Weekly newsletter - fall break 2020

Schedule for the week of October 5-9 

Schedule for the week October 5 – October 9
Monday – Fall Break
Tuesday – Fall Break 
Wednesday – Fall Break
Thursday – Fall Break
Friday – Volunteer Pep Band – Game vs. Austin
 
Gameday information 
On Friday, the band room will be open from 4:45 pm to 5:30 pm for anyone to get an instrument or anything needed out of the band room for the game.
 
5:45 pm – Meet at Milton Frank
6:00 pm – Enter Stadium
7:00 pm – Game vs. Austin.  No halftime show.
~9:30 pm – Game ends and dismiss
 
Uniform
Starting with the Fall break game and continuing through the rest of the season, we are changing from khaki shorts to blue jeans with the polo shirt.  Jeans must be blue in color (no black, purple, orange, etc)  In addition, you are welcome to bring a jacket to wear if needed.  School colors on the jacket are preferred.
 
Equipment
We are not planning to bring a truck to the game, so all equipment/instruments must be brought in personal vehicles.   The band room will be open on Friday from 4:45 – 5:30 to pick up anything you may need!
 
Check-in link to all in-person events (students -please save on your phones!)  https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=HK-IsJ_ccUm9km1ZH1-9rxvrKFctLzZClscJD-6iovxUQzJWUTVGTlg5NjZaWjJMOEwwWjNBUzA2Ui4u.  Students that don’t have smart phones can still check in through a director. 
 
 
Director’s Notes - Stuart Tankesley - [email protected]; Holly Connell -[email protected]  
 
MATTRESS SALE LOCATION
The 4th annual mattress sale is coming up on Sunday, November 8th.  We are hoping for a big turn out and need a successful fundraiser for our booster finances!  We typically raise $5,000 and more on this one Sunday!  Please share the facebook event page!  https://www.facebook.com/events/313712176690443/
 
HELP!!!!   We have been told that we are probably not going to be able to have the mattress sale on campus.  HCS has not been approving on campus events related to fundraisers.  We are looking for an alternate location.  If you have access to a large room (community gym, cafeteria, church fellowship hall, banquet room, hotel banquet room) that we could use for free, please let us know!  Large outside covered areas may also be an option.   We prefer this to be in the HHS school zone, but are open to all availability.  You can view the video on the event page to see how much space we would need. 
 
 
Upcoming Schedule
 
Week of October 12-16 (after Fall Break)
Monday – Symphonic Band Woodwinds and Percussion  4:00 – 5:30 pm
Tuesday – Wind Ensemble – Full group.  4:00 – 5:30 pm
Wednesday – Off
Thursday – Off
Friday - Off
 
After Fall break (starting October 12th), we are going to adjust the schedule in the following ways:
 

1. No percussion or guard sectionals on Mondays.  We will continue rehearsing during class time. Guard WILL have practices on Mondays in preparation for Winter season!  Times and location TBA.  With the band transitioning to jeans after fall break, Guard needs to transition to black tights.   
2. Wind Ensemble will rehearse Tuesdays after school from 4:00 – 5:30 pm (except Tuesday, October 27th).  We may add Thursdays after football games are over.
3. Symphonic Band will rehearse Mondays after school from 4:00 – 5:30 pm.    The rehearsal schedule is as follows:

October 12- Woodwinds and percussion
October 19- Brass
October 26- Everyone
Nov. 2- Everyone
Nov. 9- No rehearsal
Nov. 16- Woodwinds and percussion
Nov. 23- Brass
Nov. 30- Everyone
Dec. 7- Everyone
Dec. 14- Everyone
 

1. The full marching band will rehearse Thursday, October 22nd and Tuesday, October 27th in preparation for the games that week.  We will continue to work on marching band during class through the end of football season as well.
2. Symphonic Notes: Symphonic band students/ parents: Please make sure that students are turning in assignments to the correct location.  If they are assigned something in Smart Music, it needs to be completed in Smart Music.  Same with FlipGrid or Music First.  Only in extreme circumstances should assignments be emailed to the director.  
3. Sometimes, students are asked to resubmit assignments because they did not meet a minimum score requirement.  Students should be diligent about checking comments for submissions to make sure they don't need to do something again.  
4. All students should have their own copy of the book, Habits of a Successful Musician.  We were reminded again, that students are not to be sharing materials in the classroom!  
5. Students who are HVA are still required to complete assignments for band class.  Grades cannot be given for incomplete work.  
6. Your kids are wonderful and I can't wait to see them every day!.

 
Fall Concert Update
We are moving towards a Thursday, November 5th Fall Concert.  We have been given guidance to be able to have this concert take place in the auditorium.  Masks will be required and we are working to space out audience members similarly (but much better) than you’ve seen at a football game.    We will be working to see what the capacity of the auditorium is with social distancing.  Based on this, we will determine how we will structure the concert that evening.
 
CONCERT BAND UNIFORMS
In the newest guidance, we are able to have volunteers at the school now with the same check-ins that band students go through at every band event and what teachers use to check in daily.  Our uniform committee will be coming in to get caught up and begin issuing concert band uniforms to each student for the November 5th concert and beyond! 
 
Last Football Game vs. Decatur
The last game of the season against Decatur is scheduled for THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29th not FRIDAY.   This was a mistake in the calendar and has been corrected. 
 
When we return from Fall Break, we only have 2 games remaining – October 23 vs. Sparkman (homecoming) and October 29th vs. Decatur