Below is a culmination of all the informational emails that Mr. Crystal has sent out over the year in reverse order:

Good Friday to all,

Before we launch ourselves headlong into the weekend, there are just a couple of reminders:

Jazz I and Jazz II at Moorpark HS Jazz Festival
Both Jazz Bands will be performing tomorrow at the Moorpark Festival. If you've never been and want to come support us, we'd love to have you along. Here is the updated itinerary for tomorrow. Take a close look because the Jazz I performance time was moved back:

•   9:30 am   Call time in band room
• 10:00 am   Depart for MHS
• 10:30 am   Arrive at MHS
• 11:00 am   CSUN Combo performance
• 12:30 pm   Jazz II performance (30 minute clinic after)
•   2:30 pm   Jazz I performance (30 minute clinic after)
•   3:00 pm   Afternoon Concert CSUN "B" Band/Awards
•   4:00 pm   Load Bus
•   4:30 pm   Return to NPHS

By the way, Pam Winter will have SCRIP on hand tomorrow for all of you jazz fans! Cash or check will work I believe. Contact Pam for more info: pamelarwinter@gmail.com.

Wind Ensemble
If you haven't yet heard, we are growing the IMD next year with the addition of an honors level Wind Ensemble class that will meet every other day during 4th period. Auditions for this group are later this month, but students can download all of the audition materials and find a link to sign up for an audition time right now. This class is open to mostly Juniors and Seniors just because their schedules can more readily accomodate a rotating 4th period class, but I will consider adding Sophomores who pass the audition. I'll have to work with Counseling directly to see if we can make the schedule work on a case by case basis with 10th graders. Below is the link to the audition signups: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/wind2.

IMD Registration
Have you signed up to be part of the IMD next year? The online registration is now open for anybody (old or new members) that plan on participating in the band program next year in any way in the 2011-2012 school year. Please take a moment to complete this so we have accurate information to plan with for next year: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011NPHSBandRegistration

2011 Marching Band
The pledge form for Fall Marching Band should be available on the "Forms" page of the band website (www.nphsband.org) in the next couple of days. All pledge forms are due no later than 6/14 for anybody that plans on participating in the competitive Marching Band next year. We'll use the pledge forms to determine the instrumentation and exact numbers for who to include in the drill for next year, so it's really important to get them back as soon as you can if you want to be sure to be included in next year's show.

Summer Dates
The web calendar has been updated with some of the summer dates including VCF Parade in August and the two band camps. Take a look and see what's going on this summer! We need everyone we can for the Fair parade in August (including alums who can have their own horn!).

Have a great weekend.

Good Evening Panther Band Families,

We are coming into the home stretch with a flurry of activities and schedule changes. Here's what you need to know to get through the next month and into Summer Break:

STAR Testing
STAR testing is tomorrow 5/4 and next week on Wednesday and Thursday (5/11 & 5/12).

There are NO first period classes on any of these days and there will be no after school Concert Band rehearsals either to make up the missed time. Students can sleep in and come rested and ready to do their best on the State tests. We will have the normal Jazz Band schedule on these days though (2:20- 3:40) as well as Percussion Ensemble rehearsal Tuesday evenings and Thursday afternoons.

2011-2012 School Year
Hard to believe, but it's already time to think about next year. All students who are planning on participating in the band program next year (in any way) need to complete the Online Registration which is open now. Every year we populate a new database with all of the contact and logistical info, so we need even the returning members to complete the registration each year. Follow the link on the main page of the band website (www.nphsband.org) that says "IMD Registration". That will take you to an online survey that should only require just a few minutes of your time. This is the main tool that we use for planning who will need a school instrument, how many students are planning on participating in each of the groups, developing contact lists so we can keep you informed about upcoming events.

