WINTER PARK BAND Weekly Newsletter

Dear Winter Park Band families,

Great job by our awesome students at their first football game this past week! We received lots of positive feedback from Friday's audience. It's always great to get these first performances under your belt early in the year. Now we have valuable feedback from a live performance to take back into rehearsals in order to help us improve our performance.

Also a huge thank you to both Jen Mullins and the awesome team of chaperones and Aaron Strickland and the awesome team of Ops volunteers for making this past week super smooth for a first football game!

Extra Show Shirts are for sale and available on SchoolCash. Shirts are $15.00 each. If you are interested in purchasing a shirt, orders are due by this Wednesday, August 20. Looking forward to seeing you in your shirt at a future football game!

Speaking of Spirit Wear, our order is in production and should be delivered by 8/29. Once items are received and sorted, they will be given to students during class to take home.

This week, we have our regular after school marching band rehearsal Tuesday, 8/19. Tuesday rehearsals take place from 3:15 - 6:30 PM. The annual "Meet the Cats" pep rally will take place this Thursday, 8/21 in the WPHS main campus gymnasium. Please see the itinerary for deatils. Friday, 8/21 we have our first home regular season football game. We will wear our Summer Uniform for both performances this week, same uniform as last week's home preseason game. Please see the itinerary for this week's game. Rehearsal, dinner, and uniform inspection times are the same as last week.

As always, please visit the Band Calendar early and often so your student's Band activities are factored into your family schedule. As stated in the Band Handbook, the directors must both be notified by parent/guardian email a minimum of 60 days in advance of an absence for the absence to be able to be considered excused. At this point in the year, any absence between this week and the week of October 29 should have already been discussed with Mr. Clemente and Ms. O'Rourke. Thank you so much for your continued attention to the calendar and communication!

Speaking of the Band Handbook, the Band Handbook & Standards of Excellence Acknowledgement Form was due Friday, 8/15. If your student has not turned in the form yet, please turn it in no later than Tuesday, 8/19.

ATTENTION NEEDED:

Thursday, July 31, the first financial obligations of the 2025-2026 school year came due. If your family has not yet made payment for your student, please do so by this Wednesday, 8/20. The first Fair Share Payment (all students), the Marching Band Shoe Payment (if needed), and the Extra Show Shirt (optional) all come due on Thursday. Payments must be made on SchoolCash. If you would like to refresh your memory of "what is due when" for the school year, please visit www.winterparkhsband.com/register.html and click on the information packet under Step 3. Have questions? Email both wphsbandtreasurer@gmail.com and michael.clemente@ocps.net.

Let's make it a great week!

Mr. Clemente

Great job at the first game! It is so fun to see the show hit the field.

Below, please see information about Student Dedications in the program, and the links needed to volunteer at future games and events.

Remember to keep the bus loop clear after games and use A Lot for pickup. This is for the safety of our students, staff, and volunteers.

Reach out if you have any questions: wphsbandboosterpresident@gmail.com

Laura Cambridge

Band Booster President

Turn onto Woodcrest Dr. from Lakemont Ave. Take a left on Bellwood Dr., followed by a right into the WPHS school gate (yellow star on map). Park in A Lot (orange star on map). Please do not drive down the bus loop as that road must be clear for buses and trailers. Walk under the covering next to the 200 building (green line on map) and cross the courtyard to the Band room, 06-125 (green star on map).

Please use the Bellwood gate and A Lot for pickup after rehearsals and football games. Thank you!

🎺 Volunteer Corner – Join the Fun! 🎺
Wow — a huge shoutout to our rockstar volunteers from last Friday’s football game! Whether you were chaperoning, rocking the uniform squad, or keeping our food crew rolling, you helped make the night a success for our band. We couldn’t do it without you!

Want to get in on the action? Step one: register as an approved OCPS volunteer through ADDitions ➡ https://ocps.samaritan.com/custom/503/opp_details/112867?org=WINTER%2520PARK%2520HIGH

Please be sure you are selecting, "WPHS Band Volunteers 25-26" when registering for ADDitions.

Don't forget to grab your spot for our next game here ➡ https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A49A8AE22A02-57686523-football

From the stands to behind the scenes, there’s a place for everyone to pitch in and have a blast!🖤🧡

Jennifer Mullins

WPHS Band Volunteer Coordinator

🎵 Final Call for Student Dedications – Deadline August 30th!
Parents, grandparents, friends, and family — here’s your chance to honor your favorite band student in our 2025–2026 Winter Park High School Band Program!

Student Dedications are available for all grade levels and can feature a heartfelt message, photo(s), and custom design. Ad sizes range from business card to full page, starting at $75.

💡 Why participate?

• 60% of your purchase price is credited back to your student’s band account, helping with Fair Share and other costs.

• A full-page dedication almost covers a student’s annual Fair Share!

• Extended family can join in to help support your student.

Deadline: All forms, photos, and payments must be received by Saturday, August 30th, 2025.

How to order:

1. Complete the Student Dedication Form (available on winterparkhsband.com or in the band room).

2. Pay by check (attached to the form) or request a secure credit card link.

3. Once received, our band graphic designer, Sherri Tyson, will contact you to create your dedication ad.

Let’s fill the program with messages of love, encouragement, and pride for our amazing band students!

Questions? Contact:
Erica Diltz, Sponsorship Chair
Robyn Fodor, Fundraising Chair
Winter Park High School Band
📧 wpbandprogram@gmail.com| 📞 407-784-4361

Get ready to fuel up another Friday night performance! To keep our energy high after practice and before the game, all band members will be provided with complimentary pizza, choice of cheese or pepperoni, served with Gatorade.

