This Week's Newsletter

Director's Notes

Our 7th and 8th grade classes are moving through new music and our beginners have just made it to their first song (Hot Cross Buns)! 

Our first football game (7th/8th Grade) is this Wednesday!  Please see below for all important information!

Our first Spirit Night will be Monday, September 14 at Jefferson's (Hampton Cove)!  Dine in and mention you are with the HCMS Band and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to our program! 

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.  Details and sign-ups coming soon!

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK: 6 7 1 5 2 3 4

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 must have 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).  Please help us ensure every student has a copy as soon as possible.  Now that we are playing songs, students will fall behind quickly without access to the book.  

• BAND T-SHIRT ORDER  Shirts have arrived and will be handed out in class on Tuesday!  Students are more than welcome to wear their band shirts any time they wish, but they need to be sure to keep up with them so they have them for our performances (starting with Holiday Concert in December).   Hoodies have been ordered and are scheduled to come in around mid-September.  

• SPIRIT NIGHT Our first Spirit Night will be Monday, September 14 at Jefferson's in Hampton Cove.  If you visit and mention you are with HCMS Band, a portion of the proceeds from your order will be donated to our program! 

• MY MUSIC OFFICE My Music Office login information will be sent out this week.  This will give you access to your students band account information, including a record/receipt of all payments received.  We are still in the process of updating all this information and greatly appreciate your patience. (Multiple payments from 360 students takes some time!)  If you have questions regarding payments, feel free to contact Ms. Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org) or our Band Parents (hcovemsband@gmail.com).  Receipts are always available upon request.  

• 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)

• FOOTBALL GAME. Our first football game will be WEDNESDAY, September 9!   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 

• 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!  We still have some of the tux uniforms that need to be fitted in one of our clases and would greatly appreciate any help possible!   This week we will need uniform volunteers each day from 9:21-10:14. If you have any availabilty during that time 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).  

• BAND T-SHIRT ORDER  Shirts have arrived and will be handed out in class on Tuesday!   Hoodies have been ordered and are scheduled to come in around mid-September.  

• SPIRIT NIGHT Our first Spirit Night will be Monday, September 14 at Jefferson's in Hampton Cove.  If you visit and mention you are with HCMS Band, a portion of the proceeds from your order will be donated to our program! 

• MY MUSIC OFFICE My Music Office login information will be sent out this week.  This will give you access to your students band account information, including a record/receipt of all payments received.  We are still in the process of updating all this information and greatly appreciate your patience. (Multiple payments from 360 students takes some time!)  If you have questions regarding payments, feel free to contact Ms. Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org) or our Band Parents (hcovemsband@gmail.com).  Receipts are always available upon request.  

• HORNS & HOOVES JAZZ BAND Due to our holiday and football game this week, Horns & Hooves Jazz will begin next Monday (9/14) and next Wednesday (9/16).  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.  There will be a $25 fee for Jazz Band participation.  Please communicate your interest this week so we can plan accordingly! 

• 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 will be starting with the blue band book (Tradition of Excellence Book 2) this Thursday.  We've started distributing books in class to those that ordered and still have extra if you need to purchase one for your student.  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