BAND DUES will be $50 for the year--this entire fee "may" be paid in full during Band Camp or during the start of school. However, $25 is due during Band Camp, and this first payment must be paid before you are issued your band uniform, which we plan to do by Friday, August 18, which is one week before our first football game on August 25.

New SHS band students needing a Band T-Shirt (required) will need to pay an additional $10.00 (one-time, only) with their first $25 payment. During very warm weather, permission to remove your uniform coat/jacket "may" be given by the Band Director at times, while in the stands, while traveling to away games on the bus, etc...but you will ONLY be allowed to do so if you are wearing your Band T-Shirt underneath. It will be, in such cases, part of "your uniform"--treat it carefully all year!

SHS Band Polo Shirts: $16.00--These will be used, along with blue jeans, for the first few games in place of our uniforms if the weather is still VERY hot!

The balance of your annual Band Dues ($25) may be paid right away, but must be paid BEFORE the end of classes in December.

Information will be sent out before and during Band Camp on how you may be able to "earn" discounts on your Band Dues--particularly the "2nd payment", by helping with special projects, possibly during the summer, during Band Camp, and ongoing during the school year.

NOTE--There may be one or two special Band Camp Prep sessions, either on Friday, July 21, and/or Saturday, July 22, during which we may be lining one (or more) field areas with "sideline" and "five-yard lines", to use during Band Camp and ongoing during the school year. Go ahead and mark those dates, if you can help. Updated information will be posted here when details are set for these sessions.

SHS BAND CAMP--

Monday through Friday, July 24-28, 2017, 8am-4pm each day----

EVERY SHS Band Student needs to read an important document relating to Band Camp Preparation. CLICK ON THE LINK, above, that says "Files". There will be two versions of a file called "Summer Preparation for Band Camp"; one is in "Word" format, and one is in "pdf" format. PLEASE OPEN one of these, and read through it carefully! NOTE--These stored files were published a year ago, and have dates (July 25-29, 2016) and times (8am-3pm) FOR LAST YEAR (2016). Please disregard those "dates and times", but HEED the other stuff!! The "general" information in these files should help you prepare for, and enjoy, Band Camp!

SUMMARY OF CRITICAL ITEMS:

1. Eat well every day, including breakfast.

2. Wear tennis shoes/sneakers--NO FLIP FLOPS or SANDALS!!

3. Shorts and t-shirts are perfect! You may bring a hat, sun glasses, (SUN SCREEN!)

4. Water, water, water, water! Hydrate well ALL WEEK, and at home, too! Bring a water container (quart, half-gallon, etc.) or a hydration back pack. I STRONGLY recommend ONLY filling containers with WATER. We may be providing Gatorade-type drinks during lunch. DO NOT BRING OR DRINK COLAS, LEMONADE, or other SOFT DRINKS. Sugary drinks are NOT appropriate during the activities we will engage in during Band Camp!

5. We are providing lunch each day at Band Camp. Make sure all band students eat a well-balanced dinner/supper each day. A balance of vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates, and proteins are best. Don't drown yourself, but drink or sip on water throughout the day!

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST-- Get plenty of rest EVERY NIGHT. Being a member of a marching band is physical work, in addition to musical practice. If you have not read the attached files, you will quickly find out that you'll probably be TIRED at the end of each day. Protect your health by getting plenty of sleep EVERY NIGHT!

(Oh, and don't forget, we are going to have FUN, too!)

See you all Monday morning, July 24, 2017, at (which means, "BEFORE") 8:00am!

MORE INFO WILL BE COMING SOON!

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The following instructions were printed for band camp in 2016, and are in the process of being updated for 2017... I'm leaving them here for "general reference", or instructions, but exact times, dates, and locations and NOT set, yet!

Then, read these instructions, below, carefully. They will be updated in the coming weeks; please keep coming back to this site!

BAND CAMP--

Monday, July 24- (Note special schedule for Monday, only!)

8:00am: Band Officers (only) are to meet in the SHS Band Room

10:30am: FULL BAND meets in the SHS Band Room, with instruments!

11:15am: LUNCH (will be provided every day during band camp)

12:00pm: Rehearsals resume. There may be some very short sessions outside, but the rest of this day will be mostly inside playing.

