Patrick Marsh Middle School Band
This Week in Band at PMMS (Feb 1-5, 2021)
New Lesson Schedule Begins This Week
Thank you for your patience as we have been busy reconstructing the lesson schedule given the change to the school schedule. Our goals were to maintain individual lessons while creating the best classroom experience possible in full band class. Mrs. Haraldson and Mr. Gleason will team-teach all band classes in order to best maximize our time with both in-person learners and online learners. ALL band lessons will take place when students are at home, regardless of your family’s decision about returning to in-person learning. With the current restrictions, this seemed to be the most logical path forward.
- Your child’s 15 minute, individual band lesson will take place at the same time and same day each week. This will be our opportunity to hear your child and provide individualized instruction.
- Students should be warmed-up with their instrument and music ready prior to the beginning of the lesson. We have a full schedule and will need to stay on time.
- Lessons are required. If your child cannot make it to a lesson, please contact us in advance when possible. We will do our best to reschedule the missed lesson.
- Nearly all of the lessons will take place during band, resource, after school or on Wednesdays.
- If a lesson time does not work, please notify us and we will try our best to make changes, however, keep in mind that we have little flexibility given the number of students and variables presented.
- Your child's lesson time was emailed to you, however, you can access the full lesson schedule at the button below or on our website: https://www.spbb.org/patrick-marsh-bands.html
Keep Sending Us Those Photos!!
Infinite Campus Instrument Rental Fees
Spring Butter Braid + Fruit Sale Started
The Band Booster annual spring Butter Braid Sale and Fruit Sale runs from January 30th until February 13th. Delivery before Spring Break and Easter!
Order forms and sale details are posted on our website.
Fruit Sale - Sun Prairie Band Boosters (spbb.org)
Butter Braids - Sun Prairie Band Boosters (spbb.org)
Twice a year the Boosters offers delicious fruit for sale to the general public.
Butter Braids are a Delicious Pastry that is hand braided and filled with fruit. Delivered frozen, un-thaw overnight, bake the next morning for finger smacking breakfast.
Band Members will earn a percentage of every sale for their band ledger.
Previous Information
Jazz Moving To 4th Quarter
Either way, we will plan to communicate with all of the students as we get closer to fourth quarter. Thank you for your understanding and support.
General Booster Meeting Sunday Feb 21
Next Sunday, Feb 21st, at 5:30 PM the Band Boosters will hold a general booster meeting. On the agenda will be updates regarding the 2022 middle school class schedule, Sound of Sun Prairie, hybrid band, fundraising, and financial information.
The meeting will last less than an hour via Zoom. Please consider attending. Your voice in this organization is important.
Important Hybrid Band Information
Last week PMMS sent out our PMMS Hybrid Handbook. This contains a LOT of information about current Hybrid plans providing a glimpse of what school will look like starting Feb. 22.
As families consider their choice between remaining in virtual school for the third quarter or moving to hybrid learning on February 22, we have had questions about what band classes would look like in hybrid learning.
The school district has been developing a mitigation plan for band classes that includes:
layers of mask wearing
social distancing
bell covers with filters.
This plan is based on the preliminary results of a study of aerosol rates produced by wind instrumentalists, vocalists, and even actors, and how quickly those aerosol rates accumulate in rehearsal space and effective mitigation measures. The study was led by the National Federation of State High School Associations and the preliminary results can be found here. The study was conducted concurrently at University of Colorado and University of Maryland to compare results and it is currently in the final stages of peer review and publication. The publication of the study is expected soon.
Currently the Dane County mask mandate does not permit playing wind instruments (brass and woodwinds) indoors in schools. Once published, this new study will provide more specific information for Dane County Public Health to review and to determine appropriate implementation of the information in the study. Our hope is that with this new research, DHS and DPI will update mitigation requirements allowing us to return to in-person playing in band with appropriate mitigation measures in place.
We are developing several plans for band in the hybrid format set to begin Feb. 22 that will also incorporate students that choose the virtual learning option.
We can share that we WILL still meet as a class!
The format of our in-person instruction will include a variety of musical activities such as:
drum circles
music composition
and more if wind playing still isn’t viable.
We will continue the following instruction:
Students online will still perform on their instruments participating in activities similar to what we have done in the past.
Band lessons will continue to take place on a weekly basis as well. As more information is made available we will have multiple plans to keep making music in any format.
Regardless of the method of instruction, we promise to work as hard as we can to provide your children with the best music education possible. We are dedicated to their growth through music and appreciate your continued dedication and support.
BTN Solo Festival to Replace WSMA Festival
Need Supplies?
IMPORTANT LINKS
Patrick Marsh Middle School Bands
Email: cpgleas@sunprairieschools.org
Website: http://www.spbb.org/patrick-marsh-bands.html
Location: 1351 Columbus Street, Sun Prairie, WI, United States
Phone: (608) 834-7625