Volunteer Background Check for All Band Volunteers (brass, woodwinds, percussion, dance team, color guard)

Dear Parents,

The Madison City School Board is now requiring all volunteers in contact with students to have a background check. This is required for all chaperones, equipment crew, photographers, and any others that are in contact with the students. The band is required to check and make sure all volunteers have completed this background check. Please follow the instructions below to complete your background check and submit your approved background check to the band.

To complete the background check: Please go to our BJHS Band website, bjhsband.com, and click on the “Background Check” button in the center of the page. There is a cost of $14.95. It is an easy process and it only takes a few minutes to complete. You will receive your card in the mail after your background check is complete.

When you do receive your approval: Please take a picture, or scan, of the front of your card and send it to:

bjhsband.forms@gmail.com

Please put Background Check and your name in the subject line. For instance, my email subject would be:

Background Check Janine Reardon

If you are an employee of MCS, you have a background check and that counts. Please take a picture, or scan, of the front of your badge and send it to bjhsband.forms@gmail.com. Please put Background Check and your name in the subject line.

Because this is not an instant check, please continue to use the Lobby Guard check in the lobby of the school until you receive your background check approval. You can bring the sticker to the band room and place it in the band box.

PLEASE COMPLETE THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Thank you for your cooperation with this new requirement.

Janine Reardon

Bob Jones Band Booster Secretary

Stadium event tickets, pecans and more related to fundraising for BJHS Band

Hi everyone!

There was a great turn out at last night’s booster meeting. It was so good to see so many of you there! We appreciate your juggling talents to be there and understand that sometimes it simply doesn’t work. With Alumni Night festivities going on at DMS, it was almost surprising that so many made it to our meeting. Thank you for making that happen!

If you were unable to be at the booster meeting last night you missed being able to sign out tickets for our stadium event that will be held Tuesday, October 21st at 6:30 p.m. (rain date will be Thursday, October 23rd) This should be an easy sell to anyone who attended last year, and those who want to see the competition show and other groups that will be performing. Last year it was a fun night!

We are asking that each student – everyone participating in marching band – whether they are a brass, woodwind player, percussionist, on dance team or color guard, EVERYONE is being asked to sell two tickets (at $5.00 each) for the band. Everyone also has the option of selling as many tickets as they’d like, for themselves! All sales over the first two tickets will go into each student’s account for use in the future. The money can be transferred to drum line, dance or color guard, can be used for spring booster fees, future years’ booster fees, banquet, trips that will come up – maybe even for a trip this spring! The money in student accounts can be used for anything band related except for class fees.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to sell tickets to friends, teachers, family, coworkers and neighbors. In addition to being able to see some of their favorite people perform that night, the money will go to a great cause – the band – and the students in the band!

Tickets were distributed at the meeting. If you weren’t there, I will be at school during classes today to sign tickets out to students.

Parents, please be on the look out for the tickets! Shake back packs during fall break, frisk the kids, check their trunks and instrument cases! The pecan sales sheet/envelope will also be included, as well as other pertinent information that may apply to you or your student.

All ticket money (and unsold tickets) will need to be turned in no later than Friday, October 17th. You can use the envelope the tickets came in when paying for them. If you want more tickets at any time, don’t hesitate to let me know and I’ll get them to you!

Pecan orders will be due by Friday, October 24th. You will turn money in with the order form. You can accept checks from customers, but please make sure there is a driver’s license number and phone number on the check and make the checks out to BJHS Band. Pecans will be delivered before the Thanksgiving holiday.

If you or your student signed out express discount cards, please return them and/or the money no later than Monday after fall break. The deadline was this week, but some of you have voiced a desire to have more time to sell them. I MUST HAVE all money and especially UN SOLD CARDS, so that I can close out with the company by the 14th of October! All unsold cards must be returned to the company, and the bill paid for those sold.

We had the discount cards and Stevie B’s cards available for sale at the booster meeting. If you would like to purchase either of these, please be in touch with me and I will get them to you.

Thank you for participating in our fund raisers. Schwan’s will continue to give us 5% of anything ordered between now and August 15, 2015. If you have established yourself with your Schwan’s man, please note that placing an order through him will NOT give us any credit. In order for us to receive 5%, you must call 1-855-870-2208 or order Schwoan’s on line at https:/www.schwans-cares.com/ and sigh up for the Bob Jones Band – A year to enjoy Schwan’s. Use campaign number 13511.

Kroger wil continue to give back to us when we use our kroger plus cards that have been signed up on line. If you haven’t signed up yet, go to krogercommunityrewards.com or call 800-576-4377. Select option 4 to get your Kroger plus card number and more information. Use the NPO number 36158 or the name Bob Jones Band Boosters.

Thank you for your continued support of these fund raisers. The money generated from these and especially the concession stand keeps our program afloat.

As fund raising chair, I want to take the liberty to consider the concession stand part of my efforts even though Gabi and our wonderful volunteers have been the driving force in its success. If you have not yet volunteered to work concessions, be sure to sign up! Everyone’s help is needed! It is vital that everyone do their fair share to support the program. We understand there can always be extenuating circumstances that keep a family from being able to fulfil their obligations. Please be in touch with Gabi or Cindy if that is the case with you.

