November 3, 2024 Band Notes

Upcoming Events

Monday, November 4

• Full Band: 3:30-6:30 pm; Let’s Play (Wall 2 Wall)

Tuesday, November 5

• Full Band: 3:30-6:30pm; Let’s Play (Wall 2 Wall)

Wednesday, November 6

• Full Band: 3:30-6:30pm; Let’s Play (Wall 2 Wall)

Thursday, November 7

• Full Band: 3:30-6:30pm; Let’s Play (Wall 2 Wall)

Friday, November 8

• Full Band: 3:30-6:30pm; Let’s Play (Wall 2 Wall)

Saturday, November 9

• Full Band Rehearsal and MSBA Championships: 10am-9pm (see below for detailed schedule)
• Lunch is provided (Kiwanis breakfast): 12-1pm; MMS Large Commons
• On-campus dinner break (bring your own): 4:30-5:30pm; MHS
• Mason Performance Time: 7:30pm; Beacon Stadium

Future planned events can be found on the updated band calendar: Mason Band Calendar.

Parent To Do Checklist For This Week

1. Sign up to volunteer at the MSBA Championships.
2. Purchase/sell car raffle tickets, and spread the word about this fundraiser.
3. Senior Parents: Send pictures for Awards Night.
4. (Optional) Get your plaid hat on Amazon and add “mason BAND” by OCD. (Not a Mason Band fundraiser.)
5. (Optional) Order your memory book for the season.

NEW INFORMATION

Booster Meeting Slides and Q&A

Thank you to everyone who attended the Booster Meeting on Monday! Below you will find slides from the meeting, along with answers to the Slido questions from the meeting.

10-28-2024 Booster Meeting Slides

Slido Questions & Answers Doc

We Still Need Volunteers for MSBA!

We still need lots of volunteers for this Saturday’s MSBA Championships! Please sign up in BoosterHub. Job descriptions can be found there as well.

***Please remember all marching band families agreed to volunteer one shift of each of our competitions that we host. Please see the marching band handbook for details. 

Our biggest needs at this point are in the following areas - please consider helping with one of these:

• Concessions
• Guest/VIP Parking

There are a number of slots available throughout other areas as well.

We also need quite a few more donations for:

• Hospitality - especially hot dishes

Bake Sale donations are still needed/appreciated as well.

Note: Because Mason is competing this time and is not the last to perform, we cannot guarantee that all parents will be able to watch their performance. That said, we will do our best to enable as many volunteers as possible - particularly senior parents - to watch, even if they are working a shift at our performance time.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Jeanie Knuth at competitions@masonbandboosters.com, Laura Minniear at secretary@masonbandboosters.com, or the area chair listed in the BoosterHub event.

Grand Nationals Student Schedule

Hello Families! The week we have all been working so hard towards is nearly here!  Below you will find all of the information you need to know to prepare your student to have the best travel experience possible.

ITINERARY

Tentative Student Itinerary - Click HERE (there is a page for each day).

PLEASE NOTE!  The Itinerary is subject to change and we will communicate any important changes as soon as we know of them!  Saturday is always a big unknown from a student schedule perspective as we do not know our performance times until last Friday night.

STUDENT DROP OFF/PARKING INSTRUCTIONS

THURSDAY & FRIDAY:

For both departures (Thursday and Friday) The Band will be departing from Wall 2 Wall/Let’s Play Sports in the morning and returning to Mason High School Bus Circle upon our return evening.  

PLEASE NOTE: For THURSDAY You MUST make plans to drop off your student at W2W/Let’s Play on Thursday morning and pick them up at Mason High School Thursday evening.

PLEASE NOTE: For FRIDAY You MUST make plans to drop off your student at W2W/Let’s Play on Friday morning and pick them up at Mason High School Sunday afternoon.

NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO LEAVE THEIR CARS AT W2W ON OVER THE WEEKEND! 

Students may park cars in their SCHOOL ASSIGNED spot at MHS on Thursday and Friday morning prior to getting dropped off at W2W to have access upon returning home to drive home!  Please MAKE A PLAN to ensure you are on time on both mornings.

