Welcome Back, Band Families!

Welcome back, band families! We've already had a busy start and there's a lot of August left. Whether this is your first year with us or your student has been here for a while, we’re excited to start another school year together. There is a lot happening already, so here’s the quick version of what you need to know, what we’ve been up to, and what’s coming next.

First, thank you. Thank you to everyone who donated water, popsicles, and time during summer band. Thank you to our pop-ice heroes. And a huge thank you to the Benton Fire Department for coming out again to hose off the band on Friday. That kind of support makes a hot, busy summer feel a lot more manageable.

New Ways to Stay Connected

We’re also making it easier to keep up with everything this year. Along with Facebook and Instagram, we’ll be using YouTube and TikTok more, and we’ve made improvements to the website so families can find information without digging. The BoosterHub app and email are still the best places for the official details.

Be Prepared for What Comes Next

August moves fast, so this is the time to get plugged in. If you have not joined BoosterHub yet, click “Join” in the menu. That is where you’ll find the calendar, volunteer signups, event tickets, and high school uniform ordering.

Notes for New 6th Grade Students

If you have a new 6th grader, take a breath. The first few weeks are about learning routines, figuring out instruments and books, and getting comfortable in band. Your student’s teacher will give families time to get what they need during the first week of school. If you are looking for an instrument or want advice from families who have already been through it, our Facebook group is a great place to ask. People often have instruments to sell, and there are plenty of parents happy to help. One more tip: Get involved! We're going to spend the next six years with each other, so we might as well get to know each other, and if you get your toes wet now, you'll be a master at the popcorn machine by high school. It's a lot more fun than it sounds!

Summer Band Recap: Two Weeks of Work and Progress

High School Summer Band was two full weeks of hard work, heat, costume days, water breaks, popsicles, water gun fights, and a fire truck visit. The students pushed through some tough temperatures (and a shared stomach bug or two) and improved a lot in a short amount of time. More importantly, they started building the kind of trust and rhythm that makes a marching band feel like one group instead of a lot of individual people trying to remember their eight-step. Tomorrow is the last day, followed by the Call-a-thon. Have your phones on standby for a call from your student!

Looking Ahead: Home Games and the Salt Bowl

The rest of August is packed. This Friday is the Maroon and Gray scrimmage game. Our students will not be performing, but we’ll be in concessions ready to feed Benton families. The Everett pep rally will be at the Infinity dealership, where the band will play stand tunes and families can grab a free T-shirt and merch on the 25th. After that, we turn toward the Salt Bowl on Friday, August 28, at Hornet Stadium. High school band families will get an early chance at two tickets. We’ll share more details as soon as we have them. Space is very limited this year, so when tickets open, don’t wait.

Concessions Are Getting an Upgrade

Speaking of concessions, this season is bringing some exciting changes. We’ll still need plenty of volunteers to make game nights work, from the first order to the last cleanup. Each student needs to volunteer in concessions at least twice for merits, family members can volunteer on a student’s behalf. Middle school students may volunteer with a parent. Students in 9th grade and up can also count their own volunteer time toward graduation requirements, but parent volunteer time does not count for that. Concession shifts also count toward our band camp scholarship “raffle,” so the more your student works, the better their chances at a paid trip to band camp. We also have a volunteer opportunity Tuesday to unload a generous water donation that will go directly to the band for competitions and away games.

Heat, Hydration, and After-School Practice

One last reminder before we send everyone back into the week: it is still hot. Please make sure students come to school hydrated and bring water to after-school practices. We can handle busy. We can handle full calendars. We just need everyone taking care of themselves while we do it.

Thanks Band Families,

We can’t wait to see you Wednesday!

Quick links

• Join BoosterHub
• Download the App
• Apple
• Android
• Calendar
• Sign up to Volunteer
• Our Email
• Our Facebook Page
• Our Facebook Group (answer questions please)
• Our YouTube
• Our Instagram
• Color Guard’s Instagram
• Our TikTok
• Color Guard’s TikTok