For those who would like a more substantial dinner for post half-time, I am currently exploring the new concessions vendor, City Barbeque, and will be compiling a new menu this week to offer the band.The menu will consist of choices from their storefront location, which will be picked up hot and delivered game side, with guidance from the general manager of City Barbeque.This option was discussed to keep the food as fresh as possible before serving for preorders. The prices will be consistent with, or closely consistent to, the options offered at the concession stand, with the convenience of not having to wait in long lines. Please stay tuned for a Monday CutTime message with menu choices and instructions on how to purchase this upcoming week’s game night meal. Can’t wait to see you at the game!

Respectfully,
Christina Armendariz, Provisions Coordinator
wphsbandprovisions@gmail.com

🎶 Uniform Notes for a High-Note Week! 🎶

Hello Band and Guard Families!

We’ve already hit some big milestones — First Week of School ✅ First Main Campus Rehearsal (welcome to “D” Lot!) ✅ First Game ✅
And now… the tempo picks up!

This Week’s Line-Up:
🎺 Thursday, Aug. 21 – “Meet The Cats” Pep Rally (Summer Uniform)
🥁 Friday, Aug. 22 – Home Game (Summer Uniform again — straight from your Game Day Go Bag!)

💡 Pro Tip: After Thursday’s Pep Rally, pack your ‘Game Day Go Bag’ before you go to bed so it’s ready to grab Friday morning. Students must bring their ‘Game Day Go Bag’ to school on Friday so they can change into their Summer Uniform immediately after Friday’s rehearsal.

Summer Uniform Reminders

🔸 Instrumental Students:

• 2025–2026 Spanish Images Show Shirt (tucked in)
  

• Khaki/beige shorts + black or brown belt
  

• Black crew socks + athletic sneakers (or marching shoes)
  

• SOTW Water Jug – hydration is part of the performance!
  
  

🔹 Color Guard Students:

• 2025–2026 Spanish Images Show Shirt
  

• Plain black, form-fitting shorts
  

• Neutral-colored sneakers & socks (🩰 no Converse-style, please — only sneakers with support!)
  

• SOTW Water Jug
  
  

🚫 Important: The Uniform Crew does not have extra black socks, belts, or khaki shorts. Students must arrive fully prepared with every uniform piece.

🎵 Quick Tip: When in doubt about your performance uniform, check the weekly newsletter & Director itineraries — they’re your sheet music for success!

‼ Attention – Show Shirts:
If your student still does not have their Show Shirt, they must pick it up Tuesday, Aug. 19 after rehearsal from the Uniform Chairs in the Marching Uniform Room (inside the 600 building).

Let’s keep marching forward in style — see you on the field!

— Your Uniform Crew Leaders,

Mrs. Vanessa Fleming & Mrs. Jen Randolph; wphsbanduniforms@gmail.com

Widdy Up email campaign fundraiser launches in 2 weeks!

Hey Band!

It's time to raise money for our school in an awesome new way! Our band is teaming up with WiddyUP to raise $ 25,000 to fund our amazing band program, including equipment, instruments, expert clinicians, transportation, competition fees and so much more! **Last year we profited $22,144! Let's top it!**

Fundraiser dates: 08/26/2025 through 09/09/2025

WiddyUP is a fun, video fundraising platform where students make awesome videos to safely share with friends and family to raise money for their school. A portion of funds raised goes directly into participating student's band accounts. Widdy Up does not share, sell or rent the students’ contacts.

If the following links do not work on your phone, try on a computer, visit www.widdyup.com or email me.

Click here to watch this important video before you get started—it has everything you need to know. Check it out now!

Click here and SIGN UP for our fundraiser now. For returning students that have an account from last year: IF you no longer remember or have your password saved, you may use this password to sign in to your account with a capital W: Winterpark123!

To raise the money we need for our band program, you need to:

1. Upload 2 videos—a Pitch video explaining why we’re raising money, and a WiddyUP Thank You video showcasing something you love doing.
2. Add at least 15 donors (family and family friends) to your fundraising page.
3. 
   

Click here to see what fun Pitch and WiddyUP videos look like!

Important: We can’t kick off our fundraiser until everyone uploads their videos and enters donor's emails. NOTE! The band will be making whole band pitch and whole band thank you videos for any student to use that does not wish to make their own videos and the Directors will populate every student's account with the whole band videos. Once that is done each student will be able to override those videos and upload their own, personal videos, if they wish.

Heads up! If our group raises at least $1,000, the two students with the most donations and the two students with the most money raised at the end of the fundraiser will each get a $25 Amazon gift card (4 different students).

Let’s goooo! 🥳

Robyn Fodor

Band Fundraising

wpbandfundraising@gmail.com

All-State Auditions - Saturday, September 20 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

Start practicing now!

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

August 21: "Meet the 'Cats" Pep Rally, 6 - 8 PM, WPHS Gym

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August 22: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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August 28: Thursday Marching Band Rehearsal, 2:45 - 5 PM

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September 1: No School/Labor Day Holiday

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September 4: Thursday Marching Band Rehearsal, 2:45 - 5 PM

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September 12: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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September 19: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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September 26: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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September 30: MB Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Homecoming Parade, 5 - 7 PM

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October 3: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Homecoming Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

http://www.winterparkhsband.com/calendar.html

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

• 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

For questions concerning general Band inquiries, Band financial obligations, or to request a payment plan, contact Mr. Clemente, at Michael.Clemente@ocps.net. For questions regarding your CutTime account or statement, contact the Band Booster Treasurer, Kim Somers, at wphsbandtreasurer@gmail.com.

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 @winterparkcolorguard @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