Mrs.Lauretta (Laurie) Dillon
Stafford High School
Music Department
Hello, I will not give you a biography to read, but I will tell you that I enjoy working with your teenagers in the field of music. 
If you need to know more about me, please feel free to come to any rehearsal. They are always open to parents.
I live in town and my life is pretty much an open book.   You can call me at school, but I am rarely at my desk.  My home phone is 684-3247, but I am rarely home and do not have an answering maching, HOWEVER.....I do answer my cell phone  573-2332 unless it is during school or during a rehearsal and I do answer my school email every morning. If you happen to email me later than that, no guarentees that I will get to it later that day since my prep period is first period. 

The expectation of your students is that I will work at least 100%  to make their experience and these events worthwhile and musically satisfying.
The expectation I have of your students is that they work just as hard, regardless of their grade in school, to do the same.
I also expect students to work their hardest at their overall school experience.  Music is great, it might even keep you coming to school every day, but students should keep their eyes on the prize which is to graduate from HIGH SCHOOL. 
The hope that I have for all parents is that they will be involved with their music student.

 Please support them in their musical work.  Nothing is more satisfying to them than to see you in the audience or on the sidelines or at a game or parade.  Leaving them alone to completely fend for themselves musically during these, the most important years in their lives (so far), leaves them wanting support.  They might tell you they don't want you there, but they really do. 

I truly believe that each school they have attended is but a stepping stone to the real world.   In addition, High School is not the be all and end all, I hope, to their education. 
Not one school in the district can produce a perfect final product, but we can strive to have the music students in our charge want to keep music in their lives long after high school.

 Music Boosters is a great way to get involved with your kids.
They meet the first monday of each month.

Music Dates :

Fall and    Beyond...... Music Dates known so far: for 2008 and 2009   many more to Follow!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
August  28    from 5-6:30  Drama practice starts for each play, monthly schedules will be ready

September 2 PIE meeting representatives needed      7 PM-8PM
       See PIE website for minutes.

September 2 rehearsals begin for Beautyshop octet at 7 AM with Alicia
    We will rehearse each tues and thursday for the Coffee House and Madrigal Feaste 
    Good job so far on Teenager in Love and Lollipop

September 3 rehearsals begin for the Barbershop octet at 7Am with Mrs. Dillon
       We will rehearse each  wed and thursday to get two tunes ready for the Coffee house and the Madrigal Feaste

September 3 Music Boosters meeting representatives needed 7PM
     Thank you to Vivan, Ashley, Breanna, Jason, Gillian, Stephanie, and Emily for serving as reps for their peers
     and to all the Boosters for a great meeting!!!!

September 8  regular rehearsals start for Ladies Chorale, Mixed Octet, Madrigals and Show Choir
    Ladies Chorale rehearses each mondya from 2:15 until 3:25
    Octet rehearses from  3:30-4
    Madrigals rehearses from 4-6
    Show Choir rehearses from 6-8
These rehearsals do not change unless we have an event on a Monday and the revised schedule is always posted

    Be prepared with a pencil and to leave your cell phones either in the backpacks in the front of the room or on the ledge of the white board.



September 15 Short day but still have rehearsals!!!!!!!!!!!!PLAN AHEAD

September 20 Welcome back dance sponsored by the class of 2011    7-11 PM  Cafeteria

September 21 Big E  band performs  YiPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Bus leaves at noon from the high school   Uniform: pants, jackets,   hats,  plumes, black socks 
     BLACK SHOES  no white laces,  instruments, flip folders BLACK BAND T-SHIRT
    (given to you in band on the first day of school or from last year...wash it)  
    Arrive at 11:45 to load the bus and our performance is on the Green at 4 with the parade to follow.
     Parents are welcome to come, but must tell  Mrs. Dillon very soon as the boosters sign up for 8 of the 10 spots last night at their meeting.

September 26 Home Football Game  Band and Madrigals and Color Guard
    Be here at 6 to practice the field show with everybody on the front field  we will walk up as a group at 6:30
    Band uniforms all parts  for this the first game after that we will see....based on the weather.

September 27    Sophomore Class Car wash  help needed

October 1 Music Booster Meeting
October 4 PIE car wash  please help or at least get your car washed!!!!!!!

October 7 PIE meeting

October 14  Madrigals perform at Junior Women’s Club Anniversary Celebration  (Library) 6 PM

October 15 Powder Puff Football game

October 16  PIE variety Show   7 PM   Auditorium

October 17 Homecoming pep rally and football game (band and color guard and Madrigals)

October 18 PIE school wide Tag Sale  make some money for you and for PIE   Join US!!!!!!!

