Fundraisers

3 fundraisers are in the band room for you to get started on earning money for your student accounts.
Little Caesars must be turned in by Feb 12. We will post a pick up day as soon as we get that.
Yankee candle and Mixed Bags have a letter in them with due dates on them. Please contact Francine Sumner at threeleg@att.net with any questions.

Boston

The next Boston payment is due February 1st!! This is the 2nd payment. Please make sure you include who the check is for, which student. Also, any extra paperwork that should've been filled out, please send that in as well. When requesting money w/the student withdrawal form, the check payable should be Howell Band.
There is a slip that you can cut off to send your next payment in that was included in the packet. That way we can tell who the student is that you're making a payment for. Chaperones please do the same.

Booster Meeting

There will not be a booster meeting tomorrow night due to school being cancelled.
We will see you for the next booster meeting Feb 5, 2014, 6:30pm.

ICE DAY EDITION! (new info as of 12/21)

Hello everyone!


First of all,  HOLY SMOKES WAS THAT AN AWESOME CONCERT!

Very rarely does every single aspect of an event go better than I expected. SO PROUD of the performances our kids put on, the music we made, and just as importantly, the way they conducted themselves off stage as well.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you ask), there was an ICE DAY today, cancelling school.  Because of the unexpected nature of this AOGD, many students did not take home their instrument.  With auditions coming up almost directly after break ends, it is important for these students to get their instrument.

Here is what I can offer as a solution:

The only days that the school is actually closed completely are Christmas day, New Years day, and "the eves" of both those holidays.  Students and/or parents should be able to gain access to the school, find either a secretary or custodian, and get into the band room. THE NEXT "SURE THING" TIME TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL IS FRIDAY DECEMBER 27th 8AM-3PM.

If there is a bigger problem than that, I can be reached on my cell (many students and parents have my number.  This sounds cryptic, but please ask around other band people until you find one that knows, I don't want to give it out over the internet).  Do not bother trying on Christmas, New Years or "The Eves" as I will not be answering the phone or answering any messages on those days.  Do not call me just to get into the school, as instructions for that situation have been provided above.

OK... now that that little piece of business is taken care of, Let me get back to the warm fuzzy part of this post:

-FANTASTIC CONCERT.  Lets do it again soon!

-You will do great on your auditions (if you practice :)

-Thank you for another year of fantastic memories and music.  I am always grateful for the opportunity to work with such fantastic young musicians and their parents.

-May your holidays be everything you hoped for and may we meet again safely in the new year.

Mr. Smigell


  

Ghirardelli & Spirit Cups

Chocolate is in the band room. Anyone that ordered the mix of chocolate chips there was a change. The company ran out of white chocolate chips. They replaced them w/milk chocolate chips. Sorry for the inconvenience. They were not sure when the white chocolate would be available again.

Spirit Cups will be in the band room on Friday! Please make sure you pick them up before the break.

Ghirardelli Chocolate will be in the band room tonight for pick up.
If you see a few students & parents unloading, please feel free to pitch in and help carry into the band room.

Spirit cups should be here this week too.

Donations

The upcoming concert is the only concert of the year that the band is hoping for some donations. Look for a band student with giant present boxes to deposit donations. The band is grateful for any amount. It will be used for music and other various items that are needed.
We'd also love it if a few families could send in some small candy canes. We'll hand these out as a thank you when families donate.
Another item we need are AAA Batteries, 9 Volt Batteries and Ear Plugs. The batteries, we only need a few. Ear plugs, we'd appreciate as many as we can get. If you have any questions please email Christyne MacDermaid at christynemacdermaid@gmail.com or 734-476-0312.
Please read all of Mr. Smigell's important post below.

NEWS BULLETIN!

Hey folks!

Thought I would drop a line and update you on a few things coming up: PLEASE READ ALL OF IT!!


#1 LIVINGSTON COUNTY HONORS BAND
This is a group of the finest players from the five county high schools.  Conveniently, auditions and two of the rehearsals are held here at Howell High School.  Audition sheets have been passed out.  Any questions about auditions should be directed to Mr. Smigell.

12/11/2013 (tomorrow) tryouts here in Howell 4pm-8pm

12/16/2013 rehearsal 7-9pm here in Howell

1/13/2014        7-9pm Here

1/25/2014  8am-3pm at fowlerville HS

1/27/2014 Rehearsal 8:00-2pm At Fowlerville. Concert 7pm at Fowlerville HS


#1a MARCHING BAND WON "BEST USE OF MUSIC" IN THE FANTASY OF LIGHTS PARADE 2013 :D


#2. OUR HOLIDAY CONCERT

Is TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 7PM IN HOWELL HS AUDITORIUM
The report time is 6:30 PM.  This Concert will be approximately 2 hours.

