Sachse Mustang Band Updates

JANUARY 2024

Message from Mrs. Taylor

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope you are excited to begin another exciting semester. We have many things coming up this spring with some awesome music for each band to prepare for contest, Solo and Ensemble, and Winterguard Contests!

SOLO & Ensemble (THE NEXT BIG THING!!!)

UIL Solo Information Below (VERY IMPORTANT)

All students must purchase their solo original for the contest. If you are using smart music, you will only need the solo. If you have a live accompanist, you must also purchase the piano part. Students have all picked or been assigned a solo. ALL STUDENTS need to bring the original to your solo with you to band EVERY day this week! We will be making copies of these for you to practice with. Your band fees will cover the cost of contest entry, accompanist fee, and smart music subscription, however, each student is responsible for purchasing their solo original. DUE TO COPYRIGHT, no student will be allowed to perform at the contest without an original. Solo participation comprises 2 MAJOR grades for the 3rd grading period as well as a preparation grade via recording due January 22, 2024. This preparation grade will be a video recording of yourself playing your solo.

REPEATED INFO BELOW FYI

Keep in mind when selecting your solo that Class 1 solos that are memorized can qualify you to advance to State if you receive a first division. There are some solos designated NMR (no memory required) that can qualify a superior rating to be qualified for state, these solos are usually either very long or very difficult. It is the performers responsibility to ensure the judge knows they are performing from memory.

Students in Private Lessons will be allowed to play a solo with a live accompanist. Those not in lessons will need to select a solo that is available on Smart Music. Smart Music solos can be accessed now.

PML

Check your solo here to ensure it is on the approved list. DO NOT purchase a solo prior to checking this.

JW Pepper Link

This link can be used to find music to purchase. Be careful to check publisher with the one listed on the PML; There are SEVERAL solos that have the same names, different composers and publishers.

SMART MUSIC

January Events

January 6, 2024

AREA Auditions

Plano Senior HS

January 9, 2024

Booster Meeting @ 7 PM

January 13, 2024

MLK Parade; 7:45 AM Inspection in cafeteria with band shirt, jeans, tennis shoes, and instrument.

Please plan to bundle up wearing warm things under your band shirt and have gloves, scarves, warm hats as they may be needed to start.

Students will ride a bus to the parade start and be picked up at the end and returned to Sachse HS.

January 18-19, 2024

ALL Region Bands clinic and Concerts

details are in the TMEA S'more

ALL GISD students will ride the district provided buses to this event. Please make sure that you have a parent to pick you up at Poteet HS on January 19 following the concerts. Bus information will be coming to you in the next week, all buses depart from and return to Lakeview Centennial HS.

January 27, 2024

First Winterguard contest @ Summit HS

Looking ahead...

FEBRUARY

7-10 TMEA All State Band

13 Valentine's Day Dinner Dance (Jazz Band)

Tickets will be available by the end of January to purchase

17 Winterguard contest at Naaman Forest

20 HMS Side by Side details coming by end of January

24 Solo & Ensemble @ North Garland HS

Eligibility (repeat reminder and updates)

The current eligibility will be based on the 2nd cycle grades. This is not your semester grade, but the cycle 2 grades. We will be talking with anyone affected by this the first week back so those individuals are aware and know how to regain eligibility by passing everything by the next progress report.

BELOW IS Generic Eligibility Info

THIS 6 week check is the only 6 week check that causes a student to LOSE eligibility.

All other grading periods, the 9 week grade is the only one that can cause a student to lose eligibility. Their 3 week grade and 6 week grades can allow them regain IF they are passing ALL classes (not just the one they may have failed that caused the loss of eligibility). Just like the verification to lose, this grade check is a week prior to them actually regaining eligibility.

BAND FEES

At this time, all CHARMS fees should be paid in full. SKYWARD fees are added for this year and most should now be appearing for you in skyward soon and ready to be paid. ALL SKYWARD FEES SHOULD be paid in FULL by the end of January unless your student is in percussion. Percussion final payments should be made by the end of February. All students should show a $200 activity fee, school owned instrument fees (some students), and $100 Percussion Camp fees should also be showing at this time for all front ensemble and battery.

Because these fees are all added manually, it takes some time and I was waiting to confirm with our bookkeeper that she had enough time to add all of these prior to letting you know that they are ready to be paid. WITH THAT SAID, IF you paid your skyward fees in full at registration, PLEASE do not pay these online. Our treasurer will be cutting a check to the School for those who opted to pay in full at registration. It will take some time for this to be cleared but your student WILL NOT be on the Loss of Credit, we have a list of all who paid in full. You will see the charge on SKYWARD, please be patient as it will take some time to get those cleared. If you have already seen these charges and paid proactively, please contact my via e-mail and copy treasurer@sachseband.org so we don't pay the district for the skyward fees that may have been paid twice. It will be mush easier to reconcile that through boosters rather than the district.

Students with outstanding CHARMS fees are being added to the School's Loss of Privilege List. As always, if a specific payment plan is needed please e-mail hctaylor@garlandisd.net and treasurer@sachseband.org so we can work out a payment plan.

Volunteers

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the district Volunteer application as soon as possible. We need to be able to verify you are cleared prior to the event and it is HIGHLY unlikely that you will be cleared the day you fill out the application and will be dependent on how busy that office is. The earlier this is done the better. Click Volunteer application button below.

If you are interested in driving a truck or pulling a trailer, you will need to complete the 4 steps listed below.

Volunteer application linked below
E-mail Completed Drivers License Check Request to Mrs. Taylor: hctaylor@garlandisd.net
Fill out the Occumed Authorization and go to a participating drug screening facility listed to complete drug test.
Notify Mrs. Taylor once all 3 above steps are completed so I can follow up for clearance.

THANK YOU ALL FOR VOLUNTEERING, it takes a small army!

Volunteer Application

Band Calendar

CHARMS

Remember to use school code: Sachse HSBB