Band Notes | Mason Bands

Upcoming Events

Sunday, September 27

Sign up for individual portraits or purchase your group photos due TONIGHT!

Complete Buckeye Invitational travel waiver (if needed) due TONIGHT!

Monday, September 28

Full Band: 3-6pm; MHS

Tuesday, September 29

Leadership Meeting with Mr. Schlaeger: 5:15-5:40pm; MHS Small Commons
Full Band: 6-9pm; MHS

Wednesday, September 30

Color Guard: 6-9pm; MHS

Thursday, October 1

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

Friday, October 2

Full Band: 3-6pm; MHS

Section and panoramic photos will be taken 4:30-5pm in the stadium

Senior Night and Family Showcase: 6-9pm, MHS

Performance at 8pm
Senior Recognition following the performance

Saturday, October 3

Full Band: 10:00am-4pm; MHS
Buckeye Invitational: 4-10pm, Performance at 8pm (see details below)

Spirit Send Off: 3:30pm; MHS Bus Circle (see details below)

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

Parent To Do Checklist For This Week

Purchase car raffle tickets 2026 Car Raffle Ticket Order Form, and spread the word about this fundraiser.
Sign up for individual portraits or purchase your group photos due TONIGHT!
Complete Buckeye Invitational travel waiver (if needed) due TONIGHT!
Mason Invitational Activities:

Sponsor A Trophy - As the hosting school it is important to have our students/band boosters present the trophies to the competing schools. Please consider having your child represent Mason and congratulate our visitors.
Sign up in Booster Hub to volunteer at the Invitational. We need every band family to help make the event GREAT! Still have 59 open Volunteer Time slots and 25 baked good donations needed.

From the app - You can go to the calendar feature and click on Oct. 10 to see all volunteer opportunities.
From the browser - Click on Volunteer in the left navigation. Then select Invitational 2026 under the "Filter by Tag” section on the left side under the Calendar.

Sign Up to donate a dish/dessert for Hospitality. Still have 44 contribution/donations open.

NEW INFORMATION

Senior/Family Night This Friday

CLICK HERE FOR STUDENT GUIDEBOOK/SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY (including non-seniors)

Attention Seniors and Senior Families: The 2026 Senior Night/Family Showcase will take place on Friday, October 2nd.

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

Feed the Band

The underclassmen dinner menu for senior night is sponsored by the Band Boosters and catered by:

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

The Menu* will be as follows:

Regular/Nut Free: Jet’s Pepperoni or Cheese Pizza, Lays Chips, Rice Krispie Treat, Gatorade.

Vegetarian/Halal: Jet’s Cheese Pizza, Lays Chips, Nabisco cookie, Gatorade.

Vegan/Dairy Free: Jet’s Breadsticks with Marinara Sauce, Lays Chips, Nabisco cookie, Gatorade.

Gluten Free: Jet’s Gluten Free Pizza, Boulder Canyon Chips, MadeGood Granola Minis.

Dietary Restrictions & Allergies

Dietary designations are for informational purposes only and are not a guarantee of safety for individual dietary needs. Families are responsible for referring to restaurant nutrition and allergen information, determining what is appropriate for their student and making alternate arrangements as needed.

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 menu does 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, Annie Baxter at feedtheband@masonbandboosters.com

Buckeye Invitational This Saturday

Buckeye Invitational

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Ohio Stadium, The Ohio State University

411 Woody Hayes Dr, Columbus, OH 43210

Report time	10:00 AM (MHS Bus Circle)
Lunch	Bring your own lunch or have food dropped off (on campus)
Dinner	Provided by Boosters
Bus departure	3:45 PM (buses depart MHS for Columbus)
Performance time	8:00 PM
Bus return	~1:00 AM (approx. student return to MHS)

Travel waivers

Due TONIGHT, see information below.

More information

tbdbitl.osu.edu/events/buckeye-invitational-info for additional info and to access online ticket sales. All tickets are General Admission (no assigned seats). Children 6 and under are free.
Pre-ordered tickets can be picked up at Ohio Stadium Will Call (Gate 5, northwest corner of stadium). Tickets are $20 online or $25 at the gate (also obtained at Gate 5). Tickets will NOT be mailed or emailed.
All ticket sales are final. No refunds. This event will take place rain or shine. Per OSU Dept. Athletics rules, any lightning will postpone or possibly cancel the event.
Parking is included in the ticket price. A Deck, B Deck, and C Deck will be open on the west (i.e. press box) side of the stadium for all spectators.
Bags, cameras, umbrellas, strollers, and seat backs (that do not attach to the bleachers) are permitted into the stadium
All concession stands are cashless. No outside food/beverage is permitted.

