East Cobb Middle School Bands

January 6, 2015

Dear Parents,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of a very important upcoming event called Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE), preparations for which are beginning now in your child’s band class. LGPE is basically the CRCT for Band. LGPE performances take place in March, and each band will perform for a panel of judges and will be evaluated based on our curriculum standards. Each band will be given ratings from each judge based onhow well they perform and whether or not the band meets or exceeds the standards. There will also be ‘specialists’ who will be judging very specific areas: Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, and Conducting. After the band’s performance on stage, the band will enter the clinic and sightreading portions of LGPE. During the clinic portion, a judge will give the band immediate feedback regarding their performance on stage. Then, during the sightreading portion, the band is given a piece of music that they’ve never seen before, given six minutes to study and learn the piece, and then performs the piece for the adjudicator. This adjudicator will rate the band’s sightreading skill and ability.

Both the 7th Grade Band and the 8th Grade Band will perform a preview concert on Tuesday, February 24th here at ECMS, and based on comments received from that performance, we will be working hard to make improvements for our LGPE performances. The 8th Grade Performance Evaluation will take place on Wednesday, March 11that McEachern High School and the 7th Grade Performance Evaluation will take place on Thursday, March 26that Kell High School.

All students will wear formal attire(black slacks (no jeans), black button-down shirt/blouse, black shoes (no tennis shoes), black socks [hose]) -- please note that skirts are not permitted as part of the uniform). Students need to bring their clothes with them to school and leave them either in their locker or bring them (clearly labeled with their name) to the band room. We will provide a snack for students before leaving ECMS, but they may wish to bring a snack of their own, since we will be returning late in the evening for both trips.

Parents: We realize that schedules are incredibly tight, but we would greatly appreciate it if you could schedule doctor/dental appointments at times that will not conflict with your child’s band class between now and our February and March performances.

Finally, please note that all students must satisfy the following requirements in order to participate in the Preview Concert and LGPE:

Have the uniform outlined above to wear for both performances, satisfy all musical requirements as specified by the directors, demonstrate behavior during school hours and at performances that positively represents the East Cobb Band Program and East Cobb Middle School, meet all paperwork deadlines related to LGPE (permission form and NOTARIZED medical form). Please note that the directors may use their discretion regarding which students may or may not attend LGPE. We take our responsibility for your students very seriously. If for any reason, we doubt a student’s ability to handle him/herself with maturity, follow instructions, and conduct themselves in a safe and orderly manner, he/she will not be allowed to join us for LGPE.

Please mark the dates mentioned above in your family calendars and plan on attending these concerts to hear the culmination of your student’s hard work during this exciting time of year!

Krista PezoldLane Doss

EAST COBB MIDDLE SCHOOL BANDS

Large Group Performance Evaluation Information

7th Grade Band Schedule:

Please make sure your child brings or wears their concert attire to school on their LGPE performance day -- black shoes (no tennis shoes), black socks (hose), black pants (no jeans), and black button-down shirt/blouse.

Thursday, March 26at Kell High School (in Cobb County).

3:30P.M.Departure from ECMS to Kell HS

4:00P.M.Arrive @ Kell HS

4:50P.M.Warm-up

5:35 P.M.PERFORMANCE

6:05P.M. Clinic session (held with one of our judges)

6:30P.M. Sightread

7:15P.M.Listen to Hightower Trail MS 7th Grade Band

8:30P.M.Rough estimated time of arrival back to ECMS. This is a

VERY rough estimate – please be certain your child will have

transportation home.

8th Grade Band Schedule:

Wednesday, March 11that McEachern High School (in Cobb County).

3:00P.M.Departure from ECMS to McEachern HS

3:45P.M.Arrive @ McEachernHS

4:20P.M.Listen to Lost Mountain MS 8th Grade Band

5:15P.M.Warm-up

6:00 P.M.PERFORMANCE

6:30P.M.Clinic session (held with one of our judges)

6:45P.M.Sightread

8:30P.M.Rough estimated time of arrival back to ECMS. This is a

VERY rough estimate – please be certain your child will have

transportation home.

We would like to invite everyone to come to our evaluation performances. You may stay with us throughout the entire time, including the sightreading part of the event. It is important for you to see the entire process, and it is also very impressive to our judges to see such strong support from our parents. If you plan on taking your child home with you right after the sightreading session, please check the space provided on the attached form – you MUST check with one of us (or a designated chaperone) before leaving the premises.

We will need at leastfive (5) chaperones for each event, so if you can help out, please check the space on the attached form. You will need to report to the theatre at 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11th(8th grade) or to the band room at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 26th(7th grade) and help with organizing students and equipment throughout the afternoon. Chaperones will assist with organizing students, attendance, loading/unloading equipment, folder/equipment transportation while at the performance site, and bus clean-up. We would GREATLY appreciate your help.

Please fill out the attached formand have your child return it by Thursday, February 12th. We cannot take your child to LGPE unless we have this form. In addition, we need to have the notarized medical form on file that many students turned in already, but we do have a few outstanding forms. We have been reminding the students about this form constantly! Thank you for your time and we look forward to March 11th(8th grade) and March 26th (7th grade).

*** Reminder: Large Group Performance Evaluation Preview Concert for 7th and 8th Grade Bands will take place on Tuesday, February 24th at 7 p.m. in the Gym. Students will need to wear the same attire as the March performances (all black). This is a date change from the original band calendar handed out as part of the Band syllabus at the beginning of the year.Please sign and return to Ms. Pezold or Mr. Dossby Thursday, February 12th.

East Cobb Middle School Bands

380 Holt Road

Marietta, GA 30068

(770) 578-2740, ext. 302

PERMISSION FORM

Please check the following that apply to your child:

____Yes, I have read the information concerning the LGPE performance dates in March.

____ My child will participate in LGPE.

____My child will not participate in LGPE.

I hereby consent for my son/daughter, ______, to participate at the District XII Large Group Performance Evaluation held at ______on ______, 2015.

It is imperative that your child has a notarized medical form on file with us in the Music Department. This form was handed out at the beginning of the year and we are still trying to get all of these forms collected. We will not be able to take your child on this field trip without this notarized medical form, per Cobb County policy.

If any emergency medical procedures or treatments are required by the student during the trip, I give consent to Krista Pezold or Lane Doss, Band Directors at East Cobb Middle School, taking, arranging for, and consenting to the procedures or treatment in his/her discretion.

Please check the following that applyto you:

____ I would like to volunteer as a chaperone for the event.

____I will pick my child up at Kell High School (7th Grade, March 26th) or McEachern High School(8th Grade, March 11th) after the performance on ______. I realize that I must check with Ms. Pezold or Mr. Dossbefore leaving the premises.

______

The District does not or may not carry any insurance relative to the trip, including the cost of the trip, or for injuries to the student. I represent that the student has insurance either through the student accident insurance offered by the District or through my own insurance carrier.

I agree to release, indemnify, and hold harmless the Cobb County School District (District), its Board of Education, and its employees, agents, or assignees, as well as its approved adult trip supervisors (“District Indemnitees”) from and forever promise not to sue them on any and all claims, demands, rights, causes of action, liabilities, losses, damages, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), whether known or unknown, that I, any other parent or guardian of the above-named student, or the student may have or may allege to have against the District Indemnitees or which may be brought against the District Indemnitees arising out of or in any manner relating to the student’s participation in the field trip, including but not limited to the rendering of emergency medical procedures or treatment.

Dated this ______of ______2015.

______

Signature of Parent/Guardian