Summer Calendar/Marching Band
Take a look at the website calendar for updated information regarding Marching Band and our summer rehearsals. Marching Band for next year will start with two rehearsals immediately after school gets out. These rehearsals are mandatory for anyone planning on competing with the Marching Band next fall; we'll spend a couple days to figure out where the numbers are, pass out the show music, and determine the instrumentation. You will also need to turn in a pledge form for Marching Band no later than June 14th. We'll use the pledge forms collected to determine the final numbers for our drill designer. If you don't attend the camp and get a pledge form in, you won't be in the show. A few folks have already started bringing them in. Please feel free to contact me in the band office right away if you want to participate but have a irreconcilable conflict. Don't miss another exciting season under the lights with the Panther Marching Band!

All District Band Festival
The annual All District Band Festival is coming up on Monday, May 23rd at 7:30pm. The doors open at 7pm and the Jazz Band will perform a short set before the concert starts while everyone finds their seats. Tickets are $5 for this events (sorry, no IMD discount on this show because NPHS does not put it on...) and can be ordered online at: www.conejoschools.org or at the door.

Spring Benefit Concert 6/2
Next month we'll be putting on one last benefit concert to support music at NPHS. Renowned tuba soloist, Patrick Sheridan (he's what Eddie Van Halen would sound like if he played the tuba), will be joining us for an afternoon workshop/rehearsal with the band and also as a guest soloist on our final concert of the year that evening. You can check out more information about Pat at his website: www.patricksheridan.com.

Tickets will be made available through the band office and the booster club at $10 each and we could really use everyone's help getting the word out and getting those tickets sold. If we sell out the theater, it could mean $2500 to the band program for one night's work!! More info to come soon. If you are artistically inclined and can produce an amazing flyer that we can use to publicize the event, contact Ken Walker (Kenneth.Walker.2008@gmail.com).

Calling All Band Parents!
Now is the time of year when we need to start thinking about planning ahead for the 11-12 school year and there are a few key areas that really need to be addressed to ensure our continued success. Ken Walker is currently working on establishing an official nominating committee this week whose job it will be to fill a slate of nominees for next year's board.

As the band director, I can't tell you enough about how important it is to making the program run smoothly to have dedicated folks that work behind the scenes to keep the uniforms clean and organized, get the kids fed before concerts and when we're away, coordinate the ensembles and their activities, help to plan fundraising events, keep the books in shape, organize transportation, and in a myriad of other ways are priceless to the success of the band program at NPHS. There is simply no way that this band program could exist in the way that it does without the awesome power of band parents helping out. Besides, it is a great way to share this experience with your kids and work with some really fun people.

General Membership Meeting 5/26
Our last Booster Club general membership meeting is Thursday, 5/26 at 7:00 pm in the Band Room. We will be conducting important end of the year business and would ask each family to send at least one parent to attend.

Do You Have Everything That Is Yours?
With all of the concerts, festivals, and our trip to San Francisco over the last month, there has been a substantial accumulation of tuxedo parts, shoes, and other personal items in the room and in the instrument cubbies. Could you please take a moment to check and see if you have all of your tuxedo parts (Jacket, Pants, Cummerbund, Bow Tie, Dinkles) and that it is hung neatly in the garment bag? We have just two more performances in tuxes this year and then we'll turn them back in the last week of school. You'll only return the jacket, pants, and cummerbund when the time comes because you purchased the shirt, tie, and shoes at the beginning of the year; hang on to them for next year. Anything that has been outgrown can be ordered next fall.

That should just about cover it for now. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please send me an email at: dcrystal@conejo.k12.ca.us.

Good Evening Panther Band Families,

Here are a couple quick announcements:

Spring Forms
Pledge forms for the San Francisco trip were due on 2/15. Students have until tomorrow to turn one in for credit. There are also transportation permission slips for this semester that need to be turned in by tomorrow as well. You can download both of these forms from the website and send them in with your son/daughter tomorrow morning.

Late Start Day Thursday
Thursday is a late start day. Sectionals for all members will start at 8:00 am. This is will be the last opportunity for the groups to rehearse their large ensembles for this Saturday's Chamber Music Festival.

