Week of November 11, 2019
Band Trip 2021 Informational Meeting — November 11
Join us for an informational meeting to discuss details of the Spring Break 2021 West Bands trip to New York City!
The meeting will be held on November 11, 2019, at 7pm in the F-Room at Oshkosh West. Please enter through door #24 and proceed up the stairs or ramp to the F-Room. This meeting is purely informational; no one will be obligated to travel by attending.
Prior to the meeting beginning at 6:15pm, we will have hot samples of the pizza fundraiser we will begin that night.
The trip is open to all students who will be enrolled in a band class at West next school year and their families. This is a totally optional trip; everyone is encouraged to travel with us, but no one is required.
At the meeting, we will share a tentative itinerary, tentative costs, and fundraising options. Following the meeting, we will begin a fundraiser that will run for the next several weeks.
Don’t let money be an issue! We have had many students pay for their entire trip with fundraising! If you are interested in traveling with us but may have financial barriers, please attend the meeting and learn how we can make it work for your family.
If you are unable to attend the meeting, we will be able to share meeting materials the following day.
HOLIDAY PARADES — HELP STILL NEEDED!
We are proud to have an extremely active Band Parent Organization. With a large band program, we always have volunteer and assistance needs!
Thank you to those who have already stepped up to the plate! For the Appleton Holiday Parades, we are still in need of help with the following:
Pizza Serving: 3:45-4:45pm
These positions will help serve dinner to students.
Uniform Collection: 8:00-8:45pm
These positions will verify that students have hung their uniforms up properly and put the hats back on the shelves.
If you are able to help us out, please visit this page and fill out the form. The page is also available via the orange Volunteer button on the top right of the screen.
HOLIDAY PARADES — NOVEMBER 14 AND 26
Each year, all students in our four bands combine to perform in the Oshkosh and Appleton Holiday Parades. Permission slips are due on Monday, November 4, for full credit. Permission slips turned in after the due date can still be turned in for partial credit. Students who do not turn in the permission slips before the performance date will be ineligible to perform.
The uniform for the parades is as follows:
All students will wear their marching uniform jacket, pants, and hat provided by the school. Students are responsible for providing long black socks and all-black shoes. Shoes that are not all-black will be made all-black. Expensive and/or fancy shoes are unnecessary! Find a pair of cheap all-black shoes that will last all four years at Walmart, Target, Goodwill, or your favorite local store. Students with financial difficulties should contact Mr. Singer or Mr. Wilson for assistance.
It will be cold! The band program provides clean black ear warmers to be worn underneath the marching hats. The uniforms were fit with a little room so students can wear thermals, sweatshirts, Underarmour, or the like. Please do not wear anything with a hood as that will make the jacket bunchy. It may be a good idea to bring hand and/or foot warmers as well.
Holiday Stocking Stuffer Ideas
The holiday season is here and your student would love to get a few upgrades this year! Below is a list of items that might help your student become a better musician. If you have any questions about specific brands, please let us know!
All Music Students
step-up instrument
private lessons (scholarships available)
app store gift card for music apps
folding music stand for home practice
professional instrument cleaning or maintenance
instrument stand
solo/ensemble sheet music
music store gift cards
local symphony tickets
music-related clothing
Woodwind Players
cleaning swab
step-up mouthpiece
step-up barrel (clarinet)
step-up ligature
reed case
reeds
neck strap
cork grease
Brass Players
step-up mouthpiece
brass mutes
valve oil
slide grease
mouthpiece case
polishing cloth
Percussionists
sticks and mallets
practice pad
practice snare drum or mallet instrument
drumset
School-Owned Instrument Contract and Fee
In October, all students using a school-owned instrument (percussion included) were issued a district rental contract that must be signed and returned. If your student has not had you sign this, please ask them about it. If your student has lost the form(s), please contact Mr. Singer for a replacement. As stated in the Oshkosh Area School District Instrument Policy, there is an annual $75 rental fee for the use of all school-owned instruments at the high school level. This fee is used to maintain the instruments for regular wear-and-tear.
Students are responsible for these school-owned instruments and any damage caused to the instrument by lack of proper care will be his/her responsibility. Instrument damage will be assessed when the instrument is turned in at the end of the school year.
WSMA State Honors Ensembles Registration
The Wisconsin School Music Association offers honors ensembles for band, choir, and orchestra students each year. The WSMA State Honors Music Project is nationally recognized as one of the finest opportunities for young people. Regardless of your future college major, membership in the High School State Honors Music Project helps set you apart from other college applicants. Students selected for the WSMA State Honors Music Project participate in an intensive four day summer camp in June and perform in Madison during late October as part of the Wisconsin State Music Conference.
We regularly have students audition and be selected for these ensembles and now is the time to register for an audition! Students who are currently in grades 9, 10, and 11 are invited to register at this link. More information about the experience is available here.
Tuba Christmas — December 6 and 22, 2019
Each year, the TubaChristmas is an exciting experience for our brass students! TubaChristmas is a rehearsal and concert consisting of winter holiday music played by tubas and euphoniums. Participants get together in the late afternoon for an hour to rehearse the music before putting on a concert. We invite all of our tuba and euphonium students to participate! (Trumpet, horn, and trombone players can easily transition to tuba or euphonium for this event; ask Mr. Singer for more info!)
We are lucky to have two locations near us that hold this tradition. Please take a few moments to check out Fond du Lac's page or Appleton’s page for registration and more information!
WSMA FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES
In April each band will travel to Carroll University in Waukesha to perform in a Wisconsin School Music Association Large Group contest. The Wildcat and Concert Bands will travel on April 22, and Varsity Band and Wind Ensemble will travel on April 23. We will take coach buses to Shattuck Auditorium to perform and conclude the day with a visit to a local attraction and/or have a group meal as voted on by the students. There will be a small cost to this day which will be determined once the students have voted on the attraction and dinner location in November. All students will attend and several fundraising opportunities will be available to help with the cost. Students with financial difficulties should contact Mr. Singer or Mr. Wilson for assistance. More info will be available in November!
GRADING AND MAKE-UP PROCEDURES
Are you curious about how grades are determined? Click here for more information!
Do you have to miss a pep band performance? Students who have a school-related activity are excused from the pep band performance. Students missing for any other reason must make up the performance to gain the points. Students wishing to be excused for a school-related activity should fill out this form prior to the date of the performance.
Do you have to miss a concert or parade performance? All students missing a concert or parade performance for any reason must make up the performance to gain the points.
View make-up procedures here. Please contact Mr. Singer or Mr. Wilson with questions.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
November 14 at 6:15pm — Oshkosh Holiday Parade
November 26 at 7:00pm — Appleton Holiday Parade
December 3 at 6:45pm — WHITE Pep Band
December 6 at 6:45pm — BLUE Pep Band