IMPORTANT DATES – MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Thursday, September 3 @ Bethal Park
Friday, September 11 Home @ RMU
Thursday, September 17 Band Parent Meeting 7pm
Friday, September 18 @ Thomas Jefferson
Saturday, September 19 Local Competition at Mt. Lebanon HS
Friday, September 25 @ West Allegheny (Homecoming)
Friday, October 2 @ Pine Richland
Friday, October 9 @ Plum
Saturday, October 10 Local Competition at Deer Lakes HS
Thursday, October 15 Band Parent Meeting 7pm
Friday, October 16 Home @ FND Stadium (412 Football Classic)
Saturday, October 17 Local Competition at McKeesport HS
Friday, October 23 @ Armstrong
Saturday, October 24 - PIMBA Championships at Gateway HS
Friday, October Home @ RMU (Senior Night)
Thursday, December 17 - Winter Band Concert
Wednesday, May 19, 2027 - Spring Band Concert
REMINDERS:
Senior Parents:
Please send the following information to Marcy at pictures@moonband.org for Senior Shoutouts.
Name:
Instrument/Section:
Favorite Subject:
Favorite Teacher:
Hobbies/Activities:
Favorite Band Memory:
Future Plans:
Parents of 2027 seniors, please send 7-10 of your favorite childhood photos of your Senior to Marcy at pictures@moonband.org. These pictures will be used to put together a slide show at the end of the year banquet in May.
Concession Stand: We are so excited to have the opportunity to work with you all!! Please consider volunteering for our first ever concession stand at RMU!! We will have two stands running at the same time. The “inside” will be us running one of RMU stands and we will receive 10% of all revenue from that stand. The “outside” stand will be more like our normal concessions with donated items under our tent. Thank you for considering volunteering and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Kristie at concessions@moonband.org
Sign Up Genius for Homecoming Raffle Basket
Please consider donating one or two squishy toys of any size for a raffle basket at the Homecoming Carnival on September 24. Donations may be dropped off in the band room on September 17 before practice or during the Band Parent Meeting at 7 p.m. that evening. Refer to the sign-up genius links included in the newsletter email. Please contact Megan at communications@moonband.org 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.
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. Please pay online via Presto or place a check in the band room mailbox for all payments due. Email Maria at treasurer@moonband.org if you have questions.
The third payment of $125 is due on September 24th.
The fourth and final payment of $125 is due on October 22nd.
BAND DIRECTOR’S COMMENTS: Mr. Barthen
PERFORMANCE ITINERARIES FOR THE WEEK
THURSDAY, September 3 - Football at Bethel Park HS - Students Report to MAHS - 4:30PM - 
IT FB 2A 2026.pdf
Please note, this is a TV Game with TV timeouts, the duration of the game will be longer than a normal HS football game.
**IMPORTANT** PROP WORKDAY - Saturday, 9/5 & Saturday, 9/12 at MAHS
We will need help (parents/students/family members) building 18 props on Saturday, 9/5 and Saturday, 9/12 starting at 8AM at MAHS. We will meet at the student entrance parking lot. The workday on 9/5 will consist of wrapping twenty-eight 4'x8' sheets of painted plywood with vinyl car wrap-like material. Please bring sharp utility knives, squeegees, straight edges, putty knives, drywall knives, tape measures, heat gun, etc. 9/12 workday will deal with joining the two pieces of plywood together, via hinges, to the dollys. Materials needed will be drill, screw gun, drill bits, sockets, wrenches, and tape measure. Please consider assisting these 18 labor intensive props.
Presto Google Calendar Link - This is the link to the master Google Band Calendar.
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Mon. 8/31 - Perc & Guard - 6pm-9pm – MAHS – Learn Mvt. 3 Dots
Tue. 9/1 – Winds Rehearsal - 6pm-9pm – MAHS – Learn Mvt. 3 Dots
Wed. 9/2 – None
Thu. 9/3 – Football Game at Bethel Park – 4:30 Report time. – Itinerary Link
Fri. 9/4- None
Sat. 9/5 – None
**IMPORTANT** REHEARSAL/PERFORMANCE CHANGES****
FULL Band Rehearsals will be on Tuesday, 9/8 and Thursday, 9/10 due to Labor Day. We will finish learning drill for the competition show this week.
