Week of March 15

I hope everyone has had a great spring break, whether you were off making memories somewhere, or staying close to home for some quiet time. We opted for the latter, and it has been so nice to just chill at home and get adjusted to Daylight Savings Time.

We've also be working our way through an entire flat of strawberries from the fundraiser. Our favorite recipe so far? This strawberry salsa. It's AMAZING.

 

Schedule this week

Monday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Tuesday
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM

Wednesday
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM 

Thursday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM
Booster Meeting 6:30 PM 

Friday
WG WGI @ Atlanta
MJW 4:30 - 8:00 PM

Saturday 
WG WGI @ Atlanta
MJW SCGC @ Athens, AL

Booster Meeting

We have a booster meeting this Thursday. We will begin taking nominations for next year's booster board.

Nominations will be made online via a Google form. We will have QR codes for scanning available at the meeting and a link will be posted in next week's blog post.

It is important to plan to attend the Monday, April 13 booster meeting as that will be when we vote for the new board. Votes must be made in person, so you must attend the meeting to vote.

Because all of the winter groups are traveling so much in April, the 13th was the best date to have everyone in town for the booster meeting. 

Raise365 Fundraiser

At the parent meeting before spring break, it was mentioned that the band will be participating in a texting fundraiser. The football team and ROTC have both utilized this fundraiser with big success. Mr. Cox would like ALL band students to participate in this fundraiser. 

The Raise365 fundraiser will be introduced to band students this Thursday. The official kickoff will be March 26, immediately after school. 

Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction

On April 3, the band will host it's annual Spaghetti Dinner & a Show along with a silent auction. This is one of our final big fundraisers to help get all of our winter groups to Dayton for WGI finals.

• Purchase and sell tickets to the Spaghetti Dinner. Each student is asked to sell at least 10 tickets. Save the graphic below to your computer to share on social media.
• If you work for a company willing to donate items, gift certificates, or gift cards to the silent auction, please reach out to our booster VP, Stephanie Hall at mjbogboostervp@gmail.com.
• Each winter group is being tasked with putting together a basket for the auction. More info to come on that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CoC Video Update

Unfortunately, we have not had great communication from Box5, the company that provides the videos from the Contest of Champions. As it is now March, and way past when the videos were expected to be in our hands, the board has decided to take a different action.

The good news is, over spring break, the board agreed to purchase and download the videos (AA prelims and all finals) ourselves and put them on thumb drives. 

• This makes the videos MUCH less expensive. The board will discuss options to offer for over payment. The options will be announced at Thursday's booster meeting.
• We will have thumb drives available to hand out to those who purchased the videos at Thursday's booster meeting. If you are unable to attend, the thumb drive will be left in the blue basket in Mr. Cox's office for your student to pick up.
• If your student is not in the winter program, the thumb drive will be available for your student to pick up in the blue basket in Mr. Cox's office this week.

Upcoming Events

• April 2 - MJHS & WWMS combined concert
• April 3 - Spaghetti dinner & a show (including a silent auction)
• April 30 - May 2 - Orientation Camp 
• Date TBD - Safety Day (more info to come)
• May 23 - Band Car Wash and Yard Sale at WWMS

 

 

 

Week of March 1

There is cause to celebrate this weekend! All 3 of our winter groups competed in WGI regionals yesterday and all 3 groups did exceptionally well! Winds and Percussion placed first in their groups and Guard placed 2nd, missing first place by just 0.6 points! What amazing groups of kids! It's so nice to see all of their hours of hard work pay off.

The next round of dues ($250) to be turned in is this coming Thursday, March 5. After that point, only $250 of the $1500 is left. The final $250 can be waived with 25 volunteer hours with the band in the winter season. ALL volunteer hours must be tracked on the Volunteer Tracking Form so that we have a record of volunteer work. 

It is imperative that dues are paid promptly and kept up-to-date as the winter program relies heavily on dues payments. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule this week

Monday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM

Tuesday
CB 3:50 - 5:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Winter Parent Meeting - 7 PM 

Wednesday
CB 3:50 - 5:00 PM

Thursday
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
CPA - at White House Heritage High School 

Friday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:00 - 9:00 PM

Parent Meeting 

There is a VERY IMPORTANT meeting for all winter parents this Tuesday, March 3 at 7 PM to discuss funding the rest of the winter season. Meet in the band room. 

