Makin' boutonierres

Many hands make light labor . . . Band-aids, because Lorraine "All Thumbs" Monaco was working with sharp objects . . .

Angie is very talented . . .

HSS Band 2009-10.31 Uno's Fundraiser - Let's Raise Some Dough!

Hi Band Boosters,

We have an Uno's Fundraiser planned for November 10. If a customer presents Uno's with a special coupon (see attached), the Band Boosters will get 20% of the proceeds! The coupons are good all day ~ lunch through dinner, dine in or carry-out.
Please see the attached flier and coupons. Spread the word among friends, co-workers, relatives, and even complete strangers that they can enjoy a meal at Uno's and help out the band program. (We're not allowed to stand outside the restaurant and distribute the coupons; but we're free to pass them out to as many people as we can ahead of time!) The flier has complete details. Many thanks to Linda Lichtman for setting this up for us!

Thanks to the "Flower Gang" last night. With Atsuko's supplies and tutoring we were able to make the boutonierres for the Senior marching band members for tonight's game. Thanks also to Kim Barber for bringing supplies and her expertise; and Sherri Parmley who also shared her flower talents with us. Here are the many hands that made light work: Leslie Bell, Lory Monaco-Stevenson, Mary Anne Mulligan, Ceci Gunter, Donna Baetsen, Tanya Labriny and daughter Sarah, and Angie P. Flamingo. (Look for a picture or two on the band booster blog.)

See you at the football game tonight!

Reminders:
tonight: students report by 6pm
Saturday Competition: students on field at 7:30a; dress at 8:15a; leave 9am; perform at West Springfield 11am; home 2pm; take uniform and instrument home for . . .
Sunday parade: band room open 11:30; meet Hayfield pool 12:30; dismissed 1:45pm
First payment for trip: due November 4
Days left to turn in fruit order: 7 (due November 6)

Humbly serving our kids,
Lorraine Monaco

HSS band 2009.10-30 Uno's night, Candy bags, flowers, Trip money, fruit sales

Good Morning, Band Boosters!

UNO's Fundraiser! Details to come, but, for now, mark November 10 on your calendar for dinner at Unos. Unos will donate part of the proceeds that evening to the band program. (Many thanks to Linda Lichtman for organizing this!)

Treat bags: No tricks, just treats! We're going to give our band students treat bags after the competition on Halloween. Send in candy by Thursday. Meet in the band room from 2:30-4:30 (during rehearsal) on Thursday to assemble the bags. (We do have the bags already.)

Flowers: Reminder that we're making boutonnieres for Senior night on Thursday evening. Right now, the only parents who've let me know they're coming are parents of Seniors! I was thinking it might be a nice tradition for parents of Fresh, Soph, and Juniors to make the flowers for the senior parents! So -- even though I'm "craft-challenged" and have the fine motor skills of a chubby-fingered toddler, I will show up and see if I can help. If you can stop by between 6-8pm, Atsuko Russell has said she can teach us how to do this. Please Bring Your Own Scissors (and in my case, my own band-aids!)

Spring Trip - Please see new information on the band web site about the trip (revised schedule and cost). The deadline for the first payment of $171.25 is due by November 4.

Orange you glad it's Fruit Time! Don't forget to take orders for fruit. The deadline to turn in your order form is November 6. The fruit will be delivered in early December -- perfect time to give gifts of healthy fruit to friends, co-workers, and relatives!

Donations for Football Game - Can you send in a case of water or some snacks?

Volunteers for Saturday's Competition: Please let me know if you would like to help with uniforms, be a bus chaperone, or help with equipment. It's an early schedule! The kids should be on the field to rehearse at 7:30am; load bus at 8:15am; leave at 9am; perform at 11a; return around 2pm.

Special shout-out to the band students who cleaned up the band storage closet this week !! Wow -- it's beautiful! (We should have "before" and "after" pictures!!!) Thank you so much.

We have great band kids and band parents!

Humbly serving our kids,
Lorraine Monaco

FYI - Possible budget cuts for FCPS next year

Band Booster Parents,

 

For your information, I'm sending along two letters addressing the possible budget cuts for Fairfax County Public Schools next year.

 

Attached is a helpful letter from our PTSA President, Dick Reed, addressing the issue.  Dick describes the budget problem  (for eg., career  centers may be eliminated) and spells out how we can become informed and get involved.  (Thanks, Dick!)

 

Below is a letter that the boosters at Glasgow Middle School initiated.  This letter is amined specifically at music programs in the budget.

 

It looks like FCPS will have some tough decisions to make, and as parents (and teachers and students!), we should try to be informed and active.

