May 7, 2021

Guard, Union Bands, 6th Grade Band, 7th Grade Band, 8th Grade Band, Parents, Middle School Bands, Weekly Beat Middle School

Weekly Beat Middle School Edition May 7

May 7, 2021

Union Band Parents Club

Guard, Union Bands, 6th Grade Band, 7th Grade Band, 8th Grade Band, Parents, Middle School Bands, Weekly Beat Middle School

In more ways than one, it feels like we are in the homestretch! As we head into the final weeks of school, it is natural to reflect on the challenges and successes your child has encountered this year. Granted, there may have been more challenges than successes, but both provide for important learning lessons. You may be asking yourself whether they should continue their music study next year. You child may have even expressed a desire to “try something new” — sometimes, as parents, we are tempted to give in.

Before making a final decision, consider this…

Over the years, we have talked to many adults who played an instrument as a child, and more often than not, they say that they wish that their parents had not allowed them to quit. Looking back, they see that they missed out on an opportunity to belong to a group, develop a talent, express themselves creatively, develop grit, and so much more!

Even in the midst of a pandemic, your child has been a part of something wonderful this year. And the good news is that it doesn’t stop here! Dedication and hard work breed passionate young people — wonderful young men and women who go on to do great things in life because they were part of something bigger than themselves. They are now one year closer to speaking this new language… one year closer to making beautiful sounds… one year closer to self-expression… one year closer to new friends and experiences. They are ONE YEAR CLOSER!

It may not be easy to see right now, but we promise you: the best is yet to come!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if we can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Your Union Bands Faculty

Current Individual Fundraisers

More info about these Fundraisers can be found HERE

World’s Finest Chocolate - Now Available for In School Pickup
Beef Jerky - Now Available for In School Pickup
Shop with Scrips
Print Happy

OneOK Field Concessions

Come work the concession stand at OneOK field for a Drillers, FC Soccer, or Bedlam Baseball Event in the first half of May and earn money for your student’s band/guard account! Find more details HERE.

Login to Charms

It’s a great time of year to login to Charms and make sure your information is all up to date!

Macy’s Payment Due

The next Macy's Fee is Due By May 15. Please log into CHARMS and check your account balance.

REMIND

Learn more about how to sign up for important Remind messages here!

UHS CONCERT BANDS PERFORMANCES: CONCERT BAND, SYMPHONIC BAND, SYMPHONIC WINDS & WIND ENSEMBLE

MONDAY, MAY 10, 2021
6:30 PM 9:00 PM

UHS CHAMBER WINDS CONCERT

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021
6:30 PM 8:30 PM

UHS JAZZ ENSEMBLES IN CONCERT

MONDAY, MAY 17, 2021
7:00 PM 8:00 PM

UBPC GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: ANNUAL REPORT & WELCOME NEW BOARD

TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021
7:00 PM 8:00 PM

UHS SOLO FESTIVAL

TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021
4:00 PM 7:00 PM

UHS JAZZ ENSEMBLE #1 PERFORMS AT 'RAGGAEBASH' EVENT

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021
6:30 PM 7:00 PM

RR SPRING TRAINING

TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2021
4:30 PM 7:30 PM

RR SPRING TRAINING

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
9:00 AM 1:00 PM

RR SPRING TRAINING

THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021
9:00 AM 1:00 PM

April 29, 2021

Union Band Parents Club

Guard, Union Bands, 6th Grade Band, 7th Grade Band, 8th Grade Band, Parents, Middle School Bands, Weekly Beat Middle School

Weekly Beat | Middle School | Edition April 29

April 29, 2021

Union Band Parents Club

Guard, Union Bands, 6th Grade Band, 7th Grade Band, 8th Grade Band, Parents, Middle School Bands, Weekly Beat Middle School

Get Your Physical, Be Ready for Marching Band

A valid physical form turned in to the school is required for participation in extra curricular activities including marching band. The Union Athletic Department hosts a “Physical Night” to help Union students take care of this requirement. UBPC Board Members will be on site to assist you in the process. This is a shared event for all Union sports, so get there early if possible.