Fundraisers

• Strawberry sales concluded last week. Strawberries are expected to arrive Wednesday for pickup. We will communicate a pickup time when we have one.
• The February Calendar fundraiser has come to an end. Please turn in money raised this week prior to spring break so that we can get amounts added to student accounts. If your student filled out the entire calendar (bonus days not required) they will be invited to an ice cream party - those calendars can be turned into the white box in Mr. Cox's office.
• The first round of yard signs have arrived and they are CUTE! The next round of yard signs will be ordered next weekend. Place your order here. 

Parent Chaperones

The concert band travels to White House, TN this Thursday for CPA. We are still searching for a couple of chaperones to go with the band. Meet in the band room at 12:45 PM and the band is expected to return at 7 PM. Having attended the CPA clinic last week, I can tell you it is a good show to hear! Sign Up Genius

Band Swag

The Winter Guard have 3 more big competitions this year, and the Winter Winds and Winter Percussion have 2 more big competitions. Be sure you've ordered your band swag to support your group! It also makes it easier for the kids to find you in the crowd. A small portion of each swag sale goes to the band.

Upcoming Events

• April 2 - MJHS & WWMS combined concert
• April 3 - Spaghetti dinner & a show (including a silent auction)

 

 

 

 

 

Week of February 22

I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend off from competitions! It's a great time to be pushing these February fundraisers that are almost due!

The next dues payment date is March 5 for $250. Up to this point you should have paid $1000.

Schedule this week

Monday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
Honor Band

Tuesday
Honor Band

Wednesday
Strawberry orders due

Thursday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM

Friday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:00 - 9:00 PM
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM 

Saturday
MJW & WDL at BJHS
WG at GHHS 

Honor Band

Honor Band has been rescheduled to this coming Monday and Tuesday (it was originally mean to happen during the ice storm in January).

Monday: Rehearsal from 6:00 - 8:30 PM at Lebanon High School

Tuesday: Rehearsal begins at 9:30 AM at Lebanon High School. Rehearsal is all day, ending with a concert for parents at 6:30 PM in the LHS auditorium. Lunch and dinner are provided for students.

Tickets are $7 and can be purchased online ahead of time on GoFans. 

February Fundraisers

Strawberries: Strawberry orders are due this Wednesday, February 25. Strawberries are expected to arrive March 4. Let's give this fundraiser one last big push!! Order must be submitted online here.

Calendar: The February Calendar is approaching the end of the month. Be sure to turn in calendars and money raised before spring break. Students who fill in the entire calendar (does not have to include the bonus days) will be invited to an ice cream party (TBD). 

Yard Signs: The first round of yard signs are being ordered! If you missed out, don't worry, we will be ordering them every 2 weeks so get your orders in. We have BOG signs AND senior signs.

Parent Chaperones

We need 2 parent chaperones on Thursday, March 5 when the concert band travels to White House, TN for CPA. Time is 12:45 - 7:00 PM. Please sign up if you are available to chaperone.

Volunteer Hours

Please be sure you are logging your volunteer hours. Without logging your hours, we do not have a way to track your time. Parents who volunteer 25 do not have to pay the final $250 in dues in April. EVERYONE must log hours.

 

 

 

 

Week of February 15

Congratulations to all of our winter groups for placing 1st in their groups at Wilson Central High School over the weekend! These kids work hard, and it shows in their performances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule this week

Monday
WDL 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Wednesday 
CB 3:50 - 5:00 PM

Thursday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM

Friday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:00 - 9:00 PM
MJW 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Saturday 
WG 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
MJW 3:00 - 9:00 PM

Parent Chaperones

We are in need of 2 parent chaperones this Friday and on March 5. Details are on the sign up genius for each date. It is during the school day so we are struggling to find volunteers. If you are available, please consider signing up.

Fundraisers

• Our Calendar Fundraiser is going strong! 100% proceeds go back to the student.

• The Strawberry Fundraiser has begun. 75% of profits go back to the student. Please sale, sale, sale!

You can find all the information you need about these fundraisers here.

• We have also kicked off our Yard Sign Fundraiser!
• Visit the Google Form to see the 2 versions of yard signs we have available. 
• The first order for yard signs will be placed this coming Friday, February 20. After that, we will be placing orders every 2 weeks. 

Swag Shop

ALL winter group tshirts are now in the swag shop! A small portion of sales come back to the band, so please purchase a tshirt to support your winter group. Plus it makes it easier to recognize our groups in the stands!

