Leading parade down Disney Main Street was amazing beyond words
At a time when there are negative issues and the weather is dreary, it is good to know that the Laconia School District can be proud of their students who have passed through their school doors singing and playing their instruments.
This past week, your Marching Sachems, Jazz Band, Concert Choir and Symphonic Band received excellent and superior ratings at Festival Disney in Disney World, Orlando, Florida. Students were praised for their performances and behavior.
Our Symphonic Band received the Best in Class for concert band. You should have seen Head Drum Major (LHS Valedictorian) Taylor Gagne's face when he was presented the award. I cannot measure how elated those students were and proud of themselves and others in all of the groups. All the way back to the bus after the awards night and dance, our students were chanting, "Hey band, how do you feel," singing our school fight song, chanting "Sachem Nation," and doing the "get down." No other school was that pumped.
Marching down Main Street as lead in the Disney Main Street Electric Light Parade was amazing beyond words. Students were speechless. They were all given honorary Disney staff status and a set of festival Disney Mickey Mouse ears. The Marching Sachems also marched through Epcot for their competition parade.
One women from Ohio, a trainer for Festival Disney, sought me out to say how proud and impressed she was that a small school from as far away as New Hampshire promotes excellence in their school music programs and make opportunities like this available for their students. She couldn't stop talking, she was so impressed with the program our school district offers.
I want to continue seeing these opportunities for students of Laconia and making sure our band programs are set in place. Our administration has asked me to "think outside the box" to seek ways to make things possible, of which I will continue to do for our students and school district.
Thank you to all who support your kids, this program, as the many other programs, they make a difference in our students' lives. Laconia offers all students a whole education. As I say at each concert, "Thank you for supporting the three A's, Academics, Athletics and the Arts!"
As a bonus, I got a hug from Mickey Mouse.
Debbi Gibson
Music and Art Department Head
Laconia High School
- May 5, 2016
- Published in Letters
At a time when there are negative issues and the weather is dreary, it is good to know that the Laconia School District can be proud of their students who have passed through their school doors singing and playing their instruments.
This past week, your Marching Sachems, Jazz Band, Concert Choir and Symphonic Band received excellent and superior ratings at Festival Disney in Disney World, Orlando, Florida. Students were praised for their performances and behavior.
Our Symphonic Band received the Best in Class for concert band. You should have seen Head Drum Major (LHS Valedictorian) Taylor Gagne's face when he was presented the award. I cannot measure how elated those students were and proud of themselves and others in all of the groups. All the way back to the bus after the awards night and dance, our students were chanting, "Hey band, how do you feel," singing our school fight song, chanting "Sachem Nation," and doing the "get down." No other school was that pumped.
Marching down Main Street as lead in the Disney Main Street Electric Light Parade was amazing beyond words. Students were speechless. They were all given honorary Disney staff status and a set of festival Disney Mickey Mouse ears. The Marching Sachems also marched through Epcot for their competition parade.
One women from Ohio, a trainer for Festival Disney, sought me out to say how proud and impressed she was that a small school from as far away as New Hampshire promotes excellence in their school music programs and make opportunities like this available for their students. She couldn't stop talking, she was so impressed with the program our school district offers.
I want to continue seeing these opportunities for students of Laconia and making sure our band programs are set in place. Our administration has asked me to "think outside the box" to seek ways to make things possible, of which I will continue to do for our students and school district.
Thank you to all who support your kids, this program, as the many other programs, they make a difference in our students' lives. Laconia offers all students a whole education. As I say at each concert, "Thank you for supporting the three A's, Academics, Athletics and the Arts!"
As a bonus, I got a hug from Mickey Mouse.
Debbi Gibson
Music and Art Department Head
Laconia High School
HONORARY LHS ALUMNI OF THE YEAR
September 2014
This year the LHS Alumni Committee has chosen Music Director Deborah Gibson as the Honorary Alumni of the Year. The award was established by the LHS Alumni Committee to recognize the contributions of the district’s strongest supporters, who are not graduates of Laconia High School, but have dedicated their time and energy to Laconia School District. This fall Mrs. Gibson enters her 26th year of teaching at Laconia High School. She has led the LHS Marching Band in hundreds of halftime shows throughout New England as well as dozens of parades and competitions throughout North America. Over the years she has received the NH Distinguished Music Educator award from the NH Music Educators Association and has been recognized by the School Band and Orchestra publication as one of the “50 Band Directors Who Make A Difference.” In 2011, she received the NH Outstanding Band Director Award from NH Band Directors Association as a lifetime achievement award.
Click here for more information and to see congratulatory messages from former students.
September 2014
This year the LHS Alumni Committee has chosen Music Director Deborah Gibson as the Honorary Alumni of the Year. The award was established by the LHS Alumni Committee to recognize the contributions of the district’s strongest supporters, who are not graduates of Laconia High School, but have dedicated their time and energy to Laconia School District. This fall Mrs. Gibson enters her 26th year of teaching at Laconia High School. She has led the LHS Marching Band in hundreds of halftime shows throughout New England as well as dozens of parades and competitions throughout North America. Over the years she has received the NH Distinguished Music Educator award from the NH Music Educators Association and has been recognized by the School Band and Orchestra publication as one of the “50 Band Directors Who Make A Difference.” In 2011, she received the NH Outstanding Band Director Award from NH Band Directors Association as a lifetime achievement award.
Click here for more information and to see congratulatory messages from former students.
Read this article from 2008 at the Citizen Online
Music is her passion:
LHS music director helps children find inner talent
By VICTORIA GUAY
Friday, September 26, 2008
Music is her passion:
LHS music director helps children find inner talent
By VICTORIA GUAY
Friday, September 26, 2008
If you have pictures from your years in band, please post them to the Facebook page or email them to [email protected] so we can add them to this page. Be sure to include what year the picture was taken!