For any other questions, email travel@masonbandboosters.com.

Feed the Band

The Buckeye Invitational dinner menu is generously donated by:

Mad Monks Pizza Co.

753 Reading Road, Mason

The Menu will be as follows:

Regular/Nut Free: Mad Monks pepperoni or cheese pizza slice, Delicious Brand Sprinkles Mini-Muffins, Fruit, Bottle of water.

Vegetarian/Halal: Mad Monks cheese pizza slice, Delicious Brand Sprinkles Mini-Muffins, Fruit, Bottle of water.

Gluten Free/Vegan/Dairy Free: Mad Monks gluten free/dairy free cheese pizza, MadeGood Granola minis, Fruit, Bottle of water.

Dietary Restrictions & Allergies

Dietary designations are for informational purposes only and are not a guarantee of safety for individual dietary needs. Families are responsible for referring to restaurant nutrition and allergen information, determining what is appropriate for their student and making alternate arrangements as needed.

*If the menu does 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, Annie Baxter at feedtheband@masonbandboosters.com

Spirit Send-Off

Join us Saturday 10/3 @ 3:30 PM to see our students off to the Buckeye Invitational!

Please DO NOT park in the band lot after dropping your student off. Park in the A-Pod lot adjacent to the bus circle.

Bring signs, pom poms, noise makers, & glow sticks - anything you’d like to show our support as the band heads out to compete!

Please stay on the sidewalk & grass area, do not enter black top area.

HELP NEEDED! Spirit needs two adults who can help with a few quick items before send-off and a quick clean-up after. Please sign up in BoosterHub or email spirit@masonbandboosters.com.

Spirit Updates

SENIOR NIGHT SPIRIT BOOTH!

The Spirit Booth will be open before and after the Senior Night performance, so be sure to stop by and check out our merchandise!

We’ll have a limited number of show-themed items available, along with your favorite Mason Band spirit items. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Want to join in on the audience fun? We’ll also have two styles of headbands, fire-themed glasses, and light-up wands available to help you show your spirit and participate during performances and halftime!

Come celebrate our seniors, support the band, and grab some spirit gear while you’re there!

SHOW-THEMED ORDERS ARE IN!

Good news—show-themed merchandise orders are in!

Orders will be available for pickup at the Spirit Booth before and after the Senior Night performance.

🔹 Orders are labeled under the last name of the person who placed the order.
🔹 You’re welcome to send your student to pick up your order!
🔹 Can’t make it to Senior Night? No problem! We will have an alternate pickup date later in October.

HELP NEEDED! Spirit needs four volunteers who can help with assembling swag bags for Eighth Grade Band Night. We will be meeting 6-7pm on 10/5 in the Small Commons. Please sign up in BoosterHub or email spirit@masonbandboosters.com.

THANK YOU to our Mums Sale Patrons and Volunteers

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who supported our Fall Mum Sale and helped make it such a wonderful success! We are incredibly grateful for your continued generosity and support of the Mason Bands. Every purchase, and every show of support truly makes a difference and helps our students continue to grow and thrive.

A very special THANK YOU to our amazing volunteers; Estee Atzmon, Joy Fowler, Kristy Altier, Erica Musheno, Mandy Pence, Kate Bubak, Whitney Huang, Richard Amoah, Richmond Amoah and Tulika Kayal. We could not have accomplished everything we did today without your time, energy, dedication, and willingness to serve. You showed up, pitched in, and made the day run so smoothly. We are truly grateful for each and every one of you!

Finally, a very special thank you to Jacquie Wray, Preeti Sullivan, and Mike Deardoff for all the behind-the-scenes help, coordination, and support that made this sale possible. So much work happens behind the scenes, and we want you to know how deeply we appreciate all that you do. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!

We are so blessed to have such an incredible community standing behind the Mason Bands. Your support means more than you know!