3:00pm: Rehearsals end for the day.

Tuesday--Friday: The remainder of Band Camp will be held at Sneads First Baptist Church.

8:00am-- FULL BAND, ready to play. (Do not "arrive" at 7:59am!!) We will be outside for most of the morning. Daily schedules will be announced each morning at 8:00am.

11:00am-- LUNCH BREAK. There may be some extra activities before we resume rehearsals.

12:00pm--3:00pm: Rehearsals (full band, sectionals, short outside sessions)

BAND OFFICERS FOR 2016-2017:

Drum Major: Jennifer English

Asst. Dr. Maj./Woodwind Section Leader: Allison Shelfer

Brass Section Leader: Alec Campbell

Percussion Section Leader: Alisha Gibson

Quartermasters (alphabetically): Nick Helms, Jase Johnson, Autumn Yon

Librarians (alphabetically): Katelin Richards, Darla Weeks, Autumn Yon

Finally (for now), one more important request:

As posted recently on the SHS Band Booster Facebook Page, I need full contact information for every SHS Band student for 2016-2017. Please send the following information for you and your parents/guardians to my school e-mail address: raymond.walton@jcsb.org (This information will NOT be published--this is for use by the Band Director, to get information, schedules, and music to you!)

1. Your name (SHS band student!), mailing address, e-mail, cell phone number (for calls or text?);

2. Your parent(s) and/or guardian(s) name(s), mailing address, e-mails, cell / home / work phone numbers.

PASS THE WORD TO ALL THE OTHER BAND MEMBERS, and LET'S GET READY FOR A GREAT BAND CAMP, AND A GREAT SEASON FOR THE SHS PIRATE PRIDE BAND!

News of recent events:

The calendar year of 2015 ended with the SHS and Grand Ridge MS Bands playing at our annual Christmas/Holiday Concert on Thursday, December 17--Great fun, and great music-making!

But... the work is not "quite" over, yet!.............. (keep reading!)

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January, 2016 has brought new and exciting opportunities for music performance!

Sneads High School is proud to have our first participant in many years as a member of a distinguished ensemble. Senior Drum Major, Allison Cort, flute, was selected as a member of the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) All-State High School Honor Band. Allison travelled to Tampa Florida, on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, and participated in rehearsals with this ensemble, culminating in an outstanding performance for the annual conference of the Florida Music Educators Association on Friday afternoon, January 15! Allison was one of only three Jackson County band members in this ensemble, and one of only five in our six-county "District Two" of the FBA. Way to go, Allison!!

The following week, sixteen SHS and GRS band students auditioned for, and were selected to participate in the annual FBA District Two Small School Honor Bands, which will give a performance on Saturday, January 30, 2:30pm, at Shiloh Baptist Church, 1976 Shiloh Lane, Chipley, FL 32428. The public is welcome to come to this concert, and there is no admission charge!

On Friday, February 12, seventeen SHS band students performed at the FBA District Two Solo and Ensemble Music Performance Assessment, which was held at the Baptist College of Florida in Graceville. This is a huge growth opportunity for our band students, as they practiced various solos or ensemble, without a conductor, and prepared their music to perform for certified adjudicators (judges) that are trained to give them helpful advice on their performance.

And, before we get to Spring Break, the band will take another GIANT step forward by performing together as a Concert Band at the FBA District Two Concert Band Music Performance Assessment. Again, this will be the first time in over five years that the SHS Band has participated in this event, and I am excited to have the band at a performing level that warrents them to be in this event. We will be performing on Friday, March 11, at Chipley High School--Our concert performance time is 1:30pm CST, in the Auditorium at Chipley HS.

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Our new Band Officers for 2015-2016 are--

Drum Major: Allison Cort

Assistant Drum Major: Tiffani Harrell

Woodwind Section Leader: Amber Taylor; Brass Section Leader: Elizabeth English

Quartermasters: Alicia Gibson (Percussion), Nicholas Helms (Woodwind/Brass), and Kaylib Shaffer (Assistant)

Librarians: Kaylib Shaffer

Chaplain: t.b.a

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UNIFORMS!!--ATTENTION TO ALL S.H.S. BAND ALUMNI: If you still have, or know of anyone who still has, a S.H.S. Band Uniform "in storage", WE NEED THEM BACK! They are still property of the S.H.S. Band, and we are missing a number of them, particularly in the 'middle' sizes! Please contact any current band member, or e-mail me, and make arrangements to get them back to the band room. Your cooperation in this matter is GREATLY appreciated!

