This is a week of mandatory intensive rehearsal. The students practice all day and in the evening at Greenwood High School, but will stay at a hotel in Indianapolis (near I-465 near Beech Grove) to spend four nights. The purpose is to provide focus and bonding time for students as they put together their show.
Details:
- Schedule – On Monday of band camp week, the students report in early morning. They are dismissed from camp on Friday in the afternoon/early evening. Specific itinerary and expectations will be distributed the week before.
- Roommates – The students have roommates (3 or 4 to a room) with separate girls and boys floors. They are very carefully chaperoned with a specific, strict schedule and curfew.
- Practice – Practice during band camp week takes place at Greenwood High School – the band will travel by school bus to and from the hotel.
- Meals – All meals take place at the high school in the cafeteria. Some meals are prepared by the ladies in the cafeteria, and some are catered by local restaurants.
- No contact – Students are not allowed to contact family for this week – this is to allow for complete dedication, concentration and devotion to band.
- Care packages – You may send small care packages to students (instructions for this will be available the week before band camp).
- Volunteers – Parents have opportunities to volunteer during this week, during meals and practices. Typically parents of upperclassmen are given priority.
- Chaperones – Chaperones are “veteran” band parents who stay with the band at the hotel throughout the week.
- Medical Information – One or two nurses travel with the band all week and stay on site at the school and the hotel. Please turn in all medical forms before band camp.
- Sunscreen – PLEASE, PLEASE make sure your child has sunscreen. They will spend hours at a time in the sun.
- Water – For band camp, a tent is set up for students to have water breaks.
- Cell phones – No cell phones are allowed (iPods/Pads are allowed). Emergency numbers will be made available.
- Theme days – The band council plans fun activities throughout band camp week, which include theme days (Sectional shirt day, “twin” day, class color day, crazy day, etc.) Each of the sections will create or design a shirt to wear on a specific day during band camp. There is then a contest for the best section shirt (prices vary).
Please know: For some students and parents, band camp can be a bit tough, especially for students not used to being away from home. Please prepare your students since no outside contact is allowed during band camp. This is a great opportunity for freshmen and new members to learn from the upperclassmen. Students enjoy band camp, and this will help them when school starts. They recognize faces and know they can ask for help from upperclassmen if they need it. It’s a very rewarding experience, something they will carry with them through the years and it is part of the Greenwood tradition. Please DO NOT show up at the high school or hotel to check in on your student. The nurses, chaperones and directors will make sure your students are taken care of and inform you in case there are any emergencies.
No.
The band travels as a whole unit on school buses to each venue.
Students are not allowed to ride with parents or separately. Box Moms and Pit Dads are chaperones for each trip.
There are very strict guidelines regarding appearance during competitions. Box Moms are responsible for each student assigned to their “box”. No additional jewelry (watches, necklaces, earrings, rings, etc.) or make-up is allowed. Hair is to be kept as a natural color and pulled up underneath the hat.
Each student will be issued a uniform. Dates for fittings will be announced.
- Box – Uniforms are kept in a “box” which travels with the band. Uniforms never go home.
- Box Moms – “Box Moms” help students get dressed into their uniforms at the venue (or at school prior to the performance) to ensure proper assembling of uniform. Students have the same Box Mom helping them throughout the year.
- Required clothing – Students are required to wear a black shirt, black shorts and black socks under their uniform for each performance. They will be responsible for bringing those items and their shoes (purchased through the band department) to each performance.
Saturdays – Starting in September, Greenwood Marching Woodmen will have contests each Saturday. Typically, these are all day commitments.
- Where – Contests are held all over central Indiana. Usually contests are local, within an hour’s drive. We do go to Evansville every other year for a regional contest (part of the process to qualify for state).
- Schedule/Itinerary – The contest schedule will be available at the end of the previous school year, though specific times/itinerary for each Saturday will be determined during the week of the contest. Information will be emailed and will also come home with the students. Be prepared for some early morning report times and late night dismissals.
Visit the GHS website at http://ghsband.org for the latest calendar of events.
