Our schedule will be getting busier as we move into the semester, but this will be one of our lightest weeks of the year with nothing on the schedule. Please help encourage your students to bring instruments home daily, both for practicing, and to help ensure an instrument is at home if they have to go into quarantine. If that happens and it’s still at school, you may reach out to me and we can find a way to bring it out to a vehicle.

Next Tuesday evening, at 5:30pm we will have our Solo and Ensemble Recital at the Odem HS Cafetorium. We will be allowing two tickets per student for audience members who may wish to attend. I will pass out those tickets by Thursday this week to those students. Masks and temperature checks will be required at the door, and distanced seating is required. The event will also be live streamed on YouTube. I will provide the link to that next weekend in this weekly information mailing, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

Those students participating in Solo and Ensemble will then make their UIL entry videos the following Monday, February 15^th beginning after school in the HS Cafetorium. No audience will be present for that event. Students will sign-up for times later this week. The Band Hall will be open and available for practice all this week after school.

We also wish to let everyone know that we are planning to move ahead with Windi and Jazzi this year. The event will take place on April 17^th. We have a couple of options on the table, but as of right now we are planning to begin by selling 80 seats in the Cafetorium for that event, and should those sell out quick enough, may add a second showing. This year we are also planning to take our silent auction to an online platform so that those who cannot attend, may still participate and support the band! For now our first step though is baskets for our silent auction. Our Boosters have decided this year to do everything based on grade level. Please see below for your students class. We are looking for one item from every student, generally around a $10 value or so. (More is fine, but if everyone brings in one item around $10 it makes for a nice basket when assembled!)

We need these items by Wednesday, March 10^th in order to assemble the baskets and photograph them for the auction. 

6^th Grade (Class of 2027): Crafts (Painting Supplies, Sewing Supplies, Little Craft Projects, etc.)
7^th Grade (Class of 2026): Outdoors (Grilling Utensils, Sports Equipment, Camping Equipment, etc)
8^th Grade (Class of 2025): Kitchen (Gadgets, Pans, Spices, Utensils, Plates, etc.)
9^th Grade (Class of 2024): Spa (Facial Masks, Scented Candles, Soaps, Lotions, etc.)
10^th Grade (Class of 2023): Family Game Night (Cards, Board Games, Puzzles, Popcorn, etc.)
11^th Grade (Class of 2022): Sweets (Candy, Desserts, Cake Mixes, etc.)
12^th Grade (Class of 2021): Beach/Pool (Blankets, Beach toys, Chairs, Beach Balls, etc.)

Please note that traditionally Windi and Jazzi is the second biggest fundraiser of the year for the Owl Band Boosters. Those funds help the whole band program in Grades 6-12. It’s important that everyone help out by bringing at least one item for their basket!

Finally, this week the OJH Band will begin their annual fundraiser. It will be held entirely online this year. Once Mr. Williams has handed out the information tomorrow we will also post more information to our normal communication channels. 

This Week’s Schedule:

Monday:              Band Hall Closes at 4:45pm
Tuesday:              Band Hall Closes at 4:45pm
Wednesday:         Band Hall Closes at 4:45pm 
Thursday:            Band Hall Closes at 4:45pm
Friday:                 No School for Students

Upcoming Events:

February 9^th:                            4^th Annual Solo and Ensemble Recital
February 16^th:                          UIL Solo and Ensemble Recording Day
February 27^th-March 3^rd:             Recording Window Open for JH All-Region Auditions
March 22^nd:                              Pre-UIL Contest Concert (JH and HS)
April 14th:                               UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluation (Odem)
April 17^th:                                Windi and Jazzi Fundraiser
April 23^rd-24^th:                          HS All-Region Band Clinic/Concert
April 30^th-May 1^st:                     JH All-Region Band Clinic/Concert
May 17^th:                                 JH Symphonic Winds and HS Band Spring Concert
May 18^th:                                 JH Beginning Band and Concert Band Spring Concert
May 28^th:                                 Graduation
May 30^th-May 31^st:                    UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest

Thank you for all of your help and support, please let us know if you have any questions!