Odem Bands Schedule – Week of 8/26/2019
The first week of school and Meet the Band all were very successful last week! It was great to have all of our OJH returning members, as well as the new members that have joined us as Beginning Band Students! We look forward to having our Beginning/Step-Up instrument night on Wednesday, as well as our first Football Game versus West Oso on Friday. Please read through the week carefully as we give important information on the schedule of events.
Odem JH Beginning Band Instrument Drive/Step-Up Drive:
On Wednesday for Beginning Band Students, and other students who may be interested in Step-Up instruments, Hillje Music from San Antonio will be setup in the OJH Band Hall from 5pm-7:30pm that night. They have a variety of rent-to-own instruments available and I encourage you to come and at least speak with them on those options. They can also help look at any used instruments you might have to see if they are in working condition.
Additionally, those that have participated in the Rent-to-Own program through Hillje are able to trade their plans to a ‘Step-Up’ instrument on this evening. They apply your previous payments to the new instrument and it can be a great way to get a better instrument. Step-Up instruments are often made of better metals and may involve silver-plating, extra key work, and generally are better made, play easier, and sound better. Particularly if a student is taking their playing seriously they may find a step-up instrument sets them up better for possibilities with All-Region/Area/State Auditions.
High School Rehearsal Schedule:
This week we begin our traditional fall rehearsal schedule: Mondays 6:30-8:30pm, Wednesday 5-6:30pm (We go to 6pm once CCD begins), Thursdays 6:30pm-8:30pm. It is important that students are at all practices for us to be successful. Students involved in Volleyball, Football, and Cheer will have overlaps with their practices. Students should attend those practices and then join us afterwards as soon as possible. Rehearsals with the OHS band are mandatory and graded. Should a student have a legitimate need to miss they should contact Mr. Rash as soon as possible in person or through Remind/email. Unexcused absences are marked as 0’s in the Gradebook.
Odem vs West Oso – Friday:
We are still working on a few details with this game for Friday. Students will need to be at the Band Hall by 4:30pm to prepare for our departure for the game. We should return around 10:00pm from this game. For the game we are in need of parent volunteers to ride the buses with us, help at the game site, as well as an announcer. If you are able/willing to help with any of that please contact Mr. Rash. We would like to have 5-6 parents to help ride buses this season. All parent volunteers who ride buses must have a district background check form completed. There is a link to one on the ‘Volunteer’ tab on the odembands.org main page. We must also have a copy of the front and back of your drivers license as well.
Due to the time it takes to complete this we would need these no later than Monday or Tuesday to hopefully complete it by Friday.
We also need OJH Student helpers from our 7th/8th Grade students to help us at games/contests. Students should sign-up and speak with Mr. Williams if they are interested. They must also maintain eligibility and follow all band handbook rules while traveling with us. Please contact Mr. Williams if you have any additional questions.
Band Fees:
All OHS Student Fall Fees should be paid by this time. OHS Band Upperclassmen not involved in guard have a $45 fee for the Fall. OHS Band Freshmen/new students have a total fee of $85 to also cover their band shoes. Any student that needs shoes that’s an upperclassman must also pay the total of $85 so we can get a new pair of shoes ordered. Guard Fees are also past due at this time for the fall fee of $200.
OJH Concert Band and Symphonic Winds Students have a $25 dollar fall fee that is due at the beginning of September.
OHS Labor Day Rehearsal:
Please note that the OHS Band does have a rehearsal on Labor Day from 6:30pm-8:30pm. Additionally we may have a couple of sectionals in the afternoon for Guard and Percussion. We’ll confirm times of those before Friday.
2020 Odem Bands Trip to California:
Please contact us if you have any additional questions on this trip. We need deposits by September 3rd in order to ensure an accurate count of students who will be traveling on the trip. Please see this link for a trip packet. (http://www.odembands.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-California-Packet-8-18-2019.pdf)
Upcoming Events:
August 28th: Instrument Drive for Beginning Band Students and Step-Up Horns – OJH Band Hall 5pm-7:30pm
August 30th: Odem vs. West Oso (at West Oso)
September 2nd: Spirit of OHS Rehearsal
September 3rd: Mandatory Band Parent Meeting (All Grades 6-12) – OHS Cafetorium
September 7th: Odem vs. Mathis (Home) – Saturday Game Televised and Live Streamed
September 10th: Monthly Band Booster Meeting
September 13th: Odem vs. Ganado (at Ganado)
September 20th: Odem vs. Santa Gertrudis (Home)
September 21st: All-Region/Area/State Jazz Auditions (Odem Hosting)
You can find the 2019-2020 Odem Bands Calendar here. (http://www.odembands.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019-2020-Odem-Bands-Calendar-Version-1.1.pdf)
Schedule this Week:
Monday: 6:30pm-8:30pm – Marching Rehearsal
Tuesday: Band Halls Open until 4:10pm
Wednesday: 5:00pm-6:30pm – Marching Rehearsal
5:00pm-7:30pm – Beginning/Step-Up Instrument Drive (JH Band Hall)
Thursday: 6:30pm-8:30pm – Marching Rehearsal
Friday: Odem vs. West Oso
4:30pm – Students at Band Hall to Prepare for Departure
5:40pm – Buses Depart
6:10pm – Arrive at West Oso HS
7:30pm – Kick-Off
~10:00pm – Return to Odem HS
Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.