General information that applies to all students and parents can be found towards the top of every newsletter, while information specific to your child's ensemble can be found in that particular section by scrolling down. Feel free to contact a director if you have any questions and our contact information is at the bottom of this newsletter.

Recently, your student was given a personalized eligibility statement for our spring trip to Typhoon Texas in Austin on Saturday, May 10. Please ask them for this so you can review the details. A blank copy of this packet is attached below for your convenience.

The last page of the packet and any money are due no later than Friday, April 11. This is a hard deadline because we have to order tickets well enough ahead of time. No forms will be accepted after this deadline.

Money should be turned in with the form together so it can be processed all at the same time. We accept cash or checks made out to BMS in an envelope together with the form and handed directly to a director.

For the first time ever, we are also accepting spring trip payments online! Please fill out the form, have your student turn it in our black Turn-In Box, and then use this link to pay your individual amount due: https://bit.ly/bmsbandspringtrip. Please let us know if you have any questions.

On Friday, 8th graders interested in joining the Belton HS Band (M100) were given audition instructions and music. Click here to access the folder that contains all of the wind audition etudes and information sheet labeled "READ THIS FIRST! M100 Audition Information Sheet 2025". Please be sure your student reads all of the information on this sheet so they are fully prepared for the upcoming audition.

Additionally, students need to fill out this form ASAP located by clicking here so Mr. Kwaku can create a schedule for the auditions that are held at the Belton HS Band Hall after school on the week of April 21-25.

Percussion students should contact Mr. Smith for the details concerning Belton Drumline Auditions: ian.smith@bisd.net. Feel free to contact Mr. Kwaku directly if you have any questions regarding M100 Placement Auditions: kevin.kwaku@bisd.net.

Students were recently given the materials and instructions needed for our End-of-Year Placement Auditions happening during class from April 22 to May 2. All current 6th & 7th grade band students are required to participate for a major grade. This audition serves as the individual assessment of each student's musical skills developed from this school year. Think of this as our individual STAAR test for Band.

Wind players will audition one-on-one privately with Mr. Pulley, while Percussion students will audition with Mr. Smith. Each audition should take no more than 5-10 minutes and students will receive both a score to determine placement and a grade for the gradebook. You can read more details on the attached document below:

In the Belton MS Band, we form a partnership between teacher and student where both share responsibility in their musical development. Our team of teachers include middle school directors, private lesson instructors, high school directors, and even hired clinicians, masterclass teachers, and adjudicators. We also strive to communicate and produce strong partnerships with parents since their support is vital in their student's growth.

To that end, we as the teaching team provide Introduction, Comprehension, and Demonstration to students for their instruction. However, each student has a responsibility as well to facilitate Repetition in the form of practicing daily for at least 25 minutes, 5 days per week.

This means that instruments go home everyday to practice the concepts, patterns, and music that we go over daily in class. This leads to student Mastery of their music and ultimately of their instrument. Students have homework everyday in Band as they practice their instrument in preparation for performances and to continue their musical growth. Reach out to a director if you would like more information on how to better help and support the musical growth of your student.

If your student has their own personal device (such as a cell phone or tablet), we highly recommend they download the Tonal Energy app (TE Tuner) found at this link: https://www.tonalenergy.com/te-mobile.

This app costs between $4-5 and does not require a subscription or wi-fi (or network) to be used. This is the same app many musicians use since it works both as a tuner and a metronome, and is highly beneficial for all our students when they practice. Reach out to a director if you have any questions or if your student needs help getting it set up.

If they don't have their own personal device, there are free websites listed in the Band Schoology Group your student can access under "Free Online Practice Guides" that include metronomes and tuners.

We want to interact with you on social media, so be sure to Like, Follow, and Subscribe on all of the following platforms you use:

• YouTube Channel
• Parent Square Group
• Facebook Page
• Instagram Account
• Band Website
• Google Photos Album
• SoundCloud Channel
• Smore Newsletters

Click on this link to sign up to become a district volunteer and complete the background check. Even if you have done this before, this process must be repeated every school year: Parent Chaperone Sign-Up. Please sign up for volunteer opportunities on your CutTime MagicLink.

Click here to see the Calendar page of our website to find all of the current events, including special rehearsals, contests, and performances for the whole school year. We provide this so you can plan your family's activities. Remember, performances are a required part of our curriculum, so please contact a director ASAP for any conflicts. Be sure to view the List of Band Events that can be found clicking on the link.

Our Advanced Solo Contest is Saturday at BMS. Students need to arrive 10 minutes before their performance time already dressed in their formal uniform (polo shirt tucked into black pants, black socks, black shoes, and a black belt for gentlemen).

Click here to see the performance schedule so you know when your student should arrive and perform. Students may easily earn a 100 for this major grade by:

1. Be Punctual and arrive 10 minutes before their scheduled performance time
2. Be Prepared with their music, instrument, and uniform
3. Be Disciplined in their behavior

Students can earn one of these 3 ratings used for this contest only:

• Division One (I) Superior Rating
• Division Two (II) Excellent Rating
• Division Three (III) Average Rating

After performing, student are dismissed and then can click on this link to see their rating by looking up their class period and student ID number. It will take us about 30 minutes to get back the judge's sheet and input student ratings on the spreadsheet.

Our Advanced Solo Contest is Saturday at BMS. Students need to arrive 10 minutes before their performance time already dressed in their formal uniform (polo shirt tucked into black pants, black socks, black shoes, and a black belt for gentlemen).

Click here to see the performance schedule so you know when your student should arrive and perform. Students may easily earn a 100 for this major grade by:

1. Be Punctual and arrive 10 minutes before their scheduled performance time
2. Be Prepared with their music, instrument, and uniform
3. Be Disciplined in their behavior

Students can earn one of these 3 ratings used for this contest only:

• Division One (I) Superior Rating
• Division Two (II) Excellent Rating
• Division Three (III) Average Rating

After performing, student are dismissed and then can click on this link to see their rating by looking up their class period and student ID number. It will take us about 30 minutes to get back the judge's sheet and input student ratings on the spreadsheet.

Click on the document below to see all the details of this new performance. We need parent chaperones to help transport equipment and instruments much like the Christmas On the Chisholm Trail performance so please sign up on CutTime if you can help out!

Rhythm Section & Loading Crew will meet at the Band Hall at 1:30pm to load up everything and then we will meet all other students at the Village Stage in the Exposition Building of the Cadence Bank Center (formerly Bell County Expo Center).

Students will be able to enter for free if they wear their uniform, but Parents will need to purchase Fairground Admission Tickets for Saturday, April 12 using the discount code Student to get the buy one, get one free deal by clicking here to purchase tickets ahead of time.

Email: beltonmsband@gmail.com

Website: beltonmsband.org
Call/Text: 254-262-3050

Address: 1704 Sparta Road, Belton, TX, USA

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