2025-26 Foothill High School Music Program’s Newsletter 🪶
💌President’s Message:
A highlight of our marching season is being able to give back to the community and today we did that by marching in the Pleasanton Veteran’s Day Parade. This event honors those who serve/d our country and who helped freedom ring! Hopefully you are able to come out and watch the parade on Main Street, at 1pm. Marching students arrive at 11:30 am to dress and set the block.
We had a great time together Fri, 11/7, at the Future Falcon Tailgate Dinner with our current students & incoming 7th & 8th graders. Many thanks to the amazing parents who donated dinner items and who volunteered at the event! Volunteers are the backbone of our program. Thanks also to Mr. Fagundes and our marching band & color guard students for another wonderful halftime performance at the last 2025-26 home regular season football game. “Trombone Line” is always a big hit and so fun to watch.
On Sat, 11/8, Jazz A earned the sweepstakes award at the NCBA competition in Merced!! Their combined total was 94.2. against lots of tough competition! Foothill also received 2 individual awards: Noah on flugel & trumpet and Victor on flute, clarinet, & Sax. Way to go Mr. Nishimori and Jazz A!! Congratulations to Jazz A 👏👏👏.
Cheryl Goebel
🗓️ Important Dates:
11/9 (Sun) Pleasanton Veterans Day Parade, Marching Band & Colorguard. Students arrive at Civic Park by 11:30 AM. Parade begins at 1pm 👉 Click here for Sunday’s itinerary.
11/15 (Sat) Competition @ James Logan HS, Marching Band & Colorguard. NO bus. Please arrange transportation. Detail itinerary attached. *Preferred student drop off location to come!
11/20 (Thur) Friends & Family @ AVHS for Marching Band & Colorguard; No Entry Fee & ALL ARE WELCOME! Self drive(seniors arrive 5pm; Senior family pics 5:30; Non-seniors arrive 5:30; performances start 7pm)
11/22-23 (Sat/Sun-overnight) WBA Championships @Fresno, Marching Band & Colorguard. BUSES PROVIDED
12/6 (Sat) Holiday Parade for Marching Band & Color Guard (Time TBD; approx. time 3-7pm; start@Amador; end by Gay 90s’s Pizza)
12/6-7 (Sat & Sun, 10am to 4 pm) The annual Surf & Turf Sale! Come buy high quality cuts of meat for your holiday feasts! Offerings and prices coming soon. All proceeds go to the band program!
12/9-11 (Tue, Wed, Thur) @7-9pm Winter Concerts
📸 Photography & Media (aka the Band Click)
Our amazing Click Team constantly updates Photos and Videos! Many Thanks!!
- Photographs of all Band events can be found on Flickr
- Videos will be uploaded to our Youtube Playlist for each performance.
Please note that most videos will be marked private, and are unsearchable on the platform until the band season is over.
If you were able to grab a few images or videos of our students (or volunteers) having a great time, we’ve made it easy to share your media with our community! Simply upload to this Dropbox (thanks Mrs Jenkins!), and the Click team will make sure it gets to Flickr or YouTube (note, this also puts you ½ way into joining the media team! If you want your photos properly attributed, come talk to us – and we’ll make you a full member!)
Again, you don’t need a fancy camera to take great Photos or Videos… the best ones are taken close up – with a cellphone!
🎶 Ensemble Classes
Honors Jazz – Great job at Merced Competition – Congratulations on earning the sweepstakes award!
Jazz B – Be sure to schedule sectionals before Thanksgiving Break. Lessons need to be done by Thanksgiving Break
Honors Symphony Orchestra – Lessons need to be done by Thanksgiving Break. Now prepping for the Winter Concert.
String Orchestra – Playing test upcoming: Major Scales. Lessons need to be done by Thanksgiving Break
Honors Wind Ensemble – Wind Ensemble is working on winter concert repertoire. Winter concert is coming up on December 9th.
Symphonic Band – We will be working on major scale tests in class. Winter Concert is coming up on December 9th.
Concert Band – We will be working on major scale tests in class. Winter Concert is coming up on December 9th.
Private lessons are encouraged for all of our students. If you need help finding someone for private lessons, please let either director know
🥁 Marching Band and Color Guard
🎺11/9 (Sun) Pleasanton Veterans Day Parade. Students should arrive at Civic Park (near police station/library) by 11:30 AM. Parade begins at 1pm. We expect to be finished by 2:30–3:00 PM.👉 Click here for Sunday’s itinerary
🚙11/15 (Sat) Competition @ James Logan HS. We will not be taking buses to the competition at James Logan. Transportation will be handled the same way as Dublin. Please plan your schedule accordingly to drop off and pick up your child. We encourage carpooling – connect with other parents in the program to coordinate rides. If you’re unable to drive or arrange a carpool for your child, please email vicepresident@foothillmusic.org. We have a few Level 3 volunteer-cleared chaperones who may be able to assist with transportation. Please see the attached itinerary for drop-off and pickup times, as well as additional details for the day.
🧳The WBA Marching Championships will take place at Buchanan High in Clovis on Saturday & Sunday, Nov. 22-23, 2025. Students and staff will be staying at the Piccadilly Inn in Fresno, for 1 night on Saturday, Nov 22, 2025. Parents, both volunteers and others, are welcome to book rooms at the same hotel with a group rate.
