October 25, 2026 Band Notes

Upcoming Events

Monday, October 26

• Full Band: 3-6pm; MHS

Tuesday, October 27

• Full Band: 6-9pm; MHS

Wednesday, October 28

• Color Guard: 6-9pm; MHS

Thursday, October 29

• Brass and Woodwinds: 3-6pm; MHS
• Percussion: 6-9pm; MHS
• General Booster Meeting: 7-8pm; MHS Harvard Room and Zoom
  • Photo product pick up (if you ordered portraits) prior to the Booster Meeting

Friday, October 30

• Full Band: 3-6pm; MHS (updated!)

Saturday, October 31

• Full Band: 9am-5pm; MHS
• On-campus lunch break 12-1pm

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

Parent To Do Checklist For This Week

1. Pay any overdue experience fees #1 and #2.
2. Review the Let's Play Rehearsal Reminders (in the “Marching Band 101 for Parents - 10/25 Edition” below) and come up with your plan for Nov. 2nd. 
3. Order your memory book by October 27 for a 10% discount. Order form
4. Attend the Booster Meeting this Thursday, October 29 at 7pm in the Harvard Room and via Zoom.
   1. Pick up photo products prior to the Booster Meeting above, also in the Harvard Room.
5. Sign ups are open in Booster Hub to volunteer at the MSBA 5A Championships on Saturday, November 7th. Click here to sign up for Hospitality donations.
6. Purchase car raffle tickets 2026 Car Raffle Ticket Order Form, and spread the word about this fundraiser. Winner will be announced at MSBA. 
7. Purchase your poinsettias by November 22. Poinsettia Order Form
8. Senior Parents: Send pictures for the Senior Slideshow at Awards Night on December 1.
9. Optional: Start working on any posters you want to provide for Grand Nats hallway decorating.

NEW INFORMATION

Grand Nats Booster Meeting this Thursday

Our next General Booster Meeting will be this Thursday, October 29, at 7pm. This is a CRITICAL meeting, as this will be our last parent meeting prior to Grand Nats. This meeting will be held in the Harvard Room and via Zoom.

Photo Product Pick up Prior to the Booster Meeting and Last Chance Order Form

If you ordered photo prints, pennants, yard signs, ornaments, keychains, magnets, or section photos, come get them! Pick up starts in the Harvard Room at 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 29. Then stay for the booster meeting!

Important: make sure you have the pick up email that went out October 21. If you ask someone to pick up your items, forward to email to them! Can’t find it? Do a search for the code word: COMBUST

If you already picked up your items, be sure and scroll down your pick up email to click on the link confirming pick up. Otherwise, you will stay on the pick up reminder list.

If you were one of those who told me you regretted not ordering something that you saw at pickup, you can place a late order at the link below. Order by November 1!

https://www.jotform.com/form/262768470491063

Class 5A Championships

We’re proud to share that Mason will once again host the Mid-States Band Association (MSBA) AAAAA Championships on Saturday, November 7 — our second and final host event of the season!

This exciting day will run much like our successful Mason Invitational in October, with a full schedule for students and many volunteer opportunities for parents and families. We'll need help staffing a variety of roles, as well as donations for Hospitality and the Bake Sale to help keep our guests and volunteers fueled throughout the day.

However, there’s a big difference this time — Mason will be competing in this event rather than performing in exhibition. That means our band will be judged alongside the others.

This year’s Championships will feature eight other large bands joining us — so we’re expecting a big crowd and will need extra hands on deck to ensure a smooth and successful event.

🚗 Car Raffle Drawing – 8:30 PM
Don’t forget — the drawing for our Car Raffle will take place at 8:30 PM, right after the performances and just before the awards ceremony. Be sure to stick around and see if you're our big winner!

🏆 Full Retreat Awards Ceremony
Just like at BOA Super Regional Finals, this event will conclude with a Full Retreat — a memorable awards ceremony where all student performers are recognized on the field. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to celebrate their hard work and connect with musicians from other schools.

Thank you in advance for your continued support and enthusiasm — we couldn’t do it without you! Let’s make this final home event a fantastic experience for our students and all visiting bands!

Student Schedule (Tentative)

Source: MSBA 5A Championships Guidebook 2026

We Need Our Amazing Parent Volunteers Again!

We received numerous compliments from band directors and guests on how professionally and efficiently the Mason Invitational was run in October — a true testament to the dedication and teamwork of our incredible volunteers and band community!

It’s time to volunteer again!!! We cannot pull off an event of this magnitude without the help of every single band family. This is another important event for our program, community, and most importantly the students who benefit from its success. These are a few of the many reasons we include it as a parent volunteer requirement in our Commitment & Financial Agreement Form.

