August 31, 2025 Band Notes

Upcoming Events

Monday, September 1

• Happy Labor Day!

Tuesday, September 2

• Color Guard (Optional) Leadership Office Hour: 5-5:45pm; MHS Guard Room
• Full Band: 6-9pm; MHS

Wednesday, September 3

• Color Guard (Optional) WG Skills Session: 5-5:45pm; MHS Large Commons
• Color Guard: 6-9pm; MHS
• Please bring all hair supplies to complete the competition look (no makeup supplies needed this time). We will be teaching the bun to all members this evening.

Thursday, September 4

• Brass and Woodwinds: 3-6pm; MHS
• Percussion: 6-9pm; MHS

Friday, September 5

• Full Band: 3-5pm; MHS
• Dinner provided (Feed the Band) - see menu below
• Home Football Game vs. Lakota East: 6:00pm to approximately 9:30pm (see typical schedule below)
• Note: Any timing updates will be sent through Parent Remind. Details on how to set up parent Remind can be found HERE.

Saturday, September 6

• Competition Uniform Fittings: 9am-12pm; Guitar Room
  • Sign up in BoosterHub
• Full Band: 1pm-9pm; MHS
  • On-campus dinner break 4:30-5:30pm

Future planned events can be found on the updated band calendar: Mason Band Calendar.

Parent To Do Checklist For This Week

1. Order mums from our Fall Mums Sale by TONIGHT, August 31.
2. Pay Experience Fee 2 by Monday, September 1 - invoices were emailed on August 19.
3. Order Regency Tour Shirts by Sunday, September 7.
1. Reminder: Each student will receive one cotton t-shirt as part of their consumables fee.
4. Complete Bob Rogers Registration Forms by September 12. 
1. Follow the Bob Rogers 2025 Registration link and click “Register for this Trip”
5. Senior Families
1. Complete the form for Senior Night by September 19. 
2. Please fill out the Senior Spotlight Note to be placed in the Invitational Competition Program. These are due by September 12. 
6. Purchase car raffle tickets, and spread the word about this fundraiser.
7. Sponsor a Trophy at the Mason Invitational (Oct. 11th) by September 19.

NEW INFORMATION

The 2025 Car Raffle is Here!

This gorgeous 2025 Audi Q3 S line 45 TFSI quattro could be yours! 

Mason Band Boosters is thrilled to once again be partnering with Audi Cincinnati East for our 2025 Car Raffle. A HUGE thank you to them for the donation! We are very excited! 

This fundraiser is a very important one for our organization as it helps provide some much needed funds to help with the expenses of our program as well as allows us to reach outside of our band family and community to help raise funds!

We Need Each And Every Family To Help Reach Our Goal Of Selling 4,000 Tickets And To Give Away This Fabulous Vehicle Or A Cash Prize!  

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW

Raffle Period - Raffle runs NOW until November 7th at 5pm OR until 4,000 tickets are sold...whichever comes first!

Drawing - Saturday, November 8th, 2025 at the MSBA AAAAA Championships, hosted at Mason. Need not be present to win!

Prizes - 

• Grand Prize -  2025 Audi Q3 S line 45 TFSI quattro or a cash prize!
• 2nd Place Prize - $1000 cash  
• 3rd Place Prize - $500 Cash

Car Raffle Rules And Regulations - Please Click Here for complete Car Raffle rules and regulations. Must be 18 years of age or older and a Resident of Ohio to purchase or be named on the ticket.

Ticket Prices - 1 ticket-$25 or 5 for $100 (to same individual)

• Note: If purchasing a bundle, all tickets in the bundle must have the same name, address and phone number with them.      

Ticket Purchases - Tickets can be purchased two ways:

1. Online via the 2025 Car Raffle Ticket Order Form
2. In person at home football games and the Mason Invitational

Band Family Sales - We are NOT distributing paper tickets to band families this year, but we are still asking each family to sell (or buy) at least 9 tickets to help make this a successful fundraiser.

• Please share the link and QR code with family and friends. Feel free to share it via social media as well.

Information regarding the Car Raffle can be found on our website Here. 

