Great job at our first football game!!!
Monday - Labor Day!!!
Tuesday - Rehearsal 3:15-5:00, Sectionals 5:00-6:00 everyone
Wednesday -
Thursday - Rehearsal 3:15-6:00
Friday - Homecoming Football Game!!! In your seats at 5:15 REMEMBER ALL GAMES ARE MANDATORY-NOT OPTIONAL
Great job at last week's rehearsals. If you continue to want to get better each day and give 100% at every rehearsal, then there is no stopping you!!!
Be prepared to go outside every day. Your grade may depend on if you have the appropriate attire to be outside during class time.
Things you need with you every day at class/rehearsal:
· Instrument
· Music
· Pencil
· Rehearsal shirt (when they are in)
· Comfortable athletic shoes
· Dot book
· Water Jug
I have passed out rehearsal shirts for each person. Here are the shirt days:
Tuesdays blue rehearsal shirt
Thursdays Red rehearsal shirt
Ball games wear blue rehearsal shirt under uniform
Saturdays will be theme shirts.
Regular rehearsal schedule: Tuesday everyone 3:15-6pm. Thursday 3:15-6pm for everyone.
When we get ready for performances the following must be completed in order to perform.
· Pass all memorization tests
· Participate in two full run throughs of the show before performance (these only happen on rehearsal days)
· Receive no disciplinary actions by the school
· Maintain a C average in each class
Our next memorization test will take place Sep. 16th.
Parents, please remember that band is an academic class and does count towards your students GPA. This is not middle school where it is just during activity time.
ALL PERFORMANCES ARE REQUIRED. REMEMBER IF YOU MISS FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN AN EMERGENCY THEN YOU FAIL THE 9 WEEKS. THIS IS IN YOUR HANDBOOK!!! WE CAN NOT HAVE STUDENTS MISSING PERFORMANCES AT ALL!!!!!!!
Below you will see a list of things that need to be paid and their dates as of right now. I am going to only include the upcoming band fee as we are a month away from the 3rd one. Please pay for these separately as that is how we have to receipt them.
Band fee #4 - $100 due Sep 11.
All other fees are past due at this point.
· State Room-Deadline #1-SEPTEMBER 15TH FOR THE FIRST ROOM PAYMENT OF $48 PER STUDENT-PLEASE START SENDING THIS! WE HAVE A PAYMENT DUE ON SEPTEMBER 15 AND YOUR PAYMENTS COVERS THIS.
· State Room-Deadline #2-OCTOBER 15TH FOR THE SECOND/FINAL ROOM PAYMENT OF $48 PER STUDENT
o MAKE SURE TO PUT YOUR CHILD'S NAME, ROOM PAYMENT # 1 OR ROOM PAYMENT #2 OR FULL ROOM PAYMENT ON THE ENVELOPE WHEN YOU SEND THIS!
· IF WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE ROOM WITH FEWER STUDENTS IN IT, THAT WILL ADD TO THE COST-If there is a room like this, it will be a Girls' Room as of today.
When we start school we have a very limited number of rehearsals left. With that being said, if students have appointments please make sure that they are NOT scheduled ON Tuesdays and Thursdays to accommodate band rehearsals.
If your student has any questions we have a chain of command for them to go through.
1. Section leaders
2. Drum majors
3. Band captains
4. Staff if none of the others have the answers
With the new season starting, please be aware of office hours for staff. We will reply only within an hour of the ending of school on non-rehearsal days or an hour after rehearsal days. If we receive something after those times, please understand we will not send a response until the next morning once we get back to school. We all also have families and need to spend time with them as well. We are at school and work many more hours than we are at home, especially during the marching season because of Friday night games and Saturday competitions, so we please ask that you respect this time for our sanity and the students.
This week we will be in uniform for the first time this season. If your student missed the fittings for uniform parts that will happen on Tuesday at 5pm with Mrs. Jenny Mercer. I will send people who need to be fitted up there during the sectional time. All students will be required to have long tall black socks, if they do not have them then they will not be allowed to march. Each student will need to purchase gloves from Mr. Leslie for $5. For students with long hair their hair must be pulled up in a bun with no stragglers inside their shako. I would invest in some hair spray or gel. All hair must be in natural colors at this point. No jewelry other than the band penny is allowed to be worn during performances. I will pass out band shoes on Wednesday to be put into their bags. These need to be paid for also as the due date for those has past already.
We have homecoming starting this week. This is a fun time and I encourage each and every student to dress up and participate every day. On Friday after the ball game they are having a "dance" out at the cabins for the students. Go and attend and have a good time!!! You never know you might even see me there for a little while!!! With all of this being said have a fun week celebrating our homecoming but when we get into rehearsal mode be ready to put in the work and be great!!
VERY IMPORTANT PARAGRAPHS BELOW-PLEASE READ!
STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SIGN OUT AND LEAVE UNTIL EVERYTHING IS LOADED. Students are ONLY allowed to ride home with parents/guardians/others if they have turned in a Ride home form. If they are late, I will not be adding them to the ride home list this year. If they ride home without a ride home form, then they will not be allowed to turn in a ride home form or ride home any other way than on the bus for the rest of the school year. Please make sure that you get these turned in. I also ask that you do not turn in bulk ones for the whole season as we have to do these weekly. Do not email me a copy as we take these in a folder with us to the game/contest just in case their name was left off the list. These are located on the front table in the band room or on the band's website to print off and sign and send in.
https://sites.google.com/site/gchsmarchingpioneers/fun-things
Parents, when we travel, we follow a certain order. Director vehicles, bus 1, semi, bus 2, equipment trucks, and then parents. When we get to a location to park the ONLY vehicles parking with the band will be staff, equipment vehicles, and parents who I have spoken with that will be helping with the band getting ready. If you are not a part of that group, you will need to park in normal spectator parking.
We will start our next fundraiser tomorrow. We will be selling butter braid. Each student will be tasked with selling 10 items or receive $45 in donations. Remember that not participating in fundraisers isn't an option. Every student must turn in something.
I think that is all for now. Please expect these emails to be sent out on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings.
Important dates:
Sep. 11 - Band fee #4 due
Sep. 11 - Homecoming football game
Sep. 15 - hotel payment #1 due
Sep. 18 - Football at Milan (EVERYONE GOES)
Sep. 19 - South Gibson contest
Sep. 26 - Union City contest