This Week's Newsletter

Director's Notes

Thank you to all who attended our Spirit Night at Jefferson's!  We greatly appreciate your support! 

Our next Spirit Night will be at Mellow Mushroom (Jones Valley) on Monday, October 26 (good for lunch/dinner and dine-in/carry out).  

Our next football game will be this Tuesday, September 22 at 4:30 p.m.  This is a required performance for our 7th and 8th grade band students.  Please be sure to check out the information in 7th/8th Grade section below!  

 We will be using our texting through My Music Office for this game as well.  Again, we are only using this system to assist with football pick-up and make major announcements as needed.   If at any point you wish to be removed from texting alerts, please contact Ms. Parker.  

There will be a Spring Trip Meeting on Thursday, September 24 at 6:00 in the HCMS AV Room.  This is for all 7th and 8th grade parents who have students interested in participating in the trip.  

GRADES DUE THIS WEEK: 

• Beginning Band (6th Grade) - Ningenius Lesson 2  (Due Sunday night) 

  • We are using Ningenius Music Theory (link available on our Canvas page) and will have one lesson due each week (Sunday evening) for a grade.  Students need to earn a silver or gold star for their grade and can retry each level as they wish.   

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! 

Our Spring Trip (7th/8th Grade) will be to Universal in Orlando May 14-17.  Our travel company is working on our trip website, which I will send out as soon as it is prepared.  Students can register and begin payments via that site.  We will reschedule our Band Banquet - just looking at available options now. 

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

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 HOODIES  Hoodies are scheduled to be printed this week and will hopefully be distributed at the end of this week or early next week.  We purchased extra to keep in stock.  Parents may purchase them at any time through cash/check ($40) or Square.  Contact Ms. Parker if you would like to order a hoodie at any point during the year.  

• GRADES  Ms. Parker will be working to update all grades this week in PowerSchool.  Thank you for your patience with this process.  

• 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)

• FOOTBALL GAME. Our next football game will be Tuesday, September 22 at 4:30!   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: Our game begins at 4:30 p.m.  Please try to be at the stadium by 4:15.  (I completely understand the 4:30 games are a challenge--please do your best to be there by 4:15.) 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.)  If you do not see the band by the front gate, students may enter through security and meet us in the stands.  

  • Additional Info

    • We will not be taking a bus to these games.  Due to bus routes, they would have to drop us off at the stadium at 1:30 or could bring us by 5:30 -- neither of which would work well for this event.  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 6:15-6:30 - 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 6:15 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.  This should not take long if everyone does their part. 

    • 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.  

      • We can have 10 volunteer chaperones assist the band during the game.  Our president (Lindsey Giambrone) will be reaching out to those who expressed interest, but if you would like the opportunity - please contact her at hcovemsband@gmail.com 

• HORNS & HOOVES JAZZ BAND Horns & Hooves Jazz has begun and we will continue with our schedule of 8th Grade Jazz on Mondays and 7th Grade Jazz on Wednesdays.  There will be a $25 fee for Jazz Band participation. 

• SPRING TRIP MEETING There will be a Spring Trip Information meeting on Thursday, September 24 at 6:00 p.m. in the HCMS AV Room.  We will provide basic information and answer questions regarding our Spring Trip to Orlando.  This meeting is open to all 7th/8th grade parents who would like more information.  Students may attend but are not required to be present for this meeting.  Please remember this trip is not required - just an optional opportunity we provide for our band students who would like to attend. 

• BAND HOODIES  Hoodies are scheduled to be printed this week and will hopefully be distributed at the end of this week or early next week.  We purchased extra to keep in stock.  Parents may purchase them at any time through cash/check ($40) or Square.  Contact Ms. Parker if you would like to order a hoodie at any point during the year.   

• FROM HUNTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BAND 

  • 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 have started with the blue band book (Tradition of Excellence Book 2) in class. We still have additional copies if you need to purchase one for your student.  They are $13 ($16 for percussion).  Thank you for your assistance with this!  

• 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