Questions? - Please direct those to carraffle@masonbandboosters.com.

Instrumentalists COMPETITION Uniform Fittings (ALL Instrumentalists)

Competition Uniforms for the instrumentalists are here. ALL instrumentalists need to come get fit for their competition uniform. It is important for everyone to sign up for one of these slots because we will wear these at our competition in Toledo. Please sign up for any day. Fittings will be at the high school in the guitar room (where we did classic fittings). 

Please wear tight fitting shorts, tank top, and socks to your fitting. 

• Saturday, September 6 - 9am-12pm
• Wednesday, September 10 - 5:30-8pm
• Saturday, September 13 - 9am-12pm

Note: Guard members do not need to sign up.

Sign up HERE or go to the BoosterHub app.

Please email uniforms@masonbandboosters.com with any questions.

Sponsor a Trophy

If you or a family member would like to join us on the field to present a trophy at the Mason Invitational please fill out the Trophy Sponsorship form.. All submissions must be completed by September 19, 2025.  

Individual Portraits Sign-Ups and Group Photo Orders are Live!

Don’t miss this! Sign up by September 21!

Individual portraits for both instrumentalists and color guard this year will be:

• Tuesday, September 23 from 2:30pm to 5pm
• Tuesday, September 30, from 2:30pm to 5pm

Click here to order and schedule your timeslot. The popular time slots go quickly, so don’t wait till the last minute!

This year, your timeslot is the time you should arrive at school to get your uniform, change, and be photo ready in the auditorium. Plan on around 45 minutes total to get ready, take photos, and change back out of your uniform. 

For new families, this is when marchers can get their picture taken for the show-themed buttons that you see everywhere, especially on competition days! There is also an option for digital photos, which is extremely popular for things like social media posts for our competitions.

Top 4 Regrets After Portrait Day

How portrait days work and fun swag you don’t want to miss

Home Football Game #2 This Friday Night

This Friday is our second home football game, versus Lakota East. 

Uniforms

Students will wear Summer Uniforms again this week. They should bring their summer uniform with them to school so they can change into it prior to the game (see schedule below).   

Secret Buddy

This Friday’s game will be our first Secret Buddy event.

Feed the Band

All students will be offered food every FOOTBALL FRIDAY compliments of our sponsors and/or the Mason Band Boosters!!

This Friday’s Menu will be sponsored by Mason Band Boosters and provided by:

Chick Fil A - VOA, 7733 Voice of America Centre Dr, West Chester Township, OH 45069

The Menu* will be as follows:

(230) Regular Diets - Chick Fil A Sandwich (no pickle) with choice of assorted sauces, Lays Chips, Apple Sauce, Cookies, Gatorade

(15)Vegetarian/Halal/Vegan/Dairy Free/Onion Free - Southwest Veggie Wrap (No cheese/no onion) with choice of assorted dressing and sauces, Lays Chips, Apple Sauce, Gatorade

(15) Gluten Free/Nut Allergy - Grilled Chicken Nuggets with choice of assorted sauces, Lays Chips, Apple Sauce, Fruit Snacks, Gatorade

Note:  The special diet foods are ONLY for those who have declared a special dietary need as we only have a limited number of those meals.  Everyone else is expected to eat the Regular Diet meal.  Likewise, those that have declared a special diet are expected to eat their special diet offering. Thank you for your cooperation!

*If the above do not meet your dietary preferences or needs, you always have the option of having food dropped off or packing your own dinner!

Any questions can be directed to our Feed the Band Chair, Smita Ankola at smita.ankola@gmail.com.  We thank Smita for volunteering her time and taking on this large task for us this year!!!

Tickets

A reminder to our new families, tickets are required for anyone who wishes to enter the stadium to watch the game (and the band’s pregame and half-time performances).  

Information on tickets for all Mason sporting events can be found HERE. (You will need to log into Schoology to view) Tickets can be purchased directly HERE the week of the game.

