The new school year is officially upon this! We have a full week of school and practices to get ready for our first game on August 22nd! We are so excited to see you all tomorrow!
Week at A Glance:
Monday 8/5: 4th Block Rehearsal
Tuesday 8/6: 4th Block Rehearsal, 5:30-8PM Rehearsal
Wednesday 8/7: 4th Block Rehearsal
Thursday 8/8: 4th Block Rehearsal, 3:30-4:30
Friday 8/9: 4th Block Rehearsal
Sunday 8/11: Meet the Trojans Event 5PM
Reminder: Each day students need to bring instruments/equipment, music, change of clothes and tennis shoes, full water jug, sunscreen, hat, etc. Parents will not be able to drop off forgotten materials to the office throughout the day.
Tomorrow when students come in, instrumentalists will find their name on a band locker. Some may have switched around. Students may request a different band locker to a different open one, and I’ll accommodate as I can.
Band hallway lockers will be sold during 4th block tomorrow. These lockers are $5 and will be available based off of seniority first. Some years we make it to freshman, but this is not guaranteed as there are a limited amount of band hallway lockers available. If you do not get a band hallway locker, you will need to purchase a main hallway locker from your homeroom teacher on Tuesday morning.
All rehearsals are mandatory. Please schedule appointments for Monday or Wednesday afterschool. Remember to fill out the absence form for any rehearsals you will miss. This includes 4th block rehearsals.
Meet the Trojans Event: this event introduces all extracurricular members and usually parents come and set up lawn chairs.
4:15 Call Time to Band Room dressed in band shirts/Quick Rehearsal
4:40 Walk to Amphitheater
5:00 Pep Rally/Band Intro
5:15 Coaches Talk
I expect this event to conclude no later than 6-6:30.
Band Fees can be paid on MySchoolBucks:
Auxiliairies-Your first payment is due.
Instrumentalists-Marching Band Fee is $375 and should be paid by 9/1. Shoes can also be paid on MySchoolBucks.
Fees paid in full: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=ZZQE2740XV6VW7D_ZZ5ZS9WA8MPXNAX
Fees paid in payments/shoes/miscellaneous fees: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=ZZQE2740XV6VW7D_ZZ5ZS9ZQXR6XT0E
Upcoming Events:
Band Booster Meeting: Our first booster meeting of the year is Tuesday, August 13th at 6:30PM in the MSHS cafeteria! There is no fee to be a band booster. You are already one! Your time and support is our biggest need. Please make plans to attend.
Attention all band dads! Please read the message below from David Waters, our lead pit dad.
It’s time for a PIT CREW/BAND DAD get together!
Saturday, August 10th at 7:00am, we would like to meet at Too Fat Sisters for breakfast and fellowship. The meeting is early and will be short, specifically designed so you can get back to your families and Saturday planned activities. Thursday, August 22nd, this group will be loading and unloading trucks for the first time. The band will be headed to Gadsden for the first game of 2024 season. Before you know it, we will be planning our last trip and wondering how it went by so fast.
The MSHS Band Boosters take our jobs pretty seriously. It’s why I like being a part of such an awesome crew of people. It’s part of what makes our booster program so special. Everyone pitching in and creating an atmosphere of success. Our kids deserve our help and why we say “It’s for the kids”. I hope you are willing to join us in 2024.
A pit crew shirt/hat order is in process. Here is a link to fill out ASAP. We would like to get these done before our first game. https://forms.gle/P8rkEWk8fGp54v2X7
If you are willing to become one of our truck drivers, talk with me Saturday morning. It’s simple and we need you.. The goal is two drivers in each vehicle each trip with plenty of back up drivers for emergencies. Please help us out with that.
If you are willing to become a bus driver, there is a great need. Finding bus drivers for the band has become a real serious issue. Band Truck driving is volunteer based, bus driving is actually a paid gig through the school system. Please contact Mrs. Hood for more information.
One thing I learned over the 27 years of band directing at Muscle Shoals is that our booster program makes the world go around. I am so proud to be a member of this organization and hope to lead the pit crew as well as leaders past. Let’s have a great year!
David Waters
256 942 6500
SnapRaise: Our annual SnapRaise fundraiser begins next Thursday, August 15th and runs to September 12th. This is the only fundraiser the full band participates in this semester. It is also the biggest and easiest. We will be asking each student to collect 20+ quality emails to submit for the campaign as we ask for donations. I will have more information about email privacy, etc. at our school meeting and band booster meeting! In the past the band has raised upwards of $30,000 during this drive, and we need full participation to be successful. Our expectations are high for student participation in collecting emails and parent participation in sharing our campaign on personal social media accounts.
8/22 Game at Gadsden City
Let’s have a great week! See you tomorrow!
