UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL BAND

July 10, 2020

We will hold an important Welcome Back Informational Zoom Meeting Monday, July 13 at 1:00 pm.

Mr. Palmer will open the meeting room to band students at 12:45.

Login information can be found in Google Classrooms. If you are not currently in a Google Classroom, please email Mr. Palmer at mpalmer@k12.wv.us for your codes.

You will not need your instrument for this meeting, but please make sure your instrument is in good playing condition so we can start playing this week.

July 08, 2020

We will make the following changes in how we distinguish between Field Show and Parade-Only marchers for the fall 2020 season:

All students will be assigned and graded on the same music. Due to the uncertainty of fall activities, we have decided not to take on the expense of having marching drill written. If we are permitted to perform, we will line up in our pre-game block formation and play our music.

Students who play fall sports will be excused from these performances, but their band grades will be based on their preparation and submissions of this music for any potential Virtual Performances.

Further details will be announced when we have more information. 

June 25, 2020

Our NEW UHS Band Summer Calendar is based on Monongalia County Schools Guidelines for Summer Band. Please read the MCS Document in its entirety before attending any band activity.

Please note that due to restrictions and limitations on in-person instruction, all regular sessions (Leadership Camp, Freshman/New Student Camp, Basics Camp, Masterclasses, and Day Camp) will be replaced with a mix of virtual instruction and smaller group instruction.

Phase I

Week 1 (July 6-10) No student interaction. Directors will plan for virtual communication/teaching and prep room(s) for Phase II.

Week 2 (July 13-17) VIRTUAL instruction will be implemented (at least to start) via Google Classroom. Starting with Phase I, much of our work will be done in sections.

Some incoming freshmen/new students will need to use school-owned instruments. We will announce arrangements for getting these instruments ASAP.

​

​

Phase II

​

Week 3 (July 20-24) We will continue with VIRTUAL instruction, but we will also begin in-person small group instruction (10 or fewer per POD) at UHS. Students will be assigned a POD. Students cannot change PODs so that we can keep accurate records for contact tracing purposes if someone gets sick.

All CDC and MCS guidelines must be followed or students will not be permitted to participate. It is of the utmost importance that we are vigilant in our hygiene and social distancing practices. As per Monongalia County Schools Guidelines, "If a person shows signs and symptoms of COVID-19, anyone who has had contact with that person must quarantine for 14 days."

Mandatory quarantining includes directors, which would at best seriously hinder, and at worst eliminate our ability to rehearse, not to mention the obvious health dangers COVID-19 presents. Therefore, we must ALL do our part. 

Because we have a large number of students in the band, and we cannot have groups exceeding 10 students, POD rehearsals must be limited to one hour. A full schedule will follow, but we hope to be able to see each student in person a minimum of once per week.

​

All students must bring charged Chromebooks to POD rehearsals during Week 3 (the first week of Phase II).

Week 4 (July 27-August 1) Continued VIRTUAL and POD instruction.

​

Phase III

Week 5 (August 4-8) Continued VIRTUAL instruction. Larger group instruction TBD.

Week 6 (August 11-15) Continued VIRTUAL instruction. Larger group instruction TBD.

Anyone who has made plans based on the previous calendar should inform us of any conflicts, but continue with their plans. There will be no negative consequences for scheduling issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

June 03, 2020

The annual Summer Informational Mailing went out Wednesday, June 3. Please watch for it by the end of the week.

As many details about summer band are still up in the air, it deals primarily with the ways the we will communicate so that everyone is kept up-to-date on important UHS Band information.

Please remember that keeping clear, open lines of communication is a very high priority right now.

For any students who may not be returning to band in 2020-2021, there is an important message about returning uniforms and equipment on the front of the envelopes. 

May 19, 2020

According to our travel agent Rita Slane, Disney will not be able to host band performances until the beginning of October 2020 at the earliest. Therefore, we are now looking into dates in the spring of 2021. 

Any travel would have to be approved by our board office.

We WILL be able to either reschedule or receive a refund, though at this point, we are not certain as to how long refunds will take.

Mr. Palmer will inquire about the possibility of including recent graduates on our trip. There are no guarantees that this will be permitted, but at the very least, we do know that anyone unable to travel with us will receive a refund.

As always, thank you for your patience and understanding, and we will continue to update as regularly as possible.

February 07, 2020

Congratulations to the Symphony Orchestra for being selected as a 2020 West Virginia Honor Ensemble.
 

The Symphony Orchestra performed Thursday, March 5 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center as part of the 2020 WV Music Educators Conference.

​

March 08, 2020

Congratulations to the Percussion Ensemble for being selected as a 2020 West Virginia Honor X-Ensemble.
 

The Percussion Ensemble performed Thursday, March 5 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center as part of the 2020 WV Music Educators Conference.

August 11, 2019

Dr. Mel Wright's 2019 UHS Band Photos can be found HERE.

​

Dr. Wright's photos are FREE for download.

June 01, 2015

The Band Boosters have the UHS Band Email set up.  The address is uhs.marching.hawk.band@gmail.com.  To access the account, go to google.com and click on gmail.

Remind App

Students already in REMIND classes do not need to sign up again.

For NEW sign-ups, please click the links below for instructions on how to get UHS Band Remind messages:

​

Concert Band

Jazz Ensemble

Symphonic Winds

Credit Card Payments

You can make credit card payments for any UHS Band trips, fees, etc. Payments can be made in person or by using the form found HERE.

Incoming Freshman FAQs

Before contacting the directors with questions about our program, please read these frequently asked questions.

Join Band

Click HERE for our Beginning Band information page.

UHS Band Handbook

Click the icon to the left to view the 2019-2020 UHS Band Handbook.

​

For health and physical forms, click here to be redirected to the Forms page.

Charms

The UHS Band Boosters utilize Charms Office Assistant to keep track of student records concerning financial information, form submission, and more. 

Click the icon to the left to be redirected to the Charms login.