Mason Bands Football Primer--Key Things to Know

1. Students rehearse right after school and do not have time to leave campus. They should have their regular rehearsal gear and filled water bottle with them to keep hydrated throughout the evening on long Friday game nights. 
2. Students should bring both rehearsal and performance clothes (either summer uniform or what they wear under their uniform) to school on Friday. Directors will communicate in advance what uniform students will wear at the game. This week they will be wearing the summer uniform.
3. Students are not allowed to leave campus for dinner. The Band Boosters provides dinner for students on Friday nights between rehearsal and game time. You may bring dinner to your student at 5:00 pm if you wish. Each week the dinner plan will be shared in the Sunday Band Notes. 
4. The Band plays in front of the Beacon building before they enter the stands. If you want to see that, stay outside the football stadium at the entrance and then enter after they play the fight song,
5. Parents not working to support the band at the game, have to purchase tickets to enter Beacon Stadium. Please see above for information on how to purchase tickets.
6. Students will stay with the band through halftime performance and then have third quarter off to visit friends, family and the concession stand! Students need to bring money if they want anything at the concession stand. Students cannot leave the stadium during third quarter. They will be bringing their personal water bottles up with them for the game.
7. Students will return to the End Zone for the 4th quarter.
8. Parents pick-up students at the High School after they have changed. Students will need time to put away all instruments and equipment and ensure their uniforms are properly put away.

If you have questions about Friday, feel free to contact Tiffany at  Travel@MasonBandBoosters.com

Typical Friday Night Home Schedule - All Times are Approximate

Marching Band 101 for Parents - 8/31 Edition

New to Marching Band and have questions about what your student is doing or learning? Have you watched rehearsal and wondered how it all works? Each week in Marching Band 101 in Band Notes you’ll learn a little something new. 

Wait, What Do You Mean It’s Not a Tuba?!

Everyone knows the tuba dots the “i” in The Ohio State University marching band’s script “Ohio.” But what if I told you it isn’t a tuba? That large instrument you see that lucky Ohio State band member carrying isn’t a tuba in the strictest sense of the word. Rather it’s a Sousaphone. The traditional tuba is too cumbersome to carry and its design projects its sound upwards. The Sousaphone was designed by instrument maker JW Peppers after legendary bandleader John Philips Sousa requested a tuba that would be more easily used by standing or marching musicians. The Sousaphone wraps around the player’s body and its outward facing bell projects its sound outward rather than upward. So now you know it’s actually a sousaphone that dots the “i” in that “Ohio” script. 

Sousaphones are not the only specialized marching instruments you’ll see our students playing. Because of its rear facing bell and softer sound, French Horns are not ideal instruments for marching bands. Enter the Mellophone. With its forward facing bell, trumpet-like fingering, and brighter sound, the Mellophone is the perfect replacement for the French Horn in marching bands. 

At Mason, and most high schools, you often won’t see a marching Euphonium, either. With its more compact design, fewer valves, and brighter tone, the Baritone  offers a lighter, more direct sound and is an easier instrument to march, particularly for musicians new to marching band.  

So keep a look out for these specialized marching instruments as you watch rehearsals and performances. And impress friends and strangers alike with your newfound trivia! 

Website Tip:

As the season goes on you’ll see and hear a lot of acronyms used when discussing competitions. The Mason Bands website contains a helpful Glossary of Acronyms. Check it out! 

Parent Section Ambassadors

Freshmen parents should have received an email introducing your Section Parent Ambassador. They are a great resource for quick questions and an opportunity to meet other parents in your student’s section. If you did not receive an email, please reach out to vp-membership@masonbandboosters.com 

Spirit Reminders

Tailgate Sept. 5th prior to Mason home football game 4:30-7pm MMS rear parking lot

The band boosters will be sponsoring a booth with a Plinko game plus a chance to purchase band fan merchandise & car raffle tickets.

Come early for the game & check this out!

Poster making session Sept. 9th 6-7pm in MHS staff dining room 

Wondering about a poster for your student for send offs & hall decorating?  This is a great way to make one together with other band fans, including siblings!  All materials will be provided.  This is also an opportunity to learn from others how to make photo posters. 

This is the same room for the 7-8pm coffee talk.

Come for either or come for both!