CSU Long Beach Band Masterclass
On Tuesday, March 1st the band will be traveling to CSU Long Beach for an afternoon rehearsal/masterclass with the CSULB Wind Symphony and Dr. Joan de Albuquerque. This is a great opportunity for the kids to hear a collegiate ensemble and sit side by side with some very talented musicians that will work with us as we prepare for the spring Festival Season. We'll be leaving NPHS after lunch and will be gone all afternoon. Students should bring $5-10 for dinner as we'll stop before coming home (traffic will likely be heavy on the 405 and we'll wait it out with some food before leaving Long Beach). We should be home around 8:00 or 8:30 pm.

Chamber Music Festival
This Saturday, we will be holding our own Chamber Music Ratings Festival in which the students will perform their large group and their small group for a judge and receive a rating for their performance. The schedule for performances are posted in the room. Students should come to the band office to verify their performance times and ensure that their groups are correct. Parents and the general public are welcome to attend (there is no admission charge) and watch the judging process as well as see any of the other groups if they wish. Students should just dress nicely (no jeans, tennis shoes, or t-shirts) and plan to be here at 7:00 am to setup and have time to warm up before the large group performances kick off the morning.

Newbury Park Jazz Festival
The 3rd Annual Newbury Park Jazz Festival is well on its way to being our biggest yet. 28 bands and 11 combos have signed up to attend our event. This day will be an "all hands on deck" kind of event to make this a successful fundraiser. Please follow this link to a website that Ken Walker has set up to coordinate the volunteer effort and sign up for at least one time slot. Thanks so much for your support of this important fundraiser for the band program!

That is about it for now. Keep an eye on the band calendar for updated information.

Good Evening to all of the IMD Families,

Here are a couple brief announcements for this week:

Operation Holiday Cheer
The NPHS IMD is sponsoring this gift drive in the band room to collect presents for the young people at Casa Pacifica, a group home in Camarillo for troubled youths. We will be collecting donated items this week in the band room and also at our Wednesday evening. This is a unique opportunity for the band program, who usually is trying to develop support from the community, to give back and help brighten the holidays for those less privileged. Wendy Beverage, coordinator of this effort, has created a letter that will be posted on the website tomorrow that explains all of the details. If you would like to know more about how you can get involved, please give Wendy an email at: bradbeverage@yahoo.com.

Drumline Auditions
All students interested in auditioning for the Winter Drumline need to attend this week's workshops on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon as well as sign up for an audition time this Saturday. A calendar and commitment form will be going home this week and also available on the drumline page of the band website. You can also download the audition packet from the drumline page as well.

Disneyland Payments
We're almost there, just a few outstanding payments to be made for this week's trip. Please contact booster treasurer Andy Meeker (andy.meeker.9@gmail.com) for information regarding your ISA balance. All checks should be payable to Panther Band Parents. Permission slips are available in the band room and are due no later than Thursday afternoon.

Winter Concert
Here's our schedule for Wednesday's concert:

4:30 pm  Students in the PAC, fully dressed, so we can take a group picture for the yearbook

5:15 pm  Dress rehearsal/sound check

6:15 pm  Dinner provided for students

7:00 pm  Concert begins

We will meet at 7:30am in the PAC on Thursday morning to move equipment back to the band room.

Disneyland Itinerary
The itinerary for our trip this Friday is available on the website calendar:

6:30 am  Call time in band room.

9:30 am  Arrival at Disney. Check in and get changed into Concert Attire.

10:30 am  Performance on Hollywood Backlot Stage.

11:30 am  Students released for day to enjoy the park.

9:00 pm  Call time in front of Disney's California Adventure.

11:30 pm   Return to NPHS. Students dismissed after equipment is stored.

Please remember to bring warm clothes and extra money for meals/souvenirs.

Should be a great week! The winter break is almost here and we can finally close the books on what has been an excellent (but very busy) fall...

Here's a quick note about a few things coming up:

Winter Concert
Our first formal concert of the year is upon us! Next Wednesday evening at 7pm in the Performing Arts Center. All IMD parents and siblings are entitled to a free ticket. Just go to the ticket booth and we will have a program roster available with your tickets waiting. All others can purchase a ticket for $5 (what a deal!):

4:30 - 5:15 pm  Student call time in the PAC for our formal picture (students should show up dressed)

5:15 - 6:00 pm  Dress rehearsal/sound check

6:15 - 6:45 pm  Dinner provided for students

7:00 - 9:00 pm  Winter Concert

We could use a few parent volunteers to help the evening go off without a hitch. If you are interested/available to help decorate the foyer in the PAC, work the ticket booth, help feed the students in their pre-concert meal, please contact Char Wardell (charwardell@yahoo.com).

