We want to begin today by thanking everyone for attending our Windi and Jazzi: Magical Adventures event last night! I believe we sold a record number of tickets and will have a full report of the event at our next Booster Meeting! That meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 20^th. We need several new officers for next year, and we ask that you please consider volunteering to fill those roles. The Owl Band Boosters are incredibly important in maintaining the Odem Bands’ success! Please get in touch with one of the current officers, Ashley Bates, Belinda Contreras, Jesenia Ferguson, or Valerie Pena, if you have questions!

For the bands this week, it’s a lighter week. Our only event is on Wednesday after school when we’ll hold our Drum Major and Color Guard auditions. Please note that all Color Guard members auditioning must bring a money order for $525.00 to their tryouts. The ‘To Field’ should be left blank until we complete the auditions. If the student does not make the guard we will return it so you may redeposit the funds to your accounts. Due to issues last year, we will be strictly enforcing this policy. Please contact Mr. Rash with any questions.

The following week, on May 12^th and 13^th, we’ll host our final spring concerts for the bands. It’ll be a busy week with the Wind Ensemble also participating in a festival at Robstown HS on the morning of Thursday, the 15^th. We will provide more information about that event next weekend. After that, we do have our Solo and Ensemble State Recital send-off on the 19^th, Graduation, and then our final event of 2024-2025 will be our State Solo and Ensemble qualifiers competing on May 25^th-26^th.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Spring Band Fees

Spring Band Fees are now past due at both the High School for all band students and at the JH for 7^th/8^th grade band Students. This fee, $25/student, helps offset expenses in the spring for the program. Checks or money Orders should be made payable to OEISD—no cash, please! Statements will be emailed again today about outstanding fees, please contact us about any questions or concerns.

2026 Florida Trip

For all trip participants for 2026, please ensure you have registered on the Bob Rogers Travel site. Current 8th-11th 11th-grade band students are eligible to travel on this, and we can still add students. I show that we are currently just two travelers short of making the next price breakpoint that will drop the trip cost by about $200. If you have considered signing up but haven’t, please do so now! In two weeks, we will make a payment from the boosters to lower the trip cost for every registered/deposited student from the boosters.

If you missed the meeting, you may find a copy of the packet here: https://tinyurl.com/msrnkua6 . Registration is still open on their site: https://bobrogerstravel.grcoll.co/v2/go/odem26 

Payment options and forms are handled through their website there. I encourage students to attend this trip; it will be an amazing experience for them, and it is only really possible for most of them as a group like this!

This Week’s Schedule

Day:	Event:
Monday:	Band Hall ClosedGuard 4:30-5:30pm
Tuesday:	Band Hall Open Leadership Training: 3:45-4:15 Drum Majors: 4:15-4:45
Wednesday:	Drum Major/Guard Tryouts After School
Thursday:	Band Hall Closed
Friday:	Band Hall Closed

Upcoming Events:

Day:	Event:	Time:
Wednesday:	Drum Major and Color Guard Auditions	After school
May 12th:	HS Bands and Odem JH Symphonic Winds Spring Concert	6:30 pm
May 13th:	Odem JH Beginning Band and Concert Band Spring Concert	6:30 pm
May 15th:	Odem HS Wind Ensemble to Robstown Concert Festival	Morning
May 19th:	Odem HS State Solo and Ensemble Send-Off Recital	6:00 pm
May 21st:	Spring Beginning Band Instrument Drive (For Upcoming 6th Graders)	4pm-7pm
May 25th-26th	UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest (Pflugerville – Hendrickson HS)

Thank you for your help and support of these amazing students! Please contact us if you have any questions!