Official Band Camp Information – from Mr. Souder
Remember, frequent hydration before camps is crucial!
Camps are quickly approaching including some specific days and times before and after camps that everyone needs to know about. Everything you need to know is included in this two-page newsletter! Please read carefully and thoroughly, rookies and vets – parents and students.
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PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY WITH YOUR STUDENT. STUDENTS WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS INFORMATION. THIS IS THE ANNUAL CAMP LETTER AND THE INFORMATION WITHIN IS VERY IMPORTANT.
Dear Parents and Students, The time of the year for our marching camps is getting close! There are some things you need to know in order to ensure your student’s (your) well being and success in the coming weeks. The below bullet points are in reference to BOTH Rookie Camp (in tandem with Percussion and Color Guard Camps) and Band Camp.
– TENNIS SHOES – Students MUST wear athletic tennis shoes that allow the foot to flex and bend and are comfortable for running. We will run. Students may NOT wear skateboard shoes (like Vans), Toe shoes (like Vibrams), or anything other than a normal athletic shoe. High-top basketball shoes and anything flat (like Converse) are highly discouraged.
– WATER – Students MAY NOT bring individual plastic water bottles, even in water coolers with ice. Despite our best efforts to request that students pick them up, these are left on the field and shredded by lawn mowers, posing a threat to our color guard who frequently perform and practice in thin shoes or barefoot. Students SHOULD bring a ½ or 1 gallon individual water cooler. These stay cold for a very long time and can hold adequate amounts of water for our needs. These are easily found at WalMart, Target, and any sporting goods store like Dick’s. Again, NO INDIVIDUAL PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES.
– SUNSCREEN – WEAR SUNSCREEN. This is NOT the time to try to get a tan. Almost every year, we have an ‘I’ll be fine’ student who subsequently requires a trip to the doctor/hospital and then misses multiple rehearsals, penalizing the rest of the band. Unlike most other activities, when a student misses, the entire group has to go back upon that student’s return so they can learn what they missed. While sickness is understood, we expect students to take proper precautions to protect their health. WEAR SUNSCREEN.
– BREAKFAST – NO Yogurt, milk, or anything else dairy. Trust us…it comes back up. Instead, eat hearty things- toast, oatmeal, granola bars, and the like.
– BREAKFAST #2 – EAT. Just like with sunscreen, we always have students who will faint, get dizzy, feel sick… when we ask them what they ate for breakfast, the answer is almost always “I didn’t eat”. EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT HUNGRY, EAT. Your body will NEED IT. Bring healthy snacks to munch on during a break in the event you feel weak- THIS DOES NOT REPLACE EATING BREAKFAST OR LUNCH.
– INSTRUMENT – Be POSITIVE your instrument is in working order. If your tuning slides don’t move, fix it between now and camp. There will be inspections performed by leadership and instructors. Your instrument MUST be in adequate condition for the success of this organization.
– FLIP FOLDER/LYRE – ALL MARCHING WIND INSTRUMENTS need one. Visit a music store or check Amazon.com but make sure it is compatible with the lyre connector on your instrument. You can find one and usually spend less than $10. You will need approximately ten pages in your flip folder. Plan to have this by the Thursday Wind rehearsal before Rookie Camp, July 7th.
– ATTIRE – Dress in comfortable, athletic, cool clothing. NO BLUE JEANS. NO KHAKIS. Your clothing must meet school dress code standards (shorts at or below fingertip length), Tank tops must be modest, and gentlemen, we wear shirts at all times. —- HATS – Hats are helpful but not required.
– SUNGLASSES – Sunglasses are allowed, but students will be asked at times to remove them for instructional purposes. This is where the hats come in handy.
– BUG SPRAY – If you are bothered by mosquitoes and gnats, bug spray is recommended, particularly for the evening sessions.
– EXTRA SET OF CLOTHING – We will be outside except in the hottest part of the day, and we rehearse outside unless conditions are dangerous, meaning that at times we do practice in the rain. A clean, dry set of clothing feels extraordinary after you’ve gotten soaked- don’t forget dry undies and socks too. All students will be issued a locker where they can store their instrument and belongings during the day. This locker can be used during the school year as well.
