3/13/2020

Good morning,

Wow, I had a hunch things were going to temporarily change for us here at Peninsula HS but I didn’t know when nor did I expect it would be today! Still, here we are and I am encouraged that we are moving forward with a plan for keeping everyone as safe and healthy as possible. That is absolutely the top priority.

You may be wondering how instruction for color guard, concert band, jazz band, and orchestra students will work over the next two weeks. My current plan is to send short assignments home via email. For music students these assignments will be listening assignments to which students will be required to give a written response, brief music theory assignments which require written response, and some playing assignments which require recorded response. For color guard students the assignments will be performance assessments of basic equipment skills. The color guard students will submit video recordings of themselves performing the equipment skills. I am still working out the technology details and gathering materials. Once I have things organized I will send individual classes an update with specific assignments.

Looking ahead…… we have concerts on the calendar.

April 10                 Jazz Band Concert          7 PM      Kelly Johnson Fieldhouse

April 17                 Orchestra Concert           7 PM      Rolling Hills United                                                                                                Methodist Church

May 1                    Concert Band Concert    7 PM      Kelly Johnson Fieldhouse

As of now, I expect we will still be giving these concerts. As long as the current plan of returning to classes on Monday, April 6 after spring break stays in effect, we will do so. The jazz bands are already prepared for their concert and the concert band and orchestras are well on their way to being ready with folders full of wonderful music.

This situation is going to require some flexibility and adjustment for all of us. I know it can be stressful when so many things change at once. I leave you for now with two offers that may be of some help. First, listen to music. This will help give you a sense of normalcy which is currently lacking. Second, I will be available every weekday from now until Spring Break during “office hours” from 10 AM – NOON. What that means is you can send me email messages anytime you choose and I guarantee I will respond each day between 10 AM and NOON. For now, I ask each student to send me an email confirmation that you received this message. My first order of business is to confirm that I have email communication with each of my students.

I’ll miss you all terribly but part of me is looking forward to seeing how well we can stay in touch and keep enjoying music together with a different approach over the next few weeks.

Have a great weekend. 

Mr. Steiner

(310) 377-4888 ext. 42609

[email protected] OR [email protected]