Nov./Dec./Jan. 2015-2016 PE Calendar

Middle School Band Disney Trip and Fundraising Details

Dear Parents,

We are happy to share the details of this year's middle school band trip.  As mentioned before, we will be travelling to  Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida from April 14 - April 16.  As we have decided to attend a workshop/performance similar to the one we attended last year at Universal Studios, this will NOT be a mandatory trip for anyone.  A permission slip for the field trip will be distributed by Mrs. Reed closer to the date of the trip.

The total cost of the trip is $472/student.  Included in the cost of the trip is transportation, lodging, tickets for 3 days in Disney parks, the Disney workshop/performance, and 5 meals.  Students will be required to pay for one breakfast, two lunches, and one dinner out of pocket.  A working itinerary is attached*.  This itinerary is subject to change based on finalizing the date and time of our workshop/performance with Disney.

Also attached are three payment plans for the trip*.  Please note, a $72 non-refundable deposit is due by October 30 if your child plans to attend.  Anything you pay above and beyond the $72 non-refundable deposit will be refundable until November 30.  In order to attend the band trip, your band dues must be paid in full by November 30.  If the existing payment plans present a problem for your family, please contact our Treasurer Adina Garner at garnerag@musc.edu.

To help defray the cost of this trip, we are hosting a poinsettia sale.  Any money your child raises by selling poinsettias will be earmarked to pay for your child's trip to Disney World.  Because this fundraiser is voluntary, if you paid the fundraising opt-out fee, there is no benefit for this fundraiser (i.e we will not apply any of your fundraising opt-out fee towards your child's trip).  A poinsettia order form is attached*.  The poinsettias are $10 for the 6" plants and $22 for the 10" plants.  You can also sell poinsettias online if a buyer needs to pay with a credit card through our marketplace website at https://squareup.com/market/soa-band-boosters  The poinsettias purchased online will be $10.50/6" plant and $23/10" plant to cover the cost of our credit card processing fee.  The buyer MUST include your student's name in the "Write a Note to Seller" section of the checkout so we will know who to credit the sale to.  If it is too difficult for us to reconcile a sale with a particular student, we will put the proceeds of that sale into the Band Boosters General Fund.  For each 6" plant you sell, $4 will be applied to your child's trip balance.  For each 10" plant you sell, $10 will be applied to your child's trip balance. 

Fundraising forms and money will be due during your child's band class on Friday, November 13.  This is a hard deadline.  We will not be able to accept forms or money after that date.  You will be able to pick up your poinsettias following your child's holiday concert.  6th graders, that will be Thursday, December 3.  7th and 8th graders, that will be Friday, December 4.  If you sell a large number of poinsettias, please be prepared to transport them yourself after the concert.  Specific details about pick up procedures will be given closer to the date.

*ATTACHMENTS:

Payment Schedule

3 Days / 2 nights 

 SOA Middle School Band Disney Workshop Trip

OPTION 1

 $472.00 paid in full by October 30th 

 $72.00 non-refundable (deposit)

 $400.00 Refundable until November 30th  

 No refunds after November 30th

OPTION 2

 $158.00 on October 30th 

 $86.00 refundable until 11/30/15

 $157.00 on December 18th

 $157.00 on February 12th

 No refunds after November 30th 

OPTION 3

 $72.00 Deposit – October 30th 

  November 30th

  December 18th

 February 12th

  March 11th     

 No refunds for this plan

Orlando Trip Itinerary

April 14 -Thursday

o Wednesday, April 13 11:00pm-Thursday, April 14 12:00am

 Meet in band room

 Load bus – (instruments/personal items )

o 12:00am-12:30am

 Roll call & final check 

 Depart from SOA 

o 7:30am - 9:00am 

 Students to pay for breakfast (ex. Golden Corral or Shoney’s)

o 9:30am – 10:00pm

 Disney Park – Magic Kingdom

 Students to pay for lunch while in the park 

 Dinner voucher - $15*

o 10:30-11:30

 Check in hotel

 Return to the hotel 

 Perform bed check

April 15 - Friday

o 6:30am - 7:30am 

 Breakfast@ the hotel*

o 8:00am – 10:00am –(instruments/personal 

o 10:00am – 9:00pm

 Disney Performance (8am-9:00am)

 Disney Park – Epcot

 Students to pay for lunch while in the park 

 Dinner voucher - $15*

o 9:30-10:30

 Return to the hotel 

 Perform bed check

April 16 - Saturday

o 6:30am – 8:00am 

 Breakfast@ the hotel*

o 8:00am – 9:00am 

 Load Bus 

o 9:30am – 9:00am 

 Disney Park – Hollywood Studios

 Lunch voucher - Studios $15*

o 3:00pm – 3:30pm

 Depart for SOA

o 7:00pm – 8:15pm 

 Students to pay for supper (ex.KFC, McDonalds, or Hardees)

o 10:45pm-11:00pm

  Arrive @ SOA

* Indicate meals included in the cost of the trip

POINSETTIA ORDER FORM:  http://www.charlestoncountysoabands.com/poinsettia-fundraiser.html

October / November PE Calendar 2015

8th Grade Outreach Field Trips: Dates, Locations and Times

9/25 Burns Elementary School (11:15-1:30)

9/29 Lambs Elementary School * (12:302:00)

10/1 Daniel Jenkins Creative Learning Center (11:15-1:30)

10/5 Malcolm C. Hursey Elementary School (11:15-1:30)

10/7 North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary School (11:15-1:30)

Snack Reminder from Band Booster Board for Sept. 17, 2015 Performance

Our first concert is finally here!

