Grapevine Middle School

Dear GMS Pony Band Families,

Thank you to all who attended our Band Parent Meeting this week! And a big thank you to all of our volunteers who helped with registration! We would like to thank Mrs. Wood, Mrs. McFarlin and Mrs. Huff for helping. We have such a great community and we feel so fortunate!

Please complete the following 3 steps before Thursday, August 15th:

1. Please click here to register your band student and pay for your band fee. Deadline: Thursday, August 15th. If you are experiencing difficulties, please email Mrs. Wood at gmsbandtreasury@gmail.com.

2.. Sign up to Volunteer: We ask that each family please sign up for at least 1 football concession time slot . We require a lot of manpower and we appreciate and love all of our volunteers! After you sign up, there are MORE volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Click here for all of our volunteer opportunities!

3. Please click here to complete the GCISD Volunteer Background Check. All volunteers must complete this in order to help us throughout the school year.

Sincerely,

GMS Band Staff

Our Welcome Back GCISD MS Band Event at NRH2O is Saturday, August 17th from 6-9pm. Click the link for more details and make sure you sign up through our Registration form before Thursday, August 15th at 8am.

1. Grapevine Middle School Beginner Supply List

2. The instrument brand and model is the key to success! We have seen very consistent success with the particular instrument brand and model listed. It is very well made, and it is easier for students to produce the correct fundamental sound, thus building their confidence level and skill. If you are considering any variation of the brand/model on our list please contact us to set up an appointment so we can assess the instrument to make sure it is the right quality for your child to be successful.

3. If you have not arranged for your student to have their instrument and/or band supplies ready for the first day of school, please call Austin Bell at Bell’s Music in Keller at 817-337-7900 or visit their website to get everything squared away! If you have already taken care of everything, your student’s instrument and supplies will be delivered to GMS prior to the start of school or they will have contacted you to pick everything up in store.

4. 1. Visit website

   2. Click on “Rent an Instrument”

   3. Select Grapevine Colleyville ISD, then Grapevine MS from the drop down menus

   4. Choose your students assigned instrument

   1. For flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, & trombone, you will need both the instrument as well as the accessories. Your student will need all the accessories, so we recommend choosing the “select all” option.

   2. For oboe, bassoon, french horn, euphonium, and tuba, you will just need to purchase the accessory pack. Your student will need all the accessories, so we recommend choosing the “select all” option.

   3. For percussion, You will need to select Marimba Rental. We recommend choosing the “select all” option. If you already have a marimba, you may select Percussion - Accessories only and the "select all" option. You may contact Mr. Hinz at caleb.hinz@gcisd.net if you have any questions.

   
   

Click here to access the Google Sheet Calendar.

Thank you for attending the parent meeting this past Wednesday! It was great to see everyone!

If you missed the parent meeting, here are some notes discussed:

Our band website: http://www.grapevinemsband.com

School-Owned Instruments: If your student is playing a school-owned instrument (oboe, bassoon, french horn, euphonium, tuba, percussion), we will let you know when Skyward is ready for you to pay the $100/semester GCISD Maintenance Fee.

Lockers: Everyone has a band locker and each student will need to bring their instrument to the school by the end of the first week of school. If you ordered through Bell's Music Shop, your items have been delivered to GMS and we will store it in your student's band locker. You may provide a combination lock (no key lock) if you would like. We are in the band hall at times and keep it locked when we are not there. We will ask students to give us the combo number so we can assist if needed. It is your choice whether you would like to get a lock.

Before and After School: Band students are only allowed in the band hall. Non band students will be asked to wait outside as we have expensive equipment inside our classrooms. Band students are allowed to practice before and after school in our classroom or practice rooms. This is where a lot of the fun is! A band director will be in the classroom and students are not left unattended. Students may also hang out before or after school in the band hall if they do not want to go to the cafeteria.

1st Few Weeks: Band Curriculum begins the second day of school. If you have your instrument at home, please bring it the 2nd day of school. We will begin with Theory Lessons while one of us goes through everyone's equipment. We will let your student know if they have all of their supplies and if they are missing anything. Student instruments will NOT go home until the 5th or 6th week of school until we know that your student can take care of it properly, assemble and disassemble correctly, and hold it properly. There is nothing worse than having a student breaking it by accident before being taught instrument care, routine and maintenance, and then not being able to play on it when it is time.

Supplies: Beginner Class Supply List

Band shirts and Hoodies will be ordered at the end of next week.

Private Lessons: Click here for information. We have an INCREDIBLE staff. Check out their bios here.

Fundraiser: Please save your money for our Fan Pledge fundraiser coming up soon on September 18th. Students will collect 20 contacts and call family and friends asking for donations of $25 or more. Students who participate in our live blitz on September 18th and have 20 contacts entered will automatically be eligible to attend our Exclusive Party at Grapevine REC on Friday, September 27th from 7-9:00 pm! We will send a separate email with detailed information as we move closer to this date.

Communication: Weekly Newsletters, Grapevine MS Band Facebook Page, Twitter @gmsPONYband, and Rooms/Thrillshare (be on the lookout for information in Mrs. Alexander's newsletter).

Got Sneakers, a company dedicated to shoe recycling, has partnered with us to launch a fundraiser program for the Grapevine Middle School Band. By donating your gently-used sneakers to our program, Got Sneakers will refurbish and distribute them to people in need, and the proceeds will be sent directly to Grapevine Middle School Band to support our music program. Help make a difference by donating your sneakers today!