Formal Wear
All students should have their tuxedos or dresses at home by now. Please ensure that pants and dresses are hemmed properly before Wednesday. Please leave 2"-3" of material to allow for future rehemming by other students. You may or may not have the same attire from year to year. Gentlemen should have their own shirt and bowtie. Please contact Laurie Schneider if you are having any apparel concerns between now and Wednesday (laurieschneider363@msn.com).

Disneyland
Payments should already be in for our peformance at Disneyland next Friday. If you have not yet sent it in, please send a check (payable to Panther Band Parents) as soon as you can so we can wrap up the bookkeeping for this event. The cost of the trip is $85 ($25 if you already have a valid season pass). We perform at 10am on the Hollywood Backlot Stage if you would like to join us! Permission slips are now available in the band room for pickup and need to be turned in by the end of the day on Thursday, 12/9.

Drumline and Jazz Band Auditions
Drumline and Jazz Band auditions are coming up quick. Audition materials are available on the Drumline and Jazz Band pages of our website. Take a look under "Ensembles" -> "Jazz Band" or "Drumline" for more info.

Band Pictures
Our band pictures are in. If you ordered a formal group shot or individual pictures last month, you can pick up your orders in the band office anytime during the day.

SCRIP
Our scrip program is growing quickly. Don't be left behind on a free and easy way to add some cash to your ISA. Some of the more diligent SCRIP users have already added $50, $100, or in one case $300 to their ISA by using scrip to pay for things they were going to buy anyways. Contact Pam Winter at: pamelarwinter@gmail.com for more information on what is available immediately or what can be ordered. In most cases, things that are not in stock could be ordered in a week!

IMD Dining Night Out
Our next dining night out will be Thursday, 12/16 at 3 Amigos right next to Trader Joe's. Come on out and have a burrito for the band!! 25% of our sales that day will be donated back to the band program. A flier will be available on the fundraising page of the website shortly.

That about covers it for now. Thanks so much for a great fall. Looking forward a couple of excellent concerts and a little winter break before we get going on the second half of the year. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to give me a shout in the band office (email is much faster than voicemail) anytime.

Good Evening Panther Band Families,

Marching Band is quickly coming to a close; just two weeks left in what has been a very rewarding season. The show is finally done and we are putting all of our effort into polishing and refining the final product. If you have not made it out to see the group in action, please join us either at Roosevelt HS in Corona this Saturday or make the trek up north for WBA championships in Fresno on the 20th.

Here are a few things that are coming up that you should know about:

Marching Band Schedule This Week
Because of the holiday on Thursday, our schedule is a little different towards the end of the week:

Tuesday 2:30 am - 4:30 pm

Wednesday 2:30 am - 4:30 pm

Thursday 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

MBOS Championships Itinerary
The itinerary for this Saturday's Marching Band trip has been updated. Please take a look at the calendar online for details.

7:00 am Student report to load

8:00 am Depart

1:40 pm Performance

4:30 pm Prelims Awards (NPHS will make finals!!!)

8:30 pm Finals Awards

11:00 pm Arrive NPHS

Come on out and support the band as we seek our first MBOS title this Saturday in Corona!!

Senior Recognition
Hard to believe this is our last home game of the year! We will be recognizing our Senior members along with the football team and cheer during pre-game this Friday evening. If you are a parent of a Senior Band or Colorguard member, please contact Char Wardell to RSVP (charwardell@yahoo.com). We will meet with you in front of the band room at 6:30 sharp to walk you into the stadium as our guests. Seats will be reserved for you in the stands as well.

Winter Concert
Our first concert of the year will be held next month in the PAC on Wed. 12/8 at 7pm. All band parents and siblings attend the NPHS band concerts for free; all others can purchase tickets at the box office before the show.

