Huntsville High School Band

HUNTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BAND

 

 

The HHS Band Parent Association meeting was held in the HHS Auditorium at 7:30 pm. The meeting was called to order by President, Lisa McCrary.

 

Lisa McCrary, President

Lisa welcomed all the HHS BPA parents to the first official BPA meeting of the school year. There will be a lot of new information provided, including more on the Italy trip. Most marching uniforms are ready for pickup, and the red and green Viva Italia shirts are ready for pickup tonight.

 

CALENDAR:   Aug 21:              Jamboree football game (6:15)

                        Aug 28:              football game (Mountain Brook – away)

Sept 3:               Milton Frank Stadium full Band rehearsal (4:00 – 6:00 pm)

Sept 4:               First full Band football game (Grissom – Milton Frank)

Sept 11:             Band football game (Buckhorn – Milton Frank - Homecoming)

Oct 24-25:          Marching Band Competition in Rome, GA & Six Flags

March 21-28:      International Trip to Italy

 

 

Stuart Ivey, HHS Band Director

Mr. Ivey greeted the Band parents. First schedule detail noted was for the September 3^rd full Band rehearsal at Milton Frank stadium from 4 to 6 pm. This will give all students an opportunity to learn seating arrangements and practice on the field before the first full band football game. No buses will be available because they will still be doing school routes, so students and parents will need to drive themselves.  This is the same night as Open House, so students will be able to go directly back to school in time for Open House.

 

Mr. Ivey presented an option for the Band to participate in an overnight trip to the upcoming marching band competition in Rome, GA. Originally, we planned for two marching band competitions, but the quotes for the buses on the other competition event came back excessively high. So, instead the Band can have fun doing an overnight event going to the marching band competition in Rome, GA on October 24^th, and then a hotel stay and a day at Six Flags in GA on October 25^th. There will be a small additional fee to help cover costs for the Six Flags tickets, the hotel and the buses of about $100.This could be a band trip option for those students unable to go on the Italy trip, and Mr. Ivey hopes the whole band can participate.

 

Fundraisers are continuing. We have front loaded many fundraisers to help with the costs of the international trip, but so far the participation rate has been low, with only about 30-40% of band members participating. It takes a lot of man hours to organize these events, so we will have to re-evaluate the work and participation to see if it is worth continuing to do more fundraisers. The alternative is to just increase band fees, and there seems to be a portion of the membership that prefers to just write a check.

 

For the international trip to Italy, if you have not registered yet, please register as soon as possible. We need an accurate count for planning.  We also still need a nurse to attend with the students according to school rules. The school requires that every trip have a school nurse along to handle all medications. There are some additional responsibilities, including a 2-day course to qualify under HCS rules. Mr. Ivey hopes that a band parent will volunteer, so that we do not have the extra expense of hiring a HCS school nurse. The volunteer will have most of their trip paid for by the Band. Mr. Ivey had an interested person volunteer, and they will work together on the details. If you would like to use Charms account money for the Italy trip, please let our Treasurer, Susan Pendergrass, know as soon as possible. We will try to make two combined payments to the travel company, with the first one to be made by the end of the month. Please, also check the registration list to be sure name is accurately on the list, if you have already registered. Be sure to get your passports ready. We are currently scheduled to leave the school on the buses on Monday, March 21^st at 9 am for an airline departure time of 6:29 pm out of Atlanta. We will be returning from Rome to Atlanta on Monday, March 28^th at 5:20 pm, with a return on the buses back to school by approximately 11:30 pm.

 

Lisa McCrary, President

Lisa was pleased to make the announcement of the arrival of Mr. Ivey’s new baby, Vivian, who was born on August 12^th, at 7:07 pm, weighing 7 lbs. 2 ozs. Vivian and mother, Courtney, are doing well. All students need to turn in the Medical Consent form and the Out of County Trip forms as soon as possible before students can be allowed on any bus trips. The Out of County Trip form does NOT have to be notarized this year. Forms are available at the meeting and on the Band’s website. Please try to have forms turned in by Friday. Sign up for Celly text messages for quick notices about weather or time changes. See the Band emails or the website on how to sign up. The Band also needs donations of cases of bottled water for games and events. Lisa began introducing the HHS BPA Board members and Committee Chairs.

 

Andrew White, VP-Chaperones

The week of band camp went well and we appreciate all of our volunteers who came out to help. Football games will be starting soon, and we will need volunteers for home games and away games. The Band will need 9 chaperones for home games and 12 chaperones for away games. Chaperones earn Service Credits that can be applied to their student’s Charms account for Band Fees. You may call or text Andrew to sign up, but the fastest and easiest way to sign up is to use the SignUp Genius website, and a link can be found in the Band emails sent out by Christi Robinson.

 

Margaret Turner and Sherry Seals-Tonini, VP-Fundraising

Margaret and Sherry discussed the next fundraising opportunities. Remember to use your Publix cards for the Band. Margaret searched online and found that the top three recipients in Alabama were Randolph school, Hampton Cove Elementary, and HHS PTSA. Last year we raised $3,000, and every little bit helps. The Football Media Guides are in development and will include the Senior bios. The books will be sold at the first football game for $20. The FanCloth fundraiser was just finished, and orders will be delivered soon. The Coupon Book orders can be turned in tonight at the meeting, but at the latest must be turned in by Friday. The orders will be sent into the company on Friday.