For any questions, contact Michelle Andre spirit@masonbandboosters.com

Social Media Reminder

What an Incredible Milestone!
We’re thrilled to have completed our first public performance of our 2025 competition show! Our students have put in an incredible amount of hard work, and we couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve accomplished so far. This debut marks an exciting step forward—and we can’t wait to keep building on it!

A Quick But Important Reminder:
To protect the integrity and impact of our show, please do not post any videos or images of the band, props, competition uniforms, or show art on public platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter just yet. This is essential both for maintaining competitive fairness and respecting copyright guidelines.

We want judges and audiences to experience the full effect of the show live, just as it’s meant to be seen—for the very first time on the competition field.

That said, feel free to record personal videos and privately share them with only close family through direct messages or unlisted links.

Thank you for supporting our amazing students and helping us make this season unforgettable!

Guard Show Flag Taping - Save the date

It's almost that time to schedule a show flag taping session! Show flags will be shipped to us in the near future, so as soon as we know more of that timeline, we will schedule this session and send the information out to families. We are currently aiming for the morning of Saturday, September 13th and will let you know when that is confirmed or if there is a date change.

REMINDERS

Regency Tour Shirt Orders Are Live!

2025 Regency Tour Shirts are now available to order on Friday Threads! Click here to see the options and order.

The order window closes on Sunday, September 7 at 11:59pm. THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER CHANCE TO ORDER!

Additional Information:

• The shirt will not look like the picture - the actual design remains a secret until the students get the shirts.
• Each band and guard student will receive one cotton T-shirt as part of their consumables fee, which will be delivered to them at school.
• Any shirts for parents, family members, or friends, and any additional shirts your student wants would need to be ordered directly from Friday Threads.
• Options include:
• Short- or long-sleeve cotton shirt
• Short- or long-sleeve drifit shirt
• Hooded long-sleeve t-shirt
• Crew neck fleece
• Hooded fleece
• You can have your order shipped to you or opt to pick it up at the store when it is ready.
• Keep in mind that shirts will not be ready until right before the Toledo Regional, so if you have it shipped you likely won't receive it in time.

For any questions, please reach out to spirit@masonbandboosters.com.

Mad Monks Dine & Donate

Our next Dine & Donate event will be at Mad Monks Pizza Company, located at 753 Reading Road on Monday, September 29th from 6pm-9pm. This Dine and Donate event is during the Monday Night Football game for the Bengals. The band will get a portion of all pizza sales that evening. No flyer is necessary, just mention you are supporting the Mason band when ordering. 

Sponsorship

Know a company that would like to see their name and logo on the band’s semi trucks, t-shirts, website, and programs? All while helping our our amazing band program continue to thrive?

We are always looking for new sponsors!  We cannot do all the wonderful things we do as an organization without the generous support of our sponsors. 

If you own, work for, or know of a business or person who may be interested in sponsoring our program, please forward their contact info to our Sponsorship committee-Jennifer Rodway and Marlo Swanson at sponsorship@masonbandboosters.com. We are a 501c Non-profit and happy to talk to anyone. 

You can also find more information on our website.

Hilinski’s Hope - Mental Wellness Event

Please join us on Monday, September 8, at 7:15 pm in the Auditorium for a very special program, presented by the Hilinski’s Hope Foundation. The Hilinski’s Hope Foundation promotes awareness and education of mental health and wellness for student athletes.

The program features a live talk with Kym & Mark Hilinski, and honors the life of their son, Tyler (Wazzu college football quarterback)

This program is for parents as well as students - we encourage all Band families to attend.

Students will have an after school rehearsal that day, with dinner provided (Feed the Band), followed by the program. Parents and other family members are invited to join us in the Auditorium for the presentation.

We are honored and grateful to be able to host this event, thanks to funding by the Jacob Langbein Fund. For more information, or to donate to the fund, click here to visit the page on our website.

Competition Subcommittee Leads Needed

The competition committee is in need of your help!  We are looking for subcommittee leads to handle several different areas for the Mason Invitational on 10/11 and the MSBA Championship on 11/8. 

