This Week's Newsletter

Director's Notes

We are making progress in all of our classes!  Very proud of our students and excited about what is ahead this year! 

Thank you to all who supported our Calendar Fundraiser!  It was a huge success and will greatly benefit our program and our students!  

8th Grade Students are invited to participate in Middle School Night with the Huntsville High Band on Friday, September 4!  This is a great opportunity to learn more about high school band and have a great time hanging out with the high schoolers!  Dinner will be provided!  I highly encourage any and all 8th graders to sign up and attend!  It's a fun night! 

Please update your calendar - Our Spring Concert will be on May 13 at 6:00 at the Huntsville HIgh School Auditorium.  There was an error in our original calendar that has been updated in the digital copy below! 

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK: 4 6 7 1 5 2 3

Please look for this HCMS Band Newsletter every Sunday.  It will review all upcoming information for the week.  You can also find the newsletter and all other band information on our website:  wwwhcovemsband.org. Please contact Ms. Parker if you have any issues receiving the weekly newsletter (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org or hcovemsband@gmail.com).

Beginning Band (6th Grade) 

• BAND BOOKS Each student will need a copy of the Tradition of Excellence Book 1 for their instrument.  We have extra in the band room if anyone needs to purchase one.  They are $13 ($16 for percussion).  

• BAND T-SHIRT ORDER  Shirts have been ordered and should be distributed after Labor Day!  Hoodies will be ordered soon and should come in around mid-September.  

• FIRST DAY PACKETS Please ensure you have returned all forms/paperwork from the First Day packet. Copies of the information from the packet are included below and extra paper copies are available upon request. 

• BAND PAYMENTS We have two accounts for HCMS Band.  Our school account pays for all uniforms (concert and T-shirt) and Fair Share.  All rental payments, hoodies, Jazz Band and Band Book payments are paid through our Band Parent Account at Redstone.  All checks may be made out to HCMS Band and will be deposited in the correct account.  Please be sure to include your student's name and what the payment is for in the Memo line of any check. 

• SCHOOLCASH LIVE SchoolCash is now live and ready to receive payments for HCMS Band fees (Fair Share, Band Shirt, 7th/8th Grade Concert Uniform).  In order to use this system, we had to assign fees to each band class.  If you have already sent in payment via cash/check, please disregard any notifications from SchoolCash that those payments are due.  Our bookkeeper is going through all of our receipts and waiving the fees in SchoolCash for all who have already paid.  

• FACEBOOK GROUP Feel free to join the "HCMS Band Parents" Facebook Group if you are on social media.  As this is a private group, you will be asked to answer two questions to be admitted.  

Symphonic Band (7th/8th Grade)

• LYRE/FLIP FOLDER Our first football game will be Wednesday, September 9 at 4:30 p.m. This is a required performance for all students.  Please be sure your student has a lyre and flip folder for their instrument so they will be prepared for football games.  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.  **HCMS Percussion, HCMS Volleyball, HCMS Football and HCMS Cheer do not need to purchase lyres/flip folders.**  

• UNIFORM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED  THANK YOU to all of our uniform volunteers who have come to help us gt everyone fitted this week!  We still have some of the tux uniforms that need to be fitted and would greatly appreciate any help possible!   This week we will need uniform volunteers each day from 10:18-11:07 and 1:18-2:08.  If you have any availabilty during either of those times on any day, please feel free to come on to the band room!  Once we get everyone fitted and ensure we have enough items for everyone, we will start distributing concert uniforms (mid-late September).  

• HORNS & HOOVES JAZZ BAND Horns & Hooves Jazz will begin after Labor Day after school from 3-4.  Due to the large interest in Jazz Band, we are looking at having 8th Grade Jazz Band on Mondays from 3-4 and 7th Grade Jazz Band on Wednesday from 3-3:45.  Please complete this Google Form if your student is interested in Jazz Band.  Please communicate your interest this week so we can plan accordingly! I'll confirm in next week's newsletter and practices will begin after Labor Day. 

• FROM HUNTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BAND 

  • You can now register here for the middle school night and tailgate party before the game!  High School Band Middle School Night is Friday, September 4th at Milton Frank.  All 8th grade students are invited to come play with the high school band! The high school band will also be coming to the HCMS vs. HJHS football game in September to play!  

  • Information on the 2027-28 Huntsville High Trip to Rome for current 8th grade families can be found here including payment schedule and other information from the middle school meetings last week.  If you plan to start making payments for the trip, fundraise, or would like direct communication from us on this trip, please fill out this form.

• BAND BOOK We will be starting with the blue band book (Tradition of Excellence Book 2) after Labor Day.  I'll be distributing those books purchased through the band as soon as possible.  Thank you for your patience! 

• PERCUSSION 7th and 8th Grade Percussion - Included in your packet is an optional order form for mallets, drumsticks and stick bags.  You are more than welcome to purchase these items on your own - but I will be placing an order for anyone who is interested.  I'll be placing the order early this week and will distribute materials as soon as possible.

• BOOSTER OFFICERS NEEDED We still have a few band parent association officer positions available.  Please contact Ms. Parker or the Band Parents (hcovemsband@gmail.com) for more information!  We really appreciate your willingness to help!

• VOLUNTEER SURVEY We are looking for volunteers to assist with various projects throughout the year.  This survey is NOT a commitment - just a way to let us know if you would be interested/available to help from time to time.  We will reach out with options as they arise to see if they work for you.  Please complete and return the paper survey or complete the GOOGLE FORM. 

• FACEBOOK GROUP Feel free to join the "HCMS Band Parents" Facebook Group if you are on social media.  As this is a private group, you will be asked to answer two questions to be admitted.  

Thank you! 

Emily Parker, Director of Bands