Weekly News of Note

Weekly News of Note

March 1 – March 7

@NMSBandorch – @NIMASParents –  www.nmsim.org – NIMAS Facebook Group

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC HANDBOOK – 2025-2026

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

*Doors are open from 7:00 – 7:15 am. If you arrive after 7:15 am, you will need to buzz into the building using the main entrance.

Monday 3/2

  • Early morning band 7:15 am

Tuesday 3/3

  • Early morning orchestra 7:15 am

Wednesday 3/4

  • Early morning jazz band 7:15 am

Thursday 3/5

  • Early morning band 7:15 am

Friday 3/6

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSON INFORMATION

All instrumental music students have access to school lessons. Students who take private lessons only need to attend the 4 scheduled chair auditions during the school year. Students who do not take private lessons are required to attend a weekly lesson during the school day to remain an active member of their ensemble.

Click here for your instrumental music lesson group assignments

CHECK YOUR LESSON GROUP NUMBER. SOME LESSON GROUP NUMBERS HAVE CHANGED.

COLOR GUARD INFORMATION

COLOR GUARD ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rehearsals are every Monday and Thursday from 7:15 – 8:05 am.

Make sure you are practicing your basic skills at home: marching skills, equipment skills, spins, combinations, routines, etc.

For information on how to:

How to put on your color guard uniform: https://youtu.be/OU3uGwYmVCI?feature=shared

How to put your tassels on your boots: https://youtu.be/1ob2k3HOUqw?si=u9-iIk89lJkKkP3p

How to make tassels: https://youtu.be/hQ8–w1-3h8?si=b_l56D9g0fibaK5J

THE MANIA BEGINS MARCH 2, 2026.

“The President’s Own” hosts its annual “Sousa’s March Mania,” a tournament pitting 32 musical marches against each other for voters to decide which one will be crowned the year’s champion march. Every weekday marches will compete head-to-head while our friends and fans vote for marches to advance in the tournament. This year the competition celebrates America 250! 

You can participate as an individual or a team if would like you to get together with some of your friends. The winning team will be crowned “MARCH KINGS” and receive a pizza party during the school day. The competition will begin on Monday March 2 when the first round of voting begins. 

Matchups will be posted the day before the so you can listen to the competing marches and make your selection.  Selections must be submited by midnight on the day of the matchup.  The first matchup will be Monday, March 2.  I will post the next matchup each evening.

Make sure you go to the President’s Own Marine Band website 

https://www.marineband.marines.mil/Educational/Sousas-March-Mania/

to cast your vote in the national comeptition and increase the chances of your march winning.

Here are the rules:

  1. Sign up using the link below.  
  2. Each day select your choice of which march you think will win the vote between the competing against each other for that day.  The results of the vote will be released the next day.
  3. You will receive 1 point per team for the correct choices in Round 1, 2 points for correct choice in Round 2, 3 points for correct choice in Round 3, 4 points for each correct choice in Round 4, and 5 point for the correct choice in the final match up.

Here is a link to the official competition website where you can listen to all the marches in the competition and follow along to see who wins each day.

Sign up here to play.

The mandatory trip meeting for all participants is April 8, at 7 pm.

Don’t forget to complete your medical form and return it by April 8.

For complete details go to http://www.nmsim.org/spring-trip/.

8th Grade Music & Drama Trip to NYC

This trip is only for 8th grade band, orchestra, jazz, choral, and drama students.  Parents and guardians are more than welcome to chaperone.  All adults must have all their background clearances on file by March 1, 2026.  Chaperones and students must participate in all aspects of the trip.

For full details go to http://www.nmsim.org/8th-grade-trip/ .

SAVE THE DATE – NIMAS SPRING BINGO AND BASKETS

It’s that time again for one of our biggest fundraisers of the year. NIMAS Spring Bingo and Baskets will take place on Friday, April 10. There will be bingo games with cash prizes, a 50/50 raffle, basket and gift card raffles, and food for purchase.

It’s open to the public, so invite everyone you know and share on social media: https://www.facebook.com/share/189JcdRVmN/

Sign-ups for food, monetary, and gift basket donations, as well as parent volunteers, will be sent out soon.