REMINDERS

Mason Invitational October 10th

On Saturday, October 10th we are hosting the Mason Invitational Competition. This event gives bands in the area, as well as our own kiddos, the opportunity to showcase all of their hard work and for our visiting bands a chance to get some feedback on their show. 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.

As the hosting school, and just like any hosting event at your home, we need to provide sustenance and volunteer time for our visitors. Please consider signing up to bring something AND to greet our guests at one of several volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer opportunities are now in Booster Hub. - Over the next week additional volunteer roles will be added for band guides and water stations.

Booster Hub has been updated with donations needed for Bake Sale.

From the app - You can go to the calendar feature and click on Oct. 10 to see all volunteer opportunities.
From the browser - Click on Volunteer in the left navigation. Then select Invitational 2026 under the "Filter by Tag” section on the left side under the Calendar.

The Hospitality donation sign up can be found here. - Hospitality feeds visiting bus drivers and band directors, as well as the judges. Help us keep our reputation as a welcoming host.

Sponsor a Trophy

We have 40 trophies that need sponsors!

Sponsors will have their names announced as their trophy is presented to its band. Your student may join us on the field to present the trophy or you can opt for it to be presented by a booster member. Please fill out the Trophy Sponsorship form. This is a great opportunity to show students from all the bands that their hard work is acknowledged and celebrated!

If you have any questions regarding the competition, please contact our competitions team at competitions@masonbandboosters.com. Thanks for your help in making the Mason Invitational a fun and successful event!

Buckeye Invitational Travel Waiver - Due TONIGHT

We're headed to Columbus for the OMEA Buckeye Invitational on Saturday, October 3rd. After a long day of performing, the best way to get everyone home is together, so we strongly encourage all students to ride the bus home. It's the simplest option, and it keeps our band family together from the first note to the last.

We know that occasionally a family truly needs to pick up their student. If that's you, a transportation waiver must be completed in advance. The form must be completed by 11:59 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

Waiver form: 2026 Buckeye Invitational Transportation Waiver
Pick-up time: 10:15 PM on 10/3
Pick-up location: Ohio Stadium, 411 Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus, OH 43210
Required: Both the caregiver AND the student must join the 2026 Buckeye Invitational Remind group by texting @2026bucke to 81010. All waiver families will get their updates there.

Any other arrangements must be approved by Mr. Jackson at jacksonav@masonohioschools.com. For the latest itinerary, check masonbands.com.

Thank you for helping us keep our travel day smooth and safe. We can't wait to see you all in Columbus!

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:

Online via the 2026 Car Raffle Ticket Order Form
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 Mason Invitational on 10/10 and 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:

Band Check-In/Band Guides/Water Station
Programs
Awards/Trophies
Spectator Parking
Shout out/Candy Grams
Ushers

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

Grand Nationals Hotel Update

We know families are eager for hotel information for Grand Nationals. The BOA Housing Bureau has not yet released our hotel assignment, and this timing is entirely outside our control. We will share hotel details with all families as soon as they are released.

Please note: The final Student Experience Fee will not be sent out until hotel confirmation is received.

If you have other Grand Nationals questions in the meantime, please reach out to travel@masonbandboosters.com.

Schedule Individual Portraits - Sign Ups Due TONIGHT!

Don’t miss your chance to order your group section photos or the full band photo! Also, you can schedule an appointment YOUR marcher for an individual portrait in show costume! The main portrait day will be Tuesday, September 29. There will be a very few appointments Wednesday, September 30 for those who have conflicts Tuesday. Please SIGN UP ON TUESDAY unless you let me know you had a conflict and needed a Wednesday appointment.

Deadline to sign up is Sunday, September 27!

https://www.jotform.com/form/242605969700158

Panoramic Full Band and Section Photo Orders Due TONIGHT!

Order by September 27!

These photos will be taken October 2, prior to celebrating Senior Night! Unlike individual portraits, you don’t need an appointment, so everybody should be in the full band photo and one of the sectional photos.

Most of our students spend the season forming tight bonds with their section, so they really cherish these mementos.

These photos are traditionally passed out at the awards ceremony to celebrate a great season.

https://www.jotform.com/form/242605969700158

Parent Section Ambassadors

Section Parent Ambassadors are a friendly point of contact for quick questions via text or email and help new parents feel connected to the Mason Band community.

