Welcome to a New Music Year!

Welcome to a new music year!  I'll be your host, Mr. Windsor, and it is my pleasure to have you all back once more!  This blog entry is to give you as many details about what you need to know as quickly as possible.

Important Dates

September 12 - Startup Clinics (Grades 7-9)
September 24 - Fine Arts Fair (for All Parents)
September 28 - Balloon Festival (for Sr. Winds and Steel Pans)
December 5 - Christmas Concert
February TBA - Guest Artist (Blackfoot Indigenous Musician)
March 8 & 9 - Grade 8/9 Band Camp
March TBA - Grade 7 Band/Science Trip
April TBA - Stage Band and Steel Pans Trip
April 14-16 - Senior Winds Cantando Festival
May 18 - Little Britches Parade, Battle of the Bands
June 5 - Year-End Showcase
June 15 (optional) - Okotoks Parade

After School Music Room Schedule
Tuesdays and Thursdays, Senior High Wind Ensemble, 3:20 - 4:45 PM
Wednesdays, The Woodshedders Stage and Jazz Band, 3:20 - 4:45 PM
Wednesdays, Panorama Steel Pan Ensemble, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Wednesdays, Pantasia Steel Pan Ensemble, 7:30 - 9:00 PM

To join any of these groups, please email or talk to Mr. Windsor.

​The Music room is available for personal practice or bookings any time outside of the school day other than those listed above.

Important Changes

Fees
All fees must now be paid online.  We ask parents not to send in cash or cheques, and rather complete all their transactions online.

Senior Winds After School (Semester 1)
For Semester 1, Senior Winds will be taking place after school.  Come Semester 2, the class will be back in the regular schedule.

Charmed, I'm Sure.

We are now using a new tool for managing permission forms, communications, recording student work and practice logs, and volunteer signups.  With regards to communications, the new system, called "Charms", allows me to send you messages both by Email and by Text Message.
Sign in to Charms (www.charmsoffice.com) as a Parent/Student/Member with the school code NDCMusic.  Your username will be your student's school-based username (usually similar to firstlastname) and your password will be the same as your student's school-based Google password (confirm that with your student, as they updated that information in class already).  You might only be asked for your student's password.  You can download and print this page to keep track of that information.

1. Please update your contact information once you log in, especially your cell phone number (if you want to receive text message notifications of when I post a new blog).
2. Notice that there is a Recording Studio and the Practice Log component.  Your students will be using these tools throughout the year.
3. I will send you further instructions in the future when it comes time to permission forms and practice logs.

If you would like, you can also download the Charms Blue App for Android or for iDevices.  Students are encouraged to do so, as this will make tracking their practice logs far easier.

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For more details on this and other resources, see our Forms and Resources Page.

Startup Clinics for All Junior High Musicians - Sept. 12

Students will need their instruments in good working order on this day.  If you still haven't got your student their instrument, please visit Long & McQuade in Calgary to rent the instrument.
Your student is also responsible for keeping a good supply of maintenance tools including

• reeds
• cork grease
• slide or valve oil
• mouthpiece brushes
• microfibre cloths

Students will need all these tools on Wednesday, September 12 to take advantage of the guest professional musicians we have coming in to work with your students.

Grade 7 Band Study - I Want Your Students Involved!

I am engaged in a study that will help determine the best grade level to introduce Concert Band classes.
Your student would participate in this study by doing four music-related tests at both the beginning and end of the school year focusing on performing ability, musical knowledge, and willingness to collaborate.

• It will not affect your students’ mark, and they will be marked the same whether or not they join.
• Your student will work anonymously, and privacy and confidentiality is key for the success of the study.
• It will not affect how your student is taught music; they will still be taught using the strategies they would have outside the study. Your student will have an online profile that you can log into to see how your student is progressing in the study.

This is not a normal request. This is a special request that is independent of NDC that may have an impact on beginning band programs across North America.
If you are willing to participate, please fill out this form, and return to me by September 12, 2018.
Thank you for helping me work to improve music education!  For more information about this research study, read the form or visit http://research.windyjmusic.com.

Starting at 6:30 PM, September 24, 2018
All Fine Arts Parents Should and are Invited To Attend!

At this Fine Arts Fair you will ...
Attend the first High River Catholic Fine Arts Parents Association Meeting of the year (AGM)
Be able to meet your Fine Arts Teachers (Mr. Windsor, Mrs. Cote, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Sekura, Mr. Phu)
Learn more details about the Fine Arts Programs your students are involved in
Learn about how you can help through volunteering and other methods of support

Adults: Become a Part of the Steel Pan Group Pantasia!

We are welcoming new members to the Adult Community Steel Pan Ensemble hosted by Notre Dame Collegiate and the High River Catholic Fine Arts Parents Association.  Register online and then come to our next rehearsal on Wednesday, September 19, 2018!  We look forward to seeing you then!

Have a wonderful year!