All Bands, Please Read!!

I just sent out an email to all band parents and kiddos. Here's the text, in case you didn't receive it.

Sorry to send an email so late at night. We were in Corpus for the weekend to visit parents and you all can relate to the flurry of preparing for the work week when you get home from a trip. Add the drama with the fire in Bastrop, and hopefully you'll understand why I'm sending this out after 11:00 p.m.

Tomorrow is a BUSY day for us!

• Brian Hawken with Express Industries will be at school to kick-off our fundraiser for this year. Still doing the catalog sales, but this year's catalog is much bigger and much more diverse in terms of offerings and prices. I was happy to see the changes.You'll be doing this all class period, so please, no instruments. Do, however, bring a pen. Remember, please, that you are NOT required to participate in the fundraiser. I know my parents were not fans of my selling stuff for school, so I understand! Nevertheless, with budgets getting tighter, we're needing to do a great job this year!
• Donations for the Bastrop Fire Victims - This is something that is close to my heart. Many of you know I taught in Smithville for 4 years before coming to Hutto. I've been up most of last night, messaging with former students. I know of 10 for certain that no longer have a home. One girl's family all lived on the same acreage. Her grandparents, parents, brother, and aunt/uncle all lost their homes last night. These are good people who believe in hard work and doing right by their kids. Many of them would volunteer in my classroom regularly. These are our neighbors, and they need help. A former band mom of mine has opened an empty storefront she owns and has created a distribution center for the victims of this fire. As our class service project this semester, I'd like us to take this on and do a great job. FCCLA has signed-on to help us, so we've definitely got man-power. What we need is publicity and donations. The shelters are short on bedding, pillows, towels, and laundry soap, as well as simple toiletries (toothbrushes, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, razors, etc.). Lots of small children have lost their toys and comfort items and could use those as well. Several shelters that are allowing pets are in need of pet food and cat litter. These people have literally lost everything but the clothes off their backs. Several of these families had just rebuilt from the fire that ravaged Bastrop State Park a couple of years back. Again, they are starting over. I know times are hard and budgets are tight, but even a donation of gently-used clothing or shoes would be a help. We'll be collecting items in the band hall throughout the week, then needing students to help sort items this week after school. NJHS members, this could help with your service hour requirements! Depending on how much we collect, we may need some parents to help deliver the items on Saturday. Please consider helping with this if you are able in any way.
• Open House! Tomorrow night is the first of our HMS Open House nights this week (the other is Thursday). All parents of all grade levels are welcome to come and explore freely our campus from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
  
  • In the band hall, we will have representatives from the Hutto Band Boosters present to answer questions, sign up volunteers and chaperones for band events, etc. From 7:30-8:00 p.m., we will have a SmartMusic demonstration and information session for our parents. Both of these things will happen on both evenings.

We believe all schedule changes are now complete, which is good news, the beginners are starting mouthpiece sounds this week, and our "big kid" ensembles are starting their pep rally tunes and ensemble skills training. We're a bit rusty, but we do sound like a band! Thank you, parents, for all the help and support you give us. We're very fortunate to have so many positives in our organization.

-Mrs. C.