New Band Family Handbook Welcome to the award-winning Smithson Valley Ranger Band program! On behalf of our Band Boosters, we are so happy to have you! Your student is embarking on a journey that will help to build and shape their character, foster leadership and, yes, challenge them, too. You will be amazed at the transformation that you witness over the course of the next year. Your student will meet new people, be encouraged and championed, and will grow both musically and emotionally. As exciting as the beginning of this journey is for both the students and their caregivers, you might be finding yourself having moments of “what are we getting ourselves into?” Please know that those feelings are completely normal and many seasoned band parents often STILL have these feelings (Especially in the thick of marching season when the alarm goes off at 4:30am on a Saturday, ahead of an all-day marching contest.). In an effort to ease any nerves or second-guessing, we have compiled some helpful information and facts in order to provide as many answers to the burning questions that you might have now, or will surely have in the coming months. Additionally, NEVER hesitate to reach out to a fellow Ranger Band parent or caregiver with any other questions or concerns. We have all marched the same path and are eager and happy to help. FAQs What is Remind? You will see many references to information being distributed via the Remind app. If you haven’t already, please join Remind via the code that Mr. Childress will be sending out, as well as any Remind codes for your student’s section. Remind is a way for the Ranger Band Directors and the Student Leaders to send reminders or last minute announcements by text message, without having access to your personal phone number. While we sometimes make general or public announcements through Facebook, Remind is used to send specific information to our members. Is there a Facebook page for the Ranger Band Parents and Families? Yes! We have an active private Facebook page for current Ranger Band parents and their caregivers (search for: SVHS Ranger Band Parents). No matter how you might feel about social media, this Facebook page is an invaluable resource for staying in-the-know about everything that is going on and is a great place to get your questions answered quickly. During marching season, our wonderful chaperones will keep us updated via FB about the ETA of our buses--which is a great resource for parents waiting to pick up their kids. Additionally, we also have the SVHS Ranger Band Facebook page, which is public and a great place for grandparents, out of town friends and the community to get a glimpse into Ranger Band life! What is Color Guard? The Color Guard is an integral part of the visual performance of the marching show. Selection is based on tryouts in the spring. The group is under the direction of the Color Guard Director and is governed by the Ranger Band Staff. The Guard augments the marching show by incorporating flags, rifles, and a variety of props. The Color Guard has their own individual competition season in the second semester called Winter Guard. What is Summer Band Camp? The end of July / beginning of August marks the start of the marching season. Summer rehearsals are all about learning the band’s marching show-music and drill. UIL rules dictate when a high school program can begin working on marching drill. This date fluctuates based on the start date of school, so summer camp will usually begin on or around the last week of July (but many sections begin unofficial gatherings to practice and team-build earlier in the summer). The kids will be learning show music and drill, in addition to the pre-game show and all of our stand tunes for the season. Attendance at this camp is mandatory. Speak to the directors about any concerns. What is Band Registration? Band Registration is typically held the Saturday following the first full week of Summer Band Camp and serves as a chance for the PARENTS to get all of the information they will need to navigate through the band year. Stations will be set up so you can learn about fundraising opportunities, volunteer opportunities, sign up to chaperone, your student will be fitted for their size for their shoes, marching uniform, concert uniform, purchase spirit wear, and so much more. What Do Band Fees Cover? Band fees cover the cost of putting your student on the competitive marching field, in addition to providing additional teaching staff and opportunities throughout the school year. The school district only covers a portion of the cost of yearly UIL activities, school-owned instruments, and their marching/concert uniforms. The Ranger Band competes in approximately 3-4 other highly prestigious marching competitions each season. Band fees also cover clinicians, some master classes, contest entry fees, meals for your student and many other items that combine to fund this competitive program for our students. Please see the published payment schedule for a detailed breakdown of what is covered by your band fees. Additionally, the