Chaperones!  We will be coordinating shuttling to and from MHS on Thursday and Friday mornings, so if you need a ride over the MHS to park your car, please make sure to arrange that transportation.  School IS in session on Thursday and Friday, so we must use the same Visitor spots in front of the school that we did for Super Regional (or your student’s assigned spot).

PACKING LIST

NOTE:  Each student should use their THREE travel tags for instrument/equipment bag, day bag, and luggage. NEW TAGS WILL NOT BE GIVEN!  PLEASE USE THE SAME TAGS FROM SUPER REGIONAL!  If you lost one, feel free to put your own tag on the bag.  The important thing is it makes it back to the owner if it gets lost.

• Instrument/Flags/Rifles with travel tags
• Backpack or day bag for bus with travel tag
• Water Jug FILLED ready for rehearsal each morning.
• FRI-SUN Overnight Bag - will go under the bus on Friday. MAKE SURE IT HAS A TRAVEL TAG SECURED!!
• Performance Clothes (including WHITE underlayers!); 
• Guard - Undergarments , Hair Supplies, Makeup.  Shoes and tights need to go in Day Bag and on the bus with you!
• DEODORANT!! 
• Casual Outfits, socks, underwear, shoes (to change into out of uniforms).
• Mason Band Jacket/ Sweatshirt/hat
• Overnight gear and toiletries (toothbrush, DEODORANT!, brush, etc,) 
• Portable Charger for Phone
• Snacks for bus/hotel - We will have VERY LIMITED water bottles available on the bus or at the hotel so please ensure students have a water bottle to fill.  Ice machines are available at the hotel.
• Clear Bag (if needed) and Spending money for Lucas Oil  (Cashless so credit card or cash to card station required).  Travel lanyard can be used to store money, credit cards and hotel key.

LUCAS OIL STADIUM INFO

• Lucas Oil Stadium has a clear bag policy. Clear bags cannot exceed 12”x 6” x 12” or a 1-gallon size freezer bag
• Mason Bands Spirit is selling stadium-compliant clear bags.  Please see Gina Marshall or email her at spirit@masonbandboosters.com
• Small clutch bags or a purse approximately the size of a hand are allowed.
• Medication/medical equipment bags are allowed but will be searched. (Students may not carry their own medication unless they have submitted appropriate documentation; please see below.)
• Cameras are allowed but no tripods or video cameras.
• Students will be provided with a passport-sized lanyard to store cash/cards/etc
• Lucas Oil Stadium is a cashless facility.  
• Please keep this in mind when spectating and sending money for concessions/souvenirs with your student.  
• There are cash-to-card machines located throughout the stadium.

HOTEL 

• Friday and Saturday Nights:
• JW Marriott Downtown, 10 S West St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
• Will return to Mason HS on Sunday afternoon.

TRIP COMMUNICATION

If you have not done so already, we highly recommend that you join the parent Remind group associated with your student’s section.  This will be the main form of communication to parents throughout the trip.

• Indy Grand National Championships Travel Waiver Remind Group (For those picking up on Sunday 1am or Sunday 8am only.
• Text @GNTW24 to 81010

TICKETS

We encourage family and friends to make the drive to Indianapolis for the Grand National Championship to cheer on the band!  This is a ticketed event and tickets may be purchased on the Bands of America website.  See links to purchase tickets below:

• Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at Ticketmaster.com OR the Southeast Ticket Office of Lucas Oil Stadium Thursday-Saturday of Grand Nationals.
• Will-Call tickets may be picked up at the Southeast Ticket Office.
• Prelim Tickets (Thurs & Friday) $35 each day + Fees (GA Tickets) Grand Nationals: Thursday 11/14 Preliminaries
• Semi-Finals $45-$70 + Fees (GA and Reserved available) Grand Nationals: Saturday 11/16 Semi Finals
• Finals Tickets range from $20-$150 + Fees (GA and Reserved available) Grand Nationals: Saturday 11/16 Finals

Grand Nats Medication Drop Off

If your student will need medication for Grand Nationals (OTC or Rx)
that has not already been turned in, please sign up in Charms to
drop off medication.

