WINTER PARK BAND Weekly Newsletter

Dear Winter Park Band families,

Happy last week of school for 2025-2026! This will be the final newsletter of the year. The next edition will be the first of 2026-2027 and starting our work with For All Mankind!

As we close out the school year, I want to draw everyone's attention to the Physical, ECG, and NFHS Health & Safety Courses requirements. Please complete the physical, ECG, and courses as soon as possible before June 1, and upload your documents here: https://athleticclearance.fhsaahome.org/

• Students will have a spot in the first part of the marching show if they are cleared before Band Camp.
• If a student is not cleared before Band Camp or has an unexcused absence from Band Camp, they will not have a spot in the first part of the marching show.

• All Band students must have an up to date Physical and a valid ECG on file with the school and must be cleared to participate before Band Camp on July 20. Please upload your physical and ECG documents to the FHSAA clearance website by June 1.
• New students - you will need a physical and ECG dated after April 1, 2026. The physical will be good for Band, ROTC, and any sport you play your freshman year, and the ECG will be good for all four years of high school.
• Returning students - Only an up to date physical and a copy of your ECG from a previous year need to be uploaded before Band Camp. Your ECG from a previous year is good for the remainder of high school.
• Students of all grade levels 9-12 are required to complete 4 courses by the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS), per FHSAA Policy. They are:
• Heat Illness Prevention (30 minutes)
• Concussion for Students (20 minutes)
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest (10 minutes)
• Sportsmanship (18 minutes)
• ​Physical and ECG Information Packet English Instructions - Please complete and upload by June 1. Thank you!

CURRENT 9 - 11 GRADE STUDENTS:

• All Band lockers must be clear of everything but school-owned instruments by the end of school. Your instruments - both personal instruments and checked-out-for-summer, school-owned instruments (if applies) must go home for summer and brought back to Band Camp.

Have a great summer!

Mr. Clemente & Ms. O'Rourke

All-State Auditions - Saturday, September 19 at Ocoee HS

Concert Band (9th & 10th grade)

• Woodwinds
• Brass & Percussion

Symphonic Band (11th & 12th Grade)

• Woodwinds
• Brass & Percussion

Piano (9th through 12th Grade)

High School Jazz Band (9th - 12th grades)

• Requirement Sheet
• Excerpts & Backing Tracks
• Improv Instructions

Sight-Reading Guidelines and Past Sight-Reading Excerpts

Concert (9th & 10th Grade)

Symphonic (11th & 12th Grade)

Past Years Sightreading

Happy practicing!

Hello band families!

Thank you so much for a wonderful school year! I appreciate your trust as we tried out some new ideas for helping the Band Boosters run more smoothly.

I would like to wish a fond farewell to all of our seniors and senior families! We will miss you and hope to see you at future events.

Two important deadlines happen this week: complete the student athlete physical and ECG upload; and register for ADDitions volunteering! In addition, we already have some summer volunteer opportunities in the Uniforms section.

Save the date

7/9 7pm Q&A zoom! Got any band camp questions? Beginning of the year concerns? Want to see some friendly faces before the school year kicks off?

I'll send out a CutTime alert the week of the 6th with the link to join.

As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Laura Cambridge

wphsbandboosterpresident@gmail.com

🧡🖤Cue the Confetti… We Made It!🖤🧡

As we wrap up the 2025-2026 school year, I just want to say THANK YOU to every volunteer who supported our band and colorguard program this year. From football games and uniforms to concessions, chaperoning, fundraisers, events, and everything in between… your time, love and support helped make this year so special for our students. This program truly would not be possible without our amazing families and volunteers.

Now it’s time to kick off the 2026-2027 marching season! We are currently looking for volunteers for our Summer Uniform Fittings on July 8th and 9th from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM. Whether you are returning to Uniform Crew or joining for the first time, we would love your help! No experience is needed - just a willingness to support our students. Please check out the volunteer SignUpGenius below to sign up.

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/5080A49A8AE22A02-64258511-summer?useFullSite=false

FINAL CALL FOR ADDitions DEADLINE TOMORROW!!
If you plan to volunteer this summer or during the first few football games of the season, your ADDitions must be completed by May 25th. Please do not wait!

https://ocps.samaritan.com/custom/503/opp_details/111620

Students and families - don’t forget to check out the Student Uniform Fitting SignUpGenius in the Uniform Crew section of this newsletter to reserve your student’s summer marching uniform fitting time slot.

