TIME CHANGE for 9/19 Football at Neptune! New reporting and performance times!
The newsletter is generally created weekly during marching season, and when needed all other times. An exact copy is emailed to all parents and guardians who have signed up to receive updates.
Hello everyone! We are charging headlong into October, the busiest month for all marching bands... or, as Mrs. Carattini put it recently, BANDtober! This is where band has something going on five or even six days a week. Keep a close eye on those calendars!
Kudos to the band members that were able to make the fun trek out to the Jackson Liberty game this past Saturday. You performed your hearts out, and it was noticed and appreciated! I received escpecially good compliments about your a cappella rendition of Old Indian Tom before the third quater break ended. :) Of course, special thanks to the band parents that came along and made sure we could get everything on and off the equipment bus smoothly.
In the musician's realm, memorization testing has begun for the National Anthem and Old Indian Tom. Those that do not perform on their instruments in marching season (guard members and drum majors) have already received an alternate assignment for their grade. Musicians that do not have band class must still come in and test on these songs; please have students make arrangements with Mr. Test to do so.
Here is the week at a glance:
Monday, October 2-Guard Rehearsal, 6-9 PM. Ms. Chelston has posted staggered starting times in her Google Classroom based on the guard member's position for the final show number.
Tuesday, October 3- Competition Rehearsal, 6-9 PM. This one is super-important, we will be finishing our third number charts!
Thursday, October 5 - Competition Rehearsal, 6-9 PM.
Friday, October 6 - EARLY for Future Marching Indian Day! (We only need students; parents/pit crew please do not arrive until after rehearsal, approx. 5 PM)
3:30PM - Leaders arrive, dress in full uniform, and prepare to meet and greet
4:00 PM - All Marching Indians ready for rehearsal with the Seminoles (no uniforms except leaders)
5:00 PM (approx.) - Rehearsal finishes; non-leaders get in uniform and finish pre-game prep
5:20 PM - Inspection
6:00 PM - Kickoff
Halftime - All students (grades 7-12) gather in the Cafetorium for a pizza party provided by the Bandwagon!
Saturday, October 7 - COMP DAY BABY! LET'S GO GET IT DONE!
1:30 PM - Students arrive, set up for practice
1:45-3:15 - practice @ South
3:15-4:15 - pack, travel, & arrive; free time for students
5:15 (After Jackson Liberty performs) - Unpack, change, and warm up
6:30 - March to gate (pit parents move pit in front or behind us)
6:55 - SHOWTIME!
7:15 - March back, change, pack
7:55 - All members back in stands for Brick Township
9:00 (approx.) - return to South, unpack, dismiss
A final reminder: in case you have not received the notice for some reason, we will NOT be marching in the Columbus Day Parade this year. Since it is our first year back in competition, and the weather has prevented us from finishing our show last week, the staff decided we needed to concentrate on the field show and not lose rehearsal hours for the parade. Additionally, the vast majority of band members are competing, and it would have been the third performance in a row after Friday's game and Saturday's competition.
Hope to see a full crowd Friday night, and again at Brick Township on Saturday. GO SOUTH!
Here are old editions of the newsletter
Hello everyone! If somehow, by some way, you managed to avoid the good news... The Marching Indians took home First Place in Class 1-A at the Tournament of Bands competition in Manchester this past Saturday! The students were at their absolute best, and have set themselves a high bar for the rest of the season!
This week brings its own challenges. In the concert band realm, we begin lessons as memorization testing will begin next week for the National Anthem and Old Indian Tom. Those that do not perform on their instruments in marching season (guard members and drum majors) have already received an alternate assignment for their grade. We may (not set yet) also be heading out for a pep rally at Washington Street on Friday!
For marching band, we only have one rehearsal this week (Tuesday 9/26) to try and finish up our final number, despite the weather. The guard will rehearse Wednesday, and we are not allowed to rehearse on Back to School Night. (Hope to see you there!) We do not compete this weekend.
Here is the week at a glance:
Tuesday, September 26- Competition Rehearsal, 6-9 PM.
WEDNESDAY, September 27- Guard Rehearsal, 6-9 PM. (Moved from Monday because of the holiday)
Thursday, September 21 - NO Rehearsal (HS South Back To School Night)
Friday, September 22- EARLY Game at Jackson Liberty!