Volunteer sign-ups are now live in BoosterHub. Job descriptions can be found there as well. Sign-ups are first come, first served, so sign up early! The areas where we need help are the same as last time:

• Bake Sale
• Band Guides & Check-In
• Concessions
• Extra Helpers
• Guest Parking
• Hospitality
• Spirit Booth
• Ticketing
• Ushers
• Volunteer Check-In
• Water Table

We also need donations for:

• Bake Sale (please sign up through BoosterHub)
• Hospitality
• Link for Hospitality food donations.

***Please remember all marching band families agreed to volunteer one shift of each of our competitions that we host. Please see the marching band handbook for details. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Competitions Co-Chairs at competitions@masonbandboosters.com, Jacquie Wray at secretary@masonbandboosters.com, or the area chair listed in the BoosterHub event.

Spectator Information

Times:

• Gates open: 5:00 pm
• National Anthem: 5:45 pm 
• First band performs: 6:00 pm
• Mason performs: 6:15 pm
• Car Raffle: 8:30 pm
• Awards/Full Retreat: 8:45 pm

Ticket Prices:

• $15 General Admission
• $10 Seniors
• $5 Children Age 5-12
• Children under 5 years of age are free
  • Cash and Credit Card are accepted.
• Event volunteers are free!

Parking:

• Spectator parking is at Mason High School, north of the stadium, as well as at Mason Intermediate across the street.
• Parking is free.
• Disabled parking for properly identified vehicles is available across from the stadium entrance. For those in need of assistance there will be a golf cart transporting guests from disabled parking to the entrance of the stadium.

Other Information:

• Programs and T-Shirts will be available on site for purchase.
• Spirit Shout-Outs and Candygrams will be available.
• Both concession stands will be open.
• Hot beverages available at food truck vendor Tom’s Coffee.

Event information will be available here on our website later this week.

Medical Secretary Notes

A FEW REMINDERS:

1. All medications go through our Medical Secretary and need to be dropped off  by a parent (per Mason City Schools policy) by arranging a time with Sally McDonald, our Medical Secretary by email: MedicalSecretary -
2. You can continue to submit Medication forms as the need arises. Please think ahead to get them filled out by your doctor and submitted prior to our Grand National travel dates!  Click Here to access our Medication Policy (i.e. blank DMS forms and upload instructions).
3. BOA GRAND NATIONALS: travel dates 11/12 - 11/15. 
1. Booster Hub Sign Ups are Open! 
2. Drop off times 11/9/26 4:15 - 6:15 pm at Let’s Play rehearsal. 
3. Please put your student’s name in ‘notes’ when signing up. 
4. You are signing up to drop off medications, not volunteer.
5. Link to sign up for drop off:  Booster Hub Sign Ups

Competitive Winter Guard

We are down to the final four weeks of the marching band season, which means it’s time to start gearing up for winter guard! Our MHS Competitive Winter Guard will return to the floor this season in Scholastic Open Class, competing in both the MEPA and WGI circuits. 

We’re excited to welcome back our talented and dedicated creative team: Byron on design, David on staging, and Tyler on choreography. The competitive season will culminate at the 2027 WGI World Championships in April, followed by our annual Spring Recital featuring all of our winter groups. 

Please see the links below for more information, as always reach out to Mrs. Sleepy with any questions! 

CWG Info Document 2027

CWG Audition Registration Form

CWG Season Calendar

Senior Parents: Pictures Needed for Awards Night

We would like to recognize each of the seniors at our Marching Band Awards Ceremony planned for Tuesday, December 1, 2026. If you have attended this celebration in the past, you know that we like to put together a slide show of pictures submitted by each senior’s family. The family keeps the picture choices a secret from their student until the big night. So how can you help us? 

Please start picking out your favorite pictures, usually 3-4 pictures from infancy to now. Please email them to: seniors@masonbandboosters.com.

Be sure to include the name of your student.

****We need pictures NO LATER THAN November 20, 2026****

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to seniors@masonbandboosters.com.

Grand Nats Decorating and Send-Offs

The week of Grand Nationals we adorn the Music Wing with signs and show themed decorations to celebrate and encourage our students. Families are welcome to make a poster to hang in the hallways to be admired by all staff & students during the school week leading up to our final performance.

Decorating the music wing will take place Sunday Nov. 8th from 6-9 pm.  You may come to the band door to drop off your poster to a Spirit committee member for hanging, come in and use provided supplies to make a poster, or join us to hang decorations.