• Med Drop off will be on Tuesday, November 12th 5:30-6:30pm
• Location: Let’s Play (Wall 2 Wall)
• Sign up in BoosterHub

Please read the Mason Band Medication Policy in advance. You will need to prepare your student’s medication with a completed med insert card placed in a ziploc bag with their medication following the instructions in our Medication Check-in Guide.  You will find all the latest information about how we manage medication on MasonBands.com here. 

Remember to upload DMS forms here prior to the drop-off event. Must be signed by both a doctor and parent.

We also strongly encourage you to fill out DMS forms for Ibuprofen, Tylenol, and Benadryl if your student has ever taken those medications in the past. We will not be able to dispense those medications to your student unless the proper forms have been filled out and signed. Please note that students may not carry any medications themselves, including common over the counter medications, unless they are emergency medications and the appropriate forms have been submitted.

For questions or to schedule an alternate drop off appointment, email Mike McCallister - medicalsecretary@masonbandboosters.com.

Grand Nationals Transportation Waiver

If you plan to check out your student to transport them home from Grand Nationals, you will need to complete the Google form below by Next Sunday, November 10, 2023 at 11:59pm.  See form for check out times/locations and for more information.  

2024 Grand Nationals Transportation Waiver Form

Student and Adult MUST also join the Indy Grand Nationals Travel Waiver Remind Group: text @GNTW24 to 81010

Decorating The Music Wing

Come one, come all!!

Before Grand Nationals we decorate the Music Wing with signs to celebrate and encourage our kiddos! Many families have already made signs for the send-offs, and those are perfect for this.

We are decorating lockers and hallways at the high school to wish our band members good luck for Grand Nats! We need some volunteers to help on: 

(don’t sign up, just show up)

• Sunday, November 10, 4:00-8:00 pm
• Monday, November 11, 3:00-5:30 pm (right after school). 

You will be hanging signs and other themed items to dress up the hallways. 

If you have a personal sign to hang please bring it to the school during that time and we will make sure it gets hung up even if you are not able to stay and help.

• We will take down all the signs from the school Wednesday the 13th and take them to the send offs on Thursday for spectators to hold.

***PERSONAL SIGNS - There is not an “official” Sign drop off as there has been in the past. If you have a sign you want displayed in the halls that week but cannot be there to decorate you can drop it off during one of the times above and the volunteers will hang it in the hall for you.

All personal signs will be taken down Wednesday and taken to the send-off on Thursday. Please find Michelle Andre at the send-off to collect your sign. (They will be in her car)

Questions? spirit@masonbandboosters.com.

Band Send Offs For Grand Nationals

WHAT IS IT? 

The Send-off is an opportunity for families to cheer on the Band as they drive off in the buses to Indianapolis. This is optional, but also A LOT OF FUN! 

• Bring anything you can think of to send them off in Style! Ideas include : fatheads / signs / flags / balloons / noise makers 

• We are there to cheer them on and make them feel like the SUPERSTARS that they are!!

• EVERYONE IS WELCOME - Family, Friends, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Etc. We would love to see as many people as possible.

Look here to see images from last year’s send offs: https://masonbands.smugmug.com/2023-2024-PHOTOS/Competitions/BOA/Grand-Nationals/BOA-Send-Off/i-KNzgDtC

WHEN IS IT?

• Thursday, November 14 - at Marion's Piazza  (THIS IS THE BIG ONE!!!)

• 12:00-12:15 PM - Stay outside
• This map shows where we will stand to cheer on the buses as they leave.
•  

• Come Early - If the band finishes lunch early they will leave early

• Someone from the Spirit Committee will bring the section signs and personal signs from the Music Wing Decorations for people to hold up. You don’t need to return to the school to retrieve yours. - Just look for someone with a car full of signs to get your sign back.

