Attached is the weekly announcement sheet and a document from our Student Band President, Madeline Stich, detailing our upcoming Band Banquet. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way.

Announcement Sheeet for 5/4/2012

Band Banquet Informational Flyer

Sincerely,

Jeremy Spicer
Vandegrift High School
Director of Bands

http://www.vhsband.com/

Congratulations on another successful weekend. The Garage Sale earned nearly $5000!!! SIMPLY INCREDIBLE Thank you to all of the students and parents who helped ensure this event was a success. A very special THANK YOU to Ms. Ramona Callia for her tireless efforts and hours of hard work coordinating the entire event. We could not have done it without you!!!

I hope all of the Juniors and Seniors had a safe, fun, and memorable Prom.

Attached is the announcement sheet for the week. As always, please let me know if I can help in any way.

Announcement Sheet for 5/7/2012

Sincerely,

Jeremy Spicer
Vandegrift High School
Director of Bands

http://www.vhsband.com/

WHAT AN AMAZING WEEKEND THE PROGRAM HAS HAD! We just returned from an wonderful trip to Port Aransas. The students, chaperones, and staff had a relaxing and fun-filled weekend! Thank you to our INCREDIBLE chaperones – Joyce Crider, Wendy Gray, Yvonne Sekiya, Stephanie Abbarno, Judy Gravely, Jenise and Zach Chipman, Kip DeGilio, Keith Shaw, and Dave Hill. Our trip would not have been successful without the hard work, support and generosity of these wonderful volunteers! Thanks are also in order to our wonderful students who continue to Define the Standard in all they do. You were kind, respectful, and polite throughout the entire weekend. We are honored to teach such an amazing group of young people. THANK YOU to ALL!

The band program also had a very successful weekend with the Special Olympics on multiple levels. Our concessions brought in $2500 in sales and sold 67 i-Pad raffle tickets! We were also able to make a significant monetary donation to the Special Olympics organization. Thank you to Ann and Rob Scott, Jamie Fry, DeeDee Gonzalez, Renee Zabalaoui and Wayne and Christy Hall for their tireless effort to ensure this weekend was a success. To quote Renee Zabalaoui – “our bodies were tired, but our hearts were full” watching and experiencing the “journey of these amazing young athletes”. We will definitely look for more ways to help this organization in the future.

Announcement Sheet for 4/30/2012

***STUDENT REMINDER – All student leadership paperwork is due Monday morning by 8:30 AM. NO EXCEPTIONS.***

As always, please let me know if I can help in any way.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Spicer
Vandegrift High School
Director of Bands

http://www.vhsband.com/

It is almost May and that means it is time for the May Booster Meeting! It will be Tuesday, May 1st at 7:00 in the VHS Band Hall. Do you think school is almost over so not much is going on in the band? Well, that is not true. Things will be really busy this last month of school. You will have lots of opportunities to help the band, something for everyone!

Some of the items to be covered at the meeting are as follows:

1. Garage Sale – (reminder – MONDAY DEADLINE to bring books, CDs/DVDs to the band hall)
2. Concert and Silent Auction – items for silent auction can be turned in
3. Band Banquet – buy tickets at the meeting or online
4. Viperpalooza – you can bring stuffed animals to donate to the booster meeting
5. Planner Ads
6. Music Camp week with Pool Party
7. Texas State Solo & Ensemble
8. IPad Raffle – tickets available for check out/sale
9. Volunteer Hours – report your hours at the sign in desk
10. Presentation of Nominees for 2012-2013 Band/Vision Booster Board
11. Director’s comments

We hope you can come and find out all the great happenings for May!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Judy Gravely
VHS Band Boosters
Membership Chair

Attached is the announcement sheet for the week. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Announcement Sheet for 4/23/2012

I am also very excited to announce that the Vandegrift Band Boosters will be raffling the NEW “I-Pad”. Details and specifics will be sent out later today.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Spicer
Director of Bands
Vandegrift High School
www.vhsband.com

The gears are in motion for next year’s Vandegrift Student Planners and the VHS Band Boosters want to extend an invitation to parents to celebrate their students by placing a parent ad in the planner.  Your ad may include a picture and words of praise and encouragement for your student. Congratulate your son or daughter on their senior year, or for their excellence on the Dance Team, Cheerleading, Marching Band, Choir, Theater, Sports Team or any Vandegrift Student Organization.

Order your Parent Ad online at http://vhsband.com/parentad – templates and examples are also available.

