December happenings

We are gearing up for a very busy December around here with our Winter concert and several restaurant nights.

On Tuesday, Dec. 4, we have a great fundraiser with IHOP (9565 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch) for not one but two times that day. The fundraiser will start at 6:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. so students can go during access, and it will continue later that same day from 4:30 - 9:30 p.m. Be sure to mention you are there with HRHS Orchestras, and IHOP will donate 20% of the proceeds from sales during those times to our Orchestra program.

Be sure to stop by IHOP on your way to our Booster meeting! It's that same night (Dec. 4) at 6:30 p.m. in the Orchestra room at HRHS. We try to keep these meetings to about an hour, but you will get a lot of information about what's coming up in the Orchestra program. If you have questions about the program, schedules, basically anything, come to our meeting so you can get the scoop.

On Monday, Dec. 10, we are having a restaurant night at MOD Pizza (3622 E. Highlands Ranch Parkway) from 4 - 8 p.m. Stop by and enjoy dinner after work or shopping! Help yourself with dinner while you help the Orchestra program. This is such a crazy month; why not make dinner easy? You don't need a flyer for this event, just let them know you are supporting HRHS Orchestras. This is valid on dine in, carry out, and phone orders only!

Our Winter concert is Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. in the HRHS Auditorium. Again, in lieu of concessions at this concert, we will be having another Dairy Queen restaurant night from 5 to 9:30 p.m. We hope you'll join us before and/or after the concert to celebrate what is sure to be a successful performance. Bring the flyer with you to help us earn 20% of sales from this event!

The next week finals begin, and before you know it, the kids will be out for winter break. We want to thank you all for making our fundraising efforts successful to ensure we can continue providing our kids with the best Orchestra program possible.

Amazon Smile

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are approaching quickly! Did you know you can support HRHS Orchestras by shopping on Amazon? Yes, and it's so easy!

Just click on the link below, log in, and select us (Hrhs Orchestra Boosters) to help raise money for the Orchestra general fund while you do all of your normal (and holiday!) shopping on Amazon. Be sure to bookmark Amazon through Smile and open through that link. It's a win-win all the way around! We appreciate all you do to help us support this wonderful organization. Happy shopping!

Scrips cards available

I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed, but apparently the year is speeding by quickly, and the holidays are almost upon us! Yikes!  In order to help you with that, we are once again offering our Scrips mail order gift cards.  The form to use to order these cards has been emailed to families.  The deadline to order these cards is Nov. 30.  They will be delivered within a week, so approximately Dec. 7th. 

Scrips cards are physical gift cards that can be purchased as gifts or for your own use.  Various retailers and restaurants team up with Scrips to offer non-profit organizations a rebate on gift cards purchased to their stores.  Each business offers a different rebate amount, which is credited to our Orchestra program at the time of purchase.  We generally put in an order for these cards around the holidays and near the end of the school year, as people prepare for graduations and weddings throughout the summer months.

Again, Scrips forms must be turned into Mrs. Jonas by Nov. 30! We hope you'll take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to help our Orchestra program, as well as maybe take a few items off your to-do list.  If you have any questions about Scrips cards or the ordering process, please feel free to contact Lisa Birdwell.

King Soopers/Safeway cards

Are you all using your King Soopers and Safeway gift cards? As long as there is some amount of cash on the card (they come pre-loaded with $2.50), they don't expire. As we prepare for the holidays, there may be a lot of extra baking and cooking in your future. We would really appreciate it if you would support your Orchestra program when you are stocking your pantry shelves.

In addition, with the new self-scanning systems in use at King Soopers, you will notice in the bottom corner that there is a running total of your bill. This makes it even easier to know how much to load onto your gift card. You can still re-load your gift in the self-checkout lanes. You simply need to let the employee taking care of those lanes know that you want to load your gift card before you check out. They are happy to help, and it runs pretty smooth. Another option would be to load your gift card before you begin shopping.