• Friday, November 15 - in the Let’s Play (Wall2Wall) Parking Lot 

• 12:00-12:15 PM - Stay outside

** Watch the band schedule as this gets closer. The times could still change!!!

If you have any questions about these events please contact Gina at spirit@masonbandboosters.com.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Families cannot go into Marion’s or Let’s Play (Wall2Wall) during this time. There are a lot of moving parts to get the band on the buses and moving ON TIME. We are there to cheer them on, but we cannot get in the way. Thanks!!

We don’t usually plan anything formal, but many parents bring items to welcome them home from Indy, too.  (Signs, Balloons, Flowers, etc.)

Skyline Dine & Donate

Take a night off from cooking as you’re recovering from Grand Nats and preparing for Thanksgiving, and support the band at the same time! Head to the Bardes Road Skyline Chili from 11am-10pm for our Dine and Donate event!

Mason Bands will receive 15% of sales.

Click here for the flyer.

REMINDERS

MSBA 5A Championships

Mason is again hosting this year’s Mid-States Band Association (MSBA) AAAAA Championships, on Saturday, November 9. This is our second and final host event of the season.

The event will be very similar to the Mason Invitational we held in October, with a full day for the students, and parent volunteers needed to staff all the various areas, as well as donate food for Hospitality and our Bake Sale.

Unlike the Invitational where Mason performed in exhibition, we will be competing at the Championships. That means our band is treated the same as all other bands. It also means that we do not perform last, though we are second-to-last this year.

There are 5 bands competing in addition to Mason. Unlike the Invitational, where some bands were small, these will all be large bands. That means more people (which means more volunteers needed).

For this competition, we will be doing a Full Retreat for Awards (like the one at BOA Super Regional Finals). It’s a great opportunity to recognize all the performers from all the schools, and for students to meet marchers from other schools!

Also note that the drawing for our CAR RAFFLE will take place at 8:00 pm, following the performances, before awards.

Student Schedule (Tentative)

Spectator Information

Times:

• Gates open: 5:45 pm
• National Anthem: 6:15 pm 
• First band performs: 6:30 pm
• Mason performs: 7:30 pm
• Car Raffle: 8:00 pm
• Awards/Full Retreat: 8:15 pm

Ticket Prices:

• $15 General Admission
• $10 Seniors
• $5 Children Age 5-12
• Children under 5 years of age are free
• Event volunteers are free

Cash and Credit Card are accepted.

Parking:

• Spectator parking is at Mason High School, north of the stadium, or at Mason Intermediate across the street.
• Preferred parking closer to the stadium is available for $10.00, all other parking is free.
• Disabled parking for properly identified vehicles is available across from the stadium entrance.

Other Information:

• Programs and T-Shirts will be available on site for purchase
• Spirit Shout-Outs and Candygrams will be available
• Both concession stands will be open
• Hot beverages available at food truck vendor

Event information is available here on our website.

Car Raffle - Last Week to Buy Tickets!!!!

This is the last week to to purchase your 2024 Mason Bands Car Raffle tickets! Please share the link and QR code with family and friends. Feel free to share it via social media as well. Deadline to purchase tickets is this Friday, November 8th at 5pm.

Mason Band Boosters is partnering with Audi Cincinnati East to raffle off a 2024 Audi Q5 or a cash prize. This fundraiser is a very important one for our organization as it helps provide some much needed funds to help with the expenses of our program as well as allows us to reach outside of our band family and community to help raise funds!  

We Need Each And Every Family To Help Reach Our Goal Of Selling 5,500 Tickets And To Give Away This Fabulous Vehicle Or A Cash Prize!  

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW

Raffle Period - Raffle runs NOW until November 8th at 5 pm OR until 5,500 tickets are sold...whichever comes first!

Drawing - Saturday, November 9th, 2024 at the MSBA AAAAA Championships, hosted at Mason. Need not be present to win!

Prizes - 

• Grand Prize -  2024 Audi Q5 or a cash prize!
• 2nd Place Prize - $1000 cash  
• 3rd Place Prize - $500 Cash

Car Raffle Rules And Regulations - Please Click Here for complete Car Raffle rules and regulations. Must be 18 years of age or older and a Resident of Ohio to purchase or be named on the ticket.

