Lakota West Bands Update: May 30

A Communication of the Lakota West Upbeat Club

This communication covers:

CHARMS
Upbeat Club Special Meeting
Volunteering Q&A
Upbeat Club Activity Leader Position Openings
2017 Competition Show Reveal
Rookie Parent Information
For the Calendar

CHARMS (Music Office Assistant is used for registration, purchases, marching band music, and more)

CHARMS is the LW Band database that the directors use to keep record of all band students grades 9-12. It is also where you purchase uniform pieces, download music and more. Please complete your registration as soon as possible. Important emails are sent through this system. However please note, CHARMS will be down 5/31-6/15 for year end closing. If it comes back up sooner, it will be communicated. If your student has not downloaded the pregame music yet from CHARMS, email Barb at web@lakotawestbands.org, and we will send you the music.

Please go the CHARMS web page for a link to the database as well as the login instructions handed out by Mr. Carr.

Upbeat Club Meeting June 1

We need to call an emergency meeting to vote in a new officer. Thank you to Beth Dodson for volunteering to be our new Upbeat Treasurer! Please join us for a quick meeting this Thursday at 6:30 at the West Band room.

Volunteering Q&A

Looking for ways to volunteer but have some questions? Come to our short meeting on Thursday 6/1 and Upbeat parents will be there to answer all your questions. Meeting is Thursday 6/1 at 6:30pm in the Lakota West Band room. For a list of volunteer positions and descriptions – click here.

See Parent Volunteers Page for most current information regarding openings and volunteer needs throughout the year.

Upbeat Club Activity Leader Position Openings for 2017-18

Any parent with a student in the Lakota West Band Program grades 7-12 is part of the Lakota West Upbeat Program. The Upbeat Club works hard to make the transition to new Activity Leaders go smoothly from year to year. For that reason, you will often see a need for a new Leader to shadow the current Leader for the first year. We need parents to fill the positions below for the new school-year:

Current openings:
Bus Chaperone Leader to shadow current Leader
Jazz ‘n Cakes – Event Leader (current Leader will train)
Jazz ‘n Cakes – Basket Raffle Leader (current Leader will train)
Jazz ‘n Cakes – Market Vendor Leader (current Leader will train)
Mattress Sale Leader to shadow current Leader
Pit Crew Leader to shadow current Leader
Photographers – willing to be trained, and to help Lead cover events
Split the Pot Leader
Tag Day Event Leader / Melissa Barr is assisting
Third Qtr Refreshments Leader
Uniforms (Concert) Leaders(2) to shadow current Leader

For current list of Board, Committee and Activity Leader positions and contact information, please see our Key Contacts Page.

For more information or to volunteer, please contact Dawn at president@lakotawestbands.org.

2017 Competition Show!

Swan Song

Click here for video of 2017 Show Reveal

Musical Selections include the following:
Kingsfisher Catchfire II by John Mackey
Pique Dame – Overture by Franz von Suppe’
Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky (portion of reveal video is Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corp show from 2014 – Swan Lake – click here for full show)

Rookie Parent Information

If you did not make it to the New Parent Meeting on 5/24, here are the top ten things shared by our director, Mr. Carr:

Register in CHARMS! (note, CHARMS will be down 5/31-6/15 for end of year processing).
Don’t use the calendar in CHARMS, use the one at lakotawestbands.org.
If your band student has a question, please direct them to go to a member of the Leadership Team first.
If you still have questions, email Mr. Carr at andrew.carr @lakotaonline.com.
The Marching Band Handbook will be out in early July, but much of the information will be placed on our website.
Sectionals – each section in the band will organize and conduct practices throughout the summer. While they are not mandatory like all band rehearsals are, attendance is strongly encouraged.
There is a lot of music to memorize as a rookie. Be patient and do it in small chunks.
There is an activity bus that goes from the freshman building to the high school every day once school starts. (This is ideal for our Wednesday 3pm rehearsals at main campus).
Volunteer! Get involved! We depend greatly on the support and volunteer hours of our parents.
Band Camp must haves……64oz water jug, sunscreen, more sunscreen, sun glasses, hat and bug spray!

For more information on how to prepare and what to expect at band camp – see a Band Camp Survival Guide here. (Note, this is not an official communication from LW Bands, but many good ideas for new and old band members!). I am sure Mr. Carr will agree with # 3!