About Us
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Mr. Bigelow is currently the Director of Bands at Spratley Gifted Center. He attended and graduated from West Springfield High School in Springfield, VA, where he participated in the wind ensemble and marching band for all four years. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master’s of Art and Teaching in Music Education for Christopher Newport University. He was a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society and Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity. Mr. Bigelow is currently in his sixth year of teaching and this will be his first year teaching at Spratley full time! He currently lives in VA Beach and has been married to his lovely wife Jen for two years. |
ABOUT THE BAND:
The VMEA Blue Ribbon award winning Spratley Seahawk Band is conducted by Mr. Michael Bigelow. The band program will contains over 140 kids for the 2018-2019 school year. The band program participates in many different events throughout the school year, including five concerts at Spratley, Concert Band Assessment in March, Solo and Ensemble in April, and King's Dominion in May/June. The band has also participated in many events that have helped the elementary students become aware of the wonderful music programs that are available school wide. Any information that you may need regarding what happens here at Spratley will be on this website. We look forward to seeing you at our events! |
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2015: Received a Superior Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment
2015: Received an Excellent Rating at Kings Dominion Festival of Music
2015: Alexander Payne and Teddy Sadowski participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2015: Alexander Payne, Teddy Sadowski, and Dylan Nikitas were chosen to participate in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2016: Dativa Eyembe participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2016: Khyla Moyler, Julianne Khuu, Paige Jordan, Jackson McAvoy, Brandon Singleton, and E.J. McDaniel participated in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2016: Received a Superior Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment
2016: Became a Blue Ribbon School for the first time in the history of the school
2016: Received a Superior Rating at Kings Dominion Festival of Music. The band also received First Place Middle School Band and Overall Grand Champion
2017: Paige Jordan, Gavin Smith, and Samuel Chenkin participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2017: Rachel Watson, Paige Jordan, Jackson McAvoy, Julianne Khuu, Alexis Alston, Maria Ruck, Paul Karhnak, Ethan Spruill, Truth Combs, Gavin Smith, and Samuel Chenkin participated in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2017: Received an Excellent Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment
2017: Received a Superior Rating at Kings Dominion of Festival of Music. The band also received First Place Middle School Band and Overall Grand Champion for a second year in a row
2018: Kamryn Emineth, Madison Wilhelm, Madeleine Parr, Andrew Kwong, Mrava Danh, Kayla Wiggins, Isabelle Kirabo, Marie Clement, Chelsea Marcolini, Allison Cox, Caleb Herring, Zachary Boozer, Isaiah Cole, Ryan Clancy, Corbin Smith, Jenna Sadowski, Kieran Morales, Chastelia Creath, Jason Vance, and Allison Kent participated in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2018: Kieran Morales participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2018: Received a Superior Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment
2018: Received a Superior Rating at Kings Dominion Festival of Music. The band received Second Place Middle School Band in the competition
2019: Madeleine Parr, Kassidie Sheets, Chloe Walker, Ashley Bryant, Amber Fredenburg, Ethan Alfonso, Abygayle Furey, Joshua Cox, Allison Cox, Andre Talha, Zachary Boozer, Clarence Leatherbury, Isaiah Cole, Matteo Silva-Arap, Zoe Calvert, Corbin Smith, Jenna Sadowski, Emily Ruck, Brayden Bogy, Jeremy Hayes, and Myles Hall, participated in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2019: Emily Ruck and Corbin Smith participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2019: Received a Superior Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment
2015: Received an Excellent Rating at Kings Dominion Festival of Music
2015: Alexander Payne and Teddy Sadowski participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2015: Alexander Payne, Teddy Sadowski, and Dylan Nikitas were chosen to participate in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2016: Dativa Eyembe participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2016: Khyla Moyler, Julianne Khuu, Paige Jordan, Jackson McAvoy, Brandon Singleton, and E.J. McDaniel participated in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2016: Received a Superior Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment
2016: Became a Blue Ribbon School for the first time in the history of the school
2016: Received a Superior Rating at Kings Dominion Festival of Music. The band also received First Place Middle School Band and Overall Grand Champion
2017: Paige Jordan, Gavin Smith, and Samuel Chenkin participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2017: Rachel Watson, Paige Jordan, Jackson McAvoy, Julianne Khuu, Alexis Alston, Maria Ruck, Paul Karhnak, Ethan Spruill, Truth Combs, Gavin Smith, and Samuel Chenkin participated in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2017: Received an Excellent Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment
2017: Received a Superior Rating at Kings Dominion of Festival of Music. The band also received First Place Middle School Band and Overall Grand Champion for a second year in a row
2018: Kamryn Emineth, Madison Wilhelm, Madeleine Parr, Andrew Kwong, Mrava Danh, Kayla Wiggins, Isabelle Kirabo, Marie Clement, Chelsea Marcolini, Allison Cox, Caleb Herring, Zachary Boozer, Isaiah Cole, Ryan Clancy, Corbin Smith, Jenna Sadowski, Kieran Morales, Chastelia Creath, Jason Vance, and Allison Kent participated in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2018: Kieran Morales participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2018: Received a Superior Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment
2018: Received a Superior Rating at Kings Dominion Festival of Music. The band received Second Place Middle School Band in the competition
2019: Madeleine Parr, Kassidie Sheets, Chloe Walker, Ashley Bryant, Amber Fredenburg, Ethan Alfonso, Abygayle Furey, Joshua Cox, Allison Cox, Andre Talha, Zachary Boozer, Clarence Leatherbury, Isaiah Cole, Matteo Silva-Arap, Zoe Calvert, Corbin Smith, Jenna Sadowski, Emily Ruck, Brayden Bogy, Jeremy Hayes, and Myles Hall, participated in the All-City Middle School Honor Band
2019: Emily Ruck and Corbin Smith participated in the All-District VIII Middle School Band
2019: Received a Superior Rating at VBODA District VIII Assessment