If you already made signs for the regional send off, those will work for this. If you would like to make a poster, here are some ideas:

>Create and Print a Poster Board via Walgreens Photo 

• Some do 16x20 and others do 11x14
• Create directly in Walgreens Photo or in another app and upload as a single image
• They usually have a photo discount for up to 50% off and same-day pick-up available 

>Print on cardstock at Office Depot or Staples

• A full-color 11x17 cardstock print is fairly inexpensive

>Hand make a poster using printed photos and/or artwork and tape to a poster board

• We will have plenty of poster board, supplies & embellishments laid out at the school during decorating if you’d like to make a poster then.  Bring printed photos or make a poster without photos.

SmugMug has a whole season’s worth of pictures you can download and use. There is also a gallery for show artwork: 

smug mug shared art

We will also send off our students for both Prelims Nov.12th & Semis/Finals Nov.13th, using these same posters as the buses leave Mason for Indianapolis.  More detail to come on poster pick up from the school for use at send-offs & logistics of the send-offs themselves as we get closer.

Questions?  Contact spirit@masonbandboosters.com.

Have You Checked Out SmugMug Lately!?

Check out SmugMug for all the amazing pictures our Photo Corps have taken throughout the season. These are perfect to use for posters!

• Lakota West Invitational
• Buckeye Invitational - Send Off and Competition
• Mason Invitational
• Football Games
• Rehearsals
• Macy's Parade Announcement

Marching Band 101 for Parents - 10/25 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. 

November Rehearsals Are Different! 

Just when you thought you had mastered the groove and rhythm of the marching band season, November strikes! Starting November 2 rehearsal schedules and location change. Every weekday Monday November 2 - Friday November 6 will be a full band rehearsal at Let’s Play 846 Reading Rd. Mason 45040 (formerly Wall2Wall Soccer and it might still appear in your phone’s maps app as Wall2Wall). Rehearsals will run from 3:30-6:30pm. A reminder that means students will be rehearsing during those times. Your student should arrive at Let’s Play at least 15 minutes before rehearsal begins. Front Ensemble should aim to be at Let’s Play even earlier as set up for these percussionists takes longer than it does for the other instruments. Leadership will also be asked to arrive earlier, to tape the field (put down masking tape to create all the football yard lines and hashes the marchers need for drill reference.)

As always, you are welcome to watch rehearsal. Let’s Play has stands outside the field area where you can sit, as well as some tables and chairs. (It can be quite loud inside, particularly if you are there during sectional warm-ups, so you might want to consider hearing protection.)

Rehearsal will end at 6:30pm. That means students will stop playing at 6:30 but will then pack up, pull up all the tape laid at the start of rehearsal (beware the turf-covered balls of tape some of them will bring home, and know that Let’s Play does actually have trash cans!), and dismiss. This can all take 10-15 minutes if not longer. 

The parking lot at Let’s Play can become crowded during this time so PLEASE PARK YOUR CAR AND WAIT FOR YOUR STUDENT TO COME TO YOUR PARKING SPOT. For the safety of students and staff do NOT form a queue of cars in the parking lot as pit crew will be moving equipment and students will be dismissing into the parking lot.

Rehearsals will continue at Let’s Play Monday November 9 through Wednesday November 11 3:30-6:30pm. Thursday November 13 and Friday November 14 rehearsal will take place at Let’s Play in the morning before the band sets off for Indianapolis. More info on send off celebrations to come!

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.

REMINDERS

Poinsettia Sale is Live Now

Our Annual Poinsettia Fundraiser Is Here! 

Celebrate the beauty and joy of the season while supporting the Mason Bands!

Our annual Poinsettia Sale is officially LIVE! Whether you’re adding festive color to your home or sharing the spirit of the season with a thoughtful gift, our beautiful poinsettias are the perfect choice.

Need gifts for Mason teachers and staff? We’ve got you covered! Place your orders, and we’ll take care of the delivery.

Every purchase makes a difference and helps support our talented student musicians. Thank you for your continued generosity and for investing in our students and the Mason Bands. Your support means so much to us!

Order link: https://form.jotform.com/Masonbands/mason-poinsettia 

Order today and help us make this season merry, bright, and full of music!

🎺Spirit Needs Your Help!

We have an upcoming opportunity to lend a hand as we prepare for Grand Nationals! Whether you’re crafty or love decorating, we’d appreciate your help.

Hall Decorating:

Help decorate the band hall for Grand Nats week! We will need four helpers to set up decorations and hang posters on Sunday, November 8, 6-9PM. Plan to meet at the band crossroads.

To sign up for either event, please visit booster hub or email spirit@masonbandboosters.com. 

Thank you for supporting our band and helping make Grand Nationals special for our students!

