La
La Grande
Grande Pride
School
District
www.lagrandesd.org • March 2020
Volume 4, Issue 1 • March 2020
www.lagrandesd.org
1
La Grande Pride
Love, Care, Serve
La Grande High School, La Grande Middle School,
Central Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, Island City Elementary
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
BOARD MEETINGS
May 13, 2020
7:00 p.m.
La Grande High School Commons
June 10, 2020
7:00 p.m.,
District Office Conference Room
MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENTS
May 4th - 8th
Tentative dates for
LMS Greenhouse Sale
May 5th
2:00-6:30 p.m.
Home Track Meet
May 6th
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Parent Night for Incoming
6th Grade
May 13th - 15th
6th Grade Outdoor School
May 21st
:00 p.m.
Choir Concert at LHS
CENTRAL ELEMENTARY
EVENTS
April 30
Scholastic Book Fair
May 6 & 7
5th grades to OMSI
May 9
PTO yard sale
SUPPORTING MUSICAL TRADITIONS
La Grande goes to State Solo and Ensemble competition
By Trish Yerges
Music director Kevin Durfee is
happy to announce that he has two
ensemble groups that have qualified
to compete at the State Solo and
Ensemble competition on May 2 at
Pacific University in Forest Grove,
Oregon.
This isn’t their first year partici-
pating in the State competitions, but
it is the first year that the school dis-
trict has dedicated a class period and
classroom for the ensembles class to
meet and rehearse. It is an exciting
change for the high school’s music
department.
“Over past years, the students
have been practicing their ensembles
and solo work almost exclusively on
their own time, during lunches and
after and before school,” said LHS
Principal Brett Baxter. “But now,
this small ensemble class really helps
capture and give a place and time
designated for that.”
The new class has been met with
great enthusiasm by the ensemble
students. “We have about 15 kids
that have committed to take a class
that starts at 7:00 in the morning, so
that’s what they’ve been doing, com-
ing in and rehearsing,” said Durfee.
“It’s made a big difference in their
preparedness.”
At any given time in the new
ensemble classroom, there are be-
tween two to four ensembles working
independently and concurrently. Just
being able to get together like this
allows the ensembles to train and
prepare regularly. Durfee has no-
ticed the refinement in the quality of
their performances.
Baxter is very impressed with the
small ensembles. “I can’t say enough-
--Mr. Durfee prepares these kids so
well, and the kids, to some extent,
self-select their groups, and just find
those groups that gel really well and
harmonize for the ensembles.”
Students involved in the small
ensembles have performed locally
at school choir concerts and other
community events. “They are incred-
ible,” said Baxter. “We’re proud of the
kids. It’s not all about sports despite
all our other successes at sports. We
have a strong tradition in music at
both the university and the high
school, and it’s well supported by the
community. To see these kids do well
just reflects on the support from the
community.”
One of La Grande’s qualifying
ensembles is a large treble ensemble
called “Oto Bella Voce” meaning eight
beautiful voices in Italian. These are
eight girls, singing four part music
with two on a part. Sometimes it’s
six-part music, and sometimes they
are singing a part all by themselves.
Each member of the ensemble must
therefore be a strong, independent
voice that knows how to harmonize
with the others.
“The reason it’s called an ensem-
ble contest,” said Durfee, “is because
that’s what the test is, to see how
well you can sing and blend with
each other without a director in front
of you. They get their starting pitch
and go to work.”
The second qualifying ensemble
group from La Grande is called “A
Choired Taste.” That group is made
up of five guys and four girls, a large
mixed ensemble.
“The ensemble groups only have
10 minute slots to perform, so they’ll
be going with two pieces each,” said
Durfee. “It’s a chamber ensemble so
continued on page 2
The word on Enrollment... enrollment numbers as of March 4, 2020
Central Elementary
477 students
Greenwood Elementary
294 students
Island City Elementary
313 students
La Grande Learning Aca.
92 students
Middle School
544 students
High School
676 students
Total Elementary
Enrollment 1,084 students
LGSD Total Enrollment
2,416 students