...creating lifelong purveyors of music

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Hauntcert Thank You's and Spaghetti Supper Information


Deepest thanks for everyone's hard work and contribution to this year's Hauntcert!! Everything went like clockwork and we couldn't have done it without the help of so many people. What a tremendous display of "parent power"!!! All of your help and support was so appreciated these last few weeks!
Spaghetti Supper is our next event and will be Monday, November 14th. Our performance will be in the auditorium at NCHS at 5:25 pm. Call time will be 4:45 and dress will be the new orange orchestra t-shirt and jeans. There is no charge to hear the concert. If you and/or your student would like to join us for dinner, tickets are $7 each ($11 for the gluten free option) and include spaghetti, bread, salad, a drink, and dessert. In addition to the gluten free option there are options for meat or marinara sauce. ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4th. Only 150 tickets total will be available for purchase at the door that night (for $10 each and will not include any gluten free tickets). We are strongly encouraging any families who anticipate eating that night to purchase their tickets in advance at school before Friday. Students were sent home with an order form on the 28th, you may also click here to download and print the form at home. We are also in need of some volunteers to work a one-hour shift from 7-8 pm. This time frame ensures you won't have any conflicts with hearing your student play. Please click here to sign up to volunteer to work a shift that night. Hope you can join us for a night of good food and great music!!!

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Here We Go - Welcome to Hauntcert Week!



Some information and reminders about the upcoming week:

Monday Oct 24

  • 6:00-8:30 pm rehearsal 
  • Please make sure that students are seated no later than 6 and are picked up promptly at 8:30.  
  • This is our one opportunity to really rehearse with our percussionist as the dress rehearsal is focused on tech


Tuesday Oct 25

  • 6:00-9:00 pm dress rehearsal
  • Please make sure that students are seated no later than 6 and are picked up promptly at 9:00
  • Although this is a "dress" rehearsal, it simply means the final run through. Casual dress is expected, no uniforms.
  • If you signed up to help with decorations on this night, you might want to bring anything that would be useful (ie scissors, tape, etc.).  Please be careful that whatever is used to hang items can be easily removed and won't damage paint.

Thursday Oct 27

  • 6:00 call time for students; 7:00 show time
  • Students should report in full uniform and have instruments out ready to tune at 6:00.
  • Any students staying to help after school are more than welcome to hang out before the show instead of rushing home if they'd like - just bring your uniform and some food.
  • This show packs the auditorium every year.  Don't forget to get there early if you'd like a seat!
  • If you volunteered to bring refreshments, please drop off at the refreshment table that night if someone is there to "guard" them, or drop off on the desk in the orchestra room if you are early and no one is at the table yet.
  • Please plan on taking home anything that you sent to school that you would like back (ie extension cords, decorations, etc.) after the show
Uniforms
  • Women's uniforms have still not arrived.  Although the company says they "might" be in this week, it simply will not allow for adequate time to hem skirts (all of which come unhemmed).  I am working with the choir director to borrow the remaining uniforms.  Please help us out by making sure that borrowed uniforms are washed and returned on the Monday following the Hauntcert.  We apologize for the inconvenience. It has never taken our company this long to get uniforms in...
Refreshment Help
  • We could still use one to two more people to help out with the refreshment table the night of the Hauntcert - if you could help monitor the sugar intake, please add your name to the sign up list.
Power Strips and Extensions Cords
  • We are still looking to borrow more power strips and extension cords to help set up our electric stand lights. If you have any we could use please send them to school by Tuesday. 
Thank you so much for all of your help these past two months!! The volunteering for Hauntcert, concessions, etc. has been outstanding and it is truly humbling to have such a fantastic group of devoted parents and students! Thanks again for everything - happy Hauntcert week!!!


Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Sign-Up Genius

There are still 9 openings to work the concession stand for Friday night's homecoming game (8 that need to be filled by adults and 1 that a student can fill).  Please consider helping us out with this orchestra fundraiser so that we get all spots filled and keep ourselves on the "short list" of organizations with fantastic parent power and continue to be offered these opportunities to help fund our program.   Click here to help us fill our concession list.   We are also still short on refreshments for the night of the Hauntcert and would love to have some help filling the list.  Don't forget that treats must be store bought (no cooking involved!)  Please click here to sign up to donate refreshments.  Thanks for all that you do to help with the orchestra program at NCHS - we can't do it without you!!!

Friday, October 14, 2016

Cookies, Easy Dinners, Hauntcert and Hot Dogs!

Sign up lists are now available for Hauntcert refreshments and for volunteers to help work the concession stand at the homecoming game on Friday, Oct 21. Among other supplies, we are in need of 70 dozen cookies to feed the massive audience that always turns out for Hauntcert (don't forget to arrive early that night so you get a seat!).  Please click here to sign up for refreshments.  The orchestra has also been given the opportunity to earn some money by working the concession stand at the homecoming football game.  There were many groups that wanted the chance, but only a few made the final cut - the orchestras and choirs made the list as the athletic department knows that we have fantastic parent volunteers that are hard working and reliable!!!  Please click here to help us fill our concession list so that we continue to receive these kinds of opportunities to fund raise for our program.  There are various jobs that can be filled by both students and parents.  We just received the information about how many volunteers we need and it looks to be about 25 - please help us mobilize this little army as quickly as possible for next Friday!!!

Orchestra Hauntcert-related extra credit is now available.  We are in need of student volunteers for various activities after school the day of the concert.  There is a sign up list posted in the orchestra room that the kids can add their name to.  We are also in need of batteries for stand lights (mostly AAA, some AA, and a few C and 9 vlt), power strips, extension cords, and decorations related to our theme of "Heroes and Villains".  Batteries obviously won't be returned, but please make sure that you have marked any other items with your name so that we can get them back to you. 

A reminder to make sure that you have made arrangements for the BEFORE SCHOOL rehearsal on Tuesday, Oct 18 at 7 am.  Students with Zero Hour should report to rehearsal and will be be dismissed in enough time to get to class.  

Our performance time for the Spaghetti Supper on Nov. 14th has just been scheduled and we will be performing at 5:25.

Interested in some inexpensive, tasty and EASY dinners to help get you through the busy holiday season??  Mark your calendars for November 17th (12-7 pm) for the NCHS Orchestra's Prep Freeze Cook fundraiser.  20% of all purchases made will go to our program.  More information to follow, but if you, your friends or family members are Prep Freeze Cook lovers, plan ahead to stock up on that day.  And if you're not familiar with the meals, get ready to be wowed with tasty food that is ready to go for the oven or the crock pot (and they now have sides available)!