Ticket Prices - 1 ticket-$25 or 5 for $100 (to same individual)

• Note: If purchasing a bundle, all tickets in the bundle must have the same name, address and phone number with them.      

Ticket Purchases - Tickets can be purchased Online via the 2024 Car Raffle Ticket Order Form

Band Family Sales - We are NOT distributing paper tickets to band families this year, but we are still asking each family to sell (or buy) at least 10 tickets to help make this a successful fundraiser.

• Please share the link and QR code with family and friends. Feel free to share it via social media as well.

Information regarding the Car Raffle can be found on our website Here. 

Questions? - Please direct those to carraffle@masonbandboosters.com.

Poinsettia Sale

It’s time for our annual Mason Bands Poinsettia Sale! Place your order between now and November 24th. The proceeds of this sale benefit all band students in grades 6-12. 

We have poinsettias available in red, pink, or white this year, in two different sizes::

• 4.5-inch poinsettias - $9
• 6.5-inch poinsettias - $15

In addition, save time by purchasing an end of semester teacher/staff gift (poinsettia + $10 gift card) that will be delivered directly to the teacher or staff member’s desk. This is available for any Mason City Schools Employee and will be delivered to their desk between December 10-12th.

Poinsettia pick up will be December 7th at the Mason Intermediate School building. 

Click here to order by November 24!

Note: Please include both personal and teacher gifts in the total number of flowers you order at the top of the form. You can specify how many are for teacher gifts in the next section of the form, with the ability to indicate which color/size is for which teacher. Any flowers ordered over the number of teacher gifts will be assumed to be for pickup on December 7th. 

Please reach out to flowersale@masonbandboosters.com with any questions.

Senior Parents: Pictures Needed for Awards Night

We would like to recognize each of the seniors at our Marching Band Awards Ceremony planned for Tuesday, December 3, 2024. If you have attended this celebration in the past, you know that we like to put together a slide show of pictures submitted by each senior’s family. The family keeps the picture choices a secret from their student until the big night. So how can you help us? 

Please start picking out your favorite pictures, usually 3-4 pictures from infancy to now. Please scan and email them to: seniors@masonbandboosters.com.

Be sure to include the name of your student.

****We need pictures NO LATER THAN November 22, 2024****

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to seniors@masonbandboosters.com. 

Student Mugs Reminders 

If you chose to purchase a Grand Nationals Candy Mug and have not yet picked it up, please be sure to pick it up on november 10th between one and three. If that time doesn't work for you, please feel free to text Kelly Hall at 513.312.3942 to make other arrangements.

Tips for Grand Nats Signs

The week of Grand Nationals we decorate the Music Wing with signs to celebrate and encourage our kiddos! Parents make signs both for sections and for individual students. 

If you already made signs for Super Regional sendoffs, those are perfect for this. If not and you would like to, here are some ideas from parents:

• Create and Print a Poster Board Print via Walgreens Photo 
• Some parents do 16x20, others do 11x14.
• Create directly in Walgreens Photo, or create in an app (e.g., Canva or Photoshop) and upload as a single image.
• They usually have a photo discount for up to 50% off, making a 16x20 board around $14. 
• They have same-day pick-up available - Cox Rd location tends to be the best quality.
• Print on cardstock at Office Depot or Staples
• A full-color 11x17 cardstock print from them will be $2-5 each.
• Note: Quality might not be great for photos.
• Hand-made - print and cut out photos and/or artwork and tape to a poster board.

SmugMug has a whole season’s worth of pictures you can download and use. There is also a gallery for artwork you can use: https://masonbands.smugmug.com/2024-2025.../Art-to-share

Note: Signs are optional!  Not every student will have a personal sign. Gina is working on a large bulletin board that will be from the Spirit Committee that will have the name and section listed for every student.

Fan Flags for Sale

Did you miss your chance to purchase a “Fan Flag” for the Super Regionals? 

More flags have been made and will be available for purchase at the MSBA Championships Spirit Booth. They are handmade and only $10 each. 

They are perfect for showing your Mason Pride at Grand Nats. Also, many families collect them every year to display at their Senior’s Graduation Party.