Can Donations

I don't know if you noticed our Aluminum can cage next to the dumpsters recently, but it was overflowing. Thank you everyone for dropping off your cans with us! And thank you Amanda H. for arranging to take them to the recycling center. We raised almost $400! Keep those cans coming!

Please be sure to take cans out of bags before placing in the cage.

BOG Booster Board

At our next board meeting, March 19, we will begin asking for Booster Board nominations for the next school year. In April, we will vote for the next booster board.

You can find job descriptions for all of the board positions on the band website. 

The boosters is 100% run by band parents. You are just as important to the band as your student. If you are passionate about the band program and making sure it is successful, please consider joining the board next school year. 

If you don't think you can commit to a board position, we also have multiple committees such as the uniform committee, fundraising committee, prop construction, tote-n-tow, chaperone committee, meal committee, event planning committee, and concessions committee where you might find your fit. 

 

 

Week of February 8

A huge congratulations to all of our winter groups!! Everyone survived and thrived in their first winter competition. Percussion placed 1st, Winds placed 2nd, and Guard placed 1st!

We are all gearing up to head to Wilson Central High School next Saturday for our next round of competitions. 

DUES: Everyone in the winter groups should now have paid $1000 towards dues. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule this week

Monday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM 

Tuesday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM

Wednesday
CB 3:50 - 5:00 PM 

Thursday
Parent/Teacher Conferences 

Friday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:00 - 9:00 PM
MJW 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Saturday 
Wilson Central Competition

Fundraisers

• Our Calendar Fundraiser is going strong! 100% proceeds go back to the student.

• The Strawberry Fundraiser has begun. 75% of profits go back to the student. Please sale, sale, sale!

You can find all the information you need about these fundraisers here.

• We just kicked off our Yard Sign Fundraiser at the booster meeting last week!
• Visit the Google Form to see the 2 versions of yard signs we have available. 
• The first order for yard signs will be placed February 20. After that, we will be placing orders every 2 weeks. 

2027 Disney Trip Information

If you missed the parent meeting on Thursday, Mr. Cox discussed the band going to Disney World for spring break in 2027. The following calendar was shared. Please be aware this is a tentative calendar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can find general information about the band's trips to Disney here.

Fill out the interest form here.

Pay the $50 deposit here. (This can also be paid via check.)

Another meeting regarding the trip will be held in May. 

Swag Shop

Winter Guard and Winter Winds shirts can be purchased in the Swag Shop! A small part of each sale goes back to the band.

Winter Percussion shirts should be available soon! 

 

 

 

Week of February 1

How does it simultaneously feel like January lasted forever, and we already starting the second month of 2026???

All of our winter groups are gearing up for their first competition this coming Saturday at Green Hill High School. Best of luck to guard, percussion, and winds!!

Reminder: Next winter dues payment is due on February 5. 

 

 

 

 

Schedule this week

Monday (schedules may vary since no school)
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
MJW 2:00 - 6:00 PM

Tuesday
CB 3:50 - 5:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Josten's Rep 5:00 - 6:00 PM

Wednesday
MJW 4:30 - 6:30 PM

Thursday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
2027 Spring Break Trip Meeting 6:30 PM
Booster Meeting 7:00 PM 

Friday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:00 - 9:00 PM
MJW 4:30 - 7:30 PM

Saturday 
Green Hill High School Competition 

Fundraisers

We are kicking off 2 fundraisers this month to help students pay their band dues! Participation is never mandatory, but it is a great way to help with dues, and we strongly encourage students to try their best. 

• February Calendar Fundraiser - Click on the image to download and share on social media. We will hand out physical copies at the booster meeting on Thursday.
• Any student that fills out all dates on the calendar (does not have to include bonus days) will get to attend an ice cream party in celebration of their participation. Date TBD.
• The 14th and  16th are holidays, and we are asking to students to "double down" on those days and try to double the date's worth (i.e. $28 on the 14th and $32 on the 16th).
• Turn in calendar fundraising money by March 1 via check or givebacks. 
• Share online, take to church, text family members - this fundraiser is great because anyone anywhere can donate! 
• Filling out the basic calendar can earn students over $400 towards their dues! Filling out the entire calendar WITH bonus days can earn students over $800!!
• This calendar is separate from the drumline calendar - the drumline calendar funds will go to drumline for their trip to Dayton in April. Drumline students are welcome to participate with this calendar if they want to. 

 

• Strawberry Fundraiser - It is strawberry season! This is one of my favorite spring semester fundraisers. Click here to download the strawberry flyer. We will hand out physical copies at the booster meeting on Tuesday.

