26-27 Band Announcements

Aug 23

LATEST ANNOUNCEMENT

Monday, Oct 19, 2026 (7-period day): 7am rehearsal. The student leadership team meets at 6:15am in the choir room (donuts provided).
Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 (EVEN Day): NO ZERO HOUR. 9th graders take the PreACT.
Wednesday, Oct 21, 2026 (ODD Day): 7am rehearsal
Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 (EVEN Day, late start): Senior Night game at SM SOUTH (details below)
Friday, Oct 23, 2026 (ODD Day): NO ZERO HOUR.
Saturday, Oct 24, 2026: UCM Festival of Champions (details below).

Football vs. Olathe West at SM SOUTH Stadium, 7pm kickoff.
Call time: 4:30pm at SME. BLUE BAND SHIRTS under blue performance tops. Indian Hills 8th graders join us. We rehearse with them before the game, and pizza is provided for everyone.
Band Senior Night has moved to halftime. Halftime runs 20 minutes: the dance team, then Band Senior Recognition, then our show.
Senior parents and escorts: gather at the south end of the stadium track with 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. This replaces the 6:15pm time we posted last week.

Read the full UCM Festival of Champions Itinerary.
12:30pm: Report to SME in your SHOW SHIRT. Eat a big lunch before you come. We'll have a snack at UCM.
1:00pm: Buses leave SME for Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, MO.
4:45pm: East's preliminary performance (gate at 4:30pm), followed by dinner.
5:45pm: Preliminary awards. Ten bands make finals (7:30–9:45pm), and finals awards start at 10pm.
Bring every uniform piece (garment bag, hat box, gauntlets, gloves, marching shoes, BLACK socks), plus casual clothes, a warm layer and your band jacket if you have it.
If we make finals, it will be a late night. The drive home takes over an hour, and we'll post our arrival time in the BAND app when the buses leave UCM.

All-Traveler Parent/Student Meeting: Thursday, Nov 5, 7:30pm, right after that night's trip rehearsal. Every traveler/supporter should attend
Packing party: date TBD. We'll share it as soon as the instrument shipping schedule is confirmed.
***Still have a trip balance? Please reply to Julie Weltmer's Oct 11 email.***
Upcoming trip rehearsals: Thursday, Nov 5 (6–7:30pm); Tuesday, Nov 17 (Seminar, 9:30–10:45am); Thursday, Nov 19 (6–8pm).

Thank you to every family who has helped this season. Three events to go!
At UCM, parent volunteers take the equipment truck and trailer ahead of the buses and unload them, so students can go straight to warm-up.
Choose a shift in Marching Band Volunteer Signups in ParentSquare.

KBA week: 7am rehearsals Monday, Oct 26 and Wednesday, Oct 28. NO ZERO HOUR Tuesday, Oct 27 and Friday, Oct 30. Thursday, Oct 29 rehearsal is 5–8pm at SM NORTH Stadium.
Saturday, Oct 31, 2026: KBA Marching Championships at Blue Valley/Antioch District Athletic Complex, 16200 Antioch Rd, Overland Park. East performs prelims at 9:15am. Families, see the KBA Spectator Packet. Itinerary next week.
Conflict with Oct 22, 24 or 31? Tell the directors now if you haven't already.
Monday, Nov 2: NO SCHOOL (staff professional learning).
Wednesday, Nov 4: Concert Band auditions (in class).
Saturday, Nov 7: ECKMEA (KMEA District) auditions at SM NORTH (jazz bass at SM SOUTH). $18 per audition to SME Band Boosters (Venmo @SMEBandBoosters25-27). Selected students must be available Dec 4–5.
Monday, Nov 9: Band Boosters meeting, 6pm.

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