Competitions are an important fundraiser for the boosters, but most importantly provide a high quality competition experience for the many bands and students we host.  Subcommittee leads are vital to making sure we continue our reputation as one of the best marching band competitions in the area. Please note that shadow positions will learn the ropes from current leads who have seniors, with the shadow taking over the role next year.  

Areas with Openings:

• Band Check-In/Band Guides/Water Station - shadow needed
• Programs - shadow needed
• Spectator Parking - sub-committee lead needed, partner with Competition co-chairs

Please email the competition committee at competitions@masonbandboosters.com for more information.

And as a reminder, ALL marching band families are required to donate their time to help with each competition.  Signups for volunteer shifts will be posted in BoosterHub as we get closer.

Fall Mum Sale

It’s time for our annual Fall Mum Sale! It definitely hasn’t felt like fall out on the Bus Circle during rehearsals, but fall will be here before you know it!

The order form is open through August 31. This fundraiser benefits the entire Mason Bands program.

We encourage all band families to Copy/Paste the message below and TEXT or EMAIL to at least 10+ family and friends. We appreciate your help supporting Mason Bands and keeping our fees as low as possible for families! CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE EMAIL/TEXT MESSAGE

*The link above also has info for those who want to donate, but are not local or interested in flowers! 

Pickup will be the morning of Saturday, October 4 outside the Performing Arts entrance at the Mason Middle School.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to send an email to flowersale@masonbandboosters.com.

Senior/Family Night

Attention Seniors and Senior Families: The William Mason High School Marching Band senior night is one of the most looked forward to and special events we do throughout the year. We want to honor our seniors and their families for their dedication to our program. In the midst of our planning, we need to collect a little information from our seniors so they can be honored accordingly!

Please fill out this form 2025 Mason Marching Band Senior Night Information with the names of those planning to escort your student during the on-field recognition of seniors. Traditionally, escorts have included: parents, step-parents, guardians, siblings, and/or grandparents. We will need the list of all those escorting the student - including phonetic spelling so that everyone can be recognized. Please submit this information NO LATER THAN Friday, September 19th, 2025.  

Also, please fill out the Senior Spotlight Note to be placed in the Invitational Competition Program. These are due by September 12, 2025. 

The 2025 Senior Night/Family Showcase will take place on Friday, October 3rd. Below you will find the schedule for the night for your planning purposes.  Thanks so much for your help!

Please contact Kaja Harper at seniors@masonbandboosters.com with any questions.

Secret Buddy Reminder

We are glad so many students chose to participate in Secret Buddy this year!  Here are the dates for the entire season to bring secret buddy items.  Please make sure everyone takes good care of their buddy! 

• THIS Friday Home Football Game, September 5th
• Full Band 3-6pm Rehearsal Friday, September 19th
• Home Football Game Friday, September 26th (HOCO)
• Mason Band Invitational Saturday, October 11th
• Home Football Game Friday, October 24th  
• MSBA Championship Saturday, November 8th
• BOA Grand Nationals Friday, November 14th  

Any questions, please reach out to vp-studentexperience@masonbandboosters.com

Comet Cupboard Says Thank You!

Thank you Mason Bands! We are blessed by your continued generosity! Your donations will help us serve our food insecure peers!

Uniform Lookbooks

Instrumentalists

See here for the 2025 Instrumentalist Look Book, which contains information for the summer and classic uniform, including undergarments for classic and competition uniforms. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Uniform Crew at uniforms@masonbandboosters.com. 

Color Guard

See here for the 2025 CG Season Lookbook, which contains information for the competition show hair and makeup, as well as other looks throughout the season.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Erica Sleppy (sleppye@masonohioschools.com). Have a great rest of your week!

Toledo Regional Ticket Information

Tickets can now be purchased online here for the BOA Northwest Ohio Regional Championship happening at the Glass Bowl in Toledo on Saturday, September 20. However, all tickets for this event are General Admission, so there is no need to purchase these way ahead of time. (For veteran parents, this is different from the Indianapolis Super Regional we did in past years). That said, BOA does recommend that you purchase your tickets online before arriving.

