Moon Area Band ~ August 10, 2026

IMPORTANT DATES – MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Saturday, September 19 Local Competition at Mt. Lebanon HS
Saturday, October 10 Local Competition at Deer Lakes HS
Saturday, October 17 Local Competition at McKeesport HS
Saturday, October 24 - PIMBA Championships at Gateway HS
Thursday, December 17 - Winter Band Concert
Wednesday, May 19, 2027 - Spring Band Concert

THANK YOU again to our outstanding band directors, board members, chaperones, equipment crew, bus drivers, photographers, and W&J College for helping make our 2026 Away Camp such a success. Your time, dedication, hard work, and countless behind-the-scenes hours make everything we do possible, and it is truly appreciated. Because of your support, our children are learning, growing, becoming stronger musicians, and creating memories they will carry for years to come. We are deeply grateful for everything you do for our kids and our band.

REMINDERS:
Mark your Calanders for the 2026-2027 MABPO Parent Meetings
Meetings will start at 7pm in the High School Band Room.

August Meeting Date Change: Due to the High School scheduled walk on August 20th, our meeting has been moved to Tuesday, August 18^th at 7pm.
September 17
October 15
November 19
December 10
January 21
February 18
March 18
April 22
May 20

FUNDRAISING: August 14th is the last day to turn in your Marianna’s Hoagie & Pizza Fundraiser orders! Hoagies & pizzas are $12 each, no late orders will be accepted. Please place order forms and one check payable to MABPO in the band mailbox by August 14^th. Delivery will be August 26^th, time and place TBD.  Please email Alyssa at mabpofundraising.ad@gmail.com with any questions.

Sign Up Genius for Football Games/Competitions
We need Parent Volunteers to help with Friday Night Football Games and Saturday Competitions. Please make sure your clearances have been submitted and are up to date. Refer to the sign-up genius links included in the newsletter email. Please contact Beckie at Vpoperations@moonband.org with any questions.

Amazon Snack Wish List: With football games, competitions, and home-game hospitality for visiting bands, we go through a lot of snacks. If you’d like to help, please choose an item from our Amazon Snack Wish List and have it shipped directly to us. Thank you for helping us keep the band fed and the snack bins stocked! Refer to the sign-up genius links included in the newsletter email. Please contact Beckie at Vpoperations@moonband.org with any questions.

Concession Stand Update: We are very excited to announce that we have been given the opportunity to sell concessions at our two RMU games!! Stay tuned for more information.

RaiseRight: Support Moon Area Band Every Time You Shop! We’re excited to launch RaiseRight as a new way to support the Moon Area Band Parents Association! It’s simple: Purchase gift cards for the stores, restaurants, gas stations, and online retailers you already use, and a percentage of your purchase is donated back to our band! Every dollar earned through RaiseRight goes directly into the Moon Area Band Parents Association General Fund, helping support ALL our student musicians through equipment, transportation, events, scholarships, and so much more. Whether you’re buying groceries, filling up your gas tank, grabbing dinner, or shopping for birthdays and holidays, your everyday purchases can have a lasting impact on our band program. Shop. Earn. Support. Thank you for helping our students hit all the right notes this year! Please click on link Raise Right 
Enrollment Code: YXD6W6W9YJFL

FUNDRAISING – ARAMARK – PNC/Acrisure/PPG 
If you’re interested in working games, please email Heather Park at hburakow@yahoo.com.

STUDENT ACCOUNTS
You are now able to apply your students’ credits to fees in presto. Under finances, it lists My Fees, My Payments and My Credits.  Click on My Credits, then select Apply Credits.  Select the fee you would like to apply the credit to. 

The second payment of $125 is due on August 27th. Please pay online via Presto or place a check in the band room mailbox. Please email Maria at treasurer@moonband.org if you have questions.