Concert Attire
Laurie Schneider, concert apparel coordinator, has already begun the process of fitting our young gentlemen and ladies for tuxedos and dresses. If you have not yet completed and apparel order for your tux shirt and bow tie, please turn that in as soon as you can. If you did already submit that order, we have it on file and will get it delivered when everything comes in.

Disneyland
The Wind Ensemble will be taking it's annual Holiday trip to Disneyland to perform on the Hollywood Backlot Stage on Friday, Dec. 10th. The cost of the trip is $85 which includes a one day Park Hopper pass and transportation. If you are a Season Pass Holder the cost is $25. This informatioin as well as a tenative itinerary for the day are available on the website calendar. Please have your payments in for this trip by Friday, 12/3.

SCRIP
The results are in for the first part of the year and participation in this program is growing. If you are interested in receiving a free rebate on money you already spend, contact Pam Winter soon to see how you can take advantage of this program. All of the profits from the Scrip program solely benefit the families that use it; there is no benefit to the booster club or band program general fund if you purchase scrip.

Practice/Lessons
As we continue to improve throughout the year, there is no substitute for regular practice at home. Please encourage your son or daughter to spend 30-40 minutes per night working on their playing as much as possible. The key to getting better is consistency; it is infinitely better to have less time every day then to have a couple long sessions a few times per week. If you really want to move up in your section or have aspirations for auditioning for one of the regional or state honor bands (great college resume builder!!), seek the help of a qualified private instructor to help guide your growth. Four years goes by very quickly and you might be surprised to see how much you can improve and how much more fun it is to play your horn with some regular practice and some lessons.

That should just about cover it for now. As always, if you have any questions at all, please contact the band room via phone or email.

Take care and have a wonderful week!

Good Afternoon Panther Band Families,

Here are just a few things to make you aware of in the band program:

Late Start Day
Tomorrow is a late start day. Students should be setup and ready to rehearse by 8:40 AM.

Fall Volunteering
In order to help take some of the confusion out of the volunteer/chaperoning needs for this fall, Char Wardell created a roster for each football game and Marching Band tournament. Please take a look at the attached volunteer roster to see what days you are signed up for or to see if there are any openings for a day you'd like to attend. Contact Char if you would like to be added or need to change your schedule for any reason.

Also, we still need several more volunteers to help put on the show Saturday night at Sounds of Conejo. If you are able to work a shift, we can get you into the gig for free! The Sounds of Conejo is a benefit event for the CVUSD high school band programs and parent volunteers are needed to help with concessions, ticket sales, entry control and many other functions. This is a great time for parents from TOHS, WHS and NPHS to work side by side while supporting our kids in one of their favorite performances for a huge crowd! Email Char Wardell (charwardell@yahoo.com) if you would like to be added to the list for this weekend's show.

Picture Day
The band will be taking it's formal picture in a couple of weeks on Friday, October 15th. This is the afternoon of the homecoming game. All students need to report to the band room at 3:00 PM to get changed into uniform. Individual and buddy pictures will be taken after the group photo is done. Anybody that wants to take an individual picture will have to have an order form and payment at that time. Order forms are available at the front of the band room for students to bring home.

Sounds of Conejo
This Saturday marks the 3rd annual Sounds of Conejo Marching Band exhibition. This event features six of the local high school Marching Bands performing for each other and the community in an exhibition format. It is an extraordinary opportunity for musical fellowship celebrating what our school bands share in common. The itinerary is up on the web calendar. Just click on the event for a detailed schedule of the day. The entire day begins with a morning rehearsal here on campus at 9:00 AM.

Trailer Maintenance
Our trailer is desperately in need of some TLC. Please contact Walter Zandt as soon as possible if you are able to help him get Old Faithful ready for another year of travel. "Many hands make light work"...

That is about it for now. Any questions or concerns? Please feel free to email or call at your convenience.

Have a great week!

Good afternoon everybody!