7TH GRADE BANDS SPRING CONCERT

MONDAY, MAY 3, 2021
6:00 PM 8:00 PM
UNION PAC (MAP)

Doors Open 5:45pm

PERCUSSION SHOWCASE CONCERT

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021
7:00 PM 9:00 PM
UPAC (MAP)

WHAT: 14th-Annual Union Percussion Spring Showcase Concert
WHERE: UPAC @ Union High School
ADMISSION: Free to the Public

Union Public Schools percussion students from band classes in grades 6-12 will present the 13th-Annual Union Percussion Spring Showcase Concert. This enriching program will include musical performances using snare drums, timpani, marimbas, bells, xylophones, ethnic drums, cymbals, bass drums, shakers and a multiplicity of other percussion instruments, as well as some items the audience might not have previously considered to be instruments! A highlight of the program will be the closing piece, combining nearly 90 Union percussionists at all levels for an exciting finale!

The new competitive marching uniform debuted at the 8th grade concert last week. The Renegade Regiment will be fitted to wear this uniform in the fall of this year, and the entire world can see it in the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, November 25, 2021!

Thank you to the voters who passed the bond used to pay for these stylish new uniforms; the old ones were beginning to show their age (10 years old!). And thank you to Lead Drum Major, Emma Plunkett for being our model!

"Its Time to get started"

If you weren’t able to attend the intro meeting that’s ok. We’re meeting this Saturday, May 1 under the visitors bleachers of Tuttle Stadium (East Side) to clean up the white chairs from last year’s show. And we will start building props for the Fall 2021 marching show on May 11. We get great sneak peeks into the show, front row, field access to the action, and lots of interaction with the students during some awesome moments like coming out of the tunnel at a big contest. There is no experience necessary, and if you can hold a paint brush, we can definitely use your talents. If you have any questions please send an email to propertymanager@unionbands.com

Jason Myers, Property Manager, UBPC

Funding and Bonds and Money, OH MY!

Public school funding has been in the news a lot lately here in Oklahoma. As parents of public-school students, this issue is near and dear to our hearts, right? We are also in the process of finishing up a beautiful new stadium with a new band building being built next year, both of which will greatly benefit our band students!

But these big projects raise big questions. How can we afford to build a stadium when the salaries of Oklahoma teachers are among the lowest in the region/nation or classrooms go without important supplies? If state funding is at risk, shouldn’t this money be used to hire teachers or purchase classroom supplies?

To help answer these questions, it is important to note that our district has two types of funding:

1. State School Funding: At Union Public Schools, we are so lucky that much of our state funding goes to teacher salaries. Union does a great job maximizing that state funding to pay more people to work hard and care for our students. This money comes from local and state revenue as well as federal funds for some student populations. For many school districts, this money is used to pay teachers, aids, and administration, as well as supplies such as paper, books and chairs, property items such as new buildings, any and all repairs, new roofs and air conditioners. As you can imagine this money does not go too far. If you get excited about policy discussions, there is some great information on the Oklahoma state funding formula here: https://okpolicy.org/resources/online-budget-guide/expenditures/state-government-expenditures/state-spending-and-services/assessing-our-educational-accomplishments/education-agencies-and-services/

2. Bond Issues: Union Public Schools regularly asks voters to pass bond issues to fund improvements and projects and large purchases. Without these bond issues, all repairs, updates, upgrades, and new construction would have to come out of the state funding, thus eliminating funds for Union’s most important assets: the teaching staff. It is important to note that Bond money cannot pay for staff, teachers, or many other things, so using that money to pay for improvements and projects allows the district to maximize the state funding for those purposes. Bond purchases are items that are meant to last for a minimum of 5 years. Union Public Schools passed its latest bond issue in February of 2018. The stadium construction and new band building are part of that bond, but other things paid for by that bond include band instruments, equipment, and uniforms (marching, concert, and pre-season guard), a greenhouse, new PAC audio, the Union Innovation lab, devices for every student K-12, a new secure entrance for the Collegiate Academy at the High School, and a myriad of projects at other school sites! More information on current Union Bond Project Progress can be found here: https://www.unionps.org/BondProgress2020