Band Booster organization raises as much money as they can each year. These funds help offset some of the expenses incurred by the band department. The Band Booster’s efforts allow the band fees to be significantly less than they would be without their financial help. What is Meet the Band? Meet the Band is a fun event that is held one evening during the last week of Summer Band Camp. Parents, friends and family are invited to share a meal, prepared by our talented “Grill Team” (comprised of culinary-enthusiastic band parents), as the band gives us a sneak-peak of what they’ve been working on all summer. You’ll get to hear the first couple of parts of the marching show (and prepare to be AMAZED at what these kids can accomplish in just a few short weeks!), as well as hear the stand tunes that the band will be performing at the football games. Meet the Band is a fun evening and it will often be a big “a-ha moment” for many parents who are still on the fence about what “this band thing” is all about. What is the Stadium Dinner? Each year, the band holds a special performance of their contest show for our parents, friends and families and afterward we enjoy a meal together. Stadium Dinner is held on a Friday evening on a “bye” week for the football team. Often, our parent volunteers are not able to see the band perform because of their volunteer duties. We provide this performance so that our parents may see the competition show without the distraction of the football crowd or those pesky judges. And because it’s local, everyone should attend--family, friends and the whole community! Silent and live auctions are also held at Stadium Dinner to help the boosters to raise much-needed funds. It’s a great evening of fellowship and fun for all! How do I get football tickets? Band members do not need tickets to the football games. Parents, however, will need to purchase tickets for all football games that they choose to attend. You may purchase season tickets through Comal ISD or General Admission home game tickets through the Comal ISD Brushfire website each week. For AWAY games, you will need to purchase VISITOR tickets on the opposing team’s district website. Someone often posts the links to away tickets on our parent Facebook page ahead of those games, so plan to check Facebook for information on tickets. FYI: Comal ISD students and employees get free entry into regular season home games. Many band parents like to sit in the General Admission area nearest the band. It’s a great way to socialize with other band parents and get the best view of the band shenanigans that are sure to ensue during the game! It’s a great time and we’re looking forward to seeing lots of band parents in the stands with us this year! What do we need to know about caring for the marching uniforms? The marching uniforms are sent home a few times a year to be machine washed. Specific washing instructions will be provided. Students will be responsible for making sure that the marching uniform is hung correctly following each performance. Do not cut or alter any portion of the school-owned uniform. The marching uniform pieces are: • Jacket – self explanatory • Bibs – the overall-style pants that are worn under the jacket • Gauntlets – Removable cuffs that are worn over the jacket • Shoes – must be purchased through the band department to insure uniformity • Socks – must be black and be at least calf high • Hat – self explanatory • Plume – tall feathery adornment that is attached to the hats just before performances • Show Top – custom-made tops that coordinate with this year’s show theme and add to the visual interest of the marching show. • Dri-fit shirt – black moisture wicking shirt with Ranger Band logo. This shirt is to be worn with the bibs and under the jacket at all performances. • Camelback – Camelbacks are considered part of the uniform and students are to have their Camelback with them at all times, including all rehearsals. The students will also have a Summer Uniform, which consists of khaki shorts and a Ranger Band polo. The band wears their Summer Uniform for the Comal County Parade as well as the first football game. You will order your student’s Summer Uniform before school begins. Tell us about the Friday night football games: On most Fridays, from the end of August until the beginning of November, there will be a football game. Watch the calendar, because occasionally our games are on Thursday. On game days, the students will meet directly after the last bell (or at a set time before school is out, if it is an away-game with travel) to begin preparations for the game. They will eat a nice meal served by the Band Boosters and there will be an inspection of uniforms, costumes, music, and equipment before the buses are boarded for away games or before walking in formation to the stadium for home games. The end of the football game does not mean the band is released. If we are at home, the band waits until the stands are almost empty before they walk in formation back to the band hall. If we are at an away game, all members