 

The next fundraiser will be the Simply Sheets sales. This has been a very popular fundraiser, with 1800 count bed sheet sets for sale at $40 a set. Students can get $10 per set sold applied to their Charms account for Band fees or trip money. Sales will start in September and orders should be ready for delivery by Fall Break. The next fundraiser will be the Holiday Marketplace and Silent Auction at the time of the Winter Concert.

 

Susan Pendergrass, Treasurer

Susan presented the proposed Budget for the HHS BPA and Band for the 2015-2016 year. Susan went over the income and expense details listed out on the second page of the meeting agenda. The school system provides Mr. Ivey and the BPA has to cover the rest. A motion was made to approve the proposed Budget, and with no objections, the Budget was approved by the BPA by a showing of hands of those in favor. There is a 5% discount for making full payment of band fees tonight at the meeting. Checks can also go to the Band Box in the Band Room. Please always put money in an envelope with the Student’s name and the purpose of the payment. If you choose the send payment by mail, the Band does have a P.O. Box, which is listed on the Band website. Band camp and Fancloth credits are in Charms, and she tries to update the Charms accounts as soon as she can.

 

Tracy Lovik, Secretary

A meeting sign-in sheet is being passed around the auditorium. If you didn’t have a chance to sign-in, please see me at the front after the meeting. If you can’t make it to one of the meetings, the Minutes will be posted on the Band website.

 

Christi Robinson, Communications

Christi introduced herself as the Communications Chair, who sends the weekly (and sometimes more often) band email news. Please note on any email replies to the weekly email only go to her email address. She teaches part-time and tries to reply as soon as she can. She has to forward any emails that are intended for another person. If you need to contact someone other than Christi, it will be much faster to email that person directly. The Band website is huntsvillehighband.com, and please don’t confuse our website with Huntsville High in Texas.

 

Teri Estes, Credit Keeper

Teri introduced herself as the Service Credit Keeper, and invited anyone to contact her if they had any questions.

 

Open Position, Media Coordinator

Lisa presented this as an open position. Please contact Lisa if you are interested in the position. Also, check the Band Facebook page for fun pictures of the Band students at various events.

 

Mary D’Arienzo, VBC Liaison

Mary is still looking for more people willing to do wristbanding at the VBC.  Concessions are going well, and students are getting involved. Students 16 years old can work concessions at the VBC, and no training is required for concessions. Please wear a light, comfortable black top, black pants and close-toed shoes. A concessions jacket will be provided. For wristbanding, a 2 hour class is required by the VBC, and parents can work at concerts, Havoc games, Hammers games, and more. The Band earns $7.25/hour, with $5 going to the student Charms account. When you sign up for an event, Mary will send out an email with instructions on times and where to park. Service credits for the Band have a limit, but VBC work is unlimited.

 

Lisa McCrary, Uniforms

Lisa is looking for a reliable Uniforms replacement that can work with her this year for training. She has done this job for 4 years, and has enjoyed the time with the students. The uniforms person is in charge of issuing marching band uniforms and concert uniforms, and will attend football games in order to hand out and take up the plumes for the hats. It is a great way to get involved and get to know the kids. You can partner with another person, if you are interested in the position. The marching band uniform consists of the jacket, band shirt, bib, hat, hanger and garment bag (no hat for the pit, unless it is a special event or parade). Students must also wear tall, black socks. Upper classmen need to find and continue to use their shoes from last year. New students can pick up their shoe orders tonight. There will be one more shoe order for those who still need shoes, and the cost is $35. The first full uniform football game will be September 11^th for Homecoming. For the first games before Homecoming, the students will wear their red Band shirt with either khaki shorts or pants. The designated dry cleaner is Wilson’s in Hampton Cove and on Whitesburg. We have an arrangement with Wilson’s for cleaning for $5.50.

 

Janet Kaylor, Hospitality

Janet is our new Hospitality Chair, She will help coordinate a number of events for the Band, including MPA, the Holiday Market Place, and Senior Night and end of the year events.

 

Shelley Corbett, Concessions/Brick Sales

Lisa presented for Shelley, who will be available to take Commemorative Brick sale orders. Order forms are available at the meeting and on the Band website. There is a sign-up sheet for concessions opportunities at the football games. We need 16 people for this Friday’s football game. HCS decides what dates the Band gets as opportunities to work concessions, and the volunteers get free parking at the stadium. It is a fundraiser opportunity for the Band.

 

Ben Davis, Equipment

Ben handles the Band trucks and the band-owned instruments. This is his last year and he is looking for a replacement to train. He also needs another truck driver, and you do not need a CDL. Please call or email, if you are interested.

 

Color Guard, Sarah Spear and Percussion, Darryl Ailor

Lisa introduced the Color Guard and Percussion instructors, who have been working hard with our students to prepare for the marching band season.

 

Guest Speaker, Bill Burkhard - Warburton

Lisa introduced Bill, who spoke about custom mouth pieces and training tools designed by Warburton. Last year, his daughter was a Drum Major with the Band. Feel free to contact him with questions or for fittings.

 

The meeting was adjourned by Lisa McCrary, President.

 

The next HHS BPA meeting will be on Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 7:30 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted by:

Tracy Lovik, HHS BPA Secretary

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