If you have extra money on your card, this is a great way to send family members and guests to the store to pick up last-minute items without them having to pay themselves and is much safer than sending a credit card with them.

Either way, your King Soopers and Safeway cards can be a simple (and very effective) way to support the hard work Mrs. Jonas and all of our students are doing. If you have any questions about King Soopers or Safeway cards, please feel free to contact Lisa Birdwell. As always, thank you for your support!!

Butter Braid delivery

Butter Braids will be delivered this Wednesday, Nov. 14 at noon. Pick up will be 1-4 p.m. near the student entrance of HRHS. If your student will be taking their order home by car or bus, please consider bringing a bag for them to carry their packages. If at all possible, a freezer bag would be best.

Butter Braids will be delivered in small cardboard boxes to keep them cold. The company says there is a 4 1/2 hour window from the time of delivery before they need to be returned to the freezer. Please take this into account as you plan your deliveries. We will not be able to keep any Butter Braids at the school after the allotted pick up time.

We thank you all so much for your family's hard work to make this fundraiser a success. Enjoy your Butter Braids!

Booster meeting 11/5

Reminder: Our booster meeting is this Monday, Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Orchestra room.  This will be "open house" style with snacks so please come check us out! I promise we won't make you volunteer for anything the first time! We really just want parents to be involved and share their ideas and concerns for our Orchestras.  I know I felt like I never got good information out of my daughter her first year of Orchestra.  I hope you get most of what you need from our emails and your student, but if you ever wonder more about what's going on, please feel free to come join us!  We hope to see some new (as well as familiar) faces this coming Monday!

Feeder Festival this week

Don't forget our Feeder Festival on Tuesday, October 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the HRHS Gymnasium.  We hope everyone will come see what the students have been working on.  Also, if possible, we are asking for a little help to make this successful.  Here is the sign-up genius link.

Butter braids

One of our most popular fundraising events each year is our Butter Braid sales.  It's time!  Sales will run from today, Oct. 24  through Nov. 7.  Orders will be delivered on Nov. 14 (this is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving break starts) so people can have their Butter Braids in time for the start of the holidays.  Forms will be given to students during their next Orchestra class.

These are an extremely easy sell! If you've had them, we bet you're hooked; if you haven't tried them yet, you'll soon be a fan! In addition, we get back a profit of 40% of our sales! That is one of the best deals out there for fundraising.

We would like to have 2 or 3 volunteers to help sort and pass out the Butter Braids on Nov. 14.  If you would like to volunteer or have any questions about this fundraiser, please contact Alex Collins.

Feeder Fest/Kona Ice

Our annual Feeder Festival program is coming up soon: Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. to be exact!  This program is for all elementary, middle school, and high school EBOP/Orchestra students to come together in one night to show their families how hard they have been working so far this year.  The high school students will all meet at Highlands Ranch High School at 3 p.m..  The attire for the evening will be Halloween costumes.  They will have pizza, rehearse together, then perform for their fans.  

We will need some help to make this night a success.  There will be a sign-up genius sent out shortly to address our volunteer needs.  We appreciate all the help we can get!

In addition, that same evening, Kona Ice will be outside the high school after the concert, starting at 8 p.m.  Celebrate our students' success while helping our Orchestra Booster program.  Kona Ice will donate 20% of their sales that night to our program.  This will be in lieu of concessions.  We look forward to seeing everyone at both of these events!

Orchestra Restaurant Night

Join the HRHS Orchestra on September 26 from 5 to 10 p.m. at Dairy Queen in Highlands Ranch, 9435 S. University Blvd.
Bring in this flyer, and the Orchestra program will receive 20% of all sales!

Booster meeting 9/4/18

Reminder: Our first Booster meeting will be this Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Orchestra room. You are all invited; your students too! We will be discussing upcoming events, a parent/student meeting debriefing, accounting changes, and more!

We very much hope to see everyone at the meeting Tuesday!

Concert attire information

As promised, here is the information regarding concert attire.  Attire should be paid for the night it is fitted.  The fees are listed below. If you have questions or concerns, we will offer confidential payment counseling during our parent/student meeting.

