DMS Bands Newsletter
August 26, 2018
Calendar
Tuesday 8/28 - 3:30pm-5:00pm - Fall Color Guard Practice
Wednesday 8/29 - 3;30pm-5:00pm - Fall Drumline Basics
Thursday 8/30 - Pep Band Performance at Football Game
Friday 8/31 - 1/2 Day School, 11:45 am Dismissal (Mrs. Merritt will not be at school)
Monday 9/3 - NO SCHOOL
Testing Schedule
Scantron Testing Block Schedule this week:
Mon - A B C D (no E)
Tues - D E A B (no C)
Wed - A B C D
Thurs - D E A B - Football game night
PIT Crew
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PIT Crew was a great success at the BJHS game!
Sign up sheets for this week's game and all other PIT crew games will be hanging on Mrs. Merritt's office door. Students will sign up for the games they want to be part of, and Mrs. Merritt will choose 6 students to participate each week. Those students and their families will be notified ASAP. Shirts will be distributed at the PIT Crew meeting point at BJHS and students should bring their permission slips with them.
MORNING/AFTERNOON Band Room passes have been laminated and every student will put one on their backpack with a zip tie. These are new passes that not only include morning passes but also afternoon passes. Students will be able to leave class at 3:07 to come get their instruments if they are a bus rider if they need to.
INSTRUMENT RENTALS:
If you rented an instrument from DMS Bands please sign rental agreement. Both student's and parent's signatures are required.
Instrument Rental fees are $60 per Semester
Percussion Usage Fee $60 per Semester (waived for Beginners)
See the following rental agreement form:
https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak9kM_qOKrI2iik71plsqNtmKQ5e
Please see the preferred instrument list for rental or purchase.
https://dmsbandboosters.shutterfly.com/855/Preferred%20instrument%20list.pdf
PRIVATE LESSONS:
Private Lessons are strongly encouraged for all Band Students.
Please contact us info@dmsbands.org if you need help finding a music tutor.
PTA REFLECTIONS PROGRAM:
See the following information regarding PTA Reflections:
Band Fees
Please check Charms and forward your receipts to us if you paid online. We do not get informed of this, so please keep us in the loop by tracking your payment and forwarding us the receipt.
Please be patient with Charms accounting, we are working to make sure all of the information in Charms is correct. Please contact us with any questions are concerns.
treasurer@dmsbands.org and info@dmsbands.org
BAND FEES:
All Fall band fees are due by Friday 8/31.
See the following link for a complete list of Band Fees:
https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak9kM_qOKrI2iiqR6qSmsIPGwFAH
CONCERT AND SYMPHONIC BAND students, please pay $22 for Band Polo by Tuesday 8/28. You will wear the Band Polo on Thursday 8/30 for the Football Game.
Band Class Fees can be paid online, cash or check.
Students can put payments in the Band Room mailbox.
Please mark student's name and what the payment is for on the envelope. Make checks payable to DMS Bands
All checks must include Drivers License number ant 2 phone numbers. This is a Madison City Schools policy.
Please contact us at treasurer@dmsbands.org if you need to make other payment arrangements.
Please update Charms with as much information as you can, including shirt size, etc.
Fundraising
FUNDRAISING:
PLEASE HELP!!!!! We are still looking for a Fundraiser Volunteer if you are interested please contact us info@dmsbands.org
We have begun our fundraising that allows students to earn money toward their student accounts for the DMS Band.
1) Bedsheets - $39/set, $12 for extra pillowcases. Orders and payment are due Friday 9/7, please put in the Band Room Mail Box. Sheets will be in by the end of September.
Checks made to DMS Bands.
Out of town family and friends can order bedsheets - the online sales website adds the shipping cost, so please don't use this website for regular in-town sales.
https://goalfundingdirect.com/discoverymiddleschool/
2) Cookbooks - The DMS Cookbooks are $12 each.