Thank you again for an unforgettable year filled with music, memories, laughter, hard work, support and love. I cannot wait to see what this next year will bring for our incredible SOTW family!

Jennifer Mullins

WPHS Band Volunteer Coordinator

☀️ Summer Is Here… and Sponsorship Season Has Begun! 🎺

Congratulations, Wildcats! Another incredible school year is officially behind us, and summer break has finally arrived. We hope everyone enjoys some well-deserved rest, family vacations, pool days, beach trips, and time with friends before we jump into another exciting band season.

As you're making summer plans and preparing for Band Camp, now is the perfect time to begin working on Sponsorships and Student Dedications for the 2026–2027 school year.

Why start now?

Many businesses make decisions about community involvement, advertising, and charitable giving during the summer months. Reaching out early gives potential sponsors more time to review information, budget funds, and make a commitment before the busy fall season begins.

Not sure where to start? Think about businesses your family already knows and supports:

• Doctors, dentists, orthodontists, and veterinarians
• Real estate agents and mortgage lenders
• Restaurants, coffee shops, and local eateries
• Contractors, landscapers, and home service companies
• Fitness centers, dance studios, and sports organizations
• Local retailers and family-owned businesses

The best sponsorship opportunities often come from personal connections. If you or your family already do business with someone, start there!

A few helpful tips:

✔ Pick up sponsorship forms before summer begins or download them from the band website.
✔ Make a list of 5–10 businesses you can contact over the summer.
✔ Practice your sponsorship conversation before visiting a business.
✔ Remember that a "no" is okay. Most sponsorships come after multiple conversations and follow-ups.
✔ Keep track of who you've contacted and when.

Did you know? Students receive fundraising credit for sponsorships and dedications sold, helping offset band expenses throughout the year. Also, this is a Band Trip Year, so money raised means less out of pocket expenses for you and your students! Sponsorship funds directly support instruments, repairs, music, transportation, equipment, uniforms, clinicians, and performance opportunities that make our program successful.

This summer, challenge yourself to secure at least one sponsorship. Every sponsorship, regardless of size, helps strengthen our program and supports all 170+ students who represent Winter Park High School throughout the year. See below for a link for a how-to slide on sponsorships and FAQ, along with the sponsorship and dedications forms.

Enjoy your summer, make some memories, and when you spot a great potential sponsor, don't be afraid to start the conversation. The 2026–2027 Sponsorship & Dedication Program is officially underway, and we can't wait to see what our Wildcat families accomplish!

Questions? Reach out anytime!

Erica Diltz, Sponsorship Chair
Winter Park High School Band
wpbandprogram@gmail.com I 407-784-4361

The annual Maitland Shores 4th of July Band is recruiting players for the 52nd performance and picnic to help celebrate our 250th year as a country. If you are going to be in town for the 4th of July, available for 3 rehearsals - June 7, 14, and 28 from 1:30-3:30 PM, and want to bring your family to hear great patriotic music then eat lunch together on Lake Maitland, please contact me. Spots fill up fast, and you must be able to rehearse and sight read well. Rehearsals and performance will be in Maitland. (90% of our band members are WPHS Band Alumni!)

Jane Claus

WPHS Band Alumni Association President

JaneClaus@live.com

407-496-6050

This time of year, many families consider purchasing a higher quality instrument for their student. While the rental instruments or student instruments many students had during middle school served them well during that time, high school music and musicians need instruments with higher quality make and materials to continue to improve. Please especially do not buy an instrument for your student from discount websites like Amazon. We music teachers refer to instruments sold on those websites as ISOs - Instrument Shaped Objects.

If you are able and considering a "step-up" instrument for your student (sometimes referred to as "intermediate" or "professional" instruments by manufacturers), please feel free to reach out for guidance. We will be happy to point you in the right direction and give options for quality instruments at fair prices.

