Can You Help Make Our Lives a Little Sweeter?

We are still in desperate need of candy donations - we have a full load of volunteers to distribute it, but will really fall short for kiddies coming to the 2nd show.  If you have already signed up to bring in bags (THANK YOU), please make sure that you have signed up on the list so that we have an accurate count of what we have.  If you would like to help us out and add to our list we would be eternally grateful!!!  Please have all candy to school no later than Tuesday, Oct 25th.  

Don't Forget About Papa John's Dine to Donate October 31st

On Monday, October 31st the delicious and generous Papa John's (1407 N Veterans Pkwy) is donating back 15% of Dine-In, Takeout, Delivery & Pick up orders to support a great cause -- Normal Community High School!

On behalf of Normal Community High School you’re invited to join us and eat out, not only in support of the organization, but to show one of your Bloomington restaurants some love too!

We ask that you RSVP here: https://grouprai.se/e236032 (even if you’re not completely sure) so Papa John's knows roughly how many orders to expect & so you have access to all the event details.

We hope you can make it, and please feel free to forward this invitation to your friends and family. Thanks in advance for your support!

Volunteer Instruction Sheets

If you signed up for one of the Hauntcert jobs (THANK YOU!!!  and it's not to late to sign up if you haven't yet...) please click on this link for a more detailed description of the job.  As this is a Google Doc, you will be able to see any edits and updates, which will be highlighted in yellow from this point forward.  Trick or treating instructions for those volunteers are also there if you or your student signed up to work.  Thanks again for volunteering - we are eternally grateful!!!!

Student Well-Being Next Week

As we prepare for next week, please remind your student to "lay low" this weekend.  Covid numbers have seen a small spike and two years ago I watched one of my son's orchestras decimated when 8 of the 13 first violins had to be quarantined.  We will be spending a lot of time together in close quarters next week and want to keep everyone healthy.  PLEASE do not allow students who aren't feeling well to come to school unless they have been tested.  Also help your student be mindful of keeping up with their academic commitments and planning ahead.  This is a long week and we want to make sure our students stay both physically and mentally strong!

Please Help Us!

We still have only about half of the candy and half the volunteers necessary for Hauntcert's indoor "trunk or treat", are missing some key positions on the Hauntcert volunteer list, and have very few borrowed items like decorations and power strips/extension cords.  Please consider helping us out as we put on our biggest production of the year that not only spreads community goodwill in the age of looming referendums, but is one of our biggest recruitment tools for enticing future orchestra rock stars!  Click here for sign up information on all of these events.

Schedule for Next Week

Monday, Oct. 24 - Hauntcert rehearsal with percussion (3:30-6:00 pm) 

Tuesday, Oct. 25 - Hauntcert dress rehearsal (6:00-9:00 pm)

Thursday, Oct. 27 - 28th Annual Hauntcert (musician call time 5:00 pm; shows at 6:00 & 7:00 pm)

Friday, Oct. 28 - Poinsettia and Beef House fundraisers due

Monday, Oct. 31 - Papa John's Dine-to-Donate night

***Dress for Hauntcert is FULL concert uniform. NO uniforms for the dress rehearsal however (in the musician's life, a dress rehearsal simply indicates the last rehearsal before a concert - uniforms are not required unless specifically requested for a picture, a final run through with an audience, etc.) **

Hauntcert Publicity

Hauntcert fliers are now available for students to take home and post/distribute in the community. Please let your student know to pick some up if you have the opportunity to hang or distribute them.  But please remind students to only post these items with permission.  Click here to access an electronic version of the flier if you have the means to post to any electronic bulletin boards at work, on social media, etc.  With two shows now, we would love to pack both of them!

Orchestra Updates 10.12.22

CANDY CANDY CANDY!!!!

We are gearing up to roll out our indoor "trunk or treat" for the Hauntcert and are in need of some people to distribute candy before both shows and also in need of candy donations.  Please help us spread some good will (and hyperactivity ;-) to the little ones in our community!   Further details and the SignUp Genius can be found by clicking here. 

HAUNTCERT DECORATIONS

Our theme this year is "Judgment Day" (ala Judge Judy style).  We are seeking to borrow any items you might have around the house that could fit this theme (gavels, scales of justice, etc).  Although a tricky theme to decorate for, we will also be creating Halloween-themed displays in the auditorium and for the trunk-or-treat, and would love to borrow any Halloween themed decorations, especially inflatables!  Extension cords and power strips are also desperately needed.  Please send any items to school that you are comfortable letting us borrow and make sure that they are clearly labeled with your name if you would like them returned. Thank you!

HAUNTCERT VOLUNTEER LIST

Many hands make light work, and we are hoping to have the Hauntcert volunteer list filled this week.  In addition to a few important jobs that still need filling, there are still a number of spots available to help decorate the night of the dress rehearsal.  Getting involved with this show is a great way to meet other orchestra parents!

Dine to Donate - Papa John's

Mark your calendars for an evening of not having to cook dinner for the family!  Our first Dine-to-Donate night is scheduled for Oct 31st (Papa Johns).  The proceeds from our Dine-to-Donate nights will be going toward helping off-set expenses for our upcoming performance at IMEC in January.  More details will be forthcoming as we get closer to the date, but in order for Papa John's to allow us to move forward with the fundraiser, we need to get a number of people to commit to purchasing pizza that night.  We're asking everyone to click on this link as soon as possible so that we can continue to plan the event. Just enter your name and email address (this does NOT have to be a firm commitment at this time). 

Orchestra Updates 10.7.22

TRIP
We are happy to report that based on the feedback on our trip survey, there is enough interest to plan the following 2 trips:

• Summer 2023: Memphis & Nashville, TN
• Summer 2024: Europe!

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There are no details yet on either trip, but as soon they become available, information will either be emailed out or an informational meeting scheduled.

FUNDRAISERS

There are currently three fundraisers available for individual student trip accounts, two of which are due on Friday, October 28. All monies raised from these fundraisers go directly to student accounts to help offset expenses for trips. The current fundraisers are as follows:

• Beef House Rolls / Strawberry Jam / Apple Butter.  If you've never been to the Beef House in Covington, IN (just across the border from Danville), you are missing out! Besides being known as the "Best Steakhouse in Indiana," they are also well known for their delicious dinner rolls, strawberry jam, and apple butter. The rolls come frozen and are sold by the dozen. This is the perfect fundraiser for holiday meal tables. Please note: Delivery will be on November 14, and if the rolls can't be delivered to buyers that day, you will need to store in the freezer - they can't be left out.  We cannot store any rolls at school - they must go home with sellers.
• Living Color Poinsettias+: This is the same fundraiser we did last year, and the plants are beautiful and last a long time. I personally suggest the amaryllis bulbs if you're not good at tending to live plants...you simply place it on a surface and it grows on its own - no watering!  Delivery will take place between November 28-December 10. 
  
• Bagging for Tips: new dates have been added for the Bagging for Tips at Hy-Vee, and some slots are still open.  Click here for the Sign-Up Genius link. 

NOPA

Don't forget our upcoming NCHS Orchestra Parents Association meeting will be this Tuesday (Oct 11) in the orchestra room (50) - doors J around the back will be open.  We would love to love to see a full house - all orchestra parents are welcome!!

HAUNTCERT APPAREL
A reminder that Sunday (Oct 9) is the deadline to order Hauntcert apparel if you are interested.

Hauntcert 2022 Apparel

The portal is now open for students and parents who wish to pick up some Hauntcert gear!  The order deadline is midnight, Sunday Oct. 9th.  Items will be delivered to school, so please make sure to add your student's name and building to the order form in the appropriate drop-downs.