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.

We are asking parents and students to sign up for this year's fundraiser to ask friends, family, neighbors, parents' coworkers, coaches, and other members of your community to donate to the Belton MS Band!

Once you create your profile, you will be directed to add email addresses and phone numbers to ask for donations. Make sure you do NOT include other students, teachers, fake emails, etc. and are only legitimate potential donors. These contacts are strictly protected and will not be shared outside of this fundraiser.

Starting Wednesday, September 11, SnapRaise will send out emails and texts to your potential donors and will start receiving donations online until Wednesday, October 9. That means you have about 2 weeks to put in the contacts' information so take care of this soon!

Visit this website to sign up: bit.ly/bmsbandfund2024 and/or download the app here: snapmobile.app.link/download. Check out the flyer below for more information, plus you can watch this video for more detailed instructions: https://vimeo.com/479649033/56b06a761d.

By using this Forms page of our website, you can now pay online for School-Owned Instrument Usage Fees, Uniform Shirts, and Auto Decals by using the MySchoolBucks service. Each item is listed separately on the website, and there is a convenience fee for using this service. Alternatively, we accept Cash or Checks made payable to BMS with a valid phone number.

Regardless of which way you pay, your CutTime MagicLink has now been updated so you can see your student's financial statement that includes how much you owe for what items, as well as what you have already paid. Remember payments are due by Friday, September 13.

Lessons are the fastest way students improve on their instrument because they have a quality teacher guiding them in their development of proper tone, rhythm, style, and musicality. Students enrolled in lessons usually earn first division superior ratings, make the All-Region Band, and have more fun learning their instrument because they sound better, faster.

- Check out our list of quality lessons teachers by clicking here, AND

- Sign Up for Private Lessons here!

Please read the document below that outlines the benefits of taking private lessons that occur during your child's band class! Email Mr. Trahan here if you have any questions about lessons.

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.

This week, we will wrap up testing note names on our flashcards, plus take a test on the parts of our instrument. Please support your student by helping them study at home so they can have a strong foundation and can keep pace with the class.

All students in Symphonic Band are required to attend one sectional per week from 4-5pm for a grade starting this Monday until Thursday, October 31:

• Mondays: Flutes & Tubas
• Tuesdays: Horns & Percussion - Bassoons during class
• Wednesdays: Clarinets and Trumpets, Trombones, & Euphoniums - Bass Clarinets during class
• Thursdays: Saxophones

Students are expected to "Be Punctual" and arrive seated with all materials ready to rehearse at 4pm sharp or their grade will be be affected. Students 1-5 minutes late will have their sectional grade reduced to an 85. Students who are late 5-15 minutes will have their grade reduced to a 70. Students arriving more than 15 minutes late will receive a 50.

In their sectionals this week, students will receive a pass-off sheet similar to the clarinet one shown. This will help students track their progress in preparing for the upcoming TMEA All-Region Auditions on Saturday, November 2 in College Station.

Pass-offs include scales and etudes and will guide students in their practicing. Students will also be graded with these pass-offs, which will allow them to take ownership and responsibility for their own progress.

All students in Wind Ensemble are required to attend one sectional per week from 4-5pm for a grade starting this Monday until Thursday, October 31:

• Mondays: Flutes & Tubas
• Tuesdays: Horns & Percussion - Bassoons during class
• Wednesdays: Clarinets and Trumpets, Trombones, & Euphoniums - Bass Clarinets during class
• Thursdays: Saxophones

Students are expected to "Be Punctual" and arrive seated with all materials ready to rehearse at 4pm sharp or their grade will be be affected. Students 1-5 minutes late will have their sectional grade reduced to an 85. Students who are late 5-15 minutes will have their grade reduced to a 70. Students arriving more than 15 minutes late will receive a 50.

In their sectionals this week, students will receive a pass-off sheet similar to the clarinet one shown. This will help students track their progress in preparing for the upcoming TMEA All-Region Auditions on Saturday, November 2 in College Station.

Pass-offs include scales and etudes and will guide students in their practicing. Students will also be graded with these pass-offs, which will allow them to take ownership and responsibility for their own progress.

Congratulations to the following students who were named Librarians for Wind Ensemble:

• High Woodwinds (flutes & clarinets): Sophia T.
• Low Woodwinds (bassoons, bass clarinet, tenor & bari sax): Gia S.
• High Brass (trumpets & horns): Dominic J.
• Low Brass (trombones, euphonium, & tuba): Luke R.
• Percussion: Lani P.

Congratulations to the following Loading Crew members:

• Eli P.
• Marley S.
• Charles R.
• Phoenix M.
• Gia S.
• Eve N.
• Lane P.
• Ryan T.
• Andy U.
• Tyler M.
• Yeshaya V.
• Jadyn J.
• Charlotte B.

Congratulations to the following students who were named Librarians for Jazz Band:

• Saxes & Rhythm Section: Phoenix M.
• Brass: Tyler M.

Congratulations to the following Loading Crew members for Jazz Band:

• Eli P.
• Charles R.
• Phoenix M.
• Gia S.
• Eve N.
• Ryan T.
• Andy U.
• Tyler M.
• Yeshaya V.
• Jadyn J.

We had our first playing assignment of the year last Friday over #9 Swingin' the Scale in the red book. The possible grades were 100, 85, 70, or 50. If your student received anything less than 100, they can retake it with Mr. Pulley any time before school or after sectionals to get to the mastery level of 100.

Email: beltonmsband@gmail.com

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

Address: 1704 Sparta Road, Belton, TX, USA

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YouTube: youtube.com/beltonmsband

Instagram: instagram.com/beltonmsband