BAND DIRECTOR’S COMMENTS: Mr. Barthen
**IMPORTANT** REHEARSAL TIME CHANGES
WIND REHEARSAL - Tuesday, August 18 – 6PM-9PM
FULL BAND REHEARSAL – Thursday, August 20 – 6:00PM-9:00PM
Varsity Football Game at Bethel Park moved to Thursday, 9/3.

**NEW**THURSDAY, September 3 - Bethel Park Football Game
The Bethel Park Football game has been moved to Thursday night, September 3.  The game will be aired live on TV.  There will be no band activities on Friday, September 4.

PRODUCTION REHEARSAL - SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 - 8 AM-4 PM - MANDATORY!!
Kyle (our choreographer) will be in all day to teach the ballad and any other big-body moments (Mvt. 2). 
Lunch will be from 11:30-12:15. Students may leave campus at this time or pack lunch and eat inside the high school.
This rehearsal is vital to our competitive season!

COLOR GUARD WILL REHEARSE ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 from 6PM-9PM at the High School with Kyle, then will report on Saturday at 10:00 AM.

**NEW**Band Performance at Opening of Hyde Academy – Tuesday, August 18 – 5PM-5:30PM
The band has been requested to perform at the Opening of Hyde Academy on Tuesday, August 18 from 5PM-5:30PM.  We have moved the wind rehearsal to 6-9pm to facilitate this performance.  Color Guard should not attend this event

**NEW**Band Performance at Opening Day In-Service for Teachers - Wednesday, August 19 - 730AM - 8:15 AM  
Our superintendent, Dr. D'Alessio, has requested the band perform for the teachers on the opening in-service day meetings at the HS Auditorium.  If you are available, please complete the form linked above.  We will be performing "Hero," "Apt." and "The Fight Song" in the auditorium.  Attire is shorts and a red moon shirt of your choosing.  Please complete the form if you can attend from 7:30 AM until 8:15 AM on Wednesday, August 19.  Due to space, color guard should not attend this event.

BAND PICTURES - Wednesday, August 12 - 8 AM-10 AM - REPORT TIME IS 7:30 AM - MAHS - 
Band Pictures will be held on Wednesday, August 20, students report at 7:30 AM at MAHS.  Students must wear black socks (above their ankles), band shoes, and appropriate gym shorts (no jean shorts or cargo shorts).  Compression shirts and gloves will not be required for the picture.  Students will not wear hats, and students must have long hair pulled out of their faces.  Order forms were distributed after the 8/10, 8/11 rehearsal and can be found 2026 Band Pict Form
Hard copies will be available at the photo shoot.  The order of events is as follows:

MAHS MARCHING BAND PICTURE DAY SCHEDULE 
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 

• All band students must participate in the group, section, and class pictures. 
• Once the group pictures, section pictures, and class pictures are completed, students may change and leave. 
• Students may opt to purchase individual pictures.  You must stay and wait for an additional individual picture to be taken.  Make sure you have your picture form ready. 
• Please remember your black shoes and black socks for these pictures.   
• Students are not permitted to wear jeans or jean shorts underneath uniforms.   
• Students must have hair pulled out of their face. 
• Students will not wear shakos (band hats) for pictures.  Students must “fix” their hair. 
• Students will not wear gloves for this picture 
• Students do not need to wear compression shirts for this picture. 
• Jewelry, including earrings, watches, bracelets, and piercings, must be covered up or removed from the body.   
• Students who do not follow guidelines and uniform etiquette will not be permitted to have their pictures taken in an MAHS Band uniform. 

MONIES MUST BE BROUGHT AT THE TIME OF PICTURES. 

DOT BOOK CHECKS - There will be a graded dot-book check on August 27.  Students will have their dot-book collected after the 8/27 Rehearsals.  