Freshmen parents should have received an email with their Section Parent Ambassador contact information. For any questions, please reach out to vp-membership@masonbandboosters.com.

Social Media Reminder

A Quick But Important Reminder:
To protect the integrity and impact of our show, please do not post any videos 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!

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 five remaining Secret Buddy exchanges this season:

Oct 02 - Friday Full Band 3-6pm Rehearsal (day before Ohio Buckeye Invitational)
Oct 10 - Saturday Mason Band Invitational
Oct 23 - Friday Home Football Game
Nov 07 - Saturday MSBA Championship
Nov 13 - Friday BOA Grand Nationals

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

Medical Secretary Notes

A FEW REMINDERS:

As we progress through the season, please speak with your students about alerting our Care Support Team if they have needs. Our Chaperones and Band Aids are at most practices and ready to help. The safety and health of our students is our number one priority, but we can only help out with issues we know about. Please assure them that we are here to help!
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 by email: MedicalSecretary -

Current Medication Drop Off Times – Please sign up on Booster Hub for a time!

OMEA Buckeye Invitational: 10/3/26

Tuesday 9/29/26 5:30-6:30 at practice–Booster Hub is live!

Sign Up HERE

BOA GRAND NATIONALS: travel 11/12 - 11/15

date/time TBD, watch Band Notes and BoosterHub for sign-ups

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 travel dates. Click Here to access our Medication Policy (i.e. blank DMS forms and upload instructions).

Instrumentalist Lookbook

Please review the 2026 Instrumentalist Lookbook for performance and competition appearance standards.

Please contact the Uniform Crew at uniforms@masonbandboosters.com if you have any questions.

Informational Coffee Talks

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

This is the place for you!

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

Our next sessions will be:

Tuesday, October 6, 7-8pm in the Staff Dining Room

To get to the Staff Dining Room, enter the building through the music wing doors at the back of the High School. Walk straight down the hallway past the Band Room entrance, and past the hallway with the trophy cases. The Staff Dining Room is on the right just past that second hallway.

Tuesdays, weather permitting, the full band rehearses in the stadium. So come attend Coffee Talk and then head over to the stadium to watch rehearsal!

Grand National Tickets on Sale Now

Tickets for Grand Nationals went on sale Monday, August 10. Click here for the BOA/Music For All page.

Preliminaries

Grand Nationals is a bigger event than Regionals. There are two days of Preliminary competition on Thursday and Friday, each with separate tickets. Mason will perform on Thursday, November 12, so that is the day you would purchase ticket for if you plan to attend. Our performance time has not been confirmed yet. Prelims tickets are General Admission, so you do not need to purchase these until you are sure you are attending.

Semi-Finals

Mason hopes to perform a second time in the Semi-Finals on Saturday, November 14 during the day. Our performance time on that day is typically late morning or afternoon, but we will not know for sure until late the night before. There are some reserved seat tickets available for Semi-Finals, or you can purchase General Admission.

Finals

Based on the results of the Semi-Finals, bands have the opportunity to perform in the Finals on Saturday evening November 14 (yes, the same day as Semis). If we make Finals, we will not know our performance time until late afternoon that day. Finals tickets are all reserved seats and typically sell out, so if you plan to attend we encourage you to purchase your tickets as soon as possible. However, there is no guarantee that Mason will be in the Finals.

Prelims - Thursday, 11/12/2026 - Mason performs - General Admission tickets.

Prelims - Friday, 11/13/2026 - Mason does NOT perform this day - General Admission tickets.

Semis - Saturday, 11/14/2026 - Mason Semis performance time TBD (announced Friday evening) - Reserved or General Admission tickets.

Finals - Saturday, 11/14/2026 - Mason performance NOT guaranteed. Performance and time slot contingent on score in Semi-Finals and results. Reserved tickets only (likely to sell out).

Hotels

***Pro Tip*** If you plan to stay in downtown Indianapolis at any point during the weekend, we highly recommend you make reservations/plans for accommodations now to ensure you have a place to stay.

You may also elect to stay in a hotel outside of downtown (there are plenty available, even in November) and park in a day lot near the stadium. There are several lots a few blocks away that typically charge $20 per day.

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

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

Accept BoosterHub Invite (new families)

Other Marching Band Documents:

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.