This is the final batch that will be made, so come and get yours while they are available.

Spirit Committee Informational Meeting

After this year I will be graduating out of my position as the Spirit Committee chair. 

Finding just one person to take on this role has been difficult, as the volume of tasks involved can be intimidating for anyone. Instead, the plan is to break the committee down into manageable pieces so that no one person is overwhelmed.

Join us on Wednesday night at 7:00pm on a Conference Call, and I will walk-through all of the areas that the Spirit Committee supports and you can see if any part of this is something that sounds interesting to you.

If you want to join the call, please contact Ann Wiesman (annw331@gmail.com) and she will add you to the meeting.

Basic outline of responsibilities:

1. Shirts
1. Camp Shirts - Design, Coordinate with Vendor, & Order
2. Tour Shirts - Get art from Directors, Coordinate with Vendor, Order, & Distribute
3. Competition Shirts - Design, Coordinate with Vendor, Order, Sell at event
4. Other Shirt Design opportunities (i.e., Senior Families, Rose Parade, etc)
2. Pep Squad
1. Send Offs - Coordinate with Travel, Communicate details
2. Decorate Music Wing (Grand Nats) - Schedule, Create Signs, and get supplies
3. Create images for families to use in Signs and on Facebook posts
4. Survival bags for Grand Nationals - Gifted to students as they get on the bus
5. Trading Items for Full Retreat - design, get approval, order, and distribute
6. More Ideas? - This is an area that could really be grown
3. Show themed Spirit Items for Sale
1. Fan Flags - Design, Create, and Sell
2. Stickers and Magnets - Design, Purchase from Vendor, and Sell
3. Luggage Tags - Make, Organize, and Sell
4. Stadium Bags - Make, Organize, and Sell
5. Yard Signs - Design, Purchase from Vendor, and Sell
6. Mini Color Guard Flags - Get fabric-(Cut and Sew), Assemble with other components, and Sell at Competitions (Big Band Money Maker)
7. Buttons - Make, Organize, and Sell
8. Jewelry and Charms - Make, Organize, and Sell
9. Organize other items as opportunities arise
4. Stores & Booths
1. Maintain online stores - Friday Threads, Band JotForm, & Redbubble, others?
2. Spirit Booth & Pop up sales - Volunteer Fair, Invitational Booth, MSBA Booth, and other sites as needed
5. Tailgate - Represent Mason Band at the District Tailgate. Run Plinko and get Prizes
6. Support for Competitions - Invitational, MSBA, MEPA, & Music Festival
1. Shout Outs and Candy Grams - Organize, Purchase Candy, and run Booth
2. Spirit Booth - Sell t-shirts, Mason Merch, Buttons, Cold Weather items, etc.
1. In Spring, add Flowers to the sale items
3. Event Programs - Design, Gather Details, Print at Vendor, and Sell
4. Signage for Event - Tickets, Concessions, Shirts, Shout Outs, Candy, etc.
7. Other Spirit Tasks as needed throughout the year

*** I will continue to provide support where needed so that this transition goes as smoothly as possible. I have also offered to continue creating designs (unless there is a graphic designer in the group that wants to take this one on). I just need other people to coordinate the distribution of items. 

I hope to see you there! - Gina Marshall

Questions? spirit@masonbandboosters.com & annw331@gmail.com

Have You Checked Out SmugMug Lately!?

Check out SmugMug for all the amazing pictures our Photo Corps have taken throughout the season. These are perfect to use for posters!

• Super Regionals
• Mason Invitational
• Springboro Invitational
• Football Games
• October Rehearsals
• September Rehearsals

The SmugMug password can be found in BoosterHub under File Manager.

Customized Hats - SHOW THEME - For Fans

Did you see these hats at the Invitational? Do you want one? This is a great way to show our Mason Pride at the remaining competitions this year. To get your personal hat it is a two step process:

1. FIRST - Order your own hat on Amazon (or other) and have it delivered to your home. These are the links to the hats that many of us have ordered, but you can select any hat that you like. https://a.co/d/aWY7cDY or https://a.co/d/52oFCJ6 

After the hat arrives…

1. SECOND - Contact Kathleen at OCD unlimited to place your order directly from her. She is charging only $5 per hat to put the band logo on the front and the text on the side. (Kathleen Martin • ocdunlimited@yahoo.com) Kathleen will let you know how to drop the hat off and when you can pick it up from her.

