This Week's Newsletter
August 11, 2024
Director's Notes
We've had a great first full week! Our 7th and 8th graders are cruising through stand tunes and our Beginners have learned how to read basic notes and rhythms! I can already tell we are in for a great year!
Band Parent Meeting Our Band Parent Meeting will be Monday, August 12 in the HCMS Band Room. You are welcome to park up front and come through the Front Door; Go Through the Gym and the Band Room is located on the back part of the school.
6th Grade will meet at 6:00 p.m. and 7th/8th Grade at 7:00 p.m. Please do your best to attend - I will keep the meeting brief and provide a lot of information for the upcoming year.
Students may attend if they wish but it is not necessary that they be present.
Beginners Start Bringing Instruments Wednesday! Our Beginning Band students will start working with instruments on Wednesday, August 14th. They will bring their instrument to the band room when they arrive at school and store it in the band Storage Room until they come pick it up at the end of the day.
Please consider a luggage tag/piece of masking tape with your student's name on it for their instrument case! I'd also recommend a piece of flair (ribbon tied to handle, keychain, etc.) We will be providing HCMS Band nametags as quickly as possible but it really helps to have some identifiable things on your case as so many instruments look alike!
I understand some instruments may still be coming in - please do your best to get it to school as soon as you can. We will be learning what to do in the meantime so we are ready for them!
Band Calendar Fundraiser Our first fundraiser has begun! We are doing a "Pay-the-Date" fundraiser to try to raise additional funds for guest instructors and to purchase new lockers for the band room. We greatly appreciate any support you can provide! We will be collecting through August 21.
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. I'll be going over this during the Band Parent meeting as well - but just want to be sure that everyone has a heads up! **HCMS Percussion, HCMS Volleyball, HCMS Football and HCMS Cheer do not need to purchase lyres/flip folders.**
Band T-Shirt Order Our Band T-shirt order has been placed and will be in within the next few weeks. I did order extra shirts just in case anyone missed the deadline. Please send in your payment ($15 on MySchoolFees/cash/check to HCMS Band) if you have not already done so!
RENTALS Rental paperwork has been sent home with students who have requested school instruments. Those who have paid and returned their paperwork may pick up instruments at the Band Parent meeting on Monday. Please email me (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org) if you have questions about Instrument Rentals.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED THANK YOU to all who stepped up to help us fill our band booster positions. We are still looking for a Webmaster and a Uniform Team to help with distributing uniforms. Both jobs are very flexible! Please contact Ms. Parker or the Band Parents (hcovemsband@gmail.com) for more information! We really appreciate your willingness to help!
EMAILS I am working through my inbox as quickly as possible, but am a bit behind on my email responses. Thank you for your patience as I try to get everything going at the beginning of the year!
Thank you!
Emily Parker, Director of Bands
This Week: Next Week:
Monday (8/12) - Band Parent Meeting (6:00/7:00) Monday (8/19) -
Tuesday (8/13) - Tuesday (8/20) -
Wednesday (8/14) - Beginners Bring Instruments! Wednesday (8/21) - Calendar Fundraiser Ends
Thursday (8/15) - HCMS Open House (4:30-6:00) Thursday (8/22) -
Friday (8/16) - Friday (8/23) -
HCMS CALENDAR FUNDRAISER
HCMS Band Calendar Fundraiser
Deadline - August 21
Please support the HCMS Band! Our Band Program is the largest middle school band in Huntsville - and one of the largest in the state of Alabama! We are fundraising so that we can hire additional support staff/instructors to provide our students with additional individual and small-group instruction, as well as invest in new lockers for the band room. All profits will directly benefit each of the students in our program!
For this fundraiser, we are asking patrons to select a date (or dates) and donate that amount to the band! For example, if they choose August 10th, they write their name on (or cross out) that day and donate $10. If they choose September 10th and 15th, they would mark those days and donate $25.
Cash or check is accepted. Checks may be made payable to HCMS Band.
(Please encourage checks as much as possible.) Parents - if you would be willing to combine any cash collected into one check or money order, we would greatly appreciate it!)
We will also post a digital copy of this calendar on our Facebook page (HCMS Band Parents) if you would like to share and collect donations via social media/online. Parents can feel free to use PayPal/Venmo for their collections and write one check to the HCMS Band by the deadline as well.
All collections are due in the HCMS Band Room by August 21st.
Questions? Contact the HCMS Band Parents (hcovemsband@gmail.com) or Band Director Emily Parker (emily.parker@hsv-k12.org)
Thank you for your support of our band program!
Reminders for Daily Band Class Success:
All Band Members:
Ensure your name is on all band instruments, books and supplies. With so many coming in and out of the room each day, it really helps to be sure everyone keeps up with their things!
Add Flair to your instrument case to make it easier to find!
Don't forget your pencil and band folder.
Beginning Band: Be sure you have lined up an instrument AND the red Tradition of Excellence Book 1 for your instrument (Available at local Music Stores and on Amazon)
Symphonic Band (7th/8th Grade): bring your Blue Tradition of Excellence Book 2 daily (Available at local music stores and on Amazon)
Clarinet / Sax Players: Have at least 3 good reeds (strength 2.5) with you
Percussionists: Bring your drumsticks, yarn mallets, rubber mallets, bell (hard) mallets and stick bag
Contact Ms. Parker with questions!
First Day Paperwork
24/25 Band Handbook 7/8.docx24-25 Handbook 6th Grade.docx