3:35 PM - Leaders arrive and start uniforms
3:45 PM - Doors open for all members
4:15 PM - Inspection and departure
5:30 PM - Pre-game show
6:00 PM - Kickoff
Further out, but also important: the Board of Education has rescheduled our Winter Concert to THURSDAY, 12/21/23.
Hope to see a full crowd Friday night. GO SOUTH!
Hello everyone! Special thanks to the pit crew for helping us get on the field so quickly Friday night after the transportation debacle. The kids were fantastic staying focused and put on a great show! They also played their hearts out at the game, and I think they made a difference in the outcome.
We have an extremely busy week, with a ton of stuff going on! First, the Concert Band placement auditions are this week. Participating students received an audition date and time. Auditions are required for Honors Band 3 and 4, and optional for everyone else. Regular lessons begin next week.
Here is what the rest of the week looks like:
Tuesday, September 19 - Competition Rehearsal, 6-9 PM.
WEDNESDAY, September 20 - Guard Rehearsal, 6-9 PM. (Moved from Monday because of Ms. Chelston's back-to-school night)
Thursday, September 21 - Competition Rehearsal, 6-9 PM.
Friday, September 22:
Yearbook Pictures! We begin picutres at 4 PM; there should be a detailed schedule by Tuesday morning.
Football vs. Neptune: There is no report time, because students will be here for pictures. Pit crew, please arrive by 5 PM to help. Inspection is 5:20 PM.
Senior Night! After the game, the Marching Indians literally march into the cafetorium to celebrate our seniors. No one is dismissed until after announcements and senior festivities.
Saturday, September 22 - Manchester Tournament of Bands! This is the current schedule, subject to change due to busing:
3:00-4:30 PM - Pre-comp practice on our own field
4:30-5:15 PM - Load up, costume/gear up, head to Manchester
5:15-7:15 PM - Arrive, unpack, spectator/dinner time
7:15-8:20 PM - Warm up and line up
8:25-8:30 PM - Silent march to gate
8:40 PM - SHOW TIME!
8:55-9:20 PM - Return to buses, pack up, change (if time allows)
9:20-9:40 PM - Return to away stands at field
9:40-10:00 PM - Retreat (awards ceremony) and Dismissal
10:00-10:20 PM - Return to buses, head home
10:35-10:55 PM - Unpack, clean up, dismissal
Further out, but also important: the Board of Education has rescheduled our Winter Concert to THURSDAY, 12/21/23.
Hope to see a full crowd Friday night, and an even bigger crowd Saturday at Manchester. GO SOUTH!
Hello everyone! Now that everything is "up and running," I have some time to share important updates with you. The calendar has been modified once again, as changes are forced upon us, and confirmations come from the district regarding our rehearsal spaces. Here is what is on tap this week:
Monday, September 11 - Guard Rehearsal, 6-9 PM.
Tuesday, September 12 - Competition Rehearsal, 6-9 PM.
Thursday, September 13 - Competition Rehearsal, 6-9 PM.
Friday, September 14 - Fall Pep Rally! Students are dismissed from their period 7 class at 12:15 to participate. Band Class students are required to participate for a grade.
Friday, September 14 - FOOTBALL @ TR East! Report time is 4:05 PM for student leaders, and 4:15 PM for everyone else. Inspection is 4:40 PM.
Looking ahead to next week, we have some special events!
Friday, September 22 - SENIOR NIGHT and YEARBOOK PICTURES! Reporting times will start as early as 4 PM for yearbook pictures; I am waiting on Lors Photography to finalize the shooting schedule. Seniors and parents will get more information from the Bandwagon shortly about Senior Night. No one is dismissed directly after the game so we can celebrate our seniors!
Saturday, September 23 - Tournament of Bands @ Manchester! It's our first time competing since Covid, and I'm so excited for our Marching Indians to show the region what they can accomplish! This is a night competition, and we are the last category. Here is the schedule, subject to change if our show or busing times change:
3:00-4:30 PM - Pre-comp practice on our own field
4:30-5:15 PM - Load up, costume/gear up, head to Manchester
5:15-7:15 PM - Arrive, unpack, spectator/dinner time
7:15-8:20 PM - Warm up and line up
8:25-8:30 PM - Silent march to gate
8:40 PM - SHOW TIME!
8:55-9:20 PM - Return to buses, pack up, change (if time allows)
9:20-9:40 PM - Return to away stands at field
9:40-10:00 PM - Retreat (awards ceremony) and Dismissal
10:00-10:20 PM - Return to buses, head home
10:35-10:55 PM - Unpack, clean up, dismissal
Further out, but also important: the Board of Education has rescheduled our Winter Concert to THURSDAY, 12/21/23.