The band will march at several home varsity football games in the fall (mandatory). On those nights, after school rehearsals are shortened. Students are released to get a bite to eat, then report back to school (usually between 5:00- 6:00).
- After band practices, do not attempt to pick your child up at the curb.
Signs will be placed for no parking at the curb after practice. - Please park in the parking lot.
- It is a very busy time (coming and going across the parking lot), so please be aware of safety measures put in place, heed the signs and go slowly.
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT: For each practice, PLEASE make sure your child has an adequate amount of water (usually a quart jug is good) and PLEASE make sure your child wears sunscreen (for summer AND after school practices). Many hours are spent in the sun.
Nominal results for the contests in which Greenwood performs, placings and caption awards, without scores, for Class B, are normally posted very quickly to the GMWIG Facebook Group, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ghsband.org.
For more complete results for any contest, use the INBANDS site at https://inbands.com/contests.
Results posted to INBANDS can be slightly delayed, but will include more complete information like results for all classes, and scores, when those scores are released. ISMMA does not release scores publicly for their events: Regional, Semi-State, and State Finals.
Bookmark both!
https://inbands.com/contests
Fees may be paid online at http://ghsband.org or by check. All fees must be paid in full for students to receive any of their recognition awards.
There are additional opportunities through the year for parents and/or students to earn money for credit to your band account. Information is sent home with your student informing you of any upcoming events to work at and they are filled on a first come basis.
Yes, in fact there are four “fair share” fundraisers that are held to help keep band fees down, one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Additional fundraisers include the Scrip Program and parking cars at the local Indy race tracks among many other. More information will be made available as opportunities come up.
Fair Share – Each student is designated a “fair share” amount that they are responsible for with two options:
1) sell the designated amount (or more) of the fair share
2) opt out of the fundraiser and pay the designated dollar amount If a student sells more than their designated fair share amount, they will receive credit for a portion of the extra items sold. ·
Example: If the “fair share” amount is to sell 14 items, but the student sells 18, the student will receive credit for a portion of the additional 4 items sold.
The band program has many opportunities to volunteer throughout the year. Volunteer opportunities are communicated through the GBPO newsletters and flyers sent home with students. Concession stand and Invitationals are two great opportunities.
Band fees are assessed for Marching Band, Winter Percussion, Irish Guard and Winter Guard and Fall Sports participants. This is commonplace among every band program in the state.
Each student will have an account where band fees, payments, and any
credits earned are tracked. The treasurer sends out statements periodically to parents so you will be aware of any balances due or credits accumulated. You may carry over credits from one year to the next for band fees.
Please schedule appointments around these practices and performances. If you do have a medical emergency, please contact one of the Directors ASAP to let them know your student will be missing.
Attendance is mandatory for every practice and every performance
throughout the year. This is inclusive of all activities.
Yes! Do this from the device that contains the calendar to which you would like to sync. Visit the GMWIG website at http://ghsband.org. Use the “Calendar” link on the menu at the top of the page, or just go here: https://ghsband.org/calendar.
Once at the Calendar page, click the “Subscribe” button, then select your calendar system (Google, Outlook, Apple, etc…)
Choose one and follow the directions for importing the calendar.
You will receive a calendar with every practice and performance scheduled for the entire school year. This includes marching band contests and practices, football games, concert band contests and practices, invitationals, and solo and ensemble contests.
• September, October, November – Marching Band Season – contests each Saturday.
• December – Christmas Concert
• January – Greenwood Solo and Ensemble Contest, All-State Auditions, Concert Band uniform fittings
• February, March – Winter Percussion and Winter Guard Season – contests each Saturday.
• April – ISSMA Large Organization contest (Symphonic Band)
• May – ISSMA State Qualifier (Wind Ensemble), Jazz Band Dinner Dance, ISSMA Concert Band State Finals (Wind Ensemble), Band Banquet, Commencement
Additionally, you can access the Greenwood Website at http://ghsband.org and view the online calendar. Any changes to event dates, times or locations will be kept updated on this site.