MUSIC MEMORIZATION TESTING WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 8-15
Music to be memorized included:
Star Spangled Banner.                        
Alma Mater
Fight Song                    
Hero
Treasure                                                    
Apt.
ALL THREE MVTS OF THE COMPETITION SHOW

PRESTO-ASSISTANT 
https://www.presto-assistant.com - MAHS Band will utilize the Presto Assistant for managing and communicating to band families. This website is a one-stop shop for all parent information, communication, and financial information for the band program and the MABPO (Moon Area Band Parent Organization). This is our first season using this application. All parents will receive an email link to create a PARENT account in mid-June and again in July. Please check the email address from which you received this email. If you have issues creating an account, please get in touch with Mr. Barthen for assistance. Our organizational code is: moonareahsband.

MARCHING BAND MICROSOFT TEAMS 
Each marching band student was invited to a MS Teams Channel. This channel will be used to distribute music, drill, and other important student information throughout the year. Please make sure your student turns notifications on for this channel.

ABSENCE COMMUNICATION 
If your student will be absent from a marching band rehearsal, please communicate with either Mr. Barthen (winds/guard) or Mr. Fear (pit/battery percussion). This will aid us in the planning and structure of rehearsal. Our e-mail addresses can be found at the bottom of this document.
**PLEASE NOTE: As per the marching band handbook (Page 3):
BAND HANDBOOK - LINK
The band handbook will be available on July 28 on the Presto website in the Presto Files Area as well as linked in the MABPO Newsletter. The band handbook outlines the procedures and protocols that the band and its members follow throughout the entire school year.

COMPLETE 2026 SUMMER/FALL MARCHING BAND SCHEDULE LINK​

UPCOMING DATES
Mon. Aug. 10 - Percussion and Color Guard Rehearsal - 5PM-9PM - MAHS
Tue. Aug. 11 - Wind Rehearsal - 5PM-9PM - MAHS
Wed. Aug. 12 – Band Pictures – 7:30 AM
Thu. Aug. 13 - FULL BAND REHEARSAL - 5PM-9PM - MAHS
Fri. Aug. 14 - Color Guard Rehearsal with Kyle - 6PM-9PM
Sat. Aug. 15 - FULL ENSEMBLE REHEARSAL (PRODUCTIO REHEARSAL w/ KYLE) - 8AM-4PM - MAHS
____
Mon. Aug. 17 - Percussion and Color Guard Rehearsal - 5PM-9PM - MAHS
Tue. Aug. 18 - Wind Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM – MAHS
                        Hyde Academy Opening – 5PM- 5:45PM
Wed. Aug. 19 – MAHS Teacher In-Service Performance – 7:30 AM
Thu. Aug. 20 - Full Ensemble Rehearsal – 6:15PM-9PM - MAHS
Fri. Aug 21 -
_____
Mon. Aug 24 - Color Guard & Percussion Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Tue. Aug 25 - Wind Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Wed. Aug. 26
Thu. Aug 27 - FULL Ensemble Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Fri. Aug 28 - Away Football Game @ Montour HS - Report time is 5:00PM
____
Mon. Aug. 30 – Color Guard & Percussion Rehearsal – 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Tue. Sept. 1 – Wind Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM - MAHS 
Wed. Sept. 3 - 
Thu. Sept 4 - Football Game at Bethel Park HS
Fri. Sept. 5 -
____
Mon. Sept. 7 – No Rehearsal – Labor Day
Tue. Sept. 8 – FULL BAND Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Wed. Sept. 9 - 
Thu. Sept. 10 - FULL BAND REHEARSAL - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Fri. Sept. 11 - Football Game vs Penn-Trafford at RMU
Sat. Sept. 12 -
___
Future Events
Sat. September 19 – Mt. Lebanon PIMBA Competition
Sat. October 10 – Deer Lakes PIMBA Competition
Sat. October 19 – McKeesport PIMBA Competition
Sat. October 24 – PIMBA Championships at Gateway HS
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CLEARANCES
MABPO has no connection to MASD's Applitrack, therefore a digital or physical copy of the clearance needs to be submitted the MABPO secretary.  Clearances can be emailed to: Heather Longstreth - secretary@moonband.org