Check out Mr. Nichols band this Sunday, 9/5 at 1:30pm at the Akron Pizza Fest. They are the 1st to perform so be on time so you don’t miss anything!! https://m.facebook.com/akronpizzafest/

Friday: Game at Home against Alliance. Students ARRIVE AT BAND ROOM AT 5:30. Wear LONG, PLAIN black socks, band shorts, band shirt, Dinkles band shoes. For spectators, you can expect to see our awesome band arrive at the scoreboard end at 6:30. Pregame show starts at 6:45. Game starts at 7 and should conclude around 9:30, so by the time we return to the band room and put instruments away, they’ll be ready for pickup around 9:45. *see note below about the Berwyn pickup plan.

THIS FRIDAY, we will need each family to send in snacks for the “Cookie Shack.”  Our band and the visiting band go to the shed at the back corner of the stadium (northeast end) after the halftime shows and are allowed to mingle during the 3rd quarter. It is a nice opportunity for them to meet each other, and a nice way for them to have some free snacks so they don’t spend as much money at the concession stands. Please send in to the band room a package of some kind of snack, preferably individually wrapped packages, if possible, of cookies, chips, granola bars, popcorn, candy, etc.  After this first week, to cover the other 4 home games, we will let you know what we need.  

Please sign up for volunteer opportunities.  

* EVERY game needs chaperones (“field” chaperones for home games and “bus” chaperones for away games) and uniform room helpers before and after games. 

* For home games we will need cookie shack and concession volunteers.  

* We also have informational/merch tables at the home games and other events, and we could use a few more student and parent volunteers there this Friday. 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE sign up on the BBOP website to volunteer for as much as you can – We are grateful for any help, so if you can only do one or two games, great; or if you can help with many or most, that’s even better.  If you have questions (arrival times, job requirements, etc.), please contact the committee chairperson or a BBOP officer.  Concession volunteering has dates open for Saturday JV and Thursday 9th grade football games too. Your service there earns BBOP a greater portion of the proceeds, so please see if you can help out!

* Berwyn Pick-Up Area: Thank you to all who are using Berwyn for drop-off and pick-up. This really is the better option for us because the area behind the building gets tied up with other groups practicing or with buses bringing players and cheerleaders home on Friday night, etc.  We are sorry that last Friday’s pick up got dicey because the Berwyn lot is locked up while the construction dumpsters are there, and so parents were lined up on the street waiting where the buses drop off. Hopefully the dumpsters will be gone soon.

WEEKLY PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
● Color Guard practice held every Wednesday from 5-7pm
● Full band practice will be held every Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00pm (unless otherwise notified). Students are required to attend ALL practices.
● Memorization sessions are held every Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30pm after school, and at 3:30 the percussion section has Drum Maintenance. This gives the students an opportunity to work in their sections and check off their music, which is a factor in their grade for the quarter.

Friday: Game at Nordonia. Students ARRIVE AT BAND ROOM AT 5:00. Wear LONG, PLAIN black socks, band shorts, band shirt, Dinkles band shoes.  

PARENTS: BE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR “REMIND” ACCOUNT: When the bus leaves the away games, we send a message with an estimated time for you to pick up your student (USE BERWYN STREET LOT!! Football and cheerleading busses and parents will be behind the building.).  Generally, it’s between 10:00-11:00, depending on the distance we’re traveling and the duration of the game. (You should assume your kid’s phone battery will be dead at this critical time of the night, so please utilize this back-up tool).

From now on, per the District’s current pandemic protocols, any time a person is inside a school building or on a bus they need  to wear a mask. Students will need their instrumental masks (distributed during band camp) for indoor rehearsals, and they should store them in their instrument case because they are expected to have them EVERY TIME!!!

Please start signing up for volunteer opportunities.  

* EVERY game needs chaperones (“field” chaperones for home games and “bus” chaperones for away games) and uniform room helpers before and after games. 

* The first home game is on September 3, so we will need cookie shack and concession volunteers.  

* We also have informational/merch tables at the home games and other events. 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE sign up on the BBOP website to volunteer for as much as you can – We are grateful for any help, so if you can only do one or two games, great; or if you can help with many or most, that’s even better.  If you have questions (arrival times, job requirements, etc.), please contact the committee chairperson or a BBOP officer.

Band pictures are on Friday, July 23rd. Please arrive at 9:15am.  We are wearing full uniform so please wear your under uniform. Everyone needs to come, even if you aren’t getting individual pictures taken.  We will take the group picture, which will be in the yearbook.
*Seniors, your headshot will be taken for your banner at this time also. DO NOT ORDER A BANNER THROUGH VENDITTI STUDIO. BBOP pays for your banner so we will order it.

**there are no paper forms this year!  You must use the following link if you wish to order pictures.
https://www.vendittistudio.com/stylist/bedford/bedford_band_2021_preorder/#splash

We could use a couple hands to hand out & hang up uniforms.  Please email if you are able to help!

Band Camp information is ready. Cost this year for just camp (doesn’t include “under uniform”) is $80.00 & is due by June 30th. All camp forms will be through Final Forms. You will receive an email when everything is set up! Click here for more information. View the camp packet here.

We currently have this in stock. Please contact Catherine with questions.

Please join us for our first BBOP meeting of the 2020/2021 school year!

Mon Oct 26, 2020 7pm – 8pm Eastern Time – New York
Join with Google Meet meet.google.com/rae-pjua-dqi
Join by phone (US) +1 629-888-1309 (PIN: 493839583)

It is with great regret that we have to inform you that Band Camp 2020 has been cancelled.  As quickly as we received approval, we also raised many concerns.  After speaking with the BBOP Executive Officers last evening, the directors & BBOP made a mutual decision to cancel camp due to safety concerns.  We tried to put all the safety protocols in place as recommended by the CDC and Ohio Music Education Association, however many members felt that camp as proposed would not be safe for all students, staff or chaperones.  As always, our number one concern is the safety of our students.  With all the uncertainties that still exist surrounding COVID, we have to make sound decisions.  We don’t take this decision lightly.  We have discussed this issue with all stakeholders and we all agree that this is the best decision for our students, staff and community considering the situation.  We would rather err on the side of caution then to see someone get sick or someone pass on the virus to someone else.  As for the future of the band program, we don’t know what it will look like come fall, but know that this too shall pass.  I personally have experienced thirty eight years of band camp without a hitch.  This is the first time in my career that I can’t do the thing that I love because of this pandemic.  Please note that this was not an easy decision to make.  After a thorough discussion, it was a decision we had to make.
One thing is for sure, we appreciate all of you as members of our organization.  Whether you are a student musician, a parent, a staff member or a community member, you are all of value to our program.  We will miss the social/emotional piece that band provides us, but we hope to someday get back to it.  As for now, take time to spend time with family and friends and take care of one another.  We can’t wait to see all of you when this virus train passes, but until then know that we wish you the best.  Stay safe.  We will be in touch.  Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Sincerely,
Shawn Nichols
BCSD Music Coordinator
“You’ve Got To Love The Grind” – Coach Calipari

As you all know our annual awards banquet had to be cancelled due to the virus situation.  We didn’t want the seniors and the rest of the students to miss out so we had the day videotaped. Below are the links for the video and the program that would have been distributed.
2020 Award Program
2020 Award Video