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BAND DUES--$40 per student for the year--ARE NOW DUE!

Checks can be made payable to "SHS Band".

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DETAILS FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKS!

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RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS - - - - -

Annual Band Dues: $40-- ARE NOW DUE!

Every SHS Band Student needs to make sure they have a SHS BAND POLO SHIRT and a SHS BAND T-SHIRT. For the pre-season Football Jamboree on Aug. 21, and for the first 2 or three regular season games, we will NOT wear our full uniforms, but will wear, instead, the SHS BAND POLO SHIRT, blue jeans (no holes!!), BLACK shoes, BLACK socks.

ALSO/NOTE--new county-wide policy states that t-shirts cannot be worn at school, even on football Fridays, but we ARE allowed to wear our Navy Blue SHS BAND POLO SHIRTS. BE CAREFUL, though, to be sure you "want" to wear it during school, AND all night at those first few football games--if you want to order another POLO ($16), let Mr. Walton know during the first week of school!

When the weather "cools off" a bit, and we switch to our full band uniforms, THEN you will need to wear your SHS BAND T-SHIRT under your jacket. On warm nights, in the stands, I may give permission to remove your jackets--in the stands--ONLY if you have your SHS BAND T-SHIRT underneath your bibbers.

SELECTED "AWAY" GAME PROCEDURES: This year, we will continue to bus to away games with the SHS Cheerleaders. The bus will pick us up behind the SHS Band Room, and percussion and other large instruments, cases, and equipment will be loaded first, through the back door of the bus, into the rearmost seats. Cheerleaders in the front, band in the back. One (or more) seat(s) in the very back will be reserved for at least one chaperone. Two students per seat. On all "return" trips/after dark, no "boy/girl" seating; also, please separate front to back, or side to side.

Upon arrival at "away" stadiums, we will usually unpack instruments and put cases back on the bus (weather permitting!). Line up in single file formation, and we will (usually) march into the stadium to our seating area. Warm up will follow, either in the stands or "nearby". We must be ready to play the SHS Fight Song for the entrance of the Pirates Football Team. STAY in your designated seating area while "on duty" to perform for the team! BE READY to play the Fight Song, or any of the other stands or show tunes. BE READY!!

We will supply cold bottles of water, which will be passed out after the start of the 2nd quarter.

At the end of the game (when the clock hits "0:00"), we play the SHS Fight Song. We may play a few other stands/show tunes after that. IMPORTANT!--IF THE SHS Pirates win the game, we WILL remain in the stands, and play the SHS Fight Song, again, when the team finishes their on-field huddle, and runs toward us! AFTER that, we will pack up, line up, and either march or file out of the stadium, back to the bus.

Get cases off the bus, pack instruments, reload bus, then board bus for trip home. We usually will NOT make any stops on the way back to school. PLEASE have your ride home waiting for you at the school when we arrive--we will a bus-wide announcement when we are 20-30 minutes away.

ALL INSTRUMENTS, cases, equipement, music, and especially TRASH MUST be cleared off the bus. EVERY BAND STUDENT must "look around and under the seats" to make sure NOTHING is left behind. Bring all gear back into the band room, and PUT IT AWAY. "LEAVE NO TRACE" on the bus, nor in the band room for next Monday morning!

Band BUS CHAPERONES are required to remain on site until EVERY band student has been picked up--DO NOT make these wonderful-and-necessary volunteers WAIT for your ride---have "your folks" there, at the SHS Band Room, when we arrive!

AFTER SCHOOL REHEARSALS HAVE STARTED, and will be EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, 3:00-4:30, with only "a few" exceptions. PLAN ON IT, no doctor's appointments, no excuses! EVERY AFTER SCHOOL REHEARSAL COUNTS AS A GRADE!!----Click on "Calendar" (above) for the latest/current schedule.