Period 1 on Game Days
Just a quick reminder that rehearsals on game days (like tomorrow) are always held in the stadium with the pep band. We need to rehearse with the Dance Team to prepare and review our pregame routine. All students should bring their pep band instruments, not their Concert Band instruments tomorrow morning and be on their way to the stadium by 7:00 am. Please make sure that everyone has their flip folder and a lyre, as well.

Lunch Time Performance Opportunity
There is an opportunity for students with a lunch pass and an open 4th period to go to Cypress Elementary to promote band Friday, 10/1. Mrs. Langlois is the band teacher there and would like some volunteers to go over during their lunch (12:00-12:45ish) to play a few things, mingle casually with the elementary students, allow them to ask questions and generally stir up interest in band. Any volunteers can sign up on the band office door.

PSAT Registration
Any Marching Band student that needs to take the PSAT must sign up for the alternate testing date right away. The test will conflict with the Ayala Tournament, so you need to see Mrs. Ricaforte in the Career Center right away. Absences from the show for this test will not be excused, so don't delay; register today!

Thanks so much for your showing last night at Back-To-School Night. The band rocked and I have received many positive comments on how much folks enjoyed the brief performance last night. Keep up the energy!

Good Evening Panther Band Families,

Here are a few things for you to be aware of in the Instrumental Music Department:

PSAT and SAT
The PSAT will be offered here on campus the morning of 10/16 at 7:45am. This is an important test for to prepare for the SAT and is also used as a qualifier for the National Merit Scholarship competition. 10/16 is also a competition day for the Marching Band and there is no way for Marching Band students to do both in the same day. Because of this conflict with band (and other activities) an alternate date is offered on a first come first serve basis for 10/13 at Horizon Hills school. Any Marching Band student interested in taking the PSAT needs to sign up for the alternate date as soon as possible in the career center. Just let Mrs. Ricafort know that you are in the Marching Band and need the alternate date.

Back To School Night
Tomorrow night is Back To School night and so our normal night rehearsal with the Marching Band will be moved to after school for tomorrow only. Next Wednesday we are back at our 6-9pm time. I hope to see you all tomorrow evening. A copy of the syllabus for Concert Band will be distributed as well as some other important information about the year in the band program.

Band Pictures
We will be taking formal pictures of the band with Yary Photography before the homecoming football game the afternoon of 10/15. All students (band and colorguard) need to report to the band room at 3pm to change into uniform so we can take a group photo. Once the group photos are done, individual and buddy pictures will be taken. Order envelopes will be available in the band room for pick up by the students. Any individual pictures need to be paid for (cash or check payable to Yary Photography) that day.

Wind Ensemble Spring Tour
Plans are being finalized for the Wind Ensemble's Spring Tour to compete in the Heritage Festival in San Francisco the weekend of April 14-17th. Due to the variety of scheduling hurdles (hosting our own jazz festival, Drumline, Winterguard, Concert Band, Jazz Band competitions, as well as state and AP testing), this is one of the few weekends that fits well. This is also the preferred weekend for Mrs. Wong and Mr. Eby. Normally we will leave Thurday morning and then be home by Sunday, April 17th around 5-6pm. However, this is Palm Sunday and I would like to figure if getting home the evening of the 17th would be a major problem for you or your family. This trip is an important event for the band and there are already plans in the works right now to fundraise much of the cost of this trip so that everyone can participate.

Sounds of Conejo Event
Our annual Marching Band exhibition will be held again this year at the TOHS stadium. All parents (and especially non-band family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, interested 3rd parties) are encouraged to come out and enjoy some of the great local talent in a non-competitive performance. The itinerary for that day has been updated on the band website calendar. Click on the event to get a schedule for the day. This is a phenomenal event with lots of good vibes. I know that for Newbury Park it is one of our few opportunities to play for such a huge crowd at night under the lights!! Tickets are $5 at the gate and the home side is guaranteed to be filled to capacity.

Trailer Love
Our faithful trailer is desperately in need of some TLC and Walt Zandt has agreed to spearhead the effort to restore it to its former glory. We are looking for parents or interested friends of music that can help Walt care for the trailer during our morning rehearsal on 10/9. Please email Walt (walterzandt@gmail.com) if you are able to help. With a few extra hands it will be done in no time at all!

