Band Notes - Week of September 14

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 all the way down.

Feel free to contact a director if you have any questions and our contact information is at the bottom of this newsletter. Thanks for reading!

This week, we are starting our annual fundraiser for our program and all students benefit! Potential donor lists were due last Friday (see below), but your student can still turn theirs in on Monday when we create our campaigns during class.

We keep 80% of the funds we raise that go into your student's account to be used for activities such as the Spring Trip, uniform shirts, instrument usage fees, as well as social events like our Band Social at Spare Time in November.

Please see the handout below to fill in 10-20 prospective donors with email addresses and phone numbers. After our campaign ends in 2 weeks, the Top 3 earners will win CASH: 1st Place earns $100, 2nd Place earns $75, and 3rd Place earns $50. Participation is optional and we appreciate your support of the Belton MS Band!

Please read the document below detailing information about this week's performance, including the rehearsal on Wednesday.

First and foremost: Please Click Here to Fill Out the Dismissal Form telling us what your student plans to do after the game so we can facilitate reconnecting them with you after Halftime on Friday. We need all responses no later than this Wednesday, September 16 in order to make the appropriate plans in time.

Secondly, Click Here to see an updated map of Tiger Field to see the locations of where everything is happening inside the stadium. This picture below displays the exit gate where parents will go to meet their student if they are leaving after Halftime and NOT staying for the rest of the game.

Lastly, we could us 5 more approved chaperones to serve on Friday by helping us transport instruments, distribute water, escort students to the restroom, etc. Please sign up in CutTime if you are available and you can get into the game for free!

Please click here to see all of the Band Events for this new school year in order to plan your family's activities. Remember, performances are a required part of our curriculum, so please contact a director ASAP for any conflicts.

CutTime is a program we use that allows you to stay informed without login hassles and get reminded without inbox clutter. Be on the lookout for a text message from CutTime from 844-385-8463. The message will come to your mobile device phone number we have on file for you (and your student) via a "Magic Link", which is a uniquely personalized to you and secure.

Read the attachment below for instructions on how to add your Magic Link to your smartphone's home screen. Once you receive the message, you will gain access to your CutTime Portal Page where you can:

• View Announcements
• View and Subscribe to Events that involve you and your student
• View and Sign Up for Volunteer Opportunities within these events
• Check Account Balances

If we don't have your contact information, please fill out this Contact Information Update Form ASAP. If you missed or can't find your CutTime Magic Link, go to this link to resend it to your device on file.

Feel free to take 3 minutes to watch this introduction video and see what's in store, and feel free to send us a message if you have any other questions or feedback.

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.

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

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.

Students should take their instruments home daily and we expect them to practice 5 days a week for at least 25 minutes. Parents, we implore you to help set up a consistent practice routine at home for your student. Students will not improve their musical skills on their instrument without practice outside of regular class time. The directors, we will teach your student what and how to practice, but we need your help in establishing when and how much they practice. The more they practice, the better they will get faster. Please review the How To Practice and Weekly XP Chart attached

Beginners are now making their first sounds on their instrument! Students should be taking their instruments home and brought back to school daily. Our expectation is they should practice 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week in order to keep improving over time.

So far, students have learned how to count, TAH, play on mini-instruments, assemble their instrument, sit in correct posture, display correct hand position, and tone production. Please encourage your student to set up a daily schedule of practicing and STICK TO IT so they can continue to improve and have more fun!

All students participate in after school sectionals to complete weekly pass-offs for a major grade. Upon successfully passing off a section of music to a director or lessons teacher, they receive a grade of 100 for that major grade. Pass-Offs are scheduled with specific due dates to meet these benchmarks. The benchmarks differ between the All-Region Track and the Non-Region Track to align with each student's current musical skill level. The primary objective of the All-Region process and these pass-offs is to foster growth in all students, regardless of their current skill level.

See both the All-Region and NON-Region Track Pass-Offs due date schedule below. The All-Region Track is designed for students who aspire to audition for our most competitive event of the year: the TMEA All-Region Auditions at College Station Middle School. These students must commit to attending the auditions all day on Saturday, November 7, and if selected, the All-Region Clinic & Concert at Belton High School on the following Saturday, November 14.

The Non-Region Track is for students who won't be attending the All-Region Auditions, but still benefit from this process and remain accountable for their musical growth by meeting appropriate benchmarks through their pass-offs. They have the same number of pass-offs as the All-Region Track and are still held accountable for achieving these grades, but at a less rigorous level.

All students participate in after school sectionals to complete weekly pass-offs for a major grade. Upon successfully passing off a section of music to a director or lessons teacher, they receive a grade of 100 for that major grade. Pass-Offs are scheduled with specific due dates to meet these benchmarks. The benchmarks differ between the All-Region Track and the Non-Region Track to align with each student's current musical skill level. The primary objective of the All-Region process and these pass-offs is to foster growth in all students, regardless of their current skill level.

See both the All-Region and NON-Region Track Pass-Offs due date schedule below. The All-Region Track is designed for students who aspire to audition for our most competitive event of the year: the TMEA All-Region Auditions at College Station Middle School. These students must commit to attending the auditions all day on Saturday, November 7, and if selected, the All-Region Clinic & Concert at Belton High School on the following Saturday, November 14.

The Non-Region Track is for students who won't be attending the All-Region Auditions, but still benefit from this process and remain accountable for their musical growth by meeting appropriate benchmarks through their pass-offs. They have the same number of pass-offs as the All-Region Track and are still held accountable for achieving these grades, but at a less rigorous level.

Our Jazz Band has been invited to perform for a Veteran's Day ceremony on Tuesday, November 10. Please note this is a change from our original calendar and list of events and all friends and family are invited to attend. We will share more details when they become available.

We need parent chaperones to help with this event so please sign up in CutTime (under Events) if you can help out. We'll even feed you lunch for free!

Email: beltonmsband@gmail.com

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

Address: 1704 Sparta Road, Belton, TX, USA

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