Please see the following order form.
https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak9kM_qOKrI2iQPYqRFkqEhHzaVY
Make checks payable to DMS Bands
All checks must include Drivers License number ant 2 phone numbers. This is a Madison City Schools policy.
Symphonic Band
Symphonic Band students please see Football Band (Pep Band) paragraph below for additional band information.
Symphonic Band Fees:
Please see the Band Fees paragraph for a complete list of fees and payment information.
BJHS Band PIT (Patriots in Training) Crew
Please see the following link for information:
https://1drv.ms/w/s!Ak9kM_qOKrI2ilOj7TQY7Duf5ZYG
Orlando Band Trip Meeting: Tuesday 9/11 - The Orlando Band Trip is scheduled April 3 - 8, 2019. A $150 deposit will be due by Friday 9/14.
Please see the following link for details:
Concert Band
Concert Band students please see Football Band (Pep Band) paragraph below for additional band information.
Concert Band Fees:
Please see the Band Fees paragraph for a complete list of fees and payment information.
BJHS Band PIT (Patriots in Training) Crew
Please see the following link for information:
https://1drv.ms/w/s!Ak9kM_qOKrI2ilOj7TQY7Duf5ZYG
Orlando Band Trip Meeting: Tuesday 9/11 - The Orlando Band Trip is scheduled April 3 - 8, 2019. A $150 deposit will be due by Friday 9/14.
Please see the following link for details:
Football Band (Pep Band)
Pep Band students, please pay $22 for Band Polo by Tuesday 8/28. You will wear the Band Polo on Thursday 8/30 for the Football Game.
CALL TIME IS 5:15 in the Band Room
Uniform: Black Band polo, blue jeans and neutral tennis shoes. (Polos shirts will be distributed on Wednesday)
Uniforms can be worn to school on game day.
Music needs to be in a flip folder or memorized.
Flip Folders and Lyres (instrument specific) can be purchased at Madison Band Supply and Amazon.
Students who would have a hard time getting back to school by 5:15pm are able to stay after school (we will provide pizza for dinner). Students will be encouraged to do homework during this time. If a student CAN go home and come back by 5 or 5:15, he/she should do that. We don't have enough room for all 100 students to stay.
We will have Domino's Pizza!
We are going to do a purchase order for pizza - Mrs. Merritt will try to get a count of students on Monday. We will have a sign in sheet at the pizza table so we know who to charge in Charms.
Students can bring $15 cash for pregame pizza for the entire football season or $5 cash for each game day.
Please put the cash in an envelope with "pregame pizza" and student's name and place in the payment mailbox.
Students should have a way to contact their parents at the end of the game. They can use the phone in the band room if they need to. Plan on picking up anywhere from 8:30-9pm.
Performance Dates:
Thursday 8/30
Thursday 9/6
Thursday 10/4
Please see the complete schedule in the Football Schedule Paragraph
Tuesday 10/2 - March on Madison
We need supplies and volunteers to help after school on Pep Band performance days.
Please see the following Sign Up Genius.
Cadet/Beginner Band
Last Week in Cadet Band
Last week in Cadet Bands we accomplished a number of things. We assigned Cubbies (We recommend sending a lock with your student if you have not already.) We sent home Charms information. We began our first fundraiser. We learned how to read basic rhythms and pitches. We learned how to put our horns together and hold them properly. Most importantly, we learned how to play our first three notes! Soon your child will be able to play you short songs (like “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Rain, Rain, Go Away.”)
Charms
Charms information was sent home on Monday with all students. Your student should have received an information sheet on how to log in for the first time along with our School Code and their individual student ID. Their first assignment was to log in to charms; change their password to something parents and student will remember; and update student and parent personal information to include a parent telephone number, a working parent email address, and preferably a parent Driver’s License Number (this is only used in the event that we receive a check to the band without a driver’s license number on it.) If your student has not yet done this, please encourage him or her to do so.
