SLHS Sunday S'mOrchestra

This is our Orchestra newsletter that will be sent out to parents and students every Sunday via the smore platform (hence the title "Sunday S'mOrchestra")

Please read this newsletter in its entirety as we will add new information every week and it may answer questions you might already have!!

Private lessons provide individualized instruction to help students strengthen technique, build confidence, and make greater musical progress. Families interested in lessons with a Katy ISD-approved instructor should complete the form linked HERE.

Questions about private lessons at SLHS can be directed to Mr. Kime (seanmkime@katyisd.org).

We will be having a make-up parent meeting on Wednesday, September 2nd from 1:00-1:40pm on Zoom for those who were unable to attend last week.

A Zoom link was already sent to those parents who need to attend. We look forward to seeing you then!

T-shirt sales for SLHS orchestra parents and family members are now open!

Orders close Wednesday September 3rd at midnight

Note: These orders are NOT for SLHS Orchestra students! All students will receive a FREE T-Shirt. You do not need to purchase a shirt for your student.

If you would like to purchase a shirt for yourself or a family member please navigate to the Orchestra Website through this LINK to pay online. We will only be taking online payments for T-Shirts. (Fill in all required fields, scroll to the bottom of the form, and select "Parent Orchestra Shirt")

Sizes are available in Small through 3X. Small through XL shirts are $20 each (2X and 3X are $25 each).

The registration deadline for this incredible opportunity is Tuesday, September 1st!

Registration Link: HERE

If your student is preparing the All-State Materials, consider sending them to this workshop led by the distinguished University of Houston string faculty! The workshop offers focused instruction on the etudes and excerpts mock auditions, and personalized feedback to help students perform with confidence.

Date: Saturday September 12th, 2026

Time: 9:00am-1:00pm

Location: University of Houston, Moores School of Music

3333 Cullen Blvd, Houston, TX 77240

Cost: $65

Parents, do you have a background in graphic design? We are looking for a parent to volunteer their time and expertise to help create our concert programs throughout the year. If you are interested or would like more information, please email seanmcarlton@katyisd.org.

During the first week of school, your child received a packet of papers, some of which need to be returned:

1. Orange Calendar (KEEP) - this is the parent copy of all of the "big" dates for orchestra. Not every date pertains to every child.

2. Green Booster Club Membership (RETURN) - our orchestra cannot function so well without your generous contributions. Please consider joining the booster club at one of the levels described. New this year: you can join the booster club online and pay your orchestra fees at the same time!

3. White Fee Summary Sheet (RETURN) - This explains the various fees that your child needs to pay to Katy ISD or to SLOPA (our booster club) and the possible methods of payment. Not every fee pertains to every student, but that will be explained in class and your child should document that information on that sheet for you.

As mentioned, you can now join the booster club or pay your SLOPA fees online this year; however, because our online payment platform collects a percentage fee, paying your fees online will cost a little more than paying by check.

Your child's med form is not included in the parent packet because those will be completed online using Rank One. Instructions for this can be found on our website.

***This form should be completed ASAP! Students are not allowed to attend outside of class events such as socials and field trips without their medical form being completed!!

• Music stand

• Home Instrument

• Required of cello bass students

• Optional for Violin/ Viola students to avoid bringing an instrument back and forth to school

• Device for recording assessments (Chromebook)

Text the number 81010 with the code that corresponds to the group(s) you are apart of to join the Remind! (Do not forget to include the "@" sign in the code you text!)

All Students (Whole program): @slorkstu

All Parents: @slorkpar

Camerata & Philharmonia: @camphil6

Arietta: @arietta02

Serenata: @serenata7

Lyrica: @lyrica5

Cambiata: @cambiata3

Sinfonia: @sinfonia4

Symphony Strings (Sinfonia and Cambiata): @slsymphony

1. The All State etudes were released in May and many students have been working throughout the summer on those etudes. If you have All State or All Region aspirations and you have not begun working on those materials you are officially behind, but you can play catch-up! You can access those etudes below, but you must also purchase the original book.

2. The All State excerpts were released on August 1. You can access those materials HERE. You must be logged in with your Katy ISD email to access the drive.

3. Ensemble Block is free online learning platform provided by TMEA to help you learn the All State material. Signup for a free account through the Ensemble Block Website HERE.