Dear Parents:

This is our newsletter for the month of April and there is only two more months left of school now that Spring Break is behind us. This newsletter is full of important reminders and information concerning fund raisers, so please post in a prominent place at home!

Fundraising...

is very important now due to our Knott"s Berry Farm trip scheduled for Saturday, May 3, 2008. We need parent support to promote our fundraising efforts so PLEASE COME AND HELP OUT! You can do this by taking the following simple actions:
1) Provide Mr. Garcia your e-mail address by sending it to bgarcia@centralusd.k12.ca.us, or
2) Call Mr. Garcia at the school at 276-3185 and leave him a message with your contact information.
3) Pay attention to the fundraising event dates listed in this newsletter to see what you can do to help!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION will be sent home through e-mail and this newsletter will also be posted on the Rio Vista website page. Please ask your child for this information to stay informed about Rio"s wonderful Music Program.

Practice Sheets:

Music practice sheets were sent home with your child over spring break.
One of the new songs is
BACH: TOCCATA, and there were two other songs.
Practice rooms are available at the school and students are welcome to use the practice room in band before school from 7:00-7:30 a.m. and at lunch after they have eaten. No food or drink is allowed in the practice rooms and students should rinse their mouths with water prior to playing any wind instrument.

PRACTICING YOUR
INSTRUMENT AT HOME

Practice challenging or new pieces just prior to going to bed will increase the retention of the material practiced. Please encourage your child to practice and build this routine into their daily schedule!

Mark your calendars for these Important Dates in APRIL-MAY:

The Channel 24 News Morning Show....

will be visiting the music department at Rio Vista this month to film our great students. The Band, Guitar, and Drum Line will all be featured so once again our TITANS will be demonstrating their musical talents. Mr. Garcia is sending home a release form with your child that must be signed and returned so that students can be filmed for the Channel 24 Morning Show. PLEASE LOOK FOR THIS FORM AND PROMPTLY RETURN TO MR. GARCIA...

Friday April 11th, 2008

The Guitar Ensemble competes this Saturday at the CSU, Fresno Guitar Panorama at 10:00 a.m. in the Wahlberg Recital Hall. Admission is $5.00 so please come and support our guitar students!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

This is the date for the Central Unified Music Festival at the Central High East Campus. Playing times are from 12:00-2:00 p.m. and our band will be judged. Parents are welcome to come and enjoy the performance.

To prepare for this event, it is important for your child to make all rehearsal times. Mr. Garcia sent an e-mail home concerning these rehearsal dates but once again, they are Thursday, April 10th from 3:00-4:00 and Monday, April 14th from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

A mini band camp is scheduled on this date at Koligian Stadium. It is mandatory for all Band and Color Guard Members entering the 7th and 9th grades. More details will follow in terms of start time and what students need to bring to take full advantage of the day.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Rio Vista"s awesome band is off to Knott"s Berry Farm to compete in a music festival with bands from all over California, Nevada and Arizona. We will need to do continual fundraising as monies we thought could be used for Admission Park entrance are not available. As you probably know by now, this is the reason why your child is selling Beef Jerky at $20.00 per bag (or $1.00 per beef jerky stick). Students can check out one bag at a time before school, during lunch or after school and must turn in their $20.00 prior to receiving another bag to sell. Parents are able to pick up as many bags as they want at the same times designated for students.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Jamba Juice will be on campus May 2nd during our Rio Vista Food Fair. We will also have an ice cream sundae booth and could use parental assistance with setting up and serving at the event.
Ice Cream has already been donated; however, toppings such as syrup, whipped cream, and sprinkles are needed and welcome.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

This is the date of our second annual Spring Dinner and Concert to be catered by Outback Steakhouse. Again parents are needed to come out in full force to support the band. Volunteers are required to serve the dinner, deliver dinners at curb side, and set up and clean-up after our wonderful students have honored us with their performance. Again, e-mail Mr. Garcia or call the school if you are able to help.

Pre-sale dinner tickets will begin the THIRD WEEK IN APRIL AND THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT COLOR TICKETS SOLD FOR CURB SIDE PICK UP.

RIO VISTA MUSIC WEBPAGE:

Visit our new website at
http://riovistamusic.org/
It is awesome and has links for instruments, pictures, videos, our calendar of events, and practice techniques.

HELP NEEDED: We can still use your help with donations for school snacks for these after school practices. Any nutritious snacks such as cheese and
crackers, nuts, granola bars, etc. would be greatly appreciated as our supplies are running low. We could also use water for these extra practice days too!

WAY TO GO TITANS!

The band, guitar and drum line had a great performance for the District

NEXT BAND BOOSTERS MEETING IS THURSDAY, ARPIL 10, 2008. PLEASE PLAN ON JOINING US IN ROOM 603 AT 7:00 P.M. TO HEAR MORE ABOUT ALL OF THE EXCITING THINGS OCCURRING IN OUR MUSIC PROGRAM.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!