INFORMATION FOR NEW BAND MEMBERS

Dear New Band Students and Parents,

First of all, I am very happy that you want to join band.  There are lots of things to know and I will cover a few of them in this epistle.  I will also be meeting with new students and their parents on Tuesday, April 20th, at 7:00 pm in the band room at Houston High School.  Please make plans to attend.  This is our first and only informational meeting for new folks.  It is important that I know exactly how many band members we will have well in advance of our pre-camp summer picnic and cow tipping fiestamundo held late in the summer. Every once in a while someone will show up that we are not expecting.  This requires me to rewrite the marching drill at the last minute, which can cause me to be short of temper.  In rare instances, shortness of temper will lead me to bite the heads off of one or more band members.    Due to a slight weight problem, my doctor is asking that I cut back on calories (over 1,000 in the average head).  Help out by getting involved early.

Shelby County Schools has provided us with a nice facility, but does not provide funding for the equipment, music, supplies, extra instruction, travel/transportation expenses or other needs of the program.  It is our jog to raise, pay, steal or extort the funds necessary to provide the best experience possible for the band members.  Since stealing and extortion are frowned upon (as is renting freshmen out to sweatshops for 25 cents an hour) we opt for a combination of fundraising and fees.  All of this will be explained at our meeting on April 20.  

The total fee for Band Camp and Marching Band this year is $550.00.  Of this amount, $100.00 is due on or before May 15, 2009. The balance of $450.00 can be paid in two payments that are due on June 15 and July 15, 2009 respectively.  Checks should be made out to the Houston High School Band Boosters and mailed to: Houston High School Band, 9755 Wolf River Blvd., Germantown, TN  38139.  At the meeting you will be given a set of reminder coupons for payment.  The initial payment may also be made the night of the new student meeting.  For a donation of $100,000 dollars or more, we will rename the band to 

>> Your name goes here >> and the Houston High School Band

There will be a host Band Booster officers at the meeting on April 20th.  They will be available to answer any of your questions and calm fears about the unstable nature of the man writing this letter.  Fund raising, uniforms, travel volunteering and other aspects of the band and the band booster experience will be covered.

At this meeting you will also learn how you can earn funds for your student to off-set band fees by purchasing gift cards for most of your shopping needs.  Some cards (such as the Kroger and Schnucks cards) are re-loadable.  This program will be discussed at the informational meeting, and there is more information on our Forms page of this web site.  It is a convenient way to earn money for your student's account and to help the band as well.

Please check our web site calendar for times and dates of important events.  The web site is up-dated frequently.

I am looking forward to meeting each of you.  If you know of anyone who did not originally sign up for band or color guard and would like to join, please bring them to the meeting.  It is not too late for me to get them added to the class. 

Sincerely,

Jim Smith