This page updated, October 14, 2008

Welcome to the Kealing Middle School Band website!

Take the tour by clicking on any of the items listed on the left. Our goal is to keep parents and students, as well as our education colleagues, informed about our band activities. Let us know if there is any way we can make this website more useful to you. Your comments and suggestions will help us to keep you better informed.

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Click here to listen to the KMS Fight Song

Get Your BBQ Tickets Now!

Friday, 10-17, is the last day to purchase Barbecue/Vegetarian dinner tickets. The dinner, in conjunction with our fall concert, will be served in the Cafeteria from 5-7pm. No tickets will be sold on the night of the dinner-concert.

Support the Band - Donate Beverages

The Kealing Band Program is hosting TMEA Region 18 District Band auditions on November 1st. We have a great opportunity to raise money to help the band program by running a concession stand! We are asking all band families to contribute a case (or 2) of one of the following:

Bottled Water - Coke - Diet Coke - Sprite - Dr. Pepper - Root Beer

Please bring your donation by 10/29! Additional items and volunteers are also needed. Sign up sheets will be available before the band concert on Thursday, 10/23. Parents will be at the concert to help answer questions as well. You may also contact Clara Berndt (clarab@austin.rr.com), our concession organizer. Please call or e-mail any of the band directors if you have further questions.

Thanks for your support!

About the GoArts Campaign in Texas

The GoArts campaign is sponsored by the Texas Music Educators Association in conjunction with the Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education, a coalition of more than 25 organizations whose mission is to promote fine arts in our Texas schools.

The GoArts campaign advocates for education policies, primarily at the state level, that ensure all Texas students have opportunities to study music, art, theater, and dance. Visit goarts.org for the latest updates. Sign up to receive email alerts and information that will help you be a more active and effective supporter of music and fine arts education.

Click the URL to visit goarts.org

Hey, Pep Band!!

The students who attended summer band rehearsals are members of the Pep Band and will be playing at two football games. The dates for these games are:

Monday, October 6th and Wednesday, October 15th

The game on 10/6 will be at Nelson Field, located just east of Reagan High School. The 10/15 game will be at Noack Field #2, located just north of the Delco Center, near LBJ High School.

We are asking families to provide their own means of transportation to and from the games. You must be at the game by 6:30 p.m. and the game should end around 8:30 p.m.

Pep Band members must wear their band shirts. Jeans or shorts may be worn, as dictated by the weather. Students may also bring bottled water to stay hydrated.

Spring 2009 Trip for Symphonic and Beginning Bands

Click here to download a PDF file of the original letter with facts and information.

Parents: Update Your E-mail Information in CHARMS

Please check your contact information on the CHARMS site. We need accurate e-mail addresses, as virtually all of our communication is done via e-mail. Don't be left out due to outdated contact information.

How to Access Parent Information

* KEALING MS BAND *

Log on to www.charmsmusic.com

Locate the “PARENT/STUDENT LOGIN” section of the web page.
Login to your child’s program account using the following login:
KealingMSBand
This will bring up the main parent page. This will allow you to look at your child’s program calendar, event list, handouts and SmartMusic files. Clicking on an event on the calendar brings up the details for that event, such as times, attendance requirements and equipment/uniform necessities. Clicking on “event list” puts all of the calendar information in a list form for easy printing.
When you enter your child’s ID NUMBER, ______________ another more detailed screen appears with even more options to view your student’s locker and combination, music assignments, trip account records, forms turned in and practice reports. Enter your child’s ID FIRST – then you may create your own, unique password by clicking on the “keys.”

Two areas in which you can help the director maintain his/her records:
Student information form – if the director has allowed it, you may help make changes to your child’s student information page (such as updating phone numbers and email addresses if they change) to help the teacher communicate with you more effectively.
Most importantly, the parent page assists both you and the teacher to communicate with each other.

Check Your E-Mail Addresses for Accuracy...

Please update your e-mail addresses via the CHARMS music website. (See login instructions below). Many e-mails are getting returned to the directors because of incorrect or outdated addresses. Please help us communicate with you! Thanks!

...and Check Your Junk Mail Folder and Spam Blocker

KMS Band e-mails may not be getting through to you if you have a spam filter that rejects them. Please check your settings and preferences to allow KMS Band news and information to go where it is intended. In some cases, all you have to do is add the directors' e-mail addresses to your address book.

Private Lessons Are for Enrichment

Our private lesson staff has been busy setting up their schedules to meet with students who want to enrich their musical talents. Private lessons are recommended for everyone, not just to those in need of remedial help. Every effort is being made to work around block scheduling, with its alternate days pattern, to permit lessons during class time. The KMS Band directors feel that the individual benefits of private instruction are so great that we will gladly excuse a student from the group for thirty minutes to receive 100% attention from a private lesson teacher.

Click here to download a private lesson application.

Weekly Practice Planners

Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band and Concert Band students are expected to maintain weekly practice planners that are due on the first class meeting day of the week. Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band students have the option of turning in a paper copy or submitting their report on line at CharmsMusic.com.

Beginning Band students will log their weekly home practice time from Sunday through Saturday on a printed form. The minimum practice expectations are twenty minutes per day and five days per week. Keep in mind that "the more you practice, the luckier you get."

Practice Planners and Practice Reports can be downloaded and printed from each band's special page or from the Downloads page. Please help us save paper by printing your own.