Hello Golden Eagle Band Family,
Great job last week at our first football game and marching performance! This week is our first away game! Parents please come out to Williams Stadium in Garland and support the GEB and all the Eagles organizations.
This Week’s Schedule
Monday August 30
- 5:00pm-7:00pm Rehearsal
Tuesday, August 31
- 7:00am-8:30am Rehearsal
Wednesday, September 1
- 7:00am-8:30am Rehearsal
Thursday, September 2
- 7:00am-8:30am Rehearsal
- 7:00pm Kickoff: RHS @ Garland Williams Stadium (10:45pm approximate dismissal at RHS)
Friday, September 3
- OFF
Private Lessons
Due to the RISD grant that lowered our band fees this year, the RABC has decided to re-open the application process for Private Lessons Scholarships! The student and a parent must complete a portion of the application, so you will want to find time as a family to sit down and take care of it in one sitting. This Google form should take approximately 15-25 minutes to complete.
Only a handful of students have applied so far, so we still have several spots available!
Click HERE to apply! The deadline is 11:59pm on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.
Marching Band Pass-Offs
We started pass-offs of Part 1 last week in all classes for Woodwinds and Brass. This is the next stage of evaluation for our marching band competition spots. Remember, Attendance is the #1 criteria for evaluation! #2 is Attitude in rehearsals. #3 & #4 are Musical Skill and Marching Skill. If you did not earn a spot in our first round of evaluations during Summer band, here is your chance! Be sure you are practicing with a metronome at Q=144 with stepouts.
Varsity Football Game – Thursday, September 2
Once school dismisses at 4:20pm, all GEB students should come to the Eagles Nest/Band Hall to get ready for the game. If you ordered pre-paid Game Day Meals, those will be served in the Eagles Nest. After finishing your dinner, you should change into the GEB Summer Uniform and gather your instrument, flip folder, and lyre. Since this is an away game, we will need to bring cases and allow time to load trucks and buses.
We are still in need of some volunteers for this week’s game! Please click HERE to sign up and support the GEB!
GEB Summer Uniform
Our Summer Uniform consists of the following:
- Elemental Show Shirt
- GEB Athletic shorts
- Black MTX Marching shoes
- Black ankle socks or no-show socks
- Show Hair (defined below)
- No visible jewelry (no-show/clear studs for visible piercings will be acceptable)
The GEB Athletic Shorts and MTX marching shoes were delivered and distributed last week. Be sure that your name is written on everything!!! Black ankle socks or no-show socks should be purchased on your own. ‘Show hair’ means that students with long hair that covers the ears or touches the collar in the back should be pulled up and back. Hair should be secured in a bun with black hair ties only.
We will wear the Summer uniform for two more games. Hair dye of non-natural colored tones (i.e. Purples/Greens/Blues/Pinks/etc.) will be permitted while we perform in Summer Uniforms. However, by the time we wear the full marching uniform on September 23, students should have a plan for hair that is currently a “non-natural” tone, as this will not be permitted during our contest season. We must be as uniform as possible. If you have specific questions about this policy, please inquire with Mr. Bronson.
March-A-Thon
We have 1 more week until the September 7 deadline for all pledges and donations for our biggest fundraiser of the year! Cash and checks should be deposited into the band safe near the band director offices. Additionally, all online donations should be made by September 7 (the day after Labor Day).
Follow up. Follow up. Follow up! Do not rely on a single email to do the trick and get your goal of $250 in donations. Go to your businesses and personal contacts in person, send text messages, and/or send emails to make that final push for our deadline of next Tuesday.
Students/parents should sign up HERE to approach your targeted local businesses to sponsor you in this 5k-style fundraiser. To personalize the letters for businesses and personal contacts go HERE to download the Word docs from the March-A-Thon packet. (All of these links can be reached from the home page of www.richardsonband.org.)
The March-A-Thon is a big part of why RHS has the lowest band fees in the district, and we want to keep it that way…but everyone must do their part to make it a success! We ask each student to reach a personal goal of $250 in pledges between businesses and personal networks. All pledges/donations are due September 7.
Bus Transportation – COVID
As RISD Central Administration planned for the resumption of fine arts performances in the 2021–2022 school year under heightened public health protocols, parents asked about arrangements for student transportation to performances. RISD will provide transportation at no cost for students to and from all RISD fine arts performances held away from your student’s school. Parents who wish to transport their students in their private vehicles may do so by providing prior written notice to the director.
To ensure that RISD is aware of parent authorization for student travel in private vehicles, you must notify your director in writing in advance of your intention to transport your student in a private vehicle. Verbal authorizations will not be accepted.
Please complete the “Fine Arts Parent Authorization for Student Travel” form and return it to Mr. Foster by Tuesday, August 31. The blank forms are on the directors cart at the front of the band hall. RISD will require any student to ride the bus who does not have a private vehicle transportation authorization on file. Please contact Mr. Bronson if you have questions about this notice or authorization.
Looking Ahead…
Monday, September 6
Labor Day
We will have no school and no rehearsal this day. Because of this, our normal Monday evening rehearsal will be pushed to Tuesday. This means 2 rehearsals on Tuesday so that we don’t lose our hours. We will have a 7:00am and a 5:00pm rehearsal that Tuesday.
Tuesday, September 7
- We have two rehearsals this day due to the Monday Labor Day holiday
- 7-8:30am
- 5-7pm
- March-A-Thon pledges/donations due online and/or to the band safe by 7pm
- Private Lessons Financial Assistance applications due by 11:59pm. Click HERE to apply.
Friday, September 10
Varsity Football Game: RHS v. South Garland HS (Homecoming)
Our third football game performance will be homecoming at Eagle Mustang Stadium. Before the game, we will also march in the Homecoming Parade (more details will be coming out next week about this). Attire will be the GEB summer uniform. Parents: we would love to have you in the stands cheering on the GEB as we add to our show each week!
Let’s make it a great week!
Mr. Bronson