Hope to see a full crowd Friday night. GO SOUTH!
Hello everyone! Once again, I would like to thank all the incredible parents that contributed to our successful Band Camp this year. The staff cannot function without you! The students were wonderful, and I think our preview show demonstrated just how awesome they are.
Even though the first day of school for students is next Tuesday, our first performance is already upon us! Additionally, we have our first "regular" Competition practices and our Orientation performances. Here's a quick look at the schedule for this week:
Tuesday, August 29 - Competition Rehearsal, 6-9 PM. We may dismiss early if the weather is uncooperative for an extended part of the practice.
Wednesday, August 30 - Freshmen Orientation Day 1. Students may wear anything Southish and arrive around 8:15 AM at the Band Room. We will line up and begin playing our "tunnel" around 8:40. All musician and guard students are encouraged to join us. It's a fun time!
Thursday, August 31 - Freshmen Orientation Day 2. Students may wear anything Southish and arrive around 8:15 AM at the Band Room. We will line up and begin playing our "tunnel" around 8:40. All musician and guard students are encouraged to join us. It's a fun time!
Thursday, August 31 - Competition/Optional Full Dress Rehearsal, 6-9 PM. Non-competing students are encouraged to join us by 8:20 PM to review the formations and music for SOUTH on the field, and to get a refresher on pre-game procedures at the end of practice. A Remind will be sent out with which field we will be using; almost always, the baseball field behind the gym.
Friday, September 1 - FOOTBALL! Report time is 4:45 PM for student leaders, and 4:55 PM for everyone else. Inspection is 5:25 PM.
BlueClaws Night! Don't forget to celebrate the start of the band season by hanging at the BlueClaws game Saturday, September 2! Tickets are $15, with $5 going right back to the students' fundraising accounts. The game begins at 7:05 PM. Come on out and hang with your friends! Order tickets at https://fevogm.com/event/trhsmb.
A word on phones and other devices: These items ARE BANNED from student use while we are performing; this includes the entire time we are in the football stands as a pep band. Students may use them during halftime break; otherwise, we ask the students to keep their devices in their lockers, in the band room closets, or other safe areas. To that end, please do not expect your student to respond immediately to your own texts or calls. In the case of an absolute emergency, it is best to contact a staff member via a Remind text.
Hope to see a full crowd Friday night. GO SOUTH!
Hello everyone! Now that we are in August, our Band Camps are only two weeks away! Please read below for important details. Please note that the same email is being sent to all students, parents, and guardians, so we are all on the same page! That also means I am using "your student" instead of "you" if you are a band member.
When and where: Thanks to a generous effort by Principal Raylman, we will have our camp at HS South, as always! If you are not too familiar with South yet, please note that there are two "sides" to the parking lots (Hyers St./main entrance and Hooper Ave./cafetorium entrance), and the two sides do not connect. Please make sure to drop off at the Hooper Ave. (Cafetorium) doors. We have TWO different camps, depending on your student's level of involvement:
Mandatory Mini Camp: Wednesday through Friday, August 16-18, 2-6 PM. This is mandatory for every student participating in any level of Band this year! It is our only opportunity to get ready for the fall season.
Field Show Camp: Our traditional camp, mandatory for all those participating in the field show and competing this year. Students only taking Band Class but not competing, do not attend Field Show Camp.
Wednesday through Friday, August 16-18, 6-8 PM. This is music and routine review for the main camp, and will begin after Mini Camp and a dinner break each night.
Monday through Thursday, August 21-24, 8 AM-4 PM. These are the main dates and times of our camp.
Friday, August 25, 10 AM-8 PM. We get a "late start" because we have the Preview Show at 7 PM.
If you are still not sure which camp(s) your student must attend, here is a quick way to know:
If your student is in Color Guard, they must attend BOTH Mini and Field Show camps.
If your student is a musician performing in the field show (attended July music rehearsals), they must attend BOTH Mini and Field Show camps.
If your student is enrolled in Band class for the year, but is not involved with the field show and did not attend July rehearsals, they must only attend the Mini Camp 8/16-8/18.
