On Friday, February 25th, students will not have school. Teachers will have a teacher work day that day.
Enjoy your upcoming 3 day weekends!
Hello, my talented music students and proud parents! Please add this correction and addition to the music event schedule: March 8th is the HS League Music Festival at Colby Community College. March 23rd is the JH League Music Festival, also at Colby Community College. When I get more information, I will send home a note and post it here. 🎼 🎹 Mrs. Denice Flax
On Saturday, January 22nd, eight junior high students from Western Plains participated in the Southwest Kansas Music Educators Association District Middle School Honor Choir at Dodge City Middle School. Students had to audition to be accepted into the Honor Choir, and they competed for spots with students from the entire southwest district of Kansas. This choir was made up of 174 students, and it was the largest choir in which our students had ever participated. The choir rehearsed for over three hours on four songs with clinician, Matthew Nutter, vocal music teacher from Wichita, Kansas. The SWKMEA Middle School Honor Choir sang in a concert with the SWKMEA Elementary Honor Choir to a packed house at Dodge City Middle School. Afterwards, the Western Plains students ate a special meal at Applebee's in Dodge City.
When asked what advice they would give to students who were interested in participating in KMEA Honor Choir, these kids said, "Come to rehearsal ready to work. Wear comfortable shoes, because you stand A LOT! You should try it, because it was a lot of fun!" Mrs. Flax is incredibly proud of her students! Amazing job, Bobcats! 🐾❤️🎼
Due to expected severe weather, Western Plains will be closed on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Stay warm and be safe.
Please add this event to your music event schedule for JH / HS Band Students: Monday, February 7th -- Pep Band at Ransom. Time -- 6:00 to Clean-up. Be at the north building by 5:30 to help set up. This is Senior and Parents Night. GO BOBCATS! 🐾❤️🎼🏀🐾
Due to continued severe weather, Western Plains will be closed on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. If you do have to travel please be safe.
Due to expected severe weather, Western Plains will be closed on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.
Thirteen Junior High and High School band and choir students attended the Christmas concert at the Cathedral of the Plains in Victoria, Kansas, on Sunday, December 12th. Five choirs, made up of students from Fort Hays State University, Hays High School, and Sterling College, as well as adults from the Hays area, delighted their audience with beautiful sacred Christmas music. A brass choir also performed, as well as numerous instrumental and vocal soloists and ensembles.
Mrs. Flax and her students arrived at the church 45 minutes early, and they nearly didn't get seats. The performers entertained us with music while we waited for the concert to start. The concert itself was two hours long, filled with Christmas songs, old and new. There were times when the singers surrounded the church, giving their singing a stereophonic quality. Their music filled the cathedral and our hearts with Christmas!
Mrs. Flax and her students would like to commend every performer for their amazing performance! We thank you for donating your time to provide a free, expert-quality concert to the public!
Mrs. Flax's 2nd - 5th Grade Music Class did a songwriting activity. They had to choose a Christmas carol and change the lyrics to make a new song.
The Christmas song they chose was "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer," and the topic they chose was Woodstock, the little yellow bird from the Peanuts comic strip.
The kids had to listen to a music pattern from the song, then make up lyrics for that pattern, matching syllables to notes. They even had to rhyme words in the correct places.
Mrs. Flax's music class had a LOT of fun writing a new song of their own!
Check out their video at
https://youtu.be/Wt5Tvt-YS3k
Mrs. Flax's Kindergarten / 1st Grade music students at WP North did a songwriting activity. They had to take the tune of a Christmas carol and change the words to make a different song.
The kids chose the song "Frosty the Snowman," and the topic they chose was Mrs. Flax. They brainstormed ideas of what they know about their music teacher. It was surprising to Mrs. Flax just how much her students know about her!
Then they had to listen to the music patterns and write new lyrics for the patterns, matching syllables to notes. They even had to rhyme words in the correct places.
Mrs. Flax's K/1st music class had a fun time writing their own song, and it's very special to their teacher!
Check out their video at https://youtu.be/ODdHO5Dfa5Y
A letter from the Superintendent.
To keep up with music events, go to Denice Flax's teacher page at https://www.usd106.org/teacher_pages/45913/rooms/27158
KMEA DISTRICT HONOR CHOIR FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
WHEN: Saturday, January 22, 2022
WHERE: Dodge City Middle School
2000 6th Street
Dodge City, KS
WHO: Mrs. Flax and 8 KMEA District Honor Choir Students
DRESS CODE: Dress clothes (see attached dress code)
LEAVE TIMES: All students leave from their own school.