THIS IS A SOMEWHAT LONG, BUT IMPORTANT, NOTICE—PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

The week of October 12 will provide the SHS Band with yet another significant challange to meet, as we will be performing, for the first time in five years, at the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) District Two Marching Music Performance Assessment (MMPA) on Saturday, October 17, 2015. This event is being held at Tommy Oliver Stadium, on the campus of Bay High School, Panama City, FL.

This is a required event for the sixteen area marching bands—from Bay, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, and Washington counties—that will be participating. Performances will begin at 3:00pm. The Sneads High School Pirate Pride Marching Band's performance will be at 4:15pm. The public is invited (and encouraged!) to attend--there is a $6.00 admission charge.

We still have after-school rehearsals on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and it is VERY IMPORTANT that everyone who expects to perform at MMPA be at every rehearsal. This event is “open to the public”, but our audience will be band parents, families, and friends of the various bands that will be performing—A VERY SELECT, KNOWLEDGABLE, AND ATTENTIVE CROWD! We need to look and sound “our best”!

The bands coming to this event are NOT competing against each other, as in a “contest.” This is a true “festival”, where we are literally performing for adjudicators (judges), hired for their expertise in providing written and oral comments to help guide the long term development of each band. Most of the band attending will also be given scores, or grades, by these judges, in the categories of “Music” (2 separate judges), “Marching” (1), and “General Effect” (1). Each of these four judges, in addition to their comments, will assign scores on their ‘area’ as follows:

I / Superior—the highest rating, indicating very few, if any, problems or “defects” in their ‘area’ of grading; a performance of highest distinction;

II / Excellent—“some” problems, but indicating an overall very good preparation—a performance of very fine distinction;

III / Good—a performance with “a number of problems” that can and should be correctable; indicates many fine qualities, as well;

IV / Fair—a performance with “significant” problems, but with some good qualities that can be built on for future performances;

V / Poor—(rarely seen at these events—this rating speaks for itself)

Since the SHS Band has not participated in this event in five years, we have been granted permission by the other FBA District 2 band directors to perform “For Comments, Only”, as is traditional for band programs that have ‘been away’ from this event for a number of years. As such, we will not be receiving scores from our judges, but WILL be provided with written and oral comments, to help us all better develop our music and marching for future performances.

The last band in the program is scheduled to perform at 8:00pm, and we will be staying through their performance, as well as the ratings announcements after the end of the final performance. Please be respectful, attentive, and supportive of the other bands when the announcements of their scores are made.

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It's been a busy several weeks for the SHS Band, with several performances during Homecoming week. On Monday evening, October 5, the band thundered up Church Street into the Gym to a great drum cadence for the annual Pirate Plunge, ending with a rousing rendition of the Fight Song. After playing it again for the entrance of the football team, they performed two of our field show selections, "Star Trek" and "Pirates of the Caribbean"--and they sounded absolutely STUNNING!

The BRAVOs continued to current and alumni members of the SHS Pirate Pride Marching Band for your performances at Homecoming, Friday, October 9, 2015! The SHS MB did a great job at the parade Friday afternoon, dressed out in full uniform in rather warm conditions.

Then, on to the game, where eleven Alumni Band members joined us at pre-game for the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the "SHS Fight Song" to welcome the team onto the field!

The band continued its re-establishment of old traditions, as they took to the field to provide background music for the Homecoming Queen Candidates as they entered the field at half time, just prior to the announcement of the 2015 Homecoming Queen.

Several busy weeks of rehearsals led to all these individual performances, and the band exceeded expectations in both appearance and sound--CONGRATULATIONS!

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FSU BAND DAY-- We will be going, again! Saturday, Sept. 5, "all day"! We will plan on parking "much closer" this year! Mark your calendars!! More info the first week of school.

BAND CAMP 2015-

Monday, July 27--Friday, July 31,

Mon.--Thursday: 9:00am-4:00pm (note new start time!);

Friday, only: 9:00am--11:30am!

LOCATION--Snead HS Band Room (and "around campus")

Lunch is included, on campus (required!)

