The countdown to Disney is on! Look for emails from Mrs. H with any important travel information.
CLICK HERE for the latest itinerary. This is SUBJECT TO CHANGE as we get closer to the travel date.
Upcoming info from Mrs. H:
After the Winter break we will have Disney Band rehearsals.
Music will be handed out in class and will have to be memorized.
If you already have the Cupid Shuffle then you are ready to go!
We will also plan Disney Drumline rehearsals to work through the cadence and any changes that need to be made.
All uniforms will be packed in the trailer before the trip departure. There will be communication about that process very soon.
It's going to be a great trip!
BAND NEWS
The Collage concert was a huge success! What a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season. Thank you to the teachers, staff, parents, and students that made those evenings so special. If you haven't seen them yet, there are many photos on the "Flickr" app from the collage concert rehearsals (like the photo above). Thank you Roberta Hofmann for the pics!
Honors Band Update: Congratulations to our band students that represented us proudly at the District 4 Honors Band at Clarkston High School this weekend. We couldn't be more proud of Temprance Goldfarb, Emily Carney, Alex Stetson, Doug Evan, and Jonah Haupt!
Solo & Ensemble is coming up on February 7th and 8th at Novi High School. We are looking forward to a great two days of music!
CHOIR NEWS
We Have Incredible News to Share!
Our very own choir director, Ashley Ward, has been honored as WLN's Teacher of the Year! This well-deserved recognition highlights her dedication, passion, and impact on both students and the music program.
We couldn't be more proud of Mrs. Ward for this outstanding achievement — what an inspiration to us all!
The Bel Canto choir will be traveling to Grand Rapids on January 24th to perform at the Michigan Music Conference. It is quite an honor to be chosen to perform and the students have been rehearsing since the beginning of the school year. We wish them the best of luck!
HELP WANTED: The Music Boosters is looking for a choir representative. This person would give us the inside scoop on all things choir. If you know someone who might be interested, please contact Liz Vachon at lizvachon@gmail.com.
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAM COAT IS HERE!
Join us in supporting another fantastic musical performance on February 6th, 7th, or 8th at 7pm or 2pm on February 9th at WLN. Tickets are on sale now! CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets. You won't want to miss this show!
BUSINESS OWNERS WE NEED YOU!
Do you have a business that you would like to advertise in the program for our musical? The final day to purchase a spot is WEDNESDAY JANUARY 15th!!PURCHASE YOUR AD HERE
The ad sales pay for the printing of the program. Your ad will be seen by many so please consider buying your spot today. You can find the ad information by CLICKING HERE
ORCHESTRA NEWS
Orchestra students participated in A Day of Strings this weekend. This all day event is where students get the opportunity to work with the top string players and teacher from around the state. They spend the day rehearsing, going to clinics and participating in sectionals with their fellow musicians. The event concludes with a performance. Congratulations orchestra students!
WE WANT YOU!
There are so many ways to get involved with your child's musical passion and here are some current/future needs to make our program successful:
Banquet Chair: If party planning is your specialty, then this is the opportunity for you! We need one or two people interested in planning an awesome end of the season celebration for our students. This is a unique and exciting volunteering experience that doesn't happen until the fall. Don't miss out on your chance to be the party hero! Contact Liz Vachon for more information. lizvachon@gmail.com
Choir Representative: Attends the booster meetings monthly and reports on all things choir.
Orchestra Representative: Attends the booster meetings monthly and reports on all things orchestra.
Uniform Chair: This position fits all band, choir, and orchestra students in their concert uniforms (NOT MARCHING BAND UNIFORMS). You do not need to be able to sew. You can do this volunteer job and still have a daytime job. You are in charge of when fittings happen. You will fit them at the beginning of the school year, and you will be in charge of the return of the uniforms. A few more details involved, but this is the basic overview. SO FUN WITH A FRIEND!!! Want more information? Contact Nicole German at nicolegerman422@gmail.com or Jody Klarich at jodyk1814@gmail.com
2 Marching Band Reps: This is an incredibly important job and without it, the kids don't have band camp. PLEASE consider inquiring about this position to Amy Crossfield at wlnmbcampforms@gmail.com
Food Rep Shadows for Fall of 2025: Feeding the band is one of the coolest jobs you can have. Teenagers love to eat and they love when you feed them! Please consider shadowing our food reps or you can ask them any questions by emailing Ruth Jeffries at thejeffries73@hotmail.com or Val DePotter at vdepotter@att.net
Student & Parent Highlights
Student Doug Evans reflects on his time as a band student:
"It’s been an incredible four years, and I can’t believe it’s over. As this chapter comes to an end, I am filled with gratitude for the people and experiences that have shaped these four years and the person I am today. Being a part of this program has given me many things to be grateful for: new friends, new memories, a second family, the opportunity to lead, and the opportunity to leave behind a legacy. Thank you, Mrs. H., for dealing with me throughout the years. You are the reason why Band feels like home. Band is such an important part of my life, and we students are thankful for all you do for this family. Thank you, 25’ Seniors, for all the memories and for allowing the “Doug Evans” to be in the dance block; you have no idea how much that meant to me. I am grateful I got to experience this with my mom, as she was there alongside me. It has been an amazing journey, and I hope I’ve left behind something meaningful. Thank you all for everything."
Thank you Maureen and Doug for your heartfelt words and your dedication to the band. You will be missed!
Maureen Evans & her time volunteering with the band
"When your oldest child first joins the Marching Knights you don't realize the full impact this will have on their life. The friendships that form, the memories that are made and the experiences they will have are like no other. This holds true for us parents too! Volunteering for the Marching Knights has brought me these same experiences over the last 4 years. I'm so grateful to have been able to capture thousands of pictures and be able to witness first hand the blood, sweat and tears that goes into creating the shows. I've loved every minute of capturing the memories!! Especially when the kiddos that first started off hiding from me and my camera, started seeking me out to take their pictures with friends. We are so very fortunate to have Mrs. H and her amazing "family" she's created at WLN. I'm hanging up the band camera for now but hopefully not forever! Fingers crossed some of Doug's younger siblings will join the Marching Knights in a few years."
If you would like to nominate a student and/or a parent to be featured in our newsletter, please contact Liz Vachon at lizvachon@gmail.com We are looking for band, choir, and orchestra students and parents that are having fun being involved in our program.
RaiseRight Reminders
We hope you have been utilizing your RaiseRight app to make money specifically for your student. Many of you were able to use your funds to help pay for Disney, or other music related expenses.
