Blanchard HS Band
September 2015 Newsletter
Here we go!
September is here and that means it's time for the schedule to pick up and things to get busy. We'll need lots of help at our tailgates and at contests, so make sure to sign up on Charms and get involved. We've got room for trailer pullers and food helpers and we want you there to be a part of our band family!
HS Band Pictures Available
Checkout Reeltime Photo & Video for our band pictures. They turned out GREAT! A big thanks to Cory Hughes for making us look our absolute best (and for getting the current band group picture in the football program this year!). Make sure to send the link out to all friends and family who might want a picture.
Calendar of Upcoming Events (always available on Charms!)
- September 4th, Football vs. Tuttle
- September 7th, No School
- September 8th, Trip payment due
- September 11th, Football @Casady
- September 11th, Honor band entries & money due!
- September 18th, Rehearsal; 9:00am-12:00pm with the MS Prop Crew
- September 18th, No school (Parent/Teacher conferences)
- September 18th, Football @Newcastle
- September 19th, Moore Outdoor Music Festival
- September 25th, Football vs. John Marshall (8th graders coming to HS game!)
- September 26th, Mason's Breakfast
- September 29th, Band Booster meeting; 7:00pm in the HS band room
- October 2nd, Homecoming parade & Football vs. Marlow
- October 3rd, Konawa Band Day
- October 5th, OU Band Concert
- October 9th, Football vs. Meeker
- October 10th, OBA Marching Contest @Moore HS
- October 12th, Yankee Candle Fundraiser kickoff
- October 13th, Regional Marching Contest @Cameron (Lawton)
- October 14th, End of 1st 9 weeks
- October 15th, Football @Bridge Creek
- October 15th-16th, Fall Break - No school
Otis Spunkmeyer & more fundraiser
Thanks to everyone who supported this fundraiser! Items will be in the week of September 24th. We will send out an email when we have specifics.
Trip Payment Due September 8th
Please remember your first trip payment is due on September 8th. If you need any special arrangements, please let Ms. Kauffman know now and we'll get things situated so it works best for you! This trip is shaping up to be EPIC! Remember to check Charms to see what your student fundraised so you know how much you owe. I will do my best to have the cookie dough fundraiser on there, but that will depend on the company getting all the info to me, so please be patient with me.
Honor band entries and payment due September 11th
Make sure and encourage your student to try out for honor bands! This is a great way for them to expand their musical talents and perform with the best of the best throughout Oklahoma! Students in 9-12 can audition for SWOBDA All-Region ($10) and students 10-12 can also audition for OSSBDA All-State ($10) and OMEA All-State ($15). These are wonderful to put on college applications and resumes as well, so let's represent Blanchard with our best!
Football begins in September
Please make sure you've looked on Charms at the band calendar for all of the football games. Our first game is at home on September 4th against Tuttle. This is where we start making memories; lots of firsts for freshmen and lasts for seniors. It's a home game, so come out, tailgate with us before the game, then come cheer these kids on in their first performance!
Three words: LONG BLACK SOCKS! (Please help your student remember these for all football games and contests!)
Background checks for volunteers
Please remember that if you didn't fill out your form with Brenda at uniform checkout and get her a copy of your driver's license, you'll need to get that done prior to volunteering. The cost of the background check is $12.50 and is required if you want to work directly with our students. For more information, contact Brenda at breardon@blanchard.k12.ok.us
Moore Outdoor Music Festival
Our first contest happens just up the road in Moore on Saturday, September 19th. It is always a great day and we definitely would like to have you there! We'll be sending out more information once the band has a scheduled performance time, but plan on spending that Saturday tailgating with us and cheering on the band as they compete for the first time!
HS Band Students of the Month!
Our Blanchard HS Band Students of the month for September are Kristen Taffar, Jared Morrison, & Nathan Mitchell!
- Kristen is a sophomore guard member who also plays the flute. This is her first year in guard and despite being apprehensive at first, she has done an outstanding job learning all of the ins and outs of guard! Her hard work shows everyday in her performance and her positive attitude. Kristen is also a HS cheerleader and has balanced her time and energy so she can be successful at both activities. Without saying a word she is acting as a true leader. We are incredibly proud of you, Kristen!
- Jared is a freshman trumpet player who only joined band a year ago. In middle school he was in prep band for a semester, jumped straight to 7th & 8th grade band, and now is marching in the HS band! There are many 8th grade students who are scared or intimidated by HS band, even though they've been in band for years. Jared was also leery, but he buckled down, worked hard, and is now doing better than we could have imagined. Outstanding work, Jared!
- Nathan is a junior saxophone player who stepped up this year in numerous ways. We needed someone to switch to tenor sax and he volunteered and has been playing the tail off of his new horn! And if you watch Nathan march, he has clearly figured out how to be almost perfect and he looks like a rock star! He is a leader on and off the field, helping move equipment, coming to band early (aka on time), and helping those around him. Keep up the amazing work, Nathan!
How to get credit for your monthly newsletter grade! Due by Wednesday, September 23rd!
The purpose of the monthly newsletter is to make sure that students and parents are all on the same page and know about all band activities. To get credit, a parent needs to send an email to Ms. Kauffman that has the following info: student name, grade, parent name, and that the newsletter has been read. This earns you 100%! If you don't have the ability to email, please have your student get a hard copy from a director and it can be signed and returned for the same grade.
Remember, newsletters are only accepted during the month of the newsletter. Once the month has passed, that newsletter can no longer be submitted.