News

June 2025 Music Boosters Newsletter

Sent: June 1, 2025

Dear Parents and Staff,

As we approach the close of the 2024–25 school year, we want to take a moment to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together.

This year was filled with unforgettable highlights:

• The Raider Marching Band earned State and National Championships with a record-breaking score.

• Our choir traveled to Austria, Indoor Percussion competed in Dayton, and our middle school ensembles brought home top honors from Hershey.

• A record-breaking number of students auditioned for and performed in Region, All-State, and All-Eastern ensembles

• Nutley was once again named one of the Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation

We capped it all off with our 50th Annual Music Awards Dinner, celebrating the legacy and future of music in Nutley.

To our graduating Class of 2025 and our Music Boosters Scholarship recipients—congratulations! Your dedication and impact on our program will be felt for years to come. We can’t wait to see where your musical journeys lead next.

We also extend our deepest thanks to the music directors and their staff, parents and volunteers who gave their time, energy, and heart to support our students this year. 

As we look ahead, we’ll be sending out a Year-End Survey to gather feedback from our music families soon. This short survey will be completely anonymous, and we encourage everyone to take a few minutes to share your thoughts. Your input is vital as we shape next year’s goals, events, and fundraising plans.

Please see below information regarding items that will be coming up this June and beyond.

Wishing all of our students, families, and staff a relaxing and safe summer! As always, please feel free to reach out by email or message directly in the BAND App with any questions.

Warm regards,
Sal Scarpelli
President, Nutley Music Boosters

🎉 May Student & Ensemble Highlights

• Congratulations to our 2025 Music Boosters Scholarship Recipients

  • Dr. Ernest Ersfeld Music Scholarship - Isabella Dimasi, Caitlin Niebuhr and Sofia Lopez

  • Lester Hrbek Instrumental Music Scholarship - Luke Costantino, Alekaii Rosado and Kaitlyn Aguila

  • Raymond Kohere Vocal Music Scholarship - Alexis Hamlin, Abigail Puleo and Matthew Blanchard

• The NHS Chamber Singers Honors received a Superior Rating in Performance and an Exemplary Rating in Sight Reading at the NJACDA High School Choral Festival

• The NHS Marching Band was honored by the Essex County Board of Commissioners in recognition of their outstanding Fall 2024 season

• The JHWMS Music Department participated in the Music in the Parks Festival at Hershey Park. In addition to the below accolades, the Chamber Strings and Symphonic Band received Best Overall in the entire competition.

  • Jazz Band – Superior - 1st

  • String Orchestra – Excellent - 1st

  • Chamber Strings – Excellent - 1st

  • Concert Band – Superior - 2nd

  • Symphonic Band – Superior - 1st

  • Debonaires – Excellent - 1st

  • Concert Choir – Superior - 1st

💰Student Fundraising Information

NMBA offers Student Fundraising Accounts to help offset costs related to music activities at JHWMS and NHS. Funds carry over year to year! For more information, including current balances by contacting Treasurer Teresa Bonilla: trealpebonilla2018@gmail.com

Please stay tuned for upcoming fundraising during the summer. In the meantime, check out our year-round opportunities!

Year-Round Fundraising Options

Please visit our website at https://www.nutleymusicboosters.org/fundraisers/current-opportunities for more information on the following:

• Individual Online Donation Pages

• Gertrude Hawk Chocolates

• RaiseRight - Gift Cards to 700+ merchants

• Shop-Rite / Stop & Shop Gift Cards

• NHS Auditorium "Sponsor a Seat"

🍔 "Dine to Donate" Events

Join us for a delicious opportunity this month to support the Nutley Music Boosters while enjoying a meal with family and friends:

• UNO Pizzeria and Grill, Clifton - Flyer
  Thursday, June 26
  25% of all food and alcoholic drink sales will be donated. Dine In or Take Out

🌞 Nutley Summer Music Program

In partnership with the Nutley School District, this summer enrichment program is designed for students going into Grades 3 through 12.  It offers small group instruction in a wide variety of string and band instruments, along with vocal and piano training. We're delighted to introduce a variety of other courses, including a Musical Theatre Boot Camp, a Jazz Combo, and Introduction to Color Guard and Marching Percussion.

This program will run from July 14-25, 2025. For more information, please visit www.nutleymusicboosters.org/summermusic - Registration deadline is Friday, June 13, 2025.

📅 June and July Calendar Highlights

To view a full calendar, please visit our website or on the BAND App, including the summer marching band rehearsal schedule.

• Mon, June 2 - Elementary Instrument Petting Zoo | 5-7 PM | NHS Gym

• Wed, June 4 - JHWMS Spring Concert | 6:30 PM

• Thurs, June 12 - Nutley Education Foundation "Sip, Savor and Support" Event | Tickets 

• Fri, June 13 - Nutley Summer Music Registration Deadline

• Fri, June 13 - JHWMS Promotion

• Sun, June 15 - Marching Band Payment #2 Due

• Thurs, June 19 - NHS Graduation

• Thurs, June 26 - UNO Pizzeria and Grill "Dine to Donate"

• July 14-25 - Nutley Summer Music Program