Local music stores:

Underwood Music - 4949 N Pine Ave, Winter Park, FL 32792

Music Shack - 702 S US Hwy 17 92, Longwood, FL 32750

Allegro Music - 851 E State Rd 434, Longwood, FL 32750

Music & Arts - 4676 Millenia Plaza Way, Orlando, FL 32839

A few websites to peruse:

www.allcountymusic.com

www.musicmaninconline.com

www.musicandarts.com

www.steveweissmusic.com

Whether a student is learning a musical instrument to pursue a career in music, or simply for personal musical fulfillment and recreation, private lessons are one of the best investments that a parent can provide for their musical child. When working with a private teacher, students receive one-on-one instruction from a professional musician who specializes on that instrument.

​Unlike a full band rehearsal experience, studying with a private teacher focuses in on the student’s individual needs. Students who study privately once a week from a professional musician are usually those who excel and find Band more enjoyable. These students frequently earn positions in honor groups like All-State and All-County, and make entry into our more advanced bands like Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble I. Some even go on to earn college scholarships, even if they are not majoring in music!

Below is a link to a list of local private teachers. This list is not exhaustive, and there may be other individuals who are not on the list. If you are a private teacher who would like to be added to our list (or deleted), or know a private teacher who should be added, please contact Mr. Clemente at michael.clemente@ocps.net.

http://www.winterparkhsband.com/private-teachers.html

July 14 - 16: Leadership, Percussion, & Color Guard Camp, 9 AM - 3 PM

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July 20 - 23 and 27 - 31: BAND CAMP, 8 AM - 5 PM

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July 31: Mandatory Band Booster Meeting, 6 PM

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July 31: 2026 SOTW Premiere Show, 7:15 PM

Since the Cut Time software has been updated, the synced calendar link has changed. Copy the link below to subscribe to the Band public events calendar in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, or other calendar app:

• https://app.gocuttime.com/program/calendar/c308b229-e7ac-4762-93ef-6112f6f8daf3/ics
  

PAST DUE BAND PAYMENTS

• WOODWINDS, BRASS, PERCUSSION
• Thursday, July 31, 2025
• Fair Share Payment - $225 OR Fair Share Payment 1 - $100.00
• Marching Band Shoe (new students and if needed) - $45.00
• Extra Show Shirt (optional) - $15.00
• Wednesday, 8/27
• Fair Share Payment 2 - $75.00
• Wednesday, 10/1
• Jazz Fair Share (jazz students only) - $25.00
• Semester 1 Instrument Maintenance (if applies) - $75.00
• Wednesday, 1/14/26
• Jazz Fair Share (jazz students only) - $25.00
• Semester 2 Instrument Maintenance (if applies) - $75.00
• Wednesday, February 25
• Fair Share Payment 3 - $75.00

• COLOR GUARD
• Thursday, July 31, 2025
• Fall Fair Share Payment - $325 OR Fair Share Payment 1 - $100
• Marching Band Shoe (if needed) - $45.00
• Extra Show Shirt (optional) - $15.00
• Wednesday, 8/27
• Fall Color Guard Fair Share Payment 2 - $125.00
• Wednesday, 10/1
• Fall Color Guard Fair Share Payment 3 - $100.00
• School Equipment Semester 1 Maintenance - $75.00
• Wednesday, 12/3
• Winter Guard Fair Share Payment 1 - $150.00
• Wednesday, 1/14/26
• Winter Guard Fair Share Payment 2 - $125.00
• School Equipment Semester 2 Maintenance - $75.00
• Wednesday, February 25
• Winter Guard Fair Share Payment 3 - $100.00

We've been posting lots of photos our social media platforms, and we will continue to post updates, photos, video, and other media to those pages throughout the year. Follow the Band!

• Facebook: @winterparkhsband
• Instagram: @winterparkhsband @wphs_flutes @wphsclarinets @wpsaxes @wphs_trumpets @wphs.trombones @wphstubas @winterparkhspercussion @winterparkhscolorguard @wphs.drumajors
• YouTube: @winterparkhsband
• Twitter: @wphs_bands
• Tik Tok: @winterparkhsband

Email: michael.clemente@ocps.net
Website: www.winterparkhsband.com
Location: 2100 Summerfield Road, Winter Park, FL, USA
Phone: 4076223200
Facebook: www.facebook.com/winterparkhsband