October 5, 2025 Band Notes

Upcoming Events

Monday, October 6

• Full Band: 6-9pm; MHS

Tuesday, October 7

• Full Band: 6-9pm; MHS

Wednesday, October 8

• Marching Band Visit to MMS - 7th Bell 

• Color Guard (Optional) WG Skills Session: 5-5:45pm; MHS Large Commons
• Color Guard: 6-9pm; MHS
• New Member Coffee Talk: 7-8pm; MHS Small Commons

Thursday, October 9

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

Friday, October 10

• Full Band: 3-5pm; MHS
• Football Game vs. Middletown: 6:00pm to approximately 9:30pm (see typical schedule below)
• 8th Grade Night
• Note: Any timing updates will be sent through Parent Remind. Details on how to set up parent Remind can be found HERE.

Saturday, October 11

• Mason Invitational (see detailed schedule below) - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
  • Mason performs: 7:45pm

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

Parent To Do Checklist For This Week

1. Sign up in BoosterHub to volunteer for the Mason Invitational.
   1. URGENT NEEDS - ALL POSITIONS WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH MASON PERFORM
      • Band Check-In - 4 volunteers needed
      • Band Guide - 10 volunteers needed
        • High-school students can volunteer for these
      • Concessions - 17 volunteers needed
      • Feed the Band (for Mason) - 6 volunteers needed
      • Hospitality - 5 volunteers needed for 6-9 shift
      • Parking - 5 volunteers needed
      • Ushers - 12 volunteers needed
        • High-school students can volunteer for these
      • Hospitality Donations:
        • 8 Crockpot dishes
        • 5 Sandwich platters
      • Bake Sale Donations - 13 bake sale items needed
2. Join us for our next Coffee Talk session on Wednesday at 7pm in the Small Commons.
3. Optional: Order this year’s memory book by October 27.
4. Purchase car raffle tickets, and spread the word about this fundraiser.

NEW INFORMATION

Mason Invitational - THIS SATURDAY

This Saturday, October 11th is our Mason Invitational competition. 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. This event gives bands in the area the opportunity to showcase and get feedback on the shows that they have been working so hard to put together. It truly takes a village to make this wonderful opportunity happen for our young musicians. We cannot pull off an event of this magnitude without the help of every single band family. As a gentle reminder, each family agreed at the beginning of the year to work at least one shift of the Invitational as outlined in the Marching Band Handbook.

How you can help -

• Sign up for your volunteer shift in BoosterHub.
• Sign up in BoosterHub to bring a donation for the bake sale or hospitality, which feeds visiting band directors and bus drivers.
• Contact the Competitions Committee to be a subcommittee lead or shadow for the following areas - Guest Parking, Programs, or Band Guides.

For more information, see the MSBA Mason Invitational page on the band website.

Student Schedule

Here is the student schedule for the Mason Invitational on October 11.

CLICK HERE FOR MASON INVITATIONAL STUDENT SCHEDULE AND GUIDEBOOK 

Feed the Band

We need volunteers for this!

Saturday’s dinner, 10/11/2025,  will be sponsored by Mason Band Boosters and provided by:

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

The Menu* will be as follows:

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

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, Cookies, Gatorade.

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!!!

Volunteering and Needed Donations

WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS IN ALMOST EVERY AREA! Below is a list of the areas where we still need volunteers and donations. You will see volunteer signups for each of these in BoosterHub, with job descriptions for each. Volunteers receive free admission to the Invitational!

• Bake Sale Donations (does not count towards volunteer hours)
• Bake Sale Volunteers
• Band Check-In
• Band Guides* (shadow needed)
• Candy Grams/Shout-Outs
• Car Raffle Ticket Sales
• Concessions
  • Includes grill cooks as well as concession stand workers
• Extra Helpers*
• Guest/VIP Parking (lead needed)
• Hospitality
• Hospitality Food and Monetary Donations (does not count towards volunteer hours)
  • Food donation needs are in BoosterHub
  • Monetary donations can be made here.
• Spirit Booth
• Ushers*
• Volunteer Check-In
• Water Station*
• Programs (the printed program sold at the event) - no volunteer slots, but need a shadow for the area lead

*High-school students can sign up for these positions. (Volunteers for all other positions must be 18 or older.) 

