Fall Fundraiser Has Started –
This year’s fall fundraiser began on September 3rd. Last year’s sale was just incredible and the profits really helped the program grow. e don’t expect the students to go out and sell a lot or be aggressive in taking orders. We are large enough that a few orders from everyone will more than meet our needs. I really appreciate any help at all with this project. From personal experience, I know it is a tough time and some households may have another fundraiser happening with a sibling. The profits enable us to sell supplies and equipment below cost to the students. We also use profits to lower trip costs, so students that participate in fundraisers receive discounts on local band trips.
The forms are due on September 16 and the cookie dough will be delivered during the week of Oct 6. We are just taking orders now and the money will be collected when the cookie dough is delivered. Checks will be made out to BMS Bands.
Good Luck to the Marching Stars –
We want to wish our BNL Marching Stars the best of luck as they travel to the first competition of the season. They have been working hard and Mr. Jones has them focused and ready to go. The Stars will be competing at Columbus North HS in one of the largest competitions in the state this weekend.
Progress Reports Issued Next Week –
Next week the first round of progress reports will be sent home. The band class is a pass/fail class so parents are looking for a “P” on the band grade. Many of our students are not allowed to take instruments home so we have adopted the pass/fail method for the class grade to accommodate this fact. We will have a few students receive an “N” for “no grade” due to not having an instrument yet. Students that receive an “N” can make up the work once they get an instrument.
The conduct grade is based on class behavior and will show up as a number (029, 030, 031). All the students are allowed to attend class and know what is expected of them when it comes to participating and behaving. The range for an Average Conduct grade (030) is zero to ten violations of class rules over the nine week grading period.
The progress reports depict where students are at halfway so the cutoff is 5 to measure the midway point. This shows they could be headed toward Poor Conduct (031), or worse if the current behavior trend continues. If behavior improves and they stay below ten violations for the 9 week period an Average Conduct (030) can still be earned.
Outstanding Conduct (029) is given out very sparingly. A student needs to demonstrate conduct above and beyond the class expectation consistently to achieve Outstanding Conduct (029).
6th Grade Books and Percussion Stick bags are in –
The band department has the stick bags percussionists need for class. Last year the stick bags with the sticks and mallets cost $55 and we are able to keep the same price this year. Many of the percussionists have already brought money to purchase these. They will also need to have something to practice bell parts on at home. A bell kit, piano, iPad app, or little electric keyboard work well for this.
All the students will need a beginning band book. We use Essential Elements 2000. Most students that rented from Paige’s Music already have this and others may too. The percussion book includes the snare and bell music and costs $16. The rest of the band books are $9. The students that need a book can purchase it from the band office. We will begin using books in class next week.
Checks can be made out to BMS Band.
Continue to vote for the Holiday Drive-in until Sept. 9 –
I have gone to the drive-in movies every summer for as long as I can remember. I have enjoyed our local theater south of Mitchell and have seen many of our band students and band families enjoying it too. This year the film companies are switching all movies to a digital format. This change is requiring theaters to make a costly change to equipment that most drive-ins can’t afford. The Holiday Drive-in has an opportunity to receive the necessary equipment at no cost from a Honda promotion. I have included some information here from Mr. Wilson and hope we can help keep a drive-in theater here in Lawrence County for years to come.
Here is some information I received from Steve Wilson. Steve is the current owner of the Holiday Drive-in here in Lawrence County.
5 Winning Drive IN Theaters will Win 1 of 5—$80,000.00 digital projectors awarded by Honda Motors USA. The most votes win the prizes.
Help Save The Holiday Drive In Theater, in Mitchell Indiana, By Voting each and every day for the next 30 days, from August 9 through 9 p.m. P.D.T on September 9th, 2013 You can vote one time per day per Computer and Per Cell Phone number. Ask your friends to join in and text like crazy to save one of the only Drive In Theaters in the area. This may be our ONLY chance to keep this theater Open! Please help us by organizing drives to text and to VOTE!
The Holiday Drive IN Theater has been open since the summer of 1962 and has been through many crises which could have closed it but it has persevered! The Holiday Drive IN Theatre does not produce enough income to pay for one of these very expensive projectors due to its short 5 month season and sometimes up to 15 weekends of rain.. It will only survive by dedicated individuals like yourself that can come to its aid in one way or another.
Please Vote each day with every computer and every texting cell phone at the following addresses:
http://projectdrivein.com/vote_43 or Text: Vote43 to 444999
Current Class Standings –
The 6th, 7th and 8th grade bands earn points for group work ethic, concentration and effort. Individual tardiness, talking and lack of effort lower the ensemble’s daily score. Here are the results for the first week:
Period 1 8th Grade Band: 34 points
Period 2 8th Grade Band: 17 points
Period 4 6th Grade Band: 22 points
Period 5 6th Grade Band: 16 points
Period 6 7th Grade Band: 16 points
Period 7 7th Grade Band: 15 points
Have a great week!