The band program is off to a roaring start this year. The kids sound great and we are all finding our groove. Thanks to all of the parents for your support!

Dear Panther Band Families,

Thank you all for a great rehearsal this evening. I'm feeling much better knowing that we will have something to play that sounds good. Here are a couple of quick reminders for the near future:

• Period 1 will start tomorrow morning at 7am sharp. Students should arrive on campus with enough time to get their chair and stand out, setup their instrument and ready to start rehearsing by 7:00; probably about 5-10 minutes should be plenty.
  
  
• Our first home game is Friday night and all IMD members perform at the football games. The call time for Friday is 4pm. We'll provide dinner for the band before the game. Students are excused at the end of the evening after all instrument, uniforms, and equipment have been properly stored. Usually this is sometime between 9:30 and 10 p.m. Many of the students and parents like to hang out afterwards; last year The Alamo set up a late dinner buffet for the band for around $7/person all you can eat. Keep your ears open for where we are going this year if you are interested...
  
  
• Uniform pants should be all hemmed and turned back in by now. If you still have pants out, please send them in with your name on the bag so Wendy can get them back into the correct bags.
  
  
• Take a look at the calendar on the website for any upcoming events including Marching Band rehearsals and a couple more non-school days coming up (Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah). There will be no rehearsal on those holidays, but the marching band does have a very important reheasal on Saturday the 11th.
  
  
• There are forms and payments due this week for Transportation (paid via student store either online or in person), Uniform Fee (check payable to NPHS), and the $100 Annual Pledge (payable to Panther Band Parents). Please drop them in the black payment box before Friday afternoon.
  
  
• If you would like to help with our Fundraising efforts this Friday night, please contact Julie Macy as soon as you can (jam@mymacy.com) We will need folks to help sell Kettle Corn and Stadium Seats throughout the game.
  
  

Hope everyone had a great first day of school! It's exciting to be back and I'm looking forward to a great year.

Panther Band Parents,

Can you believe that the first home football game with the Band performing at half time is THIS FRIDAY NIGHT???? The students have all been working hard to prepare for this and have more to do this week. Now we need a few parents/volunteers to work behind the scenes on Friday nights to support the efforts of the students.

The stadium bleachers need to be prepared for the band by roping and covering seats. Snacks and water are prepared for band members. Assistance is needed with the uniforms, both before and after the game. Pit equipment needs to be moved onto the field at half time then returned to the Band Room after the performance. There's even popcorn to be sold during the game. Volunteers are not assigned to a specific activity in advance, but will assist with various activities as needed. It takes all hands pitching in and working together. We get started at the Band Room at 5:00 p.m.

Then in October our field shows/competitions start. Again, we will need assistance with chaperoning students, uniforms, nutrition, and moving pit equipment. These are typically events which take most of the day on Saturday and are held at various locations that you can find online on the calendar (www.nphsband.org).

If you already signed up to help at last Friday night's meeting, thank you - I've got your names. If you haven't had a chance to sign up yet, please look over the schedule below and let me know which events you'd like to volunteer for.

Of course everyone is welcome and encouraged to come and see the band's performances - it's just that we have a limited number of volunteers that we can get in for free.

I look forward to getting to know more of you as we spend time together in support of our children.

Char Wardell
Panther Marching Band Coordinator

Here's the schedule:

Good Afternoon Everybody!

It's here....the smell of a freshly painted field and sunblock can only mean one thing: Band Camp. The Marching Band is off to a great start to an even better season. There is still plenty of room for more and it's not too late to get to camp (especially if you play the piano. Show up in the band room at 8am tomorrow or call the band office if you would like us to save you a spot to be a part of "One" in 2010!! Doesn't matter what you play or how well, NPHS builds superior musicians.