Also, if you own a business or know someone who does and might be interested in donating a gift card or basket, please contact Maggie Georges at 610-533-6465 or NIMASbingo@gmail.com.

We look forward to your support in making this a successful night to benefit NIMAS and all our students!

Instrumental Music Logo Clothing

We are selling band, orchestra, and color guard logo clothing. Orders are due by March 13.

The two different logos are: Instrumental music & color guard

I have attached the order forms to this email and hard copies are also available in the instrumental music room.

Downloadable band & orchestra order form

Downloadable color guard order form

Parents are encouraged to volunteer and get involved in the instrumental music program. We need volunteers for parades, concerts, and many other activities. 

Parents must have their clearances on file in the Nitschmann office.  If you are not sure if your information is on file, contact the Nitschmann office at 610-866-5781. Information on how to renew or apply for your clearances can be found at http://www.nmsim.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/BASD-Volunteer-Clearance-Info.pdf.

Signing up for a volunteer job

Once a member or guardian has logged into their dashboard, they can click on “Events.” Events with open volunteer slots will show a green banner that says, “volunteers needed.”

When they click on the event, they’ll see the event details and all volunteer opportunities associated with that event, they’d click “Sign up” to reserve their slot. They’ll see all the names of people who have signed up for that opportunity.

Volunteers can remove themselves from a volunteer opportunity they have signed up for by clicking “Delete” next to their name.

NIMAS By-Laws 2024

The next NIMAS general membership meeting is Wednesday, March 18, at 7:00 pm in the instrumental music room.  The meeting will be immediately followed by the winter color guard performance at 8 pm in the main gym.

We will provide you with information about the instrumental music programs and happily answer any questions you may have.

Attendees should enter through the MAIN BUILDING ENTRANCE. Doors will be unlocked from 7:20 – 7:40 P.M.

Share your photos of our ensembles performances. 

We have created a google folder for you to share your photos and videos of the music ensembles performing throughout the school year.  Just click the link below and add your photos.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1L3mW4OtirRLvtJ_Mb1V61uoBNDL5R-dy?usp=sharing

UPCOMING EVENTS

2025-2026 Instrumental Music Calendar – You can now subscribe to the Instrumental Music Calendar and add it to your devices calendars. Click the following link, scroll to the bottom of the page, and follow the directions from there.

Dates for the 2025 – 2026 school year are available on the website calendar at http://www.nmsim.org/eventscal/

https://app.gocuttime.com/public/program/9c5cfa24-9906-4d05-9f6c-8e30d80045bd/events/calendar

MARCH

APRIL

  • Wednesday, April 1, 2026 8th Grade Music & Drama Trip to NYC
  • Wednesday, April 8, 2026 Mandatory Band Trip Meeting 7 pm
  • Friday, April 10, 2026 NIMAS Spring Bingo 6-9 pm
  • Wednesday, April 15, 2026 NIMAS General Membership Meeting 7:30 pm
  • Friday, April 17, 2026 Parkland Middle School Jazz Festival Time TBD
  • Wendesday, April 29, 2025 Spring Band Concert 7 pm

MAY

  • Friday, May 15, 2026 Spring Band Trip
  • Saturday, May 16, 2026 Spring Band Trip
  • Wednesday, May 13, 2026 NIMAS General Membership Meeting 7:30 pm
  • Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Orchestra Concert
  • Thursday, May 21, 2026 Uniform return night
  • Wednesday, May 27, 2026 Performing Arts Banquet 6 – 9 pm

JUNE

  • Tuesday, June 3, 2025 NIMAS General Membership Meeting 7:30 pm

Share your photos of our ensembles performances. 

We have created a google folder for you to share your photos and videos of the music ensembles performing throughout the school year.  Just click the link below and add your photos.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1L3mW4OtirRLvtJ_Mb1V61uoBNDL5R-dy?usp=sharing

Sold in $100 increments

$4.00 of every $100 purchased goes to your fair share account.

Contact Mrs. Prowse at georgiaprowse@gmail.com .