This Week's Newsletter

Director's Notes

Welcome Back!  I am so excited about the upcoming school year!  We have the largest band we have ever had at HCMS!  Our Symphonic Bands have made great progress on the Fight Song (just in their first day playing) and our Beginning Band classes are doing a wonderful job learning rhythms!  It's going to be a great year!  

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.  (Just for this week we will send the newsletter two ways - through PowerSchool and a program we use called My Music Office.  Please verify you receive a copy through My Music Office as we will be using that to send it in future!  If you did not receive the My Music Office email, please double check your Spam folder and allow messages from that address.  Contact Ms. Parker if you are unable to find it.  (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org or hcovemsband@gmail.com) 

Beginning Band (6th Grade)

• Band Parent Meeting We will have our annual Band Parent Meeting on Tuesday, August 11.  Sixth graders (Beginning Band) will meet at 6:00 p.m. and 7th/8th Graders will meet at 7:15 p.m.  Please do your best to attend this meeting as we will go over all informatino for band for the coming year.    

• WHEN TO BRING INSTRUMENTS  6th Grade will continue working on rhythm and music note reading this week.  We are planning to start with instruments on Tuesday, August 18!  Please do your best to have an instrument AND the red Tradition of Excellence Book for your student on that date.  

• SECURING AN INSTRUMENT You can find our recommendations for instruments HERE.  This packet includes all of our local music stores, recommended brands and supplies needed for each instrument.  Please be cautious when securing an instrument for your student.  If a price seems too good to be true, there is usually a reason.  Bargain instruments frequently make playing even more difficult for the students (especially as they are getting started) and the quality does not hold up.  Music stores will not repair the bargain instruments as the costs of repair exceed the value of the instrument.  If you have questions or financial concerns, please contact Ms. Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org).  We do not wish to create any financial difficulty or hardship -- we just want to make band as positive an experience as possible for each student! 

• BAND T-SHIRT ORDER We will be placing our annual Band T-shirt order on Wednesday of this week.  Please make sure you have completed the T-Shirt order form from the First Day Packet and returned the form and money by Wednesday if you need a black band shirt for this year.  We ask all Beginning Band students to purchase the Band T-shirt, which serves as our uniform for the year.  If you have any financial concerns or questions, please contact Ms. Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org).  

• CALENDAR FUNDRAISER Our first fundraiser begins on Wednesday, August 12!  We will be doing a "Pay the Date" calendar fundraiser to raise funds for new lockers and clinicians for this year.   Additional information to come in next week's newsletter.  We greatly appreciate any support you can provide with this fundraiser!  It provides great assistance for our program and allows us to provide many opportunities and resources for our students.  

• FIRST DAY PACKETS Band Handbooks/Paperwork packets were sent home last Wednesday.  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, Band T-Shirt Form, Band Book Order Form (if applicable), Hoodie Order Form (if applicable) and Percussion form (7th/8th Grade Percussion only) as soon as possible to the band room.  There is no rush on 7th/8th Grade Concert Uniform Rental papework --we can settle all that when uniforms are issued.  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. 

• RENTALS  For those students who will be renting instruments through the school, I will be working on 6th grade rental information and will continue sending home paperwork this week.  Please email me (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org) if you have questions about Instrument Rentals. 

• 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!

• UNIFORM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We would greatly appreciate some uniform volunteers who can assist us assigning uniforms for our 7th/8th grade students during their class period.  If you are available/willing to help, please contact Ms. Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org).  

• 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.  

Symphonic Band (7th/8th Grade)

• Band Parent Meeting We will have our annual Band Parent Meeting on Tuesday, August 11.  Sixth graders (Beginning Band) will meet at 6:00 p.m. and 7th/8th Graders will meet at 7:15 p.m.  Mr. Tankesley from HHS Band will also be joining us to provide additional information about the Rome Trip next year! Please do your best to attend this meeting as we will go over all informatino for band for the coming year.   

• WHEN TO BRING INSTRUMENTS 7th and 8th Grade students have started playing in class and will need instruments every day.  

• BAND T-SHIRT ORDER We will be placing our annual Band T-shirt order on Wednesday of this week.  Please make sure you have completed the T-Shirt order form from the First Day Packet and returned the form and money by Wednesday if you need a black band shirt for this year.  This is part of the football game uniform for band students.  

• CALENDAR FUNDRAISER Our first fundraiser begins on Wednesday, August 12!  We will be doing a "Pay the Date" calendar fundraiser to raise funds for new lockers and clinicians for this year.   Additional information to come in next week's newsletter.  We greatly appreciate any support you can provide with this fundraiser!  It provides great assistance for our program and allows us to provide many opportunities and resources for our students.  

• RENTALS Rental paperwork has been sent home with 7th and 8th grade band students who will be renting school instruments.  Those who rented over summer may keep their school instruments - but please return the form/payment as soon as possible.  Please email me (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org) if you have questions about Instrument Rentals.  

• 7th and 8th Grade Parents - With football season around the corner, 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.**

• 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.  If you would like any of those items, please send in your payment and form by Wednesday, August 12.

• 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!

• UNIFORM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We would greatly appreciate some uniform volunteers who can assist us assigning uniforms for our 7th/8th grade students during their class period.  If you are available/willing to help, please contact Ms. Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org).  

• 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.  

• HORNS & HOOVES JAZZ BAND Horns & Hooves Jazz will begin on Mondays after Labor Day after school from 3-4. Please complete this Google Form if your student is interested in Jazz Band.  

Thank you! 

Emily Parker, Director of Bands