must board the buses and return to Smithson Valley High School. The students will then ALL help to unload the buses, Big Blue and Little Blue. If you are picking up your band student, please be very patient. This is one of the hardest things for the new band parents to understand. We recommend having your student call you when they are released. See the SVHS Ranger Band Parents Facebook page for updated ETA. What if the football team makes the playoffs? In case you’re new to Ranger Football, our football team generally does exceptionally well and regularly advances to the playoffs. We played in the 5A Texas State Football Championship game in December of 2023 at Cowboy Stadium…and yes, the band was there with bells on (literally and metaphorically). The Ranger Band is expected to play at all of the play-off games. This usually includes a game during Thanksgiving break, so plan accordingly. The schedule for these games will be different from the regular season so watch for directions to come from the band directors. What if it rains at a football game? The band is expected to attend the game even if it is raining. The district’s safety regulations will be in effect so if lightning is detected, the game will be delayed, paused, rescheduled, or called completely. What are Marching Contests? Besides football games, the fall is all about the marching competitions for the Ranger Band. These competitions are held on Saturdays. They are comprised of UIL and other marching competitions. Most of the competitions are in the San Antonio or Austin area. The day of a competition, the students will meet at the band hall at an instructed time (also known as their Call Time); they will rehearse and then load the buses to travel to the competition site. Many competitions have a preliminary contest; they announce winners, and then have a finals competition for those bands that qualify. After the final awards are announced the band will reload the buses and return to SVHS. Once again, we recommend that you wait for a phone call from your student telling you that they have been released before you go to the school to pick them up or watch for posts on Facebook. This all means very long days for our band kids! Hydration and nutrition are always a top consideration. You will be notified when a sack meal needs to be sent or if a meal is being provided. We highly recommend that you volunteer to chaperone or work on the Pit Crew for one or more of these competitions. It is truly amazing to see what it takes to put on one of these shows and to see how amazing our students are. You will have a newfound respect for your student and how hard he/she works. What are the UIL Regional and State Marching Competitions? The University Interscholastic League--UIL--governs the state marching contests. The UIL has strict rules concerning the conduct and procedures to advance to the state competitions. The schools in the state of Texas are divided into classes based on student population. Smithson Valley High School is “class 5A”--the class for the medium-large schools. Every year the UIL contest begins with the Region marching competition, which includes one performance. The bands are given a rating of Division I, II, III, IV, or V. These are not 1st, 2nd, 3rd place awards. All bands receiving a Division I rating proceed to the Area competition. Division I bands from 3-4 regions gather at the Area competition. It is during this competition that the bands advancing to State will be decided. All bands perform in prelims with a select number of bands performing again in finals. A predetermined number of bands will get to make the coveted trip to State. The State contest is usually held in San Antonio at the Alamodome and is held in November for class 5A. The Ranger Band earned a spot at the State Marching Contest in 2023 and placed 20th out of 251 5A bands in the state of Texas--a HUGE accomplishment and the band’s first State Marching Contest appearance since 2001. Should the band qualify to compete at the State contest this year, the district will excuse the absence of our students from class. You can find more information on the UIL website. The address is www.uil.utexas.edu. Glossary You’ll hear your students, the directors and other band parents speaking a whole new “Ranger Band Language,” so we’ve put together a glossary of terms and acronyms to help you speak our language and better understand what is going on: Band Banquet -- Held in May of each year and affectionately known as “Band Prom,” Band Banquet is a gathering for the band and senior parents to celebrate a successful year of band. Dress is not as formal as prom, but most students wear nice clothing. It is held off campus and includes a meal as well as entertainment. Band Boosters - A group of parents and caregivers who dedicate their time and energy to helping our band and the directors perform at their highest level. Often seen in the stands at a football game, watching not the game, but instead the shenanigans of the band in the stands. Join the Band Boosters today to make a difference