We ask that each band member bring a snack for a reception after the concert. 

All sixth graders should bring a sweet snack, seventh graders a salty snack and eighth graders a fruit or veggie tray.

Please make sure that these things are finger food only and nut free.

Thank You!

What to Do and When to do It! September 17, 2015

MS PE Schedule August/September 2015

Hi Y'all!

I am very excited about this year, I hope you are too!  We will start playing tomorrow (Monday) so be sure to bring your instruments!  You don't want to be left out!

I have music to pass out, and we have a couple of new procedural items,  but we should get going pretty quickly.  We have a few new students to welcome this year to band!  I have high expectations for tomorrows sounds, I know you have all been practicing!  There is new smartmusic up for you, please look at this before tomorrow if you can.  We will have our 2 minute scale test on Wednesday.  Wind Ensemble class has been scheduled at 3B this year.  

so we will have the scale test on an A day.  If you cant remember your scales go to www.bandlink.org and look them up.  

See you tomorrow!

Mrs. Reed

Hello my 6th grade band students!

I am so excited to see you tomorrow!  Here are somethings you need to know about the first week in band:

• Do not bring your instruments on Monday.
• Bring your band binder
• Essential elements book for your instrument
• Master theory book 1
• 10 page protectors in the binder
• Pencil!
• Do bring instruments and band binder on Tuesday! YES!!!!!!
• We will start playing on Tuesday!!!!!  Don't be left out of the fun!

See you tomorrow morning!  I can't wait.

Mrs. Reed

Dear Parents,

It's hard to believe the 2015-2016 school year is upon us.  The band board has been meeting over the summer and we have a lot of exciting plans for the upcoming school year.  Some upcoming events you should be aware of:

August 3-6 - Registration @ SOA

August 17 - First Day of School

August 27 - Mandatory Band Parent Meeting - 6:30 PM in the Band Room

August 29 - Back to School MS Band Pool Party - 8:30-10:30 at Northbridge Terrace Pool 

As you know, registration is this week at SOA.  The schedule is as follows:

Back to School Registration Dates:

August 3, 2015 

 6th Grade – 9 – 11 am

 7th Grade – 1 – 3 pm

August 4, 2015 

 8th Grade – 9 – 11 am

 12th Grade – 1 – 3 pm

August 5, 2015

 11th Grade – 9 – 11 am

 10th Grade – 1 – 3 pm

August 6, 2015

 9th Grade – 9 – 11 am

 Families with multiple children – 1 – 3 pm

Registration will take place in the library again this year.  The MS Band Boosters will have a table set up for you to pay your band dues and other fees, confirm your contact information, size your student for a band t-shirt (included in the band dues), sign up to help on a committee, and purchase spirit items.  Please be prepared to pay the $200 band dues and the $50 instrument rental fee if your student plays percussion or uses a school-owned instrument. If you are unable to pay the dues in full, please make arrangements with our Treasurer Adina Garner for a payment plan.  You can reach Adina by email at garnerag@musc.edu Make checks payable to SOA MS Band Board.  We will also have the ability to accept payment by credit/debit card.  

The Middle School Band Boosters is in the process of being enveloped into the larger SOA Band Boosters non-profit entity.  You will hear more about this later in the fall as we will have to vote to amend our bylaws, but this is good news for you as your band dues will now be tax deductible.  

As mentioned above, we will be selling spirit items again this year.  SOA drawstring bags and magnets will be $5 each.  I know the PTA will also be selling t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies, and am sure many other booster clubs will be selling merchandise, as well.  

If you have not done so, I encourage you to join our Facebook group, SOA Middle School Band Parents.  Quite frequently we share information there and it's a good, informal way to ask questions about band and the school.  

I also encourage you to check out our website www.charlestoncountysoabands.com  You will notice on the Fair Share Volunteer page http://www.charlestoncountysoabands.com/fair-share-volunteer.htmlwe have listed committees/working groups.  Each family is required to volunteer 5 hours with the band and signing up for a working group is a fantastic way to knock those hours out.  

I would draw your attention to the Oyster Roast Committee. Rock'n Roast is our premier fundraiser.  Last year we raised about $10,000 for SOA MS Band at that event alone.  This year's event will be held on January 24 at Bowens Island and Theresa Muthard has already hit the ground running with plans for the event.  She would love to get that committee started as soon as possible.

Finally, I am attaching this year's calendar, the Pool Party invitation, and the private lesson teacher contact list.  Mrs. Reed encourages each student to take private lessons and the teachers on this list are approved by Mrs. Reed. 

On behalf of Mrs. Reed and the MS Band Booster Board, thank you for your support.  I look forward to seeing you this week at registration.

Sincerely,

Kristen Salisbury

MS Band Boosters President