August 23, 2026

Hope you had a great weekend!

Monday - Percussion 5pm-8pm, Guard 5:30-7:00

Tuesday - Rehearsal 3:15-6:00 

Wednesday - Closer memorization test

Thursday - Rehearsal 3:15-6:00

Friday - Football Game!!! Leave at 5:15

Great job at last week's rehearsals. If you continue to want to get better each day and give 100% at every rehearsal, then there is no stopping you!!!

Be prepared to go outside every day. Your grade may depend on if you have the appropriate attire to be outside during class time.  

Things you need with you every day at class/rehearsal:

·           Instrument

·           Music

·           Pencil

·           Rehearsal shirt (when they are in)

·           Comfortable athletic shoes

·           Dot book

·           Water Jug

Regular rehearsal schedule: Monday percussion 5pm-8pm, Tuesday everyone 3:15-5pm with guard and wind having sectionals until 6pm. Thursday 3:15-6pm for everyone. 

Great job this past Saturday at our post camp. 

When we get ready for performances the following must be completed in order to perform. 

·           Pass all memorization tests

·           Participate in two full run throughs of the show before performance (these only happen on rehearsal days)

·           Receive no disciplinary actions by the school

·           Maintain a C average in each class 

 We have taken two memorization tests at the point. Grades for the opener have been put into the computer and the students have one week for them to retake their test on their own time to bring up their grade after this coming Wednesday those grades are permanent. Students must still pass the test even if they can not change their grade to be able to march. Warm-up grades will be posted Monday afternoon and then they will have one week to retake those also. 

Parents, please remember that band is an academic class and does count towards your students GPA. This is not middle school where it is just during activity time. 

Below you will see a list of things that need to be paid and their dates as of right now. I am going to only include the upcoming band fee as we are a month away from the 3rd one. Please pay for these separately as that is how we have to receipt them. 

·             Band fee #2 - $100 past due

•   Band Fee #3 - $100 past due

•    Uniform top - $96 past due

·           Dot book - $20 past due

·           Rehearsal shirts - $25 past due

·           Shoes - $56 past due

·           State Room-Deadline #1-SEPTEMBER 15TH FOR THE FIRST ROOM PAYMENT OF $48 PER STUDENT-PLEASE START SENDING THIS!  WE HAVE A PAYMENT DUE ON SEPTEMBER 15 AND YOUR PAYMENTS COVERS THIS.

·           State Room-Deadline #2-OCTOBER 15TH FOR THE SECOND/FINAL ROOM PAYMENT OF $48 PER STUDENT

o   MAKE SURE TO PUT YOUR CHILD'S NAME, ROOM PAYMENT # 1 OR ROOM PAYMENT #2 OR FULL ROOM PAYMENT ON THE ENVELOPE WHEN YOU SEND THIS!

·           IF WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE ROOM WITH FEWER STUDENTS IN IT, THAT WILL ADD TO THE COST-If there is a room like this, it will be a Girls' Room as of today.  

Guard and percussion sponsors and fees are past due

When we start school we have a very limited number of rehearsals left. With that being said, if students have appointments please make sure that they are NOT scheduled ON  Tuesdays and Thursdays to accommodate band rehearsals. 

If your student has any questions we have a chain of command for them to go through. 

1.             Section leaders

2.             Drum majors

3.             Band captains

4.             Staff if none of the others have the answers

With the new season starting, please be aware of office hours for staff. We will reply only within an hour of the ending of school on non-rehearsal days or an hour after rehearsal days. If we receive something after those times, please understand we will not send a response until the next morning once we get back to school. We all also have families and need to spend time with them as well. We are at school and work many more hours than we are at home, especially during the marching season because of Friday night games and Saturday competitions, so we please ask that you respect this time for our sanity and the students. 

This week we will travel and are in our civilian uniform for the first time. On Friday, we will be leaving GC at 5:15. Students must be in their seats by 5:00. Students will text or call their rides when we are leaving Obion County. On Saturday morning we are leaving GC at 8:00. All students need to be in their seats in the band room at 7:45 that morning. Once we are together, students must stay with us until dismissal and sign outs if they have turned in Ride Home Forms.

VERY IMPORTANT PARAGRAPHS BELOW-PLEASE READ!

Ride home forms are due for Friday's game on Wednesday by 3:15. Ride home forms for Saturday are due Thursday by 6:15pm for Saturday. STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SIGN OUT AND LEAVE UNTIL EVERYTHING IS LOADED. Students are ONLY allowed to ride home with parents/guardians/others if they have turned in a Ride home form. If they are late, I will not be adding them to the ride home list this year. If they ride home without a ride home form, then they will not be allowed to turn in a ride home form or ride home any other way than on the bus for the rest of the school year. Please make sure that you get these turned in. I also ask that you do not turn in bulk ones for the whole season as we have to do these weekly. Do not email me a copy as we take these in a folder with us to the game/contest just in case their name was left off the list. These are located on the front table in the band room or on the band's website to print off and sign and send in. 

https://sites.google.com/site/gchsmarchingpioneers/fun-things

Parents, when we travel, we follow a certain order. Director vehicles, bus 1, semi, bus 2, equipment trucks, and then parents. When we get to a location to park the ONLY vehicles parking with the band will be staff, equipment vehicles, and parents who I have spoken with that will be helping with the band getting ready. If you are not a part of that group, you will need to park in normal spectator parking. 

This is the last week to sell shirts!!!! SELL SELL SELL. Each student is tasked with selling 6 theme shirts or getting $25 in donations and 8 spirit shirts or getting $35 in donations. Everyone must do something for fundraisers. Turning in nothing is not an option. To be able to benefit from the funds raised then you must participate in the fundraiser. 

I think that is all for now. Please expect these emails to be sent out on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings. 

Aug. 26th - Closer memorization Test

Aug. 28th - Fb vs Obion (travel) LEAVE 5:15

Aug. 29th - Pete Evans showcase @ Milan

Sep. 3rd - Preview Night 6:30pm

Sep. 4th - Football vs Peabody 

Sep. 11th - Homecoming football game

Sep. 19th - Hornet Invitational

Sep. 26th - UCI