Ticket Information

Admission is $15.00 at the door only (children under 5 years of age are free).Tickets are for general seating and will be sold at the entrance to the stadium. The ticket office will open at 3:00pm

Reminder: Volunteers receive free admission!

If you or someone you know donated $50 or more for Tag Day and did not receive their Invitational tickets, please contact Nancy Wagner at tagday@masonbandboosters.com.

Coffee Talk this Wednesday

Have questions about Marching Band? Not sure what terminology means? Lost in the sea of information and to-do’s? 

This is the place for you!

All new member parents (and returning member parents) are invited to attend our New Member Coffee Talk sessions that we will be holding throughout the season. These sessions are an informal opportunity to socialize with other new parents and have your questions answered by seasoned band parent mentors. 

The Small Commons is immediately inside the Bus Circle doors to the building.

Booster Meeting Slides - 10/2

Thank you to everyone who attended the Booster Meeting on Thursday! Below you will find slides from the meeting, along with answers to the Slido questions from the meeting.

10-2-2025 Booster Meeting Slides

SLIDO Questions Answers Doc

Medical Secretary Updates

The Medication Drop off dates have changed slightly for our future events to allow for prep time for our care team. Below is the list of dates/times for drop offs. Please make sure you have an uploaded DMS sheet on file prior to dropping off the medications. Also ONLY bring the amount of medications we need.  Thank you for helping us support your students’ needs. If these dates/times do not work for you or if you have any questions, please contact Sally McDonald by email: medicalsecretary@masonbandboosters.com. 

Remaining Medication Drop Off Dates for Travel:

Miamisburg  Drop Off: 10/23/25 4-6 p.m., please sign up on Booster Hub for a time slot

Grand Nationals Drop Off: 11/10 and 11/12 times tbd at Let’s Play practices

Grand Nats Booster Meeting - Save the Date

Our next General Booster Meeting will be on Thursday, October 30, at 7pm. This is a CRITICAL meeting, as this will be our last parent meeting prior to Grand Nats.

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, 2025. After that, the price increases to $55.

memory book

Senior Night Wrap

What a great night celebrating our Marching Band seniors!

A huge thank you to Kaja Harper and all the many volunteers who made this year’s Senior Night such a royal experience! 

Thank you to Florencia Rush, Sally McDonald, Desirae Richey, Jamie Morton, Casey Morton, Laura Deardorff, Michelle Andre, Alex Riley, Paige Sarff (and her mom), Smita Ankola, Amy Malich, Laura Minniear, and Chris Minniear for help with decorations, corsages, and dinner.

Also, a huge thanks to our talented Photo Corps members who captured the evening so beautifully. Check out the pictures on SmugMug.

We are in need of a Senior Committee Chair for next year, as Kaja will have a senior and needs to be able to enjoy the evening! If you feel this is an area where you could help out, please email her at seniors@masonbandboosters.com.

Thank You to Our Mums Sale Patrons & Volunteers!

Our Fall Flower Sale was a success. Thank You to all our patrons for their orders!

A huge thank you to our Flower Sale leads: Regina Devassy & Rosemond Amoah.

Thank you also to our volunteers for pickup: Kate Bubak, Kayle, Abby, Theresa Baker, Jacque Wray, Dave Wray, Ramani Mahidara, Ketaki Sontakke, Jamie Kaufman, Harry Smith, Kim Harrington. & Julian Devassy.

Special thanks to Mr. Hinson, Tabytha Lopez, Laura Minniear, and Jennifer Rodway for all the support they lend.

Marching Band 101 for Parents - 10/5 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. 