and make friends! “Band Buddy” - Often, within each section, the students will be assigned a “Band Buddy” and exchange little gifts for football games. Each section does their own thing, but the Band Buddy gifts are typically just a few little snacks or candy for the recipient to enjoy for the football game. *Seasoned Parent tip: Buy Band Buddy snacks in bulk and keep somewhere safe for gifting later. You’ll be glad to have this stash of gifts when your student reminds you at 11pm that they need a Band Buddy gift the next day. Band Fees - The band fees cover the fees for contest, marching show designers, sectional teachers and other band expenses. The meal fee covers water and food for all away games and contests. (Freshmen will have additional fees for required items such as marching shoes, Dri-fit shirts, Summer Uniforms, etc) Band Pad -- The Band Pad is the gated off section of the parking lot adjacent to the baseball field where our band does the majority of their marching practice. Battery/Batterie - The marching percussion including snare, tenor, bass drums and cymbals. Same as Drum Line. “Big Blue” -- The large 18 wheeler trailer that hauls our instruments and props to and from games and competitions. The students are tasked with loading and unloading Big Blue before AND after every football game and competition. Yes, it’s hard work; yes it results in late nights becoming even later and YES, our students are absolutely capable of doing it AND they take great pride in doing it correctly. BOA - Bands of America, a national organization hosting marching and concert competitions for high school and college bands. The Ranger Band typically competes at BOA in October at The Alamodome. Call Time - The time that all students are to be at the band hall/band pad with their necessary gear and ready to GO. Chaperones - Volunteer adults who travel with the band on the buses to every game, performance and competition. Chaperones keep your band students safe and in line. Color Guard - Students who spin flags, rifles, sabers and dance in conjunction with the marching show and are usually outfitted in a special “show theme” costume. A very important part of the marching show. They provide “color” to the overall effect of the show by closely choreographed interpretative dance routines that match the drill design. Comal Classic -- A marching contest hosted by Canyon High School that is typically one of our first marching competitions of the year. A great place to size up the competition and get valuable feedback on our performance from judges. Comal County Fair Parade (AKA: “Unfair Day”)-- Held toward the end of September. Our band marches in this popular parade in downtown New Braunfels and gets to spend some time at the fairgrounds after. All Ranger Band students participate in this parade--even those who play an instrument that doesn’t typically march (i.e. marimbas, vibraphones, etc) so attendance is mandatory. Also known as “Unfair Day,” because this is a school holiday, but the kids still have to wake up early to report to the band hall and then are gone most of the day for the parade and fair. Despite its nickname, “Unfair Day” is a fun day for the kids. Concert Season - Roughly December through May. A second installment of this Survival Guide will include information about Concert Season. Concert Uniforms - Tuxedos for the boys and gowns for the girls. Owned by the school. Your student will be fitted for their concert uniform during Band Registration in August and the concert uniform will go home with the student that day. Please hang it nicely and store it safely until it’s needed for the Holiday concert in December. Drum Majors - Conduct the marching band by providing appropriate beats at exactly the right time. The Drum Majors are authority figures and relay the band directors’ directives. Any band member can try out to be a drum major at the end of the school year. Eligibility - The condition of being unable, under UIL rules, to participate in a band activity due to poor grades. Fear of this may inspire band members to study. Feed The Band -- Before football games and before marching competitions, a dedicated group of band parents coordinate the care and feeding of our Ranger Band kids. Meals range from Chick-fil-A to pizza. The price of the meals is factored into your band fees so that you don’t have to worry about getting food or money to your hungry teen before games and competitions. While our Feed The Band volunteers can’t cater to the individual food preferences of each band member, they do cater to dietary restrictions and food allergies, so please reach out to our Feed The Band committee chairs and alert them to your student’s dietary restrictions ASAP. Front Ensemble - see Pit Instruments and Equipment. “Little Blue” -- The smaller trailer that is often used to haul props and band gear to and from games and competitions Load Crew - A group of strong-backed and strong-willed band students who strategize and help load and unload equipment and props at all games and competitions and afterwards, back at the