Alpharetta High School

Parents:  On Thursday March 18th the Fulton County School Board will be voting on budget cuts to Fulton County Schools.  The meeting will be at Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary School at 8100 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs, Georgia.  The executive sessions begins at 5pm, and the board meeting begins at 6:30pm.

Included in the proposed cuts is Elementary Band and Orchestra (the ENTIRE PROGRAM) as well as many staffing positions that include assistant director positions at the middle and high school level. These teachers are not being surplused; rather, they are being “RIFed” (Reduction In Force, ie. elimination of position) - which means they simply will not have jobs.  These same teachers will only be paid through June, thus losing a month of pay (July) according to the current language being proposed (they were contracted from August to July). These cuts will ultimately affect the quality and level of music education your children receive - and that our community has come to enjoy and expect at the high school level.

What else is being cut? Are there any other ENTIRE PROGRAMS being eliminated from our system besides music?    If the teacher work force is being reduced and class sizes are being increased (which is part of the proposal), do we really need to open another NEW high school in 2012 (think $40-70 million dollars)?  If we can in fact increase class size, does this mean our current high schools can actually house more students that we thought they could? These are some of the questions you a parents might ask your “elected” school board members.

Your presence (along with your children) at this school board meeting can help.  You must be on the agenda if you plan to speak.  You can find more information about the meeting at www.fultonschools.org, click on the 3rd button along the top (board).  Please be a part of the process!

Congratulations to ALL THREE ENSEMBLES (Symphonic Band II, Symphonic Band I, and Wind Ensemble) for earning the rating of “SUPERIOR” for the second year in a row! We are very proud of each band member - your hard work and dedication produced 3 wonderful performances - well done!!

The next major performance in Friday April 2, 2010 in NYC on the stage at Carnegie Hall!

Please watch the website calendar for Tuesday/Thursday rehearsal schedule beginning next week!  Think about it….Times Square - - -Blue Man Group - - - The hottest Broadway Show - - -and Carnegie Hall!!!!!

PARENTS,

Most popular question answered: Carnegie Hall tickets are available from the Carnegie Hall website and are $50 per pass for the entire event.  Symphonic Band will perform Friday morning April 2nd at 9:30am; Wind Ensemble at 11:30am.

All State Band is just 1 week away!  This means we must pay for hotel NOW.  This year we are traveling via  motor coach rather than vans (FCS has new rules prohibiting instructors from driving students anywhere without a CDL).  The total cost of the all state trip is $186.00, which covers transportation and housing, plus breakfast. You can pull this money from your ISA, donate, or pay out of pocket. Either way, it is due now.

Our hotel has changed - it is the Staybridge Suites on Bay Street.  A detailed schedule for this trip has been published.

PARENTS, if you plan to attend the concert on Saturday and bring your band member home with you please email Mr. Walsh to confirm.  Otherwise, we will be returning Saturday night after the final concert.  ETA will be around 2am ….

Dear Parents/Students:

We are finally at the next step for the Carnegie Hall Performance - it is right around the corner!  The total cost of the trip came in at $1100.00.  The Symphonic Band will perform Friday April 2 at 9:30am; the Wind Ensemble will perform on Friday at 11:30am.  Tickets for the Carnegie Hall performance will be available through the box office on the Carnegie Hall website.

In order to assure tickets for everyone to the broadway show and Blue Man Group as well as the other major attractions (Statue of Liberty, boat ride to the statue and Empire State Building Observation deck), we needed definite travel confirmation by Monday February 8, 2010. Letters went out on February 1st with account totals and balance due along with the opportunity to dispute the totals if they were incorrect.  If for some reason you have not paid your balance but will DEFINITELY pay for and are going on the trip, please see, call, or email Mr. Walsh with your intentions.  Failure to respond will result in cancellation of your spot on the trip.

AWESOME is the word that best describes Savannah concert.  Most parents did not make the trip, so we’ve made CD recordings of the GMEA Svannah performance available THIS WEEK ONLY for $20.00 each. These will be digitally mastered recordings that we will receive in about 2-3 weeks.  If you would like to order please send a check payable to AHS Bands; specify the number of CDs and whether you want Wind Ensemble or Symphony recording.  THIS IS THE FINAL CALL - CDs WILL BE ORDERED AT THE END OF THIS WEEK (last day of February).

THANKS!

Congratulations to the following Hopewell and Webb Bridge MS students for being accepted into the Georgia All State Band; Alpharetta Band is PROUD of you!!!

From Webb Bridge MS:  Kevin Carbone – 3^rd chair clarinet, Jane Snyder  6^th chair clarinet, Stephanie Bagley – 1^st chair bass clarinet, Haiwen Gui – 2^nd chair flute (she is only in the 6^th grade - WOW!!!), and Esther Hwang 3^rd chair flute.   From Hopewell MS:  Josh Wilkinson - 8th chair trombone.

WAY TO GO!!!!!!

Congratulations to the following Raider Band members for passing the second audition and earning the privilage of being a member of the 2010 Georgia All State Band!  You will be traveling to Savannah, GA the first weekend in March to perform with the Georgia All State Band!  Details for this trip TBA.

Sarah Balch, Cory Fica, Ben Horne, David Hwang, John Jung, Bomi Lee, Ryan LeQuier, Morgan Minyard, Mandy Schiff, Giovanni Sessoms, Danielle Zervakos, Jessie Zhang.

PLEASE CONFIRM WITH MR WALSH THAT YOU ARE GOING!

Click here for Ensemble and Chair Placement

Please email Mr. Walsh immediately to accept; since results were delayed, the state must contact alternates asap in the event that you cannot participate.

WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF EACH OF YOU!!

GO RAIDERS!

The 2010 Football schedule is on our website calendar NOW.  If your child will be marching with the Raider Band, please block out these dates. The competition schedule will be posted as we confirm dates and competitions.