This Week's Newsletter

Director's Notes

Another busy week in the HCMS Band Room!  First football game for 7/8 Grade tomorrow!  Be sure to read all details below!

Beginning Band (6th Grade)

We are getting into our very first songs this week!  Beginners are off to a great start! 

• BAND T-SHIRT ORDER Band T-Shirts have been distributed.  If you did not receive a shirt or did not order one, we have plenty of extra.  Please contact Ms. Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org) or send in $16 (checks to HCMS Band).    

• BEGINNING BAND - FOOTBALL GAME Our beginning band students are invited to join us at our football game on Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30 p.m.  Call Time is 6:00 and they will need to wear their band uniform (Black Band shirt/khaki pants/tennis shoes).  This is optional for our beginning band students - just so they can see how football games will be in future!  They will be playing a few songs with the band and joining in the fun! 

• CLARINET/SAXOPHONE PLAYERS  Please help us make sure your students have 3 good reeds for their instrument at all times.  We will be rotating through to have three playable reeds all the time.  As they break/wear out over time, we need to be sure they are replaced so students always have a back-up option ready.  

• RED BOOK Please be sure your student has a copy of the Tradition of Excellence Book 1 for his/her instrument.  If you have not yet purchased the red book, we have some available for purchase through the band ($13 for woodwinds/brass or $16 for percussion).  You can send in payment via cash or check (HCMS Band) for your book.  

• FIRST DAY PACKETS Band Handbooks/Paperwork packets were sent home on Monday.  Please don't be alarmed by all the information - I just like to provide as much info up front as possible!  Please return the Handbook Form, Fair Share form, and Percussion form (7th/8th Grade Percussion only) as soon as possible to the band room.  Copies of the information from the packet are included below and extra paper copies are available upon request. 

Symphonic Band (7th/8th Grade)

• FOOTBALL GAME. Our first football game will be TOMORROW (Monday), September 8!   Please remember this is a required event for our 7th and 8th grade band students.  

  • WHO: 7th and 8th Grade Band Students

  • WHAT TO WEAR: Band T-shirt/Hoodie, Khaki Shorts/Pants, Tennis Shoes

  • WHAT TO BRING: Instrument (please leave case in car), flip folder with music, lyre, bottle of water

  • WHERE: Milton Frank Stadium

  • WHEN: Call Time is 6:00 p.m. - We meet by the Front Gate.  Students will check in with Ms. Parker and show their flip folder and that they are in full uniform (black band shirt or hoodie/khaki shorts or pants/tennis shoes.) 

  • Additional Info

    • We will not be taking a bus to these games.  We ask parents to transport their children to Milton Frank Stadium and home afterwards.  

    • Parents who would like to attend the game (but who are not chaperoning) will need to purchase tickets online at GoFan.

    • Please remember that Milton Frank has a clear bag policy for all guests!

    • The game should last until about 8:15-8:30 - depending on when we get started.  Students may bring phones to text you before the 4th quarter.  (Please plan to be in the vicinity for pick-up around 8:15 so we can get all students home in a timely manner.) 

    • Percussion students will get their equipment off of the band trailer when they arrive and are responsible for loading it back up when we leave.  Percussion will need to stay until we are sure everything has been loaded up.

    • Housekeeping issues for football games:

      • Students should bring a bottle of water for the stands and are welcome to wear sunglasses.  

      • We will not be eating food in the stands and greatly appreciate your assistance with that matter. Please do not bring food up to students during the game.  Students will need to eat before/after the game.  

      • Please encourage students to use the restroom before the game.  

      • Students may have phones with them so they can notify you when the game is about to end but all phones must be put away during the game itself.  

• FLIP FOLDER/LYRE - Students MUST have a flip folder/lyre for football game performances--starting with our Huntsville Jr. High game on Monday, September 8.  Students have been given small copies of their music to put in their flip folders.  Extra pages are available for $1 through the band -- See Ms. Parker.  I highly recommend taking your instrument to one of our local music stores to pick out the correct item.  Examples are pictured next to these announcements.  PLEASE CONTACT MS. PARKER ASAP IF YOU NEED HELP SECURING A LYRE/FLIP FOLDER!  **HCMS Percussion, HCMS Volleyball, HCMS Football and HCMS Cheer do not need to purchase lyres/flip folders.**.   

• TEXT ALERTS If you would like to sign up for text alerts through Remind, send a text to the number 81010 with the message @hcmsband25.  I'll keep you posted about our estimated time to finish the games.  

• JAZZ BAND Since we have a holiday this Monday and a football game next Monday, Jazz Band will be meeting on Thursdays from 3 to 4 this week (September 11) so we can keep practicing.  Apologies for the change---just trying to work with our schedule!  

• BLUE TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE BOOK- We will be using the Tradition of Excellence Book 2 (Blue) in class this year for warm-ups and playing tests.  It is available at our local music stores and on Amazon.  We can also purchase these through the band ($13 for woodwinds/brass, $16/percussion) if you send in payment (cash/check to HCMS Band).  Please help us have these books in class after Labor Day.  

• CONCERT UNIFORMS We are hoping to start distributing concert uniforms late this week/early next week.  These will be issued to students who have turned in their concert uniform rental form and paid their $25 rental fee.  We do have some uniform pieces that needed to be ordered, as we ran out of those sizes.  Those will be handed out as soon as they come in!  Please be sure your student tries on all parts of their uniform when they bring it home to ensure everything is correct.  If something needs to be swapped out, please email Ms. Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org) and bring the item back in for a change.  REMEMBER: HEMS MUST BE TEMPORARY -- NO CUTTING OF FABRIC!  We will resend out the instructions and helpful tips for alterations.  

Thank you! 

Emily Parker, Director of Bands