October 22, 2018 - The BIG MHS Band Fruit Sale Email

Hello band parents and students,

Please see the email below from Krysia Braun and the rest of our fruit sale parent committee.  Our parent association (BOPA) is what funds all of the "above-and-beyond" experiences that make the Middleton band and orchestra programs so great, from guest artists to additional music and equipment.  BOPA spends about $150 per student annually on these experiences.

The fruit sale is the one "selling-things" fundraiser that BOPA does each year, and as "selling-things" fundraisers go, it's a pretty good one.  The money raised represents a large portion of the BOPA budget for the year, and the community looks forward to their fresh fruit in December.   We ask that each student sell at least 5 items.  This ensures that BOPA can continue to provide great programming for everyone.   (Sometimes people really hate fundraisers and ask if they can donate instead; the answer is always "of course.")

Thank you for supporting your students in their musical endeavors.

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Hello, Band and Orchestra Parents and Students.  The annual BOPA Fruit Sale is starting! Sales packets are being handed out in class today and tomorrow.. Our largest fundraiser helps to pay for many things listed on the Info Sheet in your packet. Students also earn commission for their student account, which is explained at the end of that sheet.  Main goal - Sell at least 5 products. Donations in lieu of sales is also appreciated and can be written on your order form whether by you or others. Receipts can be provided for tax purposes. Contact MHSBOPAtreasurer@gmail.com to obtain a receipt.  Critical Fruit Sale Info:

1. We are selling more than fruit this year!  We are selling our most popular fruit products along with selections of sausage, cheese and nut products.

2. Order forms are  due Monday, Nov. 12 (approx. 2.5 weeks to sell)

3. Keep the bottom  pink copy of the order form before turning it in

4. All fruit must be picked up at MHS on   Delivery Day, Saturday, Dec. 8, between 8:30 - 11:30 am

5. Customers should direct payment to you. On Delivery Day, you will write and bring ONE check for the grand total of all of your orders to "MHS BOPA."  

6. No money should be turned in with order forms, please! 

Parent Help is Needed for the Following Events: The entirety of the BOPA Fruit Sale is really a "by parents, for students" fundraiser.

• Supervisor of Student Sales Table:  Help will be needed for supervising students who will sign up to take orders (Nov. 1 - 11) at two local grocery stores. There will be short shifts between the hours of 4 - 8pm on school nights and various hours on the weekends. A Sign Up Genius link will be sent out soon.

• Tally Night (Nov. 13): Tally volunteers review Fruit Sale order forms and make sure they have been completed correctly and confirming totals. www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E45A9A822A3F58-please

• Delivery Day (Dec. 8):  On Saturday 12/8 parents and students gather at the MHS Student Center to help unload, sort and distribute an entire semi truck full of fruit and other products. Students will sign up to volunteer at school and there is a sign-up for parents, too. Please consider helping out. It's a lot of fun! Check out the short shifts available at: www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E45A9A822A3F58-20181

Selling Suggestions: Fruit nearly sells itself since most people buy it every week anyway. Our fruit has the reputation for exceptional quality. Also lots of people are looking to buy gifts this time of year. Suggest our products for this purpose. Most products come in a box (except the cranberries, smokey snack sticks and cheese spread.)

1. Email friends and family. Two PDFs are linked below to make it easier for you.

2. Parents can take an order form to work or email their contacts.

3. Sell at community gatherings such as church.

4. Go door-to-door in your neighborhood with a friend or visit your friends’ neighborhoods with them.

5. Ask current and former teachers

Thank you to everyone for helping to make this year’s fundraising successful. Information about the Fruit Sale can be found at www.mhsfruitsale.com

Questions? Contact the parent committee chair Krysia Braun ( mhsbopafruitsale@gmail.com) or any of the teachers.

Fruit Sale Instruction Sheet

Sample Order Form

Pricing Information

Concert Invitation Handout

Sample Email Selling Message

Thank you!   ~Your 2018 Fruit Sale Committee

October 18, 2018 - Marching Band Performance Video & End-of-Season Explanation

Hello marching band members and families,

Congratulations on wrapping up a great season.  Everyone worked hard to present our biggest and most complex show to date, and I thought we had a fantastic series of performances.  Competitively, we took our first trip to the WSMA state championships, where we took 6th place in the class AAAA state championships, with a modest five-point spread between us and 2nd place.  Color Guard took 4th in class AAAA within the guard caption.

Please click here for a top-of-the-stands video of the state performance, courtesy of Ana Hursh.

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Clarifications on the End-of-Season Banquet 

We've received a few questions about the marching band banquet, so I thought I would answer some of them for everyone:

1. What is it? - The end-of-season banquet caps off the season by bringing together the entire band and their families to talk about highlights from the season, recognize seniors, present a few awards, and watch a slideshow.  The directors will speak, along with some of the student leadership and a few parents.  The feel will be comparable to the end-of-season banquets that follow many athletic team seasons. 

2. What about the dance? - Many students wanted to start a tradition of capping the season with a formal dance (this is a common tradition for many collegiate marching bands). 

3. What should I wear? - Parents: no dress code.  Students: no required dress code, but it is usual to dress up a little (collared shirt, maybe a tie).  The dance will be semi-formal, similar to the school homecoming dance. 

4. Do I need a ticket to attend? - Yes.  Because dinner (Lupe's Taqueria) will be served buffet-style, everyone in attendance does need a ticket.  Families who need financial assistance should contact one of the band directors. 

5. Is this for students only or can families come too? - Families are welcome and encouraged to attend the banquet, and the atmosphere will be parent-friendly.  The dance is for students and their guests only. 

6. What's that about guests? - Marching band students attending the dance can bring a +1 who is not in the marching band by purchasing a dance guest ticket online.  If their guest does not attend Middleton High School, they will need to fill out the same form used by the school for guests at all-school dances. 

7. Do you need volunteers? - We will need just a handful of volunteers to turn over the courtyard from a banquet hall to a dance floor, and to clean up afterward.  A student committee is in charge of setup. 

Hope to see you there!

October 18, 2018 - Important Deadline Reminders

1. Tickets for Marching Band End-of-Season Banquet and Dance - deadline  tomorrow, October 19th by midnight.  Hope to see you at this end-of-season celebration!  Order tickets  here.

2. Program Ads - The deadline to sponsor an ad in this year's glossy concert program is Thursday, October 25th.  Find the order form and more information  here.

3. Fruit Sale! - It's still a little ways away, but the dates for the annual MHS BOPA Fruit Sale are Oct. 22 through Nov. 11.  Mark your calendars for citrus time!

--   Michael Ver Voort

Music Teacher & Band Director