IMPORTANT: We START all rehearsals at posted times, meaning you should plan to be at the band room no later than 15 minutes before starting time. This is much more important than it may seem. We rehearse all the way until the announced ending time. Students will then be released to perform their end-of-rehearsal responsibilities, which usually take no more than 15 minutes. For any given rehearsal, students should be available to go home within 15 minutes after rehearsal ends. From my observations, most students WHO PERFORM THEIR END-OF-REHEARSAL DUTIES DILIGENTLY are ready to go within 5 minutes. It is up to them how quickly they are ready to go. This, of course, is different from student leadership, who may have extra responsibilities.
By now, EVERYONE should know, but just in case:
THE FOLLOWING CAMPS ARE MANDATORY AND ABSENCE FROM THEM CAN JEOPARDIZE A STUDENT’S ELIGIBILITY TO HAVE A SPOT IN THE SHOW. *This has changed a bit, like cancelling the July 5 Wind rehearsal previously announced.* *Anyone who may be in need of a ride to any rehearsal/camp day needs to work this out well ahead of time. There are students/parents who are willing to give rides- you need only ask. You may email me if you’re not sure who to contact.*
– Thursday, July 7 is the FIRST playing rehearsal for all WINDS – 5 PM-8 PM – students will receive official music here
– Tuesday, July 12 and Thursday, July 14 are playing rehearsals for WINDS also 5 PM-8PM to prepare music before Band Camp – this is Tuesday/Thursday evenings during Rookie Camp, for all WINDS, not Percussion or Color Guard.
– Monday, July 11 – Friday, July 15, 8am-1pm is ROOKIE CAMP. THIS IS FOR ALL FIRST YEAR MEMBERS OF THE BAND AND ANYONE CHANGING MARCHING INSTRUMENTS. *Student Leaders are required to attend; Vets are encouraged to attend for their own benefit to acclimate for Band Camp and set examples for rookies.*
– Monday, July 11 -Friday, July 15, 8am-5pm is Percussion and Guard Camp– coincides with Rookie Camp *bring lunch*
– Thursday, July 14 and Friday, July 15, 8am-1pm is PRE-CAMP FOR ALL VETERAN MEMBERS
The Next Week:
– Monday, July 18 – Friday, July 22, 8am-8pm is BAND CAMP– This is for ALL members of the marching band- winds, guard, and percussion. Students bring a sack lunch, but dinner will be provided.
– July 26 – 4pm-8pm Full Band Rehearsal
– July 28 -4pm-8pm Full Band Rehearsal
– Saturday, July 30 – Uniform Fitting and Form Submission Day – Seniors @ 9am, Juniors @ 10am, Sophomores @ 11am, Freshmen @ 12pm. FORMS MUST BE SUBMITTED ON THIS DAY TO MAINTAIN ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE BAND. Forms can all be found on the website – www.buckhornband.com/parents/documents/ . We are planning on having a notary public present. The following forms are REQUIRED:
- Buckhorn Band Information Form (Even if you did this at BMS or previous year, we need a new one)
- Last page of the BHS Band Handbook and Syllabus, signed by STUDENT AND PARENT, after reading
- Madison County Extracurricular Participation Waiver
- Madison County Out-of- County Form (has to be notarized)
- Instrument Rental Contract (for any students using a school instrument, including all members of percussion – should already be turned in)
While it may seem a little overwhelming, there IS a method to the madness and it is all in efforts to ensure the future of this program and a successful year for you and your students. Parents/families, we encourage you to attend our evening camp sessions! It’s a great opportunity to see how hard our students work and share in our pride watching these students accomplish something huge together.
- Jacob Souder, Director of Bands, and the Staff of the Buckhorn High School Band
Be sure to join our Facebook groups (“Buckhorn High School Band Fans and Members” and “Buckhorn High School Band News and Events”) – and follow us on Twitter “@BuckhornHSBand” for easy and frequent communications!
JOIN REMIND 101 Text Message alerts (used for short important reminders as well as updates/scores during travel and competition for parents/family who may not be with us at the time) – Text “@buckho” to 81010 to sign-up.