Fundraiser
On Monday, we passed out our first band fundraiser! We are selling bed sheets. We would love it if each student sold at least two sheets. Profit on each sheet sold is $15 (Half goes to the band boosters and half goes to the selling student’s band account to help pay off individual band fees.) Please remember that any profit in student accounts can roll over to the next year as long as the student remains in DMS Bands! The order form and money are due September 7. Sheets will be delivered in mid September.
Google Classroom
We will post assignments throughout the year on Google Classroom. We also have resources in our Google Classroom Drive such as our Class Handbook, Instrument Rental Guides, Local Music Stores, and our DMS Bands Donation Wish List. The Google Classroom code is: 8idro7
This Week in Cadet Band
Now that students are beginning to learn how to play their instruments, please encourage your child to practice regularly at home. We recommend 15 minutes a day 3-4 times a week.
Also, We have been informed that some students are having a hard time picking up their instruments and making it to the bus on time. This week we will be handing out a Morning/Afternoon pass for students which will allow them to come to the bandroom at 7:30 am if they want and to leave class at 3:07 pm to come pick up their instruments before the bus. As always, if you have any questions please message us at
Mrs. Merritt- jmmerritt@madisoncity.k12.al.us (Beginning Brass and Percussion)
Mrs. Sims- ksims@madisoncity.k12.al.us (Beginning Woodwind and Brass)
Beginner/Cadet Bands Fees:
Please see the Band Fees paragraph for a complete list of fees and payment information.
Fall Colorguard
Fall Guard Practice - Tuesday - 3:30pm-5:00pm
Thursday is our first home game and the band will be in the stands. Colorguard will not be performing and so it is NOT required but you are welcome to come help with equipment and sit in the stands for all the fun. In order to get in with the band, you will have to be helping.
The band "call time" is 5:15 so those who wish to join in should plan to be there at that point. There will be no guard practice that afternoon.
Fees for fall colorguard are $85. Some of you have already paid so thank you for being so prompt.
Fall Drumline Basics
Concert and Symphonic Band Students
Fall Drumline Basics Wednesday - 3:30pm- 5:00pm
Cost: $10.00 per Semester
Attendance every week is strongly is encouraged!
DMS Football schedule
The DMS Pep Band performs at HOME Football games.
8/30 - vs Gadsden Middle School - (DMS Stadium)
9/6 - vs Buckhorn Middle School - (DMS Stadium)
9/13 - vs Meridianville Middle School - (Hazel Green High School)
9/20 - vs Monrovia Middle School - (Sparkman Middle School)
9/27 - vs Sparkman Middle School - (Sparkman Middle School)
10/4 - vs Liberty Middle School - (DMS Stadium) (Alumni Pre Game Show and Tailgate Party)
10/11 - vs TBD
Mark your calendars
Upcoming Events:
9/11 - OrlandoFest/Band Trip Meeting (Symphonic and Concert Band)
9/13 - Spirit Night at Uncle Maddios Pizza
9/14 - Band Trip Deposit is Due
Band Booster Officers
There are still Band Booster Positions Open.
Please see the following open Band Booster Positions
Fundraising-Sponsorships
Fundraising-Fundraisers/Dance
Fundraising-Car Show
Hospitality
See the following link for more information:
https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ak9kM_qOKrI2iiha1d2XwqjNRJg5
Contact Karen if you are interested in any of the Board Positions or would like to volunteer.info@dmsbands.org
Volunteers/Chaperones
Volunteers are needed!!
If you would like to volunteer, please apply for your Volunteer Card soon!
All chaperones must pass the Secure Volunteer background screen and have a Secure Volunteer ID card. https://bib.com/secureVolunteer/Madison-City-Schools/
Please contact us after you have started the BIB process, we have to give the DMS Office your name to complete the process. www.dmsbands.org
Band Room Supply Wish List
-White Copy Paper
-Individually wrapped candy
Have Questions?
Please check out the DMS Bands site
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@WeAreDMSBand
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@ DMS Band
If you have any questions please contact us.