Week of January 13, 2020
Join Us in New York City — March 22-27, 2021!
We would like to invite all current students in grades 8 to 11 to travel with the West Bands over next year's spring break, March 22-27, 2021! 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 completely optional trip; everyone is encouraged to travel with us, but no one is required!
Why should I travel?
Many high schoolers say that their favorite memories of high school are the band trips with friends! The West Bands offer students many opportunities that other classes do not offer. Traveling with the band is an excellent way to experience different parts of the country with your friends!
What are we doing on the trip?
On the trip, we will be visiting Rockefeller Center, Ellen’s Stardust Diner, Times Square, the USS Intrepid, Chelsea Market, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Little Italy, and Chinatown. We will see a show on Broadway, do a clinic with Broadway musicians, perform a concert, and go on a dinner and dancing cruise around Manhattan.
What about fundraising?
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 let us help you with fundraising!
We will begin a kringle fundraiser with Uncle Mike's Bake Shoppe of Green Bay (seriously delicious!) on January 21st. All profits go directly to the student’s travel account! More information is below.
How do I pay?
There are 11 payments spread over the 13 months prior to departure. They are always due on the first Monday of each month that we have school, beginning on February 3rd. Each payment turned in before the due date will receive a $25 early bird discount. That’s a $250 savings! For more information visit: OshkoshWestBands.com/bandtrip.
Payments can be made several ways: pay on our website using a credit card at OshkoshWestBands.com/store, mail a check to Oshkosh West High School, or submit cash or check to your school’s band director. When submitting payment, please make sure that the student’s name is clearly noted on the envelope and the check’s memo line.
How do I sign up?
Click here to be taken to the Band Trip page.
Read through the important information including current itineraries, fundraising information, and payment policies.
Click on the “Commitment Form” option that applies to you (student or chaperone) and complete the form.
Submit the deposit payment either on the West Bands site or by cash or check to the director in your building.
Sign up by February 3rd!
How do I get more information?
Visit our trip page here.
Our Next Fundraiser — Uncle Mike’s Kringle
We will begin our second fundraiser of the school year on January 21st. This fundraiser will be available to all students who would like to bank the profits for the New York City trip, the WSMA trip, or fundraise for the band program for use on new music and instruments.
We will be passing out the order forms on January 21st.
Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe Kringle Fundraiser
Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe is an award-winning bakery in the Green Bay area. We will be selling their kringle, which has won the North American Kringle Competition!
What’s a kringle, you ask? A kringle is a Danish pastry made from “laminated” dough. Each kringle has 36 layers of dough and butter forming a buttery flaky dough. Kringle are filled with a filling of your choice and formed into the traditional pretzel shape.
Available flavors include Sea Salt Caramel, Pecan, Raspberry, Turtle, Caramel Apple, Cherry, Cheese, Almond, Blueberry Cheese, Strawberry Cheese, Cherry Almond, and Caramel Fudge Cake. Each kringle sells for $17 and students are awarded $4.50 profit per kringle.
Start Date: January 21, 2020
Forms and Payment in by: February 10th, 2020 (checks can be made out to Oshkosh West Bands)
Delivery: February 20th, 2020 at 3:30pm in the Auditorium Lobby
Percent Profit: $4.50 per kringle
Winter Band Concert — February 6, 2020, at 7:30pm
Our second concert of the year is almost upon us! The students have been working hard and are excited to showcase what they have learned so far this year. You will certainly notice significant growth! Below is some pertinent information for the concert.
Call time is 6:00pm. Students should be at West in their concert attire with their instruments assembled at 6:00pm. We will be taking formal band photos prior to our warm-up process.
Concert time is 7:30pm. All four of our bands will perform on this night, beginning with Wildcat Band, moving to Concert Band and Varsity Band and capping the night off with Wind Ensemble. The concert should be no longer than one and a half hours and features 250 musicians!
Concert dress is as follows:
Men should wear their school-provided tuxedo jacket, pants, bowtie, and cummerbund. They must also provide their own clean, white button down shirt with a collar. The shirt can be either long or short sleeve, as they will be covered by the jacket. Men should also wear long black socks and all-black shoes.
Ladies should wear all black. This provides some options, but please be sure to choose something that is dressier and will go with the tuxedos. Options might include a black blouse, a black button down shirt, a black skirt that extends below the knees, black pants, or a simple black dress. Shoes must be all-black, but socks are not required.
Students who are not dressed appropriately may not perform. Students with financial difficulties should contact Mr. Singer or Mr. Wilson for assistance.
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 23, and Varsity Band and Wind Ensemble will travel on April 24. (Please note that each date is one day later than before. This was communicated to us by the festival host in late December.) We will take coach buses to Shattuck Auditorium to perform and conclude the day with a visit to a local attraction and have a group meal at Maggiano’s in Wauwautosa. All students will attend and a fundraising opportunity will be available to help with the cost (see above). Students with financial difficulties should contact Mr. Singer or Mr. Wilson for assistance.
Wildcat and Concert Bands — Thursday, April 23
All students in our Wildcat and Concert Bands will travel on April 23. Students in these bands will perform at Shattuck Auditorium before traveling to the Milwaukee County Zoo or Milwaukee Public Museum and a group dinner Maggiano’s in Wauwautosa. The cost for the trip is $75, which includes travel on a coach bus, entry to the zoo or museum, and the group dinner. Students may also want to budget for souvenirs and/or snacks at the zoo or museum. A fundraiser is available to help provide funding (see above).
Varsity Band and Wind Ensemble — Friday, April 24
All students in our Varsity Band and Wind Ensemble will travel on April 24. Students in these bands will perform at Shattuck Auditorium before traveling to Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward to visit shops, coffeehouses, and restaurants. We will then travel to Maggiano’s in Wauwautosa for a group dinner. The cost for the trip is $60 for the travel on a coach bus and the group dinner. Students may want to budget to have money available for shopping, souvenirs, or snacks in the Third Ward. We will provide a list of highlights to visit in the Third Ward as the trip nears. A fundraiser is available to help provide funding (see above).
For Students in Multiple Bands
We have many students who participate in multiple bands during the school day. Those students are encouraged to perform with each of the bands they rehearse with while at the festival. As a thank you to our students in multiple bands across the 2 days, the total cost will be $75.
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.
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
January 14 at 6:45pm — BLUE Pep Band
January 22-24 at 7:00pm — Sister Act Musical at the Alberta Kimball Auditorium
January 25 at 2:00pm — Sister Act Musical at the Alberta Kimball Auditorium
January 31 at 6:45pm — WHITE Pep Band
February 4 at 6:45pm — BLUE Pep Band
February 6 at 7:30pm — Winter Band Concert at the Alberta Kimball Auditorium
February 21 at 6:45pm — WHITE Pep Band
February 27 at 6:45pm — BLUE Pep Band
February 29 from 8:00am to 4:00pm — District Solo and Ensemble Festival at Oshkosh West