Welcome back, parents!
¡Bienvenidos de vuelta, papás!
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We’re excited for the 2017-2018 Viking Band season. Please read through for important information regarding student registrations, our annual parent meeting, volunteers sign ups and our upcoming Band Camp.
Viking Marching Band Camp Registration
We’re are at the countdown for Marching Band Camp. If you haven’t yet, make sure to register your student using our Online Registration Form. Be sure to print and sign the Off Campus Permission and Photo Release Form. (The online form will also direct you to sign this form.) If you have trouble with the links in this email, all forms are available on our website http://www.samohiband.com; click on Forms/Band Family Information.
Band Camp will be held in the Samohi Band Room and Athletic Field on August 7th – 11th and August 14th – 18th, 2017 from 12 noon to 8 pm.
This year’s camp cost of $250 per student for the two weeks of instruction is due at the beginning of camp, and is part of the estimated $750 per pupil cost of one year in the marching band. Your generous contribution helps cover the costs of training, outfitting and equipping the students all year long, beginning with Band Camp and ending with the Fourth of July Parade.
All students are able to participate in all aspects of the program regardless of their ability to contribute financially. Scholarships are available; please contact Mr. McKeown directly for more information.
Attending Band Camp
Band Camp is an important and MANDATORY part of Marching Band and Color Guard class. Students who miss any portion of Band Camp are subject to reassignment to alternate (understudy) positions within the Band. Students should contact Mr. Mckeown (komckeown@smmusd.org) if they are to miss any part of Band Camp.
During camp students should come prepared to work outside several hours a day. All students must:
- Bring a 1 gallon thermos with ice water with their name on it. It’s going to be hot! Right now, Vons has 1-gallon Coleman jugs on sale for $6.99. Similar jugs are available at sporting goods stores and online, like this Coleman jug on Amazon.
- Wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes. Any suitable for PE class is appropriate for camp.
- Wear comfortable clothing for warm weather, and bring layers for cooler temperatures in the evening.
- Bring a 1”- 1.5” binder, a pencil and 25 sheet protectors.
- Don’t forget the water.
- Wear sunblock and bring extra to reapply during the day.
- Bring sunglasses. There are times when students will be rehearsing facing west at sunset.
- Bring snacks for brief breaks.
- Have a plan for dinner break. Students are allowed to go off campus during the dinner break. Parents must make arrangements ahead of time as food is not provided, either leave food with their student, or give them permission and money to go off campus. Most students prefer to eat at local restaurants, (Subway, El Pollo Loco, Dominos, etc). Students may go off campus ONLY when paired with another student or in a group.
- Did we mention water? Seriously, water fountains in Samohi are few and far between. Each student should bring AT LEAST 1 gallon of water and refill their thermos as needed. Student should keep their water thermos at all times.
Annual Marching Band Parents Meeting & Potluck
Per tradition, we’ll have our marching band parents’ potluck on the last day of Band Camp, this year also combined with our parents meeting and a teaser reveal of the 2017-2018 show.
Mark your calendar for early arrival on Friday August 18th at 5.30 p.m., followed by our potluck at 6.p.m. Make sure to sign up for dishes here:
Sign up for Marching Band Potluck
Volunteers Needed during Band Camp
We need parents to come help us during marching band camp to sort through the over one hundred uniforms we have. We fit all students to their new season uniforms, clean up our inventory, do repairs, and set each student up with all they need for the new competition season.
For dates and times sign up here:
Sign up to help with uniforms during Band Camp
Many thanks to Mudita Bahadur, Natalie DiMundo, Alma Ruiz, Ana Vazquez, and Jackson Weill for washing the marching band pants!
Welcome to the 2017-18 Marching Band Season!
How to stay informed
Marching Band hits the ground running! Here are a few suggestions to help you stay in the loop:
1) You may subscribe to the Samohi Band Google Calendar by clicking SUBSCRIBE HERE (works with Google Calendar and iCal).
We are also working on a printable one-page Band Calendar (subject to change).
2) Bookmark our NEW Samohi Bands website http://www.samohiband.com, which keeps reminders and all important information with easy searching options.
3) Like the Samohi Band’s Facebook page where we post regular updates and announcements: Samohi Band on Facebook
Questions?
Reach out to us!
Mr. Kevin McKeown is our Director of Bands <komckeown@smmusd.org>. You can also send us an email to samohiband@gmail.com. Yunilda Esquivel is taking over as VP of Marching Band and can be reached at yunilda+samo@gmail.com if you’re interested on learning about volunteering opportunities, donations and sharing other parents interests.
We look forward seeing your students at Band Camp and all our parents at our parents’ meeting on August 18th.
Go Vikings!