Annual Band Dues: $40-- Minimum payment due during Band Camp: $10;

additional $15 due during 1st week of school, by Aug. 14 (total: $25);

balance of $15 due before first game--Jamboree on Friday, Aug. 21, at home.

PREPARATION--

1. Get your instrument out, if you haven't, already, and start playing! Scales, warm-ups,

Fight Song, Star-Spangled Banner, "anything", to get you and your body ready to play!

2. GET OUTSIDE EVERY DAY, in the "heat", and if possible, go outside with your

instrument (neighbors permitting!), and play, too. Walk around ("march") while

you play, too.

3. Get a water bottle, or hydration bladder with back pack (that's what I use), label it

with permanent marker, and get used to using it. We will emphasize HYDRATION!

Band Booster Meeting #1 for the new school year:

Tuesday, July 16, 2015, 6:00pm, Snead HS Band Room

All PARENTS/GUARDIANS of all SHS Band Students are

URGENTLY requested to attend this first meeting!

Our agenda for this meeting includes-- 1. Band Camp; 2. Uniforms; 3. Annual Band Dues; 4. Fund Raising/Football Concessions; 5. Chaperones for all football games and all other off-campus activities during the school year. ****PLEASE come and support YOUR child, at least by attending our monthly Band Booster Meetings.****

Parents/guardians of Grand Ridge School Middle School Band Students are also invited to attend, including possible/prospective Sixth Grade Beginning Band Students. Basic information about the GRS middle school band program will be available at this meeting.

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Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, 17 SHS Band students performed in various solos and ensembles at the FBA District 2 Solo and Ensemble Music Performance Assessment, held at the Baptist College of Florida. Playing "grade 3" solos and earning a grade of "Superior" were Allison Cort, flute, and Kaylib Shaffer, baritone saxophone.

Friday and Saturday, January 30 & 31, 2015, six Sneads HS band students who were selected to the FBA District 2 Senior High Honor Band participated in rehearsals and a concert performance with other band students from other area high schools. Representing Sneads HS were: Allison Cort, flute, Sierra Kinsinger and Amber Taylor, clarinets, Kaylib Shaffer, baritone saxophone, Elizabeth English, baritone, and Tiffani Harrell, percussion.

The SHS Marching Band participated in both the Grand Ridge Christmas Parade (Friday, Dec. 12) and the Sneads Christmas Parade (Saturday, Dec. 13), and did a GREAT job playing and marching!

Friday, November 7, 2014--Final game of the season; "Senior Night", recognizing football, cheerleader, and band seniors, the latter including Alexandria Brown, Gavin Davis, Dylan Johns, and Sierra Kinsinger. THANK YOU for your dedication and leadership.

And THEN, for the first time in 2 years, the band took to the field at half-time, and presented an enthusiastic "sampler" of the tunes we have been playing in the stands this year, including: The Hey Song; Go, Mighty Pirates; Iron Man; Crazy Train; Aaargh!; Pirates of the Caribbean; and closing with our Fight Song. Very well presented by the band, and well received by the crowd~~our band has a lot to be proud of!

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Friday, October 17, 2014 - Homecoming Parade---first time in 2 years with our full uniforms, and first time in 2 years that we've 'marched the route'! Terrific performance!!

Homecoming Game versus Wewahitchka--

2nd Annual Alumni Band - A grand welcome to the 14 SHS band alumni that joined us, and stayed in the stands for the whole game to play along with us!

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For our archives..... Hmmm, two years in a row, football weather for Sneads versus Cottondale.... HMMM?????

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F.S.U. MarchingChiefs Band Day - Saturday, September 6, 2014! - What a great, memorable day! From the Sousaphone sectional we walked up to early that afternoon, to the Percussion Warm-Up we watched as we ate our box lunches, to the Skull Session in the baseball field, to the trumpet players running up past us as we walked to our seats, to the pre-game fanfare, and the half-time show----WHAT A DAY! I hope each of you was as excited as I was after the game!

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The First Annual Sneads High School BAND CAMP--Monday, July 28 through Friday, August 1, 2014, was a terrific success! Kudos and congratulations to those who attended. BRAVO!