Lorraine

 

 

Dear Parents of [school] Music Students,

You may have heard that Fairfax County has a severe budget shortfall projected for the next school year. Once of the cuts that the county is considering is cutting ALL Elementary band and orchestra. This will result in an estimated savings of only $7 million, out of a $162 million shortfall.

Here is the link to the news release: http://commweb.fcps.edu/newsreleases/newsrelease.cfm?newsid=1276

Please make your voices heard. Cutting music in elementary school MAY save a few dollars now, but the total negative impact over many, many years will far outweigh any short term savings. This will severely impact not only the kids in elementary school, but middle school and high school music programs as well in the years to come.  Starting music at a young age is so important. We can't let the county cut music programs.

How Can I Help- you may ask. Here's how.

Go to the County website and complete the Budget Feedback Form online. It only takes a minute and you don't have to provide any personal information. You can find that link here:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/survey/fy11suggestions.htm

OR, Attend a community dialog on the budget. To attend, you need to register, and you can do that at this link, or by calling 703-324-9400.  http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/survey/fy11communitydialogue.htm

Community Dialog Dates:
Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to noon
- Centreville Regional Library
- Reston Regional Library
- John Marshall Library
Thursday, October 29, 7 to 9 p.m.
- South Lakes High School Cafeteria
- Woodson High School Cafeteria
Saturday, November 14, 10 a.m. to noon
- Kings Park Library
- Sherwood Regional Library
- George Mason Regional Library

Please let the county know THEY CANNOT CUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MUSIC. IT IS TOO IMPORTANT FOR OUR KIDS!!

--
Thanks for your support!
Glasgow Music Boosters

HSS Band 2009-10.29 Busy Week Ahead

Hi Band Boosters,
Busy week ahead of us!

Boutonnières ~ Thursday 6-8pm (Band room)

Make boutonnieres for senior night (which is Friday). Atsuko Russell has offered to lead this effort. Please consider helping out; we have about 20 seniors this year to honor! Bring Your Own Scissors.

Halloween Goodie Bags ~ Several parents have suggested making Halloween treat bags for the band students for Friday's game. If you'd like to contribute some candy or treats for the bags, please send them in to the band room by Thursday. If you'd like to help assemble the bags (we'll probably do it Thursday during band from 2:30-4:30) let me know at bandlsm@gmail.com

Friday: Home football game with Senior recognition (and Halloween treat bags)

Saturday: VBODA competition -- it's an early one! Kids on the field at school to rehearse by 7:30am; dress and load truck at 8:15am; leave for West Springfield at 9am; perform at 11am; return around 2pm. (Don't forget: black socks, black shoes, t-shirt, lunch, snack money, and a superior attitude!)
NOTE - Students will take their instruments AND their uniform home with them to be ready for the parade through the Hayfield Farm neighborhood.

Sunday: parade in Hayfield Farm neighborhood at 1pm
Band room will be open at 11:30am for instrument pickup; 12:30pm report to Hayfield Farm pool (at the end of Hayfield Road in Hayfield Farm neighborhood); 1pm parade up to the park near the corner of Hayfield Road and Telegraph. 1:45pm dismissed from parade; take uniform and instrument home and return them to school on Wednesday

(The good news is that on Sat night/Sun morning, we set the clocks back one hour; so we all get an extra hour sleep. In theory anyway!)

Looking ahead:
The marching band potluck banquet is on Wednesday, November 4. I'll send details later this week. Unfortunately, we were unable to use the gym this year for a parent vs student volleyball game before the dinner. If anyone has an alternate idea for an activity before the dinner -- and if they'd like to organize it -- please let me know.
DON'T FORGET that Che Russell has offered to put together a slide show - so send him your best pictures from the marching band season! send him an email or you can send a CD to Justin to give to his dad.

Finally, I'd like to thank the many wonderful volunteers who helped make the Homecoming activities so much fun and such a success. Atsuko Russell, Yvette Schuler, Bettina Dowell, Mary Hess, Leslie Bell, Twila Mack, and I think Martha Stewart put together the pizza dinner that sustained our kids for their very long day. A great group of parents supplied an impressive assortment of cookies, cupcakes, brownies, etc for dessert - Leslie Bell, Sabrena Capel, Bettina Dowell, Cheryl Wagner, Erin Fitzsimmons, Jessica Tyeryar, Christiana Hawes, Darci Dunn, and I think Emeril Lagasse. Our hardy equipment team did a good job, even with the bad weather: Mary Hess, Nick Milton, Ed Capel, Don Stevenson, Che Russell, the 'equipment students': Jordan, Sarah, Taylor, Mikala, Angie; Dave Collins, Ralph Monaco, Rick Young, Dwayne Jones and I believe Lou Ferrigno. And all the other parents who supplied snacks and water: Sandy Collins, Cheryl Wagner, Christiana Hawes, Karen Reed, Tawnie Jewitt, Mary Hess, Amy Taylor, Sandy Collins, and I believe Rachel Ray. And, to the wonderful parents who helped set up the stands and then clean up afterwards: Bettina Dowell, Kevin and Donna Baetsen, Lory Monaco-Stevenson, and I believe Ann B Davis.
(If anyone notices that I've accidently ommitted a name that should be here, please let me know!! I'm so grateful to all of you who volunteer in any way - our band is that much more fun and successful thanks to all the volunteer spirit!)