What to wear: Because of the physical nature of marching band, students should be ready to work both outdoors (weather permitting) and indoors. Just like sports, because of our limited practice time, we will be outdoors in the heat (with frequent breaks) and/or light rain/drizzle. An easy rule of thumb is to follow the school's warm dress code for gym class; T shirts with sleeves, shorts of a decent length, socks, and laced sneakers that do not fit loosely. Students cannot march in open-toe or open-back shoes, flip-flops, Crocs, or anything of that nature. If your student's clothing and/or footwear is deemed inappropriate by the staff, someone will have to bring proper replacements to the school before they can participate.
What to bring: Here is a basic checklist for each day of camp, with exceptions noted as needed:
Instrument/guard equipment as owned or assigned. If you do not have one yet (for example, those only in band class), we will take care of that on the first day of Mini Camp.
LOTS OF WATER; NO ENERGY DRINKS. Proper hydration is incredibly important! The band parents will often have extra water and ice pops on hand, but sometimes no one is available to volunteer. We also have a filtered refill station/water fountain near the Cafetorium as needed. Rehydration drinks such as Gatorade are good, but should not be used in place of water. Energy drinks (Red Bull, Monster, etc.) are full of chemicals that generally replace hydration with a short burst of energy, and must be consumed very cautiously.
Sunscreen, and optionally a hat or head covering. Please arrive at camp already wearing sunscreen; we do not have time to wait for everyone to apply, unless you arrive early enough to do so before we begin. Be careful with your skin, and please know that sunburn is not an excuse to miss camp days!
Salty snacks, such as pretzels or chips. You sweat out salt and other important elements, so it is good to have something to replenish.
Music, if you already have it. If not, we will provide copies for you at Mini Camp.
Ready-to-eat dinner/lunch. (For Field Show students only.) We will have a short dinner break daily at Mini Camp, and a long lunch break daily for Field Show camp. (Field Show Friday 8/25 is BBQ day, you do not have to pack your own!) Please note that we do not have access to any microwave or other cooking appliance; due to security concerns, we also do not allow any kind of food delivery (parent, Doordash, Uber Eats, etc.), and we do not allow any student to leave the campus at any time.
Deodorant. We sweat, and sometimes we smell because of it. Be ready to reapply, especially on those long Field Show Camp days!
Change of clothes, especially socks. It can be great to get out of smelly, sweaty clothes and into fresh ones as we work in the heat and occasional damp!
Shoe money if you are new (or just need new shoes). Marching shoes are specifically designed for the activity, just like cleats or specific dance shoes. Students are required to purchase and wear the correct footwear with their uniforms. You may bring cash, or a check made out to "The Final Touch Co." Pricing still needs to be verified, but right now it is $40 for musicians and $41.95 for guard. Mr. Pearson will be at South on Friday, August 18, around 3 PM to do all shoe fittings. The Indian Bandwagon parents organization can be contacted discretely if you cannot afford the shoes and require assistance; please email indianbandwagon@gmail.com with your request.
What NOT to bring: As always, this list is just as important! Any of these things may be confiscated and not returned until there is a parent/guardian meeting:
FOOD CONTAINING NUTS. There are several nut-allergic people involved in the band and at school.
Food requiring any kind of cooking or preparation. Your student will not have access to a cooking method (see above), and they will want to get down to eating as quickly as possible!
Smoking/vaping/drug items of any type. These items will always require a conference, usually scheduled and attended by a school vice principal.
Water guns/balloons. The only exceptions are planned events with the staff's advance permission. Do not bring them in hoping to get permission the same day!
Candy and sugary snacks. Unless needed for a medical condition, these trade very short energy bursts for actual fuel and hydration your student's body requires.
Weapons (real or fake) or anything else against school policies. Staff has final determination; if your student does not need it for the day, they should leave it home!
A word on phones and other devices: These items are NOT banned from camp. Students may use them during breaks, and sometimes we use them during camp (for example, instrument tuning and metronome apps). However, it is understood that these devices are only used on breaks or with a staff member's permission. Students who break this rule will receive one warning; multiple infractions will result in the device being confiscated and returned at the end of the day. To that end, please do not expect your student to respond immediately to your own texts or calls. In the case of an absolute emergency, it is best to contact a staff member via a Remind text.
You made it to the end! As always, thank you for your attention. Whether or not your student is in the field show, all are invited to watch our 2023 Preview Show! Weather permitting, it will be 7 PM Friday, August 25, in Detwiler Stadium at HS South. Hope to see you there! Finally, if you have any questions or issues, please email or text on Remind. GO SOUTH!