Mason will hopefully perform twice that Saturday:

• Prelims - guaranteed
• Finals - likely, yet never guaranteed

You can purchase tickets for Prelims and Finals separately if you are only able to attend one or the other, or you can purchase a Day Pass that gets you into both events. Note that students, military, and senior citizens get a discounted rate, and children 10 and under are free.

Band students and volunteers who are part of our Travel Team for this event do not need tickets. Only those who are NOT volunteering at the event and wish to travel and watch the Band perform need to buy tickets. Totally OPTIONAL for families as students will be bussed via charter buses to and from Toledo. 

More information can be found at https://marching.musicforall.org/northwest-ohio-regional/.

Medical Secretary Notes

TRAVEL MEDICATION REMINDERS:

1. Per school policy, students may not have any medications in their possession while participating in band (while at school or traveling) unless a DMS with ‘self-carry’ form has been turned in. All medications go through our Medical Secretary and need to be dropped off by a parent by arranging a time with Sally McDonald, our Medical Secretary.
2. You can continue to submit DMS forms as the need arises. Please think ahead to get them filled out by your doctor and submitted prior to our travel dates. Our Band Aid team is here to serve all students who will need medications while traveling. Medication drop off times will be posted prior to trips.
3.  Click Here to access our Medication Policy (i.e. blank DMS forms and upload instructions).  
4. Current Medication Drop Off Times – Please sign up on Booster Hub for a time!
1. BOA REGIONAL TOLEDO: travel timing: 9/20 3:30 a.m. - 9/21 1:00 p.m.
1. Tuesday 9/16/25 5:30-6:30, staff dining room
2. Friday 9/19/25 during practice, red tent  3-6 
2. MSBA Invite Miamisburg: travel 10/25 only
1. 10/24/25 during practice 3-5, red tent
3. BOA GRAND NATIONALS: travel 11/13 - 11/16
1. 11/10/15 practice, probably at Let’s Play, time tbd
2. 11/12/25 practice, probably at Let’s Play, time tbd
3. 11/13/25 early practice, before we leave at Let’s Play, time tbd

If you have any questions, please contact Sally McDonald at medicalsecretary@masonbandboosters.com

2025 Marching Band Next Steps

Marching Band Registration Next Steps:

• Registration Guide is now live.
• Due September 1:
• Student Experience Fee #2, $400 to Mason Band Boosters
• Invoice were sent on 8/19 via email from: quickbooks@notification.intuit.com
• PAST DUE: 
• 2025 MARCHING BAND COMMITMENT & FINANCIAL AGREEMENT
• Band School Fee #1, $400 via PaySchools Central or check to Mason City Schools
• Band School Fee #2, $400 via PaySchools Central or check to Mason City Schools
• Band School Fee #3, $400 via PaySchools Central or check to Mason City Schools
• Student Experience Fee #1, $400 to Mason Band Boosters
• Invoice were sent on 7/19 via email from: quickbooks@notification.intuit.com
• FINAL FORMS
• Fill out all forms
• Upload a current physical
• Complete Student Care Forms
• HWBP: Health And Wellbeing Profile
• SCP: Student Care Plan and Upload SCP Electronically
• DMS: Dispensing Medication at School and Upload DMS Electronically
• Accept BoosterHub Invite

Other Marching Band Documents: 

• Marching Band Summer Dates 2025 - One Pager
• Marching Band Summer Dates 2025 - Packet
• 2025 Marching Band Drop Form
• 2025 Marching Band Handbook
• Color Guard Handbook Extension

IMPORTANT: For all payments by check - please include the student’s name and student ID and the fee you are paying on the memo line of the check. Example: “Jane Doe 987654 Band Fee 1”

School fees are available in PaySchools Central. You will find the fees under Performing Arts. Scroll to the bottom of that section and look for the ones that start with "NEXT SEASON". All three school fees are live and payable, with the due date for each listed in the name. 

Members of Our Band Family Need Us

Thank you to those that donated so far. Fuz and the Burton family have greatly appreciated your support. You can still donate to the GoFundMe.