Fall Concert Wrap-Up

Thank you all for a wonderfully smooth fall concert. It was a short one, but all the groups are off to a great start. Mrs. Vaught and I both thank you for getting the students there on-time and in-uniform. In our normal fashion, it's full speed ahead toward the next big events and we have some more deadlines approaching. Please take a moment to skim this message for the areas that apply to you and your student, then read those areas that apply very closely. Thank you!

Uniform Return

We made the decision this year to have students return their uniforms after each concert. We have had major problems in the past with students losing their uniforms, getting them mixed up with other students, leaving them wadded up in their closet, trying to wash them in washers and dryers, and students moving out of the school district and not returning their uniform. It will be much easier to schedule picture days and to do run-out performances if their uniforms are here. We will take a grade on the timely return of the uniforms. The good news is, is that this is an EASY grade boost for students. We are asking that all uniforms be brought back during their class time before next Friday (Oct. 13). Please make sure to follow this procedure when returning uniforms:

• Please do not bring them before school or during 1st period. Any time after that is acceptable. Directors will be visiting middle schools over the next couple of weeks and we are likely to not be in the choir hall until the end of 1st period.
• All parts of your uniform must be together, hung-up, and with your name on it.
• Please make sure that uniforms are returned in a bag of some kind that does not wrinkle or damage the uniform. You may use a garment bag, dry cleaner's bag, trash bag, etc.
• Students will bring in their uniform, present it to a teacher who will inspect and mark the return of the uniform off a list, and then have the student hang their uniform up on the correct hanging rack.

Sponsor Card Fundraiser

We are needing to close-out our sponsor card fundraiser so that we begin on our next fundraiser as soon as possible. If you have not already turned-in the proceeds from sponsorships, the unsold cards, or the complete combination of the above, we need to receive that immediately. We're asking that those be brought back no later than Wednesday, October 11. Please remember that students are responsible for returning any unsold cards and/or paying for any lost cards.

Corpus Christi Trip - 1st Payment Past Due

The payment plan for everyone going on the trip is that $80 is due by the first of each month until the trip is paid off. Everyone's first monhtly payment of $80 is now past due. Because of the fall concert and the weekend, we are giving everyone an extension of a week. Please get this caught-up by Wednesday, October 11. After that date, students who are still behind may be moved to the waitlist or removed from the trip completely.

9th Grade Region Choir Entries

Congratulations to all who auditioned this past weekend at the high school region choir auditons. For those 9th graders who did not make the cut or those 9th graders who decided to wait and only audition for this competition, they have the option of auditioning for the 9th Grade/Middle School Region Choir. We must submit our entries this week. That is a hard deadline. The entry fee is only $10 and if they went and auditioned this past Saturday, we will waive that audition fee for them. If this is their first competition or if they did not follow-through on the auditions last week, they will be responsibe for a new $10 entry fee for this competition.

Real Men Sing!

We have a rare and unique opportunity for the young men of west Texas to practice and perform with an international championship barbershop quartet. All men in the choir program will go to Midland next Saturday (10/14) to rehearse and present a concert with other young men and adults from around this part of the state. This is a required event for all men in choir (Men's Choir and Chorale). If a student has a conflict, they need to complete a conflict form immediately. This will not automatically excuse them, but we can begin a dialog about potential alternate assignments. This event will be at no cost to the students. We will leave San Angelo at 7am and will return around 8:30 or 9pm. We will also need at least one adult chaperone to attend.

The Next Big Thing: Annual Military Salute

Our next performance as an entire department will be on Tuesday, November 7, at First Presbyterian Church. This is one of our awesome annual traditions that draws a huge crowd and salutes our military and veterans with patriotic and inspirational music. We'll be sharing more news about this with you very soon.