Walter L. Sickles High School Bands

May 26, 2020

WALL OF SOUND - ATHLETIC CLEARANCE PROCESS FOR 2020

All Hillsborough County band members will need to complete a very simple athletic clearance process beginning this year. This is a completely free process, and does not require any additional information than was needed with our paperwork in prior years. This process will also take the place of much of the paperwork that needed to be signed/notarized in prior years. Below are 2 links for VERY detailed instructions on how to complete this process – 1 for Sensations (auxiliary) and 1 for Band (wind/percussion) students. The process is slightly different for Sensations/Band – please make sure to select the correct instructions! The “certificates of completion” for the NFHS safety videos will need to be uploaded during this process. Please let me know if you have any issues or questions! I am asking all students to complete this process ASAP this summer to avoid any delays when the Wall of Sound is able to start marching again!

WALL OF SOUND - BAND HANDBOOKS FOR FALL 2020

May 26, 2020

Wall of Sound families,

Please read below for some important reminders and updates as we close out this year and begin another!

Welcome Mrs. Lundahl!

Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Heather Lundahl to our Sickles Music Faculty as our new Associate Director of Bands! Get to know more about Mrs. Lundahl and all of the teachers on our Wall of Sound staff on our wesbite at www.sicklesbands.com/staff

Senior Families

Your account will soon be “graduated” into our alumni database and you will no longer receive our group emails. Thank you for your patience as we begin this process over the next several weeks. In the meantime, please take a moment to log into your charms account and ensure that there is no balance on your account to avoid any delays with diplomas etc.

Final Grades for 4th Quarter:

Please confirm with your students that final Edsby assignments have been completed and turned in. The final assignments for included a scale test video (winds/percussion) and completion of the NFHS Safety video course (ALL Wall of Sound students)

Athletic Clearance Process for 2020-2021

All Hillsborough County band members will need to complete a very simple athletic clearance process beginning this year. This is a completely free process, and does not require any additional information than was needed with our paperwork in prior years. This process will also take the place of much of the paperwork that needed to be signed/notarized in prior years. On the home page of our website, www.sicklesbands.com, you will find 2 links for VERY detailed instructions on how to complete this process – 1 for Sensations (auxiliary) and 1 for Band (wind/percussion) students. The process is slightly different for Sensations/Band – please make sure to select the correct instructions! The “certificates of completion” for the NFHS safety videos will need to be uploaded during this process. Please let me know if you have any issues or questions! I am asking all students to complete this process ASAP this summer to avoid any delays when the Wall of Sound is able to start marching again!

DC Trip

The status of our DC trip in 2 months remains tentative/pending as our district continues to monitor the current health situation. As always, the health and safety of our students remains our top priority. Families will be notified of any changes to this status.

GO GRYPHONS!

Mr. Griffis

May 18, 2020

HEATHER LUNDAHL joins the Sickles High School Bands as our new Associate Director of Bands:

Heather Lundahl began her music education in Monroe, New York where she studied flute with Kathleen Affigne, Ron Naroff and Beatrice Keram and performed in band under the baton of Dr. John Lynch. She went on to earn her Bachelors of Music Education and Performer’s Certificate from Indiana University, Bloomington where she performed in multiple ensembles including principal flute in the top Wind Ensemble and Orchestra. While at IU, she studied flute with Jacques Zoon and Thomas Robertello and conducting with Ray Cramer and Stephen Pratt.

Her career as a middle school band director began at Mabry Middle School in Marietta, Georgia and continued at Shorewood Intermediate School in Milwaukee Wisconsin before moving to Florida. In 2002, she developed the vision for the band program at Blake Academy in Lakeland, where she taught students in grades three through eight. She began teaching band and orchestra in Hillsborough County in 2010 and was the Director of Bands at Walker Middle Magnet International Baccalaureate World School, which under her leadership has been awarded the FMEA award for student participation in music and been a demonstration band for clinics at FMEA Convention. Recently, Mrs. Lundahl was the Director of Bands at Cambridge Christian School, overseeing band in grades 4-12. Mrs. Lundahl is active as an All County Clinician and adjudicator. Mrs. Lundahl’s bands and orchestras have consistently received superior ratings throughout her teaching career. Her memberships and professional affiliations include National Association for Music Education, Florida Music Educators Association and the Florida Bandmasters Association.

Mrs. Lundahl’s entire family are instrumental musicians, including her son, Ryan, a trombonist in the Sickles Band program. She is thrilled to be a part of the Sickles Band tradition of excellence and is looking forward to the upcoming year.

2020 VIRTUAL BAND BANQUET VIDEO - ENJOY!

FALL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2020 - COMING SOON

A request for applications for the Aria Jackson Memorial Band Scholarship for band seniors in the Spring.  The winner will be announced at the annual band banquet held in May. 

BECOME A SPONSOR

With over 225 band students, individual and corporate donations are necessary to help our band programs operate and to provide and maintain important needs such as uniforms, instruments, music, travel expenses and much more.  Please consider supporting these students and staff by visiting our SUPPORT PAGE to learn more or go directly to the PayPal DONATE button below to proceed with sending your tax deductible contribution to our program.