BY THE WAY - Don't forget to sell fruit!! (See information on the band web site.)

Humbly serving our kids,
Lorraine Monaco
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HSS Band 2009-10.28 Will it rain on our parade?

Hi Band Boosters,
I've been told that in 30 years of Hayfield Homecomings, it has NOT rained only four times. Hmmmmm -- wonder what our odds are for tomorrow?

School officials will decide about the parade by tomorrow afternoon - as soon as Mr. Burke knows, he'll share that info, and I'll send an email.
Just in case, our band students should prepare for rain (wear a rain poncho or jacket).

School and FCPS officials will decide whether or not to hold the game by the end of the school day, and, again, you can check Mr. Burke's web site and this email for news.

No matter what the weather, we will have pizza and dessert for the band students (it's scheduled between parade time and game time -- approximately 5:15pm)

Mr. Burke and Mr. Helm will evaluate field conditions and the weather as it gets closer to game time and will announce whether or not the kids will play. The name of the game is to maintain that great Hayfield flexibility -- and to have a rain poncho!

Thanks again to all the volunteers who have signed up to help:
Pizza party: Bettina, Twila, Mary, Yvette, Leslie, Atsuko
Desserts: Leslie, Sabrena, Bettina, Cheryl, Erin, Jessica, Christiana, Darci
Uniforms: Sabrena, Sandy, Elsa
Equipment: Ed, Mary, Nick, Hal, Robert, Don, Ralph, Che
Stands: Bettina, Mary Power
Water: Sandy, Cheryl, Christiana, Karen
Snacks: Tawnie, Mary, Amy, Sandy

Let's hope for dry weather!

Humbly serving our kids,
Lorraine Monaco

HSS Band 2009-10.27 Homecoming Week Ahead!

Hi Band Boosters!
I was impressed with our whole group on Saturday at the Oakton competition. With a very full list of bands in our division, Hayfield wasn't in the top 3 finalists; but, I thought they sounded terrific! (Too bad I'm not a judge, eh?!?!?)
Many thanks to all the supportive parents who helped out: Dave "The Driver" Collins; Mary "Slim Jim" Hess, Nick, Sabrena, Dottie, Gwen, Donna, Don, Ralph, Che, Jean, Bao, Lory, Mary Anne, Ed, and, a special note of thanks to all the student helpers who carried equipment and bags, went looking for extra gloves, and generally are so supportive! I'm sorry I don't have all your names; but you should know you are appreciated.

Our big event this week will be the Homecoming festivities on Friday. There will be a parade through the Hayfield Farm neighborhood starting at 4:45p. The marching band will march in that parade (not in band uniform). We'll then take the kids to the band room and feed them pizza and dessert. (The boosters will provide the pizza and drinks; we'll ask for volunteers to send in desserts.)
After they eat, the kids will get ready for the game. Because of the Homecoming Court activities at halftime, the schedule for band is different from a regular game: the band plays for some of the halftime festivities, and then they perform their program AFTER the game.

Thanks to Leslie, Bettina, Yvette, and Mary who have offered to help with the Homecoming activities. If there's anyone else who would like to help with the pizza and drinks, please email me at bandlsm@gmail.com If you'd be willing to send in cookies or brownies for the kids on Friday, please reply to bandlsm@gmail.com.

We also will need our full complement of game helpers (uniforms, equipment, and snacks). Here's who signed up to help:
Uniforms: Sabrena, Sandy, Elsa
Equipment: Ed,Mary, Nick, Hal, Robert, Don, Ralph (Please let me know if you can stay after the game for the performance.)
Stands: Bettina, Mary Power
Water (send in 1 case of water bottles): Sandy (we'll need 3 more)
Snacks (send in about 2 dozen snacks): Tawnie, Mary H., Amy, (we'll need 1 more)

Thanks in advance for allyour help; if you have any questions or ideas please feel free to get in touch with me!

Humbly serving our kids,
Lorraine Monaco
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