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BAND PARENTS!-We now have a Band Booster Organization that is going to provide support for the bands at both Sneads High School and Grand Ridge School Middle School. As you all know, the GRS MS Band directly "feeds" the Sneads HS Band, with one band director (!) in charge of both groups, and they are unavoidably "connected" because of that. I need parents from both schools' bands to be involved in the things that will help make their children's band experiences more enjoyable--PLEASE COME to these meetings!

-- The Sneads HS Band (your children!) needs your help!

WS WS HS WS WS WS HS -- WS WS HS WS WS WS HS (What is this? As of September 15, 2014, NO ONE has correctly answered this!)

ARCHIVED INFORMATON and REFLECTIONS!

Heaps of congratulations to the students that performed this past Friday, February 7, 2014, for the District 2 FBA Solo and Ensemble MPA. Most of our students prepared grade 1 or grade 2 solos, for which they received "Comments, Only" from their judges. This included Corey Brown (trumpet), Elizabeth English (baritone), Alicia Gibson (trombone), Sarah Hardman (flute), Tiffany Harrell (snare drum), Katelynn Roberts (trumpet), Tiffany Thurman (trumpet), and Brian Williams (baritone saxophone). Special congratulations go to Tristan Edenfield (alto saxophone) and Allison Cort (flute), who each played a more difficult grade 3 solo for their instrument. As such, in addition to comments from their judges, they also recieved a ratings grade of their performance. Tristan earned a performance rating of Excellent (II), and Allison earned a performance rating of Superior (I). Way to go to ALL of these students!

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FBA District 2 Small Schools Honor Band--Friday and Saturday, January 24 & 25, 2014. Four Sneads High School Band students were invited, and participated in, this annual event, held at Marianna High School. Allison Cort (10th gr.), flute, Sierra Kinsinger (11th gr.), clarinet, Tristan Edenfield (12th gr.), alto saxophone, and Brian Williams (10th gr.), baritone saxophone rehearsed all day on Friday with band members from other Jackson County schools and from schools in 6 surrounding counties. Rehearsing again on Saturday morning, they gave a rousing performance on Saturday afternoon at 2:00pm. CONGRATULATIONS to these SHS Band members for representing "Pirate Pride" in a superior way!

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WOW! WOW! WOW!--Homecoming Day, Friday, 9/27/13--What an unbelievable day of school spirit! In the face of unique challanges, the "resident" band members pulled together and presented themselves in terrific fashion for the parade, playing on a magnificently prepared float, thanks to a handful of band students and parents---and they played very well, too!

Then our first Alumni Band came together wonderfully at the game! 16 SHS Band Alumni joined us, graduates from 2013...going back to the class of 1999. They played the Star-Spangled Banner with the current band during pre-game, and the audience gave the combined band a well-deserved roar of approval! What a great sound! After then playing the Fight Song for the entrance of the team, all 16 Band Alumni stayed for most of the rest of the game--and I think the current band students AND the Alumni both enjoyed playing with "the other" group! We even got a "preview" of a few of the Stands Tunes we will be working on in the next few weeks!

And, as much as most of the Alumni told me how much THEY enjoyed the experience, it makes my heart glow to see folks still enjoying the excitement of making music, 5, 10, even 15 years after graduating from high school. As much as I still go home each day with a smile on my face, THIS Homecoming Friday will be etched in my memory as a very special day, because it seemed to allow so many others to leave the stadium Friday night with a smile on THEIR faces, too! THIS NIGHT was a prime example of the value of Music Education in the public schools--on this, there can be NO arguement!

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SHS BAND POLO SHIRTS--If you have not paid for your Band Polo Shirt, please do so "immediately"! Cost: $16.00! See Mr. Walton!

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[late September, 2013]-- WOW! Sneads High School DOES have a band for the 2013-2014 school year! After four weeks of school, the full scope of activities in which the band will be involved this year is coming better into focus! I have been tremendously impressed with the effort each and every band student has shown in establishing "Pirate Pride"! We have a unique group of students that seem willing to make this band something that eastern Jackson County can be proud of!

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

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One logistical note--since I will be at Grand Ridge School every morning, the band room will be LOCKED in the morning and will not be opened until 5th period. If you have an instrument that cannot be stored in your locker, you may set them in the teacher work room just to the right of the front office.

Raymond Walton

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