PERC & GUARD THIS IS FOR YOU!PLEASE NOTE: Due to Homecoming, Tuesday. Sept. 22 will be a FULL BAND Rehearsal from 6-9PM; Thu. Sept. 24 will be the Parade only at 5 PM at MAHS. Monday, Sept. 21 will be percussion and color guard from 6-9pm as scheduled.
LABOR DAY WEEK REHEARSALS (READ COLOR GUARD AND PERCUSSION!!!)
REMINDER, as previously scheduled, there will not be rehearsal on September 7. We will hold FULL BAND Rehearsals on Tuesday, 9/8 and Thursday, 9/10. Please plan accordingly.
MUSIC MEMORIZATION TESTING WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 1-14 - LINK
Music to be memorized included:
Star Spangled Banner
Alma Mater
Fight Song
Hero
Treasure
Apt.
ALL THREE MVTS OF THE COMPETITION SHOW
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 planning and structuring rehearsal.
BAND HANDBOOK - LINK
COMPLETE 2026 SUMMER/FALL MARCHING BAND SCHEDULE - LINK
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.
UPCOMING DATES
Mon. Aug. 31 – Color Guard & Percussion Rehearsal – 6PM-9PM – MAHS – Learn dots
Tue. Sept. 1 – Wind Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM – MAHS – Learn dots
Wed. Sept. 2 -
Thu. Sept. 3 - Football Game at Bethel Park HS
Fri. Sept. 4 -
Sat. Sept. 5 - Prop Work Day - 8AM - MAHS
___
Mon. Sept. 7 – No Rehearsal – Labor Day
Tue. Sept. 8 – FULL BAND Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM – MAHS – Learn & Ens Dots
Wed. Sept. 9 -
Thu. Sept. 10 - FULL BAND REHEARSAL - 6PM-9PM – MAHS – Finish 3rd mvt.
Fri. Sept. 11 - Football Game vs Penn-Trafford at RMU
Sat. Sept. 12 - Prop Work Day - 8AM - MAHS
___
Mon. Sept. 14 - Color Guard & Percussion Rehearsal – 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Tue. Sept. 15 - Wind Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Wed. Sept. 16
Thu. Sept. 17 - FULL BAND REHEARSAL - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Fri. Sept. 18 – Football game at Thomas Jefferson HS
Sat. Sept. 19 – PIMBA Competition at Mt. Lebanon HS – Report time approx. 1pm. Performance time TBD.
____
Mon. Sept. 21 - Color Guard and Percussion Rehearsal - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Tue. Sept. 22 - FULL BAND REHEARSAL - 6PM-9PM - MAHS
Wed. Sept. 23 -
Thu. Sept. 24 - Homecoming Parade - 5PM - MAHS
Fri. Sept. 25 - Football Game at West Allegheny HS
___
Future Events
Sat. September 19 – Mt. Lebanon PIMBA Competition - Report time is approximated at 1:00pm; Performance time is not known
Sat. October 10 – Deer Lakes PIMBA Competition
Sat. October 19 – McKeesport PIMBA Competition
Sat. October 24 – PIMBA Championships at Gateway HS
Thank you to our top Tier Sponsors!
Betlyn's Heating and Cooling
Brewer Toyota
Ceramiche Tile & Stone, Inc
Clearview Federal Credit Union
Huntsman Funeral Home
Moon Area Education Foundation
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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
Per the updated MASD policy, Clearances are valid for 5 years
Under PA Law Act 153, The State of Pennsylvania is requiring all adults who volunteer in any capacity within the school to obtain background checks. This will include parents who volunteer to chaperone the MAHS Marching Band at football games, parades, band camps, and trips. Chaperones are required to complete the PA State Police Criminal Background Check, Child Abuse History, and FBI Fingerprints. The FBI Fingerprint is only if the volunteer has not been a state of PA resident for at least 10 years. Please visit http://www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov for additional information.
OR follow the steps below:
Child Abuse Clearance click HERE
1. Cost: Free
2. Create the account
3. Submit the required information
4. Print certificate and submit to MABPO Secretary
PA Criminal Background Check click HERE
1. Cost: Free
2. Click on "NEW RECORD CHECK" (Volunteers Only)
3. After the record check is complete, click on the blue control number
4. To view the certificate, click on the blue words "Certification Form"
5. Print the certificate and submit to the MABPO Secretary
FBI Fingerprinting click HERE
use service code 1KG6XN
Contact secretary@moonband.org if you have any questions about clearances.
Check out Moon Band on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/moonareabands
Questions, comments or suggestions contact communications@moonband.org