Summer Update 7/23; "Band Camp Announcements"

Hello everyone,

Here are a few reminders as we head into band camp!

Dates

Rookie camp will take place tonight and tomorrow night from 6:00pm-8:00pm. The band room will open at 5:45pm and will close at 8:15pm. “Rookies” include freshmen and students new to Ontario. At rookie camp, students will meet their section leaders and get to know one another, become familiar with the fight song and national anthem, and become familiar with both of our marching styles. 

Band camp will start next week! Camp runs from 8am-3pm, Monday through Friday, next week. Students have a break for lunch from 11am-12pm, every day. Band camp continues August 4th-August 7th at the same time the following week. The band room will open at 7:45am and close at 3:15pm. My instructional goals for band camp include learning all music for the first two shows, pregame, all the drills for the first home game, and the first act of the senior show (at a minimum). Students will also participate in games and activities throughout band camp.

The field trip originally planned for August 3rd will not be running this year, due to low interest. 

Please see the attached calendar for reminders on upcoming dates.

Parking and Building Access

Next week, active shooter training will be ongoing in the high school all week. It will not effect our wing of the building, but students are not allowed to enter the high school or park in the high school parking lot for any reason. 

There should be no parking or pick ups and drop offs behind the band room doors. The gates will be locked, and you will not be able to drive around the perimeter of the building. Students and parents should park in the middle school parking lot (the parking lot closest to the corner of Park Avenue West and Lexington-Ontario Road). 

Forms

The four forms you received in the May parent meeting packet (Off Campus Lunch Permission Form, Permission to Travel, and Uniform Contract, and the handbook) should be turned in to me on the first day of band camp. If you lost the forms, they are posted to this page. Stay tuned for information regarding the accessory form and pay-to-participate fee. 

Equipment Needs

Please plan to bring a binder with plastic binder sheets or a folder to band camp. Students must also come with a highlighter and pencil. On the first day they are required to attend rehearsal, students will receive all their music for the first ten weeks of the school year as well as the drill we will learn during band camp. The highlighter and pencil will both be used in the drill and music learning processes. I will be able to supply a limited amount of highlighters and pencils, but I will not be able to supply folders or binders.

Attendance Expectation 

Since we are learning material during band camp that is essential to our success in the first two weeks of the season and beyond, students are required to be at band camp. Students who are not present for band camp may be asked to sit out of performances they were not present to learn the material for. Students who must miss for any reason should have a parent or guardian fill out the absence form; https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdH5G7iMlY3AUVtboYuc2qS3oFyY0qbGBFl5z-2DR7sLvc6RA/viewform?usp=header.

Weather

It is going to be mostly sunny and hot for the first week of band camp! Students will rehearse outside from 8am-11am and from 2pm-3pm. Students will be given frequent water breaks and/or be allowed to carry their water bottles with them. We will rehearse inside should the school’s athletic trainers recommend we do due to heat, or in the case of pouring rain and/or thunder. We will rehearse outside in mild heat and rain. Please plan accordingly.

I’m looking forward to a great season!

Best,

Ms. Reven