Elementary Beginning Band

Calendars

April 2009 Beginning Band Calendar (click to download PDF)

General Information

The Mead Beginning Band program is available to 5th and 6th grade students interested in learning to perform on Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, and Percussion.  This program serves as the beginning to a lifelong experience that will be full of rich memories and enjoyment.  Instruction for the band is held at Mead High School located at 302 W. Hastings RD.

Transportation Information

Students and parents participating in the program are required to provide their own transportation to class at Mead High School on the scheduled meeting days.  The Mead School District will be responsible for providing transporation for getting the students from Mead High School to the Elementary Schools.

Instructional Schedule

We are fortunate to offer our students instrument specific instruction.  To allow this to happen, each instruments show up on different days of the week.  The following is the general meeting schedule by day.  Please be aware of the most current month's schedule that your student receives from Beth Aho as some changes occur due to concert preparation and conflicts that may arise such as high school scheduling and testing such as the WASL.

• Clarinet and Saxophone - Monday and Wednesday
• Flute - Wednesday and Friday
  
• Trumpet, French Horn, Baritone, and Trombone - Tuesday and Thursday
  
• Percussion (drums) - Friday Note: Percussion students meet an additional day at Mt. Spokane High School on Mondays.
  

Our Elementary Beginning Band Team

As mentioned earlier, we are proud to offer our beginning students specialized instruction on each instrument.  This allows each student an opportunity to create good habits and to get a successful start, which is key to their enjoyment and willingness to stick with it!  We are also very thrilled to have a para educator responsible for coordination of the logistics needed to make it all possible

Beth Aho - Absences 465 - 7114

Connie King - Flute

Connie King plays flute, keyboards, percussion, and sings.  She began formal study of music at 5 with piano, and later studied flute and voice.  Her college degrees are in voice, earning a BA and an MA, education, special education and counseling.  For many years she taught vocal and instrumental music in public schools.  She has also served in special education and counseling while remaining an active performing and recording musician. Connie is a key musician in the Steven King Music Ensemble, a variety dance band that performs for countless events. 

Connie performed, composed, wrote and arranged for two children’s educational music CD’s, “Under the Rainbow” and “Kids & Critters”, sold through www.kingofguitar.com.

Terry Lack - Saxophone, Trumpet, French Horn

Rob Lewis - Trombone

Rick Westrick - Percussion

Gary Woodroof - Clarinet

Gary holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education from Northwest Nazarene University and a Master's Degree in Teaching from Portland State University.  In addition to teaching beginning clarinets, Mr. Woodroof is the Worship and Fine ARts pastor at Spokane First Church of the Nazarene.  He also has nine years of experience as a public school music teacher and is a long-time substitute in the Mead School District.

Gary, and his wife Teri, are proud parents of 3 daughters.