CMS Band

Summer Camps

Dear all,

As summer approaches, we would like to encourage your students to look at some options for summer band opportunities. Below are a few camps that are recommended by us and the surrounding community.

Sounds of Summer Music Camp:

http://soundsofsummerbandcamp.com

University of Georgia Music Camp:

http://summercamp.uga.edu/Music%20Camp/SummerMusicCamp.html

Music Camps listed on the Georgia Music Educators Association website:

http://www.gmea.org/more/summer-music-programscamps/

Summer camps are opportunities for students to continue growing on their applied instrument as well as learn from professionals in our field, meet new friends, and perform music that they may not be able to perform anywhere else. It is a great way to keep your student encouraged and busy in such an enriching activity! If you look through these websites and have any additional questions, feel free to contact us. We would love to continue the strong tradition of high participation in summer music camps in the Carrollton band programs.

We highly encourage that you consider enrolling your student in a summer camp this summer!

3-30 After-School Practice Session with CHS Band Members

A very successful Monday practice session was held this week! We were fortunate enough to have our high school band director, Chris Carr, along with his leadership candidates down here helping our middle school students. His students are in the middle of a their weekly leadership clinics that will end with an interview for a position as a leader in the CHS Trojan Marching Band. We hope that they gained some valuable experience in teaching others. The sixth graders spoke very highly of the experience and gained not only knowledge on their instrument, but encouragement to become better musicians and Trojan Band members. We are so thankful for the high school band directors for their assistance in the younger grade levels and for ensuring that all of the band programs in our school system are held to the Gold Standard.

Enjoy some pictures below!

6th Grade After-School Practice Sessions

Good morning,

Our 6th grade after-school practice sessions will resume beginning tomorrow, March 23rd. These will occur every Monday until the end of the semester. All students who would like extra instruction or opportunities to raise their band grade are encouraged to attend. The students will report to the band room after school and will practice until 4:15. The students will then be walked to the bus loop outside of the gym doors to be picked up by their rides.

This is a fantastic opportunity for students who have large instruments that are difficult to bring home!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Monday After-School Practice Sessions

Good morning,

We have decided to pause our sixth grade after-school practice sessions until after our Large Group Performance Evaluation has occurred. This will allow for the directors to assist at the Junior High and the High School in preparation for these important performances. We are scheduled to resume Monday, March 23rd.

Sincerely,

Ms. Menendez & Mr. Huls

Cancelled After-School Monday Practice Session

Good morning,

I have decided to make the call to cancel our after-school practice session today for the sixth grade students due to a heavy cold that is coming on for me. I do not feel that working with your students individually would be the greatest idea during this contagious period. They will be reminded to call home if needed to make sure that they have the correct transportation worked out.

Thank you for your understanding!

-Maria Menendez

Monday Practice Sessions

Hello 6th grade parents,

We are extremely excited to begin our Monday afternoon practice sessions! This is a once a week practice time available for all sixth grade students. It is a great opportunity for some extra individual attention, whether it is for a student who feels behind or a student who would like an extra challenge. This is also a wonderful practice opportunity for students who share school instruments.

We will begin these Monday practice sessions this upcoming Monday the 24th, and will continue on until the end of our school semester. The plan is to keep this going year round! Students are asked to report to the band room after school. They will practice and rehearse with Ms. Menendez and possibly other instructors until 4:15. The band student pickup will be in the bus loop by the gym door. Ms. Menendez will walk all of the students outside and wait with them until their ride has arrived. Please make sure that if your student is going to stay after, that they have a ride home.

We really encourage your students to participate! Not only can they learn to play their instrument at a higher level, but they can learn to work as a team and teach each other as well.

Your 6th grade students have exceeded our expectations so far this semester. They are a wonderful, hardworking and kind group that is a joy to teach every day. Thank you for all that you do.

Sincerely,

Joe Huls

Maria Menendez

Cookie Dough Orders Due Tuesday Sept 23rd

Attention all band parents!

