I hope you are all enjoying your summer and have had time to rest, relax, and spend time with friends and family. I also hope those of you who are coming back for year 2 or 3 of band have spent some time practicing your instrument. :)

Your band directors started back at work on Tuesday and have been busy getting things ready for you to come back. Our team of 3 directors now (YAY!) have been copying music, stuffing binders, and getting lockers ready for you. We can't wait to see you all in a few weeks! Information about our upcoming summer camps is below and we hope to see all of you there so we can get a great start on our year! Toward the bottom of this newsletter is also a link to Charms (our database, inventory, payment system) - please read over it and visit Charms to ensure your contact information is correct for the year.

**Please make sure to fill out the RSVPs below (by July 20 for advanced band students and by July 27 for beginner band students) for either the advanced band or the beginner band summer camp.**

Every year students need new supplies and to replace those items that have been lost/damaged/etc. We have tried to make it super easy by linking needed items directly through Amazon. This link will show you the required supplies for Advanced Band students for this year.

If your student is in the 8th grade, they should already have Book 1 from this list. You would only need to purchase it again if it is lost, damaged, or they did not have one last year. All students will need Book 2 as well as a flip folder and a tuner/metronome/microphone. Please read over the handout carefully to make sure your student has all of the supplies they will need for band this year. If you have any questions about the list, please contact us and we will help you however we can.

Before school let out, all advanced band students received a Summer Practice Club flier. If your student has been keeping up with their practicing this summer, please make sure they fill out the form so they can attend the ice cream party at the end of the first week of school!

Additionally, if your student has misplaced their summer music packet, you can use this link to find their instrument and print out the music they need.

**Be aware that the packets linked above are a few years old - the flier about summer band attached to the packet in the link is NOT FOR THIS YEAR!!**

If your student will be in the Beginner Band this year and you have not yet ordered supplies, rented/purchased an instrument, etc. please use this link and scroll down to find your instrument's supply list and the list of recommended music stores and take care of that ASAP. With our kick off camp the week before school it is very important that all students have their supplies so they can get started with the rest of the class. If your student will be playing oboe, bassoon, French horn, euphonium, or tuba, their instrument will be provided by the school and will be waiting for them on the first day of the kick off camp - you are responsible for purchasing the accessories to go with the instrument.

If you have any questions or need any help, please don't hesitate to contact us!

As you are doing your back-to-school shopping, if you feel inclined to donate any items to the HMS Band, we do have an Amazon wishlist for our classroom. We are so grateful for any and all donations we receive, as well as just your support!

All band students will be issued a locker to store their band instrument and band binder in during the school day. We have locks available for any student who wants to use one this year. It will be optional to use a lock, however, we will not be responsible for items that go missing or are damaged from a locker being used without a lock.

WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS TO USE A LOCK!

**If you would like to use your own lock, you are free to do so. You will need to provide the band directors with a copy of the key or the combination if you choose to use your own lock.**

All students will receive their band binder during summer band camp. We will be taking grades on the organization of the band binders from time to time. Please help your student stay organized and remind them to put their papers in the rings and behind the correct divider.

**ALL REQUIRED BAND HANDBOOK FORMS AND A 2023-2024 PERFORMANCE CALENDAR IS IN THE HANDOUT SECTION OF EVERY BINDER.** You can always find the most up-to-date version of the calendar on the band website.

All of the forms are due by Friday, August 25.

Please take a moment this week to log in to Charms. www.charmsoffice.com

Log in as a parent/student/member

The school code is hudsonsoundmachine

The password for first time users is your student's GISD ID number (should be 6 digits)

For non-first time users, your password should be your student's ID with their capitalized initials in front (i.e. HB123456) unless you've changed it to something else.

Please update contact information (add adults as necessary), check your student's birthday ID, instrument, etc. and make changes as necessary. If you have questions or have difficulty logging in, please contact Mrs. Becker.

Heather Becker - Director

Dan Urban - Assistant Director

Ryan Neff - Assistant Director

Email: hdbecker@garlandisd.net
Website: www.hudsonband.org
Phone: 972-675-3070
Facebook: facebook.com/hudsonmsband
Twitter: @hudsonhawkband