I Know I am Supposed to Volunteer for the Mason Invitational (10/11) but What Are These Volunteer Roles and What Would I Have to Do?!

Every family in the Mason Bands program agrees to volunteer two times during the year. Our competitions, like the Mason Invitational coming up on Saturday, October 11 are the perfect opportunity to fulfill this commitment. But if you’re new to band it might be unclear what some of these roles do. Good news is many of these roles are simple and FUN! 

Feed the Band: help distribute Chick Fil-A dinner to our Mason Marching Band students. A great way to meet and interact with our awesome band members!

Band Check-In: Meet competing bands and their staff as they arrive in the middle school parking lot. Escort bands off their buses and direct them to restrooms, eating area, etc. This is a super easy role and a great way to make a great first impression for Mason and the Mason Bands program. 

Band Guides: You will be hosting one of the competing bands by escorting/directing your assigned band to their practice and staging areas, onto and off the field for competition, and being available to them for any resources they might need (restrooms, directions to hospitality area).

Ushers: you will be stationed in the stadium and will help ensure an efficient and welcoming environment for competing bands and spectators by holding pedestrian traffic  during performances and directing spectators to necessities such as concessions and restrooms. Ushers often get to see all the performances!

Hospitality: help host the hospitality area in the Arena where bus drivers, competing band staff and judges are able to rest, get some food, and generally relax. An excellent way to showcase our friendly Mason culture.

Parking: help direct vehicle traffic to appropriate parking facilities to ensure safety and efficiency. Bring your sunscreen!

Concessions: man our concessions booths to keep spectators and bands fed. Everything from grill cooks to cash handling is needed here as we will have over 900 people in Dwire Stadium! Wonderful way to interact with a wide variety of people and to meet many fellow band parents.

Remember: Every volunteer will be able to see Mason perform! 

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 

Football Game This Friday Night

Friday Night Lights versus Middletown! And it's 8th Grade Night!

Uniforms

Students will wear their Classic uniforms this week. They should bring their uniform undergarments with them to school so they can change into it prior to the game (see schedule below). Instrumentalist Uniform Lookbook 2025 - please read!

No Secret Buddy

There is NO Secret Buddy for the game this week, as we instead are doing Secret Buddy on Saturday for the Invitational. Please bring items to Saturday morning rehearsal.

Feed the Band- 10/10/2025

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

This Friday’s Menu, October 10th, will be sponsored by Mason Band Boosters and provided by:

Jet’s Pizza- 7916 Mason Montgomery Rd, Mason, OH 45040

The Menu* will be as follows:

Regular/Nut/Egg Allergy  - Pepperoni or Cheese Pizza with multipack Lays/Frito Chips, Rice Krispies, Fruit Snacks, Gatorade.

Vegetarian/Halal/Onion Free - Cheese Pizza, multipack with Lays/Frito Chips, Rice Krispies, Fruit snacks,  Gatorade.

Vegan/Dairy Allergy- Jet’s Plain Breadsticks with marinara sauce, multipack with Lays/Frito Chips, Rice Krispies, Fruit Snacks,  Gatorade.

Gluten Free - Gluten Free Cheese Pizza and/or Salad, multipack with Lays/Frito Chips, Rice Krispies, 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 Classic 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

REMINDERS

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.

Student Athlete Mental Health Week

We are proud to be a part of Student Athlete Mental Health week for the 2nd year! Each year, Hilinski’s Hope Foundation curates a collective week of action focused on eliminating stigma and increasing mental health resources for universities and colleges nationwide.

This week coincides with Mental Illness Awareness Week, October 1-7, culminating on World Mental Health Day on October 10.

Secret Buddy Reminder

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

• 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

2025 Marching Band Next Steps

Marching Band Registration Next Steps:

• Registration Guide is now live.
• PAST DUE: 
• All payments for the 2025 MB Season are now PAST DUE.

Other Marching Band Documents: 

• 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.