Fall Letter 2014
Fall 2013
Dear Orchestra Parents,
Welcome to a new school year! This letter includes a number of important items. Please read carefully and contact me with any questions. I am enclosing a Concert Calendar and the Orchestra/Concert Dress Guidelines. Orchestra is graded and I hope you encourage your student to do his or her best. Concerts are required and are a major portion of the grade. It is important for the students to be in class on time every day, just as in all his or her classes. Please note-our first performance is on September 12. The Orchestra has been asked to play for the BHS Fall Open House. Students will need to be here by 6:15 pm and should be done playing by about 7:10 pm. We will be wearing our Orchestra polo shirts and jeans for this performance.
Concerts: We wear all black, both blouse/shirt and skirts/pants. The color should be solid black, no patterns. The boys will not need to wear a tie. The pants should be dress pants, not jeans. We wear black dress shoes, not gym shoes. If you have any questions, please contact me.
You will notice that a couple of our concerts are on a Wednesday night. This is to help avoid the many conflicts with sports and school activities. Not all the students will be involved in the District auditions/festival and the All-State Festival. All students are expected to be at all the other concerts, so please save these dates. The students should let their employers and coaches know NOW that they will not be available on these dates. If a concert date changes or if there are any other additions, I will let the students know and it will be their responsibility to let you know. We do our best to avoid conflicts with school activities, but it is impossible to avoid everything. If you know of a conflict with any activity, you must let me know at least two weeks prior to the conflict so it can be resolved. Failure to notify me may result in a lower grade.
Parent Involvement: As with all successful school groups, parental involvement is very important. I will need some help with the fundraising activities as well as concerts, publicity, and other orchestra activities during the year. Having parents stand at the doors during concerts to pass out programs is a nice gesture. After the Winter Concert on February 20, the BHS Orchestra parents will host a small reception (cookies and drinks). This is the concert that involves only the BHS Orchestra and the 8th grade string students. The reception after the concert is a nice way for the students and parents to talk and get to know each other.
Projects: Since music is more than just playing an instrument, throughout the year we do other learning activities. These include listening assignments, music theory, and music history. These projects are also a part of the orchestra grade. Each student will be given a binder to be used for all their orchestra assignments, projects, concert programs, etc. My goal is for each student to compile a four-year portfolio of their orchestra career.
Fundraising: Fundraisers are a way for students to earn money for trips and for us to raise funds for other orchestra needs. We will again have an “Orchestra-Only” fundraiser this year. As we did last year, we will sell the BHS Decorated Homecoming Cookies from Denny’s. A box of a dozen cookies will sell for $10 and the profit will be $3. In October the entire Music Department (orchestra/band/choir) will be selling the Evergreen Wreaths that we have sold every year. Profits from these fundraisers will be credited toward an account for each student. The money in these accounts will be used to fund any trips we may go on in the future. Each student will raise the money that goes into his/her account. This money stays in each student’s account throughout their high school career. When the student leaves high school, any money remaining in his/her account will go into the general orchestra fund. The money from this fund is used for orchestra activities. All fundraisers are totally optional for the students. Also, donations will always be accepted if offered by the customer (or anyone who wants to donate money to the orchestra!)
Orchestra trip: Music Department takes a big trip every other year. Fundraising money can be applied toward this trip!
I encourage all parents to join PTO and Booster Club. In the past, the Booster Club has purchased new instruments for us and helped finance the guest artists and events. The Steak Fry is their annual fundraiser and will be held on Saturday, October 19. Every year the orchestra donates a Spirit Basket to be auctioned off at the Steak Fry. It would be great if orchestra parents were there to push the bidding higher for our basket! If you want to help with a spirit basket, contact me. J
Please fill out the Volunteer Form and send it back to me with your student. If you have any questions, please contact me. The best way to reach me is through email. I hope I see you all at the Open House on September 12 and at our first concert on October 23!
I encourage you to check the orchestra website for information on concerts, fundraising and activities. I will try to keep it up to date!
