Welcome

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#003366" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="851" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 82 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rock Lake Band"><U><B><IMG SRC="3f047410.jpg" border=0 width="71" height="65" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>   </B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="776"><div>                 Rock Lake Middle School Band<B> </B></div> <div>                                            250 Slade Drive, Longwood, Florida 32750   phone: 407-746-9385</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> <B>    </B></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#003366" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rock Lake Band"><U>Rock Lake Band</U></A></div> <div> <B>Welcome</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News"><U>News</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar"><U>Calendar</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photos, Videos and Audio"><U>Photos, Videos and Audio</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All County Info"><U>All County Info</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All State Info"><U>All State Info</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How to Practice"><U>How to Practice</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Private Lessons"><U>Private Lessons</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Music Store Info"><U>Music Store Info</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Instrument Accessories Info"><U>Instrument Accessories Info</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Instrument Care"><U>Instrument Care</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fundraising"><U>Fundraising</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Band Booster Board"><U>Band Booster Board</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Handbook"><U>Handbook</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Uniforms"><U>Uniforms</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Forms, Links and Sponsors"><U>Forms, Links and Sponsors</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="High School Info"><U>High School Info</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Just for Fun"><U>Just for Fun</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=398 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3f270760.jpg" border=0 width="880" height="118" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Welcome  </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="44eb6e70.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="231" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="6" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="686" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 993 WIDTH="672"><div> <I>Dear Parents and Students:</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Welcome to the Rock Lake Band program!! This website has been created to familiarize you with the many aspects of the program, and to ensure an enjoyable and educationally rewarding musical experience. I realize you are deluged with reading material from the school at the beginning of the year, but PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLORE THE WEBSITE!!  </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Band is an ELECTIVE and SELECTIVE course. It differs from the general music class, or any other course on the enrichment wheel, in that we seek to develop greater proficiency over a longer period of time. It involves learning math concepts and applying them (rhythm); learning and applying a new system of notation; developing fine motor skills; developing the ability to listen critically; and becoming sensitive : to the sounds we make, to the conductor, to the sounds others make, and to the musical demands of the music. It requires cooperation with a conductor and a large team of musicians working together toward a common goal. And of course it also requires practice at home, occasional after school rehearsals and performances, and investment in and proper maintenance of an instrument. Band involves responsibility to the group. The sound each student makes changes the sound of the entire group. Most students possess the musical and mental skills necessary to be good student musicians. Success is most likely if the student has the desire to learn to play; the parents and students understand what is required for success; and the parents share responsibility for the music education of their child. It is hoped that this handbook will be a guide that will lead you and your child to a successful experience in band. If you have heard the Rock Lake Bands perform, you probably realized you were listening to a very special group of people. They have developed skills and have had learning experiences that will be useful in any endeavor they pursue. And perhaps most important, they experience the unique joy of making music. I sincerely hope your band experience will be as rewarding and enjoyable as mine has been.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Sincerely,</I></div> <div> <I>Kerry Couch</I></div> <div> <I>Director of Bands</I></div> <div> <I>Rock Lake Middle School</I></div> <div> <I>kerry_couch@scps.k12.fl.us</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><IMG SRC="44f46530.gif" border=0 width="326" height="83" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>About Ms. Couch</B></div> <bR> <div> Kerry Couch is Director of Bands at Rock Lake Middle School in Longwood, FL. Ms. Couch received the Bachelor of Music Education Degree (Magna Cum Laude) from Stetson University. Prior to<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>Rock Lake, Ms. Couch was the Director of Bands at South Seminole Middle School, where she focused on expanding the curriculum, increasing student involvement, and raising the standard of performance to consistent Superior ratings in annual Music Performance Assessments. Other teaching experiences include serving on the faculty of Stetson University's Summer Brass Camp. Passionate about teaching young musicians, Ms. Couch is not only an active member of MENC, FMEA and FBA but is also committed to the value of one-on-one instruction and maintains a private teaching studio in the area. </div> <bR> <div> In addition to her teaching duties, Ms. Couch continues to perform on her principal instrument- the trombone. She is a member of the Brass Band of Central Florida, an internationally competitive ensemble, and is presently the First Trombone player and a member of the band's Executive Board member. She also performs as principal trombone player of the Southern Winds Wind Symphony, a semi-professional ensemble comprised of musicians throughout central Florida.<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I> </I></FONT></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Visitors since June 2009:</div> <bR> <div>  <a href="http://www.easycounter.com/"> <img src="http://www.easycounter.com/counter.php?rocklakeband" border="0" alt="page counter"></a> <br><a href="http://www.easycounter.com/">Hit Counters</a>  </div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#660000" FACE="Arial" >This website was created and is managed by the Rock Lake Middle School Band Booster Board (not Seminole County School District or Rock Lake Middle School). It serves as an aid for those students who participate in the Rock Lake Middle School Band organization and their parents. It is our goal to not post any information that personally identifies any students. All of the information on this website is believed to be accurate and reliable, however the Rock Lake Band Boosters can accept no responsibility for any errors or for the use of the information provided. Any mention of vendors, products, or services is for informational purposes only. Any links outside this website are provided as a convenience only and the Rock Lake Band Boosters can not control the content on those sites. Contact the web administrator if you have any questions or comments - admin@rocklakeband.org . </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>