You may be left wondering, where does UBPC fit into all of this? Union Band Parents Club is a sanctioned organization through Union Public Schools. We are a booster club, but we are also a 501c3, incorporated and we have a Board of Directors at the helm of all our financial decisions. We do not receive any of Union’s state funding, nor do we receive any bond money to spend. Our role is to fill the gaps between those things. For instance, it would be impossible for our district to fully pay for a competitive marching band that travels and competes at the national level. UBPC fills that gap. We establish a responsible budget in cooperation with the teaching staff, work with families to fundraise, and help in any other way we can! This allows the district to focus on providing a world-class teaching staff, while the bond issues provide us with new uniforms every 10 years or so, as well as state of the art facilities!

If you fell asleep reading this, no worries: it is a lot to digest and understand! If you managed to read all of this and are left with questions, please email president@unionbands.com and I will do my best to answer them!

Current Individual Fundraisers

More info about these Fundraisers can be found HERE

World’s Finest Chocolate - Now Available for In School Pickup
Beef Jerky - Now Available for In School Pickup
Shop with Scrips
Print Happy

OneOK Field Concessions

Come work the concession stand at OneOK field for the Tulsa FC Soccer Game Saturday, May 1 or a Drillers or Bedlam Baseball Event in the first half of May and earn money for your student’s band/guard account! Find more details HERE.

Darryl Starbird Car Show

Come work concessions at the Darryl Starbird Car Show on Friday, April 30, Saturday, May 1, or Sunday, May 2 and earn money for your student’s band/guard account. Find more information HERE.

Login to Charms

It’s a great time of year to login to Charms and make sure your information is all up to date!

Macy’s Payment Due

The next Macy's Fee is Due By April 15. Please log into CHARMS and check your account balance.

REMIND

Learn more about how to sign up for important Remind messages here!

UHS GUARD FRIENDS AND FAMILY CELEBRATION

TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2021
7:30 PM 8:30 PM

PERCUSSION SHOWCASE CONCERT

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021
7:00 PM 8:45 PM

UHS CONCERT BANDS PERFORMANCES: CONCERT BAND, SYMPHONIC BAND, SYMPHONIC WINDS & WIND ENSEMBLE

MONDAY, MAY 10, 2021
6:30 PM 9:00 PM

2021 UHS BAND & GUARD AWARDS BANQUET

FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021
7:30 PM 10:00 PM

UHS JAZZ ENSEMBLES IN CONCERT

MONDAY, MAY 17, 2021
7:00 PM 8:00 PM

UBPC GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: ANNUAL REPORT & WELCOME NEW BOARD

TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021
7:00 PM 8:00 PM

UHS SOLO FESTIVAL

TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021
4:00 PM 7:00 PM

UHS CHAMBER WINDS CONCERT

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021
7:00 PM 8:30 PM

UHS JAZZ ENSEMBLE #1 PERFORMS AT 'RAGGAEBASH' EVENT

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021
6:30 PM 7:00 PM

RR SPRING TRAINING

TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2021
4:30 PM 7:30 PM

RR SPRING TRAINING

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021
9:00 AM 1:00 PM

RR SPRING TRAINING

THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021
9:00 AM 1:00 PM

April 21, 2021

Union Band Parents Club

Parents, 6th Grade Band, 7th Grade Band, 8th Grade Band, Middle School Bands, Weekly Beat Middle School

Weekly Beat | Middle School Edition | April 22

April 21, 2021

Union Band Parents Club

Parents, 6th Grade Band, 7th Grade Band, 8th Grade Band, Middle School Bands, Weekly Beat Middle School

Your child has enjoyed remarkable growth in their musical skills. They have beamed with pride at the conclusion of each performance. They are eager to show off the newest note, the newest song, the newest rhythm they learned in rehearsal.