school. Marching Uniforms - All students are fitted for a uniform and the uniforms stay at the band hall. The uniform committee does all sizing and distribution. All students must provide their own all-black crew socks (no gray heels, no white Nike sign on the side). Pit Crew - Students and dedicated band parents who are responsible for loading all equipment/props on buses/trailers, unloading at performance site, getting equipment on field and set up, then removing equipment expeditiously so as not to be in violation of any time rules set by the judging body, loading back onto trailer and unloading at school. Our Pit Crew parent volunteers are among the superheroes of our organization (and they’re really fun to hang out with, too! You should seriously consider joining us!). Pit Instruments and Equipment - Large non-marchable instruments and equipment moved onto marching field sidelines by band parents and students. Includes, but is not limited to, marimbas, various drums, wood blocks, vibraphones, xylophones, amplifiers, speakers, computer hardware, podiums, ladders, gongs, chimes, bells, cymbals, synthesizers, electronic keyboards and props. Props - Large visuals used during marching season, moved by students to enhance the visual effect of the show. Section - Consists of a group of like instruments (e.g. Saxophone Section) Section Leader -- Typically an upperclassman who is charged with dispensing information, enforcing rules, assisting in warmups and triaging band emergencies within each section of the band. Encourage your student to work hard for and respect their section leaders and their section leaders will advocate for them in return! Show Tops - The band will wear a special, custom-designed show top that will replace their uniform jacket for marching season. The show tops don’t typically make an appearance until a few weeks into the football season and they will periodically come home for a gentle but MUCH-NEEDED laundering. SLT -- Student Leadership Team. This includes Section Leaders, Drum Majors and other students in positions of leadership within the organization. Helpful Hints and Words of Wisdom From Seasoned Band Parents Get your kid outside and moving around over the summer. This will help them to acclimate to the heat and make the start of summer band a little easier. Good, supportive shoes for band camp are VERY important! Your kid might want to wear their favorite Converse or Vans, but consider if those shoes are up for the challenge and encourage them to wear athletic shoes instead. Sunscreen is also VERY important for summer band. Stock up on it and make sure that your kid has enough to reapply as needed through the day. Make your child responsible for being prepared. The first time they forget something will be the last! They learn to be resourceful when they have to be. Keep extra socks, practice/performance shirts, band aids, safety pins, etc. in your car or purse just in case. At the end of each practice session there are usually announcements - listen up. You can hear the announcements too! Keep all items in one bag so that you won’t spend time looking for them each time they are needed. Water, water, water! Encourage your kid to drink water before and after rehearsal and keep filling up their Camelback during rehearsal. Color Guard parents should budget extra funds (approximately $250 for marching season and about $500 for Winter Guard) to cover additional hair/makeup supplies; new rifles, etc. Color Guard rehearsals are typically extended by about 20 minutes to account for the extra clean-up and resetting of the cafeteria after they’re done, so plan accordingly when picking up your Color Guard student. Don’t make plans for weekends from the last weekend in September to the first weekend in November. Every weekend will be spoken for during this time frame for Friday football games and Saturday marching competitions. Make appointments for the dentist, doctor, HAIRCUTS well in advance of marching season! Almost every Saturday and every afternoon after school is spoken for from late September until early November (at least!) so, plan for that. Make plans to meet up with the band before HOME games outside of the band hall to “march down” to the stadium alongside them. Our drumline provides the beats and there’s nothing like cresting the hill before Ranger Stadium and seeing the crowd turn in excitement as their beloved Ranger Band comes into view. All are welcome to march down with the band. Just show up early and be sure to wear your walking shoes. There are cleaning supplies made specifically for Camelbacks that make cleaning your kid’s camelback much easier. Send a clean shirt to switch out at lunchtime during summer band camp…they will sweat! During competitions too! Get at least two Dri-Fit shirts for Friday and Saturday performances or you will be doing laundry every night! Buy portable phone chargers for your student to use for games and competitions, since buses seldom have outlets to use for charging. Stick with it! Don’t quit! It will be the highlight of your high school career!