Parent ads pricing:

Full Page Ad: $100
Half Page Ad $50
Quarter Page ad $25

Depending on the size, more than one photo may be included.  We can help design your ad at no cost.  Please contact Carolyn Knowles at viperplanner@gmail.com to place an advertisement prior to May 25, 2012.

Order your Viper Planner at http://viperplanner.com or use the downloadable and printable Viper Camp Shirt and Planner Order Form.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Spicer
Director of Bands
Vandegrift High School
www.vhsband.com

Announcement Sheet for Week of 4-16-2012

The Vandegrift Band Program has had an unprecedented week.  We are the only program in all of Central Texas to take four Concert Bands to contest and have ALL four ensembles received Division 1 Superior Ratings.  This is an incredible accomplishment and one that we are all extremely proud of.  This would not be possible without the support of the parents, the hard work of the students and a solid culture that allows for personal growth.  The students have created a culture where Musical Artistry is achievable at all levels; where Excellence and Quality are not determined by a grade; where Hard Work and Determination are practiced continuously; where treating one another with Decency and Respect is expected and the norm; and where Supporting one another helps all to achieve their goals.  Mr. Pape, Mr. Howard, and myself could not have been more proud of the students performances at the contest and the professional manner in which they acted both before, during, and after the contest.  Thank you to all of the parents who came to the contest to support the bands.  It certainly does not go unnoticed.  I am truly humbled and honored to lead such an amazing group of young people.  THANK YOU!

The comments sheets and recordings of the performances will be available on our teacher websites (http://nse.leanderisd.org/default.aspx?name=vhs.directory) by mid-week.  Please let me know if you have trouble opening any of the files.

The announcement sheet for this week is attached.  Please read carefully, as there is much going on in the coming weeks.

Please join me in thanking some key supporters of the band.  Carolyn Knowles and Tresse Maatz have been working tirelessly to solicit ads for our 2012-2013 Student Planner.  To date, they have collected nearly $5000 in ads!!!  TRULY AMAZING!!!  We also have our first Corporate Sponsor of the Spring Fundraising Drive.  Thank you to Janet McCullar of The Law Offices of Janet McCullar for her $3000 donation to the band program.  We are forever thankful for your gratitude.  This puts us on our way to our goal of $50,000 for our Spring Fundraising efforts.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions, or if I can help in any way.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Spicer
Director of Bands
Vandegrift High School
www.vhsband.com

It is with GREAT enthusiasm that I announce the Vandegrift Band Program will have an additional person on our staff next year. Ms. Stephanie Lee has accepted the position of Assistant Director of Bands.

Ms. Lee is currently on staff at Canyon Ridge Middle School as an Assistant Band Director. She graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. Ms. Lee is a trumpet player with a wealth of performance experience in both the Wind Symphony at North Texas and as a performer and Drum Major for the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps. She is the PERFECT fit to join the team. Please join me in welcoming Ms. Stephanie Lee! ~applause, applause, applause~

I have attached the information for the trip. Please let me know if you have any questions. There is a form that must be signed and returned by Tuesday, April 10.

2012 Vandegrift HS Trip Packet

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Spicer
Director of Bands
Vandegrift High School
www.vhsband.com

Attached are UIL Concert and Sight Reading Itineraries for all four bands.  These documents outline the details of the day for UIL Contest.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Wind Ensemble UIL Itinerary 2012
Symphonic Winds UIL Itinerary 2012
Concert Band 1 UIL Itinerary 2012
Concert Band 2 UIL Itinerary 2012

Sincerely,

Jeremy Spicer
Director of Bands
Vandegrift High School
www.vhsband.com

Attached is the Announcement Sheet for the week as well as Rehearsal Calendars for all bands.

Announcement Sheet for 4-02-2012
Wind Ensemble March.April Calendar
Symphonic Winds March.April Calendar
Concert Band 1 March.April Calendar
Concert Band 2 March.April Calendar

There are many important events in the coming weeks:

• This Tuesday is a very important Booster Meeting at 7:00 PM with a mandatory Spring Trip Meeting immediately following at 7:30 PM.  Please make plans to attend.
• Please remember that next week is UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest at the Georgetown High School Performing Arts Center.  Our bands will perform as follows:
  Wednesday, April 11 – Concert Band 2: 8:30 AM, Concert Band 1: 11:15 AM
  Thursday, April 12 – Symphonic Winds: 10:45 AM
  Friday, April 13 – Wind Ensemble: 1:00 PM.

I sincerely hope you all will be able to make it out for these very important performances.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Spicer
Vandegrift High School
Director of Bands
http://www.vhsband.com/