in both 5th and 6th grade now! Here are a few updates to keep you in the loop on what we’re doing over the next few weeks:

Fifth Grade:

  • We are using instruments! If you are still working on getting yours, just contact me so I know where you are in that process. If you have any difficulties with this, contact me ASAP.
  • Students should have their instrument, book, and pencil at EVERY rehearsal. This is part of their grade!
  • For the next two band rehearsals at your respective schools, I will meet with smaller, like instrument groups, to teach kids the proper way to assemble, clean, maintain, and make a good tone on their instruments. The schedule below will indicate which kids will meet on which days:
    • East Antioch/Rushton:
      • Thursday, September 7—Woodwinds
      • Tuesday, September 12—Brass/Percussion
    • Santa Fe Trail:
      • Friday, September 8—Woodwinds
      • Tuesday, September 12—Brass/Percussion
    • Nieman/Merriam Park:
      • Monday, September 11—Woodwinds
      • Wednesday, September 13—Brass/Percussion
  • 5th grade students should practice 20 minutes a night, 4-5 days a week. This is VERY important, since our class time is very limited. Building endurance on the instrument and producing a consistent tone can only be achieved with practice–in manageable chunks–spread over several days a week. Please encourage your student to practice!
  • Students should be practicing on their mouthpieces this week! Try timing them to see how long they can hold a tone, and have your brass players play you a “siren”. Expect to hear some “interesting” noises . . . 🙂

 

Sixth Grade:

  • We are working to build our endurance back up, which means students MUST PRACTICE AT HOME! 6th graders should practice for 30 minutes, 4-5 days a week.
  • Our goal is to be caught up to where we finished up in the book last year (somewhere between line #60-70) by the end of September. We should be starting new material first thing in October, if not before that!
  • Look for practice assignments on the band website (www.smnorthbands.org). Click on your school on the elementary drop down menu, and look for the “Sixth Grade Practice and Homework Assignments” button on the right side of your school’s page.

We are really off to a great start, and I’m looking forward to a fantastic year with these kids.

 

band announcements Aug. 27-Sept. 1 and home game itinerary

by | Aug 25, 2017 |

The band continues to work hard and make progress.  Great job everyone!  As we practice perfection with the goal of the entire band not being late, here’s where we stand over the course of our 5 rehearsals this week, with 100+ people:

Number of tardies per section:
clarinet: 2
alto sax: 1
trumpet: 5
trombone: 1
percussion: 2
PERFECT:
FLUTES…TWO WEEKS IN A ROW!!!
TENOR SAX…TWO WEEKS IN A ROW!!!
HORNS…TWO WEEKS IN A ROW!!!
SOUSAPHONES!
Varsity schedule: Early rehearsals beginning at 6:45AM on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.  Monday night rehearsal beginning at 6:30PM.
JV schedule: The one REQUIRED graded early rehearsal this Wednesday, Aug. 30th at 7:00AM on the stadium field.  This is our only chance to integrate ALL classes in order to perform the pregame show two days later.  If transportation is an issue, please let me know ASAP, as we can probably help.  If you are a bus rider, please make other transportation plans for Wednesday.  Thanks in advance!
EVERYONE: Friday, Sept. 1st Home football game itinerary:
5:15PM- begin uniform checkout
6:15- report to rose garden for attendance, in full uniform, ready to play
6:45- pre-game show on varsity field
7:00- kickoff
9:30ish- uniform checkin after game
enjoy 3 days off!

Band announcements Aug. 21-25

by | Aug 18, 2017 |

Varsity band: Great 1st week of rehearsals!  Remember that our first goal was to be perfect regarding tardies for 2 weeks.  As we practice being “perfect” on the goal of no tardies for each section, here’s the breakdown this week (remember this is out of a group of 100 kids):

NUMBER OF TARDIES:
clarinets: 3
trumpets: 2
trombones: 3
sousaphones: 1
percussion: 1
1st week of being perfect:
FLUTES!!!
ALL SAXOPHONES!!!
MELLOPHONES!!!
Upcoming week, Aug. 21-25:
Varsity: early rehearsals Monday, Wednesday, Friday @ 6:45AM.  Monday night rehearsal from 6:30-8:30PM.  FYI- you should attend the evening rehearsal even if you’re gone for some reason due to the solar eclipse.
JV BAND MEMBERS: Please report to the band room Monday night from 6:30-8:30PM for your uniform fitting.  Our first performance is Sept. 1st so we have to move on this.  🙂
Aug. 22- Instrument petting zoo for prospective 5th grade band students.  Any juniors/seniors who can help play a couple pep-band tunes, as well as help demonstrate playing, please report to the band room by 6:30PM in show shirt.  You will be finished by 8:00PM.  Lettering points awarded.
Aug. 25- Permission packets and Charms update due for everyone, varsity and JV.  50 points for each assignment.
 
PARENTS: please see the following information, we really need more help this coming Monday (Aug. 21st) on a variety of projects.  Please try to make this Monday a band night for everyone!
Parents- please read the following opportunities.  Lots of things going on Monday, August 21st!
 
Signup Genius email for JV Uniform Fitting Volunteers – parent help needed on Monday, August 21st.  Plead click the following link if you are available to help.  We have 37 students to fit within a 2 hour time frame!  JV parents, this would be a great time to plug in to help of JV kids!
 
–Monday, Aug 21st at 6:30 – Cooking Crew Meeting– band room!   We need a volunteer crew to help plan, shop and prepare meals for the kids for several events this fall. Booster club funds the expenses.  This is a great way to meet other parents and our great band kids!  Need not be available for every event.  Questions?  – contact Jonna Clifford at [email protected] or 913-530-4746
 
Monday, Aug 21st at 6:30 to 8:30 – Marching Show Prop Crew Meeting – band room!  We need volunteers to help paint and construct props for the show this fall.  Will also be working on putting together a ‘Pit Crew’ to help stage the show and take it down for each performance.  Watch for those details in future communications.
 
-Fund raising for personal accounts – We offer trash bags and HyVee or Price Chopper Coupon books.  Profit on the sale of these items goes directly into your student’s personal account.  These funds can be used for paying annual fees, or accumulated to pay for the December 2018 California trip.  For trash bags – contact Stephanie Jacobson at 913-712-6456 (call or text) or [email protected]      For Coupon books – contact Brandi Salvino at 913-706-4016 (call or text)  or [email protected]
 
 
upcoming booster board meeting dates:  all times from 5:45-6:45PM in the band room
September 19th – Tues – booster meeting
November 6th – Monday – booster meeting
January 9th – Tuesday – booster meeting
Feb 12th – Monday – booster meeting
April 9th – Monday – booster meeting
5th Grade Band Practice and Homework Assignments
6th Grade Band Practice and Homework Assignments
Elementary Band Handbook
Instrument Rental/Purchase Guidelines