A note from Mr. Stahle
Dear Students and Parents,
Welcome to the Middle School Band program. I am so excited that you will be making music with us this year. Please review this handbook in its entirety and return the signed signature page by Friday, August 28 — this is your child's first grade in my class, so please don't forget!
If you have any questions after reading through this, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm looking forward to a fantastic year.
Weekly individual instruction
Instruction begins Monday, September 14. Lesson schedules will be posted the first week of September.
Attendance is required and graded. If a conflict arises, have your child notify me at least one school day in advance to arrange a make-up. Learning to communicate conflicts is part of middle-school responsibility — making up the lesson is the student's job. Each week's lesson schedule is posted in the band room EVERY MONDAY morning and also posted to each band's Google Classroom on Sunday night (so kids can prepare accordingly)
Practice via MakeMusic. We will use MakeMusic, with assessment exercises drawn from our repertoire. Students who show improvement and stay engaged earn full points. Weekly progress emails come straight from MakeMusic. The district has purchased subscriptions for every band student in grades 5–12. We will be setting up this app the first week of school.
Quarter grades are the average of concert attendance, lesson attendance, and preparation scores.
Ready three minutes after the bell
- Arrive with instrument and music, ready to rehearse: instrument assembled, music on a stand, seated and attentive.
- Students not meeting the above are marked tardy; missing music or instrument counts the same.
- Everyone stays quiet and attentive while Mr. Stahle is on the podium — noise makes our goals impossible to reach.
- Pack instruments only upon dismissal; transition time is provided each rehearsal.
- No running or horseplay — it protects both people and equipment.
- Water in a sealed container is fine; all other food, drink, and gum are prohibited at all times.
Should conduct disrupt instruction or compromise safety, the following steps are used in order:
We are using TeamReach for all updates and reminders. Download the free TeamReach app, tap Join a Group, and enter the group code below to connect with Middle School Band families.
Take it further
Rehearsals start in November, open to grades 6–8. Auditions in late October. Performs at regional festivals plus our own Palace City Jazz Festival and Palace City Jam. A separate document goes to students who make the ensemble in early November.
Pit ensemble for the middle-school show choirs. Auditions in late October. Performances include the Middle School Showcase, two to three competitions, and the Spring Cabaret.
Tentative start in November, contingent on staffing. Open to grades 6–8, with preference to percussionists. More information as it becomes available.
Auditioned state-level honor ensembles rehearsing and performing across a two-and-a-half-day festival — held right here in Mitchell this year. Auditions are recorded in December; Mr. Stahle facilitates the recording and submission process.
Acknowledge by Friday, August 28
This year there's no paper page to return. Complete the quick online acknowledgment once per student — it's your child's first grade of the year, and it takes about a minute.
