newsletter
AUGUST 9, 2026

Weekly Newsletter - august 9, 2026

Sent 8/9/2026, 7:00 PM.

I hope everyone is settling in to the new year.  The season is just getting started - it's gonna be a fun ride.

Our fundraising campaigns wrap up this week!  We have a great week, thanks to some generous donors, and we are now sitting at ~$35,000 - which is great!  But we still need about $10,000 to meet our goal.  Please get the word out this week and let's get as close to that goal as possible - all the details are below.

I have some IMPORTANT uniform news, so please make sure you read through that below.

Also, if you are chaperoning, or thinking of chaperoning this year, we have an important orientation meeting this week - again, details are below.

Plus, spring trip registration is open, our supply donation wishlist still needs help, and volunteer signups are going live soon for some upcoming events.

ALOT going on - and it's only the first full week of school.

Let's get into it.

What's in this newsletter?

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

• Summer Fundraising Campaign - the deadline for donations to count toward shared costs is this week!  PLEASE get the word out for donations.

• Important Uniform Update - we've hit a bit of a uniform snafu, so please read this to know if you need to take action

• Chaperone Meeting - We'll be holding a chaperone training meeting this week for anyone planning to chaperone this year

• Spring Trip Registration - Spring Trip registration is officially open - get registered today!

• Supply Donations - we've setup an Amazon wishlist of supplies the band program needs this year, if you are able to help out

• Volunteer Opportunities - We are trying a new signup method for our first few volunteer opportunities - check it out

• And a word from Mr. Sayre - always make time to read through this section

This week in band...

Monday 8/10

• 3:30 PM - Uniform Fixes/Shoe Resizing

• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM - Woodwind/Brass Sectionals

Tuesday 8/11

• 3:30 PM - Uniform Fixes/Shoe Resizing

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

Wednesday 8/12

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

Thursday 8/13

• 3:30 PM - Uniform Fixes/Shoe Resizing

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

• 6:00 PM - Chaperone Orientation Meeting - Details Below

Now on to the details...

Summer Fundraising Campaign

We are currently sitting at almost $35,000 for our summer fundraising.  The minimum we need to raise to keep the season affordable is $45,000 between Golden Boosters and Business Sponsorships combined, which means we still need to raise another $10,000.

This fundraiser benefits everyone in the band, so it takes everyone to do their part to help us get there.  We have our website pages, Business Sponsor letter, and social media posts that you can use to get the word out to family, friends, etc.  Every little bit adds up to help us get there.  Huge thanks to everyone that has donated so far!  

Here are all the details:

Golden Boosters - all the details, including the link to donate, is located on our Golden Boosters page.

Business Sponsorships - if you are looking to sponsor, or know a business that may be interested in sponsoring the band this year, all the details are on the Sponsorships page.  There is also a link to a letter from the boosters you can take or send to businesses that may be interested explaining how sponsorships work that is available on that page (I've also linked it here for your convenience)
Business Sponsorship Letter 

Sponsorships must be submitted by August 15th.  Additionally, August 15th is when we will be setting the shared costs for families, so any Golden Booster donations need to be made by that date in order for them to count toward that process.  After that date, we will have to finalize our operating budget for the year and set the shared costs charged to student accounts.

Important Uniform Update

Uniform Fixes This Week!

We've had to change shoe vendors unexpectedly, so anyone who were just fitted for shoes during band camp needs to be resized for the new vendor.  Also, any students whose shoes are not fitting should be sized as well.

We will be holding time to deal with this during this week on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday before sectionals.  All Freshmen and Students who do not have fitting shoes please come see Mrs. Van Note outside PAC. Students who still need a uniform or resizing can see her at this time too. 

Spring Trip Registration

Spring Trip registration is officially open!  We're going to San Antonio, TX this year, and it's shaping up to be a great trip.

You can get all the details, plus a link to the registration, on the Spring Trip 2027 page.  

If you have any questions, you can contact our trip coordinator JP at trips@eldorado.band. 

Chaperone Meeting

A Chaperone Orientation meeting will be held this Thursday, August 13th at 6pm hosted at the Cruver's home. This is not mandatory but highly recommended. There will be a brief social time from 6-6:30pm. The informational portion of the meeting will begin at 6:30pm. We will go over expectations of chaperone duties and the chaperone bags. Appetizers and soft drinks will be provided. This is a great chance to get to know the other parent volunteers and be ready for the start of a busy band season. 

If you are on our list as a potential chaperone, you should have received an email from our secretary this week with more details.  If you did not receive that invitation, and you would like to attend but didn't get a chance to sign up at one of the previous events please email Shelby at secretary@eldorado.band. 

Supply Donations

Every year we have to cleanup our chaperone backpacks and resupply them.  We also have various other supplies that the band program needs throughout the year.  We have setup an Amazon wishlist containing these items.  If you are able to help out with any donations, please take a look at the list and consider purchasing one or more if these supplies for us - there are still plenty of options left.  You can view the wishlist at the link below:

• Supply Donation Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/24941Z2QFY9TB?ref_=wl_share 

Volunteer Opportunities

We are trying out a new signup mechanism that exists within our Cut Time ecosystem.  It allows you to signup for volunteering at events within the same place as you get your announcements, finances, etc.  We want to try it with the first few signups of the year to see how it works for us, so look for those to be available very soon for some of our upcoming August events.

And a friendly reminder that if you want to volunteer at any time this year, please get your background clearance started now so you are ready to go.  It's easy - all the details are on the How To Volunteer page.

Go Eagles!

JD

a word from Mr. Sayre...

Greetings Eagles!

What a great first day of band on Friday! It was great to see so many students ready to play and on the field before 7:30 AM. Thank you for your dedication and for helping us have such a strong first rehearsal.

Next week is a FULL week of fun, and we are officially getting ready for our first performance! Our first football game is Friday, August 21st against La Cueva.

This Week at a Glance

• Monday: Sectionals after school with section leaders, 3:30–4:30 PM

• Tuesday: After-school marching band rehearsal - bring your LARGE water bottle!

• Wednesday: Color Guard Class after school

• Thursday: Percussion Class after school

• Friday: 1st Movement Memorization Test Due

Events Coming Up

• Friday, August 21 – First Football Game vs. La Cueva
  Our first performance of the season!

• Saturday, August 22 – March-A-Thon
  The March-A-Thon is a required performance for all band members.

• Monday, August 24 – First Spirit Assembly
  The band will perform at our first Spirit Assembly of the school year.

Permission Forms

Permission forms will be sent out this week. These need to be completed and turned in ASAP. We need a permission form on file for every member of the band.

You can also find all of our upcoming band events on our website under the calendar tab:

https://www.eldorado.band/Calendar 

Uniforms

If you have not yet been fitted for your uniform or marching shoes, please meet with Mrs. Van Note on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday after school before sectionals.

All freshmen and students who do not yet have properly fitted marching shoes should see Mrs. Van Note outside the PAC.

Students who still need a uniform or need a uniform resized can also see Mrs. Van Note during these times.

Let's keep building on the great start we had Friday. We have a lot coming up quickly, so stay organized, stay hydrated, and come prepared to work.

Go Eagles!

Mr. Sayre