Contact Gina Marshall - spirit@masonbandboosters.com if there are any questions.

Marching Band Memory Books

Each year, our talented photo volunteers put together a beautiful memory book filled with the many moments of our season including rehearsals, football games, parades & competitions. 

This is a beautiful, 8.5x11 inch, soft cover photo book with about 72 pages.

Place your Memory Book order HERE by December 4. The price is $55.

Contact Nancy Riley at photo@masonbandboosters.com for questions.

Attendance Reminders 

Attendance is a vital component of a successful marching band program during these final weeks of the season. During these final weeks, there will be many changes and finishing touches to the show that will help students truly feel the energy and emotions that make a marching band show so memorable! Absences, no matter the reason, have a negative impact on the achievement and environment of the entire group since the students rely on the other performers in the ensemble for success. 

As a reminder, here are the description of absences from the Marching Band Handbook: 

• Excused Absence Examples: Illness, conflicts approved by a Director (more than 2 weeks in advance), death in the family, private lessons.
• Unexcused Absences Examples: Absent with no communication, homework/work, birthday dinners, fall vacations, family gatherings, concerts. Unexcused absences during the week of a performance can result in not performing that week.
• Reporting: The student/family will communicate known absences at least 2 weeks in advance, and report absence due to illness prior to rehearsal. All absences must be reported to the section director.

The latest and most up to date calendar is always the Mason Bands Calendar. You should bookmark or sync this calendar and check it often: https://www.masonbands.com/calendar/

Continue to communicate with the director that works with your section as soon as possible if you have attendance concerns.

Marching Band Secret Buddy Reminders

We are glad so many students chose to participate in Secret Buddy this year! Here are the dates for the rest of the season to bring secret buddy items: 

Competitions

• Nov 9 MSBA Champs
• Nov 14-16 Grand Nats (TBD which day)  

2024 Marching Band Next Steps

Marching Band Registration Next Steps

• 2024 Registration Guide
• Past Due
  • Experience Fee 2 - $400
    • Invoice sent on 7/10/24 via email from: quickbooks@notification.intuit.com
  • Marching Band School Fee #3 - $400
    • Payment can be made in Payschools or via check made out to Mason City Schools.
    • Payschools is the system that replaced EZPay earlier this year district-wide. It is the same system used for paying your student’s school fees. Click here to view the district’s guide to Payschools.
  • Experience Fee #3 - $300
    • Invoice sent on 10/13/24 via email from: quickbooks@notification.intuit.com
• Your student must have an ACTIVE physical on file in order to participate throughout the season
  • Examination must have been performed within the past 13 months
  • Medical Eligibility Form must be completed in its entirety signed and dated by the healthcare provider
• Dispensing Medication at School (DMS) forms may be submitted any time throughout the season via masonbands.com >> How To Submit Forms
  
  • All student medications taken during marching band activities require a DMS form (both OTC and Prescription)
  • Must be signed by parent/guardian AND healthcare provider
  • Only valid for up to one full season
  • Marching Band DMS forms are separate from any other DMS forms submitted through Mason City Schools administration or nursing staff
  • Medication Drop-Off: Review the medication check-in process in the 2024 Marching Band Registration Guide for more details.
  • Last Medication Drop-Off Event prior to Grand Nats: 
    • November 12th 5:30-6:30pm - Let's Play (W2W) near Band Aid station
    • See BoosterHub Volunteer section to sign up for a drop-off time
• Travel Medication Scheduled Meds
  • Grand Nats
    • Thursday - lunch, afternoon, dinner meds
    • Friday - lunch, afternoon, dinner, bedtime meds
    • Saturday - breakfast, lunch, afternoon, dinner, bedtime meds
    • Sunday - breakfast meds
    • As Needed - when requested by student