October 18 Homecoming Dance

October 24 Football game   Band and Color Guard and Madrigals

October 25 UMASS Band Day for Band and Color Guard

October 29 Activity Period

October 30    Coffee House
 

 November 2  Veterans Day parade

November 3  NCCC Music Festival  In Suffield 6-8:30  bus leaves at 5

November 7 Football game

November 18  NCCC Music Festival in Suffield  1-7:30 pm  leave SHS at noon

November 20 NCCC Music Festival in Suffield 1-4:30…dinner and concert at 7 pm  leave SHS at noon

November 21 Football Game

November 14, 15 Drama Fall plays  dinner theaters in the café  Sponsored by Drama Boosters

November 22 Eastern Regional auditions

November 25 Thespian Induction

December 2 Feaste dress rehearsals in café   2:30-5

December 3  Madrigal Feaste dress rehearsals in café   6-8:30

December 5, 6, 7 Madrigal Feaste   Café  set up all day on the 5th  performances 6:30, 6:30 and 1 PM

December 12 Winter sports pep rally

December 13 New England Music festival auditions  Glastonbury

December 22 Tour of Schools

December 23 Activity period  #2

January 9,10 Eastern regional music festival  UCONN

Feb 7 All state auditions

February  10 Auditorium Dedication Concert

February 25  Activity period  #3

March 15 St Patrick’s Day Parade in New Haven

March 19,20,21 New England Music festival   in Keene NH

April 2,3,4  All state music festival in Hartford

April 15 activity period   #4

April 30, May 1 and May 2   Drama Club Musical Brigadoon

May 5  Thespian Induction

May 9  Junior Prom

May 25 Memorial Day cemeteries and parade

May 29  Senior banquet

June 5 Senior Picnic

 

See also PIEand Music Booster web pages for additional information


Major events:

Coffee House   October  30

Madrigal Feaste  December  5,6,7

Classes:

Concert Choir  :  what a terrific group of 70 young singers.  We are preparing for several concerts at once. Their folders are filled with music for the Coffee House, Madrigal Feaste and Auditorium Dedication concert in February.  Spring concert music will follow in January

Jazz Band   :   an energetic group of 20 musicians.  We are getting to know each other musically and have three tunes under control so far: Crocodile Rock, Don't Want to Lose You and Big Noise. Come hear these and others at the Coffee House.

Band     :     Wow!  they have really grown over the summer.  We are preparing a field show with John Williams music (Jaws/ Superman, Raiders/Jurassic Park, ET and Superman).  We are also getting ready for the fall and winter game seasons.  After the first 13 songs are ready, we will begin Madrigal Feaste music and Patriotic music for the concert in February.

Music Theory  :   what a nice group of 8 students.  They have completed the first four chapters of the book and taken test on chapters one and two.  Once a week, usually on Friday, they will be taking piano lessons in pairs to increase their ability to read music through the vehicle of an instrument.

Music History :  meets second semester.....stay tuned in a few months

Co Curricular groups:   FIRST BIG REHEARSAL DAY IS SEPTEMBER 8

Ladies Chorale  Monday 2:15-3:30

Octet  Monday 3:30-4

Madrigals Monday after school   4-6

Show  Choir Monday after school 6-8

Color Guard  after school ........see captain for details

Barbershop and Beauty Shop  early morning rehearsals   LADIES ON TUES AND  THURS AND MEN ON WED AND FRI



Sophomore Class Advisor     Mrs Dillon

Steering Committee meetings each thursday after school

Drama Schedule:  RH means Robin Hood      SW   means Snow White           HG  means Hansel and Gretel

 

No school

No school

September 2

Lines SW  4-5:00

Lines RH  5-6:00

Lines HG  6-7:00

Pie meeting

PIE meeting

 

September 3

Music RH  4-5:00

Music HG  5-6:00

Music SW  6-7:00

Music Booster meeting

September  4

Lines SW  4-5:00

Lines RH  5-6:00

Lines HG  6-7:00

September 5

Girl Scout Meeting

September 6

September 7

 

September 8 Rehearsals 2:15-8 PM Ladies Chorale, Octet, Madrigals and Show Choir

September 9

Music RH  3-4:00

Music HG  4-5:00

Music SW  5-6:00

 

 

September 10
 school pictures

Lines SW  4-5:00

Lines RH  5-6:00

Lines HG  6-7:00

 

 

September 11

Music SW  4-5:00

Music RH  5-6:00

Music HG  6-7:00

 

 

September  12

September 13

September  14

September 15 Shortened day but still rehearsals!!!
Rehearsals 2:45-8 PM Ladies Chorale, Octet, Madrigals & Show Choir

 

September 16 Curriculum mtg Dillon

HG 4:30-5:30

SW  5:30-6:30

RH 6:30-7:30 

September 17

HG 4:30-5:30

RH  5:30-6:30

SW 6:30-7:30
Drama Booster Mtg

September 18

 RH  4-5:00

 HG  5-6:00

 SW  6-7:00

September 19

 

September 20
Music Booster  Tag Sale &   Bottle and Can drive and bake sale 8-12


Welcome Back Dance

September 21

BIG E for band and color guard

September 22  Rehearsals 2:15-8 PM Ladies Chorale, Octet, Madrigals and Show Choir 

September 23

HG 3-4:00

SW 4-5:00

RH 5-6:00

September 24

 RH  4-5:00

 HG  5-6:00

SW  6-7:00

 

September 25

5-8 Drama dinner/ performances of each play for each other

September 26

Home Football Game (band etc)

September 27
2011 Car Wash at the town hall

September 28

September 29 Rehearsals 2:15-8 PM Ladies Chorale, Octet, Madrigals and Show Choir

September 30

HG 4:30-5:30

SW  5:30-6:30

RH 6:30-7:30

 

 

 

 

October 1

 SW  4-5:00

 RH  5-6:00

 HG  6-7:00 
Music Booster meeting

October 2

RH  4-5:00

 HG  5-6:00

 SW  6-7:00

October 3

 

October 4


 PIE Car wash Help needed