• All details about the fundraiser are on the flyer. We will have a digital version on Facebook soon that you can share.
• Orders are due FEBRUARY 25, and orders will arrive March 4th. All orders must be submitted online here.
• 75% of profits from strawberries goes back to the students. 
• Every large flat sold = $11.25 to the student
• Every half flat sold =  $7.50 to the student 

 

Week of January 25th

I hope everyone is staying warm, has power, and no damage from downed trees. This ice is no joke!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you are well aware, there is no school today or tomorrow and, according to Bart Barker's video on social media this morning, the rest of the week is looking pretty iffy as well.

The schedule this week is TBD. As far as I know, nothing is currently scheduled with these icy conditions. Your winter group instructor will let you know if any practices will occur.

Band Dues

At this point in the winter season, you should have paid $700 towards winter band dues. The next payment is due February 5. The dues schedule can be found here and is always linked in the blog sidebar. 

I cannot express enough how important it is to pay your band dues on time in order for the winter groups to be able to do all the things they have planned for the season. If your student is registered for winter band, those dues are accounted for in the budget for travel, uniforms, props, instructor fees, etc. If you are late to pay or don't pay, it hurts the entire program.

 

Swag Shop

Attention Winter Winds and Winter Guard parents!! 

Get your winter swag in the swag shop! 

Booster Board

In March, we will begin looking for nominations for the 2026-2027 Booster Board. In April, we will vote on these positions.

Board positions and job descriptions are listed on the band website.

We will also be looking for leaders for various committees that help the band run smoothly including chaperone, uniform, tote-n-tow, hospitality, and meal committees. 

If you are interested in joining the booster board and/or leading a committee, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. And know, we would love to have you!

The band would not function as it does without parent volunteers! You are vital this this program being successful! 

 

Upcoming Events

• Thursday, January 29 Rescheduled to February 5 - Parent Meeting at 6:30 PM to discuss 2027 Spring Break Trip 
• Tuesday, February 3 from 5:00 -6:00 PM - The Josten's rep will be back at the school for Letterman Jacket sizing and taking orders. Please plan to attend if this interests you. I know he can be hard to get a hold of via email, so this is a rare opportunity to speak with him in person. 
• Thursday, February 5 from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Booster Meeting
• Saturday, February 7 - All winter groups will compete at Green Hill High School 

 

 

 

  

Week of January 18

Thank you to everyone who went to Surcheros last week for our Spirit Night! Just in the short time I was there I saw teachers, band parents/students, and band alumni. It was a fun night, and the food was SO GOOD! 

There is a lot coming up as we begin the official Winter Season! We will host the first SCGC competition of the season at MJHS next Saturday! If you have not already, PLEASE sign up to volunteer your time that day, bring food for the hospitality room, and/or work concessions. 

In February, which is somehow already right around the corner, we will start our weekends of competitions for all of our winter groups. 

Schedule this week

Monday
WDL 9:00AM - 8:00 PM 

Tuesday
CB 3:50 - 5:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Thursday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 5:00 - 8:00 PM 

Friday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:00 - 9:00 PM
Golden Bear Bash Setup 5:30 - 9:30 PM

Saturday 
Golden Bear Bash 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Volunteer Hours

Winter parents, please be sure you are logging volunteer hours. It is the only way we have to track your time. If you do not record your hours, we do not know you worked them, and you will not receive the $250 discount at the end of the winter season. You can always find the link to log hours in the sidebar of the blog.

Golden Bear Bash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Golden Bear Bash is this coming Saturday. It is our band's biggest fundraiser of the year, and we need YOU and your student to come volunteer to help! 

How to help:

• Volunteer your time!
• We need volunteers ALL DAY. Jobs range from opening and closing doors, leading guard groups around the school, letting guard groups know when to move to their next spot, etc. Super easy, not stressful, and even introverts (✋) can do it well.
• Bring some food!
• We are looking to fill our hospitality room with food! Whether you make it from scratch or not doesn't really matter. There is a list of what we are looking for on the sign up. Please consider bringing something with you that day!
• Work concessions!
• Concessions will be a huge fundraiser for the band that day. Be a part of it! We have multiple 3-4 hours time slots available all day. If you can work more than one, please sign up for that as well! Please note that hours worked in concessions for the competition are strictly for volunteer hours. 
• Donate a folding tables or multi-outlet extensions cords. Please drop off at the school Friday evening or Saturday morning. They can picked up at the end of the competition on Saturday

Please take a moment to sign up as a volunteer for the day or to work in concessions.