Hotel Address: Piccadilly Inn, 5115 E. McKinley Avenue Fresno, CA 93727
Boosters are covering the hotel costs for the students and directors only. Parents, volunteers, and chaperones can make reservations by calling the hotel directly during M-F business hours. Please ask to speak with or leave a message for the sales manager. The general reception desk is not aware of block room rates.Call 559-375-7760 Reference the group booking code ‘FOOTHILL MUSIC’ to receive the contracted room rate of $93+tax.
*⭐Reservation confirmations require a personal credit card.
Reservations must be made by October 31, 2025, to receive the group block room rate. Breakfast is complimentary for both the students and the families who book using the group code. *
🙌 Parent and Guardian Volunteering
📣 Interested in leading our merchandising efforts? We are looking for a volunteer to step into the role of Merchandising Lead—a position that’s not only incredibly fun but also a fantastic way to get involved with the band program and support our amazing students. If you’re interested or want more information, please reach out to Richa Malik (merchandise@foothillmusic.org) or call/text: 484-6866369!
📣Other Band Booster Immediate Volunteer Needs:
- Communication Lead – OPEN contact Mauli Desai: communications@foothillmusic.org
- Merchandise – contact Richa Malik: merchandise@foothillmusic.org
- Truckers – We need helpers to transport & move equipment at competitions and away performances (Nov. 15, 20, 22-23, Dec.6) Please contact Peter Goebel at logistics@foothillmusic.org
Executive Board Positions needed for 2026-27
- Student Treasurer
- Communications Lead
- Secretary
💵 Fundraising
The Winter Turf & Surf Sale**: The annual Winter Turf & Surf Sale is on for the weekend of December 6th & 7th.** This semi-annual food sale (formerly “The Meat Sale”) will be held at Foothill High School. Come and purchase choice cuts of meats and amazing seafood to enjoy at your holiday feasts! Parents and Guardians: keep an eye out for a SignUp Genius form to help with point of sale, custom cuts, and bagging of products.
Please reach out to Steve Haney, our VP of Fundraising, at Fundraising@foohillmusic.org with any questions, contacts, or ideas!
📣 Check the Kick Off Meeting Slide Show This is updated regularly and has many important links and specifics for band students and families.
📣 Stay informed by reading these weekly newsletters, installing the Band app, and visiting our Foothill music program website! Please install the Band app (iPhone or Android). This is the best way to get fast and live communications from our band program community!
👔 All Band and Orchestra Concert Attire
Students in String Orchestra, Honors Symphony Orchestra, Concert, Symphonic & Honors Wind Ensemble will need concert attire for performances this year.
Tuxedo: Black Tuxedo, Black Bowtie and cummerbund (or vest), White shirt (wing collar is a good choice), Long black socks, Black dress shoes (pants will need to be hemmed) Tuxedo Link OR ANY tuxedo works fine – MUST BE ALL BLACK with a WHITE SHIRT
Concert Dress: Long black dress, Black dress shoes (dress will need to be hemmed) Dress Link
- Students may choose EITHER option
- Plan ahead for ordering, delivery, and alterations!
Concert Attire is required for all performances.
Jazz Attire is per the director’s request (varies from the above concert attire):
Dark Colors; Long ties only; Coats for everyone wearing a collared shirt and tie; Dark Color Shoes/Black (NO WHITE SOLES); tall Black socks; Shirt should be either white, or dark.
📊 Treasurer of Student Accounts Information
Getting monthly reminders for your Student Share Donation? Pay what you can as you go. Installment Plans are Available. Our program DEPENDS on this money to function. Your voluntary Student Share donation is how your family supports your student’s music goals and ensures they get the best music program possible. Please strive to meet or exceed the requested amounts, but any amount helps.
There are four easy ways to make your Student Share donation:
1) Write a check. Then give it to your student to drop in the locked band box in the band room.
2) Pay with PayPal (https://paypal.com/). Use your PayPal account (or set one up if you don’t have one) to pay your Student Share in the app. Here is how it works: open the PayPal app, click the menu in the upper left corner, scroll down to Donate and tap, search for Foothill Band Boosters and select it, click the Donate button and select the Other category, input your student’s Student Share amount (see table below*), follow the payment instructions and you’re done!
3) Pay with CutTime (https://app.gocuttime.com/). CutTime is the Foothill Band Boosters management platform. Just login with your CutTime account, click below your students name, then click on the Payments link at the bottom of the list. Click on the green button that says “Make a Payment”, click the amount to pay, then fill in your debit or credit card information and submit the payment.
4) Pay with FutureFund (https://foothill.futurefund.com/). FutureFund is the PUSD sponsored platform that you signed up for when you registered your student for the school year. Just login to the site, click the Store button at the top of the webpage, click on the Band Boosters oval button below the page title, then select the Donation square designated for your students ensemble. Select your donation amount, fill in your students name, click Add To Cart, then proceed with the checkout process.
*When using PayPal, here are the Student Share donation amounts for each ensemble to insert in the “Other” field:
- Fall Marching Band & Color Guard Students: $900
- Wind Ensemble Students: $225
- Concert & Symphonic Band Students: $150
- Orchestra Students: $100
- Jazz Ensemble A and B Students: $200
- Winter Guard Students: $900
- Winter Percussion Students: $900
Please reach out to Monica Fey, our Treasurer of Student Accounts, at treasurer.student@foothillmusic.org with any questions, contacts, or ideas!
That’s it for The Falcon Beat this week — thank you for your energy, time, and support in making Foothill Music thrive. Go Falcons! 🦅
Email: president@foothillmusic.org to change or add contact information to our distribution list.