newsletter
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Weekly Newsletter - SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Sent 9/15/2024, 4:15 PM.

Thanks, once again, to all the parents that volunteered this week at the football game.  It was another great week, and the kids did well.

TODAY is the last day to register for Spring Trip - get yours in by midnight tonight!

Here is what I have this week...

What's in this newsletter?

Here's what I have for you all this week:

• Spring Trip Commitment - Spring trip commitment deadline is TODAY!  You need to register and pay the $250 non-refundable commitment fee by midnight tonight!

• Student Accounts - I know there is some confusion around the way Cut Time is presenting financial information - read below on some tips

• NAU Trip Update - An update on our planned trip to NAU in October

• Volunteer Opportunities - take a look and consider grabbing a slot on any of our open signups

• And a word from Mr. Sayre - make sure to read through this, as always

This week in band...

Monday 9/16

• 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Woodwind/Brass Sectionals

Tuesday 9/17

• 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Tuesday Rehearsal

• ALL DAY - Mario's Pizza Restaurant Night - see the Restaurant Nights page for flyer and details

Wednesday 9/18

• 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Color Guard Sectional

Thursday 9/19

• 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Percussion Sectionals

Saturday 9/21

• Football Game vs. Volcano Vista @ Wilson Stadium - 8:30 AM Report Time - full uniform (bibs, marching shoes, black socks), plus we'll be taking a group picture at school before the game for our sponsors

Now on to the details...

Spring Trip Commitment

Spring trip commitment season is only open for TODAY.  If you plan to attend spring trip, please pay the $250 non-refundable commitment fee at the link below by midnight tonigth!

Spring Trip Commitment Link: https://ehsband-spring-trip-registration.cheddarup.com 

All the details are on the Spring Trip 2025 page.  If you have any specific spring trip questions, you can contact our trip coordinator JP at springtrip@eldorado.band.  If you are having issues with the payment system, please contact president@eldorado.band.

Student Accounts

Student accounts in Cut Time have been assigned all appropriate fees - including the remaining Spring Trip balance for those students that have committed to attending.  I have a couple of tips and notes regarding paying fees in Cut Time:

• Cut Time automatically charges card processing fees - we do not have the capability to turn this off.  While we prefer payment in Cut Time, as it simplifies the process and ensures the correct amount is assigned to the correct account, we understand that you may opt to pay by check to avoid those processing fees (NO CASH PAYMENTS PLEASE).  Should you decide to do so, please make sure you make the check out to Eldorado Band Boosters, and please denote somewhere the student name and that it is for their student account, and either drop it in the gray safe next to Mr. Sayre's office, or mail to us at:
  
  Eldorado Band Boosters
  PO Box 14424
  Albuquerque, NM 87191-4424

• In your Cut Time view, there are 4 sections with financial data provided for you.  I want to cover what information each of these provide, and hopefully remove any confusion:

  • Financial Summary - shows totals - total costs, total payments to date, and most importantly, the amount you still owe on the account.  If you are wondering if you have a balance on the account, this section is where you should look

  • Transaction Summary - because of the way Cut Time applies payments to costs (by due date) and the order of the due dates we put on the various costs to ensure the most important costs are paid first, this view can be a bit confusing.  It shows a running total of costs and payments.  So often, it will show "due" or "overpaid" on a cost because of where in the due date it shows up.  I would advise not really using this section, unless you are comfortable with the way it is conveying information.  The other sections provide all the detail you really need.

  • Costs - this is a break down of all the individual costs applied to the student account, and sums up to the total costs in the Financial Summary section

  • Payments - this is a list of all payments made to the student account - these are also summed up in the Financial Summary section.

• Cut Time also provides the opportunity to "Share" the costs on the student account.  You can use this capability to ask family or friends to help with band fees.

I know this system is new, and we are all learning it at the same time, so at any time, if you have any questions regarding the financials of your student account, please let us know.

NAU Trip Update

We had planned to go to a band competition at NAU the weekend of October 26-27.  Due to a scheduling/licensing mixup, we are not able to go to that competition at NAU.  We are instead making arrangements to go to a competition in Phoenix to replace that trip.  The trip will be the same weekend, and there will be no additional cost to the students to make these changes.

If you have any questions about this, please let us know.

Volunteer Opportunities

Here are the current active signups available.  You can also always see any open volunteering opportunities on the Volunteering page.

• Hydration Volunteers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080F4BA4AD23A4FE3-50748878-hydration#/ 

• Football Game Chaperones: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D48ADAA2DA1FB6-football#/ (UNSUPERVISED CLEARANCE REQUIRED)

• Spirit Wear Sales Help: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D48ADAA2DA1FB6-51080557-spirit#/ 

Have a great week!

Go Eagles!

JD

Now, a word from Mr. Sayre...

Hello Eagle Band!

Our second game is done and even though our team wasn’t victorious you were outstanding in your support and performances.  We still have a long way to go to be ready for October so keep up the great work.  We have gotten into a nice routine with our rehearsals this week.  Let's keep up the great work!

A few items for this week:

Saturday Game: Call time is 8:30 AM.  We will unveil our new performance shirt and take some promotional photos to which you will need to wear your bibbers, marching shoes, and black socks.  

Allstate Test Due Friday: Look in Google Classroom for what each instrument needs to turn in.  Color guard does not need to turn this in.  

Eagle Band Accolades for this week:

Most Improved Student: Leah Benevidez in Color Guard

Outstanding Student: Macyn Steeves in the Clarinet section.

Outstanding Section: Low Reeds! 

Keep up the great work!

Go Eagles!

Mr. Sayre