Be at the school at least 10 minutes prior.
Ransom students: Leave at 6:00 a.m.
Bazine students: Leave at 6:40 a.m.
SCHEDULE: 8:00 - 8:30: Registration
8:30 - 12:00: Clinic for students
12:00 - 1:00? Concert in auditorium
(See attached schedule for more details.)
NOTE: Clinic is for students only. No family or friends may attend the clinic. Family and friends are encouraged to attend the concert.
ADMISSION: Free-will donations accepted
LUNCH: We will stop for lunch in Dodge City following the concert. Lunch will be provided for students.
RETURN TIMES: Return times are totally dependent on the length of the concert and how long it takes us to get our food and eat. If parents cannot attend the concert, their child will text their parents when we leave Dodge City.
DRESS CODE — DRESS CLOTHES
BOYS: DRESS PANTS (KHAKIS, DOCKERS, SLACKS — ABSOLUTELY NO BLUE JEANS OR DISTRESSED JEANS!)
DRESS SHIRTS (BUTTON DOWNS, POLOS, DRESS T-SHIRTS WITH PATTERNS — NO LARGE LOGOS OR WORDS)
NECKTIES AND DRESS JACKETS ARE OPTIONAL.
DRESS SHOES, BOOTS, OR TENNIS SHOES (MUST BE IN GOOD CONDITION AND CLEAN; HEALS MUST BE 2 INCHES OR SHORTER)
GIRLS: DRESS PANTS (KHAKIS, SLACKS — ABSOLUTELY NO BLUE JEANS, DISTRESSED JEANS, OR LEGGINGS!)
DRESS SHIRTS (BLOUSES, BUTTON DOWNS, POLOS, DRESS T-SHIRTS WITH PATTERNS — NO LARGE LOGOS OR WORDS; NO LOW-CUT NECKLINES; NO BARE SHOULDERS, BACKS, OR MIDSECTIONS)
DRESSES / SKIRTS (MUST BE PLAIN OR PATTERNED, NO LARGE LOGOS OR WORDS, HEMLINE MUST BE BELOW THE KNEE; NO LOW-CUT NECKLINES; NO BARE SHOULDERS, BACKS, LEGS, OR MIDSECTIONS; NO SLITS ABOVE THE KNEE)
DRESS SHOES, BOOTS, OR TENNIS SHOES (MUST BE IN GOOD CONDITION AND CLEAN; HEALS MUST BE 2 INCHES OR SHORTER)
STUDENT SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY
8:00 - 8:30 — Registration
8:30 - 9:45 — Warm-ups and rehearsal in gym
9:45 - 10:00 — Height line-up and move to auditorium
10:00 - 10:15 — Bathroom break / Snack in cafeteria
10:15 - 11:15 — Rehearsal in auditorium
11:15 - 11:30 — Bathroom break
11:30 - 12:00 — Rehearsal in gym
12:00 — Concert in auditorium (Concert will start with Elementary Honor Choir, then proceed with Middle School Honor Choir.)
10:15 - 11:00 — KMEA Teachers Meeting
Wonderful job to all the students who participated in the WP spelling bee yesterday. First place was Tenley Wittman, second place was Tate Burrell, and third place was Aubrianna Flax. They will attend the county spelling bee in Ness City on Jan. 26th. Great job, Bobcats!
On Friday, North students participated in a classroom spelling bee to determine who will be attending the school spelling bee. Congratulations to Abel Flax for taking first place! The other participants attending the school spelling bee in Bazine on Wednesday the 12th at 1:00 are Kaleb Dierking, Kamden Flax, Taydm McDonald, Jensen Perdue, and Mollie Tillitson. We hope to see you there!
Western Plains will have a 2 hour late start on Thursday, January 6, 2022, due to anticipated severe weather. Classes will begin in both buildings at 10 a.m.. Please be safe.
Western Plains South will meet at the building and travel to Western Plains North after breakfast for the school day. Students will return to WPS by school dismissal time. Concert practice will proceed as scheduled.
To parents of band students: We have pep band on Friday, December 17th. I’m sorry this date was left of the chart I sent home! This is a required performance.
Please make sure that your student either has a sack lunch and beverages to bring to the game or send money with them for concessions.
Kids needs to be at the north building by 5:30 p.m. for set-up and warm-up. They will be dismissed after complete clean-up after the last game.
Due to high winds, Western Plains will have an early release at 12pm on Wednesday, December 15th, 2021.
Due to high winds, Western Plains will have an early release at 12pm on Wednesday, December 15th, 2021.