It’s been a long time, and I am looking forward to another great year with the East Wiltshire band students!  

While this year will definitely be different from any school year any of us have experienced before, I am excited about the return to school, and I am looking forward to having the opportunity to make music with the students again.  Music students are creative and resilient, and I am confident that we will be able to work together to make the music program enjoyable and rewarding this year.

Please find below the most recent news from the band department:

Band classes

Students will attend 2 or 3 sixty minute band classes during the 6 day cycle depending on their grade level.  We will not be having rehearsals with full concert bands at this time due to space constraints. We will work on appropriate music (band repertoire, music for small ensembles and/or solo repertoire) to achieve curriculum outcomes during class time.  I understand that many students have not been playing their instruments regularly during the time we have been away from school and that’s ok!  I ask only that students come back to the band program with a willingness to give their best effort, and a desire to make a positive contribution to this year’s band ensembles.  We will all get back into the routine of playing and practicing together.

Early Morning Band Rehearsals

As per current provincial guidelines for school reopening, all extra-curricular activities, including band rehearsals and band activities outside of the regular school day, are paused for now. We will begin early morning extra-curricular band classes (most likely retaining the same small class groupings) if and when we are given approval to do so by the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning and the Public Schools Branch. 

Band Performances

At this time, traditional band concerts cannot be held in the school gym.  I will work with the students to brainstorm ideas for sharing the music we are going to be working on with audiences in new ways. 

Instruments

Students will not be permitted to share instruments this year.  Each student will be assigned one instrument and each percussionist will be provided with a basic set of sticks and mallets to be used for the year. I understand that it is challenging for students who play large instruments to make arrangements to take them home to practice, and I know that time for individual practicing is limited during the school day.  If  there are any spare instruments after each band student is assigned a primary instrument, I will do my best to accommodate as many requests for home instruments as possible. 

Cleaning protocols for each instrument will be reviewed with students in September. Students will be asked to adhere to current safety guidelines by not touching other instruments in the band area and by following the current guidelines for cleaning their own instruments.

Band Fees

I will be collecting a $25 band fee from each student again this year to cover the cost of band supplies (reeds, valve oil, slide grease, etc.). Please do not include this fee with the September school fees.  I know that September is an expensive month so I will collect the band fee in November at the end of the first reporting period.  

Communication

Please note that I will not be sending group e-mails throughout the year, as the blog will be the primary source of information for the band program.  Please check the band page regularly for news: https://eastwiltshireschoolband.com/ .  There is also a link to the band blog on the main East Wiltshire School blog (Click on the Band News link at the top of the page).

If you prefer to receive e-mails, please follow the blog by entering your preferred e-mail address on the home page.  You will then receive automatic e-mail notifications whenever new posts are added.

My primary school email address is ampeters@edu.pe.ca  Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I do not check the Google Classroom address (ampeters@cloud.edu.pe.ca) on a daily basis, so please use the primary email address for communication.

Google classroom is another tool that students will be using again this year to support their learning in the band program.  Every band class will have their own Google Classroom and every student will be given a code to join their classroom during their first band class of the year.  

Recommended School Supplies for Band Classes

Students are asked to please bring the following supplies to band classes.

-a pencil

-a ½ inch or 1 inch binder (black)

Optional, but useful:

-personal headphones (these don’t have to be expensive!)

-approx. 10 protective plastic sleeves (for 3 ring binders)

-a music stand to facilitate home practice

Thank you for your support of the music program. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Alison Peters

Check out the details on the Island Rock Camps Facebook page😊

I want to wish all of the band students a safe, healthy, and happy summer.

It was great to see so many of you during report cards pickup and grade 9 graduation! Thank you to the students who kept in touch over the past few months, and thanks again to the 15 students who helped with end of year tasks in the band area last week.

I’m really looking forward to making music at East Wiltshire again next year, and I wish all of the grade 9 students continued success at the high school level.

Take care and enjoy your vacation!

Alison Peters

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for 2-4 band students who might be willing to volunteer to count books and help with instrument inventory on Thursday morning (June 18) from 9:00-11:00 am. Please send me an email if you are interested! (I will provide ice cream!)

Thank you!

Island music teachers worked together from home to create this video to demonstrate the instruments of the concert band. Check us out at about the 24 minute mark!

Eastlink /YouTube Videos

Hi everyone!

I hope everyone is well and that you are enjoying the sunshine and warm temperatures!

As we move into the next stage of reopening, we have been allowed to have limited access to our classrooms. We have cleaned out the lockers and, as you know, students will be allowed to pick up their belongings next week. I was also able to do an inventory last week of all of the instruments that were left in the band room before March Break. With regard to returning items, please note the following:

Students in grade 7 and grade 8 are asked to please KEEP their instruments, book, and band vests for the summer.

Grade 9 students are asked to please RETURN instruments, books, and band vests when they come in to pick up their belongings next week. It would be helpful if each of these items could be labeled with the student’s name if possible. Masking tape works well and is easily removed!

I will be in the lobby area to receive the grade 9 items. I can also retrieve an instrument from the band room for any grade 7 or 8 student whose instrument was left at school, but who would like to practice this summer.

For any student who may have been planning to attend the summer band camp, please note that the decision has been made by the organizing committee to cancel the camp for this year due to the necessary restrictions as a result of COVID-19, and because the safety of all students and staff must be paramount.

I’ve had a few questions about percussion auditions.  Auditions for grade 8 percussion spots will tentatively be held in the fall.  I will provide more details when we get back to school.

Thank you, and please send an e-mail (ampeters@edu.pe.ca) if you have any questions!

Do you know someone who might be interested in being in the grade 7 band program at East Wiltshire next year? We are now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year! The following application has been shared with grade 6 parents through our feeder schools and is due by Friday, May 15th, 2020.  

For more information about the East Wiltshire band program please review this slide show:

EWS Band Program Information

Please visit this page for updated information about the band program application process: https://eastwiltshireschoolband.com/application-process-for-grade-6-students/