If you are a winter parent, the Bash is an excellent opportunity to earn hours towards the $250 deduction for dues if you volunteer 25 hours of your time.

If you are not a winter parent, the Bash is an excellent opportunity to support our band program!

Student volunteers (band students and non band students) are also welcome to volunteer and earn volunteer hours towards TN Achieves or other clubs/groups. 

This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we need all of you to help make it successful! 

 

Upcoming Events

• Thursday, January 29 - Tentative Parent Meeting Scheduled, time TBD - More info to come. 
• Tuesday, February 3 from 5:00 -6:00 PM - The Josten's rep will be back at the school for Letterman Jacket sizing and taking orders. Please plan to attend if this interests you. I know he can be hard to get a hold of via email, so this is a rare opportunity to speak with him in person. 
• Thursday, February 5 from 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM - Booster Meeting
• Saturday, February 7 - All winter groups will compete at Green Hill High School 

Support Football & Baseball

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The football and baseball teams are hosting a joint fundraiser on January 31. You can click here for more information. 

 

 

Week of January 11

I hope we all survived and had a great first week back at school! We are jumping back into our band routine and ready to hit the ground running.

A VERY important email went out Friday about the Golden Bear Bash. If you missed it, you can read all about it here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule this week

Monday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM 

Tuesday
CB 3:50 - 5:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Wednesday
Spirit Night at Surcheros 4:00 - 8:00 PM

Thursday 
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM

Friday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:00 - 9:00 PM
MJW 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Saturday
WDL 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
WG 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
MJW 4:00 - 9:00 PM

Dues Schedule

At this point, students should have paid $700 towards their dues for winter. You can find the complete winter dues schedule here.

It is very important that dues payments are made on time as the money is important to keep the band running.

Spirit Night

On Wednesday of this is week, Surcheros (near Costco) is hosting a Spirit Night for the Band of Gold! Please be sure to stop in between 4:00 and 8:00 PM for some delicious dinner. 

Be sure to mention the Band of Gold for us to receive 10% of the sales that night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Golden Bear Bash 

A very important and informative email went out on Friday about the upcoming Golden Bear Bash that the band hosts (January 24).

Please take a moment to sign up as a volunteer for the day or to work in concessions (concessions work on this day is on a volunteer basis only).

If you are a winter parent, the Bash is an excellent opportunity to earn hours towards the $250 deduction for dues if you volunteer 25 hours of your time.

If you are not a winter parent, the Bash is an excellent opportunity to support our band program!

Student volunteers (band students and non band students) are also welcome to volunteer and earn volunteer hours towards TN Achieves or other clubs/groups. 

This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we need all of you to help make it successful! 

 

 

 

Week of January 4

That holiday break flew by, am I right? Were you able to catch Mr. Cox in the Rose Parade on New Year's Day? This photo is borrowed from band mom, Edna Perez. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully everyone had a great break, is well rested, and ready to jump back into things.

Schedule this week

Monday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Tuesday
CB 3:50 - 5:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
MJW 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Thursday
WDL 5:00 - 8:00 PM
WG 5:30 - 8:30 PM
Booster Meeting 6:30 - 7:30 PM

Friday
WG 5:00 - 9:00 PM
MJW 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Saturday
WG 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
MJW 4:00 - 9:00 PM

Booster Meeting

There is a booster meeting this Thursday at 6:30 PM. We will be discussing the upcoming SCGC competition that we host at the school. We rely heavily on parent and student volunteers to make sure this event runs smoothly. Please plan to attend to learn more.

CoC Video & Group Photo

We are still waiting to hear back from the company that has the Contest of Champion video links. As soon as we have them we will be emailing them out to those that have paid. We will also announce here on the blog and on the private Facebook page when they have been sent out so you know to look for them.

The group photos are here! They can be picked up in Mr. Cox's office. Please do not pick up unless you have paid for the photo. If you are not sure if you paid, send me a message and I can let you know.

Upcoming Events

• Wednesday, January 14 from 4:00 - 8:00 PM - Spirit night at the new Surcheros next to Costco.
• Friday, January 23 from 5:30 - 9:30 PM - Setup for Golden Bear Bash.
• Saturday, January 24 ALL DAY - Golden Bear Bash (SCGC Color Guard Competition)