Please, if at all possible, do your measurements before you come to the meeting! It is very awkward for students to have other parents measuring them -- not to mention it will greatly speed up the process for everyone.  Attached are all the forms and a great video to help with measurements. (Note: Disregard the ordering information on the video; you should use this only for the measuring information!)  Please bring the completed forms with you to the meeting.

Pricing:

Overture and Symphony dress = $72

Chamber dress and pin =  $92 (pin only, $9)

(A limited number of pre-owned dresses will be available at a reduced price.)

New Orchestra member

$80 tux deposit* + $20 tux rental fee + $15 new tuxedo shirt ordered = $115 or

$80 tux deposit* + $20 tux rental fee + $5 pre-owned tuxedo shirt = $105

Returning Orchestra member

No tuxedo shirt needed = $20 tux rental fee or

New tuxedo shirt needed = $20 tux rental fee + $15 new tuxedo shirt = $35 or

Pre-owned shirt needed = $20 tux rental fee + $5 pre-owned tuxedo shirt = $25

(A limited number of pre-owned tuxedo shirts will be available.)

*The $80 tux deposit is a one-time fee that will be refunded when the student leaves the Orchestra and has returned the full tuxedo in good condition. Once the tuxedo has been checked in, your deposit will be sent back to you automatically.

Alterations are the student’s responsibility prior to the first concert.

With dresses, students are required to wear black closed-toe shoes and keep jewelry to a minimum.  Dresses should be floor length. Tuxedos must be worn with black dress shoes and black socks.  Black athletic shoes or white socks are not acceptable. Shirts must be clean and not wrinkled.

Appropriate shoes must be obtained by the student.

• Click below for additional helpful resources:
• TUX Measurement Recording Sheet 
• Men's Size Chart
• CHAMBER DRESS Measurement Recording Sheet and Instructions 
• SYMPHONY DRESS Measurement Recording Sheet and Instructions 

• Video with measurement instructions (Ignore the initial part about ordering instructions. This is just a great instruction video!)

Mr. Woodworth has a very important video message to share with everyone via your email. Please watch this as soon as you can. We are sending this to parents; students will receive the same email on their school email accounts.  We will send out further communications as soon as we can.  If I can get the video to load correctly, I will add it here as soon as I can. As always, I appreciate your patience.  Thank you!

All Orchestra booster members (i.e. all parents) should have received an email with a survey to vote in the board members for the 2018-2019 school year. Please fill this out before midnight May 31st! If you didn't receive this, please email Sandra at srainey@dcsdk12.org.
Keep a look out for another survey coming your way in the next few days to help us improve your Orchestra experience! We always appreciate any feedback you can give us!

Concert CDs available

I sent out an email yesterday about our Spring concert next Wednesday, April 25.  However, I forgot to include the information about audio CDs that will be recorded during the concert.  These CDs are available to purchase for $15 each.  They will be delivered about 3-4 weeks after the concert.  

Please contact Mr. Woodworth if you have questions.  Thank you!

Last Scrips order

We are sending one last Scrips order for this school year!  These make wonderful graduation, teacher appreciation, and summer travel or even wedding gifts, and help Orchestra students at the same time!
Scrips orders are due back to Mr. Woodworth or Deb Stilwell by Monday, April 30 at the banquet, along with payment; it will take about a week to get the cards in.  We will distribute them to the students or email the parents that they're in -- whichever they prefer. 
An email was sent earlier with the order form.  Mr. Woodworth has forms, and there will be some at the banquet, as well. Besides those listed on the form, there are hundreds of other retailers available.  There is a link to GL Scr​​ip on the order form.
Please contact Deb Stilwell if you have any questions.

