WELCOME  Jason Rekittke –  19^th year teaching in the Kirkwood school District.  8th year as the Elementary Instrumental Music Coordinator and Band Director at KHS.  I teach the beginning trumpet class.  This meeting will last about 30 minutes.  You have made an important decision enrolling your child in our band or orchestra program.  The impact of music education on the development of the child is substantial and measurable…(see the bottom of this sheet)

During this meeting, we will most likely refer to your children as “Nipher kids” or “North kids” depending on which middle school they will attend in 6^th grade (Nipher-NG, R, ½T), (North-K, W, ½ T).  If you are a Tillman attendee and don’t know what MS you will attend, call Linda Huber in the Tillman office.   

  FIRST DAY OF CLASSES DATES/TIMES…Meet in the Cafeteria with instrument at North Sept. 2, Nipher Sept. 3; 7:30am.  (If you transport your child yourself, please arrive between 7:15am and 7:25am).  North students (K, W, ½ T) meet at North Middle School every Monday and Thursday.  Nipher students (R, NG, ½ T) meet at Nipher every Tuesday and Friday.  SUPERVISION is by our staff and starts at 8:15am by music teachers in cafeteria.  Students will be called to the buses by grade / school by the music teachers.  Buses arrive sometime between 8:25 – 8:45 at the elementary school. If students are consistently late back to elementary school, call 965-6130.  Students will probably not have time for Breakfast at elementary school.  Never walk from MS to elementary school. After the first day of band or orchestra, students will come directly to the classroom where their instrument group meets.  If you need to know where that is, call Susan Bubb in the music office at KHS at 213-6100, ext. 1425.  

    OTHER IMPORTANT DATES. Open House is week of Dec. 6-10. Festival of Bands (Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone, Percussion) is Feb. 28, 7:30pm KHS Gym. Festival of Strings (violin, viola, cello, double bass) is March 1, 7:30pm KHS gym.  All-District elementary instrumental concert (all instruments) is May 10, 7:30pm KHS Gym – LAST DAY OF CLASS is May 12 at North and May 13 at Nipher.  

***ALWAYS FOLLOW ELEMENTARY CALENDAR.  Classes will NOT meet if district is closed, on conference days or snow schedule.  Make every effort to come to elementary band even if student is attending a field trip that leaves at ‘beginning’ of school.  MAP Testing…A schedule will be sent home and/or emailed before spring break.  

     MEET THE STAFF:

INSTRUMENT RENTAL – LORRY SHARP (beginning French Horn)/ CHRIS TRELOAR (beginning Percussion) 

INSTRUMENT CARE / REPAIR – PATRICK JACKSON / JOE KAMINSKY / CYNTHIA BOWERMASTER (beginning strings, North Middle 6-8 strings, KHS Symphonic Orchestra)

 PRACTICE HABITS – REBECCA FRIESEN (beginning clarinets, North Middle 6-8 band, KHS assist/woodwind chamber ensemble director) 

GRADE REPORTS – MARY WILEY (beginning flute, KHS and Nipher / North asst. band director) 

PRIVATE LESSONS – ADRIAN WALKER / JOELLEN LYONS (2^nd year strings, Nipher 6-8 strings, KHS Concert Orchestra) 

COMMITMENT AND CONTINUITY OF PROGRAM – JEFF MELSHA (Beginning Low Brass, Nipher 6-8 band, KHS assist / jazz band director)

BOOSTER ORGANIZATIONS - KBB REP AND KOPA REP…

CORRESPONDENCES - Reminders upcoming performance flyers through your child’s instrument teacher and through elementary newsletters and possibly through email. 

CHECK THE WEBSITE…navigate - Kirkwood High School home page / arts dept. / performing arts / ‘Band’ or ‘Orchestra’ 

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Three independent studies of how music education makes an impact on the education of children…

“Music students out-perform non-music students on achievement tests in reading and math.  Because of their study of music, their skills are better at reading, anticipating, memory, listening, forecasting, recall, and concentration.”

“A recent study of an expansive US Department of Education database of over 1,000 communities spanning the past decade showed that students who were involved in the music and arts education by the 10^th grade performed significantly better on standardized tests, reading proficiency, and math proficiency.”

“A research team exploring the link between music and intelligence reports that after 6 months of music training, music students performed 34% higher on tests measuring spatial-temporal ability than the others.  These findings indicate that music uniquely enhances higher brain functions required for mathematics, science, and engineering.”