April 21 Newsletter Update
Posted 04.21.08 – Newspaper Recycling Truck: The PC Band Newspaper Recycling Truck has returned for the season. It is again located in the back parking lot by the Waylee exit/entrance. It will be open 8am-6pm daily and we can only accept Newspapers (including advertisement inserts) either tied or bagged

March 24th/Spring Break Update!
Posted 03.29.08 – All State! Congrats to Mike Jensen, Taryn McComb, Jud Gilbert & Ann Goodyear for being accepted to the WMU Spring Conference All State Band on Thursday, April 3! Final Concert at Miller Auditorium at 7:30pm. Our Symphonic Band Brass Quintet was nominated by their judge at State S&E to record and apply for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival….this represents the “best of the best” from throughout the entire state! They recorded on Friday and we will wait and see if they are selected.

5th Annual Michigan
Wind & Percussion Festival
Posted 03.17.08 – Performance Site: Portage Northern High School

March 6, 2008 Update!
Posted 03.12.08 – Preview Concert: Wednesday, March 12 @ 7pm Groups performing: Freshman, Concert & Symphonic Bands and Legends!

February 25, 2008 Update!
Posted 03.03.08 – Parent Teacher Conferences: Tuesday (12:30-3:30/5:30-8:30) & Wednesday (5:30-8:30pm)
Mrs. Flynn will be at all CMS conferences (band room #48); Mr. Flynn will be at CHS in the gym.

February 15, 2008 Update!
Posted 02.18.08 – Freshman Band: Will now perform at the Preview Concert on March 12 instead of the 2.20.08 date! The FB will be performing at the Michigan Wind & Percussion Festival hosted by PN on March 25 or 26 between 7-8pm. Final date and time TBA. The band will perform on-stage and then will have a 30-minute clinic session with one of the adjudicators in the band room.

Week of February 4, 2008
Posted 02.08.08 –Indianapolis Preview Concert: Wednesday, March 12 7pm
Will now include the Freshman Band! The FB will be performing at the Michigan Wind & Percussion Festival hosted by PN on March 25 or 26 between 7-8pm. Final date and time TBA. So the groups performing at this Preview Concert: Freshman, Concert & Symphonic Bands and Legends!

Week of January 21, 2008 Update!
Posted 01.21.08 – Blue Man Group! April 16 in Chicago!…… spots are filling up quickly. Info was emailed home last Thursday morning. Info also available in the band room. 32/53 spots reserved as of Friday night.

Blue Man Group- Chicago!
Posted 01.20.08 – Dear 9-12th Band Families, We’ve been talking about offering a day-trip to Blue Man Group in Chicago for the past few years….unfortunately, obtaining reasonably priced and group tickets on dates that we could travel, have been next to impossible. We are now able to announce a Blue Man Group field trip on Wednesday, April 16! The full itinerary is attached to this email.

Week of January 14, 2008 Update!
Posted 01.13.08 – WMU Internship: We’d like to welcome Mr. Steve Conaton as our intern this semester. He is a brass specialist and will be working with our entire program in grades 6-12 and travel to WMS with Mr. Flynn on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Happy Holidays!
Posted 12.26.07– Winter Legends Percussion: Rehearsal/open house night is Wednesday, December 19 6-9pm. This will be the opportunity for percussion staff to see and hear the members and begin part & section placement. This is an important evening!

November 20th Update!
Posted 12.12.07– CMS Concert Success Story! I think we have finally turned the corner at CMS with regards to the band program….it has taken an immense amount of our time this fall but it was well worth the investment. Over 80 CMS parent teacher conference contacts was definitely a record! We had 128 6th grade students (Mrs. Flynn conducting) present their first Concert last Monday in front of an audience of close to 600! We also had the 64-7th & 55-8th grade bands perform on Tuesday with an audience of 500…. and both bands were outstanding! We have a renewed excitement in the program that we haven’t seen in a long, long, long time. This is just the beginning!

November 20th Update!
Posted 11.26.07– Update: Festival of Giving was a rousing success for the band. $1290 in ticket sales plus over 35 students performed in various small groups throughout the event last Sunday night. Total profit from the project will be close $1650.00!!!!!

November 12 Update!
Posted 11.11.07– Thank You!: We would like to thank all of you that voted for the Bond Issue this past Tuesday…..it will be a fantastic journey to build a new Portage Central High School which will include a one-of-a-kind Music Wing!

First Week of School Information!Freshman Band 2007-08
Posted 09.04.07– Room: Band room will be open each morning by 7:10am.

June 2007 – It's a wrap
Posted 06.20.07– Need More Help!!!! Drum Corps International (DCI): Many of the top Drum & Bugle Corps in the country will converge on Waldo Stadium at WMU on Saturday, June 30. The band will be hired by DCI to work the evening (selling programs, gate workers, water station…..). It was a GREAT paycheck to the bands last year. We have received over $5500.00 the last three years from DCI for working the event

May 2007 Newsletter
Posted 05.16.07– Detailed Schedule March 5-24

April 2007 Newsletter
Posted 04.23.07 – Marie McLeieer Honored: Marie is being honored as one of the finalists for the Kalamazoo County Star Awards (Senior division) for her 30+ years of volunteering here at PCHS in the band program. Her kids graduated from PCHS in 1977 & 1982, and she has been an invaluable resource for us ever since. All the finalists are being honored this Wednesday morning at the Radisson.
March 2007 Newsletter
Posted 03.11.07 – Freshman Band Kudos! Congratulations to our Freshman Band for dominating in their classification at MSBOA Districts this past weekend! They received straight first division ratings in concert and qualified for State!

February 2007 Newsletter
Posted 01.30.07 – Daily Work: The Freshman Band have been working towards the Pre Festival Concert and MSBOA District Festival and Concert & Symphonic bands have been working on preparing music for the Lawrence Central Preview Concert as well as the symposium at Lawrence Central High School later in March.
December 2006 ­ Holiday Newsletter
Posted 12.18.06 – Collage: What a great evening of music! Variety was the key…..between the SB Saxophone Quartet, Freshman, Concert, Symphonic and Jazz bands ……Christmas Eve Sarajevo was again the way to end such a fun night
By The Numbers ­ Considering an investment in the future of our community
Posted 12.17.06 – Currently our property tax for school buildings is low in comarison with other schools in the area.
Portage Central H.S. – Holiday Music Collage
Posted 12.05.06 – Thursday, December 7, 2006. Tickets: $3 ea. Or Family @ $10
Freshman Band – November Newsletter 2006!
Posted 11.20.06 – Overview: We at the Portage Central campus are very proud of our band program. At CMS, we enroll over 250 6-8th grade students in band. Here, our program includes over 160 students and is known and respected at the state, national and international level for musical excellence. The high school program includes your Freshman Band, Symphonic & Concert Bands, Jazz band, “Legends” Winter Brass & Percussion Ensemble and Marching Band just to name a few! We have something for everyone

Freshman Band – Expectations
Posted 10.02.06 – Be Prepared. Have your instrument, music, pencil and other necessary items (i.e. reeds, neck straps, drum sticks, and etc.) present every day.

Freshman Band – 2006 Open House!
Posted 10.02.06 – Overview: I am thrilled to be the director of the Freshman Band this year! We at the Portage Central campus are very proud of our band program. At CMS, we enroll over 250 6-8th grade students in band.