Announcements

June 19, 2020 - Percussion and color guard summer rehearsals will begin the week of June 29th.  This is due to making sure all staff is trained in the new safety procedures.  Percussion will only be rehearsing on Mondays this summer.  No Thursday rehearsals for percussion during the summer.  

Want to join the Fairhope Color Guard?  Please contact us for information!  All Fairhope High School students are eligible!  Mr. Fillingim afillingim@bcbe.org and Mrs. Petersen mpetersen@bcbe.org

The dates for Band Camp have been released and are on the calendar. All rehearsals, football games, and possible competitions have been added to the calendar. Please begin making arrangements for students to be present at all rehearsals, camps, football games, and competitions.

UPDATES

Hello everyone! I was trying to wait to send communication until I have more information, but I know rumors are flying, and I figure I should squash those. I was trying to wait until we received guidance from the State Superintendent, but I am hearing too many rumors.

First - As of right now, ALL rehearsal plans on the calendar are still a "GO". The percussion is set to start June 22 and guard on June 23, just as the calendar states. 

Second - As of right now, there has been NO talk of a band camp cancelation. ALL camps are scheduled to proceed as planned. The administration at the county are trying to make sure everyone is safe and are carefully planning our camp starts. Athletic camps started this week, and have a set of guidelines and protocols to abide by, just as we will.

Third - Concert Band placements will be announced by Friday. ALL students will be placed in their respective band, but will NOT be in chair order. We will have chair seating within the bands once we are back and are able to grade some sight-reading. 

Could all of this change? YES! But as of right now, and until we are given further instruction, we are a go. Please check the calendar at fairhopeband.org and mark the dates on your calendars. If it changes, you will be the first to know!

Please plan for things to be different when percussion and guard begin. I will roll out protocols to everyone soon, but please plan to have your temperature taken at every rehearsal before it is allowed to begin, please plan to wear a face covering while you are at rehearsals (staff included), and please plan to practice social distancing while you are at the rehearsals. You should also know that if the guidelines are not followed, it could very well be stopped. ANY AND ALL protocols I roll out will be directed to me by the Superintendent of schools, and will be followed to the letter. I attended a meeting last week to discuss protocol, and Mr. Tyler bluntly told us all that he has no problem dismissing someone for not following the rules, so please remember, when I roll out the rules and protocol it is not something I made up; it came directly from Mr. Tyler's office. This will be for students AND staff. Students will not be allowed to mix groups once we begin, students will not be allowed to share equipment, and students will not be allowed to be in crowds. 

I will pass on the information after Mrs. Petersen and I have met with the staff and have received further direction from the county. The State Superintendent of Schools is set to make an announcement on June 19th that will detail the opening of school. Baldwin County has stated they will have a plan by July 4 following his announcements. 

I BEG YOU...PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THINGS. Please do not speculate, please do not assume, and please do not say "I heard......." because no one knows; not Mrs. Petersen, not me, not Mr. Cardwell, and not anyone all the way up to the Superintendent of Schools. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME. If you have a question about the schedule, please email Mrs. Petersen and me. Asking former students, graduates, parents, former parents, etc. will not get you an answer because they will not know! 

Please be patient. This is the most strange time in the world for educators, our administration, students, and parents. As difficult as it may be, it is best to just wait for answers before speculating. I know it is frustrating, it is VERY frustrating to us as well. Thank you a million times over for being patient. This too shall pass, and we WILL persevere and we WILL make music together soon! I am anxious to see you all and get back to creating with all of you!

~Filly

Pirate Cards - We are in the process of getting Pirate Cards printed. Once they are printed we will have them available for check-out.