Tuesday is the turn in date for our cookie dough sale. Please make sure to follow the checklist for turn-in instructions:

1. Make sure your money is in an envelope and all check are made out to CJHS Band.

2. Make sure the money matches the order. Cross out any names or orders that are not included in total.

3. Add up all the money at the bottom and then total up all the boxes at the bottom.

4. For every 10 boxes you get a free box of the $15 variety. Please put “Free Box” in the name column and choose your $15 variety. Do not include the free box in your money total.

Please do not turn in your order late, I would like all orders in Tuesday.

Thanks all.

Cookie Dough Fundraiser Kickoff

Hello all band parents,

Starting today we will distribute materials for our annual cookie dough sale. This sale will take place over 2 weeks and will be a great way for our students to help raise money for the band and also for their own personal band goals.

For 6th graders they can earn money toward their band performance polo shirts ($21), for every box of cookie sold the student will get $3 toward their shirt.

For 8th graders they can earn money directly toward their Carowind’s Spring Trip dues ($210), for every box of cookie dough sold the student will get $3 toward there trip.

There are also some other rewards for selling cookie dough, for every 10 boxes sold the student will receive 1 free box of cookie dough.

The fundraiser is simple, sell cookie dough by using the materials handed out in class, collect the money, turn it all in at once on September 23rd and 4 weeks later the shipment will arrive for you to pass out to your buyers.

The money raised in all of our fundraisers goes directly to support our band account which is used for repairs of school owned instruments, supplies and music purchases, and to pay guest teachers and clinicians to work with your awesome children.

Again the collection day is September 23rd for all bands. Please encourage your child to sell as much cookie dough as they can.

What a Great Week !!!!

Wow!!! What a great start to the school year. Ms. Menendez and I are so proud of the hard work that has been done already this week. I wanted to put up a post to say thank you, and hopefully if you have subscribed you will receive an email.

6th Grade Band Announcements:

We have begun instrument screenings so your child may have already tried the three (or more) things that they are interested in and have selected their instrument. PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE AN INSTRUMENT YET!!!!

We will have our instrument nights on Sept. 2nd and 3rd for you to come browse and purchase the correct brand and model of instrument you will need. There is an awful lot of junky, fake instruments on the internet that will set you back a lot of money, please wait and come to instrument night.

A reminder that all band forms and fee’s are due next Friday.

7th and 8th Grade Band Announcements:

We had a great first week, getting our horns back in working condition and playing through our new upper level warm-ups and chorales. We will continue to play and challenge your children next week. We will also begin preparing the students for Trojan Band, and District Honor Band Auditions next week. Please listen out as your child should be practicing 2 to 3 nights per week.

A reminder that all band forms and fee’s are due next Friday.

Trojan Band Update:

There will be a sign-up sheet up on the wall for Trojan Band, and those Fee’s ($15) will be due by Aug. 26th, which is our first (and only) after school practice. Please check the calendar. Remember the $15 will cover the cost for there performance shirt and Hat. 8th grade band members who already have a shirt and hat that fit will not need to pay to be a part of the Trojan Band this year, if you need only one new part of the uniform please pay $10.

Thank you again, please share this website with any other band parents you know just to make sure everyone is subscribed.

Have a great weekend.

Joe Huls and Maria Menendez

Band Directors

Carrollton Bands

Welcome Back !!!

Hello CJHS and CMS band parents, welcome back to school. I hope that you had a restful and relaxing summer and are just as fired up as we are to return to school for another exciting school year.

For brand new band parents in the 6th grade band I welcome you to our band family, thank you for enrolling your child to be a part of one of the biggest and most celebrated programs here in the Carrollton City School System. For my returning veteran parents thank you again for coming back and dedicating your time, and effort to the wonderful band program we all create together.

You will notice a few changes this year as we welcome a new staff member to our team to assist me at the JH and MS, Ms. Maria Menendez. You can see her biography on our staff page on the dashboard above. We are very excited to welcome Maria, and know she will provide fantastic instruction and support to our students.

You will also notice a few new communication changes….WE HAVE A WEBSITE!!!!! I am so excited to host this site which will run side by side with the high school band website, and should provide a great way for ALL parents to stay in touch and connected with your directors.

Please feel free to browse the website, subscribe to the website and you will get updates as the calendar is updated, and new information is released. The key to our success is great communication.

We look forward to seeing you all at the open houses, and throughout the year.