Sachse Mustang Band Updates

JANUARY flew by, but a lot of progress was made on every single UIL program that each group is working on and winterguard has already made it to contest season. Huge congrats on your first contest performances, and big congrats to the Varsity for their 3rd place results! ALL students are currently working on their solos for the upcoming UIL Solo & Ensemble. This coming week needs to be a huge push for all students to prepare for this contest to make sure they are ready for their accompanist rehearsals and final pass off prior to the contest on February 24, 2024! All students should have any late submission videos in by the end of the coming week (if they had an altered solo). All others should already be in. Please check SKYWARD and make sure that you get videos in if you are missing this grade. ALL solo originals have also been checked and you have a grade for this. Make sure that both of these things are up to date and get them in if they are late.

This coming week both Andrew and Joseph will perform with the All State Bands in San Antonio, TX. Joseph will be performing with the Concert Band on Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 4 PM and Andrew will be performing with the Symphonic Band at 7 PM. Huge congrats to them on this accomplishment!

UIL Solo Information Below (VERY IMPORTANT) make sure videos are in

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.

Each day students should complete a rhythm quiz at the beginning of their band class. Any student can redo any rhythm quiz for a higher grade. Any student having trouble with or not understanding this material needs to schedule a time with a director after school to review that material. these grades will be added to SKYWARD in the next couple of weeks, make sure you are keeping up with all quizzes.

Please keep in mind that individual band sectionals or full band rehearsals, winterguard rehearsals, and percussion rehearsals are not listed on this smore as they are specific to each band/ performing group.

7-10 TMEA All State Band

13 Valentine's Day Social Dinner/ Dance (Jazz Band)

Tickets are now available to purchase, see posts in band app; $15 per ticket

17 Winterguard contest at Naaman Forest

20 HMS Side by Sides will take place during class for the top two bands

6 PM Board Meeting

7 PM Booster Meeting

22 HMS Side by Side with Honors band during class.

Honors Band after school rehearsal from 3 PM- 5 PM

24 Solo & Ensemble @ North Garland HS

MARCH

1st Possible Wind Ensemble Performance/ Recording

Solo & Ensemble Make-up performances after school; (this is primarily for anyone who was academically ineligible for Solo & Ensemble or were sick an unable to attend; this should be a last resort and communicated in advance with a director if needing this alternate date)

5th

6PM Preview Concerts @ SHS Auditorium; immediately followed by a MANDATORY trip meeting for all attending Spring Band Trip to New Orleans.

7-10 Spring Trip to NOLA; Click button below to see itinerary. There still may be some minor adjustments, but this should help you plan for the trip!

19th

Booster Meeting @ 7 PM

23 JV Championships @ Marcus HS

25 Pre-UIL for Symphonic and Honors Band at RHS

26 Pre-UIL for Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble at LCHS

please look ahead into April and May for UIL dates, upcoming movement camps and leadership opportunities.

ANY student scheduled to go on our Spring TRIP to NEW ORLEANS are eligible if their 2nd Cycle grades were passing/ waiver form completed if applicable. Anyone ineligible had the opportunity at the 3 week progress report to regain, if still ineligible, those students have until the 6 weeks progress report to get all classes to passing to be eligible for this trip. Please make sure to stay on top of grades as this is the last cycle that eligibility will be affecting activities this year!

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.

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.

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.

1. Volunteer application linked below
2. E-mail Completed Drivers License Check Request to Mrs. Taylor: hctaylor@garlandisd.net
3. Fill out the Occumed Authorization and go to a participating drug screening facility listed to complete drug test.
4. 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!

Director of Bands: Holly Taylor

hctaylor@garlandisd.net

Assistant Director/ Jazz Band Director: Bret Ryan

bryan@garlandisd.net

Assistant Director: Thai Tu Nguyen

tknguyen2@garlandisd.net

Assistant Director/ Percussion Director: Garrett Tucker

gtucker@garlandisd.net

Assistant Percussion Director: Sue Manaois

smanaois@hotmail.com

Color Guard Director: Maegan Benavidez

mbenavidez@garlandisd.net

Email: hctaylor@garlandisd.net
Website: www.sachseband.org
Location: 3901 Miles Road, Sachse, TX, USA
Phone: 972-414-7450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1471394826440647