Grand Nationals Hotel Update

Grand Nationals Hotel Assignment

We finally have our Grand Nationals hotel assignment! 🎉

We’ll be staying at two connected hotels:

Indianapolis Marriott East
7202 East 21st St, Indianapolis, IN 46219

The Fontana Hotel
7304 East 21st St, Indianapolis, IN 46219

A quick note on how this works. We don’t book our own hotel. Housing is assigned by the Bands of America housing board. We requested downtown, and this year was especially competitive. 22 bands asked for downtown accommodations, and there was only room for 10. Bands staying 3+ nights were given priority, so we’ve been assigned hotels about 15 minutes from Lucas Oil Stadium.

We know near Lucas Oil  is where we’d all like to be, but there are pros and cons to all options. How we respond to it is what matters. We have a great group of students and families, and we know we’ll make the most of it.

Please pay your band fees!

Students with unpaid fees will not be able to sign up for hotel rooms for Grand Nationals. We know circumstances can change, so if your situation has changed, please reach out to travel@masonbandboosters.com. We’d love to work with you!

**Please note now that we have received our hotel confirmation final payment invoices will be sent soon .**

Order Your Memory Book by October 27!

Every year, the Photo Corps puts together a memory book to celebrate the season, covering  band camps, rehearsals, games, competitions, and behind-the-scene moments. This year’s memory book will be a soft cover book with approximately 70 pages. If you order by October 27, you have the option to create your own custom pages to make sure your students have their favorite pictures featured!

Books are $50 if ordered by October 27, 2026. After that, the price increases to $55.

memory book order form

Picture Yourself in a Brand New Audi!!!!

This HOT 2026 Audi Q3 could be yours! 

Mason Band Boosters is thrilled to announce we will once again be partnering with Audi Cincinnati East for our 2026 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 6th at 5pm OR until 4,000 tickets are sold...whichever comes first!

Drawing - Saturday, November 7th, 2026 at the MSBA AAAAA Championships, hosted at Mason. Need not be present to win!

Prizes - 

• Grand Prize -  2026 Audi Q3 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 2026 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 13 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.

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 MSBA Championship on 11/7. 

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 Shadowing Needs:

• Co-Chair Positions
• Programs
• Awards/Trophies
• Spectator Parking
• Ushers

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

Secret Buddy

Secret buddy is a fun and completely optional way for your child to spread a little happiness while giving (and receiving) treats. Students will “gift” their secret buddy snacks/treats and drinks throughout the season on selected dates - see below.  Signed-up students will now be paired up with a buddy.  Data submitted on the sign up form by your child’s buddy will be shared in order for your student to find out more about snack/treat preferences and any allergies or dietary concerns. Buddy information will be shared to students via email no later than August 28th. 

If your child wants to be a buddy, please make sure they take good care of their buddy! 

Also, it’s more fun to try to keep your identity secret until Grand Nationals. 

There are two remaining Secret Buddy exchanges this season:

• Nov 07 - Saturday MSBA Championship
• Nov 13 - Friday BOA Grand Nationals  

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

2026 Marching Band Registration Forms Are Live

The Marching Band 2026 Registration Guide is now live! 

The Registration Guide has detailed information about each step in the process. 

Marching Band Registration Next Steps:

• Due October 1 (postponed until Grand Nats hotel is confirmed):
• Student Experience Fee #3, to Mason Band Boosters
• Invoice will be sent out via email from: quickbooks@notification.intuit.com
• PAST DUE:
• MB 2026 COMMITMENT FORM
• Marching Band School Fee #1, $400 via PaySchools Central or check to Mason City Schools
• Marching Band School Fee #2, $400 via PaySchools Central or check to Mason City Schools
• Consumables Form and Payment
• Instrumentalists
• Color Guard
• Marching 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 7/12 via email from: quickbooks@notification.intuit.com
• Student Experience Fee #2, $400 to Mason Band Boosters
• Invoices were sent on 8/16 via email from: quickbooks@notification.intuit.com
• FINAL FORMS
• Fill out all forms - be sure to switch to 2026-2027
• Upload a current physical - blank physical form
• 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 (new families)

Other Marching Band Documents: 

• New Member Meeting Slides 2026
• New Member Meeting Handout 2026
• MB 2026 ATTENDANCE POLICY
• MB 2026 FINANCIAL AGREEMENT & REFUND POLICY
• MB 2026 PARENT VOLUNTEER EXPECTATIONS
• MB 2026 Code of Conduct
• MB 2026 Grading Policy
• MB 2026 Travel Policy
• MB 2026 Registration and Data Use Policy

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.