Sincerely,
Karen Monhardt
BHS: 828-5201
email: [email protected]
Dear Orchestra Parents,
Welcome to a new school year! This letter includes a number of important items. Please read carefully and contact me with any questions. I am enclosing a Concert Calendar and the Orchestra/Concert Dress Guidelines. Orchestra is graded and I hope you encourage your student to do his or her best. Concerts are required and are a major portion of the grade. It is important for the students to be in class on time every day, just as in all his or her classes. Please note-our first performance is on September 12. The Orchestra has been asked to play for the BHS Fall Open House. Students will need to be here by 6:15 pm and should be done playing by about 7:10 pm. We will be wearing our Orchestra polo shirts and jeans for this performance.
Concerts: We wear all black, both blouse/shirt and skirts/pants. The color should be solid black, no patterns. The boys will not need to wear a tie. The pants should be dress pants, not jeans. We wear black dress shoes, not gym shoes. If you have any questions, please contact me.
You will notice that a couple of our concerts are on a Wednesday night. This is to help avoid the many conflicts with sports and school activities. Not all the students will be involved in the District auditions/festival and the All-State Festival. All students are expected to be at all the other concerts, so please save these dates. The students should let their employers and coaches know NOW that they will not be available on these dates. If a concert date changes or if there are any other additions, I will let the students know and it will be their responsibility to let you know. We do our best to avoid conflicts with school activities, but it is impossible to avoid everything. If you know of a conflict with any activity, you must let me know at least two weeks prior to the conflict so it can be resolved. Failure to notify me may result in a lower grade.
Parent Involvement: As with all successful school groups, parental involvement is very important. I will need some help with the fundraising activities as well as concerts, publicity, and other orchestra activities during the year. Having parents stand at the doors during concerts to pass out programs is a nice gesture. After the Winter Concert on February 20, the BHS Orchestra parents will host a small reception (cookies and drinks). This is the concert that involves only the BHS Orchestra and the 8th grade string students. The reception after the concert is a nice way for the students and parents to talk and get to know each other.
Projects: Since music is more than just playing an instrument, throughout the year we do other learning activities. These include listening assignments, music theory, and music history. These projects are also a part of the orchestra grade. Each student will be given a binder to be used for all their orchestra assignments, projects, concert programs, etc. My goal is for each student to compile a four-year portfolio of their orchestra career.
Fundraising: Fundraisers are a way for students to earn money for trips and for us to raise funds for other orchestra needs. We will again have an “Orchestra-Only” fundraiser this year. As we did last year, we will sell the BHS Decorated Homecoming Cookies from Denny’s. A box of a dozen cookies will sell for $10 and the profit will be $3. In October the entire Music Department (orchestra/band/choir) will be selling the Evergreen Wreaths that we have sold every year. Profits from these fundraisers will be credited toward an account for each student. The money in these accounts will be used to fund any trips we may go on in the future. Each student will raise the money that goes into his/her account. This money stays in each student’s account throughout their high school career. When the student leaves high school, any money remaining in his/her account will go into the general orchestra fund. The money from this fund is used for orchestra activities. All fundraisers are totally optional for the students. Also, donations will always be accepted if offered by the customer (or anyone who wants to donate money to the orchestra!)
Orchestra trip: Music Department takes a big trip every other year. Fundraising money can be applied toward this trip!
I encourage all parents to join PTO and Booster Club. In the past, the Booster Club has purchased new instruments for us and helped finance the guest artists and events. The Steak Fry is their annual fundraiser and will be held on Saturday, October 19. Every year the orchestra donates a Spirit Basket to be auctioned off at the Steak Fry. It would be great if orchestra parents were there to push the bidding higher for our basket! If you want to help with a spirit basket, contact me. J
Please fill out the Volunteer Form and send it back to me with your student. If you have any questions, please contact me. The best way to reach me is through email. I hope I see you all at the Open House on September 12 and at our first concert on October 23!
I encourage you to check the orchestra website for information on concerts, fundraising and activities. I will try to keep it up to date!
Sincerely,
Karen Monhardt
BHS: 828-5201
email: [email protected]