Last concert

We are really looking forward to our Spring Orchestra concert, Wednesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in the HRHS Auditorium.
For this concert, we are asking all sophomores and juniors to bring in pre-packaged snacks either before Wednesday or when they come for the concert Wednesday night. We also need 3 people to help manage the concession stand before the concert and 3 to work during the intermission. Please email Sandra if you would like to volunteer.
Students should be at the high school by 6 p.m. for the concert and in concert attire.
You guys are wonderful, and we really appreciate your help! Thanks!

Booster meeting Tuesday

We will have a Booster meeting Tuesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. in the HRHS Orchestra Room.  We really hope you will join us to learn about all of our end-of-year activities.  We always welcome every parent; you are all a part of Boosters!! Hope to see you there!

Tumbler fundraiser

I wanted to make sure you all knew about the great end-of-year fundraiser that started this week; students are selling tumblers with the HRHS Orchestra logo on them. Not only are these great for personal use, but make cool gifts, as well. Don’t forget Mother’s and Father’s days are coming soon. The best part? Students get 40% of the sales in their personal Orchestra account! This is a great way to finish off any last part of your orchestra fee and be able to fundraise for the Disney Trip Spring Break 2019.
Students received the flyers in class this week, but here is a link to it also. The deadline for this fundraiser is Wednesday, April 25 (yes, the same day as our Spring concert).
There’s not much time to make sure your whole family, friends, and fellow HRHS classmates get in on this! Please send any questions to Mr. Woodworth or Luke Davis. Thanks!!

RSVP for Orchestra Banquet

It’s time to start planning the end-of-year Orchestra Banquet!  Here is thelink to the sign up genius.  The Orchestra Boosters will provide pulled pork

as the main meal. Yum!  

We look forward to seeing everyone there on Monday, April 30 at 6 p.m.

for dinner, then the awards ceremony after that!  Doors will open at 5:30
to bring in your dishes.  We will serve dinner in the Orchestra Room,
seating will be on the stage, then we’ll clean up and have the ceremony.

If you have questions, please email Mr. Woodworth or Tiffany Cholez.

Thanks!

Booster meeting Tuesday

There will be a booster meeting Tuesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. in the HRHS Orchestra room.  We will be discussing all the upcoming events for the next few weeks, as well as open board positions for next year.  Your booster board needs YOU; come find out how we can both benefit!

Orchestra scholarship announced

Hello all,

Here is the scholarship information Mr. Woodworth passed out in class.  The deadline is March 30 so don't delay!   As usual, please email Mr. Woodworth if you have questions.

Thanks, and good luck!

Booster meeting Tuesday

The boosters will be meeting this Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. in the HRHS Orchestra room.  If you are a parent or guardian, you are a booster!  It's not just the board members; we need everyone's help and input!
We will be discussing the upcoming concerts, end-of-year banquet, and next year's board member positions.  If you haven't attended a meeting, I highly encourage you to come.  We still need a lot of help to finish off this year with a bang!  It's been a great year, and we want to keep the momentum going. 
Also, have you been using your King Sooper cards?  This is the easiest way to contribute to your child's student fees.  They can also be used all summer to add to next year's fees.  Don't forget them!  If you don't have one yet, contact Deb, and she'll get you set up.

Solo and Ensemble Festival registration open

It’s Solo and Ensemble Festival time again! This will be the 26th annual DCSD Solo and Ensemble Festival. The festival will be Saturday, March 10  (approx. 8:00 a.m. to noon) at Legend High School. As in the past, all entries are completed, and paid for, online. You can access the website at DCSDfestival.org.

If you are new to Douglas County, you can find out all about the Solo and Ensemble Festival at DCSDfestival.org.

PLEASE encourage your students to participate in this wonderful performance opportunity, and don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Woodworth or Mike Snell, Festival  Manager, if you have questions.

Free concert tickets

The Denver Young Artist Orchestra is doing a side-by-side concert with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and they are giving out free tickets. The concert will be Tuesday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th St, Denver, CO 80202. The program will include J. Strauss: Death & Transfiguration, Sibelius: Finlandia, and Liszt: Les Préludes.  If you are interested in receiving free tickets to this event, please go here.