But lately, you may noticed a change in attitude when it comes to participating in music. And, after a little digging, you’ve come to find out that it’s not the instrument, not the director, not the music…it’s their peers.

Some of their friends have used the worst four-letter-word in music. They have friends who are going to QUIT.

It’s a surprise to few parents that the social aspect of middle school can be tough for even the most self-aware, secure child. Many students begin their adventure in music because their friends are trying it too — and that’s perfectly fine! But once the “quit” word starts getting thrown around in a social group, it can spread faster than a wildfire. Young kids can be easily moved by peer pressure, if their views about music and performing an instrument are grounded in extrinsic motivators.

But YOU know how important music and the arts are. So, what can you do in this situation?

Be willing to take that option off the table.
Kids are smart, and they’re good at finding chinks in your armor. If they figure out that they can get out of music, they can be likely to take that option when peer pressure mounts, or when the going gets tough. If, however, they know from the start that quitting music is a non-starter, they can be removed from the changing whims of social groups. Sure, there might be some pushback, but in the end they will respect you and feel much more secure if the plan from the start is that music is here to stay.

Reach out to us.
We are here to help. If you sense a change in your child’s feelings about music, please let us know. You know your child best, and recognizing the change early can make the difference. This partnership in your child’s music education can be a powerful factor in determining their trajectory. There are many ways we can address this challenge, and the early warning improves their effectiveness. Please know that it’s not too late to re-enroll your student back into band if they have already selected a different elective for next school year; we can help you with this – just let us know.

There can be legitimate, healthy reasons for a child to leave our music program. In most cases, however, students need help seeing the investment they are making in a long-term activity. We’re here, ready to partner with you to make your child’s experience the best it can be!

The Union Bands Teaching Team

Resource Night

Thursday, April 22, 8:30p - 9:15p in the High School Bus Loop. More details HERE.

"Its Time to get started"

We are starting to work on next year’s props for the Renegade Regiment Competitive Marching Show, and we’re in need of your help. If you are interested or want to learn about helping building, setting up, and pushing the props on and off of the field for contests and Friday Nights, our first meeting will be Tuesday, April 27th, at 6 pm on the visitor side of the stadium. We get great sneak peeks into the show, front row, field access to the action, and lots of interaction with the students during some awesome moments like coming out of th tunnel at a big contest. There is no experience necessary, and if you can hold a paint brush, we can definitely use your talents. If you have any questions please send an email to propertymanager@unionbands.com

See you Next week,

Jason Myers, Property Manager, UBPC

New Popcornopolis Fundraiser

Orders and money are due TONIGHT. More info HERE

Current Individual Fundraisers

More info about these Fundraisers can be found HERE

World’s Finest Chocolate - Now Available for In School Pickup
Beef Jerky - Now Available for In School Pickup
Shop with Scrips
Print Happy

Tuttle Concessions Volunteers - April 23

Help us staff concessions during the Tulsa Signature Symphony Performance at Tuttle Stadium and earn money for your student’s band/guard account! Details can be found HERE.

Tulsa FC Soccer

Come work the concession stand at OneOK field for the Tulsa FC Soccer Game Saturday, May 1 and earn money for your student’s band/guard account! Find more details HERE.

Darryl Starbird Car Show

Come work concessions at the Darryl Starbird Car Show on Friday, April 30, Saturday, May 1, or Sunday, May 2 and earn money for your student’s band/guard account. Find more information HERE.

Login to Charms

It’s a great time of year to login to Charms and make sure your information is all up to date!

Macy’s Payment Due

The next Macy's Fee was due April 15. Please log into CHARMS and check your account balance.

Helpers Needed!

We need parent volunteers to help us feed and water the band and tear down rehearsal and performance equipment on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings (April 21, 22, and 23) leading up to the Signature Symphony Concert. This is a great way to get behind the scenes and help out the high school band/guard students! Sign Up to help HERE!