Just a quick reminder to ALL Concert Band students or any Marching Band member that did not get fitted for a uniform today. Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 18th is the last fitting day for uniforms. We will be meeting by the band room or in the teachers lounge (right across the way from the band room) promptly at 9:00 a.m. Please wear a t-shirt, basketball or light cotton shorts, socks and tennis shoes. You will need to bring:

• $100 check (payable to NPHS) for the District Uniform Fee
• Signed Uniform Policy
• Completed apparel order form with a check (payable to Panther Band Parents)

Please help us out by having all of your paperwork and payments ready tomorrow; we're pushing ALOT of paper right now trying to make sure that all of the details are covered. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance.

Attachments included: 10-11 WELCOME BACK PACKET.

Sometimes, no matter how many times you check and proofread a document, there always seems to be just one more thing!

I am attaching an updated version of the Checklist (also available on the Forms page of the band website www.nphsband.org) to include a correction about the District Uniform Maintenance Fee. We actually collect this fee during the uniform fitting process to keep it seperate from the other payments that are collected. These checks should be made payable to NPHS and include the students last name and Uniform Fee on the memo line. They are collected as a group and then forwarded to the district office. If you have any questions, take a look at District Fees on the forms page for more information or give me a shout in the band office.

Also, the apparel order form was updated to accomodate a better price on the Dickies jackets. We just recently located a vendor that is willing to give us a better price on the same product, so we can lower the cost for students. The final price for these jackets will be $65. Keep your eyes out for some other cool band spirit gear at our Kickoff Potluck on Friday, 8/27 at 6pm. I hope to see you all there!

Thank you for your patience with these updates. I think that should do it, but let me know if there is anything else...

Counting the days to camp!

Attachments included: BEGINNING OF THE YEAR CHECKLIST and APPAREL ORDER FORM.

Good Afternoon!

I hope that everyone is having a great summer! The family and I have done an awful lot of relaxing, so I'm definitely rested and ready for more band...

Attached to this email is a pdf that I created to help everyone with all of the things that are going to coming up as we start another year. The most important part of all of this is Band Camp!! We start up again next Monday morning at 8am to prepare for another season of Pather dominance in the So Cal marching scene. I would like to extend an invitation to all of the IMD members to come on out and give it a try. This year's show is going to be alot of fun and we have a couple new competition venues that we will be trying out. Even if you are not sure, come on out and give it a try!

Forms and Upcoming Payments

There is alot of important information in the Welcome Packet regarding forms to turn in and payments that will be coming due (how have you been doing with the Sponsorship fundraiser....this is a great way to put fast $$ into your ISA!). Please take a careful look at these materials and help us out by getting everything in on time. All of the forms/documents talked about in this packet and in the Beginning of the Year Checklist are available on the band website (www.nphsband.org) in the forms section under "Available Resources". Check it out for the most recent additions and updates.

Fundraising

Speaking of raising money, are you looking for fundraising options? Contact our Ways and Means coordinator Kelly Noble (good2bfreew3@hotmail.com) for some phenomenal opportutnities. Her daughter Shandi was able to put over $200 into her ISA this summer with coffee sales alone... Way to go Shandi! It's easy, the coffee is great, and your customers can keep ordering through a secure website and continue to give you credit each time they order. How simple is that?? We will also be starting up with Lampost Pizza discount cards and a few other things, so get a hold of Kelly to take advantage of these opportunities.

Concert Band's First Rehearsal

Just as a reminder, there is no first period the first day of school. Our first class meeting is Thursday, 9/2 at 7am sharp! However, because we have a home football game the third day of school, we need to have an evening rehearsal on Wednesday the 1st from 6-8pm to get organized and learn some of the music we will play Friday night. Don't worry freshmen, there will be lots of veterans around to help show you the ropes; we'll do great and sound awesome. This rehearsal is very important and is required for all IMD members.

Uniform Fittings

There is information in the packet regarding the schedule for uniform fittings. Please check this out and be in touch with Wendy Beverage, Uniform Committee Chair, if there are any problems or concerns.

For now, enjoy what is left of the summer. I am very excited about a new year in the band program and working with all of you. Please let me know if there is anything at all that I can do to help.

Take care!

Attachments included: WELCOME BACK PACKET 2010-2011.