Embedded Files
Overview of Materials
On This Page
*Why We Love Marching Band
*Key Messages for Students/Families
*Steps to Participate in Marching Band
*Practices/Attendance
*2025 Performances
*Interest Form for Potential Students
*Full Schedule
*Required Google Sign-Up Form
*Communication and Volunteering
Why We Love Marching Band
Why We Love Marching Band
*Students will get to know new people, including those in different grades. Especially for incoming 9th graders, it is an opportunity to meet new people and familiarize themselves a little bit with BHS before next school year.
*Students will get a chance to perform in front of and entertain thousands of people, including the State Fair Parade (pictured), Fire Muster Parade, Harriet Bishop Parade, all home football games, and the Homecoming Tour.
*Students will definitely get better at their instrument with great instruction from our amazing staff. We happily accept students of all musical abilities. There are no auditions except for drumline placement auditions. (Brass/Woodwind/Drumline students need to be enrolled in an instrumental music class for the fall semester to be eligible)
*Students will get to play a great variety of music.
*Students will get to be outside enjoying all Minnesota has to offer for weather and get some physical activity.
*Students will be able to enjoy the activity while balancing other interests in their lives. The schedule includes practices over the summer, but is generally very reasonable as far as a time commitment with only a handful of practices during the 2025-26 school year.
Key Messages
Schedule
Don’t rule yourself out for potential schedule conflicts. We really want students to get involved. We have been able to work around various schedule conflicts in the past, including if you are part of other activities.
Program Cost
The booster fee is something that we would love to get fully or partially from all students, but we can provide scholarships and work around that. Money should NOT be a barrier.
Interest Form
To help us best plan for the season, we would really appreciate anybody viewing this to complete our Interest Form if there is ANY interest - it is NOT a commitment. It is a great way to reach out with questions/concerns. This will help us to reach out to you to join the team!
Try It Out
We have clinic sessions before the season that are also NOT a commitment for drumline and consider the first practices for brass/woodwinds and color guard to be similar. Interested students can come get a feel for some of the different parts of the activity in a low-pressure and no commitment environment.
Performing at Sky Oaks Elementary School as part of the annual Homecoming Tour.
Steps to Participate in Marching Band
Review all materials on this site and the subpages as needed (Drumline, Color Guard, Meet the Staff)
If needed, reach out with questions (start with the Head Directors Mr. French and Mr. Connell (kfrench@isd191.org and pconnell@isd191.org)
Fill out the Interest Form (not a commitment) - also available lower down on this page.
Prospective members do NOT need to complete anything else before our first events (Drumline pre-season clinics and then placement auditions OR brass/woodwind/color guard first practice)
All members are expected to attend the first official events on Tuesday, June 3rd (placement auditions for drumline and practice for brass/woodwind/color guard). If they cannot attend because of a conflict, that is fine, we just ask for a communication to Mr. French and Mr. Connell (like any absence).
When members are ready to commit to being in marching band, they need to complete our initial sign-up Google Form. There are items in the form that should be reviewed with the student AND a parent. This can be done as soon a student is ready to commit, so it could come before or after June 3rd, depending on the situation. The deadline to commit to marching band is July 1st.
----At this point, the $250 Band Booster Dues should be taken care of. It is NOT required to participate and there is more information in the form about how to indicate that the student will need a scholarship (not pay the dues). Electronic payments can be made at any time through Venmo or Zelle, or cash/check payments can be brought to any practice and given to a director starting on June 3rd.
The final step is the official school/district registration through the rSchoolToday portal. This is opened sometime in July. It is a required step to participate in Band Camp and all of the practices/events after that, so the deadline for that is Monday, August 11th (first day of band camp). There is a $55 fee for the school to participate. This can be waived for students who received educational benefits (free/reduced lunch). We will release more info on that once that is up and ready for the season.
Practice/Attendance Expectations and Overview
2025 Performances
Parades
State Fair - Fri Aug 22
Fire Muster - Sat Sept 6
Harriet Bishop - Fri Sept 12
Football Games
Game #1 Thu Aug 28 - 6 pm
Game #2 Fri Sept 19 - 5 pm
Game #3 Thu Oct 2 - 6 pm
Game #4 Wed Oct 15 - 6 pm
These are kickoff times. Practice generally begins at 3:00 pm.
Other School Events
Homecoming Tour - Fri Sept 19
Outdoor Concert - Mon October 6
We certanly hope that students can be available for all performances, but it is something that we can work around as needed.
Full Schedule (Google Calendar on Left and Doc on Right)
To add the above calendar to your calendar, click the plus sign in the lower-right corner.
Communication
We will be utilizing the Slack site/app for communication again this year, in addition to email.
Join SLACK
● New Students/Parents - Click Here to Join
● Returning Members/Parents - You will be added to the channels for this season
once you complete the interest form.
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER WITH THE BAND!
We need tons of help to successfully run a marching band season - please consider joining us on a parade or for a football game night - or many! Click on the link to see how you can help! (2025 sign-up links will be available in August.)
Be sure to like our Facebook page. There will be photos and other fun things posted throughout the season!
Page updated
Report abuse