CONCERT ATTIRE IS REQUIRED FOR THIS CONCERT.  THAT MEANS THAT PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE WEARS ALL BLACK, CONCERT AND SYMPHONIC BANDS WEAR BLACK PANTS, THEIR WHITE FORMAL SHIRT, AND A BOWTIE.  WIND ENSEMBLE WEARS THIER BLACK JACKET, BLACK PANTS, WHITE FORMAL SHIRT, AND A BOWTIE.  Any questions, please see Mr. Smigell

Mixed Bags

Mixed Bags are in. They'll be sorted tonight. If you're at the booster meeting, you can help sort them and then take your order. Or, please pick up tomorrow. They'll be sorted by student name.

Booster Meeting

Booster meeting is this Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 6:30 pm. Please feel free to join us to see how you can help the boosters. We'll be in the band room.

REPORT TIME FOR THE PARADE TODAY!

Hello Everyone!


The report time (which, by the way has been announced for 5 days in class... just sayin' kids..)

for the parade tonight is 5 pm at the Howell High School Band room.  Please do not be late to this as they close Grand River at 5 pm.

You may bring your own hat and gloves, which we will hide right before we step off.  You may wear some layers underneath your uniform, but no sweat shirts, hoodies, or jeans!

ok.. see you there!


-Smigell

Mixed Bags

The Mixed Bag fundraiser has shipped.
Fed-Ex did not give a specific arrival date, but they're on the way.
We'll let you know as soon as they're in.

Concert Uniform Shirt / Tie

The concert uniform for both Symphonic and Concert band includes a white formal shirt and a black bow tie.  All members of the ensembles are required to have these.

A representative from the Brighton Tux Shop will be coming during 6th hr tomorrow, November 22nd to fit Concert Band.

You are not obligated to by a shirt from Brighton Tux Shop.. However you will have a hard time finding a better price. It costs $19 for the shirt and the tie.

Payment is not necessary at the fitting. It will be collected when we receive the shirts.

ATTN: Ghirardelli Fundraiser Due Dates Changed!!

The Ghirardelli Fundraiser is due on Monday November 25th with a grace period of one day (Tues Nov ,26th). We apologize for the inconvenience for not being able to sell over Thanksgiving, but the company will not distribute product without getting the money first. In order to make sure we have the chocolate by the holidays, we have to have it in this early.

ATTN: New FoL Practice Times

Fantasy of Lights Parade Practice times are now:

Thursday November 21st @ 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Friday November 22nd @ 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Monday November 25th @ 2:30pm - 3:30pm

These are the new dates/times - disregard the others that have been posted/written. Sorry for the inconvenience.

EMU CLINIC DAY INFORMATION

Hello Everyone!

Many of you (or your children) have elected to attend EMU's Music Clinic Day this Saturday.  Here is a link to all of that information:

http://www.emich.edu/musicdance/documents/clinicday2013.pdf

Here also are the directions to the Alexander Music Building at EMU (it is a pretty sweet interactive map thingy... just put "alexander" in the search window and it will give you visual and written directions)

http://www.emich.edu/maps/

Good luck and enjoy!

Charms/student accounts

Here's how to get into your student accounts.....

www.charmsoffice.com
click Enter/Login
click Parents/students/members on that drop down
Howellhsband is your School Code
Student Area Password is your students Howell High School number. Your student most likely knows this. Or, it can be found on your progress report, or report cards.
Now you can check on their finances. How much is in their account. Print a form to request that money be moved out of Charms account to pay for Boston, music lessons etc. If it's music lessons or music items please include a receipt. If it's Boston, and it's the first payment, please have ALL of your information filled out for Boston. Turn this in together so we can keep track of who's going to Boston, and how you've paid. We will then turn over to the treasurer to have the funds transfered properly. If you have any questions about using Charms, please contact Christyne MacDermaid christynemacdermaid@gmail.com, or 734-476-0312.

Pasta is sorted in the band room and ready to be picked up. Popcorn should be sorted and ready sometime next week.

Senior Show Video?

Hey Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone or their parents recorded the half time show of the last home game / Senior Show. My recording didn't come out and I would like to document the show in my portfolio. If anyone has a copy - could you please send it to me via email at: thejadegecko@gmail.com

It's been an awesome season guys -I can't wait to grow with the program! Already got big plans for next year!

Thanks,

Nicole / Jade

Pasta, Booster Meeting, Boston

Nov. 6, 2013
Pasta Pick Up during the booster meeting.
6pm Booster Meeting
7pm Boston Meeting

Missed Cookie Dough Pick up?

Anyone that did not make it to pick up cookie dough at the designated time, Christyne MacDermaid went to the school, picked it up and put it in her freezer. You can contact her at 734-476-0312 to make arrangements to pick it up. Please leave a time that might work out for you when leaving a voicemail or text and I will get back to you as soon as I can. There is a lot of cookie dough that wasn't picked up. If it could be picked up soon I'd appreciate that.
734-476-0312