Hello to all! Welcome, 6th grade parents and welcome back, 7th and 8th grade parents. We are looking forward to an exciting year with the Charleston County SOA Middle School Band. We wanted to give you some information about registration and pass on some information regarding a couple of new policies.
The registration dates are as follows:
6th grade – July 28th- 9-11 am
7th grade- July 28th – 1-3 pm
8th grade – July 29 – 9-11 am
Multi grades – July 31 – 1-3 pm
Make-up date-August 4th- 9-11 am
At registration please be sure to bring multiple checks for band fees, PTA dues, and pictures (please note that this is also your child’s yearbook photo so have them dress appropriately). This year some art majors are also selling SOA themed items as fundraisers at registration.
Please be prepared to pay your $200 band fee at registration. This is a fee to every band member and will be used to purchase music, Smart Music registration, hire clinicians, registration fees for band clinics throughout the year, and many other day-to-day items needed to run the middle school band program at SOA. You may pay in installments if needed.
There is a $50 fee for all students using school owned instruments and to those who play percussion. This fee off sets our yearly maintenance for these instruments.
We also ask that families participate in some fundraisers throughout the year. These fundraisers help offset costs not covered by the band fee. This year there is an opportunity to “buy out” of participating in fundraising. If you choose not to participate in fundraisers at the minimum level, you may instead pay a fundraising fee of $200 per student.
As you can imagine, it takes a tremendous number of volunteer hours to put on the events hosted by our SOA Middle School Bands. To that end, this year we are introducing the Fair Share Volunteer Hours program.
The goal of the Fair Share Hours program is to encourage each family to participate in and benefit from their student’s band program. By participating in the program, you are not only role modeling, but, you are contributing to the future success of the music program, building relationships and supporting your child’s success.
Each family is responsible for volunteering 5 hours for 2 parent households and 2.5 hours for single parent households. (These hours are regardless of the number of students in your family participating in band).
A cumulative record will kept for each family by the Volunteer Coordinators. Volunteer hours are maintained on an honor system. Anytime you are working on SOA MS Band Business (some examples are attending board/parent meetings, chaperoning, driving equipment to competitions, and coordinating activities), your time counts for your Fair Share Hours. Your volunteer time will be recorded by the volunteer coordinators (Leah Crosby and Emily Poland). If you volunteer outside just communicate your times to the volunteer coordinators.
If you are unable to complete your volunteer hours, you may “buy out” your hours at $10.00 per hour. (Volunteer hours not completed by the end of April will be billed in May.) If you intend to “opt out” of all volunteer opportunities, please pay the $50/$25 fee by October 1, 2014.
There is a great opportunity for you to get some volunteer hours out of the way by helping out at registration. Please see the following link for signup through Sign Up Genius. Also, we are in need of an additional Oyster Roast Co-Chair (preferably a 6th grade family).
We look forward to working together to make this 2014-2015 band year fantastic and promise this will be the longest email you will receive all year!!!!!
Your band board consists of the following and you can contact at them at:
Kristen Salisbury – President
Ginger Snook – VP/Communications soamsband@gmail.com
MaryRoss McQuage – Treasurer
Terri Southard – Secretary
Leah Crosby – Volunteer and Event Coordinator leahandchris@yahoo.com
Emily Poland – Volunteer and Event Coordinator ash7ell@gmail.com
Teresa Muthard – Oyster Roast Chair
Shannon Jones - Fundraiser Chair
Melinda Del Mastro – Webmaster
Leslie Bogstad - Uniforms
Ellen Hart - Uniforms
Melissa Field - Trips
Kayretha Conyer - Trips
Steve Carnie – Transportation Coordinators castle2419@comcast.net
Chris Kerr – Transportation Coordinators