Please don’t forget that if you opted for the discounted booster fee, you will need to fulfill your volunteer duties to earn that discount! If they are not fulfilled, the discount will not apply and you will need to pay the additional $100.00. If you opt to do this, please pay Kathy at your earliest convenience that way you can be taken off of the volunteer list.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or any board member. If I don’t know the answer to your question, I’ll find someone who does.

Again, thank you for your support.

Please don’t hesitate to be in touch!

Lou Justice

256-830-8319

LouJ77@aol.com

Cindy Leaphart

BJHS Band Booster President

THANK YOU!, Booster Meeting, Mom notes

Dear Parents and Students,

Attached you will find the hand out from last night. Please note the important dates, March on Madison and fundraising opportunities.

In my plea for volunteers, I realized later that I neglected to say thank you. To those who have volunteered already and have signed up to volunteer, THANK YOU! As I have said before, it takes close to 500 volunteer slots over the course of the season. Some are on going, some are a little here and there. I appreciate you and you giving of your time. All of you help make our band the great program that it is for our kids.

Please look for an email from our board Secretary, Janine Reardon, regarding our keeping track of those who have had background checks.

Tickets for March on Madison were given out last night and will be this morning in class. EVERYONE is required to sell 2 tickets that will go into the general fund. Any remaining tickets will go into student’s accounts. It will be a fun evening and a great opportunity to raise money.

Pecan sale started yesterday! It will go through October 24th. Our community looks forward to this sale. So get out there and let people know that you have them.

If you were not able to make the meeting last night, search your kids! Today they will be given tickets for March on Madison and Pecan sale envelopes.

As a whole we do not seem to be motivated to do much in the way of fundraising. I understand, We are all busy. And we do not have a trip this year. We WILL have a trip next year. You have this year and next to raise money for this trip. It all adds up over time and will make a difference. Of course we always need money in our general fund.

This weekend will be busy! I am looking forward to it. I hope you are as well. Please look at the email that Ms. Thomas sent out earlier this week. It has everything you need to know.

Mom notes:

Eat something this afternoon before we leave.

Come out and support our school at Buckhorn tonight!

Put those pants in the washer and treat the stains as soon as you get home Friday night!

Eat well for lunch tomorrow.

BYOD – Bring your own dinner for Saturday. Or maybe just a substantial snack. We will not be getting home late. And there will be snacks available on the way home.

It might be time to get the sweatshirts out. My favorite time of year.

Hartselle is not far. Ms. Thomas included the address in her email. Please come out and support our band Saturday. Performance time is 6:00. James Clemons performs right after we do.

I apologize for all of the words. This is a busy time.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cindy Leaphart

BJHS Band Booster President
Booster Meeting Oct 2.docx

Regarding All-State Orchestra openings

Expanding on my last email, I just received this from the president of the Alabama Orchestra Association about instrument shortages for auditions. Just FYI.

“Hello Alabama Band Directors,
As of Saturday Night the AOA is short a few instrument parts and could use more of some instruments to audition so we will have a couple of alternates. We need at least 3 more Bassoons, 2 bass trombones, and 1 harp. Others we could use more of to make sure we have enough alternates to fill spots are Oboe, Horn, Bass Trombone, Tuba, and Percussion. If you have any students playing with you this year who could fill these spots, please encourage them to audition.

To register and find excerpts go to Alabama Orchestra Association – Home
Register through the blue button on left side. Find excerpts on Audition Page. (Students will play prepared excerpts and sight reading during audition)

Registration deadline is Tuesday, September 30th. Auditions are the first 2 weekends of October. Students can audition in any district they would like to, if their district doesn’t fit their schedule. It will ask them in the registration process if they want to change their district. They will need your NAfME number and E-mail to register. Thanks so much for your help!
Sincerely,
Sarah Schrader
AOA President
334-728-2855”

Leigh S. Thomas
Assistant Band Director, Bob Jones High School
leighthomas24@gmail.com

Discovery Alumni Night (Thursday) and Information on Honor Bands for 2014-15

Hi everyone,

I tried to space out my emails so you don’t feel bombarded. I just have two things to share with you.

1) DMS ALUMNI NIGHT is tomorrow night! The DMS boosters are grilling out from 4:30-6pm and the game starts at 6pm. Feel free to go support your middle school, eat some good food, and play along with them after our rehearsal ends. These kids are the future of our program so go recruit and MAKE SURE TO WEAR BJ BAND GEAR!!

2) I’ve attached the most complete list of all-state festivals and college honor band that I can find. Some of the website are quite up to date but I thought I’d get the list out early. Information will be available on these website regarding deadlines, fees, audition music, clinicians, etc. These are a great way to scope out the music scene at your favorite college and compete against students outside our general area. TAKE ADVANTAGE AND APPLY NOW! As brought up at our last booster meeting, there are just too many honor bands for Mr. Thornton and myself to accompany students. Lodging is an individual responsibility. However, please don’t hesitate to contact me and/or other parents about arranging group travel/lodging for these honor band. The All-State Orchestra, Jazz, and Band music is online to start practicing early!! Participating in these festivals looks great on college applications and sets you apart for music scholarships.

Hope everyone has a restful Wednesday in preparation for this weekend. Have a great night!

Leigh S. Thomas
Assistant Band Director, Bob Jones High School
leighthomas24@gmail.com

2014-15 Honor Bands.pdf