Cambridge Band parents and students,

Welcome to another school year! It was so nice to see so many of you at our first booster parent meeting this past Tuesday. There are a few items from that meeting that we want to draw your attention to, as they are time sensitive.

CONCERT ATTIRE All students in a band class must have the Cambridge Concert Attire so we can be uniformed for our performances. For girls, this is a long black concert dress; for boys, this is a tuxedo with a vest and long tie, no jacket. We need EVERYONE to fill out the following form so we can assure everyone is accounted for : https://forms.gle/G3cWK5hfXgxjpfkA9

Cost: $70 for concert dress or full tux package. (Individual tux parts are available a la carte - the prices for these are in the Charms Store at www.charmsoffice.com.) Any questions or concerns, please email Mrs. Groves - grovesk@fultonschools.org

CONCERT BAND PEF (Performance Enhancement Fee) Cost: $150 (covers the whole year); Due: Friday, August 23.

This applies to all students in a curricular ensemble class. If your student is also in marching band, this fee does not apply as they have already paid their PEF. (If this fee applies to your student, you will see it applied to your account in Charms.)

The Program Enhancement Fee (PEF) provides less than one-half of the annual funding needed by our band programs - the rest will be obtained by fundraising activities. These funds are used to help pay for items such as band and ensemble props, equipment transportation, equipment supplies, accessories, guest clinicians, judging fees, additional instructors, music for bands and ensembles, show design, equipment purchases, band office operations, and other miscellaneous expenses related to the entire Cambridge High School Band Program.

It is the philosophy of the Cambridge Band Program to not deny any student participation based on financial situations, we simply ask that you communicate any extenuating circumstances to a director (emails below) or Rob Morgan, booster treasurer (treasurer@cambridgeband.org).

All fees can be paid online via Charms (www.charmsoffice.com - there is a small convenience fee) or with cash or check. All checks should be made out to "Cambridge Band". Cash/Check payments should be submitted in an envelope - clearly labeled with the student's name, amount enclosed, and what the payment is for - to the black box in the band room.

INSTRUMENT RENTAL FEE

Cost: $100 per semester; Due: Friday, August 23 for Fall Semester, January 18 for Spring Semester - you may pay both at one time if you wish.

This applies to all students using a school-owned instrument in a curricular class (percussion, tuba, euphonium, horn, bassoon, oboe, bass clarinet).
This does not apply to marching band instruments. (If this fee applies to your student, you will see it applied to your account in Charms.) The Instrument Rental Fee is in place to cover routine maintenance, repair, and replacement of school-owned instruments. With this fee, all minor repairs (stuck valves, loose screws, etc.) will be covered by the band program and repaired here at the school. Any major repairs caused by misuse, carelessness, or "accidents" will be the responsibility of the individual to fund. Any needed repairs or major incidents should be reported to a director immediately.

It is the philosophy of the Cambridge Band Program to not deny any student participation based on financial situations, we simply ask that you communicate any extenuating circumstances to a director (emails below) or Rob Morgan, booster treasurer (treasurer@cambridgeband.org).

All fees can be paid online via Charms (www.charmsoffice.com - there is a small convenience fee) or with cash or check. All checks should be made out to "Cambridge Band". Cash/Check payments should be submitted in an envelope - clearly labeled with the student's name, amount enclosed, and what the payment is for - to the black box in the band room.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT - SYLLABUS AND CHARMS

DUE FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 (TOMORROW!) This is your student's first grade of the year! There are two components:

They need to return one copy of their syllabus, signed by both student and parent, by Friday to receive full credit.
You and your student should log in to Charms together to ensure all contact information is updated (especially emails and phone numbers). Your students received a hard copy of instructions on how to access Charms if needed - you can also find this on our band website (www.cambridgeband.org)

CALENDAR Please make special note of all rehearsal and concert dates listed on your student's syllabus. Our online band calendar will also be updated to reflect all of those dates - you can sync it to your calendar to stay current on band happenings! www.cambridgeband.org/calendar

Should you have any questions or need anything throughout the year, our doors (and emails) are always open. We are looking forward to a great year of music-making!

Thank you,

Ryan Borger & Katie Groves
Directors, Cambridge Bands
borger@fultonschools.org grovesk@fultonschools.org